Psychology Concepts - Attribution, Prejudice, Attitudes, and Group Behavior

These flashcards cover key psychological concepts related to attribution, prejudice, social influence, conformity, attitudes, group behavior, altruism, and biases.

What is explanatory style in psychology?

It refers to how you usually explain good or bad events, ranging from optimistic to pessimistic explanations.

What is attribution theory?

It is the way we explain the causes of behavior, whether it be our own or others'.

What is the fundamental attribution error?

It is when we blame others' behaviors on their personality rather than the situation.

What is the difference between situational and dispositional attribution?

Situational attribution attributes behavior to the environment, while dispositional attribution attributes behavior to personality traits.

What is self-serving bias?

It is the tendency to take credit for our successes but blame outside factors for our failures.

What does actor-observer bias mean?

It refers to the tendency to explain our own behavior using situational factors, while attributing others' behaviors to their personality.

Define prejudice in social psychology.

It is a negative attitude toward a group of people based on characteristics such as race.

What is cognitive load?

It is when your brain is overloaded, causing you to think less carefully, often leading to reliance on stereotypes.

What is discrimination?

It refers to acting on prejudice, such as not hiring someone because of their gender.

What are implicit attitudes?

These are unconscious biases that may influence feelings and behavior without conscious awareness.

What is the just-world phenomenon?

It is the belief that people get what they deserve, leading to assumptions about individuals' circumstances.

Define in-group bias.

It refers to the preference for one's own group over others.

What does out-group homogeneity bias mean?

It is the perception that individuals in an out-group are all the same.

Define ethnocentrism.

It is the belief that one's own culture is superior to others.

What is confirmation bias?

It is the tendency to only seek out information that supports one's existing beliefs.

What is belief perseverance?

It refers to the tendency to hold onto beliefs even when they are proven wrong.

Explain the foot-in-the-door technique.

It is a persuasion strategy where a small request is presented first, followed by a larger request.

What is the door-in-the-face technique?

It involves making a large request first, which is then followed by a smaller one.

What is cognitive dissonance?

It is the discomfort experienced when one's actions do not align with their beliefs.

Define persuasion in psychology.

It is the process of changing someone's attitudes or beliefs.

What is peripheral route persuasion?

It involves persuasion through emotional appeals or superficial cues rather than logical arguments.

What is central route persuasion?

It involves persuasion through strong arguments and logical reasoning.

What is the halo effect?

It is the tendency to let one positive trait influence the overall opinion of an individual.

What are social norms?

Expected rules for behavior in a group setting.

What does conformity mean?

It is changing your behavior to match that of a group.

Explain normative social influence.

It is conforming to be liked or accepted by others.

What is informational social influence?

It is conforming because you believe others are correct.

Define obedience in a social context.

It is the act of following orders from an authority figure.

What is social facilitation?

It refers to performing better on easy tasks and worse on hard tasks when being watched.

What is social loafing?

It is the tendency to put in less effort when working in a group.

Define deindividuation.

It is the loss of self-awareness in a group, which can lead to reckless behavior.

What is group polarization?

It refers to how group discussions can lead to stronger opinions within the group.

What is groupthink?

It is the practice of making poor decisions to maintain group harmony.

Define multiculturalism.

It is the practice of valuing and respecting different cultures.

What is the mere exposure effect?

It is the phenomenon where people tend to like something more after being exposed to it repeatedly.

What is prosocial behavior?

Any behavior that helps others.

Define altruism.

It is helping others with no expectation of reciprocal benefit.

What is the bystander effect?

It is the decreased likelihood of individuals helping in the presence of others.

What is diffusion of responsibility?

It refers to feeling less responsible for action when in a group.

What is the social responsibility norm?

It is the belief that we should help those in need.

Define self-fulfilling prophecy.

It is when expectations influence behavior in such a way that they lead to the fulfillment of those expectations.