Question 1

The effects of the real or imagined presence of others on people's thoughts, feelings, and actions are studied by ____________ psychologists.

Accepted Answer

Social psychologists study how the real or imagined presence of others influences people's thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Question 2

Evolutionary theorists describe the primary function of social behavior as __________.

Accepted Answer

The primary function of social behavior, according to evolutionary theorists, is ensuring safety and cooperation. This perspective emphasizes that social behaviors evolved because they increased the chances of survival and reproduction by promoting group cohesion and mutual assistance.

Question 3

Social facilitation is a phenomenon whereby __________.

Accepted Answer

Social facilitation refers to the tendency for people to perform differently when in the presence of others than when alone. Specifically, it often leads to improved performance on simple or well-rehearsed tasks.

Question 4

Zajonc (1965) showed that social facilitation occurs most frequently when we are performing tasks that
__________.

Accepted Answer

Zajonc's research on social facilitation indicates that the presence of others tends to improve performance on tasks that individuals are already good at or perform well, due to increased arousal that enhances the execution of well-learned or simple tasks.

Question 5

Social psychologists argue that social loafing occurs most likely as a result of __________.

Accepted Answer

Social loafing occurs when individuals exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone, often due to the diffusion of responsibility among group members. This means each person feels less personally responsible for the outcome, leading to decreased effort.

Question 6

When he enters a building, Troy does not hold the door for the next person coming in. He is said to be violating __________.

Accepted Answer

Troy is violating a social norm, which refers to the unwritten rules of behavior that are considered acceptable in a group or society. Holding the door for someone is a common courtesy expected in many cultures, but it is not a formal rule or law.

Question 7

Jackie buys pink and green shoes because everyone in her school is wearing them. Jackie's behavior is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

Jackie's behavior is an example of conformity, which occurs when an individual changes their behavior or beliefs to match those of a group, often due to real or imagined group pressure. In this case, Jackie buys pink and green shoes to match what everyone in her school is wearing, indicating a desire to fit in or conform to the group norm.

Question 8

Paolo sees that no one else taking his psychology course brings their textbooks to class, so he stops bringing his. This type of conformity is based on __________.

Accepted Answer

Paolo is conforming based on the behavior of others, assuming they have more information about the appropriateness of bringing textbooks to class. This is an example of informational social influence, where individuals conform to what they believe is the correct way to behave, based on the information they gather from observing others.

Question 9

An example of informational social influence would be __________.

Accepted Answer

Informational social influence occurs when individuals look to the behavior of others to guide their own behavior, especially in new or uncertain situations. Chimpanzees learning to use new tools by observing other chimpanzees is an example of this, as they are gaining information on how to behave or perform a task by watching others.

Question 10

Joanie goes to a wild fraternity party even though she doesn't really want to go, because she wants the other college students to think highly of her. Joanie's behavior reflects ____________ social influence.

Accepted Answer

Joanie's behavior reflects normative social influence, which occurs when an individual conforms to the expectations of a social group to be accepted or to avoid disapproval.

Question 11

Solomon Asch's classic study on conformity pressure showed that __________.

Accepted Answer

Solomon Asch's classic study on conformity involved participants in a group setting where they were asked to match line lengths. The study found that a significant number of participants conformed to the incorrect choices of the majority, even when the correct answer was obvious, demonstrating the powerful influence of group pressure on individual decisions.

Question 12

Who conducted the classic study on conformity pressure using a line-length judgment task?

Accepted Answer

Solomon Asch is known for his classic study on conformity, where participants were asked to match line lengths in a group setting, revealing how social pressure can influence individuals to conform to incorrect choices.

Question 13

In psychological research, what is a confederate?

Accepted Answer

A confederate is an individual who appears to be a participant in the research but is actually working for the researcher, often used to manipulate social interactions or conditions within the study.

Question 14

Research shows that the likelihood with which someone will conform to group behavior is affected by __________.

Accepted Answer

Research in social psychology has demonstrated that factors such as unanimity, culture, and group size all significantly influence the likelihood of an individual conforming to group behavior. Unanimity within the group can create pressure on the individual to conform, cultural norms and values shape conformity behaviors, and the size of the group also impacts the degree of conformity, with medium-sized groups often exerting more influence than very small or very large ones.

Question 15

A single person or small group within a larger group is called a __________.

Accepted Answer

A minority refers to a smaller group or individual within a larger population, distinguished by characteristics such as ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.

Question 16

For the minority to influence the attitudes of the majority, which of the following must occur?

Accepted Answer

The minority must be consistent in their attitudes to influence the majority. Consistency over time is key for minority influence, as it suggests confidence and commitment to the viewpoint, making it more likely to be taken seriously by the majority.

Question 17

The term obedience refers to __________.

Accepted Answer

Obedience involves following the commands or instructions of someone in authority, which aligns with option B.

Question 18

Social psychologists' interest in studying obedience emerged in response to __________.

Accepted Answer

The interest in studying obedience among social psychologists notably surged in response to the actions of Nazi soldiers during World War II, who often claimed they were "just following orders" when committing atrocities. This led to a desire to understand how ordinary people could commit such acts under the influence of authority.

Question 19

The psychologist who conducted the classic experiment on obedience wherein a "teacher" was given orders to electrically shock a "learner"
Was __________.

Accepted Answer

Stanley Milgram is known for his obedience experiments, which demonstrated how far people would go in obeying an instruction if it involved harming another person.

Question 20

In Milgram's classic study on obedience, when a participant showed resistance to the idea of harming someone, how did the experimenter make him continue?

Accepted Answer

The experimenter used verbal prods, including telling the participant that they were required to continue, to encourage compliance without offering bribes, making threats regarding payment, or threatening harm to the participant's family.

Quiz 14: Social Behavior