SOCIAL PSYC EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE

This guide lists essential topics for preparation for Exam #2.
It serves as a directed framework for study but is not comprehensive of all test materials.

Informational Influence
- Definition: A psychological phenomenon where individuals conform to the actions of others in order to feel correct, especially when they believe others possess more accurate knowledge.
- Example: Agreeing with a group's opinion on a factual matter due to uncertainty.
Normative Influence
- Definition: The influence exerted by a group to conform to expectations in order to be accepted or liked by the group.
- Example: Changing behavior to match group norms, even if privately disagreeing.
Chameleon Effect
- Definition: The tendency for individuals to mimic the behaviors, expressions, and speech patterns of others unconsciously.
- Implication: This can facilitate social interactions and enhance likability.
Asch's (1955) Study
- Overview: Solomon Asch's experiment demonstrated the power of conformity, wherein group pressure led participants to give incorrect answers to simple questions about line lengths.
- Results: A significant number of participants conformed to the incorrect majority despite knowing the right answer, illustrating the strength of normative influence.

Peripheral and Central Route
- Central Route: Involves careful and thoughtful consideration of the true merits of the information presented. More likely to result in lasting attitude change.
- Peripheral Route: Occurs when a person is influenced by superficial cues rather than the message itself, such as attractiveness of the speaker or emotional responses.
Door-in-the-Face Technique
- Definition: A persuasive strategy where a large, unreasonable request is made first, followed by a smaller, more reasonable request.
- Example: Asking someone to donate a large sum of money and then following up with a request for a much smaller donation, which often leads to compliance.
Primacy Effect
- Definition: The tendency to remember the first items in a list better than those presented later.
- Relevance: This can influence attitudes and decision-making by framing initial impressions.
Recency Effect
- Definition: The tendency to remember the most recently presented items in a list better than those presented earlier.
- Implication: It affects how individuals process and retain information in various contexts, including decision-making.
Attitude Inoculation
- Definition: A strategy used to protect attitudes by exposing individuals to small doses of counterarguments, strengthening their original beliefs.
- Implementation: Similar to vaccination, this exposure prepares individuals to resist persuasion attempts more effectively.

Deindividuation
- Definition: A psychological state characterized by lower self-awareness and diminished responsibility in group situations, often leading to behavior that is atypical for the individual.
- Example: Crowd behavior exacerbated by anonymity that leads to rioting.
Social Facilitation
- Definition: The phenomenon where individuals perform better on tasks when in the presence of others, particularly on simple or well-practiced tasks.
- Importance: The presence of an audience can enhance performance through arousal.
Groupthink
- Definition: A mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcomes.
- Symptoms: Symptoms include loss of individual creativity and realignment of personal beliefs to fit the majority viewpoint.
Symptoms of Groupthink
- Common symptoms encompass:
- Illusion of invulnerability
- Collective rationalization
- Belief in inherent group morality
- Stereotyping outgroup members
- Self-censorship
- Illusion of unanimity
- Direct pressure on dissenters
- Mindguards (protecting the group from dissenting information)

Stereotype
- Definition: An oversimplified and generalized belief about a particular group of people.
- Implication: Stereotypes can lead to prejudice and discrimination.
Dual Attitude System
- Definition: The phenomenon where individuals hold both implicit and explicit attitudes toward a particular target, which can often conflict with one another.
- Example: A person may consciously reject prejudice but harbor unconscious biases.
Realistic Group Conflict Theory
- Definition: A theory stating that prejudice arises from competition between groups for limited resources, leading to hostility and conflict.
- Application: This framework is used to analyze intergroup relations in social and economic contexts.
Outgroup Homogeneity Effect
- Definition: The perception that members of an outgroup are more similar to each other than are members of one's ingroup, leading to generalizations about outgroup members.
- Example: Believing all members of an outgroup have similar viewpoints or behaviors, which can exacerbate stereotypes and prejudice.
Just-World Phenomenon
- Definition: The cognitive bias that assumes that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get, which can lead to victim-blaming and the perception that social injustices are deserved.
- Ethical Implications: This can illuminate societal attitudes toward crime, poverty, and other social issues.

Hostile Aggression and Instrumental Aggression
- Hostile Aggression: A type of aggression driven by anger and aimed at inflicting pain or injury.
- Instrumental Aggression: Aggression that is premeditated and aimed at achieving a specific goal beyond causing harm, such as gaining resources or power.
Relative Deprivation
- Definition: A perception that one is worse off compared to others, leading to feelings of discontent and aggression.
- Relevance: This feeling can fuel social movements and collective aggression, as individuals perceive an unjust disparity.