Question 1

Which social influence technique involves getting someone to commit to an attractive proposition before its hidden costs are revealed

Accepted Answer

The lowball technique involves getting someone to commit to an attractive proposition before revealing its hidden costs or additional requirements. This creates a sense of commitment or obligation, making it more difficult for the person to back out of the deal even if they later discover the hidden costs.

Question 2

Maria has strong feelings about a new bylaw because it affects her personally.What aspect of an attitude does this example reflect

Accepted Answer

Vested interest refers to having a personal stake or concern in an issue. In this example, Maria's strong feelings suggest that she has a personal connection to the bylaw, indicating a vested interest in the outcome. The other options - distinctiveness, ambivalence, and accessibility - do not apply to this specific example.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of ethnocentric thinking

Accepted Answer

Ethnocentric thinking involves viewing the world from the perspective of one's own cultural or ethnic group, often resulting in a biased view of other groups. The tendency to evaluate people in an outgroup from the perspective of a member of that outgroup goes against ethnocentric thinking, as it requires taking into consideration the perspective of another group rather than solely relying on one's own perspective. Therefore, choice D is NOT characteristic of ethnocentric thinking.

Question 4

Groups seeking donations routinely send address labels and other small gifts with their pleas.Which social influence technique is illustrated by this approach

Accepted Answer

The approach of sending small gifts along with donation requests is an example of the reciprocity norm, which suggests that people feel obligated to reciprocate when someone has done something nice for them. By sending a small gift, the group is triggering the reciprocity norm in the hopes that the recipient will feel compelled to donate to their cause.

Question 5

Which social influence technique involves getting people to agree to a small request to increase the chances that they will agree to a larger request later

Accepted Answer

The foot-in-the-door technique involves making a small request first in order to increase the likelihood of a person complying with a larger request later on. This is based on the principle of consistency, where people feel more inclined to follow through with a larger request if they have already committed to a smaller one.

Question 6

When people make attributions about crime and poverty in urban ethnic neighbourhoods,which of the following gets most of the blame because of the fundamental attribution error

Accepted Answer

The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency to attribute other people's behavior to their personal qualities rather than situational factors. In the context of crime and poverty in urban ethnic neighborhoods, this means that people are more likely to blame the residents themselves rather than external factors such as job discrimination, poor police protection, or crowded living conditions. Therefore, the personal qualities of the residents are most likely to get the blame.

Question 7

A car dealer may offer a customer a terrific deal on a car,but once the customer commits to buying the car,the dealer reveals that there are some hidden costs.Which social influence technique is illustrated by this approach

Accepted Answer

The technique illustrated by this approach is the lowball technique, where a person is offered a great deal or a low price, only to reveal hidden costs or additional fees later on. This technique is often used in car sales, where the initial offer is attractive, but the final sale price ends up being much higher due to additional fees and charges.

Question 8

What is the name for the societal "rule" that we should pay back in kind what we receive from others

Accepted Answer

The societal "rule" that we should pay back in kind what we receive from others is called the reciprocity norm. This norm is seen as a way to maintain social harmony and is one of the fundamental principles of social exchange theory. It suggests that people feel a sense of obligation to repay others when they have received help or a favor from them.

Question 9

A man who believes that "women just don't make good leaders" may dwell on his female supervisor's mistakes and quickly forget about her achievements.Which concept is illustrated by this scenario

Accepted Answer

Bias in attribution refers to the tendency to attribute others' behavior to internal characteristics rather than external factors. In this scenario, the man is attributing his female supervisor's mistakes to her gender rather than considering external factors that may have contributed to the errors. This is an example of bias in attribution. Defensive attribution refers to the tendency to attribute one's own successes to internal characteristics and one's own failures to external factors. Bystander effect refers to the tendency for individuals to be less likely to offer help in an emergency situation when other people are present. Fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency to attribute others' behavior to internal characteristics rather than external circumstances, but this scenario more specifically illustrates bias in attribution.

Question 10

Although Maxine has never met anybody who is Russian,she is convinced that all Russians are sneaky individuals who can't be trusted.She has heard her mother and her three uncles make these types of statements for as long as she can remember.How was Maxine's prejudice acquired

Accepted Answer

Maxine's prejudice was acquired through observational learning, as she learned it from her mother and uncles.

Question 11

In trying to understand why some ethnic neighbourhoods are dominated by poverty,people often infer that the residents are lazy and unmotivated.What does this type of inference illustrate

Accepted Answer

This type of inference illustrates the fundamental attribution error, which involves attributing people's behavior to their internal characteristics (such as laziness) rather than external factors (such as lack of opportunities or resources).

Question 12

Complete the following analogy: Prejudice is to discrimination as ________.

Accepted Answer

Prejudice refers to the attitudes and beliefs we have about a certain group of people, while discrimination refers to the actions we take based on those attitudes and beliefs. Similarly, attitude refers to our general perspective or outlook, while action is the physical manifestation of that perspective or outlook. Therefore, the best choice to complete the analogy would be A) attitude is to action.

Question 13

The purveyors of miracle tonics and psychic advice tend to rely on which form of evidence

Accepted Answer

Purveyors of miracle tonics and psychic advice tend to rely on anecdotal evidence, which is based on personal stories or experiences, rather than scientific evidence such as laboratory experiments or observational research. Anecdotal evidence is often unreliable because it is based on personal biases and is not conducted under controlled conditions, leading to a high risk of placebo effects and other factors that make it difficult to verify the effectiveness of a treatment or practice.

Question 14

Groups seeking donations often ask people to simply sign a petition first.Which social influence technique is illustrated by this approach

Accepted Answer

The technique that is illustrated by asking people to sign a petition first is the foot-in-the-door technique. This technique involves making a small request first, and then following up with a larger request later. By getting someone to agree to a small request (like signing a petition), they become more likely to agree to a larger request (like making a donation).

Question 15

Which statement best describes observers' attributional tendencies regarding success by males and females

Accepted Answer

Male success is often attributed to internal causes, such as ability or talent, while female success is more likely to be attributed to external causes, such as luck or effort. This reflects societal biases and stereotypes about gender and ability.

Question 16

When a member of an ethnic minority is successful,what are people least likely to attribute that success to

Accepted Answer

People are least likely to attribute the success of an ethnic minority member to their ability or intelligence due to prevailing stereotypes and biases that underestimate their capabilities.

Question 17

What is the term for denying a person equal social treatment based on his or her group membership

Accepted Answer

Discrimination is the term used to describe denying a person equal social treatment based on his or her group membership. Prejudice refers to preconceived opinions or attitudes toward a person or group. Social scaling is a term used to describe how people are rated or ranked based on their social status or position. Chauvinism refers to the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own group or gender.

Question 18

Kevin is the human resources manager for a large company.He has a favourable attitude toward individuals with disabilities,in general.However,he hasn't hired anyone who has a visible disability for any position that has come open in the company because his boss told him not to consider applicants who are disabled.Which statement best describes Kevin

Accepted Answer

Kevin personally has a favorable attitude towards individuals with disabilities, which means he does not hold prejudice against them. However, he has not hired anyone with a visible disability due to his boss's directive, which is an action that constitutes discrimination.

Question 19

After repeatedly hearing her parents say that "all fat people are slobs," Cindy begins to express the same belief.How was Cindy's prejudice acquired

Accepted Answer

Cindy acquired her prejudice through observational learning, as she learned the belief from her parents' repeated statements.

Question 20

What is the tendency called ethnocentrism

Accepted Answer

Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one's own cultural or ethnic group as superior to others. This can lead to a bias in evaluating other cultures and can result in discrimination or prejudice towards people from other cultures. Option A is the opposite of ethnocentrism, as it suggests a focus on the group rather than the self. Option C is not related to ethnocentrism, as it describes the modelling of family attitudes rather than cultural biases. Option D is not consistent with ethnocentrism, as it suggests identifying with a popular outgroup rather than viewing one's own group as superior.

Quiz 13: A: Social Behaviour