Chapter 12: Social Psychology Flashcards
(50 cards)
The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
Social Psychology
The theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition
Attribution Theory
The tendency for observers, when analyzing other’s behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition
Fundamental Attribution Error
Feelings, often influences by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.
Attitudes
The tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request
Foot-in-the-door Phenomenon
A set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave
Role
The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when we become aware that our attitudes and our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness.
Peripheral Route Persuasion
Occurs when interested people’s thinking is influenced by considering evidence and arguements.
Central Route Persuasion
Understood rules for accepted and expected behavior.
Norms
The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.
Culture
Places with clearly defined and reliably imposed norms
Tight Cultures
Places with flexible and informal norms
Loose Cultures
Adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard
Conformity
Influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval.
Normative Social Influence
Influence resulting from a person’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality.
Informational Social Influence
In the presence of others, improves performance on simple or well-learned tasks, and worsened performance on difficult tasks.
Social Facilitation
The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable.
Social Loafing
The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity
Deindividuation
The enhancement of a groups’ prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group
Group Polarization
The mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives
Groupthink
An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members. Generally involves negative emotions, stereotyped beliefs, and a predisposition to discriminatory action
Prejudice
A generalized belief about a group of people
Stereotype
Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members
Discrimination
