Domain 4: Sociocultural

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases one's

liking of them.

Passionate Love

An aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the

beginning of a love relationship.

Companionate Love

A deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined.

Equity

The condition in which people contribute to and receive from a relationship at a similar rate.

Self-Disclosure

Revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others.

Altruism

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others.

Bystander Effect

The tendency for a person to be less likely to give aid if other people are present.

Prejudice

An unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members.

Stereotype

A generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people.

Discrimination

In social relations, taking action against a group of people because of stereotyped beliefs and feelings of prejudice.

Ingroup

"Us" --people with whom we share a common identity.

Outgroup

"Then" -- those perceived as different or apart from "us."

Ingroup Bias

The tendency to favor our own group.

Scapegoat Theory

The theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.

Other-Race Effect

The tendency to recall faces of one's own race more accurately than faces of other races.

Just-World Phenomenon

The tendency to believe that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get.

Aggression

Any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy.

Superordinate Goals

Shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation.

Behavioral Genetics

The school of thought that focuses on how much our genes and our environment influence our individual differences.

Genes

The biochemical units of heredity that make up chromosomes.

Environment

Every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us.

Chromosomes

Threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain genes.

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up chromosomes.

Mutations

Random errors in gene replication that lead to a change in the individual's genetic code and are the source of all genetic diversity.

Identical Twins

Twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.

Fraternal Twins

Twins who develop from two different fertilized eggs; they are genetically no more similar than any other two siblings, but they share a fetal environment.

Heritability

The degree to which traits are inherited.

Culture

The shared attitudes, beliefs, norms, and behaviors of a group communicated from one generation to the next.

Norms

Understood rules for accepted and expected behavior. David Matsumoto (1959-): Psychologist and cross-cultural psychology expert.

Culture

The shared attitudes, beliefs, norms, and behaviors of a group communicated from one generation to the next.

Individualism

Giving priority to personal goals over group goals and defining identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identification.

Collectivism

Giving priority to the goals of the group (often the extended family or work group) and defining personal identity accordingly.

Cross-Cultural Research

Research that tests hypotheses on many groups of people to understand whether principles apply across cultures.

Culture Specific

Principles that are true only for people of a certain culture.

Locus of Control

People's perception of the source of control over fate or what happens in life. People with an internal locus of control believe they control their fate through their behavior; people with an external locus of control believe their fate is controlled by external circumstances.

Ethnocentrism

The tendency to view the world through your own cultural filters.

Gender

Our definition of male and female, based on socially and culturally influenced characteristics, as well as biology.

Gender Role

A set of expected behaviors for males or for females.

Gender Identity

Our sense of being male or female.

Transgender

A broad term describing people whose gender identity or behavior differs from that associated with their birth-designated sex.

David Matsumoto (1959-)

Psychologist and cross-cultural psychology expert.