Question 1

A company that produces a sports drink hires a popular and successful tennis player to promote its product. It runs television, radio, and web commercials featuring the athlete winning tennis matches, and consuming the sports drink. Based on this scenario, which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

The company is leveraging the athlete's credibility and success to enhance the perceived credibility and desirability of their sports drink, assuming that the audience will trust the product more if it's endorsed by a successful athlete.

Question 2

Raj and a few of his cousins were asked to help their uncle move to a new house. However, Raj ate most of the snacks, drank all the soda, and did not move nearly as many boxes as everyone else did. In this scenario, Raj's behavior is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

Raj's behavior is an example of social loafing, which occurs when an individual exerts less effort to achieve a goal when they work in a group than when they work alone.

Question 3

People seem to prefer ________, which is a rough indicator of genetic fitness, when they rate faces as attractive.

Accepted Answer

Symmetry is often associated with attractiveness in faces because it is seen as a sign of genetic health and fitness.

Question 4

Harry, a professional athlete, listens to his fitness instructor and follows all his instructions carefully without fail. Harry's behavior is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

Harry's behavior is an example of obedience because he is following the instructions of his fitness instructor without fail, which demonstrates compliance with authority or rules.

Question 5

Keith walks out of a restaurant after having lunch and sees a homeless old man sitting on a pavement. Keith feels bad for the old man, buys lunch for him, and gives him $20. In this scenario, Keith is displaying a(n) ________ behavior.

Accepted Answer

Keith's actions are selfless and intended to help the homeless man without expecting anything in return, which is characteristic of altruistic behavior.

Question 6

Tristan's parents had limited resources. They barely had enough money to cover the monthly bills and pay Tristan's tuition fees. Because of this, Tristan could never pitch in for a classmate's birthday present or for an outing with his friends. His peers, who were unaware of his situation, thought he was a miser and that he had a taciturn nature. The tendency to explain Tristan's behavior in dispositional rather than situational terms is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency to attribute someone's behavior to their personality or disposition rather than to the situation they are in. In Tristan's case, his peers attributed his inability to contribute financially to being miserly (a dispositional attribute) rather than considering his financial situation (a situational factor).

Question 7

When a person shows positive feelings toward people in his or her own culture and negative feelings toward those in other cultures, the person is displaying ________.

Accepted Answer

In-group/out-group bias refers to the tendency of individuals to favor and have positive feelings towards their own group (the in-group) while having negative feelings or biases against those who are not part of their group (the out-group). This is a common phenomenon in the context of cultural groups, where people may show preference for their own culture and prejudice against other cultures.

Question 8

Which of the following actions is most likely diffusion of responsibility?

Accepted Answer

Diffusion of responsibility occurs when individuals feel less compelled to take action because they believe others present will do so. This is most directly described in option D, where the presence of many people leads an individual to feel less responsible for taking action.

Question 9

In the famous case of murder victim Kitty Genovese, none of the witnesses to her stabbing came to her aid. Psychologists later called this phenomenon ________.

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon observed in the Kitty Genovese case, where multiple witnesses did not come to her aid, is known as the bystander effect. This psychological concept suggests that individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present.

Question 10

Margaret and Jack are working on a high-priority project with a tight deadline. When Margaret is unable to meet the deadline, Jack attributes it to her clumsiness. However, when he is unable to meet the same deadline, he blames it on poor planning by his manager. This scenario exemplifies ________.

Accepted Answer

Jack's behavior illustrates the fundamental attribution error, where he attributes his own failure to external circumstances (poor planning by his manager) but blames Margaret's failure on her personal characteristics (clumsiness), rather than considering external factors that might have affected her performance.

Question 11

Evolutionary psychologists propose that due to differences in ________, men are more interested in short-term mating than are women.

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychologists suggest that differences in parental investment, where women typically invest more in offspring due to pregnancy and nurturing, lead men to be more interested in short-term mating to maximize reproductive success.

Question 12

John, a teacher, is talking to a student in his class. While pleading with the teacher to postpone an upcoming test, the student begins to cry. Reacting to the student's distress, John becomes upset as well. John decides to help the student in order to relieve his own distress. According to C. Daniel Batson's empathy-altruism hypothesis, John's decision to help the student is due to ________ motivation.

Accepted Answer

John's decision to help the student in order to relieve his own distress aligns with egoistic motivation, as per C. Daniel Batson's empathy-altruism hypothesis. This suggests that the primary motive for John's action is to reduce his own discomfort rather than a selfless concern for the student's well-being.

Question 13

Which of the following terms is defined as the preferential treatment of certain people that is usually driven by prejudicial attitudes?

Accepted Answer

Discrimination is defined as the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. This term directly refers to the preferential treatment of certain individuals over others based on prejudicial attitudes.

Question 14

Harry is fond of all the members of his baseball team, but he dislikes the members of the other teams, telling people they are all "dumb jerks." In this case, Harry is displaying a(n) ________ bias.

Accepted Answer

Harry's behavior exemplifies in-group/out-group bias, where he favors members of his own group (his baseball team) while having a negative view of those outside his group (members of other teams).

Question 15

Sometimes people go to great lengths to do what the group is doing, when it does not make sense, especially in groups engaged in decision-making. This phenomenon is called ________.

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Members of the group prioritize consensus over critical evaluation of alternatives.

Question 16

Which of the following is true about attributions?

Accepted Answer

Attributions are explanations we make about the causes of behavior or events, and Fritz Heider's distinction between internal (personal) and external (situational) attributions is a foundational concept in social psychology.

Question 17

Naomi has bought season tickets to the home games of her all-time favorite basketball team. This displays the ________ component of her attitude.

Accepted Answer

The behavioral component of attitude refers to the way an attitude influences how we act or behave. Naomi's purchase of season tickets is an action that reflects her attitude towards the basketball team.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of situational attribution?

Accepted Answer

Situational attribution involves attributing someone's behavior to external factors or the situation they are in. In choice A, Alexia attributes her friend's poor performance to the poor sound system, which is an external factor, making it an example of situational attribution.

Question 19

People make ________ attributions when they think that something outside the person, such as the environment or circumstances, is the cause of his or her behavior.

Accepted Answer

Situational attributions are made when an observer explains an individual's behavior as being the result of external circumstances or the environment, rather than internal characteristics.

Question 20

Beth, a singer in a choir, is less likely to sing her heart out when there are dozens of other voices supporting hers. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of social loafing, which occurs when an individual exerts less effort to achieve a goal when they work in a group than when they work alone. In this case, Beth puts in less effort because she relies on the collective effort of the choir.

Quiz 13: Social Behavior