Unit 9: Social Psychology, unit 9 psych PT

Rhonda has just learned that her neighbor Patricia was involved in an automobile accident at a nearby intersection. The tendency to make the fundamental attribution error may lead Rhonda to conclude

"Patricia's recklessness has finally gotten her into trouble."

outgroup

"Them"—those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 784)

ingroup

"Us"—people with whom we share a common identity. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 784)

discrimination

(2) in social psychology, unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 780)

Algorithm

A methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem.

systematic desensitization

A type of exposure therapy that associates a pleasant relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli. Commonly used to treat phobias.

Philip Zimbardo

Conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment, studying how role affects attitude

A young woman was gunned down at a gas station. A busload on onlookers saw the entire event, and no one did anything. The bus driver even stepped over the body to pay for his gas. What social psychological phenomenon best accounts for this behavior?

Diffusion of Responsibility

Nora, Ko, Ian, and May each think that Ms. Akey may be a slightly better teacher than Mr. Schwenke. After discussing why each of them believes this to be so, they all conclude that Ms. Akey is definitely a much better teacher than Mr. Schwenke. This episode provides an example of

Group polarization

Professors Maksoud, Struthers, and Vasic each tend to think that obtaining a university degree is easier today than it was when they were students. After discussing the matter over coffee, they are even more convinced that obtaining a degree is easier today. This episode provides an example of

Group polarization

Which of the following social psychological experiments has been considered the most unethical and led to sweeping reforms in the APA ethical guidelines?

Milgram's obedience to authority study

Social facilitation is most likely to occur in the performance of ________ tasks

Simple

counterconditioning

a behavior therapy procedure that uses classical conditioning to evoke new responses to stimuli that are triggering unwanted behaviors; includes exposure therapies and aversive conditioning

token economies

a behavioral technique in which desirable behaviors are reinforced with a token, such as a small chip or fake coin, which can be exchanged for privileges

self-fulfilling prophecy

a belief that leads to its own fulfillment. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 812)

Ksana insists that her boyfriend's car accident resulted from his carelessness. Her explanation for the accident provides an example of

a dispositional attribution

stereotype

a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 780)

self-serving bias

a readiness to perceive oneself favorably

role

a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e pp. 503, 758)

social trap

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

Caitlin concluded that her husband was late for dinner because he was caught in heavy traffic. Her conclusion best illustrates

a situational attribution

operant conditioning

a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher

conformity

adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 763)

passionate love

an aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 803)

social-responsibility norm

an expectation that people will help those needing their help. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 810)

norm

an understood rule for accepted and expected behavior. Norms prescribe "proper" behavior. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 777)

prejudice

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. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 780)

Prejudice is best defined as

an unjustifiable attitude toward a group and its members

aggression

any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e pp. 501, 789)

The best explanation for the inaction of bystanders during the Kitty Genovese murder is that they failed to

assume personal responsibility for helping the victim

Magazine computer ads rarely feature endorsements from Hollywood stars or great athletes. Instead, they offer detailed information for consumers to develop more positive opinions about the company's products. This advertising strategy best illustrates

central route persuasion

During a test, Abe impulsively copied several answers from a nearby student's paper. He felt very uncomfortable about having done this until he convinced himself that copying answers is not wrong if classmates are careless enough to expose their test sheets. Which theory best explains why Abe adopted this new attitude?

cognitive dissonance theory

In Milgram's first study of obedience, the majority of "teachers" who were ordered to shock a "learner"

complied fully and delivered the highest level of shock

Solomon Asch asked people to identify which of three comparison lines was identical to a standard line. His research was designed to study

conformity

After an exciting football game in which the home team loses by one point, a crowd of fans throws bottles and begins to tear up the field. This behavior is best understood in terms of

deindividuation

Individuals who are normally law-abiding may vandalize and loot when they become part of a mob. This change in behavior is best understood in terms of

deindividuation

Fritz Heider concluded that people tend to attribute others' behavior either to their

dispositions or their situations

Social loafing refers to the tendency for people to

exert less effort when they are pooling their efforts toward a common goal

The NASA executive who made the final decision to launch the space shuttle Challenger was shielded from information and dissenting views that might have led to a delay of the tragic launch. This best illustrates the dangers of

groupthink

Attribution theory was designed to account for

how people explain others' behavior

The ingroup is the set of people with whom we share a common

identity

social facilitation

improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 771)

normative social influence

influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 764)

informational social influence

influence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 764)

After hearing respected medical authorities lecture about the value of regular exercise, Raul, who has rarely exercised, begins to jog regularly. The change in Raul's behavior best illustrates the impact of

informational social influence

Six-year-old Ezra believes that boys are better than girls, while 5-year-old Arlette believes that girls are better than boys. Their beliefs most clearly illustrate

ingroup bias

Kentaro hates to wear ties but wears one to his sister's wedding to avoid his family's disapproval. Kentaro's behavior exemplifies the importance of

normative social influence

Stanley Milgram

obedience to authority; had participants administer what they believed were dangerous electrical shocks to other participants; wanted to see if Germans were an aberration or if all people were capable of committing evil actions

central route persuasion

occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 756)

peripheral route persuasion

occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 756)

Instead of providing arguments in favor of a political candidate, ads may build political support by associating pictures of the candidate with emotion-evoking music and images. This strategy best illustrates

peripheral route persuasion

Although the effect dissipates within an hour or so, one violent TV program is most likely to ________ in its viewer

prime aggressive thoughts

The mere exposure effect most directly contributes to the positive relationship between ________ and liking

proximity

companionate love

the deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 803)

group polarization

the enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 774)

When a salesperson visits your home and asks you to try a free sample of a cleaning fluid, you agree. When he returns the following week and asks you to purchase an assortment of expensive cleaning products, you make the purchase. The salesperson appears to have made effective use of

the foot-in-the-door phenomenon

deindividuation

the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 773)

groupthink

the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 775)

Mr. Jones is a member of the faculty committee on academic standards at a local private school. He personally disagrees with the other committee members' proposed plan to begin accepting students with below-average grades. Mr. Jones is most likely, however, to vote in favor of their plan if:

the other committee members are unanimous in their opinion

mere exposure effect

the phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 798)

frustration-aggression principle

the principle that frustration—the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal—creates anger, which can generate aggression. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 791)

social psychology

the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e pp. 14, 754)

bystander effect

the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 808)

fundamental attribution error

the tendency for observers, when analyzing others' behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 754)

social loafing

the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 773)

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. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 784)

foot-in-the-door phenomenon

the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 757)

ingroup bias

the tendency to favor our own group. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 784)

functional fixedness

the tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functions; an impediment to problem solving

social exchange theory

the theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 809)

cognitive dissonance theory

the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when we become aware that our attitudes and our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 759)

attribution theory

the theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 754)

altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others. (Myers Psychology for AP 2e p. 807)