PSYC 1000U – Chapter 13: Social Psychology

What is Social Psychology?

The scientific study of how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the real or imagined presence of other people.\n

What is the difference between real and imagined presence?

Real presence involves people physically being there; imagined presence involves behaving differently just believing someone is watching.\n

What is Attribution Theory?

A theory explaining how we attribute others' behaviors to either situational (external) or dispositional (internal) causes.\n

What is Dispositional Attribution?

Explaining behavior based on personality traits or internal characteristics. Example: "He tripped because he's clumsy."\n

What is Situational Attribution?

Explaining behavior based on external/environmental factors. Example: "He tripped because the floor was slippery."\n

What is the Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)?

Tendency to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional ones when explaining others' behavior.\n

When is the Fundamental Attribution Error most common?

When judging strangers in a single situation.\n

How does FAE vary across cultures?

Western (individualistic) cultures show more FAE; Eastern (collectivistic) cultures attribute more to situational causes.\n

How does attribution affect behavior?

How we explain others' actions influences our reactions, which affects their response to us.\n

What is an Attitude?

Feelings influenced by beliefs that predispose responses toward people, objects, and events.\n

What are the three components of attitude?

Cognition (thoughts), Affect (feelings), Behavior (actions).\n

What is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment, such as treating someone as friendly and having them act friendly in return.\n

What is Role Playing in psychology?

Adopting a role may cause us to internalize associated attitudes and behaviors.\n

What happened in Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment?

Participants internalized assigned roles as guards/prisoners; guards became abusive, prisoners submissive. Stopped early due to ethical concerns.\n

What is Cognitive Dissonance?

Psychological discomfort from inconsistent actions and attitudes; we reduce it by changing attitudes or behaviors.\n

Describe the Festinger & Carlsmith study on dissonance.

Participants lied about enjoying a boring task. Those paid $1 changed their attitudes more than those paid $20.\n

What is Conformity?

Adjusting behavior/thinking to match group norms.\n

What was Asch's Line Study?

Participants conformed to wrong group answers about line lengths 37% of the time.\n

What increases conformity?

Group of 3+, unanimous answers, insecurity, admiration for group, observed responses, collectivist culture.\n

What is Normative Social Influence?

Conforming to gain approval or avoid disapproval.\n

What is Informational Social Influence?

Conforming because we believe others have accurate information.\n

What is Obedience?

Following direct orders, especially from an authority figure.\n

Describe Milgram's Obedience Study.

Participants gave fake shocks to others; 65% went to 450 volts despite distress.\n

What increases obedience?

Legitimate authority, institutional prestige, no defiance models, victim depersonalization, proximity of authority.\n

What is Social Contagion?

Natural mimicry of behavior, emotions, and moods in others (e.g., laughter, yawning).\n

What is Social Facilitation?

Improved performance on simple tasks and worse performance on complex tasks in presence of others.\n

What is Social Loafing?

Reduced effort in group tasks where individual output is not monitored.\n

What causes Social Loafing?

Less accountability, dispensability, and equal rewards.\n

What reduces Social Loafing?

Collectivist culture, visible individual performance.\n

What is Deindividuation?

Loss of self-awareness/restraint in groups that foster anonymity and arousal (e.g., riots).\n

What is Group Polarization?

Group discussion strengthens members’ preexisting views.\n

What is Groupthink?

Group harmony overrides critical thinking and realistic decisions.\n

How to prevent Groupthink?

Encourage dissent, invite external critiques, assign devil’s advocate.\n

What is the Bystander Effect?

The more people present, the less likely someone is to help.\n

What is Diffusion of Responsibility?

Belief that others will act so we don’t need to.\n

Describe the Kitty Genovese case.

Woman was murdered while neighbors heard her screams; no one helped due to bystander effect.\n

What are the steps in bystander decision-making?

Notice incident → Interpret as emergency → Assume responsibility → Take action.\n

When are we more likely to help?

If the person is similar, needs help, we’re not rushed, or saw someone else help.\n

What is Altruism?

Unselfish concern for the well-being of others, even at a cost to oneself.\n

What is the Mere Exposure Effect?

Repeated exposure to something increases our liking for it (e.g., liking letters in our name).\n

What is the Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon?

Tendency to agree to a large request after first agreeing to a small one.\n

What is Equity in relationships?

When partners receive in proportion to what they give.\n

What is Self-Disclosure?

Sharing intimate details about oneself to foster closeness.\n

What is Romantic Love?

Intense attraction and absorption in another person, usually early in relationships.\n

What are Superordinate Goals?

Shared goals that override individual differences and require cooperation.\n

What is the difference between In-Group and Out-Group?

In-group is "us," people we identify with; Out-group is "them," perceived as different.\n

What is Prejudice?

Unjustified negative attitude toward a group.\n

What is Discrimination?

Unjustified negative behavior toward a group.\n