Deck 14: Social Psychology

Question 1

The tendency for observers to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal dispositions on another's behavior is called

A) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
B) the fundamental attribution error.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) central route persuasion.

Answer 1

the fundamental attribution error.

Question 2

Recognizing the powerful impact of social influence on others' behaviors is most likely to minimize

A) cognitive dissonance.
B) central route persuasion.
C) attitudes.
D) the fundamental attribution error.

Answer 2

the fundamental attribution error.

Question 3

Professor Hegg conducts research on cultural factors that contribute to the development of romantic love.Which specialty area does the professor's research best represent?

A) cognitive psychology
B) personality psychology
C) clinical psychology
D) social psychology

Answer 3

social psychology

Question 4

In explaining our own behavior or the behavior of those we know well,we often resort to

A) dispositional attributions.
B) role playing.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) situational attributions.

Question 5

Sixteen-year-old Gregory wrecked his parent's car on a snowy day.His parents assumed that the accident was caused by his carelessness and lack of concern for their car.Gregory's parents' assumption illustrates

A) a dispositional attribution.
B) an attitude.
C) a situational attribution.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 6

Rhonda has just learned that her neighbor Patricia was involved in an automobile accident at a nearby intersection.The tendency to make the fundamental attribution error may lead Rhonda to conclude

A) "Patricia's brakes must have failed."
B) "Patricia's recklessness has finally gotten her into trouble."
C) "Patricia's children probably distracted her."
D) "The road must have been wet and slippery."

Question 7

A dispositional attribution is to ________ as a situational attribution is to ________.

A) central route persuasion;peripheral route persuasion
B) high ability;low motivation
C) personality traits;assigned roles
D) politically liberal;politically conservative

Question 8

A tendency to overestimate the extent to which a stranger's violent behavior stems from his or her aggressive personality best illustrates

A) peripheral route persuasion.
B) cognitive dissonance.
C) the fundamental attribution error.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 9

People are especially likely to demonstrate the fundamental attribution error in cultures that value

A) individualism.
B) role playing.
C) collectivism.
D) attributions.

Question 10

Compared with how we explain our own actions,in explaining other people's behavior we are more likely to refer to

A) dispositional influences.
B) role playing.
C) situational influences.
D) cognitive dissonance.

Question 11

The text defines social psychology as the scientific study of how people ________ one another.

A) understand,feel about,and behave toward
B) think about,influence,and relate to
C) observe,understand,and communicate with
D) understand,predict,and control

Question 12

Caitlin concluded that her husband was late for dinner because he was caught in heavy traffic.Her conclusion best illustrates

A) a dispositional attribution.
B) an attitude.
C) a situational attribution.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 13

One explanation for the fundamental attribution error involves observers'

A) cognitive dissonance.
B) limited visual perspective.
C) role playing.
D) central route persuasion.

Question 14

Researchers have filmed two people interacting face-to-face with cameras located just behind each person.Showing each person a replay of their interaction filmed from the other person's perspective increased their tendency to attribute the other person's behavior to

A) dispositional influences.
B) situational influences.
C) personality traits.
D) role playing.

Question 15

To analyze how people explain others' behavior,Fritz Heider developed

A) cognitive dissonance theory.
B) role-playing theory.
C) attribution theory.
D) attitude theory.

Question 16

Students who were told that a young woman had been instructed to act in a very unfriendly way for the purposes of the experiment concluded that her behavior

A) reflected her personal disposition.
B) was determined by the situation.
C) demonstrated role playing.
D) illustrated central route persuasion.

Question 17

Reversing the perspectives of actor and observer reduces ________ among observers.

A) central route persuasion
B) cognitive dissonance
C) role playing
D) the fundamental attribution error

Question 18

The fundamental attribution error is most likely to lead observers to conclude that unemployed people

A) are victims of discrimination.
B) are irresponsible and unmotivated.
C) have parents who provided poor models of social responsibility.
D) attended schools that provided an inferior education.

Question 19

According to ________,people explain behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition.

A) attribution theory
B) cognitive dissonance theory
C) psychoanalytic theory
D) social influence theory

Question 20

You would probably be LEAST likely to commit the fundamental attribution error in explaining why

A) you failed a college test.
B) a classmate you don't know was late for class.
C) your professor gave a boring lecture.
D) the college administration decided to raise next year's tuition costs.

Question 21

Our attitudes about another person are MOST likely to influence the way we treat that person if our attitudes are

A) negative.
B) positive.
C) unconscious.
D) stable.

Question 22

Which of the following individuals is LEAST likely to cheat on his income tax returns?

A) Jake,who loves his country
B) Jonas,who admires personal honesty
C) Mikhail,who positively values paying his full income tax
D) Fabio,who cares little about personal wealth

Question 23

First agreeing to a small request tends to make it more likely that you will later agree to a larger request.This is known as

A) cognitive dissonance.
B) the fundamental attribution error.
C) central route persuasion.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 24

A life insurance salesperson who takes advantage of the foot-in-the-door phenomenon would be most likely to

A) emphasize that his company is one of the largest in the insurance industry.
B) promise a free gift to those who agree to purchase an insurance policy.
C) ask customers to respond to a brief survey of their attitudes regarding life insurance.
D) address customers by their first names.

Question 25

Opinion change resulting from incidental cues such as a speaker's attractiveness illustrates

A) central route persuasion.
B) peripheral route persuasion.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 26

Sixteen-year-old Jessica is pressured by her friends into drinking alcohol.Later she also gives in to them and tries heroin.Her experience best illustrates

A) cognitive dissonance.
B) attribution theory.
C) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
D) central route persuasion.

Question 27

A television commercial for a fast-food restaurant shows three women in bikinis eating the restaurant's triple decker hamburger.This commercial best illustrates

A) central route persuasion.
B) peripheral route persuasion.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 28

Magazine computer ads seldom feature endorsements from Hollywood stars or great athletes.Instead,they offer detailed information for consumers to develop more positive opinions about the company's products.This advertising strategy best illustrates

A) peripheral route persuasion.
B) central route persuasion.
C) attributions.
D) cognitive dissonance.

Question 29

Feelings,often influenced by our beliefs,that predispose us to respond in particular ways to objects,people,and events are called

A) roles.
B) dissonance.
C) attitudes.
D) attributions.

Question 30

Poverty and unemployment are likely to be explained in terms of ________ by political liberals and in terms of ________ by political conservatives.

A) personal dispositions;situational constraints
B) role playing;personal dispositions
C) situational constraints;personal dispositions
D) situational influences;role playing

Question 31

An adult's attitude toward church attendance is most likely to predict his or her likelihood of attending church if

A) the attitude is implicit rather than explicit.
B) the attitude first developed during adulthood.
C) the attitude is moderately positive rather than extremely positive.
D) the attitude is stable and enduring.

Question 32

Cynthia thinks that her new neighbor is mean and snobbish.This ________ will likely influence Cynthia to act negatively toward her neighbor.

A) attitude
B) foot-in-the-door phenomenon
C) situational attribution
D) role playing

Question 33

College professors are typically expected to teach courses,engage in scholarly activity,and serve on a variety of college committees.These professional duties are best described as requirements associated with a specific

A) attribution.
B) attitude.
C) role.
D) disposition.

Question 34

In the years immediately following the introduction of school desegregation in the United States and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,White Americans expressed diminishing racial prejudice.According to the text author,this best illustrated the impact of

A) role playing.
B) actions on attitudes.
C) the fundamental attribution error.
D) attributions.

Question 35

Studies of role playing most directly highlight the effects of

A) group size on persuasion.
B) actions on cognitive dissonance.
C) an audience on central route persuasion.
D) actions on attitudes.

Question 36

To "brainwash" captured American soldiers during the Korean war,Chinese communists made effective use of

A) attribution theory.
B) role playing.
C) central route persuasion.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 37

Our attitudes are more likely to guide our actions when we

A) experience the fundamental attribution error.
B) feel incompetent or insecure.
C) can easily recall our attitudes.
D) are exposed to cognitive dissonance.

Question 38

The tendency for initial compliance with a small request to facilitate subsequent compliance with a larger request is known as

A) peripheral route persuasion.
B) the fundamental attribution error.
C) role playing.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 39

The participants in Philip Zimbardo's simulated prison study

A) were assigned the roles of prisoner or guard on the basis of their personality test scores.
B) found it very difficult to play the role of prison guard.
C) were so endangered by their role-playing experience that the study was discontinued.
D) became a cohesive unit when they pursued superordinate goals.

Question 40

Central route persuasion is most likely when people

A) are naturally analytical.
B) are uninvolved in an issue.
C) make snap judgments.
D) have difficulty paying attention.

Question 41

Cathy's friends see her as an emotional "downer." When she arrives at a party where everyone is laughing,the laughing and fun end.This change in her friends' behavior illustrates

A) groupthink.
B) information social influence.
C) mood linkage.
D) deindividuation.

Question 42

The chameleon effect involves

A) informational social influence.
B) automatic mimicry.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) personal control.

Question 43

Feeling responsible for behavior that violates our conscience is most likely to contribute to

A) central route persuasion.
B) cognitive dissonance.
C) the fundamental attribution error.
D) attributions.

Question 44

During a test,Abe impulsively copied several answers from a nearby student's paper.He felt very uncomfortable about having done this until he convinced himself that copying answers is not wrong if classmates are careless enough to expose their test sheets.Which theory best explains why Abe adopted this new attitude?

A) role-playing theory
B) attribution theory
C) persuasion theory
D) cognitive dissonance theory

Question 45

Conformity resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval is said to be a response to

A) group polarization.
B) social facilitation.
C) normative social influence.
D) informational social influence.

Question 46

If one student in a classroom begins to cough,others are likely to do the same.This best illustrates

A) mood linkage.
B) mood contagion.
C) informational social influence.
D) the chameleon effect.

Question 47

Naseeb disagrees with his classmates on an issue.During a class discussion,Naseeb is MOST likely to conform to his classmates' opinion on the issue if he

A) has a high level of self-esteem.
B) does not have to reveal his personal opinion at the close of the class discussion.
C) believes the rest of the class is unanimous in their position.
D) verbally expresses his own unique opinion early in the class discussion.

Question 48

We are likely to conform to group pressure when

A) we have observed another group member voice dissent.
B) we admire the group's status and attractiveness.
C) our opinions and behaviors are private rather than public.
D) our culture encourages a lack of respect for social norms.

Question 49

Carissa just broke up with her boyfriend,but she agrees to join her friends at the local pizza parlor.When she arrives,everyone is laughing and having a good time,so she finds herself laughing and enjoying everyone's company.Carissa's reaction to her friends illustrates

A) mood linkage.
B) informative social influence.
C) social facilitation.
D) social loafing.

Question 50

Solomon Asch asked people to identify which of three comparison lines was identical to a standard line.His research was designed to study

A) deindividuation.
B) social loafing.
C) social facilitation.
D) conformity.

Question 51

Cognitive dissonance theory emphasizes that we seek to reduce the discomfort we feel when we become aware that

A) our attitudes and actions clash.
B) our efforts to achieve a goal have been blocked.
C) we have overestimated the impact of personal dispositions on behavior.
D) others' pursuit of their self-interest can harm our well-being.

Question 52

Cognitive dissonance theory is most helpful for understanding

A) central route persuasion.
B) the fundamental attribution error.
C) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
D) peripheral route persuasion.

Question 53

In atrocious situations such as Zimbardo's simulated prison,some people succumb to the situation and others do not.This best illustrates

A) central route persuasion.
B) peripheral route persuasion.
C) attribution theory.
D) the interactive influence of persons and situations.

Question 54

Mood linkage refers to

A) sharing the moods of those around us.
B) attributing others' moods to personal control.
C) changing our mood to gain social approval.
D) associating low levels of physical arousal with positive moods.

Question 55

Cognitive dissonance refers to the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are

A) implicit.
B) conciliatory.
C) inconsistent.
D) reciprocated.

Question 56

Conformity is best described as

A) performing simple tasks more quickly in the presence of others.
B) adjusting one's behavior or thinking toward a group standard.
C) neglecting critical thinking in order to preserve group harmony.
D) losing self-awareness in group situations that foster anonymity.

Question 57

When no weapons of mass destruction were found following the U.S.invasion of Iraq,some Americans revised their memories of the main rationale for going to war.The text author suggests that we can best explain why people changed their memories in terms of

A) the fundamental attribution error.
B) role-playing theory.
C) central route persuasion.
D) cognitive dissonance theory.

Question 58

Just hearing someone reading a neutral text in a sad voice creates "mood contagion" in listeners.This best illustrates

A) conformity.
B) informational social influence.
C) the chameleon effect.
D) deindividuation.

Question 59

The text indicates that the clusters of suicides that sometimes follow a highly publicized suicide may be the result of

A) suggestibility.
B) social control.
C) deindividuation.
D) social facilitation.

Question 60

Jason has the ability to mimic the facial gestures of his friends and mirror their moods and emotional states.For this reason,his friends look to him for emotional support.Jason's behavior illustrates

A) empathy.
B) subjectivity.
C) authenticity.
D) prejudice.

Question 61

In Milgram's obedience experiments,"teachers" were LEAST likely to deliver the highest levels of shock when

A) the experiment was conducted at a prestigious institution such as Yale University.
B) the experimenter became too pushy and told hesitant participants,"You have no choice,you must go on."
C) the "teachers" observed other participants refuse to obey the experimenter's orders.
D) the "learner" said he had a heart condition.

Question 62

Professor Maslova attends faculty meetings simply to gain the approval of the college dean.His behavior exemplifies the importance of

A) personal control.
B) informational social influence.
C) normative social influence.
D) deindividuation.

Question 63

Mark obeyed the commands of his military unit officer to engage in destructive behavior that was sharply inconsistent with Mark's ethical values.The discomfort associated with Mark's awareness of the inconsistency between his values and his actions best illustrates

A) social facilitation.
B) cognitive dissonance.
C) social loafing.
D) deindividuation.

Question 64

The understood rules for accepted and expected behavior are called

A) automatic mimicry.
B) social norms.
C) personal control.
D) mood linkage.

Question 65

The practice of covering your mouth when you cough best illustrates the impact of

A) cognitive dissonance.
B) deindividuation.
C) social facilitation.
D) social norms.

Question 66

Conformity resulting from the acceptance of others' opinions about reality is said to be a response to

A) group polarization.
B) social facilitation.
C) informational social influence.
D) normative social influence.

Question 67

Norman Triplett observed that adolescents wound a fishing reel faster in the presence of someone working simultaneously on the same task.This best illustrates

A) conformity.
B) automatic mimicry.
C) social facilitation.
D) group polarization.

Question 68

After a light turns green,drivers take about 15 percent less time to travel the first 100 yards when another car is beside them at the intersection than when they are alone.This best illustrates

A) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
B) group think.
C) group polarization.
D) social facilitation.

Question 69

In Milgram's experiments,participants were torn between whether they should respond to the pleas of the ______ or the demands of the ______.

A) obedient role model;"teacher"
B) "teacher";"learner"
C) "teacher";defiant role model
D) "learner";experimenter

Question 70

Yuri decided to delay his road trip after hearing a weather forecaster warn that a severe snowstorm would pass through the area within several hours.Yuri's decision best illustrates the impact of

A) groupthink.
B) informational social influence.
C) social facilitation.
D) normative social influence.

Question 71

Conformity to peer pressure may lead us to behave in ways that violate our own personal convictions.This best illustrates the impact of

A) mood linkage.
B) social facilitation.
C) personal control.
D) social control.

Question 72

In all of Milgram's obedience experiments,participants were deceived about

A) the association of the research with a prestigious university.
B) Milgram's professional status as a research psychologist.
C) how much they would actually be paid for participating in the research.
D) the amount of shock the victim actually received.

Question 73

British soldiers who lined up at parade rest on the last voyage of the steamship Birkenhead best illustrated that obedience

A) leads people to capitulate to cruelty.
B) requires a loss of impulse control.
C) reduces cognitive dissonance.
D) can be an act of heroism.

Question 74

The value of social conformity is most likely to be emphasized in

A) England.
B) France.
C) Japan.
D) North America.

Question 75

In Milgram's first study of obedience,the majority of "teachers" who were ordered to shock a "learner"

A) refused to deliver even slight levels of shock.
B) initially complied but refused to deliver more than slight levels of shock.
C) complied until ordered to deliver intense levels of shock.
D) complied fully and delivered the highest level of shock.

Question 76

The gradually escalating levels of destructive obedience in the Milgram experiments best illustrate one of the potential dangers of

A) deindividuation.
B) social facilitation.
C) groupthink.
D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

Question 77

Emma wants to ask Robert out,but decides wait for him to ask her out.Emma's behavior illustrates the importance of

A) groupthink.
B) mood linkage.
C) social norms.
D) social facilitation.

Question 78

The improved performance of well-learned tasks in the presence of others is called

A) groupthink.
B) group polarization.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) social facilitation.

Question 79

When the participants in Milgram's study were later surveyed about taking part in the research,most reported that they

A) did not believe they were actually delivering shock to the "learner."
B) had actually enjoyed shocking the "learner."
C) did not regret taking part in the experiment.
D) did not believe the study should be repeated.

Question 80

Toby publicly agrees with his fraternity brothers that Ahmed,a senior,would make the best student senate president.On the secret ballot,however,he actually votes for Yoram.Toby's public conformity to his fraternity brothers' opinion best illustrates the power of

A) social facilitation.
B) informational social influence.
C) normative social influence.
D) the chameleon effect.