Social Psychology Flashcards

Fundamental Attribution Error

• Overemphasizes personality traits in others, disregarding situational factors. Example: perceiving a woman yelling at her child as poor parenting.

Central Route to Persuasion

• Involves logical reasoning and evidence-based arguments to persuade. Example: presenting rational justifications to parents for an allowance increase.

Peripheral Route to Persuasion

• Relies on superficial cues, such as appearance and emotional appeals. Example: dressing nicely and expressing love before asking for more allowance.

Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon

• Initial small requests lead to larger subsequent requests. Example: a friend begins by borrowing earrings and then asks for a dress and shoes.

Cognitive Dissonance

• Psychological discomfort arising from conflicting beliefs or self-perception. Example: feeling confused after believing oneself to be a great basketball player but not making the team.

Automatic Mimicry

• Unconscious imitation of others' actions or behaviors. Example: yawning in response to seeing someone else yawn.

Obedience

• Compliance with direct commands from authority figures. Example: following a parent's instruction to take out the trash.

Normative Social Influence

• Conforming to group expectations to fit in despite personal preferences. Example: dyeing hair red to avoid feeling different from friends.

Informational Social Influence

• Adopting the behavior of others when unsure of the correct action. Example: merging lanes in traffic based on others’ actions without understanding the reason.

Deindividuation

• Loss of self-awareness in groups, leading to behaviors uncharacteristic of the individual. Example: singing loudly at a concert due to the dark and crowded atmosphere.

Social Facilitation

• Improved performance in front of an audience, particularly for well-practiced tasks. Example: nailing a difficult piano piece at a recital due to heightened adrenaline.

Social Loafing

• Individuals exert less effort when working in a group compared to working alone. Example: a family not maintaining a clean living room due to each member doing less than their share.

Group Polarization

• Group discussions intensify opinions, leading to stronger consensus. Example: a jury's initial mixed feelings about a verdict become adamant after deliberation.

Groupthink

• Poor decision-making as a result of group pressure to conform. Example: agreeing to a classmate's thesis without adequate critique to maintain harmony.

Prejudice

• Preconceived negative judgment towards a group based on stereotypes. Example: an older individual distrusting youths due to assumptions about their work ethic.

Stereotype

• Generalized belief about a group that may not accurately reflect reality. Example: assuming immigrant families are hardworking based solely on their background.

Discrimination

• Unfair treatment based on group attributes such as gender. Example: a teacher consistently calling on male students more than females.

Just-World Phenomenon

• Belief that people get what they deserve, leading to rationalization of social inequalities. Example: refusing to support charity based on the assumption that the poor are inherently lazy.

Ingroup Bias

• Preference for members of one's own group over outsiders. Example: a child choosing to play with boys rather than girls.

Scapegoat Theory

• Blaming a group or individual for problems, often unjustly. Example: attributing a sports loss to the goalie's performance alone.

Mere Exposure Effect

• Increasing preference for something due to repeated exposure. Example: growing fond of a show after watching several episodes.

Self-Disclosure

• Sharing personal information to deepen relationships. Example: feeling closer to friends after revealing secrets in a game.

Equity

• Fair distribution of resources or responsibilities leads to healthier relationships. Example: parents dividing household chores equally to foster mutual respect.

Frustration-Aggression Principle

• Frustration leads to aggressive behavior towards others. Example: a child lashing out at a dog for taking a toy.

Bystander Effect

• Individuals are less likely to help a victim when others are present. Example: observing a person stranded with a flat tire but assuming others will assist.

Social Exchange Theory

• Individuals evaluate the costs and benefits of social interactions. Example: considering time and potential rewards before agreeing to babysit.

Reciprocity Norm

• The expectation to return favors or kindness. Example: feeling obligated to donate to a charity after receiving free items.

Social Responsibility Norm

• The belief in helping those in need. Example: donating to a collection for the less fortunate.

Social Trap

• Short-term individual benefits lead to long-term collective harm. Example: overfishing results from individual fishers exceeding limits, leading to a decline in fish population.

Superordinate Goals

• Shared goals that promote cooperation between individuals or groups. Example: siblings uniting to persuade parents to adopt a pet.