INTERGROUP RELATIONS Social psychologists study in-groups vs. out-groups, ethnocentrism, and the difference between prejudice and discrimination.

INTERGROUP RELATIONS  Group Identity: Us versus Them  Social identity  Ethnocentrism  Prejudice  Stereotype  Discrimination  Ways to Improve Intergroup Relations

SOCIAL IDENTITY  Social identity: The way we define ourselves in terms of our group membership.  Social identity theory: States that our social identities are a crucial part of our self-image and a valuable source of positive feelings about ourselves.  Identify in-group vs. out-group  Henry Tajfel Intergroup Discrimination (1978)

US VERSUS THEM  A group that one belongs to and identifies with.  “Us”  In-group bias  A group that one does NOT belong to or identify with.  “Them”  Out-group homogeneity In-groupOut-group

ETHNOCENTRISM  The tendency to favor one’s own ethnic group over the other groups.  Asserts group superiority  Encourages “us vs. them”

STEREOTYPE  A generalization about a group's characteristics that does not consider any variations from one individual to another.  May be good or bad (pos or neg)

PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION  An unjustified negative attitude toward an individual based on the individual's membership in a particular group.  Attitude  An unjustified negative or harmful action toward a member of a group simply because the person belongs to that group.  Behavior PrejudiceDiscrimination

TASK-ORIENTED COOPERATION  Working together on a shared goal reduces tensions between groups.  Muzafer Sherif Robbers Cave (1961)  Superordinate goal  Rattlers vs. Eagles  Competition vs. cooperation  Eliot Aronson Jigsaw Classroom (1986)

CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS Social psychology examines attraction, love, and intimacy.

CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS  Attraction  Proximity  Acquaintance  Similarity  Love  Models of Close Relationships  Social exchange theory  Investment model

MERE EXPOSURE EFFECT  The phenomenon that the more we encounter someone or something, the more probable it is that we will start liking the person or thing even if we do not realize we have seen it before.  Robert Zajonc (1968)

TYPES OF LOVE  Aka passionate love  Love with strong components of sexuality and infatuation, often dominant in the early part of a love relationship.  Aka companionate love  Love that occurs when individuals desire to have another person near and have a deep, caring affection for the person. RomanticAffectionate

TRIARCHIC THEORY OF LOVE

CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS  The view of social relationships as involving an exchange of goods, the objective of which is to minimize costs and maximize benefits.  A model of relationships that examines the ways that commitment, investment, and the availability of attractive alternative partners predict satisfaction and stability in relationships. Social Exchange Theory Investment Model