Social Psychology Key Terms Unit 14 – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Unlock answers
question
social psychology
answer
the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.
question
attribution theory
answer
the theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition.
question
fundamental attribution error
answer
the tendency for observers, when analyzing another's behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition.
question
attitude
answer
feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.
question
central route persuasion
answer
attitude change path in which interest people focus in which interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts.
question
peripheral route persuasion
answer
attitude change path in which people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness.
question
foot-in-the-door phenomenon
answer
the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a large request.
question
role
answer
a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.
question
cognitive dissonance theory
answer
the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent. For example, when our awareness of our attitudes and of our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes.
question
conformity
answer
adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.
question
normative social influence
answer
influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval.
question
informational social influence
answer
influence resulting from one's willingness to accept other's opinions about reality.
question
social facilitation
answer
the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable.
question
deindividuation
answer
the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.
question
group polarization
answer
the enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion with the groups.
question
groupthink
answer
the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-maing group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.
question
culture
answer
the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.
question
norm
answer
an understood rule for accepted and expected behavior. prescribe "proper" behavior.
question
personal space
answer
the buffer zone we like to maintain around our bodies.
question
prejudice
answer
an unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members. generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.
question
stereotype
answer
a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people.
question
discrimination
answer
unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.
question
ingroup
answer
"us" - people with whom we share a common identity
question
outgroup
answer
"them" - those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup
question
ingroup bias
answer
the tendency to favor our own group
question
scapegoat theory
answer
the theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.
question
other-race effect
answer
the tendency to recall faces of one's own race more accurately than faces of other races. Also called the cross-race effect and the own-race bias.
question
just-world phenomenon
answer
the tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.
question
aggression
answer
any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy.
question
frustration-aggression principle
answer
the principle that frustration - the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal - creates anger, which can generate aggression.
question
mere exposure effect
answer
the phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them.
question
passionate love
answer
an aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship.
question
companionate love
answer
the deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined.
question
equity
answer
a condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it.
question
self-disclosure
answer
revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others.
question
altruism
answer
unselfish regard for the welfare of others.
question
bystander effect
answer
the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.
question
social exchange theory
answer
the theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.
question
reciprocity norm
answer
an expectation that people will help, not hurt those who have helped them.
question
social-responsibility norm
answer
an expectation that people will help those dependent upon them
question
conflict
answer
a perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.
question
social trap
answer
a situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior.
question
mirror-image perceptions
answer
mutual views often held by conflicting people, as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive.
question
self-fufilling prophecy
answer
a belief that leads to its own fulfillment
question
superordinate goals
answer
shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation.
question
GRIT
answer
graduated and reciprocated initiatives in tension-reduction - a strategy designed to decrease international tensions
Get an explanation on any task
Get unstuck with the help of our AI assistant in seconds
New