Social Psychology and Personality

Vocab

Conformity

adjusting out behaviors and thoughts to match the group standard.

Normative Social Influence

influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval

Social Norms

unwritten rules for accepted and expected behaviors

Relative Deprivation

individuals feel disadvantaged by comparing themselves to others.

Upward Social Comparison

comparing oneself to a successful peer, often used as motivation.

Downward Social Comparison

comparing oneself to those worse off than them, to boost self esteem.

Informative Social Influence

the process by which individuals adjust their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors in response to others they believe are more intelligent.

Obedience

the act of following direct commands and instructions of an authority figure.

Social Facilitation

improved performance in the presence of others

Group Polarization

Making a group opinion more extreme by discussing with those who share the same opinion.

Groupthink

the mode of thinking that occurs when a group desires harmony or conformity leading to irrational or dysfunctional decision making.

Bystander Effect

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

Diffusion of Responsibility

the tendency for individuals to feel less responsible for taking action pr helping in a situation when others are present.

Social Loafing

the tendency for people to put in less effort while working in a group towards a common goal, then when individually accountable.

Individuation

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

Attribution Theory

we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either their situation or the person’s personality.

Dispositional Attributions

Assuming a person’s actions are due to their personality, not their situation.

Situational Attributions

Assuming a person’s actions are due to their circumstances, not their personality.

Explanatory Style

how a person usually explains the reasons behind events— whether they blame themselves or outside factors.

Optimistic Explanatory Style

The habit of explaining good things as likely to happen again and bad things a one time events.

Pessimistic Explanatory Style

The habit of explaining bad things as frequently occurring events and good things as one time events.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to blame people’s actions more on their personality and less on their situation.

Actor-Observer Bias

the habit of blaming our own actions on the situation but blaming other people’s actions on their personality.

Self-Serving Bias

people's tendency to attribute positive events to their own character but attribute negative events to external factors.

Internal Locus of Control

The perception that we control our own fate

External Locus of Control

The perception that outside forces beyond our personal control determine our fate.

Altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

Social Responsibility Norm

An exception that people will help those needing their help.

Sterotype

a generalized belief about a group of people not based on direct experience.

Conformation Bias

a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and ignore contradictory evidence.

Belief Perseverance

clinging to one’s initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been proven wrong.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment

Prejudice

an unjustifiable (usually negative) attitude towards a group and its members.

Discrimination

unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members

Implicit Attitudes

unconscious beliefs or feelings that influence a person’s behavior and perceptions w/o their awareness.

Just-World Phenomenon

A belief that the world is fundamentally fair, leading people to rationalize injustice or misfortune as deserved.

Out-Group Bias

The group tendency to see members of an out group as more similar to each other than they really are. (viewing those outside of your group as one).

In-Group Bias

The tendency to favor and extend loyalty to members of one’s own group over those in other groups.

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon where repeated exposure to a stimulus increases an individuals preference for that stimulus.

Ethgnocentrism

The belief in the inherent superiority of one’s own ethnic group or culture, often accompanied by a feeling of disreguard for other groups.

Collectivism

A cultural value that emphasizes the importance of the group or community over individual goals and desires, prioritizing group cohesion and interdependence.

Multiculturalism

The view that promotes the acknowledgement and respect of diverse cultural backgrounds and traditions, encouraging the coexistence and value of various culturasl and identities within a society

Superordinate Goaals

shared goals that requuire cooperation among individuals or groups, typically overriding smaller or individual conflicts and fostering collaborative efforts.

Social Traps

Situations in which individuals or groups purse immediate rewards that later prove to have negative or even catastrophic consequences for the larger community.

Persuasion

the process of influencing others’ attitudes beliefs, or behaviors through communication, often involving appeals to reason, emotions or authority.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

A theory that describes how people process persuasive messages in two ways: Central route or Peripheral Route.

Central Route of Persuasion

A method of persuasion that involves the thoughtful consideration of a message's content, logic, and arguments.

Peripheral Route of Persuasion

A method that relies on superficial cues such as attractiveness or credibility of the speaker, rather than the actual content.

Halo Effect

The cognitive bias where a positive impression in one area like attractiveness leas to positive evaluations in other areas, influencing overall judgement about a person.

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

where an agreement to a small favor increases the likelihood for the agreement of a larger request.

Door-in-the-Face Technique

a large initial request is made knowing it would be refused then following with a smaller more reasonable request.

False Consensus Effect

A cognitive bias where people overestimate how much others agree with their own beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes or considered normal amongst others.

Cognitive Dissonance

the discomfort you feel when your beliefs don't line up with your actions. leads to the alteration in one of the beliefs to reduce discomfort.

Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychologists

Psychologists who apply psychological principles and research method to the workplace to improve productivity.

Instincts

fixed patterns of behaviors in animals that are triggered by specific stimuli, driving them to act in predictable ways

Drive-Reduction Theory

behavior is motivated by the need to reduce internal drives caused by physiological deficits, such as hunger or thirst, aiming to restore homeostasis.

Homeostasis

The body’s effort to maintain stable internal conditions

Ghrelin

“Growling stomach” a hormone produced in the stomach that simulates appetite

Leptin

“Last Bite” reduces hunger, signals the body saying you have enough energy stored.

Belongingness

Human desire to form and sustain close, meaningful relationships with significantly drives behavior and affects emotional health.

Arousal Theory

individuals are motivated to maintain an optimal level of alertness seeking to increase alertness when it is too low and decrease it when it's too high to enhance performance and well-being.

Yerkes Dodson Law

performance increases with psychological or mental arousal (alertness), but only up to a point when levels of arousal become too high performance decreases individuals perform is best when there is an optimal level of arousal.

Sensation Seeking Theory

proposes that one's motivation is driven by the need for very novel and intense experiences. aka adrenaline druggy.

Adventure Seeking

where individuals are motivated by the desire for new and challenging experiences often involving physical activities and exploration.

disinhibition

Refers to the tendency to seek out social and experimental Thrills by engaging in behaviors that are typically restrained by social norms and inhibitions.

Boredom Susceptibility

refers to an individual's intolerance for a repetitive or dull experiences leading them to seek out new and stimulating activities to avoid boredom

Incentive Theory

behavior is motivated by the desire for external Rewards or insensitive which can include money praise or other tangible benefits.

Self-Determination Theory

proposes that people are motivated by intrinsic (internal) motivations such as personal growth fulfillment or (extrinsic) motivations such as rewards and recognition.

Intrinsic motivation

refers to engaging in activities for their own sake driven by internal rewards such as personal satisfaction enjoyment or a sense of achievement.

Extrinsic motivation

engaging in Behavior due to external Rewards or pressures such as money grades or approval from others

Lewin’s Motivational Conflicts Theory

describes the psychological struggles individuals face making decisions

Approach-Approach Conflicts

Occurs when an individual must choose between two desirable options leading to a conflict of which positive outcome to pursue

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflicts

occurs when an individual must choose between two undesirable options leading to a conflict of which negative outcome to avoid

Approach-Avoidance Conflicts

Occurs when an individual is drawn to and repelled by the same option leading to a conflict between the desired for a positive outcome in the fear of a negative outcome.

Emotion

is a feeling that involves our thoughts body, reactions and actions and is influenced by what happens inside us and around us

Elicitors

Stimuli or events that trigger an emotional response in an individual

Arousal Comes Before Emotion

suggests that emotional follow bodily arousal; we feel sad because we cry and afraid because we tremble

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

suggest that facial expressions can influence emotions meaning that smiling can make you feel happier and frowning can make you feel sadder

Arousal and Emotion Occurs Simultaneously

arousal and emotion occurs simultaneously and independently: on emotion-triggering stimulus causes both bodily arousal and emotional experience at the same time.

Arousal+Cognitive Label=Emotion

emotion is the result of psychological arousal and a cognitive label; our interpretation of arousal determines the specific emotion we experience.

Broaden-and-Build Theory of Emotion

Positive emotions help us think more openly and try new things making us stronger. negative emotions to the opposite making us think narrowly and act less.

Universal Emotions

idea that certain emotion expressions are recognized and experienced similar across different cultures

Display Rules

Cultural norms that dictate how when and where individuals should express emotions.

Psychodynamic Theory

Suggest that personality is shaped by unconscious forces internal conflicts and defense mechanisms, originally developed by Sigmund Freud, emphasizing the influence of childhood experiences and unconscious drives.

Preconscious Mind

Contains thoughts and feelings that are not currently in conscious awareness but can be easily accessed when needed

Unconscious Mind

Consist of processes and memories that are Beyond conscious awareness and significantly influence thoughts feelings and behaviors

Projective Tests

tools used by psychodynamic personality psychologists to assess personality by eliciting responses that reveal the contents of the preconscious and unconscious mind.

ego defense mechanism

Unconscious strategies used by the ego to protect itself from anxiety

Denial

We're an individual unconsciously refuses to acknowledge reality or facts thereby protecting themselves from uncomfortable truths

displacement

Emotional impulses are redirected from the original source to a save or more acceptable substitute Target

projection

Where individuals attribute their own unacceptable feelings thoughts or mothers to someone else thus deflecting self-criticism

rationalization

We're individuals justify and explain their behaviors or feelings in a seemingly rational or logical manner to avoid confronting the truth underlying reasons

reaction formation

Where individual suppressed unacceptable impulses by unconsciously displaying the opposite Behavior

regression

Where an individual reverts to earlier stages of development and childhood behaviors when faced with stress or emotional conflict

Repression

Where distressing thoughts and feelings are unconsciously blocked from entering conscious awareness

sublimation

Where negative urges and impulses are channeled into socially acceptable or constructive activities

Humanistic psychology

Emphasizes the study of the whole person and the uniqueness of each individual, particularly focusing on self-growth and unconditioned positive regard as essential for achieving personal potential.

Unconditional regard

An individual is accepted and loved as they are without any conditions or judgments, fostering personal growth and self-acceptance

self-actualizing tendency

refers to the innate drive in every individual to grow, develop, and realize their fullest potential

social cognitive theory

theory that emphasizes the influence of cognitive processes behaviors and context in understanding personality and human actions