Social Psychology & Freudian Theory: Key Concepts and Stages

Social Psychology

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

Attribution Theory

We explain someone's behavior by creating either the situation or the person's disposition

Fundamental attribution error

The tendency to overestimate the influence of personal traits and underestimate the effects of the situation

Attitude

Feelings are influenced by beliefs that predispose reactions to objects, people, and events

Foot-in-the-door phenomena

If you can comply with one small task, they will later agree to a larger one

Role

Acting a social part by following guidelines for expected behavior

Cognitive-dissonance theory

When attitudes do not match actions, we try to change something to make them match

Conformity

Adjusting our behavior to coincide with a group standard

Normative Social Influence

To gain approval or avoid disapproval

Jim Jones and the Jonestown Massacre in 1978

Coerced mass suicide dictated by Jim Jones

Prejudice

Unjustified negative attitude towards a specific group of people

Ingroup Bias

The tendency to favor our own group, us vs. them

Scapegoat Theory

An outlet for anger that provides someone to blame

Aggression

An act intended to harm someone physically or emotionally

Frustration-aggression principle

Frustration → anger → aggression

Psychology of Attraction

We're attracted to people similar to ourselves

Mere exposure effect

Repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases the liking of them

Passionate love

intense positive absorption at the beginning of a crush or relationship

Companionate love

deep attachment characterized by equity, self-disclosure, and positive support

Equity

giving in proportion to what you get

Self-disclosure

revealing something vulnerable about yourself

Positive support

compliments, laughing, etc.

Altruism

The unselfish regard for others and concern for their welfare.

Bystander/Genovese Effect

Tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.

Kitty Genovese

A case often cited in discussions of the bystander effect.

Social Exchange Theory

Our social behavior is an exchange process, asking 'What's in it for me?'

Reciprocity Norm

Through socialization, we learn how we ought to offer help, helping because we've been taught to do so.

Social-Responsibility Norm

The expectation that people will help those needing help.

Personality

An individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Psychodynamic Theory

Believes that behavior is a dynamic interaction between the conscious and unconscious mind.

Sigmund Freud

Pioneered psychoanalysis, observing patients whose disorders had no clear physical explanation.

Psychoanalysis

Seeking to treat disorders by drawing out unconscious thoughts and feelings.

Unconscious

A 'reservoir' that contains unacceptable thoughts, memories, feelings, etc.

Free Association

An open stream of consciousness, saying everything that comes to mind.

Freudian Slip

Saying something you shouldn't have said; Freud would suggest that you meant to say it.

Dream Analysis

The concept that 'dreams are the road to the unconscious.'

Iceberg Image

Freud's theory of mind structure, where the mind is mostly hidden beneath the conscious surface.

Id

Unconscious energy that operates on the pleasure principle, striving to satisfy basic drives.

Ego

Operates on the reality principle, aiming to realistically gratify Id's impulses for long-term pleasure.

Superego

Internalized ideas that focus on ideal behavior and strive for perfection.

Freud's Psychosexual Stages

Believed personality was set around age 5, consisting of stages like Oral and Anal.

Oral Stage

Pleasure centers on the mouth (0-18 months), involving sucking, chewing, and biting.

Anal Stage

Pleasure focuses on bowel and bladder elimination (18-38 months), coping with demands for control.

Phallic Stage

Pleasure zone is the genitals.

Oedipus Complex

Romantic feeling towards mother, jealousy towards father.

Electra Complex

Girls' relationship with father, opposite of Oedipus Complex.

Identification

Children incorporate their parents' values into their understanding of gender identity.

Fixation

Stuck psychologically.

Latency Stage

Dormancy of sexual feelings, focus on developing social and intellectual skills.

Genital Stage

Physical maturation continues, individual seeks relationship with others.

Defense Mechanisms

Tactics that reduce and redirect anxiety by distorting reality.

Repression

Underlies all other defense mechanisms; we 'banish' and 'forget'.

Regression

Retreating to a more infantile psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated.

Reaction Formation

Switching unacceptable impulses into the opposite.

Projection

Disguising one's own threatening impulses by attributing them to others.

Rationalization

Offering self-justifying explanations in place of real, more threatening reasons for actions.

Displacement

Shifting impulses toward a more acceptable object or person.

Denial

Refusing to believe or perceive painful realities.

Sublimation

Finding a socially acceptable way to do something you like to do.

Inferiority Complex

Believed that childhood is about overcoming feelings of inferiority.

Childhood Anxiety

Triggers a desire for love, nothing to do with sexuality, but with independence.

Collective Unconscious

Sharing archetypal ideas (memories, traditional thoughts, instincts, love for family, urges, etc.).

Projective Tests

Personality tests that provide ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one's inner dynamics.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

People express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

Most widely used projective test consisting of a set of 10 inkblots.

Hierarchy of Needs

These needs build on each other and lead to the pinnacle of self-actualization.

Self-Actualization

The growth process of fulfilling our potential and life purpose.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Affirming and validating constantly.

Self-Concept

All of the thoughts and feelings about ourselves.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Identifies 16 different combinations of personality.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

The most widely researched and clinically used personality test consisting of 550 true or false questions.

Self-Esteem

Our feeling of self-worth.

Self-Efficacy

Our sense of competence on a task.

Narcissism

Excessive self-love.