Question 1

When Harry met Sally,they fell in love and were not shy about expressing their love for each other openly around campus.They soon noticed that other students were staring at and laughing at them.Within a couple of weeks,they had toned down their public displays of affection.Harry and Sally discovered that most basic of all group norms,which is to

Accepted Answer

Harry and Sally adjusted their behavior to conform to the social norms of their campus.

Question 2

In a classic study on social facilitation that involved college students shooting pool at a student union,it was found that when being watched by others,the less confident,average pool players

Accepted Answer

The classic study on social facilitation found that when being watched by others, the less confident, average pool players decreased their accuracy, suggesting that the presence of others can lead to performance anxiety and decreased performance for individuals who are not highly skilled or confident in a given task.

Question 3

Acceptable behavior in most situations is defined by society,as a whole,through the broadest set of

Accepted Answer

Acceptable behavior is largely determined by the social norms in a given society. Norms are a set of unwritten rules that dictate appropriate behavior in different situations. They are established by the group and widely accepted as the way things should be done. Comparison levels are related to personal expectations and are not as broad as societal norms. Group structures and standardization levels are not directly related to defining acceptable behavior.

Question 4

Who is best known for his research on conformity?

Accepted Answer

Solomon Asch is best known for his groundbreaking research on conformity, specifically his famous experiment where participants were asked to match the length of lines. He found that participants often conformed to the incorrect answer given by the rest of the group, even if the correct answer was obvious.

Question 5

Larrian has just started her new job as a college professor.She has bought a new professional wardrobe of tailored suits to wear.When she starts her job,she notices that almost all professors are dressed more casually and are wearing "comfortable" shoes.The first few days she is teaching,she gets compliments on her wardrobe,but after a few weeks,she gets asked "if her feet hurt" or "doesn't she get hot in the jacket." Larrian soon finds that she is
Taking the jacket off and has now started wearing lower heeled shoes.Larrian most likely made this change due to

Accepted Answer

Larrian's change in wardrobe choices reflects conformity, as she is adapting her attire to fit in with the rest of the professors who dress more casually. This is likely due to the social pressure to conform to the norms of her workplace. The other options, such as cognitive dissonance, obedience, or groupthink, do not fully capture the situation described in the scenario.

Question 6

When we bring our behavior into agreement with the actions,norms,or values of others in the absence of any direct pressure,we are exhibiting

Accepted Answer

Conformity refers to changing one's behavior or attitudes to match those of a group or social norm, even in the absence of overt pressure or coercion. Compliance refers specifically to changing one's behavior in response to a direct request or command, while obedience refers to following the orders or instructions of an authority figure. Adaptation may refer to a more general process of adjusting to new or changing circumstances. Therefore, the best choice is A) conformity.

Question 7

In a classic study on social facilitation that involved college students shooting pool at a student union,it was found that when being watched by others,good pool players who were confident in their pool playing

Accepted Answer

In the classic social facilitation study involving college students shooting pool, it was found that good pool players who were confident in their ability to play actually improved their accuracy when being watched by others. This is consistent with the idea of social facilitation, which suggests that the presence of others can enhance performance on well-learned tasks.

Question 8

The teacher decides to let your class get in groups of four to complete the homework.Your effort on this group task will be less than the effort you would have expended if the task had been completed as individual homework. This illustrates the principle of

Accepted Answer

Social loafing refers to the phenomenon where individuals put in less effort when working in a group compared to when they are working individually. Therefore, the scenario described in the question best illustrates the principle of social loafing.

Question 9

The teacher decides to let your class get in groups of four to complete the homework.If you are like most people,your effort on this group task will be

Accepted Answer

In group tasks, people tend to rely on others to do the work and may not put in as much effort as they would on an individual task. Additionally, there may be conflicts or disagreements within the group that can further reduce motivation and effort.

Question 10

In a classic study that involved college students shooting pool at a student union,it was found that when being watched by others,good players who were confident in their pool playing improved their accuracy,while the less confident players decreased their accuracy.This experiment illustrates the principle known as

Accepted Answer

The experiment described in the question is a classic example of social facilitation, which is the tendency for people to perform better on simple tasks when they are in the presence of others, and when they are confident in their ability to perform the task. In this case, the good players who were confident in their pool playing likely felt a boost of energy and motivation from being watched, which improved their accuracy. Conversely, the less confident players likely felt nervous or distracted by being watched, which decreased their accuracy. Therefore, A is the best choice.

Question 11

In a study on social loafing,people played tug-of-war while blindfolded.Compared to when they thought they were pulling alone,people showed which of the following behaviors when they thought they were pulling as part of a group?

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon of social loafing suggests that people tend to exert less effort when they believe their individual contribution is not identifiable within a group. Thus, when people believed they were pulling as part of a group, they showed less effort compared to when they believed they were pulling alone. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Question 12

You are a very good school teacher,who is confident in your teaching ability.One day,you are instructing your class when you spy the principal standing outside the door watching you.According to social facilitation theory,the principal being present is likely to

Accepted Answer

According to social facilitation theory, the presence of an audience, such as the principal watching, can improve one's performance in tasks they are already confident in. As the teacher is confident in their teaching ability, the principal's presence is likely to enhance their performance.

Question 13

A degree of uniformity is necessary if we are to interact comfortably with others and to anticipate their behaviors in schools and businesses and when driving on the highways.This degree of uniformity is due to

Accepted Answer

Conformity refers to the tendency of individuals to conform to social norms and expectations. A degree of uniformity is necessary in order to conform to these social norms and interact with others in a comfortable and predictable manner. This is particularly important in schools, businesses, and when driving on the highways where common rules and expectations are necessary for safe and effective functioning. Mutual affiliation (A) and passive compliance (B) do not fully capture the importance of conformity in this context, and harmless stereotyping (C) is not necessarily related to the need for uniformity in social interactions.

Question 14

The tendency of people to work less hard when part of a group than when they are solely responsible for their work is known as

Accepted Answer

Social loafing refers to the phenomenon where individuals will put in less effort when working as part of a group than they would if they were working alone. This is because individuals feel less accountable for the success or failure of the group, and may believe that their individual efforts are less important or necessary. Groupthink refers to the tendency of group members to conform to each other's opinions and ideas, even if these ideas are not well-informed or correct. Passive compliance refers to the tendency of individuals to go along with group norms or decisions without necessarily agreeing with them, in order to avoid conflict or maintain group harmony. Mere presence refers to the idea that the presence of other people can influence an individual's behavior, even if these other people are not necessarily directly involved in the situation.

Question 15

Solomon Asch's classic experiment (in which subjects judged a "standard" line and "comparison" lines)showed that

Accepted Answer

Asch's classic experiment showed that 75 percent of the subjects yielded to group pressure at least once. The other options are incorrect as they state either an inaccurate percentage (A) or a claim unsupported by the experiment (B and D).

Question 16

Comparing hairstyles,habits of speech,dress,eating habits,and social customs in two or more cultures makes it clear that the members of each society tend to

Accepted Answer

Comparing these aspects of different cultures reveals that members tend to conform to social norms, or the unwritten rules of behavior that are expected within their society. While there may be some pressure to conform, it is often not direct or overt, as individuals internalize these expectations from a young age. However, there is still some room for variation and individual expression within these norms, as not all members of a culture will dress, speak, or eat the same way.

Question 17

You are practicing your guitar alone in your dorm room when your roommate and another student from down the hall walk in and motion for you to keep going.If you are confident in your musical skill,you are more likely to perform better with these two people present,according to the principle of

Accepted Answer

The principle of social facilitation suggests that the presence of others can enhance performance on simple or well-learned tasks when individuals are confident, and this is likely to be the case for someone who is practicing guitar alone in their dorm room. Social compliance, indirect obedience, and group conformity do not apply here, as there is no pressure to conform to others or to a group norm.

Question 18

In a study in which people played tug-of-war while blindfolded,it was found that people tended to pull harder if they thought they were competing alone and pulled less hard when they thought others were on their team.This study illustrates

Accepted Answer

This study illustrates social loafing, which refers to the tendency for individuals to exert less effort when performing a group task than when performing the same task alone. This is because individuals may feel less responsible for the success of the task when they believe others are also contributing, leading to a decrease in personal effort. The participants in the study pulled less hard when they believed they were on a team with others, indicating a reduction in effort due to the presence of others. Groupthink refers to the tendency for group members to conform to the group's decisions without critiquing them, passive compliance refers to obeying orders without question, and determinantal conformity refers to conforming to a group's norms or behavior that may be harmful. Social loafing is the best explanation for the behavior observed in this study.

Question 19

All groups have unspoken rules of conduct,which establish acceptable behavior in most situations,and are called

Accepted Answer

Norms are the unspoken rules of conduct that establish acceptable behavior in most situations within a group. Comparison levels refer to the standards or expectations individuals have for themselves and their relationships, group structures refer to the formal organization of a group, and standardization levels refer to the consistency of procedures or processes within a group.

Question 20

In a study on social loafing,people played tug-of-war while blindfolded.Compared to when they thought they were pulling in a group,people showed which of the following behaviors when they thought they were pulling alone?

Accepted Answer

In the study on social loafing, people showed that they pulled harder when they thought they were pulling alone, indicating that they were putting in more effort than when they thought they were pulling in a group.

Quiz 71: Social Psychology: Social Influence