unit 4 part 1 ap psych

Social psychology

The scientific study of how we think about, influence, & relate to one another.

Person perception

How we form impressions of ourselves & others, including attributions of behavior.

Attribution theory

Theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation (situational attribution) or the person’s stable, enduring traits (dispositional attribution).

Fundamental attribution error

Tendency for observers, when analyzing others’ behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation & to overestimate the impact of personal disposition.

Actor-observer bias

Tendency for those acting in a situation to attribute their behavior to external causes, while observers attribute others’ behavior to internal causes.

Mere exposure effect

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

Prejudice

An unjustifiable & usually negative attitude toward a group & its members, involving negative emotions, stereotyped beliefs, & a predisposition to discriminatory action.

Stereotype

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

Discrimination

Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members.

Just-world phenomenon

Tendency for people to believe the world is just & that people therefore get what they deserve.

Social identity

The 'we' aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to 'Who am I?' that comes from our group memberships.

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.

Attitudes

Feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, & 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.

Door-in-the-face phenomenon

The tendency for people who deny a large request to comply later with a smaller request.

Role

A set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.

Cognitive dissonance theory

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

Persuasion

Changing people’s attitudes, potentially influencing their actions.

Peripheral route persuasion

Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness.

Central route persuasion

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

Norms

A society’s understood rules for accepted & expected behavior.

Conformity

Adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

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.

Obedience

Complying with an order or command.

Social facilitation

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

Social loafing

The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward a common goal.

Deindividuation

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

Group polarization

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

Groupthink

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

Culture

The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, & traditions shared by a group of people.

Tight culture

A place with clearly defined & reliably imposed norms.

Loose culture

A place with flexible & informal norms.

Industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology

The application of psychological concepts & methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces.

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

Theory that our social behavior is an exchange process aimed at maximizing benefits & minimizing 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.

Conflict

A perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.

Social trap

A situation in which two parties become caught in mutually destructive behavior.

Mirror-image perceptions

Mutual views held by conflicting parties, where each sees itself as ethical & peaceful.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment due to the person’s own actions.

Superordinate goals

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