Attitudes_and_Stereotypes_Y11_ATAR_PPT

Attitudes

Evaluations made up of feelings, beliefs, and behaviors toward a person, social group, event, or object.

Attitude object

The target of judgment related to an attitude, such as an object, person, event, or social group.

Explicit attitudes

Conscious judgments held toward an attitude object.

Implicit attitudes

Unconscious judgments held toward an attitude object.

Tripartite model of attitude structure

The model explaining attitudes as comprised of three components: affective, behavioral, and cognitive.

Affective component

Feelings associated with the attitude object.

Behavioral component

Behaviors, past and planned, associated with the attitude object.

Cognitive component

Thoughts associated with the attitude object.

Cognitive dissonance

Mental discomfort experienced when a person acts inconsistently with their attitudes or beliefs.

Avoidance (in cognitive dissonance)

The inclination to avoid situations that could increase cognitive dissonance.

Reduction (in cognitive dissonance)

The process of experiencing a balance between the reality of the world and individual expectations.

Rationalization (in cognitive dissonance)

The tendency to justify one's behavior to reduce the discomfort of cognitive dissonance.

Theory of cognitive dissonance

Proposes that people experience discomfort when they hold conflicting cognitions and are motivated to resolve that discomfort.

Study: Cognitive Consequences of Forced Compliance

A 1959 experiment by Festinger and Carlsmith investigating cognitive dissonance.

Situational attribution

Assigning the cause of behavior to external environmental factors.

Dispositional attribution

Assigning the cause of behavior to internal factors such as personality or ability.

Social identity theory

A theory explaining how group membership influences self-image and behaviors toward others.

Ingroup

The group an individual associates with.

Outgroup

Any group that an individual does not belong to.

Social comparison

The process of comparing one's own ingroup with outgroups.

Stereotypes

Oversimplified beliefs about an outgroup that pertain to either positive or negative thoughts.

Direct discrimination

Unfair treatment of an individual based on characteristics they possess.

Indirect discrimination

Disadvantaging individuals with certain characteristics due to conditions applying to everyone.

Racism

Prejudice and discrimination against individuals based on their race.

Sexism

Prejudice and discrimination based on an individual's gender.

Ageism

Prejudice and discrimination based on a person's age.

Causes of prejudice

Factors such as social influence, intergroup competition, and social categorization that lead to prejudicial attitudes.

Just world phenomenon

A cognitive bias where people believe that the world is fair and that individuals are deserving of their circumstances.

Intergroup contact

Interaction between members of different social groups; proposed to reduce prejudice.

Superordinate goals

Goals that can only be achieved through cooperation between groups, helping reduce intergroup conflict.

Robber's Cave Experiment

A study conducted by Sherif et al. examining how competition affects intergroup relations.

Forced compliance behavior

Performing an action that conflicts with personal beliefs due to external pressure.

Experimental condition

A specific setup in an experiment that tests particular variables.

Deception (in studies)

Misleading participants about the true purpose of a study to avoid bias.

Self-report tests

Methods used to measure explicit attitudes, usually through questionnaires or surveys.

Cognitive bias

Flawed thinking patterns that may distort reasoning.

Magnitude of cognitive dissonance

A measure of the level of discomfort an individual feels when experiencing cognitive dissonance.

Change beliefs (in cognitive dissonance)

One of the responses to reduce cognitive dissonance by adjusting one’s beliefs.

Change behavior (in cognitive dissonance)

One of the responses to reduce cognitive dissonance by altering one’s actions.

Change perception of the action

A response to cognitive dissonance where an individual justifies their behavior.

Cognitive consequences of forced compliance

The idea that behavior influenced by external pressure can lead to a change in beliefs.

Social identity

The part of an individual’s self-concept derived from their group memberships.

Enviromental influences (on prejudice)

Factors stemming from interactions with society that contribute to the development of prejudices.

Empathy

Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, often towards ingroup members.

Discrimination vs. prejudice

Discrimination is the behavior that results from prejudice, which is the attitude.

Overgeneralized stereotypes

Stereotypes which apply uniformly to all members of a group regardless of individual characteristics.

Dissonance reducing changes

Adjustments made in beliefs or actions to restore consistency in cognition when faced with dissonance.

Peer influence

The effect that individuals have on each other in social groups.

Self-esteem

An individual’s evaluation of their own worth.

Cognitive processing

The mental process involved in gaining knowledge and comprehension.

Social categorization

The process of classifying people into groups based on shared characteristics.

Intergroup relations

The interactions between members of different social groups.

Field experiments

Studies conducted in real-world settings outside of a laboratory.

Attitude measurement

Techniques used to assess individuals’ attitudes towards various subjects.

Norms (social norms)

The accepted standards of behavior within a group.

Friendship dynamics

The nature of relationships among individuals sharing mutual affection.

Collective identity

The shared identity of a group, shaped by their membership.

Conflict resolution

The process of resolving a dispute or conflict.

Cultural norms

The behavior standards within a particular culture.

Social constructs

Concepts or perceptions that are developed and defined by society.

Behavioral intentions

An individual's motivation to engage in a specific behavior.

Moral influence

The impact that moral beliefs have on behavior and decision-making.

Expectation vs. reality

The difference between what is anticipated and what actually occurs.

Diversity

The existence of differences within a given setting, including various perspectives and backgrounds.

Cohesion (group cohesion)

The extent to which members of a group stick together.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

When a belief or expectation about an individual leads them to act in ways that confirm that belief.

Social pressure

The influence exerted by a group to change the attitudes or behaviors of its members.

Psychological dynamics

The underlying psychological mechanisms influencing behavior and thought processes.

Stereotype threats

The risk of confirming negative stereotypes about one’s group.

Social exclusion

The act of rejecting or not allowing participation by certain individuals or groups.

Discriminatory practices

Actions that unjustly treat individuals based on the group they belong to.

Empirical research

Assessment based on observable and measurable evidence.

Cognitive evaluation

The assessment of cognitive processes, beliefs, and attitudes.

Behavioral outcomes

The results of behaviors exhibited by individuals or groups.

Stereotypical judgments

Assessments made based on generalized beliefs about a group.

Mutual dependence

A condition where groups rely on each other to achieve their objectives.

Social comfort

The ease with which individuals engage socially in groups.

Prejudicial attitudes

Negative evaluations or feelings directed toward particular groups or individuals.