Midterm Review

Question 1

What is Social Psychology?

Answer 1

Social psychology is the scientific study of how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts.

Question 2

What is Lewin Formula?

Answer 2

B = f(P, E)

Behavior is a function of the person and their environment.

Question 3

Difference between PSP and SSP

Answer 3

PSP focuses on individual cognitive processes.
SSP examines broader social structures.

Question 4

Theory in Social Psych

Answer 4

Theory provides a framework to explain and predict social behavior.

Question 5

what does WEIRD stand for?

Answer 5

Social psychologists often study WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) populations, which can limit generalizability.

Question 6

What are determinist theories?

Answer 6

Reinforcement Theory: Behavior is shaped by rewards and punishments.
Role Theory: People conform to social expectations based on their roles.

Question 7

What are constructivist theories?

Answer 7

Cognitive Theory: Focuses on how individuals perceive and interpret information.
Symbolic Interaction: Focuses on shared meanings and communication.

Question 8

what is social order?

Answer 8

Refers to the ways society maintains stability and predictability.

Question 9

what are breaching experiments?

Answer 9

Disrupt norms to reveal underlying social order (e.g., standing too close in an elevator).

Question 10

What is conversation analysis?

Answer 10

Studies how people structure communication.

Question 11

what is social perception?

Answer 11

How we form impressions and make judgments about others.

Question 12

schemas

Answer 12

Mental frameworks guiding expectations.

Question 13

scripts

Answer 13

Predictable sequences of events.

Question 14

attitudes

Answer 14

Evaluations of people, objects, or ideas.

Question 15

attribution theory

Answer 15

Explains how people explain behavior (e.g., Correspondent Inference Theory, Attribution Cube).

Question 16

common attribution biases

Answer 16

fundamental attribution error, actor-observer bias, self-serving bias

Question 17

what is fundamental attribution error

Answer 17

Overestimating personality, underestimating situational influences.

Question 18

what is actor-observor bias

Answer 18

Explaining our actions situationally, others’ dispositionally.

Question 19

what is selfserving bias

Answer 19

Attributing success to internal factors, failure to external ones.

Question 20

Emotion Definition

Answer 20

Emotion involves physiological arousal, expressive behavior, and cognitive appraisal.

Question 21

Primary vs Secondary Emotions

Answer 21

Primary emotions are universal (e.g., fear, anger).
Secondary emotions are socially constructed (e.g., guilt, shame).

Question 22

Emotion Theories

Answer 22

James-Lange: Emotion follows physiological response.

Cannon-Bard: Emotion and physiological response occur simultaneously.

Schachter-Singer: Emotion results from physiological arousal and cognitive labeling.

Question 23

Attitude

Answer 23

Evaluations of objects, people, or ideas.

Question 24

Intergroup Key Terms

Answer 24

Prejudice: Negative attitudes toward a group.

Stereotypes: Generalized beliefs about a group.

Discrimination: Behavior based on prejudice.

Question 24

Functions of Attitudes

Answer 24

Knowledge, ego-defense, value-expressive, and utilitarian.

Question 25

Attitude Measurement

Answer 25

Self-report scales and implicit measures.

Question 26

Consistency Theories

Answer 26

Heider’s Balance Theory: People prefer consistency in attitudes. Festinger’s Dissonance Theory: Inconsistencies create discomfort, leading to attitude change.

Question 27

Social Identity Theory

Answer 27

People favor their in-group over out-groups.

Question 28

Robbers Cave Experiment

Answer 28

Demonstrated intergroup conflict and resolution through superordinate goals.

Question 29

Stereotype Threat

Answer 29

Steele; Fear of confirming a stereotype can impair performance.

Question 30

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Answer 30

Central Route: Deep processing based on arguments. Peripheral Route: Superficial cues influence attitude change.

Question 31

Role of Persuasion

Answer 31

Stronger attitude change occurs through role-playing and long-term exposure.

Question 32

Aggression vs Altruism

Answer 32

Aggression causes harm; altruism helps others.

Question 33

Frustration-Aggression Theory

Answer 33

Frustration leads to aggression.

Question 34

Humphrey’s "Tearoom Trade"

Answer 34

Explores social norms, deviance, and ethics in covert observation.

Question 35

Kolb’s "Seeing at the Speed of Sound"

Answer 35

Examines sensory compensation and cognitive adaptation, especially in those with sensory impairments.

Question 36

Thaler and Sunstein’s "Nudge"

Answer 36

Focuses on behavioral economics and decision-making through subtle environmental changes.

Question 37

Samuel’s "The Surprising Altruism of Babies"

Answer 37

Highlights prosocial behavior and altruism in babies, showing an innate tendency for empathy.

Question 38

Glassner’s "Black Man"

Answer 38

Discusses racial stereotyping, prejudice, and social identity, focusing on Black men in America.

Question 39

Schwartz’s "Everything Suffers"

Answer 39

Analyzes societal pressures around success and productivity and their effects on mental health.

Question 40

Aronson and Tavris’ "Cognitive Dissonance in the Pandemic"

Answer 40

Examines cognitive dissonance during the pandemic and how people justify conflicting beliefs and behaviors.