Deck 13: Personality

Question 1

Poverty and unemployment are likely to be explained in terms of ________ by political liberals and in terms of ________ by political conservatives.

A) personal dispositions; situational constraints
B) normative influence; informational influence
C) situational constraints; personal dispositions
D) informational influence; normative influence

Answer 1

situational constraints; personal dispositions

Question 2

One explanation for the fundamental attribution error involves observers'

A) diffusion of responsibility.
B) limited visual perspective.
C) social-responsibility norm.
D) mirror-image perceptions.

Answer 2

limited visual perspective.

Question 3

The tendency for observers to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal dispositions on another's behavior is called

A) the bystander effect.
B) the fundamental attribution error.
C) deindividuation.
D) the mere exposure effect.

Answer 3

the fundamental attribution error.

Question 4

Magazine computer ads seldom feature endorsements from Hollywood stars or great athletes. Instead, they offer detailed information for consumers to develop more positive opinions about the company's products. This advertising strategy best illustrates

A) the reciprocity norm.
B) central route persuasion.
C) normative social influence.
D) deindividuation.

Question 5

The fundamental attribution error is most likely to lead observers to conclude that unemployed people

A) are victims of discrimination.
B) are irresponsible and unmotivated.
C) have parents who provided poor models of social responsibility.
D) attended schools that provided an inferior education.

Question 6

A dispositional attribution is to ________ as a situational attribution is to ________.

A) normative influence; informational influence
B) high ability; low motivation
C) personality traits; assigned roles
D) politically liberal; politically conservative

Question 7

In explaining our own behavior or the behavior of those we know well, we often resort to

A) deindividuation.
B) social facilitation.
C) social loafing.
D) situational attributions.

Question 8

You would probably be LEAST likely to commit the fundamental attribution error in explaining why

A) you failed a college test.
B) a classmate you don't know was late for class.
C) your professor gave a boring lecture.
D) the college administration decided to raise next year's tuition costs.

Question 9

The text defines social psychology as the scientific study of how people ________ one another.

A) understand, feel about, and behave toward
B) think about, influence, and relate to
C) observe, understand, and communicate with
D) understand, predict, and control

Question 10

Recognizing the powerful impact of social influence on others' behaviors is most likely to minimize

A) passionate love.
B) social facilitation.
C) the mere exposure effect.
D) the fundamental attribution error.

Question 11

Reversing the perspectives of actor and observer reduces ________ among observers.

A) self-disclosure
B) cognitive dissonance
C) superordinate goals
D) the fundamental attribution error

Question 12

People are especially likely to demonstrate the fundamental attribution error in cultures that value

A) individualism.
B) sexual stereotyping.
C) the reciprocity norm.
D) superordinate goals.

Question 13

Compared with the explanations we give for the actions of strangers, our explanations for our own behavior are more likely to refer to

A) stereotypes.
B) superordinate goals.
C) situational influences.
D) mirror-image perceptions.

Question 14

Caitlin concluded that her husband was late for dinner because he was caught in heavy traffic. Her conclusion best illustrates

A) deindividuation.
B) the bystander effect.
C) a situational attribution.
D) the reciprocity norm.

Question 15

Students who were told that a young woman had been instructed to act in a very unfriendly way for the purposes of the experiment concluded that her behavior

A) reflected her personal disposition.
B) was situationally determined.
C) demonstrated role playing.
D) illustrated normative social influence.

Question 16

Rhonda has just learned that her neighbor Patricia was involved in an automobile accident at a nearby intersection. The tendency to make the fundamental attribution error may lead Rhonda to conclude

A) "Patricia's brakes must have failed."
B) "Patricia's recklessness has finally gotten her into trouble."
C) "Patricia's children probably distracted her."
D) "The road must have been wet and slippery."

Question 17

A tendency to overestimate the extent to which a stranger's violent behavior stems from his or her aggressive personality best illustrates

A) the frustration-aggression principle.
B) the mere exposure effect.
C) the fundamental attribution error.
D) deindividuation.

Question 18

Feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in particular ways to objects, people, and events are called

A) roles.
B) norms.
C) attitudes.
D) attributions.

Question 19

To analyze how people explain others' behavior, Fritz Heider developed

A) cognitive dissonance theory.
B) social exchange theory.
C) attribution theory.
D) self-disclosure theory.

Question 20

Central route persuasion is most likely when people

A) are naturally analytical.
B) are uninvolved in an issue.
C) make snap judgments.
D) have difficulty paying attention.

Question 21

During a test, Abe impulsively copied several answers from a nearby student's paper. He felt very uncomfortable about having done this until he convinced himself that copying answers is not wrong if classmates are careless enough to expose their test sheets. Which theory best explains why Abe adopted this new attitude?

A) frustration-aggression theory
B) attribution theory
C) social exchange theory
D) cognitive dissonance theory

Question 22

Which of the following individuals is LEAST likely to cheat on his income tax returns?

A) Jake, who loves his country
B) Jonas, who admires personal honesty
C) Mikhail, who positively values paying his full income tax
D) Fabio, who cares little about personal wealth

Question 23

Our attitudes are more likely to guide our actions when we

A) experience a sense of deindividuation.
B) feel incompetent or insecure.
C) can easily recall our attitudes.
D) are exposed to normative social influence.

Question 24

After giving in to her friends' request that she drink alcohol with them, 16-year-old Jessica found that she couldn't resist the pressure they exerted on her to try cocaine. Her experience best illustrates

A) ingroup bias.
B) the mere exposure effect.
C) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
D) the bystander effect.

Question 25

Cognitive dissonance theory emphasizes that we seek to reduce the discomfort we feel when we become aware that

A) our attitudes and actions clash.
B) our efforts to achieve a goal have been blocked.
C) we have overestimated the impact of personal dispositions on behavior.
D) other's pursuit of their self-interest can harm our well-being.

Question 26

Opinion change resulting from incidental cues such as a speaker's attractiveness illustrates

A) informational social influence.
B) peripheral route persuasion.
C) superordinate goals.
D) social facilitation.

Question 27

The participants in Philip Zimbardo's simulated prison study

A) were assigned the roles of prisoner or guard on the basis of their personality test scores.
B) found it very difficult to play the role of prison guard.
C) were so endangered by their role-playing experience that the study was discontinued.
D) became a cohesive unit when they pursued superordinate goals.

Question 28

To "brainwash" captured American soldiers during the Korean war, Chinese communists made effective use of

A) the just-world phenomenon.
B) the bystander effect.
C) the frustration-aggression principle.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 29

In the years immediately following the introduction of school desegregation in the United States and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, White Americans expressed diminishing racial prejudice. According to the text author, this best illustrated the impact of

A) groupthink on deindividuation.
B) actions on attitudes.
C) bystanders on altruism.
D) group polarization on stereotypes.

Question 30

Cognitive dissonance refers to the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are

A) implicit.
B) conciliatory.
C) inconsistent.
D) reciprocated.

Question 31

When no weapons of mass destruction were found following the U.S. invasion of Iraq, some Americans revised their memories of the main rationale for going to war. The text author suggests that we can best explain why people changed their memories in terms of

A) social exchange theory.
B) equity theory.
C) the two-factor theory.
D) cognitive dissonance theory.

Question 32

Our attitudes about another person are MOST likely to influence the way we treat that person if our attitudes are

A) negative.
B) positive.
C) unconscious.
D) stable.

Question 33

The tendency for initial compliance with a small request to facilitate subsequent compliance with a larger request is known as the

A) mere exposure effect.
B) fundamental attribution error.
C) reciprocity norm.
D) foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 34

Cognitive dissonance theory is most helpful for understanding the

A) mere exposure effect.
B) fundamental attribution error.
C) foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
D) bystander effect.

Question 35

Unlike our ancestors of centuries past, humans today rely heavily on personal computers and electronic communications. This best illustrates the impact of

A) deindividuation.
B) natural selection.
C) groupthink.
D) culture.

Question 36

In atrocious situations such as Zimbardo's simulated prison, some people succumb to the situation and others do not. This best illustrates

A) the just-world phenomenon.
B) the reciprocity norm.
C) the mere exposure effect.
D) the interactive influence of persons and situations.

Question 37

Feeling responsible for behavior that violates our conscience is most likely to contribute to

A) the bystander effect.
B) cognitive dissonance.
C) the fundamental attribution error.
D) group polarization.

Question 38

Transmitting from one generation to the next the practice of using credit and debit cards as a substitute for cash best illustrates that culture involves

A) deindividuation.
B) social facilitation.
C) the just-world phenomenon.
D) the preservation of innovation.

Question 39

Studies of role playing most directly highlight the effects of

A) group size on social loafing.
B) personal anonymity on deindividuation.
C) an audience on social facilitation.
D) actions on attitudes.

Question 40

A life insurance salesperson who takes advantage of the foot-in-the-door phenomenon would be most likely to

A) emphasize that his company is one of the largest in the insurance industry.
B) promise a free gift to those who agree to purchase an insurance policy.
C) ask customers to respond to a brief survey of their attitudes regarding life insurance.
D) address customers by their first names.

Question 41

Conformity resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval is said to be a response to

A) the reciprocity norm.
B) social facilitation.
C) normative social influence.
D) informational social influence.

Question 42

The chameleon effect involves

A) scapegoating.
B) automatic mimicry.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) the fundamental attribution error.

Question 43

Conformity is best described as

A) performing simple tasks more quickly in the presence of others.
B) adjusting one's behavior or thinking toward a group standard.
C) neglecting critical thinking in order to preserve group harmony.
D) losing self-awareness in group situations that foster anonymity.

Question 44

Professor Maslova attends faculty meetings simply to gain the approval of the college dean. Professor Maslova's behavior exemplifies the importance of

A) ingroup bias.
B) informational social influence.
C) normative social influence.
D) deindividuation.

Question 45

Solomon Asch asked people to identify which of three comparison lines was identical to a standard line. His research was designed to study

A) the mere exposure effect.
B) the fundamental attribution error.
C) social facilitation.
D) conformity.

Question 46

The many professional specialities by which people support themselves and their societies best illustrate that culture enables

A) self-disclosure.
B) cognitive dissonance.
C) division of labor.
D) deindividuation.

Question 47

Conformity resulting from the acceptance of others' opinions about reality is said to be a response to

A) group polarization.
B) social facilitation.
C) informational social influence.
D) normative social influence.

Question 48

Yuri decided to delay his road trip after hearing a weather forecaster warn that a severe snowstorm would pass through the area within several hours. Yuri's decision best illustrates the impact of

A) the mere exposure effect.
B) informational social influence.
C) social facilitation.
D) the reciprocity norm.

Question 49

Just hearing someone reading a neutral text in a sad voice creates "mood contagion" in listeners. This best illustrates

A) the mere exposure effect.
B) the bystander effect.
C) the chameleon effect.
D) ingroup bias.

Question 50

Mood linkage refers to

A) sharing the moods of those around us.
B) attributing others' moods to personal dispositions.
C) feeling most attracted to those who are similar to us.
D) associating low levels of physical arousal with positive moods.

Question 51

Naseeb disagrees with his classmates on an issue. During a class discussion of the issue, Naseeb is MOST likely to conform to his classmates' opinion if he

A) has a high level of self-esteem.
B) does not have to reveal his personal opinion at the close of the class discussion.
C) believes the rest of the class is unanimous in their position.
D) verbally expresses his own unique opinion early in the class discussion.

Question 52

The practice of covering your mouth when you cough best illustrates the impact of

A) cognitive dissonance.
B) deindividuation.
C) social facilitation.
D) norms.

Question 53

The rules of culture for accepted and expected behavior are

A) stereotypes.
B) norms.
C) attributions.
D) attitudes.

Question 54

If one student in a classroom begins to cough, others are likely to do the same. This best illustrates

A) ingroup bias.
B) the mere exposure effect.
C) the bystander effect.
D) the chameleon effect.

Question 55

Toby publicly agrees with his fraternity brothers that Ahmed, a senior, would make the best student senate president. On the secret ballot, however, he actually votes for Yoram. Toby's public conformity to his fraternity brothers' opinion best illustrates the power of

A) social facilitation.
B) informational social influence.
C) normative social influence.
D) the mere exposure effect.

Question 56

We are likely to conform to group pressure when

A) we have observed another group member voice dissent.
B) we admire the group's status and attractiveness.
C) our opinions and behaviors are private rather than public.
D) our culture encourages a lack of respect for social norms.

Question 57

The value of social conformity is most likely to be emphasized in

A) England.
B) France.
C) Japan.
D) North America.

Question 58

The text indicates that the clusters of suicides that sometimes follow a highly publicized suicide may be the result of

A) suggestibility.
B) the bystander effect.
C) deindividuation.
D) social facilitation.

Question 59

We are especially likely to notice the impact of social influence when we experience

A) the just-world phenomenon.
B) cognitive dissonance.
C) cultural diversity.
D) hindsight bias.

Question 60

Compared with women 40 years ago, American women today are more likely to marry for the sake of

A) security.
B) reproductive success.
C) religious obligation.
D) love.

Question 61

Class members are asked to work cooperatively in groups on major course papers. Every member of a group is to receive exactly the same grade based on the quality of the group's paper. This situation is most likely to lead to

A) social loafing.
B) social facilitation.
C) deindividuation.
D) the bystander effect.

Question 62

The level of obedience in the Milgram experiments was highest when the "teacher" was ________ the experimenter and ________ the "learner."

A) at a distance from; at a distance from
B) close to; close to
C) at a distance from; close to
D) close to; at a distance from

Question 63

How does the presence of observers affect a person's performance?

A) It improves performance on poorly learned tasks and hinders a person's performance on well-learned tasks.
B) It improves performance on physical tasks and hinders a person's performance on mental tasks.
C) It improves performance on verbal tasks and hinders a person's performance on mathematical tasks.
D) It improves performance on easy tasks and hinders a person's performance on difficult tasks.

Question 64

In which of the following groups is social loafing LEAST likely?

A) girl scouts who must gather wood for a campfire
B) restaurant food servers who are allowed to keep the individual tips they receive
C) executive board members who each receive an equal share of the company profits
D) students working on a group project for which they will all receive the same grade

Question 65

Circumstances that increase ________ are likely to reduce ________.

A) anonymity; social loafing
B) self-awareness; deindividuation
C) anonymity; groupthink
D) self-awareness; social facilitation

Question 66

In Milgram's obedience experiments, "teachers" were LEAST likely to deliver the highest levels of shock when

A) the experiment was conducted at a prestigious institution such as Yale University.
B) the experimenter became too pushy and told hesitant participants, "You have no choice, you must go on."
C) the "teachers" observed other participants refuse to obey the experimenter's orders.
D) the "learner" said he had a heart condition.

Question 67

Mark obeyed the commands of his military unit officer to engage in destructive behavior that was sharply inconsistent with Mark's ethical values. The discomfort associated with Mark's awareness of the inconsistency between his values and his actions best illustrates

A) the just-world phenomenon.
B) cognitive dissonance.
C) the bystander effect.
D) deindividuation.

Question 68

In Milgram's first study of obedience, the majority of "teachers" who were ordered to shock a "learner"

A) refused to deliver even slight levels of shock.
B) initially complied but refused to deliver more than slight levels of shock.
C) complied until ordered to deliver intense levels of shock.
D) complied fully and delivered the highest level of shock.

Question 69

After a light turns green, drivers take about 15 percent less time to travel the first 100 yards when another car is beside them at the intersection than when they are alone. This best illustrates

A) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
B) the mere exposure effect.
C) the bystander effect.
D) social facilitation.

Question 70

In group situations, the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint that fosters arousal and anonymity is called

A) cognitive dissonance.
B) social loafing.
C) deindividuation.
D) ingroup bias.

Question 71

The gradually escalating levels of destructive obedience in the Milgram experiments best illustrate one of the potential dangers of

A) deindividuation.
B) social facilitation.
C) the fundamental attribution error.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 72

Job applicants are interviewed by either friendly or unfriendly employers who sit either very close to or at a normal distance from the applicants. Research suggests that applicants will like best the friendly employers who sit at a ________ distance and will like least the unfriendly employers who sit at a ________ distance.

A) very close; normal
B) very close; very close
C) normal; normal
D) normal; very close

Question 73

Blindfolded people were observed to clap louder when they thought they were clapping alone than when they thought they were clapping with others. This best illustrates

A) the mere exposure effect.
B) social loafing.
C) group polarization.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 74

In all of Milgram's obedience experiments, participants were deceived about

A) the association of the research with a prestigious university.
B) Milgram's professional status as a research psychologist.
C) how much they would actually be paid for participating in the research.
D) the amount of shock the victim actually received.

Question 75

On which of the following tasks would the presence of observers be LEAST likely to lead to better and faster performance?

A) raking leaves
B) washing dishes
C) reciting the alphabet
D) solving a crossword puzzle

Question 76

In Milgram's experiments, participants were torn between whether they should respond to the pleas of the ______ or the demands of the ______.

A) obedient role model; "teacher"
B) "teacher"; "learner"
C) "teacher"; defiant role model
D) "learner"; experimenter

Question 77

When the participants in Milgram's study were later surveyed about taking part in the research, most reported that they

A) did not believe they were actually delivering shock to the "learner."
B) had actually enjoyed shocking the "learner."
C) did not regret taking part in the experiment.
D) did not believe the study should be repeated.

Question 78

Norman Triplett observed that adolescents wound a fishing reel faster in the presence of someone working simultaneously on the same task. This best illustrates

A) the mere exposure effect.
B) the bystander effect.
C) social facilitation.
D) group polarization.

Question 79

Social facilitation is most likely to occur in the performance of ________ tasks.

A) challenging
B) unenjoyable
C) novel
D) simple

Question 80

The tendency for people to exert less effort when they are pooling their efforts toward a common goal is known as

A) deindividuation.
B) the bystander effect.
C) social loafing.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.