Glossary

Vocab Words **Social psychology** The study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behavior influence, and are influenced by, the behavior of others **Stereotypes** False assumptions that all members of some group share the same characteristics.
 * Attribution** The process of explaining the causes of people's behavior, including one's own
 * Attitude** A predisposition toward a particular cognitive, emotional, or behavioral reaction to objects.
 * Aggression** An act that is intended to cause harm or damage to another person.
 * Altruism** An unselfish concern for another's welfare.
 * Fundamental attribution error** A bias toward overattributing the behavior of others to internal causes.
 * Cognitive dissonance theory** A theory asserting that attitude change is driven by efforts to reduce tension caused by inconsistencies between attitudes and behaviors.
 * Conformity** Changing one's behavior or beliefs to match those of other group members, generally as a result of real or imagined, though unspoken, group pressure.
 * Social facilitation** A phenomenon in which the presence of others improves a person's performance.
 * Social loafing** Exerting less effort when performing a group task than when performing the same task alone.
 * Deindividuation** A psychological state occurring in group members that results in loss of individuality and a tendency to do things not normally done when alone.
 * Prejudice** A positive or negative attitude toward an entire group of people.
 * Frustration-aggression hypothesis** A proposition that frustration always leads to some form of aggressive behavior.
 * Conflict** The result of a person or group believing that another person or group stands in the way of achieving a valued goal.