MCAT P/S Practice Flashcards — Social Processes, Attitudes, and Behavior

A comprehensive set of 190 vocabulary-style flashcards covering social processes, group behavior, socialization, and attitudes based on the lecture notes.

Max Weber

One of the first sociologists to study social interaction and describe social action.

Social action

The actions and behaviors that individuals perform or modulate because of the presence of others around them.

Weber's motive for social action

Individuals modify their behavior because they predict how others will react to them and adjust accordingly.

Social action vs. social interaction

Social action focuses on an individual surrounded by others; social interaction examines the behavior and actions of two or more individuals who take one another into account.

Social facilitation

The tendency for people to perform better on simple tasks when in the presence of others.

Trigger for social facilitation

A performance response exhibited when individuals know they are being watched.

Yerkes–Dodson law of social facilitation

Theory stating that being in the presence of others raises arousal, which improves performance on familiar tasks but impairs performance on unfamiliar tasks.

Effect of arousal on simple tasks

High arousal enhances performance on simple tasks.

Effect of arousal on complex tasks

High arousal hinders performance on complex tasks.

Expert pianist facilitation example

An expert may perform better in concert than alone because the task is highly familiar.

Novice musician facilitation example

Someone with little musical knowledge may perform worse in a social setting than alone due to increased arousal on a complex task.

Performance determinants

Performance depends on ability as well as the social environment and awareness of that environment.

Deindividuation

The loss of self-awareness in a group setting accompanied by the adoption of a group-oriented identity.

Mob mentality

Another term sometimes used for deindividuation.

Judgment during deindividuation

Individuals lose their own sense of morals and judgment and follow group actions.

Factors contributing to deindividuation

Group cohesion and individual anonymity.

Effect of group identification on deindividuation

The more strongly a person relates to the group, the more likely they are to adopt the group identity.

Effect of anonymity on deindividuation

Increased anonymity diffuses personal responsibility and strengthens deindividuation.

Antinormative behavior

Behavior that is not socially acceptable or behavior "against the norm."

Violence in crowds

A common example of antinormative behavior caused by deindividuation.

Group types that increase deindividuation

Large, homogeneous groups.

Impact of uniforms and masks on deindividuation

These items increase anonymity and strengthen the deindividuation effect.

Bystander effect

Phenomenon in which individuals fail to intervene to assist those in need when other people are present.

Relationship between bystander count and helping

An inverse relationship; more bystanders means less likelihood any one person will help.

Detection of danger in groups

Individuals are less likely to notice danger or unusual events when in a group.

Social cues in the bystander effect

People take cues from others; if others do not react, an individual is less likely to perceive danger.

Helping behavior in low-danger situations

Bystanders are less likely to provide aid.

Helping behavior in high-danger situations

Bystanders are more likely to intervene.

Factors affecting responsibility perceptions in bystanders

Competency of bystanders, relationship to the victim, and whether the victim is considered deserving of aid.

Group cohesiveness effect on helping

Well-acquainted groups respond more quickly and more often than groups of strangers.

Social loafing

The tendency of individuals to reduce effort when working in a group.

Physical example of social loafing

Carrying a heavy object with others.

Mental example of social loafing

Working on a group project.

Initiative example of social loafing

Generating solutions to a problem as part of a group.

Peer

An individual regarded as an equal within a social group.

Peer pressure

Social influence placed on an individual by peers.

Common forms of peer pressure

Religious ideals, appearance, values, and sexual behavior.

Valence of peer pressure

Peer pressure can be both positive and negative.

Peer pressure in children

Social acceptance is associated with behaving like the group's norm.

Importance of peers during adolescence

Peers play a major role in determining lifestyle, appearance, and social activities as teenagers become more independent from parents.

Primary effects of peer pressure

Changes in behavior, attitudes, and beliefs.

Risky behaviors from peer pressure

Binge eating, reckless driving, and violent activities.

Identity shift effect

Changes in beliefs or behavior due to peer pressure, often triggered by the threat of social rejection.

Social rejection and harmony

The threat of rejection disrupts an individual's state of harmony, leading them to conform to group norms.

Discomfort of initial conformity

Occurs because the behavior is outside the individual's normal character.

Conflict reduction in identity shifts

Internal conflict is reduced when the individual adopts the group's standards as their own.

Cognitive dissonance

The simultaneous presence of two opposing thoughts or opinions.

Emotional effects of cognitive dissonance

Anxiety, fear, anger, or confusion.

Methods to reduce cognitive dissonance

Changing, adding to, or minimizing one of the conflicting thoughts.

Asch conformity experiment purpose

To determine whether group opinions influence individual judgments.

Participants in Asch's study

Male college students.

Confederates

Actors pretending to be participants in an experiment.

Task in Asch's experiment

Matching a line on one card with the correct line among choices A, B, or C.

Error rate with correct confederates

Less than $1\%$.

Error rate with incorrect confederates

Real participants answered incorrectly up to $\frac{1}{3}$ of the time.

Main conclusion of Asch's study

The desire to conform can outweigh the desire to provide the correct answer.

Group processes

The ways in which two or more individuals shape one another's behavior.

Group polarization

The tendency for groups to make decisions that are more extreme than members' original individual views.

Outcomes of group polarization

Can increase either risk-taking or caution.

Risky shift

The original term used when groups were observed making riskier decisions than individuals.

Choice shift

Recognition that groups may shift toward either risk or caution following interaction.

Choice shift vs. group polarization

Choice shift refers to measured changes before and after interaction; group polarization refers generally to the movement toward extreme conclusions.

Social media and group polarization

Physical presence is unnecessary; reading others' ideas online can produce more extreme views.

Groupthink

A desire for harmony or conformity that causes a group to reach an incorrect or poor decision.

Alternative ideas in groupthink

Alternative ideas are not adequately assessed.

Critical thinking in groupthink

Independent critical thinking is lost as external viewpoints are ignored.

Researcher associated with groupthink

Irving Janis.

Illusion of invulnerability

Sign of groupthink where members encourage risk-taking, ignore pitfalls, and are overly optimistic.

Collective rationalization

Sign of groupthink where members ignore concerns expressed about group-approved ideas.

Illusion of morality

Sign of groupthink where members believe group ideas are morally correct despite contrary evidence.

Excessive stereotyping

Sign of groupthink where members stereotype those expressing outside opinions.

Pressure for conformity

Sign of groupthink where members feel pressure not to disagree with the group.

Self-censorship

Sign of groupthink where members withhold ideas or opinions that disagree with the group.

Illusion of unanimity

Sign of groupthink where members believe there is no disagreement even when it exists.

Mindguards

Members who protect the group from opposing viewpoints.

Fad

A behavior temporarily viewed as popular and desirable by a large community.

Examples of fads

Pet rocks, Rubik's cubes, Pogs, catchphrases, and viral media.

Mass hysteria

As shared intense concern about threats to society.

Groupthink elements in mass hysteria

Collective rationalization, illusion of morality, excessive stereotyping, and pressure for conformity.

Historical mass hysteria example

The Salem witch trials.

Culture

The beliefs, behaviors, actions, and characteristics of a group or society.

Method of cultural learning

By living within society, observing behaviors and traits, and adopting them.

Cultural transmission

The passing of beliefs, customs, and cultural norms from one generation to another; also known as cultural learning.

Culture shock

The feeling that cultural differences are dramatic when traveling outside one's own society.

Cultural assimilation

The process by which an individual or group's behavior and culture come to resemble another group's.

Outcome of assimilation

New aspects are integrated into society and culture, transforming it.

Factors assessing assimilation

Socioeconomic status, geographic distribution, language attainment, and intermarriage.

Ethnic enclave

A neighborhood with a high concentration of one specific ethnicity.

Examples of ethnic enclaves

Chinatown and Little Italy.

Multiculturalism

Communities containing multiple cultures or ethnic groups; also called cultural diversity.

Goal of multiculturalism

To encourage, respect, and celebrate cultural differences.

Cultural mosaic

A multicultural society in which cultures coexist while maintaining differences.

Melting pot

An assimilationist model where cultural elements merge into one homogeneous culture.

Subculture

A group within a culture that distinguishes itself from the primary culture.

Characteristics defining subcultures

Clothing, music, race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and other distinguishing factors.

Counterculture

A subculture whose identity opposes the majority culture and prevailing social mores.

Cultural diffusion

The spread of norms, customs, and beliefs from one culture to another.

Primary socialization

Learning acceptable actions and attitudes during childhood, mainly from caregivers and nearby adults.

Importance of primary socialization

Provides the foundation for future socialization and personal opinions.

Secondary socialization

Learning appropriate behavior within smaller sections of society outside the home, such as school or a profession.