PSY150- Social Psychology-Ch12

Social Psychology

Social Psychology is an empirical field that examines how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts, and how their behavior is influenced by the presence, thoughts, and actions of others.

Situational Attributions

Situational Attributions refer to the interpretation of an individual's behavior as influenced by external factors, such as the environment or social circumstances surrounding them, rather than their internal traits.

Dispositionism

Dispositionism is the viewpoint that considers behavior as largely influenced by intrinsic characteristics, such as personality traits, beliefs, and attitudes, rather than situational factors.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The Fundamental Attribution Error describes the common tendency to overvalue personal characteristics and underestimate situational influences when explaining the behavior of others, leading to biased judgments.

Actor-Observer Bias

The Actor-Observer Bias is the cognitive bias where individuals attribute their own actions to external factors while attributing others' actions to intrinsic qualities, reflecting a disparity in perception based on one's perspective.

Self-Serving Bias

Self-Serving Bias is the cognitive distortion that leads individuals to attribute their successes to internal factors (like skill or effort) while blaming external factors (like luck or circumstance) for their failures.

Just-World Hypothesis

The Just-World Hypothesis is the belief that actions lead to consequences that are fair and just, resulting in the perception that individuals get what they deserve, which can lead to victim-blaming.

Compliance

Compliance is the psychological phenomenon where individuals change their behaviors or beliefs in response to direct requests from others, often to maintain social harmony or fulfill requests.

Conformity

Conformity is the adjustment of one's thoughts, feelings, or behaviors to align with those of a group or social norm, often stemming from pressure to fit in or the desire to be accepted.

Obedience

Obedience is the act of following commands or orders from a figure of authority, often without questioning the legitimacy or morality of those demands.

Group Polarization

Group Polarization is a phenomenon where discussion within a group leads members to adopt more extreme positions regarding a viewpoint that the group initially supported, intensifying their beliefs.

Groupthink

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a cohesive group where the desire for unanimity overrides individual critical thinking and leads to poor decision-making.

Social Facilitation

Social Facilitation is the behavioral effect in which individuals perform better on simple or well-practiced tasks when in the presence of others, while their performance on complex tasks may suffer.

Social Loafing

Social Loafing refers to the tendency of individuals to exert less effort when working as part of a group compared to when they are working alone, often because of reduced accountability.

Deindividuation

Deindividuation refers to a psychological state where individuals lose self-awareness and self-restraint in group situations, which can lead to impulsive and sometimes antisocial behavior.

Aggression

Aggression encompasses behaviors that are intended to harm or cause physical or emotional pain to others, which can manifest in physical violence, verbal attacks, or hostile actions.

Bystander Effect

The Bystander Effect is a social psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present, often due to the diffusion of responsibility.

Diffusion of Responsibility

Diffusion of Responsibility is the tendency for individuals in a group to feel less personal responsibility to take action during an emergency, assuming that someone else will intervene or take charge.

Kitty Genovese

Kitty Genovese was a murder victim in a case that highlighted the Bystander Effect, as numerous witnesses failed to intervene or call for help during her attack, prompting significant research into social behavior.