Question 1

Person perception is an active, interactive, and subjective process that always occurs in some interpersonal context. Which of the following is NOT one of the key components that influence that process?

Accepted Answer

The rule of reciprocity is not one of the key components that influence the person perception process. Rather, it is a social norm that tends to govern our interactions with others, particularly in situations involving the exchange of goods or services. The other components listed - characteristics of the individual, self-perception and goals, and specific situation - are all key factors that can shape and influence person perception in various ways.

Question 2

The bus is fairly crowded when you get on. You make a rapid evaluation and quickly decide to sit next to a well-dressed senior citizen because you think that it will be safer to sit next to him than some of the other people on the bus. This example illustrates:

Accepted Answer

This scenario involves the process of person perception, which is the process by which we use social cues to form impressions of others. In this case, the decision to sit next to the well-dressed senior citizen is based on a quick evaluation of his appearance and perceived safety. This is an example of how person perception influences our behavior and decision-making in social situations.

Question 3

The perspective in psychology that is based on the premise that certain psychological processes and behavioral patterns evolved over hundreds of thousands of years because of their adaptive and survival value is called _____ psychology.

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychology is the perspective in psychology that is based on the premise that certain psychological processes and behavioral patterns evolved over hundreds of thousands of years because of their adaptive and survival value. Behavioral psychology focuses on observable behaviors, social psychology focuses on how people interact with others, and cognitive psychology focuses on mental processes such as memory and perception.

Question 4

In the process of person perception, we initially form a very rapid first impression based largely on looking at other people's faces. According to the textbook, if you glanced at a stranger's face for only one tenth of a second:

Accepted Answer

According to the textbook, research has shown that people can evaluate other individuals' attractiveness, likeability, competence, trustworthiness, and aggressiveness in as little as one tenth of a second of exposure to their face. Therefore, C is the correct choice.

Question 5

An important social psychology concept is your sense of _____, which is an individual's unique sense of identity that has been influenced by social, cultural, and psychological experiences.

Accepted Answer

The concept described in the question is that of "self". This refers to an individual's understanding of themselves, including beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that contribute to their overall identity. Self is shaped by various social, cultural, and psychological experiences that a person undergoes over time. Therefore, self is an important concept in social psychology.

Question 6

_____ is defined as the mental process of classifying people into groups on the basis of common characteristics.

Accepted Answer

Social categorization is the mental process of grouping individuals based on shared features such as race, gender, ethnicity, occupation, interests, etc. This process is automatic and occurs without conscious awareness, and it can often lead to stereotypes and prejudice towards specific groups. Implicit cognition refers to unconscious mental processes that influence our behavior, while explicit cognition refers to conscious deliberation and awareness. The bystander effect is a phenomenon where individuals are less likely to intervene in an emergency situation when other people are around.

Question 7

When Raphael was in the elevator he couldn't help but notice a man and a woman in conversation. He decided that the woman in the suit was probably a college administrator and the gray-haired man in the glasses was probably a professor. Raphael was engaged in a process called:

Accepted Answer

Raphael is engaging in social categorization, which is the process of grouping people based on characteristics such as gender, age, and dress. He is making assumptions about the profession of the people based on their appearance. Attribution refers to the process of explaining the behavior of others by identifying their personal traits, hindsight bias is the tendency to believe that events were predictable after they have occurred, and the bystander effect is the phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help someone in need when others are present.

Question 8

The branch of psychology that studies how a person's thoughts, feelings, and behavior are influenced by the presence of other people and by the social and physical environment is called _____ psychology.

Accepted Answer

Social psychology focuses on the influence of social situations and social interactions on individuals, including how people perceive and interpret social information, how they are influenced by others, and how they behave in groups. Cognitive psychology is more concerned with mental processes such as perception, memory, language, and thinking. Behavioral psychology looks at how learned behaviors are shaped by environmental factors such as rewards and punishment. Evolutionary psychology examines how psychological processes and behavior have evolved over time to meet the challenges of survival and reproduction.

Question 9

According to your textbook, _____ examines the effect of situational factors and other people on an individual's behavior.

Accepted Answer

Social influence is the concept that examines how external factors, such as situational factors and the presence of other people, can affect an individual's behavior. Social categorization is the process of classifying people into groups based on shared characteristics, social cognition refers to the mental processes involved in social interaction and understanding, and explicit cognition refers to conscious and deliberate thinking processes.

Question 10

The study of the mental processes people use to make sense of their social environment is called:

Accepted Answer

The study of the mental processes people use to make sense of their social environment is known as social cognition. This includes how people perceive, remember, and interpret information about themselves and others in social situations. The other options, prosocial behavior, social influence, and social categorization, are all related to social psychology, but do not specifically refer to the study of mental processes for understanding the social environment.

Question 11

Person perception is an active and subjective process that always occurs in some interpersonal context. Which of the following is NOT involved in every interpersonal context?

Accepted Answer

Intimate knowledge of the individual's family history is not necessarily involved in every interpersonal context. It may be relevant in certain situations, such as if you are conducting a family therapy session, but it is not a universal factor in person perception. The other options - characteristics of the individual, your own self-perception and goals, and the specific situation - are all integral components of the person perception process.

Question 12

The rules, or expectations, for appropriate behavior in a particular social situation are called:

Accepted Answer

Social norms are the commonly agreed-upon rules and expectations for appropriate behavior in a given social situation. They can vary based on cultural, regional, or societal factors, and they help individuals navigate interactions with others in a way that is socially acceptable.

Question 13

A term that refers to the mental processes we use to form judgments and draw conclusions about the characteristics and motives of others is:

Accepted Answer

Person perception is specifically related to the mental processes involved in forming judgments and conclusions about others, including their characteristics and motives. Social norms refer to the accepted behaviors and expectations within a particular social group, while social influence refers to the ways in which other people can impact our thoughts and actions. Cognitive schemas are broader frameworks or mental structures that we use to organize and interpret information in various domains.

Question 14

Pamela observes that people don't sit next to strangers on the subway when there are empty seats available. She notices this also happens on the bus, in the movie theater, and in the cafeteria. Pamela's observations suggest that people's behavior in these situations is governed by:

Accepted Answer

The behavior Pamela observes suggests that people are following a social norm, which is an unwritten rule about how people should behave in certain situations. In this case, the norm is to avoid sitting next to strangers when there are other open seats available. This behavior is likely influenced by the desire for personal space and a sense of comfort with familiar faces.

Question 15

In some contexts, we form very rapid _____ largely by looking at other people's faces, regardless of their actual personalities.

Accepted Answer

Rapid impressions formed by looking at other people's faces refer to first impressions. Social norms refer to culturally accepted rules and expectations, interpersonal goals refer to desired outcomes in social interactions, and explicit cognitions refer to conscious thoughts and beliefs. Therefore, C is the best choice.

Question 16

Person perception follows some basic principles. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

Accepted Answer

This statement is actually false. Your reactions to others are largely determined by your perceptions of them, rather than who they really are. This principle is known as the fundamental attribution error, which refers to the tendency to overemphasize dispositional (i.e. internal) explanations for behavior, rather than situational (i.e. external) explanations.

Question 17

Strayer investigates the mental processes we use to make sense of our physical environment and form judgments about the characteristics and motives of other people. Dr. Strayer is most likely a(n) _____ psychologist.

Accepted Answer

Social psychology focuses on how we perceive and interact with others, including forming judgments about their characteristics and motives.

Question 18

Krane studies questions such as why we conform to group norms, what compels us to obey authority figures, and the conditions under which people will help a stranger. Dr. Krane's research focuses on an area of social psychology called:

Accepted Answer

Dr. Krane's research focuses on social influence, which encompasses the study of why people conform to group norms, obey authority figures, and help strangers. Social cognition and social perception are related areas of study that focus on how people process and interpret social information. Ethnocentrism is a belief in the superiority of one's own cultural group over others and is not directly related to Dr. Krane's research.

Question 19

After Michael studied the chapter on social psychology, he decided to try an experiment. He wanted to see how people on a half-empty bus would react if he politely asked someone to move so he could have a particular seat. But when Michael boarded the bus, he found he was just too embarrassed to carry out his experiment. Michael's behavior appears to be governed by:

Accepted Answer

Michael's behavior is likely governed by social norms, or the unwritten rules of behavior in a given social context. He may have felt that it would be socially awkward or inappropriate to request the seat, despite his curiosity about how others would respond.

Question 20

While working on a term paper Marcie read some interesting research on the mental processes we use to form judgments and draw conclusions about the characteristics and motives of others. Marcie was reading research about:

Accepted Answer

The research Marcie was reading about concerns the mental processes involved in forming judgments and conclusions about others, which falls under the domain of person perception.

Quiz 11: Section 2: Social Psychology