Question 1

A person is less likely to conform if he or she

Accepted Answer

Individuals with low needs for structure or certainty are more independent in their thinking and actions, making them less likely to conform to group pressures.

Question 2

You are in a group in which you hold an opinion different from the majority. As the discussion continues, you now note that one other member of the group also disagrees with the majority opinion. Compared to when you were the sole dissenting opinion, the additional person who also disagrees with the group

Accepted Answer

Having at least one ally in a group can significantly decrease an individual's tendency to conform to the majority opinion. This is because the presence of another dissenting voice can provide social support and validation for one's own views, making it easier to resist conforming to the majority.

Question 3

The core of groupthink involves

Accepted Answer

Groupthink primarily involves a situation where group cohesion and loyalty become so strong that they deter critical thinking and questioning, leading to poor decision-making. This is characterized by a reluctance among group members to challenge prevailing ideas or voice dissent, often out of fear of disrupting the harmony or appearing disloyal.

Question 4

Harry and Sally's public displays of love were met with staring, "rolling of eyes," and "heavy sighs" by their friends and by strangers, too. Harry and Sally soon conformed to the expectations of the others due to

Accepted Answer

Group sanctions refer to the reactions or responses from a group intended to ensure that its members adhere to its norms and expectations. In this case, the staring, "rolling of eyes," and "heavy sighs" from friends and strangers acted as negative sanctions, leading Harry and Sally to adjust their behavior to conform to the group's expectations.

Question 5

Groups reward their members for conformity with

Accepted Answer

Groups often reward their members for conformity by offering approval and acceptance, reinforcing the desired behavior and encouraging continued compliance with group norms.

Question 6

Groupthink involves which of the following when applied to decision making in groups?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink involves conformity, where members of a group prioritize harmony and consensus over critical evaluation of alternatives.

Question 7

Regarding the studies of conformity, which of the following statements is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Asch's experiments found that a significant majority of participants conformed to the group opinion on line length, even when the group was wrong, showing that even in temporary groups with no lasting consequences, conformity can be high.

Question 8

Rewards and punishments, such as approval or disapproval, administered by groups to enforce conformity among members are, collectively, referred to as

Accepted Answer

Group sanctions are measures taken by a group to enforce conformity among its members, often through rewards for compliance and punishments for non-compliance, such as approval or disapproval.

Question 9

Which of the following has been blamed as a contributing factor in the Columbia space shuttle disaster, the invasion and occupation of Iraq, and other international crises?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink has been identified as a contributing factor in the Columbia space shuttle disaster, the invasion and occupation of Iraq, and other international crises because it describes situations where group cohesion and agreement are prioritized over realistic appraisals of alternatives, leading to poor decision-making outcomes.

Question 10

Dave thought he had selected a "cool tie" to wear to work. However, after a few giggles and a "rolling of the eyes" from several coworkers, Dave went to his office and took off the tie. These reactions of the coworkers would be referred to as

Accepted Answer

The reactions of the coworkers (giggles and rolling of the eyes) serve as informal group sanctions. These are reactions or responses from a group that serve to approve or disapprove of a member's behavior, in this case, Dave's choice of tie.

Question 11

Studies of conformity indicate that people are more apt to be influenced by others if they

Accepted Answer

People who are concerned about the approval of others are more likely to conform to the group's norms or opinions, as they may fear rejection or disapproval if they deviate from the group's expectations.

Question 12

A person is more likely to conform if he or she

Accepted Answer

C) Individuals are more likely to conform in cultures that emphasize group cooperation because these cultures often value harmony and collective decision-making over individualism.

Question 13

Group sanctions may include all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Group sanctions typically involve behaviors that directly encourage or discourage certain actions within a group, such as rejection, laughter, social approval, or disapproval. Attribution and social facilitation, however, are psychological processes related to how individuals explain behaviors and how their performance is affected by the presence of others, respectively, and are not considered sanctions.

Question 14

Which of the following has been implicated as a contributing factor in the failure of Penn State University administrators to deal appropriately with a longstanding pattern of child sexual abuse by then Penn State football coach Gerry Sandusky?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a phenomenon where the desire for harmony or conformity in a group results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-making. It has been implicated in the failure of Penn State University administrators to appropriately address the abuse, as they may have prioritized group cohesion over confronting the issue.

Question 15

A person is more likely to conform if he or she

Accepted Answer

Individuals with high needs for structure or certainty are more likely to conform as they seek guidance and assurance from group norms and decisions.

Question 16

To a large extent, the "groupthink" phenomenon described by Irving Janis can be considered a powerful example of

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people when the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. It is closely associated with conformity pressures, where individuals may suppress dissenting viewpoints and prioritize consensus over critical analysis.

Question 17

Which of the following persons analyzed a series of disastrous decisions made by government officials and came to the conclusion that many such fiascoes are the result of groupthink?

Accepted Answer

Irving Janis is the psychologist who introduced the theory of groupthink, which explains how a group's desire for harmony or conformity results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcomes. He analyzed several U.S. foreign policy decisions to illustrate his theory.

Question 18

In determining whether a person will conform to the group, which of the following factors is more important than the number of people in the group?

Accepted Answer

Unanimity is more important than the number of people in the group when determining whether a person will conform. If everyone in the group agrees, an individual is more likely to conform to the group's decision or behavior.

Question 19

Threats of ridicule or rejection for nonconformity are referred to, collectively, as

Accepted Answer

Group sanctions refer to the penalties or negative reactions aimed at individuals for not adhering to a group's norms or expectations, including threats of ridicule or rejection.

Question 20

A compulsion by decision makers to maintain each other's approval, even at the cost of critical thinking and good judgment, is called

Accepted Answer

Groupthink occurs when a group makes faulty or ineffective decisions for the sake of reaching a consensus, often suppressing dissenting viewpoints and leading to a deterioration in critical thinking and judgment.

Quiz 16: Social Thinking and Social Influence

A person is less likely to conform if he or she

The core of groupthink involves

Harry and Sally's public displays of love were met with staring, "rolling of eyes," and "heavy sighs" by their friends and by strangers, too. Harry and Sally soon conformed to the expectations of the others due to

Groups reward their members for conformity with

Groupthink involves which of the following when applied to decision making in groups?

Regarding the studies of conformity, which of the following statements is FALSE?

Rewards and punishments, such as approval or disapproval, administered by groups to enforce conformity among members are, collectively, referred to as

Which of the following has been blamed as a contributing factor in the Columbia space shuttle disaster, the invasion and occupation of Iraq, and other international crises?

Dave thought he had selected a "cool tie" to wear to work. However, after a few giggles and a "rolling of the eyes" from several coworkers, Dave went to his office and took off the tie. These reactions of the coworkers would be referred to as

Studies of conformity indicate that people are more apt to be influenced by others if they

A person is more likely to conform if he or she

Group sanctions may include all of the following EXCEPT

Which of the following has been implicated as a contributing factor in the failure of Penn State University administrators to deal appropriately with a longstanding pattern of child sexual abuse by then Penn State football coach Gerry Sandusky?

A person is more likely to conform if he or she

To a large extent, the "groupthink" phenomenon described by Irving Janis can be considered a powerful example of

Which of the following persons analyzed a series of disastrous decisions made by government officials and came to the conclusion that many such fiascoes are the result of groupthink?

In determining whether a person will conform to the group, which of the following factors is more important than the number of people in the group?

Threats of ridicule or rejection for nonconformity are referred to, collectively, as

A compulsion by decision makers to maintain each other's approval, even at the cost of critical thinking and good judgment, is called