Question 1

Nora,Ko,Ian,and May each think that Ms.Akey may be a slightly better teacher than Mr.Schwenke.After discussing why each of them believes this to be so,they all conclude that Ms.Akey is definitely a much better teacher than Mr.Schwenke.This episode provides an example of

Accepted Answer

This is an example of group polarization, where individuals in a group become more extreme in their beliefs or attitudes after discussing them with others in the group. In this case, each individual initially thought Ms.Akey was slightly better, but after discussing with each other, they all became more convinced that she was much better. This is a classic example of group polarization, where individuals become more extreme in their views after discussing them with like-minded individuals.

Question 2

Group polarization is most likely to occur in a group in which

Accepted Answer

Group polarization occurs when individuals with similar opinions gather and discuss their opinions, which results in a more extreme version of their shared opinion. Therefore, a group in which individuals share a similar opinion is most likely to experience group polarization.

Question 3

A terrorist mentality that becomes increasingly extreme among people who interact without outside moderating influences best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Group polarization refers to the tendency for group discussion to reinforce the initial attitudes of group members and lead to more extreme positions. In the case of a terrorist mentality, members of a group may amplify each other's extremist beliefs and justify their actions through shared ideology.

Question 4

Jennifer believes that the death penalty should be abolished and is discussing the issue with a group of friends who share similar views.Research on group interaction suggests that after discussion Jennifer will be

Accepted Answer

Research on group interaction and persuasion suggests that discussing an issue with like-minded individuals can strengthen one's existing beliefs and convictions. This is known as the social comparison theory. Therefore, it is likely that Jennifer will become even more convinced that the death penalty should be abolished after discussing it with her friends who share similar views.

Question 5

Professor Janis was hired to help the campus police avoid riots after football game losses.He knows these riots are caused by situations that foster deindividuation.To help counteract deindividuation,the authorities should

Accepted Answer

Increasing self-awareness can help counteract deindividuation. If individuals are more aware of themselves and their actions, they are less likely to engage in impulsive or destructive behavior. Increasing feelings of anonymity, antisocial behavior, or arousal can actually exacerbate deindividuation and increase the likelihood of riots.

Question 6

By enabling like-minded White supremacists to pool their ideas,internet social networking sites are likely to contribute to

Accepted Answer

The internet social networking sites are likely to contribute to group polarization, which refers to the phenomenon wherein a group’s initial attitudes become more extreme following group discussion. By enabling like-minded White supremacists to pool their ideas, social networking sites can act as an echo chamber for their beliefs, further reinforcing and radicalizing their viewpoints.

Question 7

During a riot,a large sporting event,or mob action,people may lose self-awareness and self-restraint.This is known as

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation refers to the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in a group situation where individuals may feel anonymous and less accountable for their actions. This can lead to impulsive and potentially destructive behavior, as seen in riots, sporting events, and other mob actions. Normative social influence refers to the pressure to conform to social norms in order to be accepted by a group. Social facilitation refers to the tendency for individuals to perform better on simple tasks when in the presence of others, while social loafing refers to the tendency for individuals to exert less effort on group tasks when they feel their individual efforts cannot be directly attributed.

Question 8

Which of the following helps to counteract deindividuation?

Accepted Answer

Heightening self-awareness can help counteract deindividuation by making individuals more conscious of their behavior and less likely to engage in impulsive or harmful actions.

Question 9

Deindividuation refers to

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation refers to the phenomenon where individuals become less aware of their own individual identity and values, and instead become subsumed within a larger group or crowd. This can lead to a loss of self-restraint or inhibition, as well as increased arousal and anonymity, which can lead individuals to behave in ways that they might not otherwise. Examples of deindividuation can include mobs or riots, online anonymity or trolling, or even just the way people behave differently in a large group compared to when they are alone.

Question 10

Groups of citizens from liberal Boulder,Colorado,and groups of citizens from conservative Colorado Springs,Colorado,were asked to discuss socially relevant issues such as affirmative action and same-sex unions.After group discussion,the groups from Boulder expressed increasingly ________ positions and the groups from Colorado Springs expressed increasingly ________ positions.

Accepted Answer

The passage states that the groups from Boulder (a liberal city) expressed increasingly liberal positions, while the groups from Colorado Springs (a conservative city) expressed increasingly conservative positions. Therefore, the best choice is D.

Question 11

Circumstances that decrease ________ are likely to increase ________.

Accepted Answer

Self-awareness refers to the extent to which an individual is aware of their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and is more likely to increase feelings of accountability and responsibility. Deindividuation, on the other hand, refers to the loss of self-awareness and accountability that can occur when individuals are part of a group. Therefore, if self-awareness decreases, individuals are more likely to experience deindividuation, which can increase behaviors that are typically associated with group processes, such as conformity, obedience, and groupthink.

Question 12

When groups of people who believe that the government is conspiring to force all citizens to give up their guns get together for discussions on the internet,their decisions tend to be more extreme than any one member would have made alone.This phenomenon is known as

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described, where group discussions lead to more extreme decisions than any one member would have made alone, is known as group polarization. Groupthink refers to a different phenomenon where group members prioritize group cohesion over critical thinking, resulting in poor decisions. Social facilitation refers to an increase in individual performance when in the presence of others. Diffusion of responsibility refers to a decrease in individual accountability when in a group.

Question 13

Jenny,Mark,Shelly,Abigail,and Nate are working on a group project for their psychology class.They will all receive the same grade for the project.While Shelly,Nate,and Abigail have been working hard on the assignment,Jenny and Mark have done very little.Which aspect of social loafing best explains Jenny and Mark's lack of work?

Accepted Answer

Social loafing refers to the tendency for people to exert less effort when working in a group compared to individually, which is often due to feeling less accountable and viewing their contributions as dispensable. In this scenario, Jenny and Mark are taking a free ride on the efforts of their group members and not doing their fair share of the work, which is the best explanation for their behavior.

Question 14

Every Halloween,Mrs.Augustin puts a bowl of candy on her porch with a sign that says,"Take one." This year the bowl was empty after just a few minutes,leading Mrs.Augustin to believe that one group of children took more than their fair share.To discourage such dishonest actions,Mrs.Augustin positioned a mirror above the candy bowl,which should work because

Accepted Answer

Seeing one's own face in a mirror increases self-awareness, which can counteract deindividuation and reduce irresponsible behavior.

Question 15

As you are reading through Yahoo! news article comments,you see than many of them are quite negative and cruel.These may be related to the fact that the commenters feel

Accepted Answer

The negative and cruel comments suggest deindividuation, where individuals feel their actions are anonymous and therefore feel less accountable for their behavior. This can lower their inhibitions and lead to more aggressive or cruel behavior online.

Question 16

After an exciting football game in which the home team loses by one point,angry fans throw bottles and begin to tear up the field.This behavior is best understood in terms of

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation is the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in a group setting, leading to a decrease in personal responsibility and an increase in deviant behavior. The angry fans throwing bottles and tearing up the field are exhibiting this behavior as part of a large group setting. Groupthink, group polarization, and social facilitation do not fully explain this type of destructive behavior.

Question 17

The enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through group discussion is called

Accepted Answer

The enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through group discussion is referred to as group polarization. This occurs when group members with similar beliefs and attitudes discuss an issue and end up adopting an even more extreme position than they originally held.

Question 18

A group of homophobic high school students,including James and Maria,discussed prejudice against gays.During the conversation,their attitudes became even more prejudiced.This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Group polarization occurs when individuals within a group discuss a topic and their opinions become more extreme or polarized in the same direction. In this scenario, the high school students' attitudes become even more prejudiced during their conversation, which is an example of group polarization. The chameleon effect refers to the nonconscious mimicry of the postures, mannerisms, facial expressions, and other behaviors of one's interaction partners, and it's not relevant in this scenario. Social facilitation occurs when the presence of others enhances performance on easier tasks but impairs performance on difficult tasks, and it's not relevant in this scenario. Deindividuation occurs when a person loses their sense of individual identity and their behavior becomes guided by the norms of the group, and it's not explicitly described in this scenario.

Question 19

When New York University women were dressed in Ku Klux Klan-style hoods,they demonstrated significantly more aggression.This finding is best explained in terms of

Accepted Answer

The behavior of the NYU women can be attributed to deindividuation, which occurs when individuals lose their sense of personal identity and become more susceptible to the influence of the group. The anonymity created by the Klan-style hoods likely contributed to the women feeling less accountable for their actions, leading to an increase in aggressive behavior.

Question 20

John is a secret White supremacist.Although he would never make a racial slur to someone's face for fear of repercussions,he has no problem making such comments on the internet.This demonstrates

Accepted Answer

John's behavior on the internet demonstrates deindividuation, which occurs when individuals feel anonymous and therefore do not feel accountable for their actions. This leads to a loss of individual identity and a decrease in self-awareness, which can result in behavior that individuals would not normally engage in if their identity was known. In this case, John is more likely to make racial slurs on the internet because he feels anonymous and therefore not accountable for his actions.

Quiz 12: Social Psychology