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Definition Self-Perception Theory, developed by Daryl Bem, suggests that we often determine our attitudes and feelings by observing our own behavior and then inferring what those behaviors mean. Unlike other theories that assume we first have an attitude and t...

Definition Misattribution of arousal is a psychological phenomenon where people incorrectly identify the source of their emotional arousal. We often feel arousal and then look around to find a reason for it. Misattribution of arousal happens when we mistakenly...

Definition Social Comparison Theory, developed by Leon Festinger in 1954, proposes that we evaluate our own opinions, abilities, and characteristics by comparing ourselves to others. This isn't necessarily a conscious process; it often happens automatically. T...

Impression Management Impression management refers to our conscious or unconscious attempts to control how others perceive us. It's about shaping the image we project to influence how people think about us. It’s a fundamental part of social interaction; we’re ...

Definition Post-decision dissonance is a type of psychological discomfort felt after making a decision, especially when the decision involves choosing between two equally attractive options. It's essentially the feeling of regret, anxiety, or unease that arise...

Counter-Attitudinal Behavior Counter-attitudinal behavior refers to acting in a way that contradicts your privately held beliefs, attitudes, or feelings. Essentially, it's when what you do doesn't align with what you think or feel. It's important to note this ...

Definition Self-Affirmation Theory, developed by Claude Steele, proposes that people have a fundamental need to maintain a positive self-image; a sense of being a good, competent, and moral person. When this self-image is threatened we are motivated to restore...

Definition Self-Complexity Theory, developed by psychologist Patricia Linville, proposes that our self-concept isn't a single, unified thing. Instead, it’s made up of many different, interconnected self-schemas. Think of a self-schema as a mental “category” we...

Definition Self-Evaluation Maintenance Theory (SEMT) proposes that we are motivated to maintain stable self-esteem. We do this by comparing ourselves to others, but how we choose those comparisons is important. Specifically, we tend to compare ourselves to peo...

Definition The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a psychological theory that predicts a person's voluntary behavior. It suggests that our intentions are the best predictor of whether we actually do that behavior. But intentions aren’t formed in a vacuum. TPB...

Definition The Yale Attitude Change Approach is a communication model that attempts to explain how attitudes are formed and changed. Developed by researchers at Yale University in the 1940s and 50s, it proposes that attitude change depends on several factors r...

Definition The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key part of the brain's reward system. Think of it as a central processing unit for pleasure and motivation. It’s a structure located deep within the forebrain,   and it receives signals from other brain areas about ...

Definition Nonlocal consciousness refers to the idea that consciousness isn’t strictly limited to the brain or body. Traditionally, we assume that our thoughts, feelings, and awareness are produced by activity within our brain. Nonlocal consciousness proposes ...

Definition A role set refers to the array of role expectations attached to a single social position (or status) that a person occupies. Think of it like this: we aren't just a teacher, a parent, or a friend. Each of those positions comes with different expecta...

Definition The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) is a theory that describes how people change their attitudes. Central to the model is the idea that there are two main routes to persuasion: the central route and the peripheral route. Central Route: This rou...

Definition Reactance Theory is a social psychology theory that explains how people respond when they perceive their freedom of choice is being threatened. Essentially, when someone feels like their ability to make their own decisions is being limited or contro...

Definition Social norms are unwritten rules about what behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable in a group or society. There are two main types of social norms: injunctive norms and descriptive norms. Descriptive norms tell us what most people actually do. Th...

Propaganda Propaganda is information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a particular political cause or point of view. It's not simply presenting information; it’s shaping information to influence opinions and behaviors. Often, propa...

Transactive Memory Transactive memory is related to who knows what in a group. More formally, it's a system of knowledge about who within a group is reliable for specific types of information. It's not just about what a group knows collectively, but how that k...

Definition The Contingency Theory of Leadership is a leadership approach that suggests there is no one “best” style of leadership. Instead, the most effective leadership style depends on the situation. Specifically, factors like the leader-member relations, th...