Question 1

Social psychologists have identified two motives that are of primary importance in explaining our thoughts and behaviours.These are the need to ________ and the need to ________.

Accepted Answer

The two primary motives identified by social psychologists that explain our thoughts and behaviors are the need to be as accurate as possible and the need to feel good about ourselves. This encompasses the drive for cognitive accuracy and self-esteem maintenance.

Question 2

Assume that April visits two highly similar graduate programs before she decides which one to attend.At University X,she is wined and dined,and made to feel at home.At University Y,April is asked to give a public talk about her research interests,grilled by prospective advisers,and asked to write a long essay about her qualifications.April decides to attend University Y,where she had a more stressful time.This situation best exemplifies self-justification that arises from

Accepted Answer

April's choice to attend University Y, despite the more stressful experience, exemplifies self-justification arising from suffering. This is because people often value things more highly if they have to undergo hardship or put in significant effort to achieve them.

Question 3

Human beings are often motivated to construe themselves and the social world accurately.A ________ approach is based on this assumption.

Accepted Answer

The term "construe" refers to the cognitive process of interpreting or making sense of information. The social cognition approach is focused on how people use cognitive processes to understand themselves and others in the social world. This approach assumes that people are motivated to be accurate in their interpretations, which is reflected in their cognitive processes such as attention, perception, and memory.

Question 4

People often construe the world as they do in order to maintain a favourable image of themselves.This assumption underlies the ________ approach.

Accepted Answer

The assumption that people construe the world in a way that maintains a favorable image of themselves is based on the concept of self-esteem, which is the degree to which individuals view themselves in a positive light. This underlying concept is related to the self-esteem approach.

Question 5

Jacob was pouring gravy when he dropped the ladle and splattered gravy all over the tablecloth.In order to maintain his self-esteem,Jacob decided that

Accepted Answer

By attributing the spill to the slipperiness of the ladle, Jacob is externalizing the cause of the spill and not blaming himself. This helps maintain his self-esteem.

Question 6

You might have heard the old Groucho Marx quip,"I wouldn't belong to any club that would have me." From a self-esteem perspective in social psychology,what would be a more accurate-if less humorous-statement?

Accepted Answer

A more accurate statement from a self-esteem perspective would be to express a desire to join a club that initially wouldn't have you. This shows that an individual values being part of a community or group, but also values their worth and does not want to be easily accepted without proving their worth or being evaluated based on their personal merits. This is a more balanced and healthy approach to social acceptance and self-esteem.

Question 7

When asked why she is always losing things,Marti replies,"I'm not careless.It's just that I have more important things to think about." This response would be predicted by a social psychologist who advocates ________ approach to understanding human behaviour.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When asked why she is always losing...

Question 8

Given the choice between distorting the world in order to enhance their self-esteem,or viewing the world accurately,people often

Accepted Answer

People often put a slightly different spin on things to maintain a positive self-image while still keeping a sense of reality.

Question 9

Bill is viewed by most people he knows as rude,brusque,and completely unconcerned with other people's feelings.He,in contrast,describes himself as efficient and task-oriented.Bill's self-description best reflects the motive to

Accepted Answer

Bill's self-description serves to justify his rude behavior, which is a common motivation for people to describe themselves in a positive light despite negative feedback from others. The motive to justify our troublesome behaviors is often driven by a desire to maintain a positive self-image and avoid confronting the fact that we might have negative traits or behaviors.

Question 10

Social psychological research has convincingly demonstrated that the ________ the initiation to join a group,the ________ the initiates like the group.

Accepted Answer

Research in social psychology has shown that the more severe the initiation process to join a group, the more the initiates tend to like the group. This phenomenon is explained by the effort justification aspect of cognitive dissonance theory, where individuals rationalize the effort they put into a task (in this case, a severe initiation) by increasing their appreciation or liking for the outcome (the group).

Question 11

What is one likely undesirable consequence of foregoing accuracy in favour of justifying our past behaviours? Justifying past behaviour can

Accepted Answer

Forgoing accuracy to justify past behavior means that we are not objectively analyzing our actions and their outcomes. This decreases the probability of learning from those experiences and making better decisions in the future. It can also lead to a distorted reality and potentially cause a decrease in self-esteem and worth if we continue to justify negative or harmful behavior. However, there is no mention of a direct impact on self-confidence in social situations.

Question 12

Which of the following situations is at odds with the self-esteem approach to understanding human behaviour?

Accepted Answer

John's behavior is at odds with the self-esteem approach because he continues to participate in an activity that he hates. The self-esteem approach would predict that John would avoid activities that make him feel bad about himself.

Question 13

Your text describes the experiences of Dee Brasseur,one of Canada's first female military pilots.Even though she endured harassment,assault,and rape during her military career,she says that she loves the military and would recommend it to anybody.According to the text,her attitude is most likely a consequence of

Accepted Answer

Dee Brasseur's positive attitude towards the military despite her negative experiences can be attributed to her desire to feel good about herself. This perspective allows her to maintain a positive self-image and reconcile her commitment and achievements in the military with the adversities she faced.

Question 14

You have probably heard the expression,"A rose is a rose is a rose." Who would be most likely to disagree with that expression?

Accepted Answer

Gestalt psychologists believe that perception is not simply the sum of its parts, but rather that individuals perceive things as organized wholes. Therefore, they may argue that a rose is not just a rose, but rather a complex combination of sensory elements that create a unique perceptual experience.

Question 15

Melissa,Frida,Kathleen,and Suzanne went mountain climbing.Which one of the women would most appreciate the view from the top of the mountain?

Accepted Answer

Frida is the only one who would appreciate the view from the top of the mountain because she had to overcome challenges to get there.

Question 16

Jacob's lover of four years just left him.He's hurt,angry,and confused and says to himself,"She never did understand my need for independence." This explanation for the break-up best reflects which human motive?

Accepted Answer

Jacob is protecting his self-esteem by blaming the break-up on his ex-partner not understanding his need for independence.

Question 17

Tom saw a fad weight-loss program advertised on late night television.The ad claimed that deep breathing exercises would speed up metabolism,causing people to lose weight.He mailed a cheque for $99.95.When the plan arrived,Tom rearranged his day so that he could complete the breathing exercises as scheduled.They made him nauseated and dizzy,and before long,Tom's friends began to think that he was "dizzy," and they started avoiding him.After the end of the ten-week program,Tom got on the scale and saw that he hadn't lost an ounce! Still,he remained enthusiastic and thought,"I may not have lost any weight,but I feel so much healthier!" This situation is best explained by

Accepted Answer

Tom's continued enthusiasm despite the lack of weight loss and the negative side effects he experienced can be explained by the justification of suffering. This concept suggests that when people go through a difficult or unpleasant experience (in this case, the discomfort of the breathing exercises and the social isolation from his friends), they are likely to justify the effort and discomfort by valuing the outcome more, even if the outcome is not what was initially desired (feeling healthier instead of losing weight).

Question 18

The social cognition approach is based on the notion that humans are often motivated to

Accepted Answer

The social cognition approach emphasizes the importance of accuracy in perceptions and inferences, focusing on how people think about and interpret the social world.

Question 19

Social cognition is the study of how people

Accepted Answer

Social cognition specifically refers to the mental processes involved in perceiving, interpreting, and understanding social information. This includes how individuals think about themselves and the social world around them. Therefore, the correct choice is C. While the other options are related to social behavior, they do not encompass the full scope of social cognition.

Question 20

Leslie cannot say "no" to anyone.Consequently she takes on too much,and doesn't fulfill her commitments as promptly as she might.Assume that when asked to explain these behaviours,Leslie is motivated to be accurate in her self-perceptions.What would she be most likely to say?

Accepted Answer

This choice acknowledges both Leslie's tendency to take on too much and not fulfill commitments promptly, as well as recognizing her own role in being a "pushover" and taking on more than she can handle. It also shows a level of self-awareness and honesty.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Social Psychology

Social psychologists have identified two motives that are of primary importance in explaining our thoughts and behaviours.These are the need to and the need to .