Question 1

Paul is feeling very frustrated and angry with his boss. Rather than attacking his boss, Paul goes to the gym and engages in a very vigorous workout. After the gym, he feels much better. A psychodynamic interpretation of this activity would focus on the concept of
A)catharsis
B)overcontrolled hostility
C)empathy
D)social learning
E)provocation

Accepted Answer

Paul's vigorous workout at the gym to deal with his frustration and anger towards his boss can be interpreted as catharsis in psychodynamic terms. Catharsis refers to the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions through some form of expression, in this case, physical exercise.

Question 2

Let's say that you are not very good at playing video games. Nonetheless, while playing in the mall one afternoon, you attract a large crowd to watch you. According to Zajonc's dominant response theory of social facilitation, you will
A)perform better
B)perform worse
C)perform at you usual level
D)find that you can change people's attitudes towards video games
E)alter your sequence of dominant responses to include an audience

Accepted Answer

According to Zajonc's dominant response theory of social facilitation, the presence of others tends to amplify our most likely response. In the context of performing a task at which one is not skilled, this means that the individual is more likely to perform worse due to the increased pressure and anxiety from the audience.

Question 3

Eight people are participating together in a lab study on group performance. Four people have been labeled as "Group A" and four have been labeled as "Group B". Each person has their group label attached to their shirt. They are asked to allocate some resources for another part of the experiment and to rate the participants on a number of scales. In this study we would expect
A)out-group favouritism
B)in-group favouritism
C)stereotype threat
D)in-group homogeneity
E)polarization

Accepted Answer

In-group favouritism is the tendency for people to favor members of their own group over those of other groups, which is likely in this study with distinct group labels.

Question 4

According to Harold Kelley's attribution theory, when are we likely to make a situational attribution?
A)Consistency is high.
B)Distinctiveness is low.
C)Consensus is low.
D)Consistency, distinctiveness and consensus are all high.
E)Consistency, distinctiveness and consensus are all low.

Accepted Answer

According to Harold Kelley's attribution theory, we are likely to make a situational attribution when an action is high in consistency (the behavior occurs regularly in response to the situation), high in distinctiveness (the behavior is unique to the particular situation), and high in consensus (others behave similarly in the same situation). This combination suggests that the situation is the cause of the behavior.

Question 5

In class, you are given the assignment of writing an essay in favour of raising tuition by 30 percent. You do not agree, but have to write the essay. Later if we ask you about your opinion regarding an increase in tuition, you will
A)change your opinion in favour of an increase in tuition because of cognitive dissonance
B)feel even more negative about an increase in tuition because of cognitive dissonance
C)change your opinion in favour of an increase because of the door-in-the-face technique
D)not change your opinion at all
E)feel more against an increase because of group polarization

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort that arises when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values. In this case, the student does not agree with the assignment of writing an essay in favor of raising tuition by 30 percent, but they have to write the essay. This creates cognitive dissonance, which the student can resolve by either changing their opinion in favor of an increase in tuition or feeling even more negative about an increase in tuition. However, the student does not change their opinion, so the correct answer is D.

Question 6

You are going to a party where you do not really know anyone (but you have to go). You don't think that anyone is going to like you. At the party you keep mostly to yourself. When you leave, you think that they probably did not like you since no one talked to you. However, this could just reflect
A)self-monitoring
B)a self-fulfilling prophecy
C)a just world effect
D)a primacy effect
E)a self-serving bias

Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy, where your initial belief that no one will like you leads you to behave in a way that makes social interactions less likely (keeping to yourself), which in turn leads to the outcome you anticipated (believing no one liked you because no one talked to you).

Question 7

Jorge is at a dating service looking to find a suitable mate. Research on physical attractiveness would suggest that he will choose to date
A)the most attractive person available
B)someone who is less attractive than he is
C)someone who is more attractive than he is
D)someone who is similar in attractiveness to him
E)someone who is average in attractiveness

Accepted Answer

Research on physical attractiveness suggests that people are more likely to choose partners who are similar in attractiveness to themselves. This phenomenon is known as the matching hypothesis.

Question 8

We have a natural tendency to categorize our environment. When we categorize people, we will tend to show
A)out-group favouritism
B)in-group favouritism
C)stereotype threat
D)out-group homogeneity
E)both in-group favouritism and out-group homogeneity

Accepted Answer

When we categorize people, we tend to show both in-group favouritism, where we favor people who are in the same group as us, and out-group homogeneity, where we see people in out-groups as more similar to each other than they actually are.

Question 9

Which of the following brain structures or neurotransmitters has NOT been linked to aggression?
A)Amygdale
B)Frontal lobes
C)Hypothalamus
D)GABA
E)Serotonin

Accepted Answer

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is primarily known for its inhibitory effects in the central nervous system, reducing neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system. Unlike the other options listed, which have been linked to aggression through various mechanisms (e.g., serotonin's role in inhibiting aggressive behavior, or the amygdala's involvement in emotional responses including aggression), GABA is generally associated with reducing aggression and promoting calmness by inhibiting neural activity.

Question 10

Eight people are participating together in a lab study on group performance. Four people have been labeled as "Group A" and four have been labeled as "Group B". Each person has their group label attached to their shirt. They are asked to allocate some resources for another part of the experiment and to rate the participants on a number of scales. In this study we would expect
A)out-group favouritism
B)a just world effect
C)stereotype threat
D)out-group homogeneity
E)polarization

Accepted Answer

Out-group homogeneity effect is likely to occur in this scenario, where members of each group perceive those in the other group as more similar to each other than they are to members of their own group. This is a common phenomenon in group dynamics, where "us vs. them" thinking leads to viewing the out-group as more alike than the in-group.

Question 11

According to Harold Kelley, if consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus are all high we are likely to make
A)a self-serving error
B)a personal attribution
C)a situational attribution
D)a primacy error
E)a fundamental attribution error

Accepted Answer

When consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus are all high, according to Harold Kelley's covariation model of attribution, we are likely to make a situational attribution. This means we attribute the behavior to the situation or environment rather than to something internal to the person.

Question 12

One of your friends is very much against letting more immigrants into the country. He claims any problems they have is their own fault and we should not have to care for them. Your friend's opinion is in line with
A)the self-serving bias
B)group polarization
C)a primacy effect
D)stereotype threat
E)the just world hypothesis

Accepted Answer

The just world hypothesis is the belief that actions always yield morally fair and fitting consequences, essentially that the world is just. This belief can lead to blaming victims for their misfortunes, as it assumes people get what they deserve. Your friend's opinion reflects this bias by suggesting that immigrants' problems are their own fault, implying they deserve their situation due to their actions or decisions.

Question 13

Mary's mother is a non-smoker and she believes that the government should cut health care benefits to anyone who does smoke because they are responsible for any health problems they might experience-they deserve what happens to them. This is an example of
A)the fundamental attribution error
B)the equal status effect
C)the just world hypothesis
D)out-group homogeneity bias
E)misattribution

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the just world hypothesis, which is the belief that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get. Mary's mother's belief that smokers should have reduced health care benefits because they are responsible for their health problems reflects this idea that the world is just and people's actions directly lead to just consequences.

Question 14

According to Harold Kelley's attribution theory, when are we likely to make a personal attribution?
A)Consistency is high.
B)Distinctiveness is low.
C)Consensus is low.
D)Consistency, distinctiveness and consensus are all high.
E)Consistency is high, but distinctiveness and consensus are low.

Accepted Answer

When consistency is high, but distinctiveness and consensus are low, we are likely to make a personal attribution. This is because we believe that the person's behavior is due to their internal characteristics, rather than the situation or other people.

Question 15

Bree saw a person lying on the street. She felt the person's distress and decided to help. In doing so, she was able to reduce her own distress. This explanation of altruism is consistent with
A)diffusion of responsibility
B)the negative state relief model
C)social comparison
D)the mood activating effect
E)kin selection

Accepted Answer

The negative state relief model suggests that individuals engage in helping behaviors to alleviate their own negative moods or distress. In this scenario, Bree helps the person on the street to reduce her own distress, aligning with the negative state relief model.

Question 16

In class, you are given the assignment of writing an essay in favour of raising tuition by 30 percent. You do not agree, but freely choose to write on this topic. Later if we ask you about your opinion regarding an increase in tuition, you will
A)change your opinion in favour of an increase in tuition because of cognitive dissonance
B)feel even more negative about an increase in tuition because of cognitive dissonance
C)change your in opinion in favour of an increase because of the door-in-the-face technique
D)not change your opinion at all
E)feel more against an increase because of group polarization

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when individuals freely choose to engage in an attitude-discrepant behavior (like writing an essay in favor of a position they initially disagree with), they may experience discomfort due to the inconsistency between their actions and beliefs. To reduce this discomfort, they might alter their attitudes to align more closely with their actions, in this case, potentially adopting a more favorable view towards tuition increase.

Question 17

If you do poorly on this exam and conclude that it is really the professor's fault for making the exam too hard, you are basing your explanation on
A)a primacy effect
B)the fundamental attribution error
C)a self-serving bias
D)a recency effect
E)the just world hypothesis

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a self-serving bias, where individuals attribute their successes to internal factors (like their own abilities or effort) and their failures to external factors (such as the difficulty of the task or others' actions) to maintain a positive self-image.

Question 18

If a friend of yours does poorly on this exam and you conclude that he is not really good at psychology, you are basing your explanation on
A)a primacy effect
B)the fundamental attribution error
C)a self-serving bias
D)a recency effect
E)polarization

Accepted Answer

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to overemphasize personal characteristics and ignore situational factors in judging others' behavior. In this case, concluding that a friend is not good at psychology based on one poor exam performance overlooks potential situational factors (e.g., a bad day, difficult exam conditions) and attributes the performance solely to the friend's abilities.

Question 19

Someone you know is a strong supporter of President Donald Trump. He is very much against letting more immigrants into the country. He claims any problems they have is their own fault and we should not have to care for them. Your friend's opinion is in line with
A)the self-serving bias
B)group polarization
C)a primacy effect
D)the just world hypothesis
E)stereotype threat

Accepted Answer

The just world hypothesis is the belief that actions always yield morally fair and fitting consequences, essentially that the world is just. This belief can lead to the assumption that people in difficult situations are personally responsible for their plight, aligning with the opinion described.

Question 20

If you wanted to increase the level of obedience in a standard Milgram experiment, which of the following would you do?
A)Have a second participant with the teacher who actually flips the shock switch
B)Make sure that the learner is in the same room as the teacher
C)Have the experimenter give the orders by phone
D)Have the experimenter appear to be an ordinary person
E)Have the teacher force the learner's hand onto a shock plate

Accepted Answer

Having a second participant who actually flips the shock switch can diffuse responsibility, making the teacher more likely to obey orders to continue the shocks.

Quiz 13: Behaviour in a Social Context

Paul is feeling very frustrated and angry with his boss. Rather than attacking his boss, Paul goes to the gym and engages in a very vigorous workout. After the gym, he feels much better. A psychodynamic interpretation of this activity would focus on the concept of

Let's say that you are not very good at playing video games. Nonetheless, while playing in the mall one afternoon, you attract a large crowd to watch you. According to Zajonc's dominant response theory of social facilitation, you will

According to Harold Kelley's attribution theory, when are we likely to make a situational attribution?

In class, you are given the assignment of writing an essay in favour of raising tuition by 30 percent. You do not agree, but have to write the essay. Later if we ask you about your opinion regarding an increase in tuition, you will

You are going to a party where you do not really know anyone (but you have to go) . You don't think that anyone is going to like you. At the party you keep mostly to yourself. When you leave, you think that they probably did not like you since no one talked to you. However, this could just reflect

Jorge is at a dating service looking to find a suitable mate. Research on physical attractiveness would suggest that he will choose to date

We have a natural tendency to categorize our environment. When we categorize people, we will tend to show

Which of the following brain structures or neurotransmitters has NOT been linked to aggression?

According to Harold Kelley, if consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus are all high we are likely to make

One of your friends is very much against letting more immigrants into the country. He claims any problems they have is their own fault and we should not have to care for them. Your friend's opinion is in line with

Mary's mother is a non-smoker and she believes that the government should cut health care benefits to anyone who does smoke because they are responsible for any health problems they might experience-they deserve what happens to them. This is an example of

According to Harold Kelley's attribution theory, when are we likely to make a personal attribution?

Bree saw a person lying on the street. She felt the person's distress and decided to help. In doing so, she was able to reduce her own distress. This explanation of altruism is consistent with

In class, you are given the assignment of writing an essay in favour of raising tuition by 30 percent. You do not agree, but freely choose to write on this topic. Later if we ask you about your opinion regarding an increase in tuition, you will

If you do poorly on this exam and conclude that it is really the professor's fault for making the exam too hard, you are basing your explanation on

If a friend of yours does poorly on this exam and you conclude that he is not really good at psychology, you are basing your explanation on

Someone you know is a strong supporter of President Donald Trump. He is very much against letting more immigrants into the country. He claims any problems they have is their own fault and we should not have to care for them. Your friend's opinion is in line with

If you wanted to increase the level of obedience in a standard Milgram experiment, which of the following would you do?