Question 1

Which of the following statements related to attitudes and heredity is true?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that some political and religious attitudes have a genetic component, meaning they are inherited to some degree. However, it is important to note that environmental factors also play a role in shaping attitudes and behavior.

Question 2

Jose is enthusiastic about a new political candidate but feels that he has no time to campaign in support of this candidate. In this example, Jose's behavior has been influenced by

Accepted Answer

Jose's lack of time to campaign is an example of his perceived behavioral control, which is a factor that influences behavior according to the theory of planned behavior. Perceived behavioral control refers to an individual's perception of their ability to perform a behavior.

Question 3

Emily has a strong attitude about the issue of gun control, but all her close friends hold the opposite attitude about the issue. Consequently, Emily is not active politically on this issue. According to the language of the theory of planned behavior, Emily's reduced consistency between her attitude and her actions is influenced by

Accepted Answer

Emily's reduced consistency between her attitude and actions is influenced by subjective norms, which refer to perceived social pressure to perform or not perform a certain behavior. In this case, Emily's close friends hold the opposite attitude about the issue, creating a perceived pressure for Emily to not be politically active on the issue. The other options (reduced attitude accessibility and personal relevance of the issue) do not provide an explanation for the specific social influence affecting Emily's behavior. Perceived behavioral control may play a role, but it is not mentioned in the scenario provided.

Question 4

The two aspects of knowledge that strengthen the link between attitudes and behavior are

Accepted Answer

The answer of The two aspects of knowledge that strengthen...

Question 5

According to the theory of planned behavior, behavioral intentions are influenced by all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The theory of planned behavior suggests that behavioral intentions are influenced by three primary factors - attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Attitude accessibility is not one of the primary factors, although it can influence the strength of the attitude-behavior relationship.

Question 6

When attitudes are formed through the process of classical conditioning, the degree of liking for something is influenced by

Accepted Answer

Attitudes formed through classical conditioning involve associating an object or situation with a positive or negative feeling, based on its association with something we already like or dislike. This association leads to a degree of liking or disliking for the object or situation.

Question 7

The speed with which an attitude springs to mind is known as attitude

Accepted Answer

The speed with which an attitude comes to mind is known as accessibility.

Question 8

According to the theory of planned behavior, the BEST predictor of behavior is

Accepted Answer

The theory of planned behavior posits that behavioral intentions are the best predictor of behavior. Behavioral intentions refer to an individual's willingness to engage in a behavior and are influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. However, research has consistently shown that intentions consistently predict behavior better than the other factors, suggesting that intentions are the most important factor to consider when predicting behavior.

Question 9

Suppose that you hold a strong attitude against capital punishment and you are shown an essay that opposes your position. According to a study by Pomeranz, Chaiken, & Tordesillas (1995), you would be likely to perceive the essay arguments as

Accepted Answer

According to the study by Pomeranz, Chaiken, & Tordesillas (1995), individuals tend to be biased towards information that confirms their pre-existing attitudes and beliefs. This means that if someone holds a strong attitude against capital punishment, they are likely to perceive arguments opposing their position as weak, and therefore, are not likely to change their position. Therefore, the best choice is D, which states that the individual would perceive the essay arguments as weak and do not change their position.

Question 10

Peter met Hal on a very cold and windy day. Peter didn't like Hal very much because he associated Hal with the negative experience of being cold. In this example, Peter's attitude toward Hal was influenced by the process of

Accepted Answer

Peter's negative association with Hal is an example of classical conditioning, in which a neutral stimulus (Hal) becomes associated with a negative experience (being cold) and can elicit a negative response (dislike) in the future.

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of operant conditioning potentially influencing an attitude?

Accepted Answer

In this scenario, the teacher is using positive reinforcement (smiling and nodding) to encourage the expression of a certain political view. Over time, the student may come to adopt that view as their own, even if they did not initially hold it. This is an example of operant conditioning influencing an attitude. The other choices do not involve reinforcement or punishment, which are the hallmarks of operant conditioning.

Question 12

A study (Sivacek & Crano, 1982) was conducted at Michigan State University when the government proposed raising the drinking age from 18 to 21. Which students volunteered to campaign against the proposal and why?

Accepted Answer

Students who were under 20 were more likely to volunteer because the issue was more personally relevant to them. The proposed law would directly affect their ability to drink legally, making the issue more personally relevant to them than to students who were already legally allowed to drink.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of observational learning potentially influencing an attitude?

Accepted Answer

Observing other children having fun recycling in the video potentially influences the attitude of the children towards recycling. They may develop a positive attitude towards recycling because they associate it with fun and enjoyment based on what they observed. Options A, B, and D involve external factors that may not necessarily influence a person's attitude towards a particular issue or behavior.

Question 14

Embeddedness makes attitudes resistant to change because

Accepted Answer

When an attitude is embedded, it becomes a part of an individual's self-concept, and changing it would require changing other aspects of the self, which is a difficult and often uncomfortable process for individuals. This makes them resistant to change their attitude, even in the face of contradictory information or evidence.

Question 15

Your text described how all of the following can influence attitude-behavior consistency EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The text states that all of the listed factors can influence attitude-behavior consistency except for dissonance level.

Question 16

Your text described attitudes being formed from all of the following processes EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The answer of Your text described attitudes being formed from...

Question 17

Strong attitudes are more resistant to persuasion because

Accepted Answer

The answer of Strong attitudes are more resistant to persuasion...

Question 18

Which of the following are the two qualities of strong attitudes that make them resistant to change?

Accepted Answer

Commitment and embeddedness are the two qualities of strong attitudes that make them resistant to change. Commitment refers to the amount of personal investment or attachment a person has to an attitude, while embeddedness refers to how interconnected the attitude is with the rest of a person's beliefs and values. Both of these factors make it more difficult for a person to change their attitude, as doing so would require a significant amount of cognitive effort and potentially involve a reevaluation of their entire belief system.

Question 19

The theory of planned behavior characterizes attitudes as influencing action by first influencing

Accepted Answer

According to the theory of planned behavior, attitudes influence behavior by influencing the individual's behavioral intention. Behavioral intention is the individual's perception of their readiness to perform a behavior, which is a strong predictor of whether they will actually perform that behavior. Therefore, option D is the best choice as it directly connects attitudes to behavior through the concept of behavioral intention.

Question 20

In a study by Insko (1965), students at the University of Hawaii were surveyed by phone about their attitudes toward the creation of a Springtime Aloha Week. The interviewer said "good" after some students expressed a favorable attitude, but said "good" after other students expressed an unfavorable attitude. One week later, a survey revealed that the interviewer's comments influenced students' attitudes toward Springtime Aloha Week via the process of

Accepted Answer

The interviewer's use of "good" as a response to students' attitudes acts as a form of reinforcement, which is a key component of operant conditioning. This process involves learning through the consequences of behavior, where positive reinforcement (like saying "good") increases the likelihood of the behavior being repeated.

Quiz 5: Attitudes and Persuasion