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AP Psychology Vocab - Social Psychology Flashcards

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5949853621Social Psychologythe scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.0
5949853622Attribution Theorythe theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition.1
5949853623Fundamental Attribution Errorthe tendency for observers, when analyzing another's behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition.2
5949853624Attitudefeelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.3
5949853625Central Route Persuasionattitude change path in which interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts.4
5949853626Peripheral Route Persuasionattitude change path in which people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness.5
5949853627Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenonthe tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request.6
5949853628Rolea set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.7
5949853629Cognitive Dissonance Theorythe theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when our awareness of our attitudes and of our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting discomfort by changing our attitudes.8
5949853630Conformityadjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.9
5949853631Normative Social Influenceinfluence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval.10
5949853632Informational Social Influenceinfluence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality.11
5949853633Social Facilitationstronger responses on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others.12
5949853634Social Loafingthe tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable.13
5949853635Deindividuationthe loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.14
5949853636Group Polarizationthe enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group.15
5949853637Groupthinkthe mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.16
5949853638Culturethe enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next17
5949853639Norman understood rule for accepted and expected behavior. They prescribe "proper" behavior.18
5949853640Personal Spacethe buffer zone we like to maintain around our bodies.19
5949853641Prejudicean unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members. It generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.20
5949853642Stereotypea generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people.21
5949853643Discrimination(Social) unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.22
5949853644Ingroup"Us"—people with whom we share a common identity.23
5949853645Outgroup"Them"—those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup.24
5949853646Ingroup Biasthe tendency to favor our own group.25
5949853647Scapegoat Theorythe theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.26
5949853648Other-Race Effectthe tendency to recall faces of one's own race more accurately than faces of other races. Also called the cross-race effect and the own-race bias27
5949853649Just-World Phenomenonthe tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.28
5949853650Aggressionphysical or verbal behavior intended to hurt someone.29
5949853651Frustration-Aggression Principlethe principle that frustration—the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal—creates anger, which can generate aggression.30
5949853652Mere Exposure Effectthe phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them.31
5949853653Passionate Lovean aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship.32
5949853654Companionate Lovethe deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined.33
5949853655Equitya condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it.34
5949853656Self-Disclosurerevealing intimate aspects of oneself to others.35
5949853657Altruismunselfish regard for the welfare of others.36
5949853658Bystander Effectthe tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.37
5949853659Social Exchange Theorythe theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.38
5949853660Reciprocity Norman expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them.39
5949853661Social-Responsibility Norman expectation that people will help those dependent upon them.40
5949853662Conflicta perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.41
5949853663Social Trapa situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior.42
5949853664Mirror-Image Perceptionsmutual views often held by conflicting people, as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive.43
5949853665Self Fulfilling Prophecya belief that leads to its own fulfillment44
5949853666Superordinate Goalsshared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation.45
5949853667Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension Reduction (GRIT)Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction—a strategy designed to decrease international tensions.46
5949853668Diffusion of Responsibilityreduction in feelings of personal burden in the presence of others47
5949853669Ethnocentricismevaluation of other cultures according to the standards and customs of one's own culture48
5949853670ComplianceConforming to a request or demand49

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