Question 1

Research on the biology of aggression has clearly demonstrated that

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that animals can be selectively bred for higher levels of aggressiveness, indicating that there is a genetic component to aggression. However, human aggression cannot be reduced to a single instinctual drive and is influenced by a variety of genetic, social, and environmental factors. Options A, B, and D are incorrect as they are either unsupported or incomplete statements regarding the biology of aggression.

Question 2

White children are better at recognizing White faces than Black faces. This illustrates

Accepted Answer

The other-race effect, also known as the cross-race effect or own-race bias, is the phenomenon that individuals are better at recognizing faces of their own race than faces of other races. In this case, the White children are better at recognizing White faces than Black faces, indicating the other-race effect.

Question 3

We are most likely to ________ the diversity among members of an ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of We are most likely to ________ the...

Question 4

The notable lack of ________ displayed by children with Williams syndrome appears to be linked with their decreased amygdala activity.

Accepted Answer

Children with Williams syndrome often show a lack of racial stereotypes, which is linked to decreased amygdala activity, an area of the brain involved in processing social and emotional information.

Question 5

Joie, age 19, is a Black female university sophomore. Research on how we categorize social information suggests that Joie is most likely to believe that most

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon of out-group homogeneity suggests that individuals tend to perceive members of their own group as more diverse and unique compared to members of out-groups, who are perceived as more similar to each other. Therefore, it is more likely that Joie may believe that Chinese people tend to look pretty much alike, rather than Black people or any other group.

Question 6

Facing the threat of death at the hands of terrorists is likely to heighten

Accepted Answer

Facing the threat of death at the hands of terrorists is likely to heighten patriotism, as individuals are more likely to feel a sense of loyalty and connection to their country when facing external threats. Deindividuation and social loafing are unlikely to be influenced by the threat of terrorism, and equity is a concept related to distribution of resources, not a response to external threats.

Question 7

Following 9/11, some outraged people lashed out at innocent Arab-Americans. This venting of hostility can best be explained in terms of

Accepted Answer

This venting of hostility towards innocent Arab-Americans can be explained in terms of scapegoat theory. Scapegoating is the process of blaming a group of people for the problems or issues faced by a larger community, without any evidence to support that blame. In this case, Arab-Americans were wrongly targeted and blamed for the 9/11 attacks, leading to hostility towards them by some people.

Question 8

A soldier who intentionally kills a dangerous enemy combatant most clearly illustrates

Accepted Answer

Intentionally killing a dangerous enemy combatant is an example of aggression, which is a behavior that is intended to cause harm or pain to another person.

Question 9

During a Girl Scout picnic, Lavinia was randomly selected to be on one baseball team and Carla on the opposing team. Before the game started, Lavinia and Carla were each convinced that her team was the better one. The girls' beliefs best illustrate

Accepted Answer

Lavinia and Carla's belief that their own team is superior to the other team is a clear example of the ingroup bias, which is the tendency to favor one's own group (in this case, the team one belongs to) over other groups. Deindividuation, the reciprocity norm, and the mere exposure effect are not relevant factors in this situation.

Question 10

Chinese and Caucasian New Zealanders were asked to quickly classify faces with blended Chinese and Caucasian physical features. Compared with Chinese observers, Caucasian observes more readily classified ambiguous faces as

Accepted Answer

Caucasian observers are more likely to classify ambiguous faces as Chinese due to the "other-race effect," where individuals are better at recognizing faces of their own race and may categorize ambiguous faces as belonging to a different race.

Question 11

Verbal behavior intended to hurt another person is an example of

Accepted Answer

Verbal behavior intended to hurt another person is an act of aggression. A is incorrect because dispositional attribution refers to assuming a person's behavior is due to their personality or character rather than the situation. B is incorrect because prejudice refers to negative attitudes or beliefs about a group of people. C is incorrect because deindividuation refers to a loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in a group setting.

Question 12

Ever since he lost his job because he was constantly late for work, Richard has become increasingly hostile toward the "government bureaucrats who are leading the country toward bankruptcy." Richard's increasing prejudice is best explained in terms of

Accepted Answer

Richard's prejudice towards "government bureaucrats" can be attributed to scapegoat theory, as he is directing his frustration and anger about losing his job towards a group that he perceives as being responsible for his hardships.

Question 13

The other-race effect refers to a bias with respect to the recognition of other people's

Accepted Answer

The other-race effect refers to the tendency for people to have more difficulty recognizing faces of people from a different race or ethnicity than their own. This can lead to errors in eyewitness identifications and other situations where facial recognition is important. The other-race effect does not refer to biases in recognizing other aspects of people such as their names, voices, or personality traits.

Question 14

Studies have revealed diminished activity in the ________ of violent criminals.

Accepted Answer

The frontal lobes are associated with decision making, impulse control, and social behavior. Diminished activity in this area has been linked to violent and antisocial behavior.

Question 15

Among adult men, hard drug use and aggressive-bullying responses to frustration are positively correlated with levels of

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that testosterone is associated with increased aggression and risk-taking behavior, including drug use, in adult men.

Question 16

A 16-year-old boy shoots a neighbor for no apparent reason. This vivid example strongly influences people's judgments of all teen boys because people

Accepted Answer

The example of the 16-year-old boy shooting his neighbor is memorable and stands out in people's minds, leading them to overestimate the frequency of similar behavior among all teen boys. This is known as the availability heuristic, in which people estimate the likelihood of an event based on how easily it comes to mind.

Question 17

Which of the following is true of violent male criminals?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that violent male criminals tend to have relatively low levels of serotonin and high levels of testosterone. Low serotonin levels have been linked to impulsive and aggressive behavior, while high testosterone levels have been associated with increased aggression and dominance.

Question 18

The just-world phenomenon often leads people to

Accepted Answer

The just-world phenomenon is a cognitive bias that leads people to believe that the world is fundamentally fair, and therefore, people get what they deserve. This often results in victim blaming, where individuals believe that victims of misfortune must have done something to deserve their suffering.

Question 19

An explanation of aggression in terms of instinct would have the most difficulty accounting for

Accepted Answer

The answer of An explanation of aggression in terms of...

Question 20

In some countries, women who have been raped have sometimes been sentenced to punishment for having violated a law against adultery. This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

The situation described best illustrates the blame-the-victim phenomenon, which involves blaming the victim of a crime or misfortune for their own victimization. In this case, the victims of rape are being punished for violating a law against adultery, rather than the perpetrator being held accountable for their actions. This is a form of victim blaming that is particularly harmful to women who experience sexual violence.

Quiz 45: A: Antisocial Relations