Chapter 13: Social Psychology (Modules 41-44)

Peripheral route persuasion

Occurs when people are influenced by attention-getting cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness

Central route persuasion

Occurs when interested people’s thinking is influenced by considering evidence and arguments.

social facilitation

In the presence of others, improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks, and worsened performance on difficult tasks.

Social loafing

The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable

Deindividuation

The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.

Group polarization

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

Groupthink

The mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.

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.

attribution theory

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

fundamental attribution error

The tendency, when analyzing others’ behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

foot-in-the-door phenomenon

The tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request

cognitive dissonance theory

The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when we become aware that our attitudes and our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes

prejudice

An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action

stereotype

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

discrimination

Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members.

implicit bias

Automatic associations that can influence individual judgments of or behavior toward people of a particular race, gender, or other group.

just-world phenomenon

The tendency for people to believe that the world is just and people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get

ingroup

“Us”—people with whom we share a common identity.

outgroup

“Them”—those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup.

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. Also called the cross-race effect and the own-race bias.

frustration-aggression principle

The principle that frustration—the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal—creates anger, which can generate aggression.

mere exposure effect

The tendency for repeated exposure to novel stimuli to increase our liking of them.

altruism

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others.

social exchange theory

The theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.

reciprocity norm

An expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them

social-responsibility norm

An expectation that people will help those needing their help.

social trap

A situation in which two parties, by each pursuing their self-interest rather than the good of the group, become caught in mutually destructive behavior.

mirror-image perceptions

Mutual views often held by conflicting parties, as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive.

self-fulfilling prophecy

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment.

superordinate goals

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

GRIT

Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction—a strategy designed to decrease international tensions.