Diplomacy & Politics Glossary

A cognitive bias where individuals rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered when making decisions.

The tendency to attribute others’ behaviors to their character while attributing one’s own actions to situational factors.

The tendency to attribute others' actions to their character while attributing one's own actions to external factors.

Explains how individuals infer the causes of behaviors and events, affecting interpretation of information.

A cognitive bias where people judge the likelihood of events based on how easily examples come to mind, often leading to distorted perceptions of reality.

The scarcity principle states that people assign higher value to resources or opportunities that are perceived as limited or rare, enhancing persuasive influence.

Systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, leading individuals to make illogical decisions or inferences.

The psychological discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs or when new information contradicts existing beliefs.

Altering the way information or situations are perceived to change emotional responses and behaviors in persuasion or conflict resolution.

A persuasion technique where presenting a less attractive option first makes the subsequent option appear more appealing.

Decisional paralysis occurs when an individual or group is unable to make a choice due to overwhelming options or fear of negative outcomes.

A communication dilemma where a person receives contradictory messages, making it impossible to respond appropriately, often complicating conflict resolution.

Emotional contagion is the phenomenon where emotions spread between individuals, influencing group mood and behavior during interactions.

Emotional hijacking occurs when intense emotions override rational thinking, impairing judgment and effective communication.

A cognitive bias where people believe something is true based on emotional responses rather than objective evidence or logic.

Casting a vote to express support for a candidate or cause rather than to influence the election outcome.

A psychological phenomenon where a person recalls something that did not happen or recalls it differently from the way it actually happened.

A persuasion strategy where agreement to a small request increases the likelihood of compliance with a larger subsequent request.

The framing effect occurs when the way information is presented influences decision-making and judgments.

A mental shortcut or rule of thumb that simplifies decision-making but can lead to cognitive biases.

Hindsight bias causes people to see past events as more predictable than they actually were after they have happened.

A state of mental overload and exhaustion caused by exposure to excessive amounts of information, reducing the ability to process and make decisions.

A state where excessive information makes it difficult to process or make decisions effectively.

A method to uncover deeper motivations by progressively asking why behind answers in interviews.

An interviewing method to uncover underlying values or motivations by progressively exploring reasons behind responses.

A phenomenon where groups of people remember events differently from historical records, named after Nelson Mandela due to false memories about his death.

The cognitive bias where past moral behavior makes individuals more likely to engage in unethical actions without feeling guilt.

Processing information in a biased way to support desired conclusions or beliefs.

The theory that humans understand and communicate through storytelling, shaping beliefs and decisions.

The tendency to focus more on negative information than positive, influencing perception and decision-making.

Nonverbal leakage occurs when involuntary body language reveals true emotions despite verbal messages.

Using subtle policy shifts or design choices to influence people's behavior and decision-making in predictable ways.

The sudden purchase of large quantities of goods caused by fear or misinformation spreading through media.

A psychological heuristic where people judge experiences based on their most intense point and the ending, affecting audience perception.

Polarization is the process by which parties in conflict adopt increasingly extreme positions, reducing the likelihood of compromise.

The tendency to better remember and be influenced by information presented first (primacy) or last (recency) in a sequence.

Exposure to a stimulus influences response to a subsequent related stimulus, affecting perception and decisions.

Exposure to one stimulus influences the response to a subsequent stimulus, affecting perception and behavior.

Assuming others share the same beliefs, emotions, or preferences as oneself.

The fear or nervousness experienced before or during speaking in front of an audience.

A cognitive bias where judges give more weight to arguments presented later in the debate round.

Self-fulfilling prophecy happens when expectations influence behaviors that cause the expected outcome to occur.

A theory explaining how individuals derive part of their identity from group memberships, affecting intergroup relations and negotiation.

Social loafing occurs when individuals exert less effort in group tasks, affecting coalition building and stakeholder engagement.

Social penetration theory describes how interpersonal relationships develop through gradual self-disclosure from superficial to intimate levels.

The influence of others' actions or opinions on an individual's beliefs or behaviors.

A mental shortcut where people look to others’ behavior to determine appropriate actions or beliefs.

Practical methods to decrease nervousness and improve confidence before and during public speaking engagements.

The belief that others are more influenced by media messages than oneself.

A psychological theory analyzing social interactions to improve communication and resolve conflicts.

Implicit attitudes or stereotypes that affect understanding, actions, and decisions without conscious awareness.

The tendency to remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed ones, affecting attention to information.