Question 1

A teacher decides against assigning group projects in which all group members get the same grade.What social psychological phenomenon might the teacher be concerned about?

Accepted Answer

The teacher may be concerned about social loafing, which is the phenomenon where individuals put in less effort in a group task than they would if they were working alone. If all group members receive the same grade, some individuals may not work as hard and ride on the efforts of their groupmates, which can lead to a lower quality project overall.

Question 2

How can a coach get his football team to perform better if he suspects they are exhibiting social loafing?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can a coach get his football...

Question 3

An individual who exerts less effort when working on a group task if individual contributions will not be evaluated is engaging in what is called:

Accepted Answer

Social loafing refers to the tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working on a group task because they believe their individual contributions will not be evaluated or recognized. This phenomenon can occur because individuals feel less accountability and responsibility when working with others, or they may believe that their own efforts will be overshadowed by those of others in the group.

Question 4

People who exert less effort on a task when working in a group than they do when working individually are engaging in:

Accepted Answer

Social loafing refers to the phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working in a group compared to working individually. This is because individuals feel less personally responsible and feel that others will pick up the slack, leading to a reduction in motivation and effort. Groupthink refers to the tendency for group members to conform to the group's decision, often leading to a flawed decision-making process. Social conformity refers to the influence that others have on an individual's behavior and attitudes, leading to a desire to fit in with the group. Malingering refers to the intentional exaggeration or feigning of symptoms in order to avoid work or responsibility.

Question 5

What do we call judgments about people,objects,or thoughts?

Accepted Answer

Judgments about people, objects, or thoughts are referred to as attitudes. Attitudes are evaluations, either positive or negative, that influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors towards something or someone.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT one of the three major components of attitudes?

Accepted Answer

The three major components of attitudes are beliefs, feelings, and behaviors. Goals are not considered to be a component of attitudes.

Question 7

John has practiced his difficult trumpet solo over and over before his performance.He has played it perfectly in his practice room.However,when he performs in public he makes mistakes due to his anxiety.John is a victim of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of John has practiced his difficult trumpet solo...

Question 8

An attitude has ______ major components.

Accepted Answer

Attitude has three major components- cognitive, affective, and behavioral. The cognitive component refers to the beliefs and thoughts a person holds about a particular object or situation. The affective component relates to the feelings and emotions a person experiences in response to the object or situation. The behavioral component involves the actions and behaviors a person displays towards the object or situation based on their beliefs and emotions.

Question 9

A social psychologist has been invited to give a community lecture on the importance of Milgram's research.He asks a social psychology class for suggested titles.Which of the following titles might they suggest as the most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Option B captures the essence of Milgram's research, which emphasized the strong influence of obedience to authority figures even when it conflicts with personal values or morals. The other options either focus on unrelated factors (A, D) or suggest a solution that Milgram's work did not directly address (C).

Question 10

Attitudes are:

Accepted Answer

Attitudes are not innate, they are learned through experiences and socialization. While attitudes can be generally positive or negative, they are not always one or the other. Attitudes can also change depending on new information or experiences, so they are not unchangeable.

Question 11

Which of the following is the best example of the behavioural component of an attitude?

Accepted Answer

The behavioral component of an attitude refers to a person's actions or behaviors towards a particular object or situation. In this case, Betty's action of writing a letter to her senator to support a law indicates her willingness to take action towards the issue of corporate pollution.

Question 12

Which statement correctly characterizes one aspect of Stanley Milgram's study of obedience?

Accepted Answer

One aspect of Stanley Milgram's study of obedience was that subjects were shown an ominous-looking shock machine that was marked 0 to 450 volts. This machine was used to administer shocks to the learner when they made errors in reciting word pairs.

Question 13

Imagine 100 individuals are asked to take part in a replication of Milgram's famous study on obedience.How are these 100 people likely to respond?

Accepted Answer

Milgram's study has been replicated numerous times, and the results have consistently shown that the majority of participants obeyed the experimenter's orders and administered the highest shock level of 450 volts. It is unlikely that the majority of participants would immediately leave or refuse to obey, as they may feel pressure to comply with the experimenter's requests. Additionally, there is no evidence to suggest that there would be a gender difference in obedience rates, and it is unlikely that the participants would work together to force the experimenter to end the experiment.

Question 14

Which statement best describes an important finding of Milgram's classic research?

Accepted Answer

Milgram's classic research found that people will easily obey an authority figure and do harm to others, even if it goes against their own moral values and beliefs. This was demonstrated through his famous obedience experiment where participants were instructed to administer electric shocks to a supposed "learner" in another room, in order to test the effects of punishment on learning. Despite hearing cries of pain and protest from the learner, the majority of participants continued to administer shocks when urged to do so by the authority figure conducting the experiment. This finding has significant implications for understanding the power of social influence and the potential for individuals to engage in harmful behavior when they place to much trust in authority figures.

Question 15

In both social facilitation and social impairment,the key factor is:

Accepted Answer

In both social facilitation and social impairment, the key factor is arousal. In social facilitation, the presence of others can increase arousal and improve performance on simple or well-learned tasks. In social impairment, the presence of others can also increase arousal, but this can lead to a decline in performance on complex or unfamiliar tasks. Time, the number of people, and task difficulty are all factors that can influence arousal levels, but arousal itself is the key factor.

Question 16

A response,either positive or negative,toward a certain person,idea,or object is called:

Accepted Answer

An attitude is a positive or negative evaluation or viewpoint towards a person, idea, or object. Bystander apathy refers to the phenomenon where individuals do not intervene in an emergency situation due to diffusion of responsibility. Groupthink refers to a group's desire for harmony or conformity that can lead to irrational decision-making. Conformity refers to the tendency to adjust one's behavior or attitudes to match those of the group. Therefore, the best choice for the response towards a person, idea, or object is an attitude.

Question 17

What is the term for an improvement in performance caused by the perception that others are watching?

Accepted Answer

The term for an improvement in performance caused by the perception that others are watching is social facilitation. This is when the presence of an audience can enhance an individual's performance on a task they already excel in, but can hinder performance on a task they are not as familiar with. Social loafing, on the other hand, is the tendency for people to put in less effort when working in a group. Social idleness and social productivity are not commonly used terms in psychology.

Question 18

Some have suggested that the results of Milgram's obedience study may have been due to the __________ effect.

Accepted Answer

The foot-in-the-door effect is a psychological phenomenon where people are more likely to agree to a large request if they have already agreed to a small request. In Milgram's obedience study, participants first agreed to give a low-level shock, and then were gradually asked to increase the intensity. This can be seen as an example of the foot-in-the-door effect, as participants were more likely to agree to the higher levels of shock after already agreeing to the lower levels.

Question 19

Dan really doesn't feel like riding the stationary bicycle today,but he doesn't want the people around him to think he is a slacker.If he decides to continue exercising,what concept might explain his actions?

Accepted Answer

Social facilitation refers to the tendency for people to perform better when they know they are being observed. In this scenario, Dan's desire to not appear as a slacker to others is a form of social pressure, which may enhance his performance on the stationary bike.

Question 20

What circumstance increases the likelihood of someone obeying an authority?

Accepted Answer

The experimenter assuming responsibility increases the likelihood of someone obeying an authority. This is known as the "agentic state" and occurs when people feel they are acting on behalf of an authority figure, and therefore assume less personal responsibility for their actions. This can lead to increased obedience to the authority figure's demands.

Quiz 12: Social Psychology