All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What is a reference group?
Answer: A group used as a standard for self-evaluation and behavior norms. We compare ourselves to these groups to gauge our status.
Flashcard 2: What is a primary group?
Answer: Small, close, enduring relationships (for example, family, close friends). Intimate groups provide emotional support and identity.
Flashcard 3: What is a superordinate goal in intergroup relations?
Answer: A shared objective requiring cooperation between groups. Common goals reduce conflict between groups.
Flashcard 4: Which option best describes an assimilation effect in group contexts?
Answer: Judgments shift toward the in-group norm or prototype. Members converge toward group's typical position.
Flashcard 5: What is out-group derogation?
Answer: Negative attitudes or behavior directed toward an out-group. Prejudice against those outside one's group.
Flashcard 6: What does social identity theory propose is a key motive for group behavior?
Answer: Maintaining or enhancing self-esteem via positive group distinctiveness. Groups boost self-worth through positive comparisons.
Flashcard 7: Identify the best label: You define yourself as a 'student' during class but as a 'sibling' at home.
Answer: Context-dependent salience of social identity. Different situations activate different group identities.
Flashcard 8: Identify the best label: After random group assignment, participants allocate more rewards to their own group.
Answer: In-group favoritism (minimal group effect). Demonstrates bias from mere categorization alone.
Flashcard 9: What is an in-group?
Answer: A group with which an individual identifies and feels belonging. Members share values, goals, and a sense of "we" versus "they."
Flashcard 10: Which bias is shown: “All members of the rival team are basically the same.”?
Answer: Out-group homogeneity bias. Viewing out-group members as interchangeable rather than unique.
Flashcard 11: What is group polarization?
Answer: Group discussion strengthens the group’s initial average attitude. Groups amplify pre-existing tendencies through mutual reinforcement.
Flashcard 12: What is self-categorization theory primarily about?
Answer: Context shifts identity from personal self to group-based self. Situations activate different identities (personal vs. group member).
Flashcard 13: What is positive distinctiveness in social identity theory?
Answer: Motivation to view one’s in-group as better than relevant out-groups. Drive to see our group as superior maintains positive social identity.
Flashcard 14: What is social comparison in social identity theory?
Answer: Evaluating one’s group relative to other groups to gain esteem. We boost self-esteem by comparing our group favorably to others.
Flashcard 15: What is social categorization in social identity theory?
Answer: Classifying self and others into groups (e.g., “us” vs “them”). First step in social identity: mentally sorting people into groups.
Flashcard 16: What is the minimal group paradigm used to demonstrate?
Answer: In-group favoritism can occur with arbitrary group assignment. Even random grouping creates bias, showing how easily we form in-groups.
Flashcard 17: What is an out-group?
Answer: A group to which an individual does not belong or identify. Creates social boundaries between "us" and "them."
Flashcard 18: Which concept is shown: “In a crowd, I felt anonymous and broke rules I usually follow.”?
Answer: Deindividuation. Loss of individual identity in groups enables uncharacteristic behavior.
Flashcard 19: What is a secondary group?
Answer: Large, impersonal, goal-oriented group with weaker ties. Secondary groups focus on specific objectives, with interactions that are more formal and less emotionally invested than primary groups.
Flashcard 20: What is an in-group in the context of social identity?
Answer: A group with which an individual identifies and feels membership. Members share identity and sense of belonging.
Flashcard 21: What is an out-group in the context of social identity?
Answer: A group to which an individual does not belong or identify. Perceived as different from one's own group.
Flashcard 22: What is the ultimate attribution error regarding out-groups?
Answer: Attributing out-group negatives to traits and positives to situations. Biased attributions protect in-group image.
Flashcard 23: What is self-serving bias?
Answer: Attributing successes internally and failures externally. Protects self-esteem through biased attributions.
Flashcard 24: What is social categorization?
Answer: Classifying people into groups to simplify social perception. Mental shortcuts organize complex social world.
Flashcard 25: What does Social Identity Theory propose about self-esteem and groups?
Answer: People seek positive distinctiveness to enhance self-esteem. Group membership boosts self-worth through comparison.
Flashcard 26: Identify the term: preferring one’s group after being randomly assigned to it.
Answer: Minimal group paradigm (in-group favoritism with trivial groups). Shows bias emerges from mere categorization.
Flashcard 27: Which option best describes the contact hypothesis for reducing prejudice?
Answer: Intergroup contact reduces prejudice under optimal conditions. Direct interaction can improve intergroup relations.
Flashcard 28: What are the key optimal conditions for contact to reduce prejudice?
Answer: Equal status, common goals, cooperation, and institutional support. Allport's conditions for successful intergroup contact.
Flashcard 29: Identify the concept: group membership increases self-esteem after a threat to identity.
Answer: Basking in reflected glory (BIRGing) to restore self-esteem. Associating with successful groups enhances self-image.
Flashcard 30: What is the minimal group paradigm used to demonstrate?
Answer: In-group favoritism can occur without meaningful group differences. Proves categorization alone creates bias.