Unit 4: Social Psychology and Personality

Vocabulary terms from Unit 4 on Social Psychology and Personality, including definitions and explanations.

Attributions

Judgments about the causes of a person's behavior.

Dispositional attribution

Crediting or blaming the behavior on the person’s internal, stable enduring traits.

Situational attribution

Crediting or blaming the behavior on an external situation.

Explanatory style

The way you explain an event.

Optimistic explanatory style

You are hopeful about things, view setbacks as temporary, and have confidence in yourself.

Pessimistic explanatory style

You view the world negatively and see setbacks as permanent.

Actor/observer bias

We tend to attribute others' actions to internal factors while attributing our actions to external factors.

Fundamental attribution error

Viewing behavior and making a logical leap about why that behavior is happening.

Self-serving bias

We judge our failures as due to situational factors, but our successes are due to dispositional factors.

Internal locus of control

Believing that they have control over life outcomes.

External locus of control

Believing that external circumstances are responsible for life outcomes.

Mere exposure effect

Repeated exposure to a novel stimulus increases its liking.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

A person unknowingly causes a prediction to come true.

Social comparison

People value their worth by comparing themselves to others.

Upward social comparison

Comparing ourselves to others whom we perceive as better.

Downward social comparison

Comparing ourselves to those who are worse off.

Relative deprivation

Using comparisons to feel worse off or feel bad about oneself.

Stereotype

Generalized belief about a certain group.

Cognitive load

Mental effort it takes to process information.

Prejudice

An unjustifiable negative attitude toward a group and its members.

Discrimination

A negative behavior/action towards a group and its members.

Implicit attitudes

Thinking or feeling something towards someone without conscious thinking.

Just-world phenomenon

Tendency to believe the world is just and fair, blaming victims.

Out-group homogeneity bias

Believing that people who are different from 'us' are all the same.

In-group bias

Believing that those who are part of 'my group' are unique.

Ethnocentrism

Perceived superiority of one's ethnic group.

Belief perseverance

People's attitudes persist even when contradictory information is presented.

Confirmation bias

Seeking information that confirms already held beliefs.

Cognitive dissonance

Acts to reduce discomfort when thoughts and behaviors are inconsistent.

Social norms

Guidelines for behavior agreed upon by members of society.

Social influence theory

How thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are altered based on others' actions.

Normative social influence

Conforming to avoid rejection or gain approval.

Informational social influence

Conforming because you believe others' beliefs are more accurate.

Persuasion

Any deliberate attempt to change attitudes or beliefs.

Elaboration likelihood model

Theory describing a change in attitude as a result of persuasion.

Central route of persuasion

Influence by facts, logic, data, and evidence.

Peripheral route of persuasion

Influence by incidental cues like attractiveness.

Halo effect

Overall impression influences perceptions of specific traits.

Foot-in-the-door technique

Getting people to agree to a small request first, to agree to a larger one later.

Door-in-the-face technique

A large, unreasonable demand is followed by a smaller request.

Conformity

Adjusting behavior or thinking to fit in with group norms.

Obedience

Complying with demands from an authority figure.

Individualism

Focus on the individual and their personal success.

Collectivism

Focus on the success of the group.

Multiculturalism

Valuing the uniqueness of each culture.

Group polarization

Enhancement of a group's inclinations through discussion.

Groupthink

Prioritizing group harmony over making the right decision.

Diffusion of responsibility

Feeling less responsible for actions in a group setting.

Social loafing

Some people exert less effort in group settings.

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness in group situations.

Social facilitation

Improved performance on simple tasks in the presence of others.

False consensus effect

Believing one's opinions are normal and shared by others.

Superordinate goals

Shared goals requiring cooperation to achieve.

Social traps

Situations where self-interest leads to mutually destructive behavior.

Industrial/organizational psychology

Subfield focusing on worker productivity and organizational structure.

Burnout

Mental and/or physical exhaustion due to excessive stress.

Altruism

Helping others in need without expecting anything in return.

Prosocial behavior

Actions that benefit others and involve helping behaviors.

Social debt

Feeling the need to reciprocate help received from others.

Social reciprocity norm

Helping those who have helped us.

Social responsibility norm

Expectation to help those in need.

Bystander effect

Diffusion of responsibility leads to lack of help in groups.

Situational variables

How the environment influences behavior.

Attentional variables

Stimuli one selectively focuses on while ignoring others.

Psychodynamic theory

Focus on childhood and unconscious processes in shaping behavior.

Unconscious processes

Thinking that happens without awareness or control.

Ego defense mechanisms

Conscious strategies to protect against anxiety.

Denial

Refusing to believe a painful reality.

Displacement

Shifting tension to a less threatening target.

Projection

Attributing unacceptable impulses onto someone else.

Rationalization

Justifying unacceptable behavior with logical reasons.

Reaction formation

Replacing unacceptable impulses with opposites.

Regression

Resorting to an earlier stage of development.

Repression

Pushing unwanted memories into the unconscious.

Sublimation

Channeling aggressive drives into acceptable activities.

Projective tests

Tests revealing unconscious thoughts through responses to stimuli.

Preconscious mind

Thoughts and memories not currently conscious but retrievable.

Unconscious mind

Mental processes outside conscious awareness affecting behavior.

Humanistic psychology

Focus on personal growth and potential.

Unconditional positive regard

Acceptance in trusted relationships that allows authenticity.

Self-actualizing tendency

Drive to fulfill one's potential and growth.

Social cognitive theory

Learning through observation and interaction with the environment.

Reciprocal determinism

Interaction of behaviors, cognitions, and environments shaping personality.

Self-concept

Thoughts and feelings that define 'Who am I?'

Self-efficacy

Belief in one's ability to succeed.

Self-esteem

Overall feelings of self-worth.

Trait theories

Personality theories identifying specific habitual characteristics.

Big 5 theory

Personality dimensions: conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness, extraversion.

Agreeableness

Trait characterized by cooperation and empathy.

Openness to experience

Trait indicating creativity and willingness to try new things.

Extraversion

Trait indicating sociability and energy gained from social interactions.

Conscientiousness

Trait indicating goal orientation and responsibility.

Emotional stability

Ability to maintain emotional control.

Personality inventories

Questionnaires measuring personality traits.

Factor analysis

Procedure grouping related personality traits.

Drive-reduction theory

Physiological needs create drives to satisfy them.

Homeostasis

Ability to maintain stable internal environments.

Arousal theory

Motivation to maintain optimal levels of arousal.

Optimal level of arousal

Ideal balance of stimulation.

Yerkes-Dodson law

Inverted U model of arousal and task performance.