Psychology Module 44 Review

outgroup

"them"—those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup.

ingroup

"us"—people with whom we share a common identity.

Discrimination

(1) in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus. (2) in social psychology, unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.

What psychological and social-cultural factors may trigger aggressive behavior?

Frustration (frustration-aggression principle), previous reinforcement for aggressive behavior, observing an aggressive role model, and poor self-control can all contribute to aggression. Media portrayals of violence provide social scripts that children learn to follow. Viewing sexual violence contributes to greater aggression toward women. Playing violent video games increases aggressive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

How does psychology's definition of aggression differ from everyday usage? What biological factors make us more prone to hurt one another?

In psychology's more specific meaning, aggression is any act intended to harm someone physically or emotionally. Biology influences our threshold for aggressive behaviors at three levels: genetic (inherited traits), neural (activity in key brain areas), and biochemical (such as alcohol or excess testosterone in the bloodstream). Aggression is a complex behavior resulting from the interaction of biology and experience.

What is prejudice? What are its social and emotional roots?

Prejudice is an unjustifiable, usually negative, attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice's three components are beliefs (often stereotypes), emotions, and predispositions to action (discrimination). Overt prejudice in North America has decreased over time, but implicit prejudice—an automatic, unthinking attitude—continues. The social roots of prejudice include social inequalities and divisions. Higher-status groups often justify their privileged position with the just-world phenomenon. We tend to favor our own group (ingroup bias) as we divide ourselves into "us" (the ingroup) and "them" (the outgroup). Prejudice can also be a tool for protecting our emotional well-being, as when we focus our anger by blaming events on a scapegoat.

What are the cognitive roots of prejudice?

The cognitive roots of prejudice grow from our natural ways of processing information: forming categories, remembering vivid cases, and believing that the world is just and that our own and our culture's ways of doing things are the right ways.

stereotype

a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people

prejudice

an unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members

aggression

any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally

social script

culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations

frustration-aggression principle

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

just-world phenomenon

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

ingroup bias

the tendency to favor our own group.

other-race effect

the tendency to recall faces of one's own race more accurately than faces of other races

scapegoat theory

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