Unit 14

Social Psychology – The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Attribution Theory – We explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition.

Fundamental Attribution Error – The tendency to underestimate situational influences and overestimate personal disposition.

Attitude – Feelings, often influenced by beliefs, that predispose our reactions to objects, people, and events.

Peripheral Route Persuasion – Persuasion influenced by incidental cues, like attractiveness.

Central Route Persuasion – Persuasion based on arguments and thoughtful responses.

Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon – Agreeing to a small request increases likelihood of agreeing to a larger one later.

Role – Expectations about how those in certain social positions should behave.

Philip Zimbardo – Known for the Stanford Prison Experiment, highlighting role and situational influences.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory – We reduce discomfort when actions conflict with beliefs by adjusting our attitudes.

Leon Festinger – Developed cognitive dissonance theory.

Chameleon Effect – Unconscious mimicry of others’ expressions, postures, and behaviors.

Conformity – Adjusting behavior or thinking to match a group standard.

Solomon Asch – Conducted conformity experiments using line judgment tasks.

Normative Social Influence – Influence based on the desire for approval or to avoid disapproval.

Informational Social Influence – Influence based on willingness to accept others’ views as reality.

Stanley Milgram – Conducted obedience experiments with simulated electric shocks.

Social Facilitation – Improved performance on simple tasks in the presence of others.

Social Loafing – Exerting less effort in group tasks than when working alone.

Deindividuation – Loss of self-awareness in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.

Group Polarization – Group discussions strengthen dominant individual views.

Groupthink – Group harmony is prioritized over realistic appraisal of alternatives.

Culture – Shared behaviors, ideas, and traditions passed through generations.

Norm – Accepted and expected behavior rules within a culture.

Prejudice – An unjustifiable, negative attitude toward a group and its members.

Stereotype – Generalized belief about a group of people.

Discrimination – Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.

Just-World Phenomenon – Belief that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get.

Ingroup – “Us”—people with whom we share a common identity.

Outgroup – “Them”—those perceived as different or apart from the ingroup.

Ingroup Bias – Favoring one’s own group.

Scapegoat Theory – Prejudice provides an outlet for anger by offering someone to blame.

Other-Race Effect – Better recall of faces from one’s own race.

Aggression – Physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy.

Frustration-Aggression Principle – Blocking a goal creates anger, which can lead to aggression.

Social Script – Culturally learned guide for how to act in various situations.

Mere Exposure Effect – Repeated exposure to something increases our liking for it.

Passionate Love – Intense, positive absorption in another, often early in relationships.

Companionate Love – Deep, affectionate attachment in long-term relationships.

Equity – Receiving from a relationship in proportion to what you give.

Self-Disclosure – Sharing intimate details about oneself with others.

Altruism – Unselfish concern for the well-being of others.

Bystander Effect – Less likely to help if others are present.

Social Exchange Theory – Social behavior aims to maximize benefits and minimize costs.

Conflict – A perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.

Social Trap – Conflicting parties pursuing self-interest become caught in destructive behavior.

Mirror-Image Perceptions – Mutual views where each side sees itself as good and the other as bad.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy – A belief that causes itself to become true.

Reciprocity Norm – Expectation that people help those who have helped them.

Social Responsibility Norm – Expectation to help those who need help.

Superordinate Goals – Shared goals that require cooperation and override differences.

GRIT – Strategy to reduce international tensions via small, conciliatory gestures to promote cooperation.