Mrs. Perl
AP Psychology
Unit 14: Social Psychology-Social relationships
Social Relations and Behaviors: How do we relate to one another? How does this impact our
behavior towards others?
Prejudice
Aggression
Attraction
Altruism
Conflict
Prejudice
Prejudice/Person Perception-To what degree do our expectations and stereotypes color our
impressions of people?
Beliefs
(Stereotypes)
Emotions
Predisposition
to action
(Discrimination
)
Prejudice:Unjustifiable and negative attitude
towards a group
a. Stereotypes: Generalized belief about a group of people.
b. Social roots of prejudice
i. Social inequalities: Stereotypes rationalize inequalities by justifying the
traits or conditions that created the stereotypes. e.g. because a school
district receives its funding based on the taxpayers, if a student lives in a
poor neighborhood he will not have a well-funded school.
ii. Ingroup and outgroup leads to Ingroup bias (Favoring of one's own
group: Believe they are smarter, better, more moral, more advanced…)
iii. Scapegoat theory: Finding someone to blame when things go wrong as a
target for your anger.
c. Cognitive Roots of Prejudice
a. Categorization: Outgroup Homogeneity
2. Vivid Cases (Representativeness and Availability Heuristic)
3. Just-world phenomenon: Good is rewarded and bad is punished so people "get
what they deserve"
Aggression: Physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy.
What are the roots of aggressive behavior?
a. Biology of aggression
i. Genetic influences
ii. Neural influences: Damage to amygdala or frontal lobe
iii. Biochemical influences
1. High testosterone, low serotonin, Presence of alcohol (lowers
inhibition and makes you more sensitive to provocation)
b. Psychological/Social Factors in aggression
i. Frustration-aggression principle: Experiences of frustration (blocked
goal, temperature, pain etc.) can evoke hostility and make people act in
an angrier way.
ii. Observational learning: Parents, peers, media (pornography)
1. Social scripts in new situations
Interpersonal Attraction:
What causes attraction between people? How does that relate to forming social groups?
a. What factors influence whether we will like other people?
Factor
Definition
Proximity
Geographic nearness
Mere exposure effect
Repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases your
liking of them.
Physical attractiveness
Varies by culture
Similarity
Similar values, culture, ideas etc.
Reward theory of
attraction
We like those whose behavior is rewarding to us and
we continue relationships that offer more rewards
than costs.
b. What are the different types of romantic love?
1. Passionate love: an aroused state of intense positive absorption in another
(usually present at the beginning of a relationship.)
2. Companionate love: Mature, deep, affectionate attachment
c. What factors contribute to a loving relationship?
1. Equity: Both partners receive in proportion to what they give.
2. Self-disclosure: Revealing of intimate details about our lives.
Altruism: Unselfish regard for the welfare of others
a. Bystander Intervention:
i. When are we likely to help someone else?
ii. Bystander effect and the Diffusion of responsibility: The presence of
other bystanders causes someone to turn away from helping.
c. Norms for helping
1. Social-exchange theory: Our social behavior is an exchange process. Its
aim is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.
2. Reciprocity Norm: Expectation that people will help, not harm, those
who have helped us.
3. Social-responsibility norm: Help those in need even if the costs outweigh
the benefits.
Conflict: Perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas
a. Social Traps: Choose A and both get 5 dollars, choose B and can get 10 dollars,
but if both choose B then you get nothing. What do you do?
b. Mirror-Image perceptions: Both demonize the "other"
i. Self-fulfilling prophecies: Perceptions can cause actions by others that
reinforce beliefs.
c. Types of conflict
1. Approach-Approach
2. Approach-Avoidance
3. Avoidance - Avoidance
http://online.sfsu.edu/psych200/unit10/101.htm
d. Peacemaking
Concept
Role in peacemaking
Contact
Helps to correct the mirror image misperception
Cooperation Superordinate goals: Shared goals that can be achieved only through
collaboration.
Conciliation
Mediators that use GRIT: Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension
Reduction
Social Psychology-Social Relationships
Complete the term you have been assigned to and then do the one directly under yours if you have completed the
assignment before everyone else finishes.
Definition
PrejudiceGabe G. and
Sendy
AggressionAkiva and
Isaac
AttractionNatanel and
Bentzie
AltruismEthan and
Bradley
Conflict and
peacemakingGidon and
Gabe A.
Social roots
Cognitive roots
Biological roots
Other terms or concepts