Question 1

Influence practitioners often invoke social validation by claiming that their products

Accepted Answer

Social validation is the use of other people's actions or opinions to validate one's own decision or behavior. Claiming that a product is the largest selling or fastest growing constitutes social validation because it suggests that many people have already made the decision to purchase the product, making it a safe and popular choice.

Question 2

In the studies conducted by Stanley Milgram, most participants were willing to deliver high voltage shocks to a confederate every time the confederate gave the wrong answer in a learning task. Which of the following statements best explains these results?

Accepted Answer

The best explanation of the results is that the participants in the study were obedient to the experimenter. Milgram's study showed that people are often willing to obey authority figures, even when that obedience involves actions that harm others. This finding has important implications for understanding how social influence can shape behavior in a variety of settings.

Question 3

According to the text, advertisements specifying a "limited time only" are attempting to cash in on

Accepted Answer

Advertisements with a "limited time only" offer are using the scarcity principle, which suggests that people perceive items or opportunities as more valuable when they are less available. By creating a sense of urgency, advertisers hope to increase demand for their product or service.

Question 4

A movie theater owner advertised a movie by saying, "Exclusive, limited engagement, ends soon." This appeal represents an attempt to use the social influence principle of

Accepted Answer

The use of the phrases "limited engagement" and "ends soon" indicate scarcity, which is a social influence principle that suggests that people are more likely to desire something that is rare or only available in limited quantities. Therefore, the movie theater owner is using the principle of scarcity to try to influence people to come and see the movie.

Question 5

Bartenders who put some dollar bills in their tip jars in order to influence their customers to tip generously are trying to take advantage of which social influence principle?

Accepted Answer

The principle of social validation suggests that people look to others to determine their own actions, especially in uncertain situations. By seeding their tip jars with money, bartenders signal that tipping is a common and expected behavior, encouraging others to follow suit.

Question 6

The claim "We have the bestselling truck in its class" utilizes the_________________ principle, whereas "We have only four of these trucks in stock" utilizes the_________________principle.

Accepted Answer

The first claim, "We have the bestselling truck in its class," uses the social validation principle by appealing to consumers' desire to conform to what is popular or highly valued by others. The second claim, "We have only four of these trucks in stock," utilizes the scarcity principle by creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity. By implying that the product is in limited supply, the retailer hopes to encourage consumers to act quickly before it's too late.

Question 7

Why do cult-like groups try to prevent new members from communicating with family and friends outside the group?

Accepted Answer

Cult-like groups often use social influence to persuade new members to conform to the group's beliefs and practices. When a new member communicates with family or friends outside the group, they may be exposed to differing opinions and perspectives. This can make it harder for the group to maintain its control over the new member and convince them to conform. Even just one dissenter can create doubt and reduce the effectiveness of the group's social influence tactics. Therefore, preventing communication with outsiders helps the group maintain its control over the new member.

Question 8

In the famous first study conducted by Stanley Milgram,_________________of the participants continued to "shock" the confederate all the way up to 450 volts, which was as high as the shock generating machine could go.

Accepted Answer

In Milgram's famous study, it was found that more than half (65%) of the participants continued to administer shocks all the way up to 450 volts, even when the confederate appeared to be in extreme distress. This suggests that a significant number of people are capable of carrying out harmful actions when they are instructed to do so by an authority figure.

Question 9

Airline industry officials have attributed many fatal airline accidents to what they call , which refers to_________________.

Accepted Answer

"Captainitis" refers to situations where the captain makes an error and the other crewmembers fail to correct it, leading to accidents. This is a common cause of fatal airline accidents, according to industry officials. "Flight myopia" is not a commonly used term in the industry, and A and C are incorrect interpretations of it.

Question 10

Research on suicide epidemics has found that a suicide that makes the front-page news generally is followed by

Accepted Answer

The research suggests that an increase in suicides in areas where the newspapers devote a great deal of coverage to suicide is likely to follow a suicide that makes front-page news. This phenomenon is often referred to as suicide contagion or copycat suicide. It is believed that extensive media coverage of suicide can contribute to an increase in suicidal behavior among vulnerable individuals who identify with the person who died by suicide.

Question 11

Individuals are most likely to conform to the actions of_________________.

Accepted Answer

Individuals are more likely to conform to the actions of similar others because they feel that they share common beliefs and values with those individuals. This leads to a desire to fit in and avoid social rejection. In contrast, conforming to dissimilar others may lead to feelings of discomfort and social isolation. Additionally, conforming to a group that is not unanimous may be less effective because the presence of dissenting voices may reduce the pressure to conform. Age is not a significant factor in the likelihood of conformity.

Question 12

Stanley Milgram conducted studies in which participants were directed by the experimenter to deliver high voltage shocks to a confederate every time the confederate gave the wrong answer on a learning task. This study exemplified which of the following phenomena?

Accepted Answer

Milgram's study demonstrated obedience, as participants followed the authority figure's instructions to administer the shocks, even when it conflicted with their own moral beliefs.

Question 13

A single visible dissenter from the group's position

Accepted Answer

A visible dissenter from the group's position can embolden other group members to resist conformity because they see someone else who shares their doubts and concerns. This can lead to more meaningful and productive discussions within the group, ultimately leading to better decisions.

Question 14

When Milgram moved his obedience study from Yale University to an office in a rundown section of Bridgeport Connecticut, the level of obedience

Accepted Answer

The level of obedience dropped somewhat when Milgram moved his obedience study from Yale University to an office in a rundown section of Bridgeport Connecticut. This suggests that the physical environment may play a role in obedience levels.

Question 15

The Tupperware Home Party Corporation, which arranges parties in people's homes so that friends and acquaintances can purchase the company's products, primarily takes advantage of the social influence principle of

Accepted Answer

The Tupperware Home Party Corporation primarily takes advantage of the social influence principle of liking/friendship. The parties are arranged in people's homes amongst friends and acquaintances, emphasizing the personal relationships and connections between individuals rather than formal authority or consistency in behavior. Participants are more likely to trust and be influenced by people they like and have a positive relationship with, which is why Tupperware relies on the liking/friendship principle to sell its products.

Question 16

In the study on nurses' obedience, a man who identified himself as a doctor ordered nurses to give twice the maximum acceptable dosage of a drug to a patient. The results of the study demonstrated that

Accepted Answer

The study found that the vast majority (over 90%) of the nurses obeyed the order to give twice the maximum acceptable dosage of a drug to a patient, despite the potential harm to the patient. The obedience was not affected by whether the order was given in person or on the phone, or whether the nurses knew the doctor or not. This demonstrated the powerful influence of authority on behavior.

Question 17

In a study by Milgram, participants delivered a series of painful shocks to another person. Milgram designed the study to examine the effects of which of the following on participants' aggression?

Accepted Answer

Milgram's study was designed to examine the effects of obedience to authority on participants' aggression. The shocks were administered under the direction of an authority figure, and the study found that participants were willing to deliver extremely painful shocks to the victim simply because they were instructed to do so by the authority figure. This highlights the powerful influence of authority on behavior, even when it conflicts with one's own moral principles.

Question 18

A curious case of mass hysteria occurred when vast numbers of Londoners left the city because a soldier named Bell had predicted that the city would be destroyed by an earthquake on a specific day. The mass hysteria was primarily due to

Accepted Answer

The mass hysteria was primarily due to the Londoners themselves, who mimicked each others' behaviors, a phenomenon often observed in cases of mass hysteria where the actions of a few can lead to a collective response without a rational basis.

Question 19

Milgram's obedience research demonstrated that a sample of ordinary Americans was willing to deliver dangerous levels of shock because

Accepted Answer

Milgram's obedience research showed that the participants were willing to deliver dangerous levels of shock because an authority figure (the experimenter) instructed them to do so, and most participants felt obligated to follow the authority's commands.

Question 20

Milgram asked individuals to administer shocks to a fellow participant as part of a "learning" task. He found that people are

Accepted Answer

Milgram's experiment showed that participants were willing to deliver painful shocks to another person when instructed to do so by an authority figure, even when they personally did not want to do so. This suggests that obedience to authority can override one's individual moral principles and lead to harmful behavior towards others.

Quiz 6: Social Influence: Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience