Psychology Flashcards

Intelligence

• Refers to the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge and skills in various contexts.

Aptitude Test

• Designed to assess an individual's ability in specific skills or fields of knowledge.

Achievement Test

• Evaluates developed skills or knowledge gained through training or formal education.
• Commonly includes standardized tests aligned with specific grade levels.

Social Facilitation

• Involves improved performance on simple tasks when individuals are observed by others.
• Indicates that people generally perform better at tasks they are already proficient in when in a social context.

Social Inhibition

• Represents a conscious or subconscious avoidance of certain social situations.
• Can stem from fear of disapproval or negative evaluation from others.

Group Polarization

• Describes the tendency of group decisions to become more extreme than individual inclinations.
• Members in a group may adopt riskier or more conservative positions as a collective.

Groupthink

• Occurs when group dynamics discourage individuality and creative input.
• Can lead to poor decision-making due to consensus-seeking behavior.

Deindividuation

• A phenomenon where individuals lose self-awareness in group settings.
• Often results in a decrease in social constraints and increased impulsivity.

Personality

• A unique combination of characteristics and qualities that define an individual's personal identity.

Defense Mechanism

• An involuntary response by the body to protect against harm from disease-causing organisms.

Attribution Theory

• Explores how individuals explain the behavior of others by attributing emotions, beliefs, and intentions.

Social Loafing

• The tendency for individuals to exert less effort in a group than when working alone.
• Common in collective tasks where personal accountability is diminished.

Bystander Effect

• A social phenomenon where individuals are less likely to assist a victim when other people are present.
• Likelihood of help decreases as the number of bystanders increases.

Diffusion of Responsibility

• Describes a situation where individuals feel less compelled to act due to the presence of others.
• Leads to a shared sense of responsibility, often resulting in inaction.

Cognitive Dissonance

• The mental discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors.
• Can drive individuals to change their attitudes or behaviors to reduce inconsistencies.

Social Cognition

• Focuses on how individuals process, store, and apply information regarding social interactions.
• Integrates concepts from cognitive psychology to understand social behavior.

Social Psychology

• Studies the impact of social interactions on individual behavior and psychological processes.
• Examines how group dynamics, social influences, and relationships affect personal development.

Altruism

• Represents a selfless concern for the welfare of others without expecting any personal gain.

Conformity

• The act of aligning behavior or beliefs with group standards, rules, or societal laws.
• Can occur through direct pressure or social norms influencing behavior.