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Social Psychology
What are group polarization and
groupthink?
Group polarization: the theory that group
discussion reinforces the majority’s point
of view and shifts opinions to extreme
Groupthink: poor group decision making
that occurs as a result of a group
emphasizing unity over critical thinking
Explain the errors some people make
when using shortcuts to attribute behavior
People often put themselves in the best
possible light by assigning external causes
for failures and internal causes for
success, which is called self-serving bias.
Define social loafing
The tendency to work less hard when
sharing the workload with others
What is deindividualization and how does
it occur?
Is irrational behavior performed by and
individual when there is little or no chance
of being identified.
What are two factors that inhibit individual
action within a group setting?
Diffusion of responsibility and the
bystander effect inhibit individual action
within a group setting.
How does the cognitive theory explain
aggression?
It assumes aggression is learned in
childhood by observing and imitating the
behaviors of others
Compare and contrast altruism and
aggression
Aggression is intended to do physical or
psychological harm to another person.
Altruism is the act of helping others
without expecting a reward.
Describe Zimbardo’s “prison” experiment
Students volunteered to role-play
prisoners and prison guards in a
stimulated prison. Within two days, most of
the guards were intoxicated with power
and acting cruelly, and prisoners began
showing signs of extreme stress. The
emotional reactions were very extreme
they had to end the experiment after 6
days.
Describe Milgram’s obedience experiment
Participants were instructed to administer
shocks to learners for incorrect answers,
increasing shock levels. 65% of
participants administered the full shock
despite learner’s pleas.
How is compliance related to conformity?
Compliance is a change in behavior
without an accompanying change in
thinking.
What are the three elements and three
functions of attitudes?
Belief or opinion, feelings, and a tendency
to act in certain ways
What is generational identity?
The theory that generations tend to think
differently about certain issues because of
different formative experiences
__________ occurs when a person
wholeheartedly accepts an attitude and
the attitude becomes an integral part of
the person.
internalization
How do stereotypes and roles strengthen
prejudice?
Stereotypes are oversimplified and difficult
to change beliefs. Roles are
oversimplified and difficult to change ways
of acting. They work together to create
prejudice and interact in such a way that
makes the cycle hard to break.
Describe the relationship between attitudes
and behavior in counterattitudinal
behavior, self-justification, and self-fulfilling
prophecy.
Counterattitudinal behavior: public
behavior contradicts private attitudes.
Self-justification: either behavior or
attitudes must be justified to reduce
dissonance
Self-fulfilling prophecy: person behaves in
such a way as to make the attitude true
Define primacy effect
The tendency to form opinions of others
based on first impressions
List and describe the factors involved in
choosing friends
Proximity: the nearness of one person to
another
Reward values: what they add to
friendship
Physical appearance
Similarity: choose friends with similar
backgrounds
Define social psychology
The study of how thoughts, feelings,
perceptions, and behaviors are influenced
by interactions with others
Identify 3 factors upon which marital
happiness depends
The compatibility of the couple’s needs
Whether the husbands and wifes images
of themselves coincide with their images
of each other
And agreement on each spouse’s role in
the marriage
The tendency to perform better in the
presence of a group is known as _____,
and the tendency to perform worse
is________.
Social facilitation, social inhibition
What is the difference between task
functions and social functions?
Task functions are activities directed
toward getting a job done. Social functions
are responses directed toward satisfying
one’s needs.
What factors work to hold a group together
and what factors increase the commitment
of a person to a group?
Shared norms, a common ideology, and
high commitment.
Commitment increases when the
individuals can share in group decisions
and rewards and when personal sacrifice
is required.
Identify the 3 characteristics of a group
Interdependence, shared goals, and
communication.