Unit 14

social psychology

the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e pp. 14, 754)

attribution theory

the theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 754)

fundamental attribution error

the tendency for observers, when analyzing others' behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 754)

attitude

feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 756)

peripheral route persuasion

occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 756)

central route persuasion

occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 756)

foot-in-the-door phenomenon

the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 757)

role

a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e pp. 503, 758)

cognitive dissonance theory

the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when we become aware that our attitudes and our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 759)

conformity

adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 763)

normative social influence

influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 764)

informational social influence

influence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 764)

social facilitation

improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 771)

social loafing

the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 773)

deindividuation

the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 773)

group polarization

the enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 774)

groupthink

the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 775)

norm

an understood rule for accepted and expected behavior. Norms prescribe "proper" behavior. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 777)

prejudice

an unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 780)

stereotype

a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 780)

discrimination

(2) in social psychology, unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 780)

just-world phenomenon

the tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 784)

outgroup

"Them"—those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 784)

ingroup bias

the tendency to favor our own group. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 784)

scapegoat theory

the theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 785)

frustration-aggression principle

the principle that frustration—the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal—creates anger, which can generate aggression. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 791)

mere exposure effect

the phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 798)

passionate love

an aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 803)

companionate love

the deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 803)

equity

a condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 804)

self-disclosure

revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 804)

altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 807)

bystander effect

the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 808)

social exchange theory

the theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 809)

reciprocity norm

an expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 809)

social-responsibility norm

an expectation that people will help those needing their help. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 810)

social trap

a situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest rather than the good of the group, become caught in mutually destructive behavior. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 810)

self-fulfilling prophecy

a belief that leads to its own fulfillment. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 812)

superordinate goals

shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 813)