Deck 12: Social Psychology

Question 1

What process describes the use of social influence to cause other people to change their attitudes and behavior?

A) enticement
B) persuasion
C) conversion
D) affectance

Answer 1

persuasion

Question 2

The realistic conflict theory focuses on conflict __________.

A) within an in-group
B) between two groups
C) within an out-group
D) between two members of an in-group

Answer 2

between two groups

Question 3

The __________ effect refers to the finding that people are less likely to aid a person in trouble if there are other people around who are also potential helpers.

A) bystander
B) sole-witness
C) subtle aggressive
D) antisocial behavior

Answer 3

bystander

Question 4

Some have suggested that the results of Stanley Milgram's obedience study may have been due to the __________ effect.

A) reciprocity
B) indebtedness
C) foot-in-the-door
D) returning-a-favor

Question 5

Behavior directed at helping others with no expectation of personal gain is called __________.

A) primacy
B) conformity
C) altruism
D) manipulation

Question 6

Which term refers to a set of characteristics believed to be shared by all members of a particular group?

A) stereotype
B) expectation
C) classification
D) categorization

Question 7

Which of the following would result in cognitive dissonance?

A) Wearing glasses is dignified; a respected political leader wears glasses.
B) Dresses are feminine; Reese Witherspoon wears dresses.
C) Pink shirts are considered feminine; Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wears pink shirts.
D) Orange juice is healthy; I love orange juice.

Question 8

The classic Robber's Cave study showed that prejudice can be reduced by which of the following?

A) mere exposure
B) relearning social norms
C) cooperating to meet a mutually beneficial goal
D) rethinking one's stereotypes

Question 9

Discrimination differs from prejudice in that discrimination is __________.

A) unjustified
B) a behavior
C) an attitude
D) negative

Question 10

Many people hang up on telemarketers, but others will listen politely to their pitches even if they are not interested in the product. Telemarketers know that anyone who agrees to listen to a pitch is more likely to buy the product, thanks to the __________ phenomenon.

A) risky shift
B) polarization
C) foot-in-the-door
D) door-in-the-face

Question 11

Your best friend has been acting rather cool toward you lately. As you try to figure out why, you are engaging in the process called __________.

A) attribution
B) causal analysis
C) ascribing values
D) nonverbal communication

Question 12

Social psychology differs from psychology in its focus on __________.

A) people's susceptibility to clever advertising
B) our social world influences
C) abnormal behavior
D) conformity

Question 13

What do we call judgments about people, situations, objects, or ideas?

A) cognitions
B) stereotypes
C) attitudes
D) attributions

Question 14

It is 1951, and you are required to participate in a perception experiment. You join seven others seated in a room. You are shown a 12-inch test line and must choose the line that matches it in length from a choice of three lines. The experimenter, Solomon Asch, is studying __________.

A) bystander apathy
B) social loafing
C) groupthink
D) conformity

Question 15

When members of a group give priority to the cohesiveness of the group over the facts of a situation, they are engaging in what social psychologists call __________.

A) groupthink
B) mass thought
C) consumerism
D) solidarity think

Question 16

What hormone seems to be associated with aggression?

A) testosterone
B) estrogen
C) MDH
D) peptone

Question 17

According to research by Latané and Darley, which person would someone be the most likely to help?

A) a person on the side of the road with a flat tire during rush hour
B) a person asking for help in a crowded stadium parking lot
C) a person falling down coming out of an elevator with only one other person in it
D) a student falling off a ladder outside a full classroom

Question 18

Attributions are __________.

A) explanations that account for one's own behavior and/or the behavior of others
B) innate personality traits
C) genetic predispositions to behave a certain way
D) physical qualities people have such as attractiveness

Question 19

Drew is standing in line at Walmart waiting to pay for his purchases. A man cuts in front of the line and drops his items on the counter. Drew says to his friend, "That man is incredibly rude." A social psychologist who is within earshot jots down a note so she can use the example in class. What does she write concerning Drew?

A) He made a situational attribution.
B) He made a dispositional attribution.
C) His remark is based on a stereotype.
D) His remark is considered a collectivistic remark.

Question 20

What term do psychologists use to describe our liking of other people?

A) love
B) appeal
C) interpersonal attraction
D) cognitive dissonance

Question 21

Asch's studies showed that overall conformity to group pressure occurred just over __________ of the time.

A) one fifth
B) one third
C) one half
D) three fourths

Question 22

Social psychology differs from psychology in its focus on __________.

A) people's susceptibility to clever advertising
B) the influences of the social world in which we exist
C) abnormal behavior
D) conformity

Question 23

"Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Superman!" If you looked up, would you be conforming?

A) Yes. You would be looking up because you were told to do so.
B) No. Conformity requires that you base your behavior on what other people are doing, not being told to do so.
C) Yes. Conformity means doing what you are told or else.
D) No. Looking up only means you are curious.

Question 24

Close, friendly groups usually work well together, but they may face a problem involving an extreme form of conformity called __________.

A) fundamental attribution error
B) groupthink
C) generational identity
D) self-serving bias

Question 25

Social psychology is the scientific study of how a person's behavior, thoughts, and feelings are influenced by __________.

A) cognition
B) mental processes
C) social groups
D) psychology

Question 26

Which factor significantly DECREASED the likelihood of conformity in Solomon Asch's studies?

A) The task difficulty was increased.
B) The confederates were all adults.
C) One confederate gave a correct response.
D) The participants were given two chances at responding.

Question 27

It is 1951, and you are required to participate in a perception experiment. You join seven others seated in a room. You are shown a 10-inch test line and must choose the line that matches it in length from a choice of three lines. The experimenter, Solomon Asch, is studying __________.

A) bystander apathy
B) social loafing
C) groupthink
D) conformity

Question 28

When members of a group give priority to the cohesiveness of the group over the facts of a situation, they are engaging in what social psychologists call __________.

A) groupthink
B) mass thought
C) consumerism
D) solidarity think

Question 29

A group of four friend-two men and two women-are out for an evening on the town. "I'd like to go to the bookstore and get coffee," one of the women says. "Nah, let's go over to that club and have drinks while we listen to the band," one of the men replies. What does Solomon Asch's research suggest will be the likely outcome?

A) The group will probably go to the club, as Asch found that women tend to conform more than men when a public response is required.
B) The group will end up going in two separate ways-the women to the bookstore and the men to the club-as Asch found that women prefer quieter environments and men prefer louder environments.
C) The group will probably go to the bookstore, as Asch found that men are more willing to comply with the demands of women than the demands of other men.
D) The group will probably do both tasks, as Asch found that in a group with both men and women, compromise tends to be the likely outcome.

Question 30

In Solomon Asch's study, which factor INCREASED the rate of conformity?

A) The task difficulty was increased.
B) The confederates were all adults.
C) The number of confederates increased.
D) The participants were given two chances at responding.

Question 31

The process through which we are affected by the real or implied presence of others around us is called social __________.

A) dissonance
B) affectivity
C) cognition
D) influence

Question 32

Recent research using the Asch paradigm has found less conformity in the United States than the original study found in the 1950s. The reason for this decrease in conformity may be that __________.

A) the nature of people in the 1950s seemed to be more conforming
B) people today are more obedient
C) people in the 1950s had less money
D) people today watch more television

Question 33

Which aspect of culture tends to DECREASE rates of conformity?

A) sex-role stereotypes
B) low socioeconomic status
C) lower levels of collectivism
D) high levels of societal dependence

Question 34

The prime minister notices that her closest advisors never seem to disagree with her or with each other on a lot of important issues, such as arms control. She worries that she is not getting the pros and cons of different issues because her advisors are engaging in __________.

A) latent obedience
B) intrinsic reinforcement
C) latent learning
D) groupthink

Question 35

After a group of gang members learned that their friend had died in a seemingly random accident, several of the friends started blaming a rival gang for the death. Even though there was no evidence whatsoever that the death had been intentional, the more the gang members talked, the more passionate they became in their belief that an act of revenge was necessary. What concept from social psychology may contribute to an act of violent revenge in this case?

A) social influence
B) prosocial behavior
C) altruism
D) groupthink

Question 36

What was the main task of the Solomon Asch studies?

A) selecting paint colors
B) judging line sizes
C) rating new fashions
D) taste-testing new candies

Question 37

Asch found that the likelihood of conformity increased with group size until __________ confederates were present.

A) three
B) four
C) five
D) six

Question 38

Research has found support for Asch's findings in countries including Hong Kong, Japan, and Zimbabwe. In fact, in these locations the conformity effect was even higher than Asch reported. What might explain this increase in conformity?

A) These three countries are all located in warmer climates, which Asch found leads to greater conformity.
B) These three countries have generally collectivistic cultures.
C) These three countries have generally individualistic cultures.
D) These three countries did not have access to Asch's work, so their findings were not influenced by the original study.

Question 39

Brandon has always believed that children deserve the best prenatal care available. During a class discussion, he hears the first of several speakers express very negative attitudes toward spending tax money on prenatal care for the poor. When it is his turn to speak, he voices an opinion more in keeping with the previous speakers. Brandon's behavior is an example of __________.

A) compliance
B) persuasion
C) conformity
D) obedience

Question 40

Experiments showing the effects of group pressure on conformity were conducted by __________.

A) Asch
B) Milgram
C) Luchens
D) Singer

Question 41

In both social facilitation and social impairment, the key factor is __________.

A) time
B) the number of people
C) arousal
D) task difficulty

Question 42

An individual who exerts less effort when working on a group task if individual contributions will not be evaluated is engaging in what is called __________.

A) social loafing
B) social idleness
C) social facilitation
D) the goof-off phenomenon

Question 43

In what way is compliance different from conformity?

A) Compliance is a response to a direct request, whereas conformity is a response to indirect social pressure.
B) Conformity and compliance are very similar; the distinction depends on whether one is a male or female.
C) Conformity involves direct group pressure for change, whereas compliance involves orders or commands.
D) Compliance involves eliciting reaction on the part of group members, whereas conformity involves subliminal persuasion.

Question 44

During the NBA Finals, LeBron James misses a foul shot that would have given his team the lead with 10 seconds left in the game. Even though LeBron usually makes those shots during practice, he missed it at a crucial time. Which of the following concepts might help to explain why this happened?

A) social loafing
B) diffusion of responsibility
C) social facilitation
D) social impairment

Question 45

Declan really doesn't feel like lifting weights today, but he doesn't want the people around him to think he is a slacker. If he decides to continue working out, what concept might explain his actions?

A) social loafing
B) social idleness
C) social facilitation
D) social productivity

Question 46

On the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open golf tournament, Phil Mickelson misses a 1-foot putt that would have won the championship. During an interview afterward, he states, "I've made that putt a thousand times on the practice green. I can't believe that I missed it!" Based on your knowledge of social psychology, which phenomenon may have contributed to the errant putt?

A) social impairment
B) social loafing
C) social facilitation
D) diffusion of ability

Question 47

People who exert less effort on a task when working in a group than they do when working individually are engaging in __________.

A) groupthink
B) social loafing
C) social conformity
D) malingering

Question 48

__________ is a change of behavior in response to an explicit request.

A) Conformity
B) Obedience
C) Compliance
D) Deindividuation

Question 49

How can Coach Taylor get his football team to perform better if he suspects the players are exhibiting social loafing?

A) introduce new challenges
B) get the captain to apply pressure
C) grade their individual performances
D) ignore the behavior

Question 50

An example of __________ is the decision by NASA to launch the space shuttle Challenger despite the knowledge by a few that a part on the shuttle was known to be unacceptable.

A) group polarization
B) groupthink
C) social loafing
D) social facilitation

Question 51

Lee wants to reduce groupthink among her team members. Which of the following should she avoid?

A) making sure that group leaders remain impartial
B) finding holes in all arguments that go against the group's desires
C) seeking opinions of people outside of the group
D) voting for a choice by secret ballot rather than with a show of hands

Question 52

After agreeing to Noel's request to share her lecture notes from history class, Aria now agrees to Noel's request to share her notes from three other classes. This example illustrates the __________ technique.

A) lowball
B) foot-in-the-mouth
C) door-in-the-face
D) foot-in-the-door

Question 53

Social __________ refers to an improvement in performance caused by the perception that others are watching.

A) loafing
B) idleness
C) facilitation
D) productivity

Question 54

Many people hang up on telemarketers, but others will listen politely to their pitches even if they are not interested in the product. Telemarketers know that anyone who agrees to listen to a pitch is more likely to buy the product, thanks to the __________ phenomenon.

A) risky shift
B) polarization
C) foot-in-the-door
D) door-in-the-face

Question 55

Once called the "risky shift" phenomenon, __________ refers to the tendency for people involved in a group discussion to take somewhat more extreme positions and suggest riskier actions when compared to individuals who have NOT participated in a group discussion.

A) social loafing
B) social idleness
C) group polarization
D) cognitive dissonance

Question 56

Erik likes to spend time in a Facebook group devoted to a specific hobby. He looks for ways to irritate other members, posting inflammatory comments and "trolling" the group. He does so because he knows that nobody will ever really identify him, since he uses a fake name online. The fact that he can reduce a sense of personal responsibility by hiding his identity is what social psychologists call __________.

A) deindividuation
B) anonymity
C) social impairment
D) social facilitation

Question 57

A teacher decides against assigning group projects in which all group members get the same grade. What social psychological phenomenon might the teacher be concerned about?

A) conformity
B) social loafing
C) social influence
D) social facilitation

Question 58

Joel has practiced his difficult violin solo over and over before his performance. He has played it perfectly in his practice room. However, when he performs in public, he makes mistakes due to his anxiety. Joel is a victim of __________.

A) performance-in-public syndrome
B) social impairment
C) social facilitation
D) social loafing

Question 59

Kyle accepts a request to play the organ at his church's Sunday services, even though he is still learning how to play. He plays a well-learned, simple piece. Happily, he performs very well in front of his congregation. Kyle's behavior illustrates __________.

A) social facilitation
B) social compensation
C) social loafing
D) the bystander effect

Question 60

Behavior that is initiated or changed in response to a request, as opposed to a command or direct order, is an example of __________.

A) obedience
B) compliance
C) conformity
D) persuasion

Question 61

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding obedience and/or conformity?

A) In obedience, there is a difference in status between the one who obeys and the one who makes the request.
B) Conformity requires strict adherence to the rules, whereas obedience does not.
C) Obedience is an indirect request, whereas conformity is a direct request.
D) In conformity, there is a perceived difference in status between the one who conforms and the group.

Question 62

"Mommy, mommy, mommy," your young son asks frantically. "Can we please buy a new PlayStation®4 console with all of the games and the wireless controllers so that we don't have to sit near the television?" "No," you reply, "we can't afford to buy all of that!" Seemingly unperturbed by your rejection, your son comes back with "Then can we just buy one new game for our PlayStation®3?" "Okay, I guess so," you answer, not realizing that your precocious son has taken a social psychology class and has just used the __________ technique to get what he wants.

A) door-in-the-face
B) foot-in-the-door
C) that's-not-all
D) lowball

Question 63

Which of the strategies for gaining compliance discussed by your text is LEAST likely to influence an individual from a collectivistic culture, such as Japan?

A) that's-not-all technique
B) lowball technique
C) norm of reciprocity
D) foot-in-the-door technique

Question 64

The tendency of people to comply with a second, lesser request after refusing a larger one is called the __________ effect.

A) lowball
B) door-in-the-face
C) foot-in-the-door
D) bait-and-switch

Question 65

Car salespersons are notorious for using the __________ technique, which involves changing terms after an agreement has been made.

A) foot-in-the-door
B) foot-in-the-mouth
C) door-in-the-face
D) lowball

Question 66

The tendency of people to comply with a second, larger request after complying with a small request is called the __________ effect.

A) lowball
B) door-in-the-face
C) foot-in-the-door
D) response cue

Question 67

Claire asks Summer to babysit her daughter for 5 hours each day on both Saturday and Sunday. Once Summer declines, Claire then asks her to babysit for 4 hours on Saturday only, and Summer agrees to do it. This example demonstrates the __________ technique.

A) foot-in-the-door
B) foot-in-the-mouth
C) door-in-the-face
D) lowball

Question 68

Some have suggested that the results of Milgram's obedience study may have been due to the __________ effect.

A) reciprocity
B) indebtedness
C) foot-in-the-door
D) returning-a-favor

Question 69

Imagine 100 individuals are asked to take part in a replication of Milgram's famous study on obedience. How are these 100 people likely to respond?

A) The majority would administer the maximum voltage as instructed.
B) The majority would immediately realize the use of deception and leave.
C) Most of the women would refuse to obey, whereas almost all of the men would obey.
D) Most of the participants would work together to force the experimenter to end the experiment.

Question 70

In his partial replication of Milgram's obedience study, what did Burger (2009) find?

A) Very few of the participants were willing to deliver any shock whatsoever.
B) Most of the participants were aware of the original Milgram study, and the study had to be canceled because the researchers could not find enough naïve participants.
C) Participants were even more willing than in Milgram's study to deliver a maximum shock, and in many cases appeared to enjoy doing so.
D) Participants were only slightly less willing to obey the experimenter's orders than those in Milgram's study.

Question 71

What term is used to describe compliance with an initial small request followed by compliance with a larger request?

A) risky shift
B) foot-in-the-door effect
C) door-in-the-face effect
D) polarization phenomenon

Question 72

A social psychologist has been invited to give a community lecture on the importance of Milgram's research. He asks a social psychology class for suggested titles. Which of the following titles might students suggest as the most appropriate?

A) "Obedience and Aggression Are Inborn"
B) "Do Not Underestimate the Power of Perceived Authority"
C) "Training in Ethics Can Overcome the Pull of Obedience"
D) "Make a Small Request First and the World Can Be Yours"

Question 73

Your neighbor, a social worker, asks you if you would volunteer to counsel delinquent youths at a detention center for a year. When you refuse, she asks you if you could supervise the youths during a trip to the zoo. Your neighbor is using the __________ technique.

A) lowball
B) door-in-the-face
C) foot-in-the-door
D) bait-and-switch

Question 74

Which statement BEST describes an important finding of Milgram's classic research?

A) Individuals easily conform to group norms.
B) The presence of other people makes aggression more likely.
C) People will easily obey an authority figure and do harm to others.
D) Agreeing to a small request makes it more likely that you will agree to a big request.

Question 75

A dealer persuades a customer to buy a new car by reducing the price to well below that of his competitors. Once the customer has agreed to buy the car, the terms of the sale are shifted by lowering the value of the trade-in and requiring the purchase of expensive extra equipment. Now the car costs well above the current market rate. This is an example of the __________ technique.

A) lowball
B) foot-in-the-door
C) primacy
D) bait-and-switch

Question 76

Which statement correctly characterizes one aspect of Stanley Milgram's study of obedience?

A) Subjects were shown an ominous-looking shock machine that was marked 0 to 450 volts.
B) Participants in the study were randomly assigned to be "teachers" or "learners."
C) Participants were shocked when they made errors in reciting word pairs.
D) A "learner" and the "teacher" sat side by side across from the shock machine.

Question 77

Which of the following is associated with social cognition?

A) thinking about others
B) action
C) obedience
D) objective

Question 78

Stanley Milgram's study of obedience took on a special importance in the wake of __________.

A) the September 11, 2001, attacks
B) President Clinton's impeachment
C) President Kennedy's assassination
D) the atrocities committed by soldiers in Nazi Germany

Question 79

Naïve subjects in the Stanley Milgram experiment were given the opportunity to administer shocks to helpless victims. What was the maximum voltage that could be administered in one shock?

A) 100 volts
B) 450 volts
C) 625 volts
D) 999 volts

Question 80

Analysis of the participants in Milgram's obedience study has indicated that which personality trait was highly related to the willingness to be obedient?

A) hostility
B) submissiveness
C) aggressiveness
D) No one single personality trait has been found to be associated with high levels of obedience.