9 Social Psychology

scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

theory that we explain someone's behaviour by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition

the tendency for observes, when analyzing another's behaviour, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to response in a particular way to objects, people, and events

attitude change in which interested people focus on the actual argument and respond with favorable thoughts

attitude change in which people are influenced by incidental cues

the tendency for people who have agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request

set of expectations (norms) about a social position that define how those in the position ought to behave

theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent; change our attitudes rather than our behaviours

adjusting one's behaviour/thinking to coincide with a group standard

influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval

influence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality

stronger responses on simple/well-learned tasks in the presence of others

tendency for people in a group to exert less effort toward attaining a common goal than when by themselves

the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal or anonymity

tendency of group members to move to an extreme position after discussing an issue as a group

the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives

the enduring behaviours, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted through generations

understood rule for accepted/expected behaviour

an unjustifiable attitude toward a group and its members; generally involved stereotyped beliefs

generalized belief about a group of people

unjustifiable negative behaviour toward a group and its members

tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get

us; people with whom we share a common identity

them; those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup

tendency to favor our own group

theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame

the tendency to recall faces faced of one's own race more accurately than faces of another race

any physical/verbal behaviour intended to hurt or destroy

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

phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them

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

deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined

condition in which people receive from a relationship is proportional to what they give to it

revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid the more other bystanders are present

theory that our social behaviour is an exchange process; the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs

expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them

expectation that people will help those dependent upon them

perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas

situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behaviour

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

expectation that causes you to act in ways that make that expectation come true

shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation

a strategy designed to decrease international tensions. one side recognizes mutual interests and initiates a small conciliatory act that opens the door for reciprocation by the other party

rules for accepted and expected behaviours

the social contagion causing mimicry behaviour

involves the spontaneous spread of emotions and related behaviors

unfounded negative belief of which we're aware regarding the characteristics of an out-group

a negative attitude, of which one is not consciously aware, against a specific social group.

a social psychological phenomenon in which individuals or groups attempt to cope with the bad things that have happened to others by assigning blame to the victim of the trauma or tragedy

the "we" aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to "Who am I?" that comes from our group memberships

the secret joy in seeing the misfortune of others

includes actions where individuals withdraw from society

overestimating how much people in an outgroup are alike in their attitudes, personality, appearance

occurs when people believe mistakenly that others’ opinions differ from their own

aggressive behaviors that are carried out to attain a certain goal

aggressive behaviors that aim to inflict pain or harm

enduring personality traits

tendency for people who have just disagreed to a large request to comply later with a smaller request

the decreased action when someone believes there are others there to help

the doctrine that are actions are right if they are useful or for benefit of a majority

the occurrence of mutually antagonistic or opposing forces, including events, behaviors, desires, attitudes, and emotions

a mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides the realistic appraisal of alternatives

the interest in and liking of one individual by another, or the mutual interest and liking between two or more individuals. influenced by proximity and similarity

we will like someone if they are willing and able to help us achieve our goals

process whereby people make a mistake in assuming what is causing them to feel aroused

• physical arousal plus cognitive appraisal

• arousal from any source can enhance one emotion depending upon what we interpret or label the arousal

includes all aspects of love (intimacy, passion, commitment) to lead a lasting relationship

whirlwind passion without intimacy

positive ratings lead to positive feelings

the quality of being inclined to accept and act on the suggestions of others

social pressure exerted on the majority of a group by a smaller faction of the group