Question 1

Ingrid believes there is a dog in the car. Even after she has looked absolutely everywhere in the car and found no evidence whatsoever of a dog, she continues to believe this. This scenario best exemplifies ____.

Accepted Answer

Belief perseverance is the tendency to cling to one's initial beliefs, even when presented with evidence that contradicts those beliefs. Ingrid's continued belief in the dog's presence despite the lack of evidence is an example of belief perseverance. Attitude polarization refers to the strengthening of one's initial attitude following exposure to information that is consistent with that attitude, whereas the A-B problem refers to the difficulty in predicting behavior based solely on attitudes. Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort or tension that arises when individuals hold two or more conflicting beliefs or attitudes.

Question 2

Who is the most likely to be anxious, depressed, and/or low in self-esteem?

Accepted Answer

Believing in UFOs is not a common belief and may lead to social isolation, which can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. The other options are not necessarily associated with higher levels of these negative emotions, although individuals in any group may experience them.

Question 3

Wei-Shin was mugged while he was walking across campus alone one evening. The event left him with his wallet and identity stolen, and a broken nose and rib. Wei-Shin thinks to himself, "What kind of world is this, where someone will mug a poor college student?" Wei-Shin is having trouble coping because this traumatic event has challenged his ____.

Accepted Answer

Assumptive worlds refer to the personal beliefs and expectations that individuals have about the world around them. Wei-Shin's assumptive world has been challenged by the mugging, as he likely believed that he was safe on his college campus and did not expect to be targeted for theft and violence.

Question 4

Social psychology as a science can ____.

Accepted Answer

Social psychology can help explain why individuals may accept or reject certain religious beliefs, but it cannot speak to the objective truth of those beliefs or determine which religion is correct. It is important to note that social psychology is not concerned with refuting or confirming religious beliefs, but rather understanding the ways in which they influence human behavior and cognition.

Question 5

Research by Shelley Taylor and her colleagues on effective coping among cancer patients has suggested that all of the following are important in promoting recovery EXCEPT ____.

Accepted Answer

Making upward comparisons with other cancer patients (i.e. comparing oneself to those with "worse" cancer than oneself) has been found to be less effective in promoting recovery. Making downward comparisons (i.e. comparing oneself to those with "better" outcomes) can provide a sense of hope and optimism. Feeling that there is a "higher purpose" for one's cancer and feeling that one can control one's cancer have both been found to be important in promoting recovery.

Question 6

The term ____ is used to refer to the idea that people live and function in the social universe based on certain beliefs about reality.

Accepted Answer

Assumptive worlds refer to the idea that people construct beliefs about reality that guide their behaviors and interactions with others. These beliefs are often based on personal experiences, cultural values, and social norms. This concept is important in understanding how individuals navigate the social world and make sense of their experiences.

Question 7

Research on post-trauma coping suggests that-contrary to what many people think-blaming oneself for a trauma can, in some cases, help people recover. This seems to be because self-blame causes people to ____.

Accepted Answer

Self-blame can lead people to perceive the trauma as an event that they could have potentially had control over, which can give them a feeling of empowerment and agency in their recovery. This sense of control can help individuals cope and ultimately recover from the trauma.

Question 8

Social psychologists use the word ____ to refer to how people deal with traumas and return, post-trauma, to healthy, effective functioning.

Accepted Answer

Coping refers to how individuals deal with stressful or traumatic experiences, and their ability to return to normal functioning afterwards. This is a common topic in social psychology research, as understanding how people cope with trauma can help inform interventions and support for individuals and communities. Recalibrating and monitoring may be strategies involved in coping, but they are not the overarching concept. Transitioning may sometimes be a component of coping, but it is not specific enough to fully capture the process of returning to healthy functioning post-trauma.

Question 9

As discussed in the text, there are three types of beliefs that help people to function effectively in the social world, and that are often cast into doubt when people experience violent crimes or other traumas. Which statement is one of these?

Accepted Answer

"I am a good person" is one of the three types of beliefs that help people to function effectively in the social world. This belief is often challenged when people experience traumatic events like violent crimes, as they may begin to doubt their own goodness or sense of morality.

Question 10

As discussed in the text, there are a number of cognitive tendencies found among gamblers that have the effect of encouraging these people to keep gambling. One of the MOST common is the tendency to see losses as ____.

Accepted Answer

The tendency to see losses as "near wins" is one of the most common cognitive tendencies among gamblers, as mentioned in the text. This means that instead of seeing a loss as a failure or a reason to stop gambling, they view it as being close to a win and therefore continue to gamble in the hopes of eventually winning.

Question 11

The act of comparing oneself to people who are worse off is called a(n)____.

Accepted Answer

Downward comparison is the act of comparing oneself to people who are worse off. Upward comparison is the act of comparing oneself to people who are better off. Post-decision dissonance is the feeling of regret or uncertainty after making a decision. Effort justification is the tendency to justify one's effort or sacrifice by overvaluing the goal or outcome.

Question 12

Research on religious beliefs shows that appealing to a higher (superordinate)power can be an effective way to reduce ____.

Accepted Answer

According to research, appealing to a higher power can be an effective way to reduce cognitive dissonance, which is the discomfort arising from holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes. By relying on a higher power, individuals may feel they are relinquishing control and relying on a higher authority to resolve their inner conflicts, reducing their discomfort.

Question 13

In terms of the kinds of predictions that it makes, research on cognitive dissonance theory is most at odds with research on ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In terms of the kinds of predictions...

Question 14

The idea that beliefs play a central role in helping people cope and recover from misfortunes is called ____.

Accepted Answer

The idea that beliefs play a central role in helping people cope and recover from misfortunes is called cognitive coping. This is the process of using certain beliefs or thought patterns to deal with difficult situations and emotions. It is a key component of many therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Question 15

Which of the following is the best example of belief perseverance?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is the best...

Question 16

Your text proposes that religious belief

Accepted Answer

The text states that religious belief can help people cope with traumatic events.

Question 17

Research on post-trauma coping indicates that one of the worst possible things-in terms of predicting post-trauma recovery-is for people to ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research on post-trauma coping indicates that one...

Question 18

Kelly's first pregnancy was a disaster by most people's standards. Her water broke 24 weeks into the pregnancy, she delivered the baby 15 weeks premature, and he survived but with multiple physical and behavioral health problems that take enormous resources to tackle. Yet every time Kelly takes the baby to the doctor, she notices other families with worse situations--children with terminal illnesses or more profound disabilities. Kelly is using ____ to cope with her baby's complications.

Accepted Answer

Kelly is using downward comparisons, comparing her situation to others who have it worse, to cope with her baby's complications.

Question 19

Suppose that Anandi was mugged at gunpoint and that is was an extremely traumatic experience. Which of the following cognitive reactions is MOST likely to help her recover?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose that Anandi was mugged at gunpoint...

Question 20

As discussed in the text, people who hold irrational attitudes (e.g., about Big Foot, UFOs, and ghosts)tend to ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of As discussed in the text, people who...

Quiz 7: Attitudes, Beliefs, and Consistency