Explain the fundamental attribution error and give some practical examples of it.
Our attitudes and actions are often contradictory. Under what conditions will our attitudes be consistent with our actions?
Explain the concept of cognitive dissonance and give an example.
Explain the foot-in-the-door phenomenon and give an example. Also, how can this be used to get people to do some rather evil things? How about getting people to do good things?
Look up Phil Zimbardo’s famous Stanford Prison Study (1972). What did he do? What were his findings? Why is his study so controversial?
Solomon Asch did a famous “Line segment” experiment (1955) on conformity. Fully explain his experiment. Make sure you list the factors that strengthen conformity and the factors that might diminish conformity. This was an actual AP Exam essay question on a previous test.
Explain the difference between normative influences and informational influences on social behavior. Give an example of each.
Few studies in social psychology are more famous or controversial than that done by Stanley Milgram (1963) on obedience. Fully explain his study and list the factors that contribute to blind obedience and those that are necessary to resist blind obedience. This was another actual AP Exam essay question on a previous test.
Explain social facilitation and provide some concrete examples.
Explain social loafing and why it might explain why most students hate group work.
What is deindividuation and give some concrete examples of it at work
What is group polarization and give an example.
Explain groupthink and give some examples.
Explain the terms “prejudice,” “stereotypes” and “discrimination”. Be clear in their differences.