Question 1

According to the research by Burns Vaughan and John Lanzetta, you will feel more empathy for someone with whom you are interacting in person than for someone with whom you are interacting over the telephone because

Accepted Answer

According to the research by Burns Vaughan and John Lanzetta, imitating others' expressions help us feel what they are feeling. Therefore, we will feel more empathy for someone with whom we are interacting in person than for someone with whom we are interacting over the telephone as we are able to imitate their expressions better in person.

Question 2

Beth is torn between buying a Toyota Camry and a Honda Accord-two equally attractive options. After finally deciding on the Toyota, Beth will likely

Accepted Answer

Since Beth has already decided on the Toyota Camry, it is most likely that she will think positively about it and maybe even upgrade its positive features. The other options (A, B, and C) are all negative and do not fit the scenario in which she has already made her decision.

Question 3

The insufficient justification effect refers to

Accepted Answer

The insufficient justification effect refers to the reduction of dissonance by internally justifying one's behaviour when external justification is "insufficient". This means that when individuals engage in a behavior that is not fully justified by external circumstances, they may adjust their attitudes or beliefs to reduce dissonance. This can lead to a change in behavior or even an attitude shift.

Question 4

In which of the following situations would cognitive dissonance theorists predict that the person is experiencing dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theorists predict that dissonance is experienced when a person needs to choose between two equally attractive alternatives. In this scenario, Nancy has had to choose between two equally attractive scholarship offers and has chosen one option over the other. This creates a conflict, and she may experience dissonance.

Question 5

Milford has always strongly believed that it is wrong to cheat. But after he himself cheats on a chemistry quiz, his attitude toward cheating becomes significantly less harsh. What best accounts for this attitude shift?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory best accounts for this attitude shift. It suggests that Milford is experiencing discomfort from holding two conflicting beliefs (believing cheating is wrong but cheating himself), leading him to change his attitude to reduce the dissonance.

Question 6

Kristine and her brother Ed have a friendly bet about which team, the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Detroit Red Wings, is going to win the NHL playoffs. Kristine places her bet on the Penguins, and Ed on the Red Wings. Right after making their bet, both Kristine and Ed become overconfident that their team is going to win. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

The deciding-becomes-believing effect is the tendency for people to overestimate the likelihood of their chosen option winning after they have made a decision. In this scenario, both Kristine and Ed have made a decision to bet on a specific team, and as a result, they become overconfident in their team's ability to win the playoffs.

Question 7

Wells and Petty asked students to listen to a tape-recorded radio editorial while testing the fit of earphone headsets. The students later said they agreed more with the editorial they had heard on the tape if they had been

Accepted Answer

The act of nodding, even if unrelated to the content, can lead to increased agreement due to the physical act of nodding being associated with agreement or affirmation.

Question 8

Researcher Jack Brehm had women rate the desirability of various appliances before and after they had chosen one to keep for themselves. Brehm found that after the women had chosen a particular appliance, they

Accepted Answer

Brehm found that after the women had chosen a particular appliance, their rating of its desirability increased. This phenomenon is known as post-decisional dissonance, where individuals tend to justify their choices by increasing their evaluation of the chosen option.

Question 9

Research indicates that after making important decisions that involve choosing between equally attractive alternatives, we

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that after making important decisions that involve choosing between equally attractive alternatives, people tend to reduce cognitive dissonance by downgrading the rejected alternative. This can involve focusing on its negative aspects or finding flaws in it, in order to justify the chosen alternative as the better option. This process helps to reduce the discomfort and uncertainty that can arise from making a difficult decision.

Question 10

Brian and Kate are both watching a movie as part of a psychology experiment. Brian is instructed to keep his facial expressions neutral, whereas Kate is told to mimic or "act out" the expressions displayed in the movie. When monitored for changes in emotional arousal, Kate showed greater responses corresponding to emotional scenes in the movie. What is the best explanation for this result?

Accepted Answer

Kate's greater response to emotional scenes in the movie is likely due to emotional contagion, in which mimicking or "acting out" the expressions displayed in the movie influenced and amplified her own feelings of emotional arousal. This effect is supported by research in social psychology.

Question 11

Based on the findings of James Laird's research on self-perception, if you want to feel happier you should

Accepted Answer

James Laird's research on self-perception suggests that behaving in a way that is consistent with a desired emotion (in this case, happiness) can actually lead to feeling that emotion. Acting happy by smiling, even if you don't initially feel happy, can lead to an increase in positive feelings. Comparing oneself to those who are worse off or assuming an unhappy expression are unlikely to lead to increased happiness. While rewarding oneself after meeting goals can be a positive reinforcement, it is not directly related to increasing happiness.

Question 12

Carol is in a bad mood and has been moping around all day. Her friend Jessica convinces her to come out to a club and dance away her depression. Although Carol is sceptical, she goes and after awhile, starts to feel in a more positive and energetic mood. This example demonstrates that

Accepted Answer

This example demonstrates that going through the motions (behaviour) can trigger the emotions (positive and energetic mood).

Question 13

Mussweiler conducted a study where participants were instructed to move and act like how they believed someone who was obese would move, including wearing extra weights, and then give their impression about a target person. This study found that participants whose movements simulated obesity rated a described target person as

Accepted Answer

The study found that participants who simulated obesity tended to rate the described target person as having traits of a stereotyped obese person. This suggests that embodying certain physical characteristics can influence one's perception and judgment of others.

Question 14

Deciding-is-believing causes voters to indicate more esteem and confidence in a candidate

Accepted Answer

The answer of Deciding-is-believing causes voters to indicate more esteem...

Question 15

The attitudes-follow-behaviour effect is greatest when

Accepted Answer

The attitudes-follow-behaviour effect is greatest when there is insufficient justification for the behavior. This occurs when there is a lack of a clear external reason for performing the behavior, making internal justification necessary. This internal justification leads to a change in attitude to align with the behavior, as people would not want to appear inconsistent or hypocritical.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

People often experience a boost in confidence after making a decision or commitment, such as placing a bet, due to cognitive dissonance reduction and the need to justify their choice.

Question 17

Mike has just decided to go to the formal with Chris instead of Margaret. He's thinking about how attractive Chris is, and how Margaret has a really annoying laugh. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Mike is upgrading the chosen alternative by focusing on Chris's attractiveness and downgrading the rejected alternative by focusing on Margaret's annoying laugh.

Question 18

William James, self-perception theory, and research findings all suggest that

Accepted Answer

William James, a psychologist, proposed the theory that emotions are influenced by the physiological responses in our body, which can be interpreted as an emotion. Self-perception theory suggests that people infer their own emotions by observing their own behavior and the context in which it occurs. Research findings in psychology support the idea that a person’s physical actions, such as gait, posture, and facial expressions, can influence their emotions. Therefore, all choices are correct.

Question 19

In applying the principle of cognitive dissonance to have others develop their own internal standards for new behaviour, managers, teachers, and parents should use _________ to elicit the desired behaviour.

Accepted Answer

The principle of cognitive dissonance suggests that when there is a discrepancy between beliefs and behaviors, individuals will feel an uncomfortable tension (dissonance) and will be motivated to reduce this discomfort by changing their beliefs or behaviors to make them consistent. Using the smallest possible incentive to elicit the desired behavior encourages individuals to internally justify their actions, leading to the development of their own internal standards for the new behavior. This is because when the external incentive is minimal, individuals cannot attribute their action to the incentive, thus they are more likely to change their internal beliefs to align with their actions.

Question 20

If you want to improve your ability to empathize with others, self-perception theory recommends

Accepted Answer

Letting your face mirror the expressions of the person you're trying to empathize with is the best option according to self-perception theory. This is because mirroring someone's facial expressions can lead to increased empathy and understanding of their emotions.

Quiz 4: Behaviour and Attitudes