Fundamental Concepts of Cognition and Memory

The mental process of understanding information, including perception, attention, memory, and thinking.

The conscious focus on specific things, either intentionally or automatically.

The ability to focus on relevant information while ignoring distractions. It requires effort.

The automatic capture of attention by something that stands out or is particularly vivid.

A temporary storage system for information you're currently using. It's limited in capacity and duration.

A long-term storage system for vast amounts of information. Recalled voluntarily or triggered by association.

The idea that people are rational within the constraints of their cognitive abilities and environmental factors.

The tendency to maintain existing beliefs, even when presented with contradictory evidence.

A cognitive process where we group individuals based on common characteristics, simplifying social interactions and fulfilling social needs.

Generalized beliefs and evaluations about members of a social group, often influenced by social influence and communication.

A negative attitude towards individuals based on their membership in a social group, influenced by stereotypes and personal experiences.

Behavioral actions that discriminate against individuals based on their group membership, ranging from overt harassment to subtle exclusion.

The perception that members of a group are more similar to each other and different from members of other groups.

The impact of being aware of negative stereotypes about one's group on their performance and self-concept.

The process of changing a group's status by either individually gaining higher status or transforming the group's perception through collective action.

The process of changing a group's status through innovation, re-framing, and re-categorization, aiming to change both group and self-evaluation.

A process of forming an overall impression of someone based on limited information like their physical appearance, behavior, and communication.

A model proposing that impressions are formed by adding up the positive and negative values of different traits. Each trait has a specific weighting.

For example: Smart (+1), Annoying (-2), Friendly (+1) -> Overall Impression = 1.

A model suggesting that impressions are formed based on how individual traits fit together into a larger whole. Some traits are more central (important) and can influence how other traits are perceived.

Traits that have a strong influence on how other traits are perceived. For instance, a person perceived as 'warm' might be judged more favorably than someone perceived as 'cold'.

A shared belief about the characteristics of members of a social group. These beliefs can be positive, negative, or mixed.

A model classifying social groups based on two dimensions: Communion (getting along) and Agency (getting ahead).

Communion: Emphasizes cooperation, warmth, and social harmony.

Agency: Focuses on individual achievement, power, and assertiveness.

Traits that contribute to how well people get along with others - focusing on cooperation, empathy, and social harmony.

Traits that contribute to how well people achieve their goals - focused on leadership, competence, and assertiveness.

The idea that increased contact between members of different groups can reduce prejudice and discrimination.

A phenomenon where individuals perform better on simple tasks when they are observed by others.

A phenomenon where individuals put less effort into tasks when they are working as part of a group.

The tendency for individuals to refrain from intervening in situations of danger when other people are also present.

The rules and standards that are understood and accepted by a group, guiding their behavior and cognition.

These norms are based on observing others' behavior and imitating it.

These norms are based on expectations and sanctions from society, encouraging behavior that leads to approval and discouraging behavior that leads to disapproval.

The process of forming social norms through observing and converging on the average behavior of others.

The influence of other people's behavior on our own, even when those people are not physically present.

The tendency for people to spontaneously mimic the behavior of others around them, contributing to the formation of descriptive norms.

The study by Muzafer Sherif that utilized the autokinetic effect to show how individual perceptions converge into a shared norm.

Steps in addressing a problem.

A social psychological phenomenon where individuals perceive that their group is receiving less than what they deserve, leading to feelings of resentment and potentially collective action.

A form of relative deprivation experienced by individuals when they feel personally deprived compared to others within their own group.

A form of relative deprivation felt by individuals when they perceive their group being discriminated against, leading to collective action.

A situation where intergroup conflict and hostility persist even after the initial open confrontation has ended.

A phenomenon where groups compete over their status as victims, which can hinder conflict resolution and perpetuate animosity.

The process where intergroup differences are exaggerated, leading to intensified hostility and prejudice.

The assimilation of individuals from an out-group into a dominant group's culture and values.