Psycholgoy-Chapter 20-Attitudes and Social Influence

Brainwashing

extreme form of attitude change; uses peer pressure, physical suffering, threats, rewards, guilt, and intensive indoctrination

Self-Concept

how we see or describe ourselves; our total perception of ourselves

Internalization

incorporating the values, ideas, and standards of others as a part of oneself

Prejudice

preconcieved attidues toward a person or group that have been formed without sufficent evidence and are not easily changed

Attitude

predisposition to act, think, and feel in particular ways toward a class of people, objects, or an idea

Identification

seeing oneself as similar to another person or group and accepting the attitudes of another person or group as one's own

Sleeper Effect

the delayed impact on attitude change of a persuasive communication

Persuasion

the direct attempt to influence attitudes

Self-Justification

the need to rationalize one's attitude and behavior

Counterattitudinal Behavior

the process of taking a public position that contradicts one's private attitude

Cognitive Dissonance

the uncomfortable feeling when a person experiences contradictory or conflicting thoughts, attitdues, beliefs, or feelings

Discrimination

the unqueal treatment of individuals on the basis of their race, ethnic group, age, gender, or membership in another category rather than on the basis of individual characteristics

Self-fulfilling prophecy

a belief, prediction, or expectation that operates to bring about its own fulfillment

Boomerang Effect

a change in attitude or behavior opposite of the one desired bt the persuader

Compliance

a change of behavior to avoid discomfort or rejection and to gain approval

Inoculation Effect

developing resistance to persuassion by exposing a person to arguments that challenge his or her beliefs so that he or she can practice defending them