Social Psych Quiz terms

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overemphasize personal characteristics and ignore situational factors in judging others' behavior.

Self Serving Bias

The habit of attributing positive events to one’s own character but attributing negative events to external factors.

Altruism

Selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Just World Hypothesis

The belief that the world is fair and people generally get what they deserve.

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon whereby people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them.

Outgroup vs In-group

Outgroup refers to a group that one does not belong to, while in-group refers to a group with which one identifies.

Attribution

The process of explaining the causes of behavior and events.

Stereotype

A widely held, oversimplified belief or idea about a particular group of people.

Conformity

The act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to group norms.

Actor Observer Bias

The tendency to attribute one's own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to their character.

Normative Social Influence

The influence of other people that leads us to conform in order to be liked and accepted by them.

Deindividuation

The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations.

Social Reciprocity Norm

The expectation that people will respond to each other in kind, returning benefits for benefits.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

The theory that suggests we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent.

Belief Perseverance

The tendency to hold on to one's beliefs, even in the face of contrary evidence.

Bystander Effect

The phenomenon whereby individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when there are other people present.

Halo Effect

The tendency for an impression created in one area to influence opinion in another area.

Central Route of Persuasion vs Peripheral Route of Persuasion

Central route relies on logical reasoning and evidence, while peripheral route relies on superficial cues like attractiveness or emotion.

Group Polarization

The tendency for group discussion to strengthen the dominant position held by group members.

Foot-in-the-door Technique

A compliance strategy that involves getting a person to agree to a large request by first setting them up with a smaller request.

Milgram Experiment

A study on obedience to authority figures, demonstrating people’s willingness to obey commands that conflict with their personal conscience.

Asch Experiment

A study on conformity that explored how individuals yield to or defy a majority group and the effects of being in a group on individual behavior.

Zimbardo Experiment

Also known as the Stanford prison experiment, it explored the psychological effects of perceived power, focusing on the struggle between prisoners and prison officers.