unit 4 psychology flashcards

all terms and definitions from vocab

What is victim blaming?

The tendency to hold the victim of a crime or accident responsible for their misfortune.

What does the foot-in-the-door phenomenon describe?

The tendency for people to comply with a large request after first agreeing to a small request.

What is informational social influence?

Influence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality, often in situations of uncertainty.

What is the bystander effect?

The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help in an emergency when others are present.

What is collectivism?

A cultural value that emphasizes the importance of the group over individual needs or desires.

What is the mere-exposure effect?

The tendency to develop a preference for things simply because they are familiar.

What is altruism?

Selfless concern for the well-being of others without expecting any personal gain.

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy?

When a belief or expectation about oneself or others leads to behaviors that cause that belief to come true.

What is a projective test?

A type of personality test where individuals respond to ambiguous stimuli, revealing hidden thoughts and feelings.

What are Rorschach inkblots?

A projective test consisting of 10 inkblot images used to analyze a person’s social behavior and emotional functioning.

What is reaction formation?

A defense mechanism where a person behaves in a way opposite to their true feelings to avoid anxiety.

What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

A psychological theory proposing that people are motivated by a five-tier hierarchy of needs, from basic physiological needs to self-actualization.

What does the Big Five Theory describe?

A model of personality that includes five major traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

What is reciprocal determinism?

A theory proposed by Bandura that personality is shaped by the interaction of behavioral, cognitive, and environmental factors.

What is self-efficacy?

One’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task.

What is self-serving bias?

The tendency to attribute personal successes to internal factors and failures to external factors.

What is intrinsic motivation?

Motivation driven by internal rewards, such as personal satisfaction or enjoyment.

What is extrinsic motivation?

Motivation driven by external rewards, such as money, praise, or recognition.

What does the Yerkes-Dodson Law of Arousal state?

Optimal performance occurs at a moderate level of arousal, with performance declining at very high or very low levels.

What is emotional appraisal?

The process by which individuals evaluate an event or situation and decide how it will affect their emotions.

What is actor-observer bias?

The tendency to attribute one’s own actions to external factors, while attributing others' actions to internal factors.

What is out-group homogeneity bias?

The tendency to perceive members of an out-group as being more similar to each other than they really are.

What is stereotyping?

The act of ascribing specific traits or characteristics to individuals based on their membership in a particular group.

What is the central route to persuasion?

A method of persuasion that involves careful consideration of the content of a message and logical arguments.

What is the peripheral route to persuasion?

A method of persuasion that relies on superficial cues, such as attractiveness or credibility, rather than the content of the message.

What was the Stanford Prison Experiment?

A controversial 1971 psychological study by Zimbardo examining the effects of perceived power in a simulated prison environment.

What is social loafing?

The tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone.

What is group polarization?

The tendency for group discussion to lead to more extreme decisions or opinions than initially held by individuals.

What is groupthink?

A phenomenon where the desire for harmony in a group leads to poor decision-making and a lack of critical thinking.

What is the reciprocity norm?

The social norm that suggests people should return a favor or kindness.

What is deindividuation?

A psychological state in which individuals lose self-awareness and feel less accountable for their actions, often in group settings.

What are superordinate goals?

Goals that require cooperation between groups, leading to conflict resolution and group unity.

What is displacement?

A defense mechanism in which emotions or feelings are redirected from the original source to a safer target.

What is projection?

A defense mechanism in which individuals attribute their own undesirable thoughts, feelings, or behaviors to others.

What is a personality inventory?

A type of psychological test used to measure and assess personality traits.

What is arousal theory?

The theory that individuals are motivated to perform actions to maintain an optimal level of arousal.

What is incentive theory?

The theory that behavior is motivated by a desire to obtain external rewards or avoid negative consequences.

What are display rules?

Social norms governing the appropriate expression of emotions in a given culture.

What is approach-approach conflict?

A psychological conflict that occurs when a person must choose between two equally desirable options.

What is homeostasis?

The process by which the body maintains a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions.

What is conscientiousness?

A personality trait characterized by being organized, responsible, and dependable.

What is agreeableness?

A personality trait that reflects a person's tendency to be compassionate, cooperative, and trusting.

What is correlational research?

Research that examines the relationship between two or more variables without manipulating them.

What is a cross-sectional study?

A research method that examines data from participants at one point in time, often used to compare different groups.

What is self-esteem?

One's overall sense of self-worth or personal value.

What is in-group bias?

The tendency to favor individuals within one's own group over those in an out-group.

What is prejudice?

A preconceived opinion or attitude about a person or group that is not based on reason or actual experience.

What is diffusion of responsibility?

The tendency for individuals to feel less responsibility to act in an emergency when others are present.

What is ethnocentrism?

The belief that one's own culture or ethnicity is superior to others.

What is external locus of control?

The belief that outcomes are determined by external forces such as luck, fate, or the actions of others.

What is internal locus of control?

The belief that one’s actions and decisions directly influence the outcomes in their life.