AP Psychology Unit 9: Social Psychology

The tendency for people to underestimate the situation and overestimate a person's disposition and character.

Ex: We tend to think a person who cuts us off in traffic is a bad person and cannot drive. We UNDERESTIMATE the situation of driving and OVERESTIMATE a person's character (thinking they're a bad person).

When judging others, we judge based on their personality.
- When judging ourselves, we take more into account the situation.

- When interested people focus on the arguments and responsible with favorable thoughts, supporting the facts and evidence.

- When people are influence by more incidental and social cues, like attractiveness, celebrities, etc.

- A person agrees to a small action and later comply with a larger one. Starts off small, and increasing ask over time increases the likelihood.
Ex: Asking to donate $5 one year increases likelihood of person donating $10 the next year.

- A person makes an initially large and unreasonable ask, then make a smaller ask that sounds more practical. Increases likelihood person will agree to smaller ask.
Ex: Asking parents for $100 at first, but then asking for $50 when they say no because it sounds more reasonable.

- Making something sound more appealing at first, then later adding additional things/expenses that make it sound less attractive.
Ex: Retailing a car at a great price, then later explaining to interested buyer the large additional costs.

- Lures in customers by offering a great initial bargain, then reveals it is no longer available.
Ex: Displaying a great phone deal, then when interested customer asks for it they no longer have it.

- The way something is displayed/framed effects it's convince ability.

- The tendency for people to become more interested in something they're familiar with. The more familiar a person is with something, the more likely they are to give in.
Ex: A person slowly beginning to like a song after hearing it many times.

- Zimbardo randomly assigned volunteers as a security guard or prisoner. After just 6 days, security guards enacted their roles too much and prisoners began to feel a sense of learned helpessness.
- Shows how we eventually become what we do if we do it long enough, we encase ourself in a given role once played for too long.

- When we feel our behavior does not match our beliefs or who we are, we begin to feel discomfort (cognitive dissonance).
- As a result, our actual attitudes/beliefs slightly change to match our behavior.
Ex: Cheating on a test despite believing in honesty, then changing attitude to believe cheating it okay and we rationalize our own beliefs.

We unconsciously mimic other's expressions, postures & voice tones. Helps us gel what others are feeling and helps up feel comfortable that we are mirroring what they want us to see.
- Mimicking body language, voice tone, etc to fit in with the crowd.

- A group of participants (1 being the actual test subject) purposely chose the wrong line that matches the one shown. The actual participant began to purposely choose the wrong answer to fit in with the crows 70% of the time. They conformed with the crowd.

- People are more likely to conform when a task is not important and is easy to complete.

- When people conform because we want to fit in with social norms. We wanted to feel accepted and avoid being rejected because of our differences.
Ex: Peer pressure

- We conform because we genuinely agree with the facts and knowledge presented, and have a genuine belief that we're conforming to what's right.

Displayed how people are willing to abide and be obedient despite moral and ethical concerns.
- Person continued to administer shocks to student despite feeling it wasn't right, due to being told by a "scientist" in a lab coat.

- Improved performance task in the presence of others.
- People around us make us do better.
Ex: We're more likely to do well on stage in front of a large crows than we are alone.

The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable.
- "Loafing" around because there's other people who we think will do better, and taking less personal responsibility.

The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.
- Mob mentality, more likely to do certain things AS A GROUP than when we are alone.

- The tendency of a group's views to get stronger during group discussions with the same views.
- When in a group of like-minded people, our views get stronger.
- Ex: A neutral person going into a democrat convention, then coming out as a full democrat.

When a group exerts extensive pressure on an individual to align his or her opinion with others' opinions.
- When a group is making a decision, everyone shares the same anonymous thought that is not expressed, but continue anyway.
- Ex: Everyone agreeing to go to one place to eat but everyone secretly thinks they don't want to go.

The case where a minority of group members influences the behavior or beliefs of the majority.
- When 1-2 people make a great influence on many. Gandi, Rosa Parks, etc.

An unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.

How we fill and shape into the certain stereotypes expected from us.

In-Group: "Us" People who we share a common identity with.
Out-Group: "Them" Those perceived as different or apart from our In-group.
In-Group Bias: Being loyal & the tendency to favor our own group.

Prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame. Directing blame to someone else due to a certain event or thing taken place.

When something is vivid in our minds, we tend to think that it happens more than it really does; this can lead to prejudice.
- Ex: We tend to think plane crashes take place more than car crashes because we remember them more often.

The tendency for people to believe the world is just, and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.
- The world is "just" and equal, and you get what you get, everything happens for a reason.

Explicit Bias: Consciously separating and noticing things, conscious & direct judgement or discrimination & prejudice attitude.
Implicit Bias: Unconscious & indirect judgement or discrimination toward a group of people, much like systemic racism.
Ex: More baggage checks to those of color than those who are white.

Aggression: Physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy.
- Could be genetic, or certain damage to the brain (frontal lobe & prefrontal cortex may lead to aggression) or hormone imbalances.

The theory that bad situations or conditions result in bringing out the worse in people. Bad things bring out the worse in people.

The principle that frustration- the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal- creates anger which can generate aggression.

- Standards that the media & culture portray as ways to handle situations or how to react to certain events.
Ex: Social media & movies promoting seeking revenge to deal with anger, or to find love it must be a man and a woman.

Any perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.

A situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior.
Ex: When a person feels they do not need to recycle because they are just one person, but if everyone thinks that same thing, it's a problem.

When people pursue their own self interests at the cost of one-another. Every man for themselves, even at the cost of another person.

Individuals neglect the well-being of society in the pursuit of emotional gain. Can lead to overconsumption & depletion of resources.
Man > Society

Mutual 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.
- As evil and wrong as we may deem one person, they may see us the same way.

The tendency for people to take personal credit for success but blame failure on external factors.

The tendency for liking to increase with the frequency of exposure. We like those who are closer to us, and we know more.
Reward Theory of Attraction: We like those who like us & whose behavior is rewarding to us.

Passionate - An aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship.

Companionate - The deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined.

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others. Helping others for the sake of helping others, with no person gain.

The tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.
- The more bystanders present, the less likely someone is to take initiative to help, due to assuming someone else will help them instead.
Diffusion of Responsibility: Responsibility diffuses when there's more people around.

The theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.
- We like to help those who we think will help us.

The process of exchanging things with other people in order to gain a mutual benefit, feeling obligated to return the favor.
Ex: Giving a teacher a Christmas gift, in hopes their guilt will make them give you an A.

- People will help those who cannot help you the same amount. The moral belief to help the helpless.

Shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation. Sharing the same common goal.

GRIT (Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction):
- Effective strategy for increasing trust & cooperation, work slow and work your way up.