psych unit 4

person perception

forming impressions of people using:

• social comparison (compare urself to others)

• attribution theory (explain causes of behaviors)

actor-observer bias & fundamental attribution error

external causes → our actions

internal traits → others’ actions

• FAE: underestimate impact of situation

just world phenomenon

the world is just → people get what they deserve

explicit vs implicit bias

explicit: conscious preference, expressed openly

• ms bryant liking tall guys or wtv

implicit: unconscious, automatic

• ms bryant’s bias against “fat ppl”

ingroup & outgroup

ingroup: ppl we share a common identity

outgroup: ppl different from our ingroup

foot-in-the-door phenomenon

agree to a small request = tendency to agree to a larger request later

cognitive dissonance

we reduce discomfort when two of our cognitions are inconsistent by changing one opinion/behavior or justifying it

peripheral route vs central route persuasion

peripheral: attention-getting cues to trigger quick emotion based judgments

• celebrity endorsements

central: evidence & arguments to trigger careful thinking

normative vs informational social influence

conforms to group behavior bc:

normative: person desires to gain approval

informational: person’s willing to accept others’ opinions

social facilitation, loafing, contagion

facilitation: people perform better in the presence of others

• actually strengthens “LIKELY” performance

loafing: ppl exert less effort when working w a group

contagion: unconscious imitation of others’ behaviors

deindividuation 

loss of self restraint when anonymous in group situations

group polarization

enhancement of preexisting inclinations after group discussion

zimbardo stanford prison experiment

ordinary ppl will conform to expectations of a social role (even if it leads to drastic change in behavior)

festinger cognitive dissonance

ppl only given $1 to lie about a boring task experienced more cognitive dissonance (rated it more enjoyable) than those given $20 to lie (justification was solely monetary)

asch conformity

individuals yielded to a majority group’s “wrong” opinion when answering “obvious” questions about line length

milgram obedience to authority

“teachers” delivered electrical shocks to fake “students” at the instruction of an authority figure 

tight vs loose cultures

tight: ppl often obey social norms

• little PDA, punctuality 

loose: ppl expect variability

• jaywalking, littering

frustration aggression principle

frustration (attempt to achieve smth was blocked) → anger → aggression

mere exposure effect

repeated exposure to novel stimuli → preference

self disclosure

revealing intimate details about ourselves

bystander effect

bystanders are less likely to give aid if others are present

social exchange theory

social behavior depends on weighing of costs & benefits

reciprocity norm & social responsibility norm

reciprocity: we should help those who have helped us

social responsibility: we should help those who need help

social trap

two parties pursuing self-interest are caught in mutual destructiveness

mirror image perceptions

“i’m moral and peaceful, the enemies are evil and aggressive!!”

superordinate goals

shared goals only achievable thru cooperation

• “opposing” group of boys had to work tgt

psychoanalysis → psychodynamic theories of personality

freud’s theories that thoughts/action come from unconscious motives

free association

person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind

id, ego, superego

id: irrational, illogical, impulsive

ego: rational

superego: moralistic, perfectionist

defense mechanisms

ego protects itself using these tactics to distort reality

• freud says this was indirect & unconscious

repression

exclusion of anxiety producing feelings, thoughts

• can only remember vague details abt traumatic event

displacement 

impulses are redirected to substitute person/object

• annoyed at school, short tempered w mom

sublimation

sexual urges are re channeled into productivity

rationalization

justifying actions/feelings w alternative explanations (rather than acknowledging true desires)

• gaslighting

projection

attribution of ones unacceptable urges to others

• married woman attracted to coworker thinks he’s hitting on her

reaction formation

thinking/behaving in a way that’s extreme opposite of their impulse

• attracted to a girl → bully her

denial

failure to recognize existence of anxiety provoking info

• alcoholic fails to acknowledge his addiction

undoing

atoning for an unacceptable action with another action

• cheats on taxes, makes large donation to church

regression

retreating to behavior pattern of earlier stage of development

• after bitter divorce, child crawls into bed w mother

collective unconscious 

we’re impacted by common reservoir of memory/images (archetypes)

• experience can leave epigenetic marks impacting gene expression

terror management theory (TMT)

awareness of our mortality → anxiety → following cultural beliefs/attempting to achieve high self esteem

thematic apperception test (a projective test)

given ambiguous pictures → make up stories

• rorschach inkblot test

hierarchy of needs

• self transcendence & self actualization

• esteem

• belongingness/love

• safety

• physiological

personality inventory

long questionnaires that assess several traits at once

minnesota multiphasic personality inventory (empirically derived)

developed to identify emotional disorders (and assess personality)

• empirically derived (selecting from a pool of items) and scored objectively

big 5 factors (OCEAN)

openness: imaginative, independent

conscientiousness: organized, careful

extraversion: sociable, affectionate

agreeableness: trusting, soft-hearted

neuroticism: anxious, insecure

social cognitive perspective vs behavioral approach

social-cog: interaction btwn individuals and their situations → personality

behavioral: learning → personality

reciprocal determinism

person-environment interaction

• behavior, internal cognition, environment

spotlight effect

overestimating how much ppl notice about you

self esteem, self efficacy, self serving bias

esteem: self worth

efficacy: competence

self serving: favorable self perception 

dunning kruger effect

ppl are most overconfident when they’re most incompetent 

drive reduction theory

when a physiological need increases (food/water), so does our physiological drive to reduce it

• maintains homeostasis 

arousal theory & yerkes dodson law

performance increases w arousal only up to a point (beyond that, it decreases)

affiliation need

need to build relationships & feel belonging

self determination theory

we feel motivated to satisfy need for CAR:

• competence

• autonomy

• belonging

intrinsically vs extrinsically motivated behaviors

intrinsically: inherently satisfying (enhance feelings of CAR)

extrinsically: external rewards/pressures (loses sense of control) 

achievement motivation

internal desire for accomplishment (REGARDLESS OF EXTERNAL AWARDS)

glucose

sugar that’s source of energy

• low glucose levels = hunger

set point

allows for humans to hover around a stable weight

basal metabolic rate

body’s resting rate of energy output

polygraph

lie detection device

facial feedback effect

facial states trigger corresponding feelings

• smiling → happier, frowning → sadder, etc.

behavior feedback effect

behavior influences feelings/mood

• downcast eyes, shuffling steps → unenergetic mood