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Exam 1

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Question
Answer
Mode   the most frequently occurring scores in a distribution  
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Mean   the arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores  
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Median   the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it  
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Range   the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution  
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Standard deviation   a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score  
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Normal curve (normal distribution)   a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean (68% fall within one standard deviation of it) and fewer and fewer near the extremes  
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Correlation coefficient   a statistical measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.  
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Scatterplots   a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables.  
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Regression toward the mean   the tendency for extreme or unusual scores or events to fall back (regress) toward the average  
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Statistical significance   a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance  
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Cross-sectional study   a study in which people of different ages are compared with one another  
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Longitudinal study   research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period of time  
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Aristotle   theorized about learning and memory, motivation and emotion, perception and personality.  
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Wilhelm Wundt   crated an experiment apparatus to measure the lag time between people’s hearing a ball hit a platform and them pressing a telegraph key.  
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Ivan Pavlov   Russian physiologist who pioneered the study of learning.  
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Sigmund Freud   Austrian physician who developed an influential theory of personality and emphasized the ways emotion responses affect our behavior.  
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Jean Piaget   Swiss biologist who was the most influential observer of children.  
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Introspection   focusing on inner sensations, images, and feelings.  
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John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner   demonstrated conditioned responses on "Little Albert"  
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psychology   the science of behavior and mental processes  
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nature-nurture issue   the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make the development of psychological traits and behaviors  
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basic research   pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base  
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applied research   scientific study that aims to solve practical problems  
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SQ3R   Survey, Question, Read, Rehearse, and Review  
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hindsight bias   the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that we should have foreseen it.  
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critical thinking   thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions  
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theory   an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events.  
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Hypothesis   a testable prediction, often implied by a theory  
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Operational definition   a statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables  
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Replication   repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances.  
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Case study   an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.  
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Survey   a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group.  
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Population   all the cases in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn. (Except for national studies, this does not refer to a country’s whole population)  
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Random sample   a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.  
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Naturalistic observation   observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation  
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Jane Goodall   famous for her work with observing chimpanzees using deception  
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Correlation   the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus how well either factor predicts the other.  
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Illusory correlation   the perception of a relationship where none exists  
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Experiment   a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable)  
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Random assignment   assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups.  
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Experimental group   in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.  
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Control group   in an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.  
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Double-blind procedure   an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo.  
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Placebo effect   experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent.  
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Independent variable   the experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied  
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Dependent variable   the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.  
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Culture   the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from on generation to the next.  
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Associative learning   learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant learning).  
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Classical conditioning   a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events  
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Learning   a relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience.  
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Neutral stimulus (NS)   in classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning  
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Unconditioned response (UR)   in classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response.  
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Unconditioned stimulus (US)   in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally triggers a response  
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Conditioned response (CR)   in classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.  
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Conditioned stimulus (CS)   in classical conditioning, a previously neutral stimulus that, after association, comes to trigger a conditioned response.  
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Acquisition   in classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response.  
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Higher-order conditioning   a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus.  
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Extinction   the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus (CS).  
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Spontaneous recovery   the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response.  
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Generalization   the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses.  
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Discrimination   in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus.  
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Respondent behavior   behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.  
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Operant conditioning   a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforce or diminished if followed by a punisher  
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Operant behavior   behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences.  
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Law of effect   Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by a favorable consequences become more likely.  
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Operant chamber   in operant conditioning, a chamber (also known as a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforce; attached devices record the animal’s bar pressing or key pecking.  
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Shaping   an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.  
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Positive reinforcement   increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli, such as food.  
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Negative reinforcement   increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli.  
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Primary reinforcer   an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need  
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Conditioned reinforcer   a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer.  
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Continuous reinforcement   reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs  
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Partial (intermittent) reinforcement   reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement.  
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Fixed-ratio schedule   in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses.  
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Variable-ration schedule   in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses  
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Fixed-interval schedule   in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.  
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Variable-interval schedule   in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals.  
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Punishment   an event that decreases the behavior it follows.  
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Cognitive map   a mental representation of the layout of one’s environment  
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Latent learning   learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it  
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Instinctive drift   animals revert to their biologically predisposed patterns  
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Observational learning   learning by observing others.  
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Modeling   the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.  
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Mirror neurons   frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so. The brain’s mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation and empathy.  
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Prosocial behavior   positive, constructive, helpful behavior.  
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Social cognition   our attitudes and our explanations of people’s sometimes unexpected actions.  
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Social psychology   the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.  
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Attribution theory   the theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition.  
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Fundamental attribution error   the tendency for observers, when analyzing another’s behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition.  
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Attitude   feelings, often influenced by our beliefs that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.  
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Central route persuasion   attitude-change path in which interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts.  
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Peripheral route persuasion   attitude-change path in which people are influenced by incidental cues, such as the speaker’s attractiveness.  
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Foot-in-the-door phenomenon   the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request.  
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Role   a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position out to behave.  
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Cognitive dissonance theory   the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent.  
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Chameleon effect   an effect of unconsciously mimicking another individual’s actions or behaviors such as yawning or tapping a foot  
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Conformity   adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.  
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Normative social influence   influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval  
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Informational social influence   influence resulting from one’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality  
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Social facilitation   stronger responses on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others  
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Social loafing   the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal rather than individually accountable.  
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Deindividuation   the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in-group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.  
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Group polarization   the enhancement of a group’s prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group.  
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Groupthink   the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.  
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Minority influence   the power of one or two individuals to sway majorities  
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Prejudice   an unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members.  
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Stereotype   a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people.  
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Discrimination   unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.  
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Just-world phenomenon   the tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.  
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In-group   “us”: people with whom we share a common identity  
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Out-group   “them”: those perceived as different or apart from our group  
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In-group bias   the tendency to favor our own group  
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Scapegoat theory   the theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame  
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Other-race effect   the tendency to recall faces of one’s own race more accurately than faces of other races.  
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Aggression   any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy  
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Social scripts   unconscious behaviors on how to act in a new situation  
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Rape myth   the idea that some women invite or enjoy rape and get “swept away” while being “taken”  
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Mere exposure effect   the phenomenon that repeated exposure to a novel stimuli increases liking them  
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Reward theory of attraction   that we will like those whose behavior is rewarding to us and that we will continue relationships that offer more rewards than costs  
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Passionate love   an aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship  
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Companionate love   the deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined  
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Two-factor theory of emotion   emotions have two ingredients: physical arousal plus cognitive appraisal  
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Socrates, Plato, and Descartes   believed that the mind and body are separate.  
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Rene Descartes   suggested that animal spirits flow through the nerves so as to produce movements of the body.  
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Charles Darwin   highlighted the reproductive advantage of environmentally adaptive traits.  
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false consensus effect   the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our attitude  
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Equity   a condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it  
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Self-disclosure   revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others  
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Altruism   unselfish regard for the welfare of others  
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Bystander effect   the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present  
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Social exchange theory   the theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.  
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Reciprocity norm   an expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them.  
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Social responsibility norm   an expectation that people will help those dependent upon them.  
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Conflict   a perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.  
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Social trap   a situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest, became caught in mutually destructive behavior.  
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Mirror-image perceptions   mutual views often help by conflicting people, as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive.  
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Superordinate goals   shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation  
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GRIT   Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction: a strategy designed to decrease international tensions  
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William James   an American philosopher who became the author of an important 1890 textbook.  
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Margaret Floy Washburn   the first woman to receive a psychology Ph. D.  
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B. F. Skinner   rejected introspection and studied how consequences shape behavior.  
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