Question 1

Zimbardo concluded from his Stanford prison study that prisoners and guards adopted their designated roles more easily than anyone might have imagined because of

Accepted Answer

Zimbardo concluded that the participants in the study were able to adopt their designated roles so easily due to the process of deindividuation, which occurs when individuals lose their sense of individuality and become more likely to conform to group norms and behave in ways that they would not do otherwise.

Question 2

Which of the following features of a culture should lead to the highest level of conformity?

Accepted Answer

Collectivism emphasizes group harmony and conformity to group norms, values, and traditions over individual autonomy and self-expression. Therefore, cultures with a high level of collectivism are more likely to have a higher level of conformity.

Question 3

Research on crowd behaviour has demonstrated that

Accepted Answer

Research on crowd behaviour suggests that the behaviour of the crowd can be related to either aggressive or prosocial behaviour, depending on the prevailing social norm of the situation. This means that if the crowd perceives a situation to be more aggressive, they may respond in a more aggressive manner, whereas if the situation is perceived as more peaceful, they may respond in a more prosocial manner. Additionally, research has shown that prosocial responses to crowd outbursts are more common than aggressive responses, even in an aggression-inducing situation, suggesting that crowds can also promote positive behaviour in certain situations.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

Close, friendly groups can fall into the trap of groupthink, in which members prioritize harmony and conformity above critical thinking and decision-making. This can result in poor decision-making and a lack of creativity and innovation within the group. Therefore, option D is the most accurate answer.

Question 5

Being part of a large crowd that stampedes into a store for a massive Boxing Day Sale would be an example of

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation is the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in a group setting, which can lead to impulsive and potentially harmful behavior. In a large crowd during a Boxing Day Sale, individuals may lose their sense of individuality and behave in a frenzied and impulsive manner, leading to a stampede. Conformity, obedience, and influence are more related to following the behaviors and expectations of others, whereas deindividuation is more related to a loss of individual identity in a group setting.

Question 6

Which of the following provides a "real-world" example of the power of social influence and deindividuation?

Accepted Answer

The Abu Ghraib prison abuse is a real-world example of the power of social influence and deindividuation. The soldiers involved in the abuse were influenced by group norms and lost their sense of individuality, leading to their participation in cruel and abusive behavior.

Question 7

All of the following statements about deindividuation are true EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation does not inherently make us behave badly; it makes us more susceptible to the norms of the group, whether those norms encourage positive or negative behavior.

Question 8

Which of the following statements is most likely to contribute to groupthink?

Accepted Answer

The statement "I'm sure we all agree on this" implies that there is a consensus already and may discourage the expression of dissenting opinions or alternative viewpoints, which is a key characteristic of groupthink.

Question 9

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 friends 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?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a concept in social psychology where a group of people conform to a particular viewpoint or course of action. In this case, the gang members are becoming more passionate about seeking revenge based on their group discussion, without any evidence to support their beliefs. This can lead to a dangerous escalation of violence as the group becomes more entrenched in their beliefs and actions.

Question 10

Carlos and his work associates form a close, friendly group, and they usually work well together. However, they may face a problem involving an extreme form of conformity called

Accepted Answer

Groupthink occurs when members of a group prioritize maintaining group harmony and consensus over critical evaluation of information and decision-making. This can lead to irrational and risky decisions. In a close, friendly group like Carlos and his associates, there may be pressure to conform to the group's views and avoid dissent to maintain harmony, potentially leading to groupthink.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

When members of a group prioritize the cohesiveness of the group over the facts of a situation, they are engaging in groupthink. This is a phenomenon where a group makes decisions without considering all alternatives or critically evaluating information, typically leading to flawed decisions.

Question 12

George is at a pub watching the Stanley Cup final game. When the game ends, some fights start in the bar, and all along the street. People smash windows of cars and business, and some people begin to loot stores. George gets "caught up" in this and joins in the rioting behaviour, as just another member of the crowd. What concept is depicted in this example?

Accepted Answer

George's behaviour can be explained by deindividuation, where an individual may behave in a way that is not typical of their personality when they feel anonymous and part of a group. In this case, George likely felt like he was part of a larger crowd with shared goals, which reduced his inhibitions and made him more likely to engage in destructive and violent behaviour.

Question 13

The prime minister notices that his closest advisers never seem to disagree with him or with each other on a lot of important issues, such as gun control or taxation. He worries that he is not hearing the pros and cons of different issues because his advisers are engaging in

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a phenomenon in which a group of people conform to a decision or a viewpoint without critically evaluating it. The prime minister's advisers seem to be engaging in groupthink as they are not presenting differing viewpoints or challenging the prime minister's ideas. This can be detrimental to decision-making as it limits the exploration of alternatives and potentially leads to poor outcomes.

Question 14

One criticism of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment is that participants may have experienced ___________________ to behave according to their assigned roles as prisoners or guards.

Accepted Answer

Demand characteristics refer to cues in an experiment that suggest to participants what behavior is expected. In the case of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment, participants might have acted in ways they thought were expected of them as prisoners or guards, rather than from their own genuine reactions or decisions.

Question 15

Research suggests that cults promote groupthink in the following ways EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that cults promote groupthink by having a persuasive leader who fosters loyalty, discouraging questioning of the group's or leader's assumptions, and utilizing training practices that gradually indoctrinate members. However, they do not generally connect group members to the outside world, as this can result in exposure to alternative perspectives that may undermine the group's beliefs or authority.

Question 16

All of the following are symptoms of groupthink EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a phenomenon where a group of people conform to the group's consensus, even if it goes against their personal beliefs or common sense. The symptoms of groupthink include a feeling of invulnerability, perceiving unanimity within the group, and a belief in the group's morality and superiority. However, openness to differing opinions is not a symptom of groupthink, as groupthink relies on a lack of dissenting opinions within the group.

Question 17

The launch and subsequent explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986, despite warnings of danger from NASA engineers that parts might malfunction due to weather conditions, demonstrates the concept of ___________________.

Accepted Answer

The launch and explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986 is a classic example of groupthink. Groupthink refers to a phenomenon where members of a group prioritize consensus and conformity over critical thinking and decision making, leading to faulty decisions. In this case, NASA engineers who had concerns about the safety of the launch were pressured by their superiors to conform to the group's decision to proceed with the launch. This resulted in a tragic accident that claimed the lives of seven crew members.

Question 18

________________ is the tendency of people to engage in atypical behaviour when stripped of their usual identities.

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation is the tendency of people to engage in atypical behaviour when stripped of their usual identities. This could happen during events such as riots where individuals may feel anonymous and therefore less accountable for their actions.

Question 19

The emphasis on group unanimity at the expense of critical thinking is called

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is the tendency for group members to think alike and suppress dissenting opinions, leading to the prioritization of group cohesion over critical thinking. Deindividuation refers to a loss of self-awareness and self-restraint that can occur in group situations, while conformity refers to the tendency to align one's attitudes and behaviors with those of a group. Obedience refers to compliance with authority figures or rules.

Question 20

Imagine you are a contestant on the popular game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and you have been asked a question that you don't know the answer to. You use the option to poll the audience for their opinion of the correct answer. Even though you think differently, you become convinced that the audience is correct as 87 percent of them agree on a particular answer. You have experienced which psychological phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes the phenomenon of groupthink, where individuals conform to the opinions of a group to avoid conflict and maintain harmony. The contestant became convinced that the majority of the audience was correct despite their own belief, highlighting the power of group influence.

Quiz 13: Social Psychology