Question 1

Ted likes Diane and smiles at her every chance he gets.Diane wonders why Ted is always smirking at her sarcastically and studiously avoids him.Ted thinks he's being friendly and cannot understand Diane's standoffishness; Diane thinks Ted is a jerk and cannot figure out why he won't leave her alone.This situation best represents the power of ________ in explaining social behaviour.

Accepted Answer

Construals refer to the subjective interpretation of social situations and stimuli. In this scenario, Ted's interpretation of his behavior toward Diane is different from Diane's interpretation of his behavior toward her. Ted construes his behavior as friendly, while Diane construes it as sarcastic and annoying. This highlights how individuals' subjective perspectives and interpretations can influence their behavior and interactions with others.

Question 2

Which of the following is the best example of a construal?

Accepted Answer

A construal is the way in which a person interprets and understands information. The perceived aggressiveness of girls versus boys is an example of how individuals may interpret and understand gender differences in behavior. The other options do not involve interpretation or understanding of information.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a direct persuasion attempt?

Accepted Answer

Direct persuasion involves using threats, promises, or other forms of coercion to influence someone's behavior. The bully is using a threat to persuade Billy to give him his lunch money, making it a direct persuasion attempt. The other options involve behavior that is not necessarily influenced by an attempt at persuasion.

Question 4

The task of the psychologist is to

Accepted Answer

The primary task of psychology is to understand and predict behaviour. While exploring the unconscious or explaining physiological functioning may be part of this process, the ultimate goal is to understand human behaviour and make accurate predictions about how individuals will act in different situations. Understanding the impact of economic factors or predicting future events may also be areas of interest for psychologists, but they are not the primary task of the field.

Question 5

One application of Ross's idea of naïve realism is to assist the negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.How would understanding naïve realism potentially help these parties negotiate more successfully?

Accepted Answer

Understanding naïve realism would help both parties to recognize that their perceptions are biased and limited by their individual experiences and beliefs. This would lead to a more objective and rational negotiation process, where both sides are willing to consider alternative perspectives and outcomes. By acknowledging the role of cognitive biases in shaping their perceptions, both parties may be more open to compromise and finding common ground.

Question 6

Not all social influence is direct or deliberate.Which of the following is the best example of more indirect or subtle social influence?

Accepted Answer

Option E is the best example of indirect or subtle social influence because it involves exposure to new ideas through courses which may lead to a change in attitudes but not through deliberate persuasion or direct influence.

Question 7

Research by Lee Ross suggests that even when people recognize that others perceive information differently,they persist in thinking that others are biased while they themselves are objective.This illustrates the idea of

Accepted Answer

This question is referring to the phenomenon known as naïve realism, which is the tendency for people to believe that their own perceptions and interpretations of events are objective and accurate, while assuming that others who see things differently must be biased or influenced by external factors. Lee Ross's research supports this idea by demonstrating that even when people recognize that others have different perspectives, they still tend to assume that their own viewpoint is the "right" one, and that others are seeing things through a biased lens.

Question 8

Social psychologists use the term ________ to describe the way in which people perceive,comprehend,and interpret their social worlds.

Accepted Answer

The term that social psychologists use to describe the way people perceive, comprehend, and interpret their social worlds is called construal. A construal is an individual’s interpretation of what they experience and perceive, and it can be influenced by a variety of factors such as past experiences, cultural norms, and personal biases. Social psychologists study how these construals shape our actions and decision making.

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of social interpretation OR construal?

Accepted Answer

The feeling of guilt is a socially constructed emotion that is based on societal norms and expectations of what is right and wrong. The individual in this scenario is interpreting their actions through a social lens.

Answer: E
 The idea that hunger can affect one's ability to concentrate is a social interpretation that is based on the physiological and psychological effects of hunger on the body and brain. It is a socially constructed belief that has been shaped by cultural, environmental, and biological factors.

Question 10

What is the general topic of most interest to social psychologists?

Accepted Answer

Social psychologists are primarily interested in how individuals are influenced by the social environment and the presence of others, which is encapsulated in the study of social influence.

Question 11

Karen returns home from her first year of university,and is very proud of her GPA.She earned a 3.0 ("B")average.She's unhappily surprised to discover that her parents are disappointed that she didn't perform better.This situation best represents the power of ________ in explaining social behaviour.

Accepted Answer

This situation illustrates the power of "construals" in explaining social behavior, as it highlights how different interpretations (Karen's pride in her GPA vs. her parents' disappointment) of the same situation can lead to different reactions and understandings.

Question 12

The word "construal" refers to

Accepted Answer

Construal refers to the mental processes involved in how people perceive, comprehend, and interpret the social world. It is subjective and can vary from person to person.

Question 13

Which of the following professionals are most likely to rely on common sense?

Accepted Answer

Journalists often rely on common sense to make their reports accessible and relatable to the general public. They need to quickly assess situations, decide what is newsworthy, and communicate complex issues in a way that is understandable to a broad audience, which frequently involves utilizing common sense judgments.

Question 14

Lee Ross describes the idea of "naïve realism" as

Accepted Answer

Lee Ross describes naïve realism as the belief that we perceive things as they really are, without any biases or influences.

Question 15

Social psychology is defined as the scientific study of the way people's ________ are influenced by the ________ presence of other people.

Accepted Answer

Social psychology examines how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others, making option B the correct answer.

Question 16

According to the authors of your text,one hazard of relying too heavily on folk wisdom is that

Accepted Answer

The authors of the text suggest that relying too heavily on folk wisdom can be hazardous because "common sense" is often oversimplified or incorrect. Therefore, choice A is the best answer.

Question 17

Compared to social psychologists,journalists,politicians,and our grandmothers are more likely to rely on ________ to explain social influence.

Accepted Answer

Social psychologists are trained to rely on empirical research and data to explain social influence, whereas journalists, politicians, and grandmothers may rely more on common sense and traditional beliefs rather than scientific evidence. Public opinion polls may be used by journalists and politicians but are not necessarily a reliable source of information on social influence. Religious beliefs are also not a primary source for explaining social influence in most cases. Idle speculation is not a valid method for explaining social influence.

Question 18

From across the room,J.T.sees his mother sigh and he approaches to give her a hug in the hopes of cheering her up.In this case,J.T.'s behaviour is an example of ________ social influence attempt.

Accepted Answer

J.T.'s behavior is a direct social influence attempt because he intentionally acts (approaching to give a hug) in response to his mother's sigh, aiming to cheer her up. This action is deliberate and aimed at influencing his mother's emotional state.

Question 19

Jeremy is in love with Carol and views her temper as an endearing example of her "feistiness." Her coworkers,however,interpret Carol's temper as rude and insensitive.This example illustrates the power of love to influence our

Accepted Answer

Jeremy's perception of Carol's temper as "feistiness" is his construal, or interpretation, of her behaviour. This perception is influenced by his love for her, which shapes the way he views her actions. However, Carol's coworkers have a different construal of her behaviour, one that is not influenced by love. This example shows how love can influence our construals of others' behaviour.

Question 20

At the end of their first date,Chad said goodnight to Sara,then quickly walked away.Even though she thought they both had a good time on the date,Sara started to wonder if Chad's quick departure meant that he didn't like her.Another term for Sara's interpretation of Chad's behaviour is

Accepted Answer

A construal refers to the way individuals interpret and make sense of events or stimuli. In this case, Sara is interpreting Chad's behavior at the end of their first date and wondering if it means he didn't like her.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Social Psychology