Psychology Chapter 12 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is social psychology?

The psychological evaluation of personality types

The analysis of behavior in isolation

The scientific study of social groups

The scientific study of how a person's thoughts, feelings, and behavior are influenced by others (correct)

What is social influence?

The process through which the presence of others can influence thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Define conformity.

Changing one's own behavior to match that of other people.

What is groupthink?

Thinking that occurs when people prioritize group cohesiveness over assessing factual problems. Signup and view all the answers

What does consumer psychology study?

The habits of consumers in the marketplace. Signup and view all the answers

Define compliance.

Changing one's behavior as a result of others directing or asking for the change. Signup and view all the answers

What is the foot-in-the-door technique?

Asking for a small commitment and then asking for a larger commitment after refusal. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the norm of reciprocity.

The assumption that if someone does something for a person, that person should do something in return. Signup and view all the answers

What is the lowball technique?

Getting a commitment from a person and then raising the cost of that commitment. Signup and view all the answers

Define the that's-not-all technique.

A sales technique where the persuader adds something extra to an offer before the target can decide. Signup and view all the answers

What is obedience?

Changing one's behavior at the command of an authority. Signup and view all the answers

Define group polarization.

The tendency for members involved in a group discussion to take more extreme positions. Signup and view all the answers

What is social facilitation?

The tendency for the presence of others to positively impact performance on an easy task. Signup and view all the answers

Explain social impairment.

The tendency for the presence of others to negatively impact performance on a difficult task. Signup and view all the answers

What is social loafing?

The tendency for people to put less effort into a simple task when working with others. Signup and view all the answers

Define attitude.

A tendency to respond positively or negatively toward a certain person, object, idea, or situation. Signup and view all the answers

What is persuasion?

The process by which one person tries to change the beliefs or actions of another. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the elaboration likelihood model.

A model of persuasion stating that people either elaborate on a message or fail to, impacting predictions of future actions. Signup and view all the answers

Define central-route processing.

Information processing that involves attending to the content of the message itself. Signup and view all the answers

What is peripheral-route processing?

Information processing that involves attending to non-content factors of the message. Signup and view all the answers

Define cognitive dissonance.

A sense of discomfort that occurs when behavior does not correspond to attitudes. Signup and view all the answers

What is impression formation?

The forming of the first knowledge that a person has concerning another person. Signup and view all the answers

Define social cognition.

The mental processes used to make sense of the social world. Signup and view all the answers

What is social categorization?

The assignment of a person to a category based on characteristics common with past experiences. Signup and view all the answers

Define stereotype.

A set of characteristics believed to be shared by all members of a particular social category. Signup and view all the answers

What is implicit personality theory?

Sets of assumptions about how personality traits relate to each other. Signup and view all the answers

Define attribution.

The process of explaining one's behavior and the behavior of others. Signup and view all the answers

What is attribution theory?

The theory of how people make attributions. Signup and view all the answers

What is dispositional cause?

Cause of behavior attributed to internal factors such as personality. Signup and view all the answers

Define fundamental attribution error.

The tendency to overestimate internal factors in determining behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is prejudice?

A negative attitude held toward members of a particular social group. Signup and view all the answers

Define discrimination.

Treating people differently because of prejudice. Signup and view all the answers

What are in-groups?

Social groups with whom a person identifies. Signup and view all the answers

Define out-groups.

Social groups with whom a person does not identify. Signup and view all the answers

What is realistic conflict theory?

Theory stating that prejudice will increase between groups in conflict over limited resources. Signup and view all the answers

Define social cognitive theory.

Refers to the use of cognitive processes in understanding the social world. Signup and view all the answers

What is social identity theory?

Theory explaining the formation of identity within a social group. Signup and view all the answers

Define social identity.

Part of the self-concept based on membership in a social category. Signup and view all the answers

What is social comparison?

The comparison of oneself to others in ways that raise self-esteem. Signup and view all the answers

Define stereotype vulnerability.

The effect of awareness of stereotypes on behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy?

The tendency of expectations to affect behavior, making those expectations more likely. Signup and view all the answers

Define equal status contact.

Contact between groups with equal status, with neither group having power over the other. Signup and view all the answers

What is a jigsaw classroom?

An educational technique involving partial information for problem-solving, promoting collaboration. Signup and view all the answers

Define interpersonal attraction.

Liking or desire for a relationship with another person. Signup and view all the answers

What does proximity refer to?

Physical or geographical nearness. Signup and view all the answers

Define reciprocity of liking.

The tendency to like people who like them in return. Signup and view all the answers

What is romantic love?

A type of love consisting of intimacy and passion. Signup and view all the answers

Define companionate love.

A type of love consisting of intimacy and commitment. Signup and view all the answers

What is aggression?

Behavior intended to hurt or destroy another person. Signup and view all the answers

Define social role.

The pattern of behavior expected from a person in a particular social position. Signup and view all the answers

What is prosocial behavior?

Socially desirable behavior that benefits others. Signup and view all the answers

Define altruism.

Prosocial behavior done with no expectation of reward. Signup and view all the answers

What is the bystander effect?

The effect that the presence of others has on the decision to help. Signup and view all the answers

Define diffusion of responsibility.

When a person fails to take responsibility because of others sharing the responsibility. Signup and view all the answers

What is a cult?

Any group with a particular religious or philosophical set of beliefs. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Social psychology examines how individuals are influenced by the presence of others, encompassing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Social influence involves both direct and indirect effects from others on individual beliefs and actions.
Conformity is the adjustment of one’s behavior to align with group norms.

Group Dynamics

Groupthink leads to poor decision-making as members prioritize group harmony over critical analysis of facts.
Group polarization results in more extreme viewpoints during discussions compared to individual opinions.

Consumer Behavior

Consumer psychology focuses on understanding consumer habits and decision-making processes in the marketplace.

Compliance Techniques

Compliance occurs when individuals change behavior upon requests from others.
The foot-in-the-door technique involves starting with a small request to increase compliance for a larger subsequent request.
The lowball technique secures a commitment before increasing the cost associated with that commitment.
The that's-not-all technique enhances an offer by adding additional incentives just before a decision is made.

Authority and Obedience

Obedience signifies behavioral changes driven by direct commands from authority figures.

Social facilitation refers to improved performance on simple tasks in the presence of others.
Conversely, social impairment indicates decreased performance on complex tasks under group observation.
Social loafing describes reduced effort exerted by individuals when working in a group compared to working alone.

Attitudes and Persuasion

Attitudes reflect individual predispositions toward people, objects, or ideas.
Persuasion is aimed at altering beliefs or actions using arguments or appeals.
The elaboration likelihood model posits that persuasive outcomes depend on the level of message elaboration.
Central-route processing emphasizes the message content, while peripheral-route processing considers external cues.

Cognitive Dissonance and Impressions

Cognitive dissonance arises from conflicting behaviors and attitudes, causing discomfort.
Impression formation involves the initial understanding one develops about another person.

Social cognition encompasses mental processes used to interpret and understand social interactions.
Social categorization simplifies the process of understanding new individuals based on prior experiences.

Stereotypes and Attribution

Stereotypes are overgeneralized beliefs about members of specific social groups.
Attribution involves assigning reasons to behaviors, with dispositional causes linked to personal traits and situational causes attributed to external factors.
The fundamental attribution error is a common bias favoring internal explanations for others' behaviors while downplaying situational influences.

Prejudice and Discrimination

Prejudice reflects negative biases toward social groups, while discrimination entails differential treatment based on those biases.

In-Groups and Out-Groups

In-groups provide a sense of belonging, whereas out-groups are identified as "others."
Realistic conflict theory suggests that competition for limited resources fosters prejudice and discrimination.

Interpersonal Relationships

Social identity theory explains how group membership influences self-concept, identity, and intergroup behavior.
Proximity fosters interpersonal attraction, along with reciprocity of liking, where mutual affection enhances relationships.

Love and Aggression

Romantic love combines intimacy and passion, while companionate love focuses on intimacy and commitment.
Aggression manifests as behavior intended to cause harm to others.

Social roles dictate expected behaviors linked to specific social positions, influencing interactions.
Prosocial behavior benefits others, with altruism reflecting selfless acts without expected rewards.

Bystander Effect

The bystander effect outlines a reduced likelihood of help being offered in emergency situations as the number of witnesses increases.
Diffusion of responsibility occurs when individuals feel less accountable for actions due to the presence of others sharing the burden.

Cults and Group Identity

Cults signify groups unified by specific belief systems, often deviating from mainstream norms and fostering a distinct identity.

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Description

Test your knowledge with flashcards on social psychology concepts from Chapter 12. This quiz covers important terms like social influence and conformity, exploring how our thoughts and behaviors are affected by others. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their understanding of social psychological principles.