Question 1

In investigating the impact of physical arousal on passionate love, reearchers arranged for an attractive woman to briefly interact with men who had recently

Accepted Answer

The swaying footbridge is a well-known source of physical arousal and has been used in studies to investigate the effects of arousal on attraction. Researchers have found that men who crossed a swaying footbridge were more likely to feel attracted to an attractive woman they encountered afterward. This suggests that physical arousal can increase feelings of attraction and passion. Consuming an alcoholic beverage or listening to romantic music may also have some impact on arousal or emotions, but they are not as well-established as the footbridge manipulation. Intervening in an emergency may lead to a surge of adrenaline, but it is not clear how this would specifically influence passionate love.

Question 2

We are likely to prefer as friends those who are similar to us in

Accepted Answer

We are likely to prefer friends who are similar to us in any of these areas because shared attitudes, intelligence, and age can create a sense of common ground and understanding, leading to deeper and more fulfilling friendships.

Question 3

People tend to like the letters of their own name better than other letters. This is best explained in terms of

Accepted Answer

The mere exposure effect refers to the tendency for people to develop a preference for things simply because they are familiar with them. In the case of liking the letters of one's own name better than others, this is likely because we are exposed to and see our own name more frequently than other letters or names.

Question 4

A gradual escalation of intimacy is most positively related to a gradual escalation of

Accepted Answer

A gradual escalation of intimacy typically involves a gradual increase in self-disclosure, as individuals share more personal and sensitive information with each other over time. This can help build trust, deepen relationships, and promote greater understanding between individuals. It is not related to cognitive dissonance, social facilitation, or groupthink.

Question 5

Compared with others, strikingly attractive people make a ________ favorable impression on potential employers, and they are ________ likely to perceive praise for their work as sincere.

Accepted Answer

Strikingly attractive people make a more favorable impression on potential employers because they are often perceived as confident, successful, and socially skilled. However, they are less likely to perceive praise for their work as sincere because they may believe their attractiveness plays a larger role in the positive feedback than their actual performance.

Question 6

Olivia, a 21-year-old university student, is quiet, relaxed, reflective, and politically liberal. Research suggests that she would most likely become a good friend of

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that people are more likely to be attracted to those who are similar to themselves in personality traits and values. Olivia is quiet, relaxed, and reflective, so she is more likely to become friends with someone who shares those traits, such as Philip, who is also reflective and quiet. While being politically liberal may be a factor in friendship formation, it is not the most important factor in this scenario. Therefore, option B, Thor, who is politically liberal and assertive, is not the best choice. Options A and D do not necessarily share enough common traits with Olivia to ensure a strong friendship.

Question 7

As passionate love matures into a calm and steady companionate love, the bonding of two partners is most likely to be facilitated by

Accepted Answer

Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a crucial role in social bonding, and research suggests it is involved in the development and maintenance of long-term romantic relationships. As passionate love transitions to companionate love, oxytocin can help to deepen the emotional bond between partners.

Question 8

An observer is likely to express greater liking for a same-sex stranger if that person's image has some distinctive features of the observer's own face. This best illustrates the impact of

Accepted Answer

The described phenomenon is known as the mere exposure effect, which refers to the tendency for people to develop a preference for things simply because they are familiar with them. In this case, the observer's own facial features are likely to elicit a positive response when seen in another person, even if that person is a stranger.

Question 9

Research on physical attractiveness indicates that

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that even infants as young as 3 months old prefer to look at attractive faces over unattractive ones.

Question 10

Liking those who share and validate our attitudes is best explained in terms of

Accepted Answer

Liking those who share and validate our attitudes is best explained by the reward theory, which suggests that we are more likely to like and form relationships with people who give us rewards or positive outcomes. In this case, the reward is having our attitudes validated and reinforced by others.

Question 11

While driving his girlfriend to work, Nate narrowly avoided a collision with another vehicle. Moments later, he experienced an unusually warm glow of affection for his girlfriend. His romantic reaction is best explained in terms of

Accepted Answer

The two-factor theory of emotion suggests that the experience of emotion is the result of a combination of physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation. In this scenario, Nate's near-miss experience likely caused physiological arousal, and his warm feelings of affection towards his girlfriend may be his cognitive interpretation of that arousal.

Question 12

Our first impressions of those we meet are most likely to be determined by their

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that physical appearance is the primary factor that influences our first impressions of others. People tend to make rapid and firm judgments about a person's attractiveness, likability, trustworthiness, and competence based on their physical appearance.

Question 13

People tend to prefer a(n) ________ image of themselves, while their friends prefer a ________ version of them.

Accepted Answer

People tend to have a biased perception of themselves due to self-enhancement bias, whereas their friends see them more objectively. Looking into a mirror provides a reflection of oneself, but it is still subject to this bias. Therefore, people tend to prefer a "mirror" or idealized image of themselves, while their friends see them as they actually are.

Question 14

Equity and self-disclosure are important to the development of

Accepted Answer

Equity refers to a sense of fairness and balance in a relationship, while self-disclosure involves sharing personal information with others. These two factors are important in establishing and maintaining companionate love, which is characterized by feelings of intimacy, trust, and mutual caring between individuals. Groupthink, deindividuation, and social facilitation are not directly related to equity and self-disclosure.

Question 15

Orville thinks his girlfriend derives more benefits from their relationship than he does, even though he contributes more to the relationship. Orville most clearly believes that their relationship lacks

Accepted Answer

Orville's belief that he contributes more to the relationship but his girlfriend derives more benefits indicates his perceived lack of equity in the relationship.

Question 16

The two-factor theory of emotion specifically suggests that passionate love can be facilitated by

Accepted Answer

The two-factor theory of emotion suggests that physical arousal (such as increased heart rate) can contribute to the experience of emotion, but the emotion must also be labeled or interpreted in a specific way in order to be experienced as passionate love. Therefore, physical arousal can facilitate the experience of passionate love.

Question 17

Altruism is best described as

Accepted Answer

Altruism refers to behavior that is motivated by a selfless concern for the welfare of others. It involves behaving unselfishly to enhance the well-being of others without expecting anything in return.

Question 18

The tragic murder of Kitty Genovese outside her New York apartment stimulated social-psychology research on

Accepted Answer

The murder of Kitty Genovese led to research on bystander intervention, including the concept of altruism and why people may or may not help others in distress.

Question 19

Research on physical attractiveness indicates that men are more likely than women to

Accepted Answer

Research on physical attractiveness shows that men are more likely than women to judge members of the opposite sex as more attractive if they have a youthful appearance. This is known as the "youth bias" in male attraction. Men are known to prioritize physical attributes in a potential partner, and youth is associated with fertility and reproductive potential, which may be why men are more influenced by a youthful appearance when judging attractiveness.

Question 20

When Armen first heard the hit song "Lose Yourself," he wasn't at all sure he liked it. The more often he heard it played, however, the more he enjoyed it. Armen's reaction illustrates

Accepted Answer

The mere exposure effect is the phenomenon where people tend to develop a preference for things that are familiar to them, even if they did not initially like it. In this case, Armen's initial unsure reaction to hearing "Lose Yourself" but eventually enjoying it after repeatedly hearing it is consistent with the mere exposure effect.

Quiz 13: Personality