Unit 10 - Social, Health, & Positive Psychology - AP Psychology

Attribution Theory

Tries to explain how people explain the causes of the behavior they observe

Situational Attribution

Understanding reaction to behavior that assumed it is caused by the situation/circumstance and isn’t a permanent action

Dispositional Attribution

Judgmental reaction to behavior that assumes it is a permanent, constant action because of who someone is as a person

Pessimistic Explanatory Style

Explains negative actions as internal, stable, and global

Optimistic Explanatory Style

Attributes positive behavior to internal or stable factors

Fundamental Attribution Error

We tend to overestimate the role of dispositional factors

Actor-observer bias

Hypocritical Behavior: attributes our own behavior to situation and the behaviors of others to personal factors

Self-serving bias

Attributes successes to internal factors and failures to external factors

Internal Locus of Control

We have a significant degree of control over the outcomes in our lives

External Locus of Control

Outside forces are primarily responsible for what happens in our lives

Attitudes

A set of beliefs and feelings

Mere-exposure effect

We develop a preference for things we are familiar with

Central Route of Persuasion

Using facts and evidence to persuade somebody

Peripheral Route of Persuasion

Using roundabout ways to convince somebody by using superficial like celebrities, heuristics, etc.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A person’s expectations lead to actions that make those expectations happen/come true. (Confidence is key to achieving success in something.)

Social Comparison

Occurs when people evaluate themselves based on comparisons with others. (Can be from praise or from deprevation)

Relative Deprivation

Person feels the desired resource is less than some standard. (Money, social status, etc.)

Stereotype

Overgeneralized idea about a group of people.

Prejudice

Undeserved negative attitude towards a group of people (Ethnocentrism)

Discrimination

An action based prejudice

Implicit Attitudes

Attitude a person holds w/o being aware of it or acknowledging it (Reflects attitudes of others)

In-Group

The group an individual is a part of

Out-Group

The group outside of the one you are a part of

In-Group Bias

Favoring in-group members and discriminating against out-group members

Out-group homogeneity Bias

Tendency to perceive members of an out-group to be more similar to one another than they actually are (grouping them together)

Just world phenomenon

Believing in karma and the idea that good things happen to good people & bad things happen to bad people

Blaming the victim

Believing in the Just World Phenomenon, therefore believing its the victim’s fault they’re suffering

Scapegoat Theory

Blaming stress and failure on a person/group rather than addressing the actual cause

Ethnocentrism

Viewing one’s culture or ethnic group as superior to others, leading to prejudice and discrimination

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

People want to have consistent attitudes and behaviors, so when they are not consistent with one another, they experience tension and begin to rationalize their actions.

Social norms

Social expectation placed on people to behave or act a certain way

Social Influence Theory

Social pressure to behave in certain ways can either be normative or informational

Normative Social Influence

Influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disappointment

Informational Social Influence

Influence resulting from one’s willingness to accept other’s opinions about reality

Elaboration likelihood model of persuasion

Explains how attitudes change through two routes: central or peripheral

Halo effect (Example of peripheral route)

Idea that one initial positive observation of a person leads to the assumption that other aspects are also positive.

Foot-in-the-door phenomenon

Asking for something small before asking for something larger in order to make it more acceptable.

Door-in-the-face Phenomenon

Making a large request and then a small one after so that the smaller one is more acceptable

Norms of Reciprocity

Idea that if you are given help/give help, it should be reciprocated. (Giving someone a gift, they are more likely to give you a gift back.)

Conformity

Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking in order to coincide with a group standard

Factors that strengthen conformity:

• Unanimous group decision

• Group is at 3+ people

• One admires group’s status

• One has made no prior commitments

Obedience

Compliance with one’s request or order as they are in a position of authority

Individualism

Philosophical and cultural perspective that places emphasis on the importance of individuality, autonomy, and each person’s innate value.

Collectivism

Philosophical and cultural perspective that places emphasis on collective desires and needs over the needs of individuals, therefore prioritizing the whole over each part.

Multiculturism

Refers to the coexistence of multiple cultures and celebrates diversity and promotes collaboration

Deindividuation

People get swept up into a group and lose all sense of self

Social Loafing

Tendency for people to exert less effort when in a group scenario towards a common goal rather than being individually capable

Groupthink

Places emphasis on group harmony rather than individualistic opinions. Results in suppressing adverse opinions to one’s group.

Group Polarization

Groups tend to make more extreme decisions than the individual

Social Facilitation Theory

If you are really good at something, you will perform better in front of a group; if you are not good at something or have difficulty, you will perform worse in front of a group.

False Consensus Bias

Overestimate the levels to which others agree with them

Industrial-Organizational psychologists

Studies how people perform/feel in the work place

Superordinate Goals

Serves to unite disparate groups under a common goal and reduce negative effect stereotyping

Social dilemma (trap) - (Prisoner’s dilemma)

When individuals do not unite and act in their own self-interest to the detriment of the group 

Bystander Effect

Conditions in which people are more or less likely to help one another. If there are multiple people around, you are less likely to help somebody (diffusion of responsibility).

Altruism (pro-social behavior)

Selfless behavior, doing something for someone with no expectations of it being returned.

Why do people participate in pro-social behaviors?

• Social Reciprocity Norm: social expectation that people will return the favor

• Social Responsibility Norm: belief that people should help those in need for the betterment of the community

What is stress?

Our body’s response to pressure; results in susceptibility to disorders and disease

What is Eustress?

Eustress is motivational stress (ex: competition)

What is Distress?

Distress is debilitating (ex: ACEs)

What is General Adaptation Syndrome?

Process of experiencing stress

What is the first stage of GAS?

Alarm — encountering stress

What is the second stage of GAS?

Resistance — occurs as stress is confronted (fight, flight, freeze)

What is the third stage of GAS?

Exhaustion — occurs when resources are spent due to prolonged or chronic stress. Greatest susceptibility to illness at this stage

What is the fight response?

Angry, threatening response to stress

What is the flight response?

Fearful, withdrawal response to stress

What is the freeze response?

Helpless, shut down response to stress

Tend-and-Befriend Theory

Response to stress that involves tending to one’s own needs and/or the needs of others

Problem-focused coping

Seeing stress as a problem to be solved & working solutions until one is found

Emotion-focused coping

Managing emotional reactions to stress as a means or coping. Strategies include deep breathing, meditation, or taking medication aimed at reducing stressful emotional responses

Well-being

State of being comfortable, healthy, or happy

Resilience

Capacity to withstand and recover quickly from difficulties

Gratitude (Positive subjective experiences)

Feeling of thankfulness and appreciation for what others do for us or for what we have in our lives. This increases our subjective well-being.

Signature Strengths (Positive Subjective Experiences)

Personal qualities that come naturally and contribute to well-being when applied effectively. For example, honesty, optimism, leadership, self-regulation

Virtues (Positive Subjective Experiences)

Behavior showing high moral standards; a quality or trait that is considered morally good or desirable (kindness, courage.)

What are the six character strengths?

Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence

What is Temperance?

Moderation or self-restraint

What is Transcendence?

Helping others in a beneficial way and putting them above your own needs

Post traumatic growth

Positive subjective experience that may result after the experience of trauma or stress; positive change after trauma