Deck 16: Social Psychology and the Sustainable Future

Question 1

What is NOT seen as an environmental change?

A)Extreme weather events are increasing
B)Plant and animal species are migrating northward
C)More atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane than before
D)Record lows are outnumbering record lows

Answer 1

Record lows are outnumbering record lows

Question 2

What is NOT true in relationship to our climate?

A)Plant and animal species are migrating north.
B)Sea levels are rising due to melting ice.
C)There is a decrease in ocean temperatures.
D)The nine warmest years on record have occurred since 1998.

Answer 2

There is a decrease in ocean temperatures.

Question 3

Social psychology can help point the way to greater well-being by documenting all of the following EXCEPT

A)suggesting ways to reduce consumption.
B)continuing to show that economic growth does not automatically improve human morale.
C)helping people understand why materialism and wealth fail to satisfy.
D)developing new plans to conserve resources.

Answer 3

developing new plans to conserve resources.

Question 4

Birth rates in developing nations have

A)dropped.
B)increased.
C)stabilized.
D)continued to double each year.

Question 5

In 1960,the earth carried 3 billion people and 127 million cars.Today it has more than ___ billion people and ___ billion cars.

A)4;75
B)5;100
C)6;300
D)7;1

Question 6

Myers (2000)noted that changing the consumption levels among rich nations requires

A)stronger and stricter laws.
B)a major catastrophe to occur first.
C)a worldwide natural disaster or plague.
D)a shift in public consciousness similar to the civil rights and women's movements.

Question 7

Exploding populations and increasing consumption have produced serious interrelated problems of all of the following EXCEPT

A)deforestation.
B)climate destabilization.
C)decreased carbon monoxide.
D)depletion of wild fish.

Question 8

One way to moderate consumption is through

A)public policies.
B)higher taxes on consumption.
C)both public policies and higher taxes on consumption.
D)public warnings.

Question 9

Technological advances will help sustain the planet because of

A)reduced cost.
B)increased consumption.
C)less waste created.
D)greater availability of goods.

Question 10

There is now strong evidence that significant global warming

A)is a marginal threat.
B)is not scientifically proven.
C)is occurring.
D)has not started yet.

Question 11

Just as in Britain,the author suggests that we harness the power of immediate feedback by

A)starting to use more solar power.
B)installing "smart meters" that provide a continuous readout of electricity use.
C)starting to use more wind power.
D)cutting back on our electrical use.

Question 12

Increased consumption has contributed to

A)global warming.
B)the advance of polar icecaps.
C)earthquakes becoming more common.
D)increased birth rates in industrialized nations.

Question 13

_______ agree that money buys happiness,whereas _______ agree that a little more money will make one a little happier.

A)Most;few
B)All;none
C)Few;many
D)None;all

Question 14

A source of hope for a sustainable future is

A)increasing technological efficiency and agricultural productivity.
B)moderating consumption.
C)decreasing population.
D)All of the above

Question 15

According to the text,a global environmental disaster is being caused by

A)the spread of disease.
B)deforestation of the forests.
C)increasing consumption.
D)both increasing population and consumption.

Question 16

According to the text,global warming effects do NOT include

A)increased hurricanes and heat waves.
B)rising seas.
C)less flooding in the rainy seasons.
D)grazing lands turning into desert.

Question 17

Which of the following is one way to reduce individual consumption?

A)increase income tax
B)regulate birth rates
C)provide incentives for conservation behaviors
D)create a one-world economy

Question 18

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)There is nothing we can do to stop global warming.
B)We have nearly 7 billion people and 1 billion cars.
C)Fish populations are increasing.
D)Populations are falling in the world's poorest countries.

Question 19

Which statement is TRUE?

A)Americans are less concerned about global warming than Australians and Europeans.
B)Australians and Europeans are less concerned about global warming than Americans.
C)Americans are as concerned about global warming as Australians and Europeans.
D)The world is equally concerned about global warming.

Question 20

A source of hope for a sustainable future is

A)cloning.
B)reduced consumption.
C)moderating global temperatures.
D)high birth rates in technologically advanced countries.

Question 21

Which statement is NOT true?

A)There is no correlation between national wealth and well-being.
B)In nations that reach $20,000 GDP per person,higher levels of national wealth were not predictive of increased well-being.
C)Where low income threatens basic needs,being relatively well-off does predict greater well-being.
D)In affluent countries people with money perceive more control over their lives.

Question 22

Myers reported that lottery winners typically gain _______ from their winnings.

A)long-lasting happiness
B)a temporary jolt of joy
C)anxiety over their new freedom
D)a mixture of happiness and anxiety

Question 23

People with more money

A)perceive more control over their lives.
B)have a higher stress level.
C)are less happy in poor countries.
D)are more likely to reduce their consumption.

Question 24

For today's collegians,the goal of _______ has been at the top of their list in recent years.

A)developing a meaningful philosophy of life
B)becoming very well-off financially
C)helping others in difficulty
D)becoming an authority in their own field

Question 25

According to the _______,feelings of success,failure,satisfaction,and dissatisfaction are relative to prior experiences.

A)relative attainment hypothesis
B)achievement motivation syndrome
C)social prestige principle
D)adaptation-level phenomenon

Question 26

In affluent countries the correlation between increased individual income and personal happiness is

A)strongly positive.
B)moderately positive.
C)about 0.00.
D)negative.

Question 27

Which of the following does NOT characterize Americans over the last 40 years?

A)increased personal income
B)increased subjective well-being
C)increased rates of depression
D)increased consumption

Question 28

The tendency to adapt to a given level of stimulation,and notice and react to changes from that level,defines

A)social comparison.
B)the adaptation-level phenomenon.
C)relative deprivation.
D)Parkinson's second law.

Question 29

Relative deprivation is frequently the result of

A)upward social comparison.
B)downward social comparison.
C)Parkinson's second law.
D)the adaptation-level phenomenon.

Question 30

Donna has been short of money and worried about her job security.Yesterday she was surprised to find she was being promoted and given a 10 percent raise.The adaptation-level phenomenon suggests that she will

A)soon be worried again about her finances.
B)have much better self-esteem from now on.
C)behave much less aggressively from now on.
D)be a much more ambitious,achievement-oriented worker now that she sees that her past behavior has paid off.

Question 31

Once a comfortable income level is reached,more money _____ long-term rewards.

A)increases
B)decreases
C)greatly increases
D)does not affect

Question 32

Among entering collegians,the proportion considering it "very important or essential" that they become "very well-off financially" has _______ between 1970 and 2010.

A)declined
B)risen slightly
C)remained stable
D)risen dramatically

Question 33

The fact that affluent people often feel as frustrated as those who have less can be understood in terms of

A)relative deprivation.
B)Parkinson's second law.
C)displacement.
D)the adaptation-level phenomenon.

Question 34

After some event that is good or bad,people generally _____ the enduring impact of the event.

A)underestimate
B)overestimate
C)can't guess
D)can accurately predict

Question 35

The top-rated objective among entering collegians today is

A)raising a family.
B)helping others in difficulty.
C)finding fulfilling work.
D)being very well-off financially.

Question 36

Which statement is NOT true?

A)Materialism is down,spirituality is up.
B)Economic growth has provided no apparent boost in human morale.
C)Since 1957,Americans are twice as rich but not happier.
D)We excel at making a living and often fail at making a life.

Question 37

When we seek _____ goals we tend to experience a higher quality of life.

A)extrinsic
B)monetary
C)intrinsic
D)physical

Question 38

Jacob,a freshman in college,reported on a survey that it is essential to develop a meaningful philosophy of life and that being well-off financially is much less important.This student most likely entered college in

A)1965.
B)1985.
C)1995.
D)2000.

Question 39

A 65-degree day seems warm in February but cold in July.This is best explained in terms of

A)relative deprivation.
B)the adaptation-level phenomenon.
C)displacement.
D)Parkinson's second law.

Question 40

Steve strives for intimacy,personal growth,and ways to contribute to his community,whereas Ben works at "getting ahead" financially.In all likelihood

A)they will be equally happy.
B)Steve will be happier.
C)Ben will be happier.
D)we cannot predict who will be happier.

Question 41

Joseph has just received a 5 percent increase in his salary.However,after learning that his coworkers have all received 10 percent increases,Joseph becomes upset with his employer and dissatisfied with his raise.We can understand Joseph's feelings in terms of

A)relative deprivation.
B)the adaptation-level phenomenon.
C)Parkinson's second law.
D)the hydraulic model of aggression.

Question 42

One way that social psychology can help our world is by helping us understand that

A)upward social comparisons facilitate contentment.
B)downward social comparisons facilitate contentment.
C)we really have a good life.
D)compared to others,we don't have much.

Question 43

What does NOT enhance the quality of life?

A)close,supportive relationships
B)materialism
C)positive thinking habits
D)flow

Question 44

Which statement is NOT true?

A)Downward social comparisons facilitate contentment.
B)Downward comparison to a hypothetical worse-off self enhances contentment.
C)Realizing that others have it worse helps us count our blessings.
D)Remembering the unhappy times in our lives enhances contentment.

Question 45

Tina,a single mom,just making ends meet,feels most dissatisfied with her current material circumstances after watching an episode of "The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." Her feelings are best understood in terms of

A)the adaptation-level phenomenon.
B)reactance theory.
C)relative deprivation.
D)downward social comparison.

Question 46

Social comparison is

A)evaluating one's abilities and opinions by comparing oneself with others.
B)our tendency to compare a given level of stimulation with an earlier level.
C)a tendency to adapt to social events.
D)often used to recalibrate adaptation levels.

Question 47

Koo and her colleagues (2008)had people write about how they might never have met their romantic partner.Compared to others who wrote about meeting their
Partner and imagining not having the relationship they expressed

A)dissatisfaction.
B)anger.
C)satisfaction.
D)sadness.

Question 48

Britain's New Economic Foundation has a motto stating the following:

A)A city is successful not when it's rich,but when its people are happy.
B)We believe in economics as if people and the planet mattered.
C)When the economy is good,people are happy.
D)We believe that people come first.

Question 49

Findings from the National Opinion Research Center surveys of 50,000 Americans report 26 percent of those who rarely or never attend religious services say they are
_____,while 48 percent of those attending multiple times weekly said they are _____.

A)unhappy;happy
B)happy;unhappy
C)happy;happy
D)very happy;very happy

Question 50

Oswald (2006)is a British economist who believes

A)economists' faith in the value of growth is diminishing.
B)economists still look towards the financial issues as key indicators of success.
C)social psychology can help in efforts to help the world.
D)individuals are the key to making changes in the economy.

Question 51

Because people have the capacity to _____ and to _____ comparisons,the emotional impact of life's significant events is lessened.

A)adapt;adjust
B)learn;make
C)forget;adjust
D)remember;make

Question 52

The King of Bhutan believes

A)his country should become more like AmericA.
B)his poor country can become happy by working harder.
C)gross national product is more important than gross national happiness.
D)gross national happiness is more important than gross national product.

Question 53

Rising affluence in the U.S.has not produced increased happiness because

A)we discount our belongings.
B)there's always someone richer.
C)growth is not good.
D)of greater health problems among baby boomers.

Question 54

Mfezy was born in a poor South African village.When asked how she could understand better-off people,she replied

A)she would study hard to learn more about them.
B)she could live with the people in Rhodes University and learn.
C)it was not important for her to do so.
D)that her village was a community where all were a family and loved,and she was not "poor."

Question 55

Csikszentmihalyi refers to the state wherein we are unselfconsciously absorbed in a mindful challenge as

A)positive psychology.
B)unconditional positive regard.
C)flow.
D)individual hypnosis.

Question 56

The Guidelines for National Indicators of Subjective Well-Being and Ill-Being have questions available for assessing all of the following issues EXCEPT

A)life satisfaction
B)quality of life
C)positive and negative emotions
D)anger levels

Question 57

Bogota,Colombia's former mayor believes in all of the following EXCEPT

A)building more schools.
B)increasing school enrollment.
C)that a city is successful not when it's rich,but when its people are happy.
D)having more income from visitors.

Question 58

The author hopes that a shift to postmaterialist values will gain momentum as people, governments,and corporations take all of the following steps EXCEPT

A)face the implications of population and consumption growth for pollution,climate change,and environmental destruction.
B)put more time in learning the problems and issues facing our world.
C)realize that materialist values make for less happy lives.
D)identify and promote the things in life that matter more than economic growth.

Question 59

What does NOT enhance the quality of life?

A)close,supportive relationships
B)faith communities
C)positive thinking habits
D)materialism

Question 60

Gallup surveys are useful in gathering information about well-being.What is NOT true about their research and findings?

A)People in some high-income countries such as Israel and Saudi Arabia report lower levels of positive emotion than those in low-income countries such as Kenya and IndiA.
B)The best days of the year are weekends and holidays.
C)They have surveyed people in more than 150 countries.
D)Americans don't like to respond to their surveys,so the numbers of responders are decreasing.

Question 61

Susie has just seen her test grade on her latest psychology exam on the grade sheet posted by her professor.She was disappointed to see that she received 75%.She feels better,however,when she looks further down the list and finds that she did better than 60% of her classmates.Susie is engaging in

A)the adaptation-level phenomenon.
B)social comparison.
C)the ingroup bias.
D)the misinformation effect.

Question 62

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)There is a correlation between national wealth and well-being.
B)There is no correlation between national wealth and well-being.
C)There is no correlation between happiness and financial status in third-world countries.
D)Americans are happier today than in the 1950s.

Question 63

Who is most likely to report experiencing a higher quality of life?

A)Chris,a psychology professor who focuses on his marriage,personal growth,and his volunteer efforts with the homeless
B)Sally,an attorney who is saving up for a condo on the beach,a nose job,and a new Mercedes.
C)Ryan,a house painter who is just trying to make ends meet every month.
D)Julia,a housewife who has been married for 20 years.

Question 64

The adaptation-level phenomenon refers to our tendency to adapt relative to a neutral level defined by

A)our own previous experiences.
B)the previous experiences of others.
C)how similar others are functioning.
D)how better-off people are functioning.

Question 65

Today's college students,when asked to identify their reasons for going to college,stress

A)becoming well off financially.
B)the value of learning.
C)developing a meaningful philosophy of life.
D)learning how to relate to others.

Question 66

Which statement is TRUE?

A)Rich people are happier than poor people are.
B)People who win lotteries experience a permanent increase in overall happiness.
C)As the United States has become more affluent,its citizens have also become happier.
D)Despite the fact that Americans are wealthier now than they were in previous decades,many report feeling less satisfied with their lives.

Question 67

When Myers sits down and makes a list of things he thinks he does that make him a responsible person,

A)his list is full of good,earth-saving behaviors.
B)his list is full of not so good earth-saving behaviors.
C)he thinks he is doing enough.
D)he gives both the positive and not so positive behaviors in self-reflection.

Question 68

Frank has been feeling a great deal of stress lately because he has been struggling to meet his monthly expenses.Naturally,then,he is ecstatic when he receives a raise at work.After a few weeks,though,he again finds himself struggling to make his credit payments.Frank's situation is an example of

A)the adaptation-level phenomenon.
B)social comparison.
C)the ingroup bias.
D)the misinformation effect.

Question 69

Which of the following has NOT been linked to the decrease in birth rates in less-developed countries?

A)food security
B)the education of women
C)global warming
D)the empowerment of women

Question 70

Research in social psychology indicates that all the following actions are likely to contribute to a sustainable future EXCEPT

A)engaging in volunteer work.
B)forming close,supportive relationships.
C)being optimistiC.
D)surrounding oneself with desirable possessions.

Question 71

Downward social comparison facilitates

A)guilt.
B)contentment.
C)depression.
D)empathy.

Question 72

According to Zhang et al.(2011),economic downturns and war can be traced back to

A)population growth.
B)climate fluctuations.
C)consumption.
D)religion.

Question 73

In what month are violence rates likely to be highest?

A)December
B)March
C)August
D)October

Question 74

Both the social comparison and the adaptation-level phenomenon imply that the quest for happiness through material achievement requires

A)that other people do poorly.
B)that other people view us as wealthy.
C)that other people envy us.
D)we continue to expand our own affluence.

Question 75

What one phenomenon can explain all the following phenomena: reduction in size of the polar ice caps,migration of plants and animals toward the poles and higher elevations;increase in rain days and longer rainy seasons;permafrost thawing?

A)population increases
B)industrialization
C)erosion
D)global warming

Question 76

Happiness is relative to our comparisons with others especially with

A)members of our ingroup.
B)people better off than we are.
C)people worse off than we are.
D)scapegoated groups.

Question 77

At what point are higher levels of national wealth no longer predictive of increased well-being?

A)when the GDP reached about $5,000 per person
B)when the GDP reached about $10,000 per person
C)when the GDP reached about $15,000 per person
D)when the GDP reached about $20,000 per person

Question 78

Which of the following best predicts whether first-year college students will be happy with their housing assignment?

A)location
B)physical appearance of the building
C)sense of community in the dorm itself
D)size of the rooms

Question 79

Bill is being promoted rapidly in his new company.According to social comparison phenomenon,as he climbs the ladder,Bill is LEAST likely to compare his progress with

A)people at his current level.
B)people who are above his current level.
C)people who are below his current level.
D)where he was at his last job.

Question 80

All of the following have been linked to an enhanced quality of life EXCEPT

A)having close,supportive relationships.
B)volunteering.
C)engaging in upward social comparison.
D)being involved in less expensive leisure activities.