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Social Psychology Ch. 16

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203844276social psychologyThe scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
203844277attribution theoryThe theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation of the person's disposition
203844278attitudefeelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events
203844279fundamental attribution errorthe tendency for observers, when analyzing another's behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the impact of personal disposition
203844280peripheral route to persuasionoccurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness
203844281central route to persuasionoccurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts
203844282foot-in-the-door phenomenonthe tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request
203844283rolea set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave
203844284cognitive 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 dissonance by changing our attitudes
203844285conformityadjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.
203844286normative social influenceinfluence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval
203844287informational social influenceinfluence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality
203844288social facilitationstronger responses on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others
203844289social loafingthe tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable
203844290deindividuationthe loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity
203844291group polarizationthe enhancement of a group's prevailing attitudes through discussion within the group
203844292group thinkthe mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives
203844293prejudiceAn unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.
203844294stereotypea generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people
203844295discriminationin classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus
203844296ingroup"Us" - people with whom one shares a common identity
203844297outgroup"them"—those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup.
203844298ingroup biasthe tendency to favor our own group
203844299scapegoat theorythe theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame
203844300other-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 bias
203844301just-world phenomenonthe tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get
203844302agressionphysical or verbal behavior intended to hurt someone
203844303frustration-aggression principlethe principle that frustration- the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal- creates anger which can generate aggression
203844304mere exposure effectthe phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them
203844305passionate lovean aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship
203844306compassionate lovethe deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined
203844307equitya condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it
203844308self-disclosurerevealing intimate aspects of oneself to others
203844309altruismunselfish regard for the welfare of others
203844310bystander effectthe tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present
203844311social exchange theorythe theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
203844312reciprocity norman expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them
203844313social-responsibility norman expectation that people will help those dependent upon them
205039235conflicta perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas
205039236social trapa situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior
205039237mirror-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
205039238superordinate goalsshared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation
205039239GRITGraduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction, strategy designed to decrease international tensions. (Myers Psychology 8e p. 769)

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