Question 1

Normative influence usually gives rise to __________________, whereas informational influence usually gives rise to ________________________.

Accepted Answer

Normative influence is the influence that arises from the desire to be liked or approved of by others and usually results in public compliance but not necessarily private acceptance. On the other hand, informational influence is the influence that arises from the desire to be correct or accurate and usually results in private acceptance of the group norm, even if it differs from a person's initial judgment. Therefore, informational influence usually gives rise to private acceptance, while normative influence usually gives rise to public compliance. Choice D is the best choice as it correctly reflects this distinction.

Question 2

If someone says he or she loves the Bee Gees (a musical group popular during the disco era in the 1970s) and you respond by stating that you too think the Bee Gees are great, even though you really dislike their music, you have just exhibited what social psychologists call:

Accepted Answer

Public compliance refers to conforming to a group norm or opinion in public, even if privately one disagrees or has a different opinion. In this scenario, the person is publicly complying with the statement about liking the Bee Gees even though they do not really like their music.

Question 3

Imagine that you're working on a group project and someone in the group plays the song ""Stayin' Alive,"" by the Bee Gees (a musical group popular during the disco era in the 1970s) You're not sure whether you like this song or not. However, two members of your group comment on what a great song it is. As a result, you decide that you really do like the song. You have just exhibited what social psychologists call:

Accepted Answer

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Question 4

When are people in groups likely to exhibit private acceptance instead of the more superficial form of conformity called public compliance?

Accepted Answer

Private acceptance occurs when an individual genuinely believes and accepts the views or behaviours of a group, as opposed to simply conforming to their expectations to avoid rejection or disapproval. This is more likely to occur when an individual is uncertain about what they believe or how they feel about something, as they may look to the group for guidance and adopt their perspectives as a result. Therefore, option D is the best choice. Options A, B, C, and E do not necessarily require private acceptance as a motive for conformity.

Question 5

Three societal characteristics have contributed to the pervasiveness of institutional fads in the United States. These characteristics include belief in rationality and progress, institutional autonomy, and:

Accepted Answer

Network density at both the individual and organizational level refers to the strong interconnectedness and reliance on networks and relationships within institutions and between individuals. In a dense network, an idea or trend can spread quickly and easily, leading to a higher likelihood of adoption and a more significant impact on the organization or society as a whole. This characteristic, combined with the other two mentioned in the question, contributes to the widespread adoption and persistence of institutional fads in the United States.

Question 6

Both rumors and urban legends are:

Accepted Answer

Both rumors and urban legends are examples of collective behavior, which is defined as spontaneous and unstructured activity by a large group of people.

Question 7

What are flash mobs? Are flash mobs a fad? Why do you take this position?

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

What are institutional fads, and why are they so common within this society? Is this good or bad? Explain.

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

What's an urban legend? Why are urban legends so common within this society? What social functions do they serve?

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

What's a somatoform epidemic? Give an example of a somatoform epidemic discussed within the academic literature or in the popular press. How have sociological social psychologists explained this form of collective behavior?

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Question 11

What is the free rider problem? What micro-level characteristics or processes increase people's likelihood of participating in a social movement?

Accepted Answer

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Question 12

How has the concept of the self-fulfilling prophecy been used to explain why the expectation that others will participate in a social movement, at the aggregate level, often translates into movement success.

Accepted Answer

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Question 13

How has the concept of social support been used by sociological social psychologists to explain the experiences of social movement participants?

Accepted Answer

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Question 14

Define the terms ""social movement"" and ""coalition."" Why does the formation of a collective (i.e., a social) identity increase individuals' likelihood of participating in either a social movement or a coalition?

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

What are social movements? Discuss the effects that social movements have on their participants and on society.

Accepted Answer

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Question 16

Why is collective behavior, and social movements in particular, such an important topic of study within sociological social psychology? Is it surprising that psychological social psychologists have little interest in social movements or collective behavior more generally? Explain why this is the case.

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

What's the difference between a fashion and a fad? Use specific examples to illustrate this distinction. Why are both fashions and fads considered to be forms of collective behavior?

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Question 18

Discuss classic theories of crowd behavior. Why don't contemporary sociological social psychologists find these models to be of much use in explaining when, and why, people participate in social movements? Describe how theories of social movements have changed over the years.

Accepted Answer

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Question 19

What is deindividuation, and when is this process most likely to occur? Apply the concept of deindividuation to flash mobs.

Accepted Answer

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Question 20

In the 1970s, mixing Pop Rocks and Coca Cola:

Accepted Answer

The combination of Pop Rocks and Coca Cola became the basis for an urban legend that falsely claimed it could cause a person's stomach to explode.

Quiz 13: Social Influence, Social Constraint, and Social Change

Normative influence usually gives rise to , whereas informational influence usually gives rise to ______.