Question 1

Assume that April visits two highly similar graduate programs before she decides which one to attend.At University X,she is wined and dined,and made to feel at home.At University Y,April is asked to give a public talk about her research interests,grilled by prospective advisers,and asked to write a long essay about her qualifications.April decides to attend University Y,where she had a more stressful time.This situation best exemplifies self-justification that arises from

Accepted Answer

April's choice to attend University Y, despite the more stressful experience, exemplifies self-justification arising from suffering. This is because people often value things more highly if they have to undergo hardship or put in significant effort to achieve them.

Question 2

Social psychologists have identified two motives that are of primary importance in explaining our thoughts and behaviours.These are the need to ________ and the need to ________.

Accepted Answer

The two primary motives identified by social psychologists that explain our thoughts and behaviors are the need to be as accurate as possible and the need to feel good about ourselves. This encompasses the drive for cognitive accuracy and self-esteem maintenance.

Question 3

With which of the following statements would the authors of Chapter 1 be most likely to agree?

Accepted Answer

The authors of Chapter 1 emphasize the complexity of human beings and the varied influences on our behavior, suggesting that we are influenced by a variety of motives. None of the other options accurately reflect their perspective.

Question 4

You might have heard the old Groucho Marx quip,"I don't care to belong to any club that would have me as a member." From a self-esteem perspective in social psychology,what would be a more accurate-if less humorous-statement?

Accepted Answer

People often value memberships or acceptance more when it is initially difficult to obtain, as it can enhance self-esteem by providing a sense of achievement and validation.

Question 5

Bill is viewed by most people he knows as rude,brusque,and completely unconcerned with other people's feelings.He,in contrast,describes himself as efficient and task-oriented.Bill's self-description best reflects the motive to

Accepted Answer

Bill's self-description as efficient and task-oriented serves to justify his past behaviors that others perceive as rude and unconcerned, aligning with the motive to justify troublesome past behaviors.

Question 6

Kurt Lewin,the father of social psychology,was noted for

Accepted Answer

Kurt Lewin is often referred to as the father of social psychology and is renowned for applying Gestalt principles to social perception. His work emphasized the importance of considering the whole situation or the "field" in understanding human behavior, which aligns with Gestalt psychology's focus on holistic processing.

Question 7

Melissa,Frida,Kathleen,Lynne,and Suzanne went mountain climbing.Which one of the women would most appreciate the view from the top of the mountain?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Melissa,Frida,Kathleen,Lynne,and Suzanne went mountain climbing.Which one of...

Question 8

Jacob was pouring gravy when he dropped the ladle and splattered gravy all over the tablecloth.In order to maintain his self-esteem,Jacob decided that

Accepted Answer

Jacob's decision to maintain his self-esteem suggests that he is not willing to admit fault or take blame for the situation. Therefore, he rationalizes the situation by blaming the slippery ladle rather than admitting he made a mistake or is a clumsy person.

Question 9

When asked why she is always losing things,Marti replies,"I'm not careless.It's just that I have more important things to think about." This response would be predicted by a social psychologist who advocates ________ approach to understanding human behaviour.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When asked why she is always losing...

Question 10

One of Kurt Lewin's boldest intellectual contributions to social psychology was

Accepted Answer

Kurt Lewin was a proponent of Gestalt psychology, which emphasizes the importance of an individual's perception and interpretation of their environment. Lewin applied these principles to social perception and argued that an individual's perception of a social situation is more important than the objective physical attributes of the situation.

Question 11

Given the choice between distorting the world in order to enhance their self-esteem,or viewing the world accurately,people often

Accepted Answer

People often slightly distort their perception of reality in order to feel better about themselves, rather than maintaining an accurate view that might challenge their self-esteem.

Question 12

Social psychologists believe that the best way to predict how a person will behave is to know something about

Accepted Answer

Social psychologists believe that a person's behavior is influenced by their perception and interpretation of the social environment around them. Thus, understanding how a person perceives and interprets their social environment is the best way to predict their behavior. Cultural norms, childhood experiences, socioeconomic status, and enduring traits and dispositions may also influence behavior, but these factors are secondary to a person's interpretation of their surroundings.

Question 13

People often construe the world as they do in order to maintain a favourable image of themselves.This assumption underlies the ________ approach.

Accepted Answer

The assumption that people interpret the world in a way that maintains a favourable image of themselves is related to the concept of self-esteem, which is the evaluation of one's own worth or value. This suggests that people may interpret information or events in a way that boosts their self-esteem or minimizes the possibility of negative evaluations.

Question 14

Social psychological research has convincingly demonstrated that the ________ the initiation to join a group,the ________ the initiates like the group.

Accepted Answer

Research in social psychology has shown that the more severe the initiation process to join a group, the more the initiates tend to like the group. This phenomenon is explained by the effort justification aspect of cognitive dissonance theory, where individuals rationalize the effort they put into a task (in this case, a severe initiation) by increasing their appreciation or liking for the outcome (the group).

Question 15

Social influence can best be understood by examining the ________ that influence ________.

Accepted Answer

Social influence is influenced by people's motives and their construals (interpretations) of situations. This means that individuals are likely to conform to social norms and expectations based on how they perceive and interpret the situation they are in, as well as their own internal motives and goals.

Question 16

The "father" of social psychology,Kurt Lewin,pointed out the importance of understanding how people ________ their social environments.

Accepted Answer

Kurt Lewin emphasized the importance of understanding how people interpret and make sense of their social environments, which is captured by the term "construe". Manipulate, dismiss, and control do not accurately capture the essence of Lewin's perspective, and while structure may be somewhat relevant, it is not the best fit for this particular context.

Question 17

Jacob's lover of four years just left him.He's hurt,angry,and confused and says to himself,"She never did understand my need for independence." This explanation for the break-up best reflects which human motive?

Accepted Answer

Jacob's statement about his ex-girlfriend not understanding his need for independence is a way for him to protect his own self-esteem by placing blame on his partner for the break-up.

Question 18

Tom saw a fad weight-loss program advertised on late night television.The ad claimed that deep breathing exercises would speed up metabolism,causing people to lose weight.He mailed a cheque for $99.95.When the plan arrived,Tom rearranged his day so that he could complete the breathing exercises as scheduled.They made him nauseated and dizzy,and before long,Tom's friends began to think that he was "dizzy," and they started avoiding him.After the end of the ten-week program,Tom got on the scale and saw that he hadn't lost an ounce! Still,he remained enthusiastic and thought,"I may not have lost any weight,but I feel so much healthier!" This situation is best explained by

Accepted Answer

Tom's continued enthusiasm despite the lack of weight loss and the negative side effects he experienced can be explained by the justification of suffering. This concept suggests that when people go through a difficult or unpleasant experience (in this case, the discomfort of the breathing exercises and the social isolation from his friends), they are likely to justify the effort and discomfort by valuing the outcome more, even if the outcome is not what was initially desired (feeling healthier instead of losing weight).

Question 19

Which of the following situations is at odds with the self-esteem approach to understanding human behaviour?

Accepted Answer

John's situation is at odds with the self-esteem approach because he hates the fraternity, yet he continues to endure unpleasant initiation activities. This suggests that his actions are not aligned with maintaining or enhancing his self-esteem, which is a key aspect of the self-esteem approach to understanding behavior.

Question 20

What is one likely undesirable consequence of foregoing accuracy in favour of justifying our past behaviours? Justifying past behaviour can

Accepted Answer

If we prioritize justifying our past behavior over accuracy, we are less likely to learn from our mistakes and make better choices in the future, which can lead to unfavorable consequences. This is because we may not fully understand what we did wrong and how to correct it if we are not focusing on the accuracy of the situation.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Social Psychology

Social psychologists have identified two motives that are of primary importance in explaining our thoughts and behaviours.These are the need to and the need to .