Unit 10 - Social Psychology

Social Psychology

The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Phillip Zimbardo

Psychologist who ran the Stanford Prison Study showing how roles and deindividuation shape behavior.

Solomon Asch

Studied conformity using line‑judgment tasks; found that about 1/3 of the time, participants conformed.

Stanley Milgram

Studied obedience; 63% of people went all the way to 450 volts.

Social Norms

An accepted way of behaving; how we act in groups or societies.

Explanatory Style

How people explain events as positive or negative.

Optimist

Explains events with positive expectations.

Pessimist

Explains events with negative expectations.

Attribution Theory

We explain behavior by crediting either the situation or the person.

Situational Dispositions

Explaining behavior based on external circumstances.

Personal Dispositions

Explaining behavior based on personality.

Fundamental Attribution Error

Overestimating personality and underestimating the situation when judging others.

Actor‑Observer Asymmetry

We explain our behavior situationally but others’ behavior dispositionally.

Self‑Serving Bias

Success = internal causes; failure = external causes.

False Consensus Effect

Overestimating how much others share our beliefs and behaviors.

Locus of Control

Belief about whether outcomes are controlled internally or externally.

Internal Locus of Control

Belief that outcomes come from one’s own actions.

External Locus of Control

Belief that outcomes come from luck, fate, or outside forces.

Belief Perseverance

Clinging to beliefs even when evidence contradicts them.

Confirmation Bias

Seeking information that confirms existing beliefs.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Two routes to persuasion: central and peripheral.

Central Route Persuasion

Attitude change through evidence and argument.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

Attitude change through quick cues (attractiveness, popularity).

Halo Effect

One positive trait influences overall impression.

Persuasion

Changing attitudes through communication.

Foot‑in‑the‑door Phenomenon

Small request → bigger request.

Door‑in‑the‑face Phenomenon

Start big → retreat to smaller request.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

We change attitudes to reduce tension when behavior and beliefs conflict.

Mere Exposure Effect

Repeated exposure increases liking.

Roles

A set of expectations defining how we should behave.

Social Influence Theory

Explains why we conform (normative + informational).

Normative Social Influence

Conforming to gain approval or avoid disapproval.

Informational Social Influence

Conforming because others’ opinions seem correct.

Obedience

Following orders from authority; demonstrated in Milgram’s study.

Social Facilitation

Better performance on easy tasks; worse on difficult ones when watched.

Social Loafing

Less effort in groups than when individually accountable.

Deindividuation

Loss of self‑awareness in groups; anonymity + arousal.

Group Polarization

Group discussion strengthens existing attitudes.

Groupthink

Desire for harmony overrides realistic decision-making.

Stereotypes

Overgeneralized idea about a group of people.

Prejudice

Negative attitude toward a group.

Discrimination

Action based on prejudice.

Ethnocentrism

Judging other cultures by your own.

Implicit Attitudes

Unconscious evaluations influencing behavior.

Ingroup

People within one’s own group.

Outgroup

People outside one’s group.

Ingroup Bias

Preferring one’s own group.

Scapegoat Theory

Blaming others when things go wrong.

Other‑Race Effect

Better recognition of faces of one’s own race.

Vivid Cases

Memorable examples distort judgment.

Availability Heuristic

Judging likelihood based on how easily examples come to mind.

Just‑World Phenomenon

Belief that good is rewarded and bad is punished.

Bystander Effect

More people present → less likely to help.

Social Exchange Theory

Weighing costs and benefits before helping.

Reciprocity Norm

We should help those who help us.

Social‑Responsibility Norm

We should help those in need.

Social Traps

Pursuing self‑interest harms everyone.

Mirror‑Image Perceptions

Each side sees the other as evil or untrustworthy.

Self‑Fulfilling Prophecies

Beliefs that cause themselves to become true.

Superordinate Goals

Shared goals that reduce conflict.

Industrial Organizational Psychology

Study of workplace behavior.

Burnout

Exhaustion brought on by an overwhelming workload.

Social Comparison

Evaluating ourselves based on others.

Relative Deprivation

Feeling worse off compared to others.

Individualism

Values independence and personal goals.

Collectivism

Values group goals over individual ones.