Question 1

Spinoza (1663) proposed the idea that when you love someone whom you used to hate, you

Accepted Answer

According to Spinoza's idea, when love follows hatred, it is more intense than if there was no hatred. This is because the contrast between the negative feelings and the positive ones makes the positive feelings stronger, leading to a more intense experience of love. Therefore, choice A is the correct answer.

Question 2

From across the room, J.T. sees his mother sigh, and he approaches to give her a hug in the hopes of cheering her up. In this case, J.T.'s behavior is an example of a(n) ________ social influence attempt.

Accepted Answer

A

Question 3

Juan thinks that the idea "birds of a feather flock together" has more merit than "opposites attract." So he designs an experiment to test his hypothesis. Juan is most likely a

Accepted Answer

Juan's experiment is focused on testing a hypothesis related to social behavior, specifically whether people with similar characteristics tend to associate with each other, which falls under the realm of social psychology. Personality psychology is more focused on studying individual differences in personality traits, while sociology is concerned with studying larger social structures and institutions. Journalism, while it may involve reporting on social behavior and psychology, is not a field of study focused on conducting research in this area.

Question 4

Jamal was confused by his sister's relationship with her boyfriend. They just didn't seem to have anything in common. "Oh well," Jamal figured, "I guess opposites really do attract." Jamal's explanation is an example of

Accepted Answer

Jamal's explanation is a common saying or "folk wisdom" that suggests that people who have opposite personalities or characteristics are often attracted to each other in relationships.

Question 5

Justin isn't sure if he wants to date Mary, with whom he shares many similarities, or Emma, who is very different from him. His friend says, "Opposites attract," and advises him to date Emma. But his brother says, "Birds of a feather flock together," and suggests that he pursue Mary. This best exemplifies that

Accepted Answer

Folk wisdom often contains contradictory sayings, as illustrated by the advice Justin receives, highlighting the variability and context-dependent nature of such wisdom.

Question 6

All of the following are examples of social influence except

Accepted Answer

D is not an example of social influence. It is simply a perceptual change over time. A, B, and C are all examples of social influence, as they involve the influence of others (either through intimidation, imagined consequences, or social norms) on the behavior or beliefs of an individual.

Question 7

How do social psychologists differ from those who rely on common sense or folk wisdom in answering questions about human nature? Social psychologists

Accepted Answer

Social psychologists use scientific methods to test their hypotheses about the social world, while common sense or folk wisdom often relies on personal experience, intuition, and anecdotal evidence. Social psychologists aim to systematically study human behavior and the underlying psychological processes that influence it, rather than relying on unfounded assumptions or beliefs. While social psychologists may not always agree with one another, they follow rigorous empirical methods to evaluate their ideas and theories. They also tend to focus on observable and measurable phenomena, rather than relying on subjective insights or opinions.

Question 8

Aya is eight months old, and her mother pretends her baby food is a train in order to convince her to eat it. Aya's mother is using a rather creative form of

Accepted Answer

Aya's mother is using social influence to persuade her to eat her baby food by using a playful and imaginative approach. Social influence refers to the ways in which people change their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors based on the influence of others. In this case, Aya's mother is attempting to influence her behavior by making the food more appealing through a creative approach.

Question 9

What is the role of folk wisdom in social psychology?

Accepted Answer

Folk wisdom often contains insights or ideas about human behavior that can be tested using scientific methods. Social psychologists can use this wealth of knowledge to generate hypotheses for their research.

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of social influence?

Accepted Answer

Social influence refers to the way that other people, or social factors, can impact our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Feeling guilty because you lied to your professor is an example of social influence because your emotions are being influenced by your social relationship with your professor. The other answer choices are not examples of social influence.

Question 11

According to the authors of your text, when faced with a puzzling social question, it may be tempting to ask people why they behaved as they did. Why is this not always the best way to understand social behavior?

Accepted Answer

People may not necessarily be aware of the underlying reasons for their behavior, or may not be able to articulate them accurately. In addition, social desirability bias may influence their responses, leading them to give answers that they believe are more socially acceptable or desirable, rather than the true reasons for their behavior.

Question 12

When social psychologists do research, they seek to answer questions with experimentation and measurement. By doing so, they are asking _______ questions.

Accepted Answer

Social psychologists seek to answer questions using empirical methods, which involve the use of experimentation and measurement. Empirical questions are based on observable phenomena and can be tested through scientific methods. Esteem questions relate to self-confidence and self-worth, while common sense questions are based on preconceived notions without seeking evidence. Social influence questions relate to the ways in which individuals influence each other's behavior.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of a direct persuasion attempt?

Accepted Answer

A direct persuasion attempt involves the use of force or coercion to influence someone else's behavior. In this scenario, the bully is using physical force to persuade Billy to give up his lunch money. The other options do not involve a direct attempt at persuasion.

Question 14

Jada gives William her dessert at lunch in the hopes that he will like her. Jada's behavior is an example of

Accepted Answer

Jada's behavior of giving William her dessert is a direct social influence attempt, as she is trying to influence his perception of her by giving him something she thinks he will like.

Question 15

After the mass suicides related to the cults at Jonestown, people tended to blame the victims and accuse them of being psychologically unstable or deranged. Social psychologists are more likely to explain these mass suicides as being due to

Accepted Answer

Social psychologists would likely explain the mass suicides at Jonestown as being due to the social influence of cult leaders, rather than individual differences or mental illness in the cult members. This is supported by research on conformity and obedience, which suggests that people are often willing to conform to social norms and obey authority figures, even in extreme situations. Cult leaders are skilled at manipulating their followers through various tactics, such as isolating them from outsiders, creating a sense of dependence on the leader, and using fear and intimidation to maintain control. Ultimately, the mass suicides at Jonestown can be seen as a tragic example of how powerful social influence can be, even in situations where the consequences are extreme and potentially deadly.

Question 16

Not all social influence is direct or deliberate. Which of the following is the best example of more indirect or subtle social influence?

Accepted Answer

Choice D describes a situation where social influence is occurring through observation and imitation, rather than direct persuasion or instruction. The child sees others wearing their sweatshirts inside out and begins to do the same, likely unconsciously identifying with the group and wanting to fit in. The other options all involve more deliberate attempts to shape behavior or persuade others.

Question 17

Social psychology is set apart from other ways of interpreting social behavior such as folk wisdom or literature because it is

Accepted Answer

Social psychology is an experimental science that relies on empirical evidence derived from experiments to understand social behavior. This sets it apart from folk wisdom or literature, which may be based on anecdotal evidence or personal experiences. Additionally, social psychology aims to provide theoretical explanations for social behavior, which requires objective measurement and analysis.

Question 18

In the introduction to Chapter 1, you read about a number of social phenomena: a young man broadcast his suicide live online; a father and son disagreed on the attractiveness of the same fraternity; and more than 800 people committed mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. What do these examples have in common? They

Accepted Answer

All of the examples given indicate the power of social influence. The young man may have been influenced by online communities or peers to take his own life, the father and son were influenced by different social norms regarding masculinity and fraternity membership, and the Jonestown mass suicide was the result of intense social influence and control by cult leader Jim Jones.

Question 19

The scientific study of the way in which people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the real or imagined presence of other people is the definition of

Accepted Answer

The scientific study of the way in which people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the real or imagined presence of other people is the definition of social psychology. Social psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on how people interact with and influence each other. It examines a range of social phenomena such as conformity, obedience, aggression, prejudice, and attraction.

Question 20

According to the definition of social psychology presented in your text, social psychology is the study of how ________ affect the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of humans.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the definition of social psychology...

Quiz 1: Introducing Social Psychology