Unit 9: Social Psychology
AP Psychology: 59 practice questions with detailed explanations.
Unit Study Guide
Executive Summary
Unit 9 studies how situations and other people shape behavior — attribution, influence, groups, and relationships.
Attribution
Fundamental attribution error: we credit others' behavior to their traits while excusing our own by situation. Self-serving bias protects self-esteem. Attitudes can follow behavior (cognitive dissonance, foot-in-the-door) or change through persuasion (central vs peripheral routes).
Conformity, compliance, obedience
Asch's line studies: about one-third of critical-trial responses conformed to a wrong majority; unanimity is the key — one dissenter breaks conformity. Milgram's obedience study: 65% of participants administered the maximum 450-volt shock when ordered by an authority figure. Foot-in-the-door, door-in-the-face, and lowballing produce compliance.
Groups
Social facilitation (better on easy tasks before an audience), social loafing (less effort in groups), deindividuation (anonymity releases restraint), groupthink (cohesion suppresses dissent), group polarization (discussion amplifies initial leanings). Zimbardo's Stanford prison study showed role power — though its methods are heavily criticized.
Prejudice and aggression
Prejudice (attitude), discrimination (behavior); ingroup bias favors us over them; stereotypes are cognitive shortcuts. Aggression has biological, frustration, and social-learning roots.
Attraction and prosocial behavior
Proximity, similarity, and physical attractiveness predict liking. The bystander effect: more witnesses, less help (diffusion of responsibility). Altruism motivates unselfish helping; superordinate goals reduce intergroup conflict (Sherif's Robbers Cave).
Exam traps
The fundamental attribution error applies to OTHERS' behavior, not our own. Conformity is peer pressure from equals; obedience is following authority. Diffusion of responsibility grows with the number of witnesses.