Social Influence and Conformity, Intergroup Relations, and Prosocial Behavior

These flashcards cover key concepts related to social influence, conformity, intergroup relations, and prosocial behavior as outlined in the lecture notes.

Conformity

Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to align with group norms.

Compliance

Agreeing to a request from someone with no authority.

Obedience

Following direct orders from an authority figure.

Informational Influence

Conforming because we believe others have accurate information.

Normative Influence

Conforming to be liked or accepted by the group.

Sherif’s Autokinetic Effect Study

Demonstrated informational influence as participants' estimates converged in group settings.

Asch’s Line Judgment Study

Showed normative influence where individuals conformed to incorrect group judgments to fit in.

Minority Influence

A consistent, confident minority can influence the majority, especially with logical arguments.

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

Agreeing to a small request increases the likelihood of agreeing to a larger request later.

Door-in-the-Face Technique

Refusing a large request increases the chance of agreeing to a smaller request.

Milgram’s Study

Participants administered shocks to learners under authority pressure; obedience decreased when the authority figure was distant, the victim was closer, or others disobeyed.

Meeus & Raaijmakers Study

Showed high obedience in administering psychological stress, highlighting authority's power in different contexts.

Prejudice

Negative attitudes toward a group.

Stereotypes

Generalized beliefs about a group.

Discrimination

Unjust behavior toward a group.

Institutional Discrimination

Policies or practices that systematically disadvantage certain groups.

Interpersonal Discrimination

Individual acts of bias or prejudice.

Subtle Forms of Prejudice

Expressions of bias that may not be overt but still affect perceptions and behaviors.

Robbers Cave Study

Examined intergroup conflict and resolution through superordinate goals, reducing hostility.

Jigsaw Classroom

A teaching method where students depend on each other to learn, promoting cooperation and reducing prejudice.

Stereotype Threat

Awareness of a stereotype that negatively impacts performance.

Egoistic Motivation

Helping behavior driven by personal gain.

Altruistic Motivation

Helping behavior driven by genuine concern for others.

Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis

Empathy leads to altruistic behavior, even without personal gain.

Bystander Effect

The presence of others reduces the likelihood of helping.

Kin Selection

Helping relatives to ensure genetic survival.

Reciprocal Altruism

Helping others with the expectation of receiving help in the future.

Schwartz’s Norm Activation Model

Helping behavior influenced by personal norms and awareness of consequences.

Compassion Training Study

Investigated if compassion training enhances altruistic behavior, showing increased altruism and brain changes.