Attitude
A set of beliefs and feelings.
Mere-exposure effect
The more you are exposed to something the more you will come to like it.
Cognitive Dissonance theory
This theory is based on the idea that people are motivated to have consistent attitudes and behaviors. When their attitudes and their behaviors do not match, they experience an uncomfortable mental tension (dissonance). The dissonance will often cause the
Foot-in-the-door
This phenomenon suggests that if you get people to agree to a small request, they will become more likely to agree to follow-up requests that are much.
Door-in-the-face
This strategy argues that after people refuse a large request, they will look more favorable upon a follow up request that seems small in comparison.
Norms of reciprocity
It is common courtesy to think that when someone does something nice for you, it is your duty to do something nice in return.
Stereotypes
Ideas about what members of certain groups are like.
Prejudice
An undeserved, usually negative, attitude towards a group of people.
Discrimination
Acting on a prejudice, involves an action.
In-group
Members of your own group.
Out-groups
Members of other groups.
Out-group homogeneity
When people tend to see members of their own group, the in-group, as better than members of other groups, out-groups.
Contact theory
This theory states that if you bring hostile groups together, and give them a common goal (they call superordinate goal) then they will work together and prejudice will be reduced.
Personal (dispositional) attribution
Attribute behavior to someone's personality.
Situational attribution
Attribution to factors external to an actor, such as the task, other people, or luck.
Fundamental attribution error
The idea that people tend to overestimate the importance of dispositional factors and underestimate the role of situational factors.
False-consensus effect
To overestimate the number of people who feel how you feel.
Self-serving bias
The tendency to take more credit for good outcomes and less for bad ones.
Self-fulfilling prophecy
When preconceived notions about people influence the way we act towards them, often making the notions a reality.