🧠 AP Psychology — Social, Personality, Motivation & Emotion Charts

Attribution Theory

Explains how we interpret others’ behavior

Dispositional Attribution

Blaming behavior on personality

Situational Attribution

Blaming behavior on environment

Self-Serving Bias

Credit success to self, blame failure on situation

Explanatory Style

Habitual way of explaining events

Mere Exposure Effect

Preference increases with familiarity

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Belief causes behavior that confirms belief

Prejudice

Negative attitude toward group

Aggression

Physical or verbal harm

Discrimination

Negative action toward group

Stereotypes

Generalized beliefs

Rosenthal Effect

Expectations influence outcomes

Fundamental Attribution Error

Overemphasizing personality over situation

Attitudes and Actions

Attitudes guide behavior

Positive Evaluation

Favorable judgment

Conformity

Adjusting behavior to group

Compliance

Agreeing to request

Reciprocity Norm

Returning favors

Foot-in-the-Door

Small request → larger

Door-in-the-Face

Large request → smaller

Psychological Reactance

Resisting threats to freedom

Cognitive Dissonance

Discomfort from conflicting beliefs

Persuasion

Changing attitudes

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Two persuasion routes

Central Route

Logical processing

Peripheral Route

Emotional cues

Halo Effect

Overall impression influences judgment

Social Influence

Impact of others

Normative Influence

Desire to fit in

Informational Influence

Desire to be correct

Obedience

Following authority

Conditions Strengthening Conformity

Group size, unanimity, public response

Social Facilitation

Better performance in presence of others

Social Loafing

Less effort in group

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness

Group Polarization

Stronger group opinions

Groupthink

Desire for harmony overrides logic

In-Groups / Out-Groups

Us vs them

Ingroup Bias

Favoring own group

False Consensus Effect

Assuming others agree

Ethnocentrism

Own culture superior

Assimilation

Adopting dominant culture

Multiculturalism

Preserving cultural identities

Role Conflict

Competing roles

Institutionalized Discrimination

Built-in unfair practices

Just-World Effect

Belief people get what they deserve

Altruism

Selfless helping

Bystander Effect

Less help with more people

Diffusion of Responsibility

Responsibility spread among group

Equity Theory

Fairness in relationships

Hawthorne Effect

Behavior changes when observed

Psychodynamic Theory

Personality shaped by unconscious

Ego Defense Mechanisms

Reduce anxiety

Repression

Burying memories

Displacement

Redirecting emotions

Regression

Reverting to earlier behavior

Reaction Formation

Opposite behavior

Compensation

Covering weakness

Rationalization

Justifying behavior

Denial

Refusing reality

Sublimation

Redirecting impulses

Rorschach Test

Inkblot personality test

TAT

Story-based personality test

Humanistic Theory

Focus on growth

Self-Actualization

Reaching full potential

Unconditional Positive Regard

Acceptance without conditions

Reciprocal Determinism

Person, behavior, environment interact

Self-Concept

View of self

Self-Efficacy

Belief in abilities

Self-Esteem

Self-worth

Trait Theories

Personality traits

Big Five

OCEAN traits

Motivation

Drive to act

Instinct Theory

Behavior driven by instincts

Arousal Theory

Maintain optimal arousal

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Moderate arousal = best performance

Drive Reduction

Reduce biological needs

Homeostasis

Internal balance

Instinct

Inborn pattern

Intrinsic Factors

Internal rewards

Extrinsic Factors

External rewards

Incentive Theory

Motivated by rewards

Overjustification Effect

External rewards reduce interest

Achievement Motivation

Desire to succeed

Approach-Approach

Two positive choices

Avoidance-Avoidance

Two negative choices

Approach-Avoidance

One option with pros/cons

Sensation Seeking

Desire for stimulation

Types of Sensation Seeking

Thrill, experience, disinhibition, boredom

Hypothalamus

Regulates hunger/sex

Ventromedial Hypothalamus

Stops eating

Lateral Hypothalamus

Starts eating

Glucose

Blood sugar

Emotion

Response involving arousal + feeling

Facial Feedback

Expressions influence emotions

Stressors

Demands causing stress

Broaden-and-Build

Positive emotions expand thinking

Type A

Competitive/hostile

Type B

Relaxed

Feel-Good Do-Good

Happy people help

Adaptation-Level

Adjust to situations