U4 Topic 2 - Interpersonal Processes - P1

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in social psychology including prosocial and antisocial behaviour, bystander intervention models, social norms, and the General Aggression Model (GAM).

Descriptive Norms

An individual's perception of what most people do in a specific situation.

Injunctive Norms

An individual's perception of what behaviours are socially approved or disapproved of within a society.

Bystander Intervention

An act where a person voluntarily goes to the aid of another individual who is in need.

Bystander Effect

The phenomenon where the likelihood of bystanders helping is influenced by the number of bystanders present; the more bystanders present, the less likely any one individual will provide help.

Diffusion of Responsibility

A social phenomenon where the presence of others leads each bystander to feel less personal responsibility for helping, assuming that others will take charge.

Audience Inhibition

The reluctance of bystanders to help due to feelings of self-consciousness or fear of social blunders, where individuals fear being negatively judged by others if they make a mistake.

Social Influence

The process where the reaction of other bystanders influences the likelihood of helping; if others appear unconcerned, potential helpers may perceive the situation as non-urgent.

Decision-Stage Model of Helping

A five-stage situational model proposed by Latané & Darley (1970) outlining the steps to intervention: 1) Notice the need, 2) Decide it is an emergency, 3) Take responsibility, 4) Decide on a way to help, and 5) Take action.

Prosocial Behaviour

Voluntary behaviour intended to benefit other people and society in general, which can be either automatic or deliberate.

Antisocial Behaviour

Behaviour that is harmful to other people and, ultimately, to the community as a whole.

Altruism

Behaviour driven by a selfless desire to help others without any expectation of reward, often at a personal cost to the helper.

Reciprocity Principle

The social norm often expressed as 'Do unto others as they do unto you', describing the social expectation that a person will help those who have helped them.

Social Responsibility Norm

The social expectation that members of a society should provide help to people who are dependent or in need, without expecting any return favours.

Empathy

A personal characteristic reflecting the ability to perceive, see another's point of view, and be sensitive to the emotional states of others, which motivates prosocial action.

Perceived Competence

A bystander's belief that they possess the required skills and expertise to manage an emergency effectively, increasing their likelihood of offering assistance.

Cost-Benefit Analysis Model

A model formulated by Piliavin et al. (1981) proposing that bystanders evaluate the cognitive and physiological costs and benefits of helping versus not helping before taking action in an emergency.

Personal Distress

A feeling of anxiety and tension experienced when observing someone else in distress, prompting bystanders to act primarily to alleviate their own emotional discomfort.

Empathic Concern

The ability to recognise someone else's negative emotional state and express genuine concern directed at improving their well-being.

Groupthink

A phenomenon occurring when individuals within a cohesive group prioritise group harmony and conformity over critical analysis, leading to poor decision-making.

Aggression

Verbal or physical behaviour carried out with the deliberate intention of causing harm to another person who desires to avoid that harm.

Physical Aggression

Direct physical actions intended to inflict bodily harm or damage, such as hitting, kicking, spitting, pushing, shoving, or damaging property.

Verbal Aggression

The use of spoken or written communication to harm others, including yelling, verbal threats, negative talk, and sarcastic comments.

Relational Aggression

Aggressive behaviour designed to harm an individual's social relationships or social standing, such as spreading lies, spreading rumours, or excluding people.

Passive Aggression

Indirect expressions of hostility or non-confrontational harm, such as ignoring someone, withholding invitations, giving the silent treatment, or using sarcasm.

General Aggression Model (GAM)

A comprehensive theoretical framework developed by Anderson & Bushman (2002) that models aggression through the interaction of person/situation inputs, internal routes (affect, cognition, arousal), and outcomes.

Inputs (GAM)

The first stage of the GAM consisting of person factors (e.g., traits, biological factors) and situation factors (e.g., environmental cues, provocation) that initiate an episode.

Routes (GAM)

The second stage of the GAM representing internal states triggered by inputs, divided into affect (emotions), cognition (thoughts), and arousal (physiological state).

Distal Causes (GAM)

Long-term biological modifiers (e.g., hormone imbalances) and environmental modifiers (e.g., cultural norms, family dynamics) that shape an individual's underlying personality.

Outcome Stage (GAM)

The third stage of the GAM where immediate appraisal, cognitive resources, and reappraisal determine whether an individual engages in impulsive (aggressive) or thoughtful (non-aggressive) action.

Single Episode (GAM)

A single aggressive encounter that produces an immediate impact on an individual's internal state and can serve to reinforce future aggressive actions.

Multiple Episodes (GAM)

Repeated aggressive encounters over time that exert a cumulative impact, shaping long-term personality development and solidifying habitual patterns of behaviour.