Social Psychology

social psychology

the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

attribution theory

suggests how we explain someone's behavior; by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition

fundamental attribution error

the tendency for observers, when analyzing another's behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate true impact of personal disposition

attitude

feelings, often based on our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events

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 reduct the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent.

conformity

adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard

normative social influence

influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disproval

informational social influence

influence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality

social facilitation

stronger responses on simple of well-learned tasks in the presence of others

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

prejudice

an unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members; generally involves stereotypical beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action

stereotype

a generalized (and sometimes accurate but often generalized) belief about a group of people

discrimination

unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members

ingroup

"us" people with whom one shares a common identity

outgroup

"them" those perceived as different or apart from one's ingroup

ingroup bias

the tendency to favor one's own group

scapegoat theory

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

just-world phenomenon

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

aggression

any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy

frustration-aggression principle

the principle that frustration (the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal) creates anger which can generate aggression

conflict

perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas

mere exposure effect

the phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them

culture

beliefs, customs, and traditions of a specific group of people

passionate love

an aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship

companionate love

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

equity

a condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it

self-disclosure

revealing intimate aspects of yourself to others

altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

bystander effect

the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present

social exchange theory

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

reciprocity norm

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

social-respinsibility norm

an expectation that people will help those dependent on them

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

peripheral route to persuasion

occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness

central route to persuasion

occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts

self-fulfilling prophecy

an expectation that causes you to act in ways that make that expectation come true

Individualism

giving priority to one's own goals over group goals and defining one's identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications

Collectivism

giving priority to the goals of one's group (often one's extended family or work group) and defining one's identity accordingly