Deck 12: Social Behavior

Question 1

Judgments of people's character made by young children based only on looking at people's faces are

A)more accurate than those made by adults.
B)less accurate than those made by adults.
C)similar to those made by adults.
D)dissimilar to those made by adults.

Answer 1

similar to those made by adults.

Question 2

Widely held beliefs about groups of people based on their group membership defines ​

A)cognitive structuring.
B)cultural direction.
C)stereotypes.
D)schematizing.

Answer 2

stereotypes.

Question 3

John observed Gracie, an executive for a large accounting firm, behave in an aggressive and pushy manner with her subordinates. John now believes that most women executives are aggressive and pushy with their subordinates. John's overestimation of the link between women executives and the social traits of "pushy" and "aggressive" is referred to as a(n)

A)illusory correlation.
B)contravened stereotype.
C)heuristic overbias.
D)self-serving attribution.

Answer 3

illusory correlation.

Question 4

Joel and Kirk both work with a stock brokerage firm. Joel is considered to be extremely attractive, and Kirk is considered to be average in appearance. Based on research that has investigated the effects of physical appearance in person perception, you should predict that

A)Joel will tend to receive better performance evaluations than Kirk for equivalent work.
B)Kirk will tend to receive better performance evaluations than Joel for equivalent work.
C)Joel will be perceived as having greater integrity and being more honest.
D)Kirk will be perceived as being more submissive and naïve.

Question 5

Patty is a member of a jury and just voted "guilty." All the other jury members have voted "not guilty." At this point in time, the other jury members should classify Patty

A)as a member of their ingroup.
B)using a confirmation bias.
C)as a member of their outgroup.
D)as outside their latitude of acceptance.

Question 6

Research on physical attractiveness has shown that

A)most people disregard physical attractiveness when forming first impressions of people.
B)judgments of women's personalities are affected by their physical attractiveness, but judgments of men's personalities are not.
C)we tend to ascribe desirable personality characteristics to good-looking people.
D)men are more likely than women to make biased judgments of others based on physical appearance.

Question 7

Person perception refers to the process of

A)forming impressions of others.
B)developing an implicit personality theory.
C)predicting the behavior of others.
D)monitoring the impressions you make on other people.

Question 8

A group that one belongs to and identifies with is known as a(n)

A)stereotype.
B)social schema.
C)outgroup.
D)ingroup.

Question 9

Sharon has met three musicians who have had full beards and three musicians who were clean-shaven. Still, she believes that most musicians have beards. Sharon's belief reflects

A)an egocentric slant.
B)an illusory correlation.
C)a confirmation bias.
D)the fundamental attribution error.

Question 10

In terms of personality characteristics, people who are good looking tend to be viewed as ​

A)sociable, friendly, and warm.
B)dominant and perceptive.
C)intelligent and nonconforming.
D)honest and truthful.

Question 11

Harper is 35 years old and has just enrolled in his first university course. On the first day of class, he looks over the individuals in the room and sits next to another male student who appears to be in his early thirties. In this case, Harper has likely classified the other student ​

A)using a self-serving bias.
B)as a member of his ingroup.
C)as the teaching assistant for the class.
D)as someone who has more university experience than Harper.

Question 12

Which of the following statements BEST reflects an evolutionary explanation of why we tend to be influenced by physical attractiveness in our perception of others? ​

A)We have a tendency to identify with those we perceive as attractive.
B)Physically attractive individuals are also likely to be intelligent and hard working.
C)Being around attractive people tends to make us view ourselves more favorably.
D)At one time in our history, physical attractiveness was associated with reproductive potential.

Question 13

A group that one does NOT belong to or identify with is known as a(n)

A)stereotype.
B)social schema.
C)outgroup.
D)ingroup.

Question 14

Newton believes that all airline pilots are calm, cool individuals who never get excited or show any strong emotional responses. In this case, Newton's beliefs about the traits and behaviors of airline pilots are one example of ​

A)the fundamental attribution error.
B)a confirmation bias.
C)stereotypes.
D)the matching hypothesis.

Question 15

You believe that short men have a tendency to be insecure. The concept of illusory correlation implies that you will

A)overestimate the frequency of insecure short men.
B)underestimate the frequency of insecure short men.
C)accurately estimate the frequency of insecure short men.
D)falsely assume that tall men are naturally secure.

Question 16

People who are physically attractive are viewed as _____ than less attractive people.

A)more conceited and insecure and less competent
B)more sociable and poised and less competent
C)more friendly, well adjusted, and competent
D)more arrogant, insecure, and competent

Question 17

All of the following statements concerning stereotypes are accurate EXCEPT ​

A)stereotyping is a normal cognitive process.
B)stereotypes are usually based on objective data.
C)common stereotypes are based on gender, ethnicity, and occupation.
D)stereotypes are frequently broad overgeneralizations.

Question 18

The illusory correlation effect occurs when we

A)incorrectly assume that one social trait is the cause of another, simply because we have observed that they are correlated.
B)are motivated to accurately estimate the frequency with which some pattern of social traits occurs.
C)see correlations between social traits that really aren't there, because our expectations distort our memories.
D)fail to see true correlations between social traits, because our expectations distort our memories.

Question 19

Which of the following people are MOST likely to be viewed as more competent?

A)Older people
B)People who wear conservative attire
C)People who are physically attractive
D)People who mimic our own mannerisms

Question 20

When people estimate that they have encountered more confirmations of an association between social traits than they have actually seen, they have

A)created a stereotype.
B)made an illusory correlation.
C)made a covariation inference.
D)created a social schema.

Question 21

Martha wins three games of backgammon in a row, even though she has never played before. If Martha assumes she has "beginner's luck," she is making an _____ attribution about her success; if she decides backgammon is an easy game, she is making an _____ attribution about her success.

A)internal-stable; internal-unstable
B)internal-unstable; external-unstable
C)external-unstable; internal-stable
D)external-unstable; external-stable

Question 22

Evolutionary psychologists ascribe much of the bias in person perception to cognitive mechanisms that have been shaped by ​

A)parental attitudes.
B)natural selection.
C)childhood experiences.
D)relationships with others.

Question 23

When the causes of a person's behavior are attributed to personal dispositions, traits, abilities, and feelings, it is a(n) _____ attribution.

A)external
B)internal
C)stable
D)unstable

Question 24

When an observer is biased in favor of making internal attributions in explaining others' behavior, the observer is making

A)a stereotypical error.
B)the self-serving error.
C)the self-effacing error.
D)the fundamental attribution error.

Question 25

Eric has joined a new fraternity. If the other fraternity members now consider Eric as part of their ingroup, they are MORE likely to

A)view him in somewhat negative terms.
B)pay less attention to his actions and ideas.
C)remember things that he does with greater accuracy.
D)view him in a generally positive light.

Question 26

Which of the following could be an example of the fundamental attribution error?

A)Ralph described himself as a failure.
B)Ralph thought that the reason he failed was that he was sick that day.
C)Jayne said Ralph failed because the test was unfair.
D)Sue explained Ralph's failure in terms of his incompetence and laziness.

Question 27

Jane's eight-year-old son brought a note home from school stating that he was involved in a fight at recess. Which of the following is an example of an external attribution that Jane might make to explain her son's behavior?

A)He's just like his father.
B)He always gets in fights.
C)The other child probably started the fight and he was protecting himself.
D)He probably couldn't help himself since he doesn't have much self-control.

Question 28

As a result of the fundamental attribution error, if you observe a construction worker relaxing under a tree, you would be MOST likely to conclude that the worker is

A)taking his scheduled work break.
B)lazy.
C)taking a well-deserved break after strenuous work.
D)taking a break because it is hot and humid today.

Question 29

Observers tend to attribute actors' behavior to _____ factors, and actors tend to attribute their own behavior to _____ factors.

A)situational; dispositional
B)dispositional; situational
C)dispositional; dispositional
D)situational; situational

Question 30

You have just been awarded a full scholarship for next year, which you perceive as confirmation of your superior intellectual ability. According to Weiner's model, you are making an _____ attribution about your success.

A)internal-stable
B)internal-unstable
C)external-stable
D)external-unstable

Question 31

Tally just heard that her neighbor, Rupert, was involved in an automobile accident. If Tally concludes that Rupert's reckless driving habits caused the accident, she has ​

A)made an internal attribution.
B)made a self-serving attribution.
C)made an external attribution.
D)been influenced by an illusory correlation.

Question 32

A father suggests that his son's low marks in school are due to the child's laziness. The father has made a(n) _____ attribution.

A)external
B)distinctive
C)internal
D)situational

Question 33

Which of the following is NOT a reason that evolutionary psychologists propose to explain the biases associated with person perception?

A)There was a need to quickly categorize others as friend or foe.
B)Physical attractiveness was associated primarily with friends and not foes.
C)Physical attractiveness was associated with reproductive potential of females.
D)Physical attractiveness was associated with health and vigor of males.

Question 34

People tend to favor internal attributions when explaining others' behavior because

A)it is the fairest method.
B)it is easy.
C)people are naturally suspicious of others.
D)it was once favorable to survival of the species.

Question 35

Celine just heard that her neighbor, Rodney, was involved in an automobile accident. If Celine concludes that Rodney's children distracted him for a few seconds and that caused the accident, she has

A)made an external attribution.
B)made an internal attribution.
C)made the fundamental attribution error.
D)been influenced by an illusory correlation.

Question 36

Alphonse failed his geology midterm. According to Weiner's attributional model, if Alphonse makes an external-unstable attribution for his failure, he is MOST likely to say,

A)"It was just bad luck that most of the exam was on the one chapter I didn't study."
B)"I was really tired during the exam because I had to work the late shift the night before the exam."
C)"I just can't seem to catch on in my geology classes, and I don't think I'll ever learn all those terms."
D)"That professor has impossible exams; if I retake the class with a different professor, I'll probably do much better."

Question 37

What is the main reason we tend to make attributions about the causes of events, others' behavior, and our own behavior? ​

A)We have a strong need to understand our experiences.
B)Attribution making was selected for at some point in our ancestral past.
C)We have an unconscious urge to psychoanalyze the behavior of others.
D)Having access to information about others tends to fulfill our need for power.

Question 38

James watches as a customer with at least 40 items lines up at his express checkout line. He decides the customer must be a real "idiot" to miss the sign that indicates James's checkout line is an express line with a limit of 10 items. James's attribution for the cause of the customer's behavior is consistent with

A)the fundamental attribution error.
B)drawing an illusory correlation.
C)a self-serving bias.
D)a defensive attribution.

Question 39

When the causes of a person's behavior are attributed to situational demands and environmental constraints, it is referred to as a(n) _____ attribution.

A)stable
B)unstable
C)external
D)internal

Question 40

Inferences that people draw about the causes of events and theirs and others' behaviors are known as ​

A)prejudices.
B)attributions.
C)self-serving biases.
D)stereotypes.

Question 41

Carissa was born and raised in a collectivistic culture; Olga was born and raised in an individualistic culture. Carissa is likely to be

A)more prone to the fundamental attribution error.
B)less likely to experience cognitive dissonance.
C)more likely to experience cognitive dissonance.
D)less prone to the fundamental attribution error.

Question 42

In the research on romantic attraction, which of the following did researchers discover to be the key determinant of a person's initial attraction to someone else?

A)Similarity
B)Reciprocity
C)Attributional style
D)Physical attractiveness

Question 43

According to the romantic love as an attachment perspective, one's intimate relationships in adulthood follow the same form as one's attachments first formed to

A)caregivers in infancy.
B)peers in childhood.
C)one's adult role models in childhood.
D)one's first romantic partners in adolescence.

Question 44

Putting personal goals ahead of group goals and defining one's identity in terms of personal attributes is referred to as ​

A)hedonism.
B)dispositional attributional bias.
C)egocentrism.
D)individualism.

Question 45

Sally and Neil have been married for 15 years. They have an extremely warm and trusting relationship, and even though Neil frequently travels on business, Sally never worries about him seeing other women. Sally and Neil share _____ love.

A)reciprocal
B)companionate
C)passionate
D)consummate

Question 46

Nicole is a 30-year-old lawyer who holds very conservative views. She always votes the straight Republican ticket in every election. At a New Year's Eve party, she meets Frank who is also a 30-year-old lawyer but who holds very liberal views. He tells Nicole that he would never think of voting for a Republican candidate. Based on the research, you should predict that Nicole will

A)be attracted to Frank because they are both lawyers.
B)be attracted to Frank because they are similar in age.
C)dislike Frank because he holds opposing views.
D)be attracted to Frank because he holds opposite political views.

Question 47

Research on factors contributing to building relationships seems to support the adage,

A)"similarity breeds contempt."
B)"similarity breeds liking."
C)"similarity builds uncertainty."
D)"similarity builds discrimination."

Question 48

Leslie strongly fears rejection and is often jealous in her romantic relationships. MOST likely, Leslie has a(n) _____ attachment style.

A)secure
B)manipulative
C)avoidant
D)anxious-ambivalent

Question 49

Similarity of personal characteristics is influential in

A)primarily romantic relationships.
B)primarily friendships.
C)both romantic relationships and friendships.
D)neither romantic relationships nor friendships.

Question 50

You are likely to attribute your own failing grade on a test to _____; your roommate is more likely to attribute your failing grade to _____.

A)an unfair test; your poor study habits
B)your poor study habits; an unfair test
C)a poor teacher; an unfair test
D)your own stupidity; a poor teacher

Question 51

Romantic relationships characterized by a couple's complete absorption in one another and that include strong emotions and tender sexual feelings are termed _____ love.

A)passionate
B)intimate
C)companionate
D)committed

Question 52

The tendency to attribute other people's behavior to internal factors and our own behavior to situational influences is known as

A)the fundamental attribution error.
B)a stereotype.
C)the actor-observer bias.
D)the foot-in-the-door technique.

Question 53

When Darren's classmate earns a D on an essay for their history class, Darren figures the classmate is unmotivated and should have spent more time working on the paper and less time socializing. The classmate is disappointed with her grade, but she knows she didn't have much time to work on the essay because she had to work double shifts the entire week before the paper was due. The different attributions for the low grade on the essay illustrate ​

A)the actor-observer bias.
B)defensive attributions.
C)the self-serving bias.
D)cognitive dissonance.

Question 54

The idea that males and females of approximately equal physical attractiveness are likely to select each other as partners refers to the ​

A)matching hypothesis.
B)propinquity hypothesis.
C)attitude-behavior consistency principle.
D)attributional outcome principle.

Question 55

Putting group goals ahead of personal goals and defining one's identity in terms of the group is called ​

A)collectivism.
B)functionalism. ​
C)individualism.
D)attributionism.

Question 56

Although physical attractiveness strongly influences interpersonal attraction, many individuals of average and below average attractiveness are involved in long-term relationships. This apparent paradox is BEST explained by the _____ hypothesis.

A)similarity
B)matching
C)companionate love
D)least common denominator

Question 57

Actors and observers tend to give different explanations for the same instance of behavior because

A)only actors themselves can accurately explain their own behavior.
B)only outside observers can accurately explain actors' behavior.
C)observers tend to possess more knowledge than the actors.
D)situational pressures may not be readily apparent to an observer.

Question 58

Whenever Scott sees Diana, he can feel his heart start to pound with excitement. Even though Scott and Diana have only dated a few times, Scott often becomes jealous when Diana talks to other men. He also finds he can't get her out of his mind when they are apart. Scott is experiencing _____ love.

A)passionate
B)companionate
C)consummate
D)reciprocal

Question 59

Kate's parents were warm and responsive while she was an infant. According to the theory developed by Hazan and Shaver, as an adult Kate is MOST likely to find

A)it is difficult to trust other people or become close to them.
B)her relationships lack intimacy and trust.
C)it is relatively easy for her to form close relationships with others.
D)she has a wide circle of superficial friends, but very few close friends.

Question 60

Which of the following statements is MOST accurate concerning attitudes?

A)People are more likely to be attracted to someone with dissimilar attitudes.
B)People are more likely to be attracted to someone with similar attitudes.
C)People are equally likely to be attracted to people with similar and dissimilar attitudes.
D)People are not attracted to others based on their attitudes because attitudes and attraction are independent.

Question 61

Research indicates that when women are approaching ovulation, they prefer men who are ​

A)happy-go-lucky.
B)good with children.
C)masculine and dominant.
D)suspicious and aggressive.

Question 62

Which of the following is NOT one of the crucial dimensions of attitudes?

A)Strength
B)Ambivalence
C)Accessibility
D)Distinctiveness

Question 63

Which of the following dimensions of attitudes are MOST likely to be correlated?

A)Strength and ambivalence
B)Accessibility and strength
C)Accessibility and ambivalence
D)Distinctiveness and ambivalence

Question 64

Women tend to _____ men's sexual interest; men tend to _____ women's sexual interest.

A)overestimate; underestimate
B)underestimate; overestimate
C)overestimate; overestimate
D)underestimate; underestimate

Question 65

A positive or negative evaluation of an object of thought defines a(n)

A)attitude.
B)opinion.
C)schema.
D)preference.

Question 66

Philip has a favorable attitude toward John Welkes, who is currently running for reelection. He knows that Welkes voted in favor of a number of issues that Philip supports, and he knows that Welkes always works hard for local residents. This knowledge base forms part of the _____ component of Philip's attitude toward John Welkes.

A)physiological
B)cognitive
C)behavioral
D)affective

Question 67

In many cultures, a key element associated with physical attractiveness is

A)height.
B)hair color.
C)facial symmetry.
D)body type.

Question 68

Studies on gender differences in mate preferences find that females place a higher priority on

A)kindness.
B)physical attractiveness.
C)good health.
D)social status.

Question 69

Studies on gender differences in mate preferences find that males place a higher priority on

A)physical attractiveness.
B)intelligence.
C)good health.
D)social status.

Question 70

Virginia has a favorable attitude toward aerobics and working out. Just the thought of her daily workout is enough to make Virginia feel good, and she finds that when she is at the gym she feels much more relaxed and much less stressed. These emotional responses form part of the _____ component of Virginia's attitude toward working out.

A)cognitive
B)behavioral
C)physiological
D)affective

Question 71

Charles is always worried about being rejected in relationships, so he often behaves awkwardly and expresses exaggerated hurt and vulnerability in romantic relationships.  Charles is likely high in

A)attachment anxiety.
B)reactive agreeableness.
C)passionate love.
D)emotional reciprocity.

Question 72

Which of the following statements concerning cultural variations regarding marriage relationships is NOT accurate?

A)Arranged marriages are common in collectivist societies.
B)Cultures vary in the emphasis placed on passionate love.
C)Cultures are often similar in what traits people look for in a potential mate.
D)People from collectivist societies report that romantic love is very important in marriage.

Question 73

Recent research suggests that _____ is associated with increased feelings of both social connection and disconnection.

A)neuroticism
B)physical attractiveness
C)group cohesiveness
D)social media use

Question 74

According to evolutionary theorists, which of the following factors is likely to be the MOST important for a female seeking a prospective mate?

A)Ambition
B)Youthfulness
C)Physical strength
D)Physical attractiveness

Question 75

Passionate love as the basis for marriage is

A)unique to the United States.
B)a product of Asian collectivism.
C)virtually universal across all cultures.
D)more common in individualistic cultures.

Question 76

According to evolutionary psychologists, which of the following characteristics in a prospective mate would be the LEAST important consideration for a woman seeking a mate?

A)Ambition
B)Social status
C)Financial potential
D)Body type

Question 77

Cross-cultural studies on mate preferences find that people all over the world value all of the following EXCEPT

A)kindness.
B)intelligence.
C)mutual attraction.
D)passion.

Question 78

According to evolutionary theorists, which of the following factors is likely to be the MOST important for a male seeking a prospective mate?

A)Ambition
B)Social status
C)Financial resources
D)Youthfulness

Question 79

Which of the following statements is NOT an accurate reflection of relationships on the Internet?

A)Internet relationships are just as intimate as face-to-face ones.
B)The Internet has expanded opportunities for people to meet.
C)Internet relationships seldom evolve into face-to-face relationships.
D)Similarity of interests assumes more power than in face-to-face relationships.

Question 80

Adults who experience love relationships that are volatile, are marked by jealousy, and reflect expectations of rejection exhibit _____ attachment.

A)immature
B)avoidant
C)anxious-ambivalent
D)secure