unit 10 - social psychology

This is a comprehensive breakdown of the terminology found in Unit 10: Social Psychology. I have categorized these into the three major sections provided in your document to help you study effectively.

1. Attribution & Personal Perception

This section deals with how we explain our own behavior and the behavior of others.

Term	Definition
Dispositional attribution	Attributing behavior to a person's stable, enduring traits.
Situational attribution	Attributing behavior to the external environment or circumstances.
Explanatory styles	How people explain events (optimistic vs. pessimistic).
Actor-observer bias	The tendency to attribute our own actions to the situation while attributing others' actions to their personality.
Fundamental attribution error	Overestimating personality influences and underestimating situational influences when judging others.
Self-serving bias	The tendency to perceive oneself favorably (taking credit for success, blaming situations for failure).
Locus of control (Internal/External)	The degree to which one believes they have control (Internal) versus outside forces control (External) their outcome.
Mere exposure effect	The phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them.
Self-fulfilling prophecy	A belief that leads to its own fulfillment through behavior.
Social comparison (upward/downward)	Evaluating oneself by comparing to those perceived as better (upward) or worse (downward).
Relative deprivation	The perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself.

2. Attitude Formation & Attitude Change

This section explores how our beliefs are formed and why they shift.

Term	Definition
Stereotype	A generalized (often oversimplified) belief about a group of people.
Prejudice	An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group.
Discrimination	Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.
Implicit attitudes	Unconscious, automatic associations or beliefs.
Just-world phenomenon	The tendency to believe that the world is just and that people get what they deserve.
Out-group homogeneity bias	The tendency to view members of out-groups as "all the same".
In-group bias	The tendency to favor one's own group.
Ethnocentrism	The belief that one's own culture or ethnic group is superior to others.
Belief perseverance	Clinging to initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited.
Confirmation bias	The tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions.
Cognitive dissonance	The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent.

Differentiation Note: Prejudice vs. Discrimination

Prejudice is the attitude (feeling/belief). Discrimination is the action (behavior).

3. Social Situations

This section covers group dynamics, influence, and societal norms.

Term	Definition
Social norms	Understood rules for accepted and expected behavior.
Social influence theory	Explains how individuals change their behavior to meet the demands of a social environment.
Normative social influence	Influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval.
Informational social influence	Influence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality.
Persuasion techniques	Strategies used to change attitudes (e.g., Central route: logic/facts; Peripheral route: surface/emotional cues).
Halo effect	When one positive trait of a person influences our perception of their other traits.
Foot-in-the-door / Door-in-the-face	Compliance strategies: asking for a small favor first (foot) vs. asking for a large request that is rejected, then asking for a smaller one (door).
Conformity / Obedience	Adjusting behavior to match a group (conformity) or following orders from authority (obedience).
Individualism / Collectivism	Prioritizing the self and personal goals (individualism) vs. prioritizing the group's needs (collectivism).
Multiculturalism	A perspective that recognizes and values diversity in society.
Group polarization	The enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group.
Groupthink	The mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.
Diffusion of responsibility	A phenomenon where a person is less likely to take responsibility for action when others are present.
Social loafing / facilitation	The tendency for people to exert less effort in a group (loafing) or to perform better on tasks in the presence of others (facilitation).
Deindividuation	The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations.
False consensus effect	The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs.
Social trap	A situation in which the conflicting parties, by each pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior.
I/O Psychology	Industrial-Organizational Psychology: applying psychological principles to the workplace.
Altruism	Unselfish regard for the welfare of others.
Social reciprocity / responsibility norms	The expectation that people will help those who have helped them (reciprocity) or help those in need (responsibility).
Bystander effect	The tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.

I hope this breakdown makes these Social Psychology concepts clearer! Do you need help with any specific concepts or examples for your test?