Social Psychology
the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
Attribution Theory
the theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition.
Fundamental attribution Error
The tendency for observers, when analyzing another’s behavior, to underestimate the impact of personal disposition.
Attitude
feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.
Central Route to Persuasion
attitude-changing path in which interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts
Peripheral Route to Persuasion
attitude-changing path in which people are influenced by incendental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness
Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon
the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with larger requests
Role
a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when are awareness of our attitudes and of our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes.
Conformity
adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.
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’ opinion about reality
Social facilitation
stronger responses on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others.
Social Loafing
the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable
Deindividuation
the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.
Group Polarization
the enhancement of a group’s prevailing inclination 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 alteration.
Prejudice
unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to a discriminatory
Stereotype
a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people
Discrimination
unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.
Just-World Phenomenon
The tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.
Ingoup
“Us” – people with whom we share a common identity.
Outgroup
“Them” – those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup
Ingroup Bias
the tendency to favor our own group
Scapegoat Theory
the theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame
Other-Race Effect
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 effect
Aggression
any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt of destroy
Frustration-Aggression Principle
the principle that frustration – the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal – creates anger, which can generate aggression
Mere Exposure Effect
the phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli inceases liking them
Passionate Love
an aroused sate of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship
Companionate Love
The deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined
Equity
a condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to is
Self-Disclosure
revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others
Altruism
unselfish reguard for the welfare of others
Bystander Effect
the tendency of any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present
Social Exchange Theory
the theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, to aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
Reciprocity Norm
an expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them
Social Responsibility Norm
an expectation that people will help those dependent upon them.
Conflict
a perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas
Social Trap
a situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior
Mirror-Image Perception
Mutual view often held by conflicting people, as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive.
Superordinate goals
Share goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation
GRIT
Graduated an Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction – A strategy designed to decrease international tensions