Introduction to Social Psychology

The study of how individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the presence of others.

The idea that our understanding of the world and our experiences are shaped by our social interactions and cultural influences.

How social forces like family, media, education, and religion impact an individual's identity and behavior while also being influenced by individual actions.

The human need for connection and interaction with others, which is essential for our well-being.

Exploring the impact of one individual on another, examining both direct and indirect influences.

Direct and explicit influence where someone consciously tries to affect another person's actions.

An indirect and often subconscious influence on behavior, often through social norms or cues.

Using the knowledge gained from studying social psychology to understand and improve social situations and address real-world problems.

Our actions are influenced by external forces, such as social norms, cultural expectations, and environmental cues.

Internal factors, like our personal beliefs, values, and personality traits, also contribute to how we behave.

Our genetic makeup and biological processes play a significant role in determining our social behaviours.

Natural selection has equipped us with instincts that help us survive and reproduce, which in turn influence our social interactions.

Social neuroscience integrates biology and social psychology to understand the neural and psychological bases of how we interact with others.

We have a natural need to connect with others, and social interaction plays a crucial role in our well-being and sense of belonging.

Social exclusion can have a significant negative impact on our self-esteem and overall well-being.

While social exclusion can be painful, our capacity to form and maintain relationships provides us with immense joy and comfort.

The scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to each other.

A social unit formed by two or more individuals who share a sense of belonging, interdependence, and common goals. This unit often involves shared rules, roles, norms, and power structures.

Our perception of the world is shaped by our social experiences and interactions.

A theory suggesting that relationships are based on an exchange of rewards and costs. Individuals are motivated to maximize benefits and minimize costs.

The tangible and intangible elements individuals gain or lose in a relationship.

Social institutions, while often powerful, can sometimes have negative consequences.

Our behavior is greatly influenced by the people and groups around us.

The underlying belief that actions in a relationship should result in more rewards than costs. It weighs the value of what you receive against what you invest.

Our personal beliefs, values, and traits also influence our actions.

The impact of social structures on individual personalities, shaping how individuals think, act, and perceive themselves.

Large-scale patterns and forces that influence individual behavior and interactions. They are the framework upon which society is built.

Social behavior has a biological foundation, and our genes and hormones play a role.

A perspective that emphasizes the role of mental processes, such as thinking, problem-solving, and perception, in shaping social behavior.

The principles of social psychology can be applied to understand and improve everyday life.

The mental processes involved in understanding and interacting with others.

A type of research that observes individuals in their natural environment without manipulating any variables.

A study that replicates the conditions and procedures of a previous study to verify the original findings.

A statistical technique that combines results from multiple studies on the same topic to estimate the overall effect.

The degree to which an experiment resembles real-life situations.

The degree to which an experiment engages participants, involving them in the psychological processes being studied.

A plausible cover story used in an experiment to hide the true purpose from participants.

The tendency of participants to act in a way that is expected of them, influencing the experimental results.

Cues in an experiment that indicate the expected behaviour to participants, potentially leading to bias.

The practice of informing participants about the experiment's purpose and potential risks before obtaining their consent to participate.

Ethical principle demanding truthfulness in research, particularly about experiment procedures and findings.

The idea that just because something is common practice, it doesn't automatically make it morally right.

Incorporating our personal values and beliefs when making judgments about what should be, as opposed to simply stating facts.

Our preconceived notions and values influence how we interpret social phenomena and form theories.

Social psychology is often criticized for being trivial because it seems to study the obvious, or for being dangerous because it might be used to manipulate people.

The belief that wealth alone brings happiness is a misconception. Evidence shows that happiness levels plateau after a comfortable income is reached.

Pursuing external goals like wealth, beauty, and popularity can lead to negative mental and physical consequences.

Focusing on intrinsic goals like intimacy, personal growth, and contributing to society leads to a higher quality of life.

Common sense is often applied after the fact, making events seem more predictable and unsurprising than they were beforehand.

Our tendency to underestimate our ability to predict future events, leading us to believe we knew something we didn't.

People struggle to identify the causes of their failures, and attempting to do so can actually hinder future performance.