AP Psychology Unit 4 Vocab Words

Total 127 words! oof (yew got this)

Attributions

a quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of someone or something

dispositional attributions

The person’s internal disposition =  personality, internal factors(ex: hard-working, awkward)

situational attributions

The external situation = external factors( ex: feeling like you have to be more polite because you are around your friend’s family)

explanatory style

how people explain good and bad events in their lives and in the lives of others(can be optimistic or pessimistic)

optimistic explanatory style

A style characterized by narratives that blame external forces or isolated events that affect a person's life. These stories are typically viewed as temporary and don't negate all the good in a person's life.

pessimistic explanatory style

People who tend to view setbacks as personal, permanent, and pervasive.

actor/observer bias

A cognitive bias where people tend to attribute their own actions to external factors (situational influences) while attributing others' actions to internal factors (personality traits).

fundamental attribution error

The tendency to overemphasize personal characteristics and underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behaviors.

self-serving bias

A tendency to attribute one's successes to internal factors (like ability or effort) and failures to external factors (like luck or difficulty of the task). This bias helps maintain self-esteem.

internal locus of control

perception that one controls own destiny/fate

external locus of control

perception that chance or outside forces determine fate

mere exposure effect

repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases one’s liking of that item

self-fulfilling prophecy

a belief or expectation that influences a person's behavior in a way that causes the belief to come true. a belief that leads to its own fulfillment. (ex: a football coach believing freshman cant play well, so he doesnt let them compete. The day he finally lets them play, they suck because they were never given the chance to play)

social comparison

perception that occurs when people evaluate themselves based on comparisons to other members of society.

upward social comparison

comparing yourself to someone perceived as better off.

downward social comparison

comparing yourself to someone perceived as worse off.

relative deprivation

the feeling of being deprived of something valuable compared to others in one's social group, even if one's absolute circumstances are not poor. It arises from comparing oneself to others, creating a perception of lack rather than an actual shortage of necessities. This often leads to feelings of entitlement, discontent, or resentment. (tldr : feeling like you lack something if your social circle has it)

stereotype

a generalized concept about a group

cognitive load

amount of mental effort/resources required to complete a task.

prejudice

an unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group of people, typically based in stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory behavior

discrimination

an unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members

implicit attitudes

evaluations that occur without conscious awareness toward an attitude, object, or the self.

just-world phenomenon

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

out-group homogeneity bias

the cognitive bias where individuals perceive members of a group they do not belong to (out-group) as being more similar to each other than members of their own group (in-group). Or more simply, they are alike, we are diverse.

out-group homogeneity bias

the tendency to perceive members of another group as more similar to each other than they actually are

in-group bias

the tendency of individuals to favor members of their own group over those from other groups.

ethnocentrism

the tendency for individuals to view their own culture as superior to others, judging other cultures based on the standards and values of their own, often leading to biases and misunderstandings when interacting with diverse cultures

belief perserverance

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

confirmation bias

the tendency to only seek information that is likely to support one’s decisions and/or beliefs

cognitive dissonance

our attitudes and our behaviors don’t line up

social norms

a group’s expectations as to what is appropriate and acceptable

social influence theory

social pressure to think or behave in certain ways(conform). can be normative or informational.

normative social influence

want to avoid rejection or gain social approval.  So, we respect the norms of the group.

informational social influence

due to the fact that group may provide valuable information, we want to accept the opinions of others.  We believe that others’ ideas or opinions make sense. Especially when concerning tough decisions.  We don’t want to stand alone in tough decisions.

persuasion

or the strategic attempt to influence another’s behaviors and/or beliefs

elaboration likelihood model

of persuasion describes the change of attitudes(the process of changing someone's attitude through communication)

central route

(direct) attitudes change when interested people focus on the scientific evidence/arguments and respond with favorable thoughts

peripheral route

(indirect) attitudes change when people make snap judgements on incidental cues, like the attractiveness of a speaker

halo effect

also called the halo error, the tendency for positive impressions of a person (or company, brand or product) in one area to positively influence one’s opinion in other areas about that same person

foot-in-the-door technique

tendency for people who agree to a small request to comply with a large one

conformity

obedience to authority

obedience

change in behavior in response to the command of someone in a position of authority

collectivism

the tendency to value group goals, social identity, and commitments. defining identity in terms of interdependence, tradition, and harmony

multiculturalism

a perspective that emphasizes the value and importance of diverse cultures coexisting and interacting within a society

group polarization

enhances group’s prevailing attitudes through discussion. If a group is like-minded, discussion strengthens its prevailing opinions and attitudes.

groupthink

Way of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in  decision-making overrides the possible alternatives

diffusion of responsibility

if more people are present, the responsibility for helping spreads amongst all present

social loafing

Tendency for people in a group to exert less effort than when working individually

deindividuation

the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group that foster arousal and anonymity. (“mob mentality”)

social facilitation

Refers to improved performance on a task in the presence of others

false consensus effect

a cognitive bias where individuals overestimate the extent to which their beliefs, opinions, or behaviors are shared by others

superordinate goals

a shared goal that overrides differences among people and requires their cooperation

social traps

situation in which selfish behavior that benefits individuals in the short run may spell disaster for an entire group in the long run (aka social dilemmas)

industrial - organizational (I/O) psychologists

focus on workplace dynamics, providing employers and leaders with insight on how to get the most out of their employees, promote a positive workplace environment, increase job satisfaction, and bring together effective teams

burnout

a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress

altruism

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others

prosocial behavior

voluntary behavior intended to benefit another

social debt

an emotional meta state which accumulates guilt from unpleasant social interactions

social reciprocity norm

a social expectation that we should return help to those who have helped us

social responsibility norm

An expectation that people will help those dependent upon them or those who need assistance even if doing so may not offer any visible reward

bystander effect

tendency where as the number of people present increases, the likelihood that even ONE person will help decreases

situational variables

external factors within the environment that could potentially influence the behavior or performance of participants in a study

attentional variables

factors that influence how much attention a person directs towards a specific stimulus

Psychodynamic Theory

a perspective in psychology that asserts our behaviors are largely influenced by unconscious drives and experiences from our past

Unconscious Processes

mental activities that occur outside of our awareness, such as thoughts, desires, and memories that are hidden from the conscious mind.

Ego Defense Mechanisms

unconscious psychological strategies that individuals use to cope with anxiety and protect their ego from conflicting thoughts or impulses

denial

we refuse to perceive “reality” in order to protect ourselves from it

Displacement

divert sexual or aggressive impulses to a more acceptable person or object

projection

disguise threatening impulses by attributing them to others

rationalization

we try to create logical explanations of our behavior in order to justify it

Reaction Formation

make unacceptable impulses into their opposite, acceptable form

Regression

we retreat to behaving or thinking like a child in order to avoid adult issues

Repression

we avoid painful thoughts by forcing them into the back of our mind

Sublimation

we expend energy on prosocial activities in order to avoid undesirable activities

Projective Tests

personality assessments that present ambiguous stimuli with the aim of revealing hidden emotions and internal conflicts projected by an individual

Preconscious Mind

Info that is not in conscious though, but is retrievable as needed

Humanistic Psychology

Emphasizes idea that individuals control their own behavior & we all have the potential for healthy personal growth. Views human nature in a much more positive light…believes we are all innately good

Unconditional Regard

concept developed by Carl Rogers that involves accepting and respecting others without judgment or evaluation

Self-Actualizing Tendency

the innate human drive to fulfill one's full potential, reaching the highest level of personal growth and development

Social-Cognitive Theory

Views behavior as influenced by the interactions between people's traits (including their thinking) and their social context

Reciprocal Determinism

personality is shaped by an interaction among cognitive (internal personal)factors, behaviors and environmental factors(cognitive, behaviors, environment)

Self-Concept

our perception of our abilities, behaviors and characteristics