Download Term 1: Psychology and Sociology Terms and Definitions and more Quizzes Social Psychology in PDF only on Docsity!
culture
The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next. TERM 2
evolutionary psychology
DEFINITION 2 The study of the evolution of behavior using principles of natural selection. TERM 3
natural selection
DEFINITION 3 The evolutionary process by which nature selects traits that best enable organisms to survive and reproduce in particular environmental niches. TERM 4
norms
DEFINITION 4 Rules for accepted and expected behavior. Norms prescribe "proper" behavior. (In a different sense of the word, norms also describe what most others dowhat is normal.) TERM 5
personal space
DEFINITION 5 The buffer zone we like to maintain around our bodies. Its size depends on our familiarity with whoever is near us.
aggression
Physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt someone. In laboratory experiments, this might mean delivering electric shocks or saying something likely to hurt another's feelings. TERM 7
empathy
DEFINITION 7 The vicarious experience of another's feelings; putting oneself in another's shoes. TERM 8
gender
DEFINITION 8 In psychology, the characteristics, whether biological or socially influenced, by which people define male and female. TERM 9
gender role
DEFINITION 9 A set of behavior expectations (norms) for males and females. TERM 10
interaction
DEFINITION 10 The effect of one factor (such as biology) depends on another factor (such as environment).
peripheral route to persuasion
Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness. TERM 17
persuasion
DEFINITION 17 The process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. TERM 18
sleeper effect
DEFINITION 18 A delayed impact of a message that occurs when an initially discounted message becomes effective, as we remember the message but forget the reason for discounting it. TERM 19
attitude inoculation
DEFINITION 19 Exposing people to weak attacks upon their attitudes so that when stronger attacks come, they will have refutations available. TERM 20
cult (also called new religious
movement)
DEFINITION 20 A group typically characterized by (1) distinctive ritual and beliefs related to its devotion to a god or a person, (2) isolation from the surrounding "evil" culture, and (3) a charismatic leader. (A sect, by contrast, is a spinoff from a major religion.)
co-actors
Co-participants working individually on a noncompetitive activity. TERM 22
evaluation apprehension
DEFINITION 22 Concern for how others are evaluating us. TERM 23
social facilitation
DEFINITION 23 (1) Original meaningthe tendency of people to perform simple or well-learned tasks better when others are present. (2) Current meaningthe strengthening of dominant (prevalent, likely) responses in the presence of others. TERM 24
free riders
DEFINITION 24 People who benefit from the group but give little in return. TERM 25
social loafing
DEFINITION 25 The tendency for people to exert less effort when they pool their efforts toward a common goal than when they are individually accountable.
reactance
A motive to protect or restore one's sense of freedom. Reactance arises when someone threatens our freedom of action. TERM 32
transformational leadership
DEFINITION 32 Leadership that, enabled by a leader's vision and inspiration, exerts significant influence.
