Question 1

Cyberbullying impacts __________ of school children in the United States.

Accepted Answer

Studies and surveys on cyberbullying have shown that the percentage of school children in the United States who have experienced cyberbullying ranges from 10 to 35 percent. This range accounts for various forms of online harassment and bullying, reflecting the significant impact of digital interactions on children's social experiences.

Question 2

Implicit or explicit rules that a group has for acceptable beliefs, values, or behavior are that group's __________.

Accepted Answer

Social norms refer to the unwritten and implicit rules that guide behavior within a particular group or society. These norms can include beliefs, values, and behaviors that are considered acceptable or unacceptable within the group. Personal acceptance and group acceptance are not commonly used terms in this context, while public compliance refers to conforming to explicit and often imposed rules or laws.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a social norm in mainstream U.S. culture?

Accepted Answer

Using your turn signal to indicate which direction you will be turning is a social norm in mainstream U.S. culture, as it is seen as a safety measure to communicate your intentions to other drivers on the road.

Question 4

When people conform in attitudes or behaviors in order to be accepted and liked by others, social psychologists say that __________ has occurred.

Accepted Answer

Normative social influence is the process by which individuals conform in order to be accepted and liked by others. Contagion refers to the spread of emotions, attitudes, or behaviors through a group, while informational social influence is the process by which individuals conform due to a desire to be correct or accurate. Social approval is related to normative social influence, but does not capture the full process of conformity.

Question 5

Itsuki, a Japanese teenager, has withdrawn from all social interaction. He is referred to as a hikikomori. Most likely, his withdrawal is the result of __________.

Accepted Answer

Hikikomori is a Japanese term used to describe a phenomenon where individuals, usually adolescents or young adults, withdraw from all social interactions and isolate themselves in their rooms for an extended period. This is often a result of intense bullying or social pressure. Option A, B, and C are not the primary reasons for hikikomori.

Question 6

In essence, normative social influence arises from humans' fundamental __________.

Accepted Answer

Normative social influence stems from a desire for acceptance and belonging among one's peers. People conform to social norms in order to fit in and gain approval from those around them.

Question 7

Imagine that you are attending a new high school and would like to make friends. On the first day of school, you observe that all of the students in your homeroom are crumpling paper into balls and throwing them on the floor. You begin to do the same. You have conformed to the group's behavior due to __________.

Accepted Answer

Normative social influence is the process of conforming to a group's norms or expectations in order to fit in and be accepted. In this scenario, the individual starts crumpling paper and throwing it on the floor because that is what everyone else is doing, indicating a desire to adhere to the group's norms in order to make friends and be accepted. The other options are not as relevant in this scenario - informational social influence pertains to conforming due to a desire to be correct or accurate, propaganda is a form of communication that is used to influence a specific audience, and obedience to authority relates to conforming due to the power or commands of an authority figure.

Question 8

When you and your friends greet each other, it's customary for you to give each other a special, complicated handshake. This handshake can be considered the __________ for greeting each other in your group.

Accepted Answer

A social norm is an unwritten rule that is widely followed in a society or group. The special handshake that you and your friends have developed is a social norm that is specific to your group.

Question 9

What characteristic of the ice bucket challenge made it difficult for people to ignore?

Accepted Answer

The ice bucket challenge involved individuals being called out by name, creating a personal connection and making it harder for them to ignore the challenge.

Question 10

Deviant behavior is usually met with rejection. For example, in Japan, deviants in school tend to be shunned and harassed by their entire class or school. Such treatment is particularly psychologically damaging in Japan because the culture __________.

Accepted Answer

Japan emphasizes cohesion and group harmony, meaning that individuals who deviate from societal norms are often ostracized and seen as disrupting the harmony of the group. This can lead to significant psychological damage for the deviant individual.

Question 11

Going along with the crowd (e.g., doing the ice bucket challenge, smoking pot, polar plunging) because of a fear of social exclusion is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

Normative social influence is the tendency to conform to the group norm in order to fit in and avoid rejection or social exclusion. The examples given in the question (ice bucket challenge, smoking pot, polar plunging) involve behavior that is popular or trendy, and individuals may feel pressure to conform in order to be accepted by their peers. Informational social influence, on the other hand, involves conforming to the opinions or behaviors of others because we believe they have accurate information or knowledge. Social impact refers to the collective influence that individuals in a group can have on each other, while social dominance relates to the use of power or status to control others within a group.

Question 12

Which type of conformity is most at odds with our cultural ethos of individualism and independence and most closely matches the negative stereotypes of those who conform as being "weaklings"?

Accepted Answer

Normative conformity is the type of conformity that involves conforming to the group in order to be accepted and avoid rejection, rather than to gain information or make a rational decision. This type of conformity is often viewed as being at odds with the cultural values of individualism and independence, and is often associated with negative stereotypes of being "weak" or lacking in personal strength. Nonconformity and anti-conformity, on the other hand, are often seen as more individualistic and independent, and may be viewed more positively. Informational conformity is a type of conformity based on the desire to be correct, rather than on social pressures, and is not typically associated with negative stereotypes.

Question 13

The authors of your text report instances of teens taking a "polar plunge" by jumping into freezing water. Which of the following best explains such dangerous behavior?

Accepted Answer

Teens may engage in such behavior due to normative social influence, where they conform to the actions of their peers to be accepted or liked, even if the behavior is risky.

Question 14

According to your text, what seems to drive an idea "going viral" through social influence?

Accepted Answer

The text states that emotional arousal is a key factor in an idea or content going viral through social influence.

Question 15

Informational social influence is to __________ as normative social influence is to __________.

Accepted Answer

Informational social influence refers to the influence of others when we are uncertain about how to act or think in a particular situation. Normative social influence, on the other hand, refers to the influence of others on our behavior due to our desire for social approval or to avoid social disapproval. Private acceptance refers to genuinely changing one's thoughts or beliefs in response to social influence, whereas public compliance refers to outward conformity without necessarily changing one's private beliefs. Therefore, informational social influence is to private acceptance as normative social influence is to public compliance.

Question 16

Priscilla is on her way to a concert and has gotten lost. Which of the following people, based on information from your text about informational social influence, would she be most likely to ask for directions?

Accepted Answer

According to research on informational social influence, people are more likely to trust and follow the advice of authoritative figures or experts. A police officer would be perceived as an authoritative figure and therefore, Priscilla would be more likely to ask them for directions.

Question 17

In Japan, some teens become hikikomori, often after being the victims of severe bullying. Someone who is hikikomori can be described as __________.

Accepted Answer

Hikikomori is a term used in Japan to describe people, typically teenagers and young adults, who withdraw from social life and isolate themselves in their rooms for months or even years.

Question 18

Bill has been deprived of human contact for long periods of time. He will tend to experience __________.

Accepted Answer

This is because isolation from human contact can lead to psychological distress, anxiety and depression. It may also increase the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Question 19

__________ conformity is to the desire to be right as __________ conformity is to the desire to be liked.

Accepted Answer

Informational conformity is driven by the desire to be correct in situations where the right course of action is uncertain, relying on the behavior of others as a guide. Normative conformity, on the other hand, is motivated by the desire to fit in or be liked by others, leading individuals to conform to the expectations of a social group even if they might personally disagree.

Question 20

Pierre joins the other concertgoers in giving the symphony a standing ovation, even though he thought the performance was merely adequate. The next morning, Pierre confides to his girlfriend that the performance was "satisfactory, but not overwhelming." In joining the standing ovation, Pierre displayed what kind of conformity?

Accepted Answer

Pierre publicly complied with the group's behavior by joining in the standing ovation, despite privately having a different opinion of the symphony's performance. This indicates public compliance.

Quiz 8: Conformity and Obedience: Influencing Behavior