psych chapter 13

the study of how people influence others behavior, beliefs, and attitudes

theory that we seek to evaluate out abilities and beliefs by comparing them with those of others

• upward- we compare ourselves with people who seem superior to us in some way. 
• ex. when a new member of the mends basketball team compares himself with the teams top two superstars

• downward- we compare ourselves with others who seem inferior to us in some wars.
• ex. when a basketball player compares himself with his clumsy friends who keep bouncing basketballs off of their feet.

outbreak of irrational behavior that is spread by social contagion. 

episodes of mass hysteria lead to collective delusions, in which many people simultaneously com to be convinced of bizarre things that are false, such as UFO's

enhancement of performance brought about by the presence of others

assigning causes to behavior

tendency to overestimate the impact of dispositional influences(traits, attitude) on other people's behavior. 

we attribute too much of people/s behavior to who they are

tendency of people to alter their behavior as a result of group pressure

the tendency of people to engage in uncharacteristic behavior when they are stripped of their usual identities.

emphasis on group unanimity at the expense of critical thinking

tendency of group discussion to strengthen the dominant positions held by individual group members

group of individuals who exhibit intense and unquestioning devotion to a single cause

approach to convincing people to change their minds about something by first introducing reasons why the perspective might be correct and then debunking them

adherence to instruction from those of higher authority

error of assuming that no one in a group perceives things as we do

reduction in feelings of personal responsibility in the presence of others

phenomenon whereby individuals become less productive in groups

helping others for unselfish reasons

learning about psychological research can change real-world behavior for the better

behavior intended to harm others, either verbally or physically

belief that includes an emotional component

personality trait that assesses the extent to which peoples behavior reflects their true feelings and attitudes.

unpleasant mental experience of tension resulting from two conflicting thoughts or beliefs

theory that we acquire out attitudes by observing our behaviors

theory that we dont really change our attitudes, but report that we have so that our behaviors appear consistent with out attitudes

persuasive technique involving making a small request before making a bigger one

persuasive technique involving making an unreasonably large request before making the small request were hoping to have granted

persuasive technique in which the seller of a product starts by quoting a low sales price, and then mentions all of the "add-on" costs once the customer has agreed to purchase the product

drawing negative conclusions about a person, group of people, or situation prior to evaluating the evidence

a belief, positive or negative, about the characteristics of members of a group that is applied generally to most members of the group

assumption that behaviors among individual members of a group are due to their internal dispositions

evolutionary principle that creates a predisposition toward distrusting anything or anyone unfamiliar or different

tendency to favor individuals within our group over those from outside our group

tendency to view all individuals outside our group as highly similar

negative behavior toward members of out-group

claim that prejudice arises from a need to blame other groups for our misfortunes

claim that our attributions and behaviors are shaped by a deep-seated assumption that the world is fair and all things happen for a reason

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

• unfounded negative belief of which were unaware regarding the
• characteristics of an out-group

educational approach designed to minimize prejudice by requiring all children to make independent contributions to a shared project