AP Psych Unit 4

social psychology

deals with how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

person perception

how we form impressions of ourselves and others

attribution theory

theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition

fundamental attribution error

the tendency for individuals to overemphasize the role of internal factors and underestimate the influence of external factors when explaining the behavior of others

actor observer bias

the tendency for people(actors) to attribute their behavior to external causes, but for observers to attribute others’ behaviors to internal causes

prejudice

preconceived opinion that is not based on reason

stereotype

generalized belief about a particular group of people

discrimination

unjust treatment of others

ingroup

people whom we share a common identity with

outgroup

those perceived as different or apart from our group

ingroup bias

the tendency for us to favor our own group

just world phenomenon

when individuals tend to believe that people get what they deserve

other race effect

tendency to recall faces of one’s own race more accurately than faces of other races

scapegoat theory

individuals or groups may be unfairly blamed or targeted for negative outcome or problems

attitude

feelings that predispose us to respond in particular ways to objects, people, and events

role

a set of behaviors, attitudes, and expectations that are associated with a particular position or status

cognitive dissonance

when attitudes and behaviors conflict; when faced with new information that conflicts with existing information, people either accept the information or reject it

persuasion

changing peoples’ attitudes, potentially influencing their actions

foot in the door phenomenon

a small request or action is initially made to an individual, followed by a larger request

central route

careful and thoughtful consideration of the argument

peripheral route

relies on cues or associations rather than the strength of the argument

norms

social rules and expectations

conformity

the tendency for individuals to adjust their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to align with social norms

normative social influence

influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval

informational social influence

influence resulting from a person’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality

prosocial behavior

actions that are intended to help others without expecting anything in return

antisocial behavior

behavior that is violent or intending to do harm

social contagion

the spontaneous spread of behaviors

chameleon effect

people often mimic what others are doing in social situations as to fit in and not stand out

empathy

the ability to feel others’ feelings and share in their experiences

mood linkage

the sharing of moods of people around you

Asch conformity test

tests how quickly people conform into a group

obedience

complying with an order or command

social control

when someone is controlled by the power of the situation they are in

personal control

when someone is controlled by the power of themselves

minority influence

the ability for a single person or small group to influence the majority

Milgram obedience experiment

studied obedience to authority figures

social loafing

when a person doesn’t help in a group project because they know the rest of that group would get the work done

social facilitation

when people perform better when in a group or when being watched by others

deindividualization

people lose their sense of identity and self awareness in group settings

group polarization

the enhancement of a group’s prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group

groupthink

when the desire for group cohesion and harmony overrides critical analysis

culture

enduring values, attitudes, behaviors, and traditions shared by a group

tight culture

a place with defined and strict norms

loose culture

a place with flexible and informal norms

aggression

any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally

causes of aggression

high amygdala activity, decreased frontal lobe activity, hormonal imbalances, learned aggression

frustration aggression principle

cycle where frustration causes aggression which generates more frustration

social script

culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations

mere exposure effect

people tend to develop a preference for things they are exposed to repeatedly

passionate love

intense and often overwhelming emotional state characterized by strong feelings of longing, desire, and attraction toward another person

companionate love

deep and enduring affectionate bond characterized by trust, respect, intimacy, and commitment

equity

the fairness, balance, and justice in social relationships

self disclosure

the act of revealing intimate aspects of ourselves to others

altruism

doing positive things for society without expecting anything in return

bystander effect

a social phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help or intervene in an emergency situation when others are present

social exchange theory

individuals engage in social interactions based on the desire to maximize rewards and minimize costs

reciprocity norm

a social expectation that individuals should reciprocate favors or actions in response to those received from others

social responsibility norm

social expectation that individuals have a duty or obligation to help or assist others who are in need, even if there is no direct personal benefit involved

mirror image perceptions

the tendency of conflicting parties to perceive themselves as reasonable and just while perceiving the other party as aggressive, unreasonable, or unjust

self fulfilling prophecy

when a belief or expectation held by an individual influences their behavior in a way that confirms the belief or expectation

superordinate goals

shared objectives or tasks that require the cooperation of conflicting parties to achieve

diffusion of responsibility

a person is less likely to take responsibility for action or inaction when there are other bystanders present

personality

outward expression of self

psychodynamic theories

personality is based off childhood experiences in our unconscious

psychoanalysis

attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts

the unconscious

a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, and feelings

id

basic impulses, operates at an unconscious level (the cat)

superego

our values that were taught; ideals and morals (the fish)

ego

balance between id and superego that creates our personality (the kids)

repression

unknowingly placing an unpleasant memory or thought in the unconscious

regression

reverting back to an immature behavior from an earlier stage of development

displacement

redirecting feelings or actions from the intended source to a safer, substitute target

projection

attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings and thoughts to others and not yourself

sublimation

replacing socially unacceptable impulses with socially acceptable behavior

reaction formation

overacting in the opposite way to one’s true feelings

rationalization

justifying actions or outcomes with excuses or faulty logic

humanistic theory

theory of personality focusing on the potential for healthy personal growth

hierarchy of needs

Maslow’s idea that you must fulfill each of the needs on the bottom before you can reach the top

self actualization

one of the ultimate needs that arises after the basic physical and psychological needs are met and self esteem is achieved and people can become the best version of themselves

first step

physiological needs

second step

safety needs

third step

love and belonging

fourth step

esteem

top step

self actualization

conditional positive regard

valuing an individual only when they adhere to certain behaviors and beliefs

trait theory

certain stable and enduring characteristics influenced by genetic predisposition

trait

a relatively enduring characteristic that influences a person’s thoughts, behaviors, and emotions

empirically derived test

a psychological test that has been developed and validated through scientific research

personality inventory

type of psychological test that assesses an individual’s personality traits, motivations, and emotional tendencies

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

assesses adult psychopathology (mental health disorders); uses a true or false format

internal locus of control

believe they are in control and take responsibility for their own actions

external locus of control

blame external forces for their own circumstances

collective unconscious

shared reservoir of memories, symbols, and instincts inherited from our ancestors

projective test

a personality test where individuals are presented with stimuli (images, inkblots, stories) and asked to interpret or describe them. People project their own personality traits, needs, and emotions onto the stimuli

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

uses a series of black and white pictures with ambiguous scenes that individuals need to interpret by creating stories

Rorschach inkblot test

where individuals are shown a series of inkblots and asked to describe what they see. Reveals aspects of people’s personalities, emotions, and thinking patterns depending on how they perceive the inkblots

social cognitive theory

our traits and the social context interact to produce our behaviors

spotlight effect

overestimating others’ noticing and evaluating our appearance and performance

self esteem

one’s feeling of high or low self worth