Deck 13: Social Psychology

Question 1

_____ is a general bias toward the group as a whole, whereas _____ is an assumption about a specific person because of his or her membership within a given group.

A) A stereotype; prejudice
B) Discrimination; a stereotype
C) Aggression; discrimination
D) Prejudice; a stereotype

Answer 1

Prejudice; a stereotype

Question 2

All are examples of a change in social role EXCEPT:

A) retiring from the workforce.
B) becoming a parent.
C) being elected to student government.
D) renovating your house.

Answer 2

renovating your house.

Question 3

Mickey considers himself to be a generally kind person. One day, Mickey comes across a person lying down outside on the sidewalk, which struck him as unusual. According to the bystander effect, Mickey will be most likely to stop and inquire whether the person needs a helping hand if:

A) there are lots of other people around.
B) he sees other people walk by without helping.
C) the person makes eye contact with him.
D) he is the only one around to help.

Answer 3

he is the only one around to help.

Question 4

When engaging in social _____, you assess yourself by determining how you measure up to other people.

A) loafing
B) cognition
C) comparison
D) categorization

Question 5

The mere exposure effect relies upon producing _____ to increase attraction.

A) novelty
B) excitement
C) similarity
D) familiarity

Question 6

You are running a bit late to your Psychology class, and as you walk in, the professor is talking about the famous case of Kitty Genovese. You immediately realize that the professor is covering the topic of:

A) the social responsibility norm.
B) cognitive dissonance.
C) the bystander effect.
D) situational influences on aggression.

Question 7

The _____ is the notion that prejudice can be fueled by the need to find someone to blame.

A) fundamental attribution error
B) just-world hypothesis
C) social role theory
D) scapegoat hypothesis

Question 8

Group polarization is BEST defined as:

A) the tendency to hold a more positive attitude toward the ingroup than the outgroup.
B) the tendency for a group's attitudes to become more extreme as a result of the group's discussions.
C) a phenomenon that occurs when group members value getting along with each other more than finding the best solution.
D) the assumption that all members of an outgroup are essentially similar and threatening to one's own group.

Question 9

Which common saying BEST exemplifies the self-perception theory?

A) "Be all that you can be."
B) "Great things take time."
C) "Fake it till you make it."
D) "Listen to your heart."

Question 10

Katie lives in an apartment building. When she initially moved in, she wasn't particularly attracted to any of her neighbors and didn't engage socially with any of them. After a year of living there, however, she began feeling increasingly attracted to the fellow who lives in the apartment next to hers. What BEST explains Katie's increased attraction to her next-door neighbor?

A) bystander effect
B) fundamental attribution error
C) mere exposure effect
D) common group identity

Question 11

_____ is a phenomenon that occurs when a group values harmony among its members more than accurate analysis and wise decision making.

A) Stereotyping
B) Ingroup bias
C) Scapegoating
D) Groupthink

Question 12

The door-in-the-face technique is a persuasion strategy in which one person:

A) emphasizes all of the factors that are directly related to a message's content.
B) gets another person to agree to a small request before asking for a bigger one.
C) quotes another person a low price to get an initial agreement and then raises the price.
D) gets another person to agree to reject a large request before making a smaller one.

Question 13

In which situation would a person MOST likely conform to a group?

A) The group includes fewer than three members.
B) The group contains no other dissenting members.
C) The person has high self-esteem.
D) The person has high status within the group.

Question 14

Using the intergroup contact approach to fighting prejudice is much like a psychologist treating which kind of disorder?

A) schizophrenia
B) posttraumatic stress
C) depression
D) phobias

Question 15

When someone overestimates the importance of traits while underestimating the importance of the situation when explaining the behavior of other people, that person is:

A) resorting to lowballing.
B) using the door-in-the-face technique.
C) committing the fundamental attribution error.
D) using the foot-in-the-door technique.

Question 16

Much research has found that people _____ are more likely to commit the fundamental attribution error than people _____.

A) in collectivistic cultures; in individualistic cultures
B) in individualistic cultures; in collectivistic cultures
C) who conform; who are nonconformists
D) who engage in social loafing; affected by groupthink

Question 17

What was the primary finding from Milgram's famous study in the 1960s?

A) Painful shocks help to improve a person's memory and learning of word pairs.
B) People often obey authority figures even when their behaviors appear to hurt other people.
C) Most people will refuse to hurt an innocent person once that person says they are in pain.
D) People tend to willingly accept responsibility for their own actions that harm other people.

Question 18

In Asch's classic line study, participants conformed with the group giving the incorrect answer about _____ of the time, and only _____ of the participants never conformed with the group answering incorrectly.

A) 17%; 15%
B) 27%; 20%
C) 37%; 25%
D) 47%; 30%

Question 19

The intergroup contact strategy helps individuals overcome fear of outgroups primarily through:

A) avoidance.
B) punishment.
C) exposure.
D) reinforcement.

Question 20

Common group identity is a strategy for fighting prejudice that is based on:

A) providing straightforward information about an outgroup.
B) direct interpersonal interaction between members of multiple groups.
C) the creation of a larger group that includes smaller groups.
D) giving each person in a diverse group essential information to solve a problem.

Question 21

Which statement about attributions and prosocial behavior is TRUE?

A) A bystander is more likely to help if he or she feels the need for help is deserved.
B) In the event of an emergency, a bystander will assume that a victim deserves help.
C) A bystander is less likely to help someone who had no control over the problem.
D) Bystanders are immune to the fundamental attribution error when it comes to helping.

Question 22

An example of a question asked by someone developing an attribution is:

A) "Why didn't the guest inform the homeowner that she was bringing her dog with her?"
B) "What was the homeowner's response when he found out his guest snuck a pet into the house?"
C) "How did the homeowner greet the guest upon arrival?"
D) "Who is traveling with the guest that made the reservation?"

Question 23

Which statement about male-female differences in what is considered physically attractive is supported by research?

A) Women tend to emphasize physical appearance above all in men-preferring those who appear youthful, healthy, and have appealing figures.
B) The primary explanation for the male-female difference in what is deemed most physically attractive in the opposite sex is cultural.
C) Men tend to prefer women who have wealth, status, and power-all features that suggest the ability to help provide resources in supporting a family.
D) In addition to physical attractiveness and resourcefulness, both men and women highly value other qualities such as intelligence, kindness, honesty, and sense of humor.

Question 24

You hear a song for the first time and don't think much of it. Then, after hearing it several more times on the radio, you start becoming familiar with the beat and lyrics. In fact, the more you hear the song, the more you seem to like it. Your positive feelings toward the song in this situation is BEST explained by the:

A) fundamental attribution error.
B) bystander effect.
C) just-world hypothesis.
D) mere exposure effect.

Question 25

The tendency for a group's attitudes to become more extreme as a result of group discussions is known as:

A) common group identity.
B) groupthink.
C) social comparison.
D) group polarization.

Question 26

You are a facilitator for a seminar on overcoming prejudice. What research-supported piece of advice will you offer seminar participants to apply to their everyday lives?

A) Spend time and develop relationships with people different from yourself.
B) Nurture relationships with your closest friends and family.
C) Join organizations that you are passionate about supporting.
D) Engage in deep conversations about prejudice with your best friend.

Question 27

_____ is defined as completely unselfish concern for others.

A) Responsibility
B) Self-disclosure
C) Reciprocity
D) Altruism

Question 28

In which circumstance is social loafing MOST likely to occur?

A) when individual performance is measured
B) when performance is measured at the group level
C) when we feel we are being watched and evaluated
D) when we are cheered on by supporters

Question 29

A TV commercial for burgers that consists entirely of beautiful models eating burgers while socializing, having fun, and dancing to trendy music at a party exemplifies the use of _____ in advertising.

A) the lowball technique
B) peripheral route persuasion
C) the social loafing approach
D) central route persuasion

Question 30

"I am just following orders!" This statement would most likely be made by a person who is demonstrating:

A) conformity.
B) loafing.
C) obedience.
D) facilitation.

Question 31

_____ love and _____ love are two distinct types of romantic love identified by social psychologists.

A) Proximal; reciprocal
B) Companionate; passionate
C) Reciprocal; passionate
D) Proximal; companionate

Question 32

Lakisha meets someone on a date for the first time. Which factor is likely to have the greatest influence on Lakisha's first impression of her date?

A) conversation that occurs during the date
B) physical attractiveness of her date
C) location of the date
D) her past dating experiences

Question 33

"Would you be interested in donating $5000 to a charitable cause?" When this opening question results in a definitive "No, thanks!" the subsequent question, "Well, how about a $100 contribution?" seems like a much more acceptable option. This scenario illustrates use of:

A) the foot-in-the-door technique.
B) peripheral route persuasion.
C) the door-in-the-face technique.
D) the lowball technique.

Question 34

Which statement is TRUE about Phillip Zimbardo's famous Stanford Prison Experiment?

A) It went on for two weeks as originally planned by the experimenter.
B) The participants got to choose whether they played the role of prisoner or guard.
C) It demonstrated the power that social roles can have on our attitudes and behavior.
D) Fortunately, nothing like the experiment has ever happened in real life.

Question 35

Which factor is LEAST likely to produce attraction?

A) physical distance
B) similarity
C) reciprocal liking
D) outward beauty

Question 36

Social _____ refers to a person's thoughts about other people and the social world, which can strongly influence their own feelings and behavior.

A) cognition
B) persuasion
C) psychology
D) attribution

Question 37

Social loafing is BEST defined as a(n):

A) action based on prejudice or stereotypes toward a social group.
B) increase in individual performance due to the presence of other people.
C) loss of identity and accountability experienced by individuals in groups.
D) decrease in individual performance when tasks are done in groups.

Question 38

In which situation would a person LEAST likely conform to a group?

A) The group is highly valued by the person.
B) The person's behaviors are visible to the group.
C) The person has high self-esteem.
D) The group includes at least three to five members.

Question 39

The _____ is an explanation of prosocial behavior that emphasizes the importance of passing your genes on to future generations.

A) social exchange theory
B) reciprocity norm
C) social responsibility norm
D) kinship theory

Question 40

Research has found that children who play violent video games tend to behave much more aggressively than children who only watch as others play the games. This finding provides evidence for the role of _____ influences on aggression.

A) cultural
B) biological
C) psychological
D) situational

Question 41

Devin is offered the opportunity to volunteer as a peer tutor at his college. He kindly accepts the offer and spends half of his limited free time during the rest of the semester helping numerous students improve academically. His roommate asks him why he's spending so much time volunteering, and he replies that he just wants to help, but that he also knows it will help him get in the good graces of his professors. Devin's reason for helping is consistent with the:

A) social exchange theory.
B) reciprocity norm.
C) social responsibility norm.
D) kinship theory.

Question 42

Minde goes to a coffee shop during his study break. When he gets to the front of the line, the cashier tells him there is no charge because the previous customer actually went ahead and paid for both of their coffees. Minde is pleasantly surprised by the goodwill of this stranger. According to research on the reciprocity norm, Minde will now:

A) experience diffusion of responsibility for helping strangers.
B) be less likely to help a relative over a stranger.
C) acquire an increased sense of duty to help others.
D) be more likely to help someone else in the near future.

Question 43

According to the kinship theory of helping, we can expect that someone would be MOST willing to donate a kidney to which person?

A) a complete stranger
B) their best friend
C) a distant relative
D) their own child

Question 44

The _____ is an explanation of prosocial behavior that emphasizes the expectation that those who provide help will receive help in the future.

A) social exchange theory
B) reciprocity norm
C) social responsibility norm
D) kinship theory

Question 45

Some American politicians blame undocumented immigrants as being solely responsible for the high levels of unemployment and economic instability in the United States. Such political positions, however, overlook the complexity of the U.S. economy, promote prejudice toward certain groups of immigrants, and serve as a prime example of the:

A) scapegoat hypothesis.
B) fundamental attribution error.
C) social role theory.
D) just-world hypothesis.

Question 46

When Maeve is at home alone and gets a craving for ice cream, she often eats directly out of the carton; however, she would never even consider doing so in front of house guests. The difference in Maeve's behaviors in the presence of other people BEST illustrates:

A) outgroup homogeneity.
B) social cognition.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) social influence.

Question 47

_____ refers to changes in an individual's behavior to correspond to the behavior of a group of other people.

A) Obedience
B) Dissonance
C) Persuasion
D) Conformity

Question 48

According to social psychologists, _____ can be used by individuals to rationalize their prejudices.

A) intergroup contact
B) common group identity
C) both the just-world hypothesis and scapegoating
D) neither the just-world hypothesis nor scapegoating

Question 49

The kinship theory is an explanation of prosocial behavior that emphasizes the:

A) notion of duty to help those who need it, regardless of any potential payback to the helper.
B) expectation that those who provide help will receive help in the future.
C) importance of passing your genes on to future generations.
D) comparison of costs and benefits to the individual for helping.

Question 50

All are necessary steps for bystander intervention EXCEPT:

A) deciding how to intervene.
B) interpreting the situation as an emergency.
C) noticing the event.
D) assuming someone else will take action.

Question 51

A commercial using central route persuasion to advertise a certain brand of laundry detergent would MOST likely draw your attention to the:

A) cleaning power of the ingredients.
B) reality TV show star who sings the praises of this detergent.
C) images of a tropical sunrise associated with the new scent.
D) happy and upbeat jingle.

Question 52

In the 1970s, Phillip Zimbardo's famous Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrated the power of:

A) social roles.
B) attributions.
C) obedience.
D) dissonance.

Question 53

Which concept best accounts for why the bystander effect occurs?

A) situational aggression
B) cognitive dissonance
C) diffusion of responsibility
D) outgroup homogeneity

Question 54

Andres has not had much luck in his past relationships, but he wants to be in a loving relationship. If Andres is trying to nurture a lasting romantic relationship with his current partner, what should he NOT do?

A) Share his private thoughts and feelings with his partner.
B) Make sure he and his partner feel a sense of equity in the relationship.
C) Clam up when he feels offended by something his partner says.
D) Resolve disputes with his partner respectfully and constructively.

Question 55

The reciprocity norm is an explanation of prosocial behavior that emphasizes the:

A) notion of duty to help those who need it, regardless of any potential payback to the helper.
B) expectation that those who provide help will receive help in the future.
C) importance of passing your genes on to future generations.
D) comparison of costs and benefits to the individual for helping.

Question 56

Research has resulted in a list of the _____ steps necessary for a bystander to intervene.

A) three
B) five
C) seven
D) ten

Question 57

Cognitive dissonance is BEST defined as:

A) one's beliefs about a group's characteristics that are applied generally and often inaccurately.
B) changes in an individual's behavior to correspond to the behavior of a group of people.
C) discomfort caused by having an attitude that contradicts another attitude or a behavior.
D) the way in which the presence of other people influences your thoughts and attitudes.

Question 58

Which researcher conducted a famous study on obedience involving a "shock generator" in the 1960s?

A) Stanley Milgram
B) Solomon Asch
C) Leon Festinger
D) Phillip Zimbardo

Question 59

Which Western country has the highest homicide rate?

A) France
B) United States
C) Canada
D) Germany

Question 60

Cross-country runners often run faster when they are surrounded by other runners and cheering spectators than when they are on solo training runs. This improved performance in the presence of others is known as:

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

Question 61

A(n) _____ is a social group to which you believe you belong, whereas a(n) _____ is a social group to which you do not believe you belong.

A) ingroup; outgroup
B) common group; intergroup
C) outgroup; ingroup
D) subgroup; common group

Question 62

Chris is a white man who has had very limited experience with people of other races. One day he is on an elevator when two men of African descent enter the elevator along with a few other people. One of the African men asks his friend out loud to "hit the floor" at which point Chris becomes scared and literally drops to his knees with his hands in the air. Which part of the brain is MOST associated with Chris's response?

A) hypothalamus
B) frontal cortex
C) amygdala
D) hippocampus

Question 63

The _____ is the notion of duty to help those who need it, regardless of any potential payback to the helper.

A) social exchange theory
B) reciprocity norm
C) social responsibility norm
D) kinship theory

Question 64

Which statement would MOST likely be made by someone committing the fundamental attribution error?

A) She failed the test because the test was poorly written.
B) He received a low score on the exam because he is careless.
C) She did poorly on the quiz because the instructions were unclear.
D) He got the lowest score on the assignment because others cheated.

Question 65

An example of altruism is:

A) donating blood to get the free movie tickets being offered.
B) volunteering because it makes you feel good about yourself.
C) helping someone without expecting anything in return.
D) organizing a charity event to gain public recognition.

Question 66

An example of informational conformity is:

A) going to a party because of peer pressure.
B) acting like everyone else to be popular.
C) following proper dining etiquette in a fancy restaurant.
D) picking a movie to watch based on ratings and reviews.

Question 67

Hugo experiences cognitive dissonance as soon as he realizes that he holds two conflicting attitudes. Which is NOT one of the three possible solutions that social psychologists would suggest for Hugo to resolve his cognitive dissonance?

A) Change attitude A.
B) Change attitude B.
C) Come up with an Attitude C that resolves the tension between A and B.
D) Simply ignore the unpleasant feelings from the cognitive dissonance.

Question 68

The BEST example of an attitude is your:

A) emotional gut reaction to a news story that has gotten much attention.
B) knowledge of current world events.
C) informed thoughts and feelings about a hot topic.
D) action taken in response to an awkward conversation.

Question 69

_____ is the discomfort caused by having an attitude that contradicts another attitude or a behavior.

A) Group polarization
B) Social loafing
C) Informational conformity
D) Cognitive dissonance

Question 70

An attribution is BEST defined as a(n):

A) person's thoughts about other people.
B) explanation of the cause of behavior.
C) viewpoint that affects your responses to situations.
D) ill feeling caused by having a conflict.

Question 71

Petra is part of a student club and is convinced by the outgoing president, Susan, that she should step up as the next club president. Susan tells Petra that it's really not that much work and there are a lot of perks that come with the leadership position. Within the first month as club president, however, Petra finds that her position involves a lot more duties than she was previously informed. Petra realizes that she's going to put in a lot more time than expected to do a decent job. Which strategy did Susan use to persuade Petra?

A) foot-in-the-door technique
B) central route persuasion
C) door-in-the-face technique
D) lowball technique

Question 72

The jigsaw classroom is a strategy for reducing prejudice that is based on:

A) providing straightforward and unbiased information about an outgroup to enhance knowledge and challenge negative assumptions.
B) direct interpersonal interaction between members of multiple groups and making sure those groups have equal status.
C) the creation of a larger group that includes smaller groups of students coming together to work on a common cause.
D) giving each person in a diverse group an essential part of the solution to a problem that must be solved via group interaction.

Question 73

Which statement most reflects diffusion of responsibility?

A) "Maybe this is not really an emergency."
B) "I need to do something about this."
C) "Someone else will step up and take care of it."
D) "This kind of thing happens all the time."

Question 74

Cognitive dissonance is MOST associated with an inner feeling of:

A) harmony.
B) hypocrisy.
C) pleasure.
D) aggression.

Question 75

_____ conformity is about wanting to fit in and be liked, whereas _____ conformity is about wanting to be correct.

A) Normative; informational
B) Informational; normative
C) Outgroup; ingroup
D) Ingroup; outgroup

Question 76

You are moving out of the country and need to find someone to adopt your dog. Your neighbor seems to be great with dogs, but you don't know him that well and you're worried he might not say no. A proponent of the foot-in-the-door technique would suggest that you:

A) be upfront and ask if he would adopt your dog.
B) start by asking him to pet-sit one weekend.
C) emphasize all the positive qualities of your dog.
D) offer a number of incentives for adopting your dog.

Question 77

For a community service project, about 50 high school students were given gloves and trash bags to pick up garbage at a park. Consistent with research findings on social loafing, what would be the best way to maximize the amount of garbage picked up by each student?

A) Give each student his/her own trash bag to collect garbage and weigh at the end.
B) Divide the students into groups of five and give one trash bag to each group.
C) Provide one trash bag to each group of 10 students, and replenish as needed.
D) Announce that the total amount of garbage collected by the whole group will be measured.

Question 78

Wes met a young woman in one of his classes and was assigned to be in a group with her. Initially, Wes was not particularly interested in her as far as dating was concerned. However, once he found out that she was physically attracted to him, he suddenly felt very attracted to her as well. Wes's increased attraction toward this young woman is BEST explained by the influence of:

A) proximity.
B) similarity.
C) reciprocal liking.
D) common group identity.

Question 79

When soldiers come together as a large group all wearing the same uniform and with the same buzz haircut, they are more likely to behave aggressively than they would by themselves. This change in behavior is BEST explained by the concept of:

A) deindividuation.
B) group polarization.
C) social facilitation.
D) groupthink.

Question 80

Deindividuation is BEST defined as a(n):

A) action based on prejudice or stereotypes toward a social group.
B) increase in individual performance due to the presence of other people.
C) loss of identity and accountability experienced by individuals in groups.
D) decrease in individual performance when tasks are done in groups.