UGC NET Psycology Social Psychology Syllabus

What is social loafing and what is the Ringelmann effect?

Social loafing is the tendency to exert less effort on a task when working in a group than when working alone. The Ringelmann effect is the related finding that individual effort in rope-pulling decreased as group size increased.

Name factors that reduce social loafing.

Making individual contributions identifiable/evaluable, increasing task meaningfulness, smaller groups, group cohesion, high personal involvement, and expecting co-workers to perform poorly.

Define conformity, compliance, and obedience.

Conformity: changing behavior/beliefs to match a group due to real or imagined pressure. Compliance: agreeing to a direct request. Obedience: following a direct order from an authority figure.

What did Asch's line-judgment experiments demonstrate?

That people conform to an obviously incorrect group majority; about 75% conformed at least once, showing normative social influence even when the correct answer was clear.

What did Sherif's autokinetic effect study show about social influence?

Using the illusory movement of a stationary light, Sherif showed that groups form a shared norm (convergence of estimates), demonstrating informational social influence and norm formation.

Differentiate normative from informational social influence.

Normative influence: conforming to gain acceptance/avoid rejection (leads to public compliance). Informational influence: conforming because we believe others have accurate information (leads to private acceptance).

Define the foot-in-the-door, door-in-the-face, and low-ball compliance techniques.

Foot-in-the-door: small request first, then larger one. Door-in-the-face: large unreasonable request first, then smaller real one. Low-ball: secure agreement, then increase the cost of the commitment.

What did Milgram's obedience experiments reveal?

That ordinary people will obey an authority figure even when ordered to deliver apparently dangerous shocks—about 65% administered the maximum 450 volts—demonstrating destructive obedience to authority.

Distinguish hostile aggression from instrumental aggression.

Hostile (affective) aggression is impulsive, anger-driven, with the goal of harming. Instrumental aggression is premeditated, used as a means to achieve another goal (e.g., money, status).

State the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis.

Proposed by Dollard et al. (1939): frustration (blocking of goal-directed behavior) always leads to some form of aggression, and aggression is always preceded by frustration. Berkowitz later revised it to 'frustration produces a readiness to aggress'.

What did Bandura's Bobo doll study demonstrate about aggression?

That aggression is learned through observation and imitation of models (social learning theory); children who watched an adult act aggressively toward a Bobo doll imitated that aggression.

What is the Minimal Group Paradigm (Tajfel)?

An experimental method showing that merely categorizing people into arbitrary, meaningless groups is enough to produce in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination, even with no prior contact or self-interest.

What are the three psychological processes in Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner)?

1) Social categorization (sorting people into groups), 2) Social identification (adopting the in-group's identity), 3) Social comparison (comparing in-group favorably against out-groups to boost self-esteem).

Explain in-group favoritism and out-group homogeneity effect.

In-group favoritism is the tendency to favor members of one's own group. Out-group homogeneity effect is the perception that members of the out-group are 'all alike,' while the in-group is seen as diverse.

What is Relative Deprivation Theory, and how do egoistic and fraternalistic deprivation differ?

It holds that feelings of deprivation arise from comparing one's situation to a standard/reference group rather than from absolute conditions. Egoistic deprivation is felt as an individual; fraternalistic (group) deprivation is felt on behalf of one's group and is more linked to collective protest.

What is Realistic Conflict Theory, and what study supports it?

It states that intergroup hostility arises from real competition over scarce resources. Sherif's Robbers Cave experiment supported it: competition bred hostility between boys' groups, and shared superordinate goals reduced it.

What are superordinate goals and why do they matter in Realistic Conflict Theory?

Superordinate goals are shared objectives that neither group can achieve alone and that require cooperation. Introducing them reduced intergroup conflict in the Robbers Cave study by fostering interdependence.

Explain Heider's Balance Theory using the P-O-X model.

It describes consistency among attitudes between a person (P), another person (O), and an object/attitude (X). A triad is balanced when the product of the three relationships (signs) is positive; imbalance creates tension that motivates attitude change toward balance.

What is cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger), a key consistency/balance theory?

The theory that holding inconsistent cognitions creates an uncomfortable tension (dissonance) that people are motivated to reduce by changing an attitude, adding consonant cognitions, or trivializing the inconsistency.

State the core principle of Adams's Equity Theory.

People assess fairness by comparing their ratio of outcomes to inputs against the same ratio of a comparison other. Equity exists when the ratios are equal; inequity (over- or under-benefit) produces distress and motivates restoration of equity.

What strategies do people use to restore equity when they feel under-rewarded?

Altering their inputs (working less), altering outcomes (seeking raises), cognitively distorting inputs/outcomes, changing the comparison other, or leaving the relationship/situation.

State the central principle of Social Exchange Theory (Thibaut & Kelley).

People evaluate relationships in terms of rewards minus costs; they seek to maximize outcomes (profit) and maintain relationships in which rewards exceed costs.

Define Comparison Level (CL) and Comparison Level for Alternatives (CLalt) in Social Exchange Theory.

CL is the standard of outcomes a person expects/feels they deserve—determines satisfaction. CLalt is the lowest outcome acceptable given available alternatives—determines whether a person stays in or leaves the relationship (dependence/commitment).

What is health psychology?

The field that studies psychological, behavioral, and social factors in health, illness, and healthcare—how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors affect physical health and how people cope with illness.

Describe Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS).

The body's three-stage response to prolonged stress: 1) Alarm (fight-or-flight arousal), 2) Resistance (coping/adaptation), 3) Exhaustion (depletion of resources, vulnerability to illness).

Distinguish Type A from Type B behavior patterns and their health relevance.

Type A: competitive, time-urgent, hostile, impatient—linked to higher risk of coronary heart disease. Type B: relaxed, easygoing, less hostile—lower cardiovascular risk.

What is environmental psychology?

The study of the interplay between individuals and their physical surroundings—how environments (noise, pollution, design, natural settings) affect behavior and well-being, and how behavior affects the environment.

What is Newman's concept of 'defensible space' in environmental psychology and law?

The idea that physical design features (clear territorial boundaries, natural surveillance, controlled access) can reduce crime by giving residents a sense of ownership and control over their space—a basis for crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED).

How does environmental noise affect behavior and performance?

Loud, unpredictable, uncontrollable noise increases stress and arousal, reduces helping behavior, impairs cognitive performance and attention (especially on complex tasks), and can produce learned helplessness and aftereffects even after the noise stops.

What are Edward Hall's four interpersonal distance zones (proxemics)?

Intimate distance (0-18 inches / 0-45 cm), Personal distance (1.5-4 ft), Social distance (4-12 ft), and Public distance (12+ ft).

Distinguish density from crowding.

Density is the objective, physical measure of number of people per unit space. Crowding is the subjective, psychological experience of feeling that space is insufficient—a negative state that can occur even at low density.

What is territoriality, and what are Altman's three types of territories?

Territoriality is the behavior of claiming, marking, and defending a space. Altman's types: Primary territories (owned, central to daily life, e.g., home), Secondary territories (semi-public, partly controlled, e.g., a regular classroom seat), and Public territories (open to anyone, e.g., a park bench).

What is personal space and what functions does it serve?

Personal space is the invisible, portable boundary surrounding a person that others should not invade. It serves protection (buffer against threat/overstimulation) and communication (regulating intimacy and interaction); intrusion causes discomfort and arousal.