Question 1

Bridget rates a new song as only fair the first time she hears it. According to the mere-exposure effect, as the song is played more and more on the radio, she will begin to rate the song as

Accepted Answer

According to the mere-exposure effect, people tend to develop a preference for things simply because they are familiar with them. Therefore, as Bridget hears the song more and more on the radio, she will become more familiar with it and will likely rate it higher than she originally did.

Question 2

When others ________ us, we are more likely to ________ them.

Accepted Answer

The sentence suggests that positive treatment from others leads to our increased likelihood to like them in return. Therefore, the best choice is D, which states that when others like us, we are more likely to like them in return.

Question 3

Which of the following biases seems to stem from a desire to protect our self-esteem and look good in the eyes of others?

Accepted Answer

The self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute one's successes to internal factors (such as our abilities or efforts) and our failures to external factors (such as bad luck or other people's actions). This bias can be seen as a way to protect our self-esteem and maintain a positive self-image in the eyes of others.

Question 4

Mandy just found out she did not win this year's Management Award for Excellence. She immediately blames the poor conditions she has to work in and the fact that the rest of her team are incompetent. Mandy has probably just engaged in

Accepted Answer

Mandy is engaging in the self-serving bias, which is the tendency for individuals to attribute their successes to internal factors (such as their own abilities) and their failures to external factors (such as circumstances or others' actions). In this case, rather than examining her own performance, Mandy is blaming external factors (poor working conditions and an incompetent team) for not winning the award.

Question 5

In which of the following situations was proximity likely to have been an important factor?

Accepted Answer

Proximity (living close to someone) was likely a factor in Marisa's decision to marry the young man who lived next door.

Question 6

Why is it that proximity is related to friendship formation?

Accepted Answer

Proximity increases the likelihood of interaction, which in turn increases the likelihood of friendship formation. People who are physically close to us are easier to approach, and we are more likely to make contact with them than with those who are located far away from us.

Question 7

If our initial reaction to a person is highly negative, and frequent exposure makes us feel even more negatively toward the person, such feelings would be explained as

Accepted Answer

This is an exception to the mere-exposure effect. The mere-exposure effect predicts that repeated exposure to a stimulus should generally increase our liking for it, but in this case, the initial highly negative reaction outweighs the effects of repeated exposure.

Question 8

A theorist's suggestion that Shefali and Samir will more than likely marry each other, because they live within a ten kilometre distance from each other, even though they do not know each other at this time, is which of the following theories of attraction?

Accepted Answer

The theory being referred to is the proximity theory of attraction, which suggests that people are more likely to form relationships with those who are physically close to them. This theory states that the closer people are to one another, the more likely they are to form an attraction and potentially even a relationship. Therefore, the best choice is C, proximity.

Question 9

When people have one trait or quality that we either admire or dislike very much, we often assume that they also have other admirable or negative traits. This describes a phenomenon known as

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described in the question is known as the halo effect. This occurs when our overall impression of a person is influenced by our perception of one specific trait or characteristic. For example, if we view someone as very attractive, we may assume that they are also intelligent and kind, even though we have no evidence supporting those assumptions. Similarly, if we view someone as rude or unpleasant, we may assume that they are also incompetent or untrustworthy. This can lead to biased judgments and inaccurate assessments of people's abilities and personalities.

Question 10

Generally, the more often we are exposed to a stimulus, the more we

Accepted Answer

The mere exposure effect suggests that the more we are exposed to a stimulus, the more we like it. This has been demonstrated in numerous studies, including ones involving simple shapes, letters, and faces.

Question 11

Research has shown that liking for others tends to increase as they become more familiar. This is the reason why ________ is an important variable in interpersonal attraction.

Accepted Answer

Proximity refers to physical or geographical closeness between individuals. When individuals are physically close to each other, they have more opportunities to interact and get to know each other, which can lead to increased familiarity and liking. Hence, proximity is an important variable in interpersonal attraction. Equity, socioeconomic class, and similarity may also impact interpersonal attraction, but they are not specifically related to the increase in liking due to familiarity.

Question 12

The mere-exposure effect is less effective with persons who

Accepted Answer

The mere-exposure effect is a phenomenon where people tend to develop a preference for things they are familiar with or have been exposed to repeatedly. However, this effect is less effective with persons who value privacy, as they are likely to dislike excessive or unwanted attention and therefore may not be influenced by repeated exposure to a person or thing.

Question 13

"Halo effect" refers to

Accepted Answer

The "halo effect" refers to the tendency for our impression of someone to overshadow our judgment of their other qualities or traits. For example, if we find someone to be physically attractive, we might be more likely to assume they are also kind, intelligent, and funny, even if we have no evidence to support those assumptions. This is based on the idea that our initial positive impression creates a sort of "halo" around that person, making us see them in the best possible light.

Question 14

Physical attractiveness has the greatest impact on judgments of

Accepted Answer

Physical attractiveness most significantly influences perceptions of sociability, as people often associate good looks with being more friendly and outgoing.

Question 15

Taking personal credit for our successes and blaming our failures on external or situational causes describes the

Accepted Answer

This bias refers to our tendency to attribute positive outcomes to our own efforts and abilities while blaming negative outcomes on external factors. It is a way of protecting self-esteem and maintaining a positive self-image.

Question 16

Being attractive probably has the greatest advantage for

Accepted Answer

Multiple studies have shown that attractive women tend to have more advantages in areas such as job hiring, promotions, and dating. In contrast, while being attractive can also have advantages for men, it is not as consistently impactful as it is for women. Children and infants do not necessarily experience advantages from being physically attractive in the same way that adults do.

Question 17

Which of the following statements has received greatest support from research on interpersonal attraction?

Accepted Answer

The statement "Birds of a feather flock together" has received the most support from research on interpersonal attraction. Studies have consistently shown that people are more likely to be attracted to others who are similar to themselves in terms of attitudes, values, beliefs, and interests. This could be due to a perceived safety and comfort in being around those who share similar traits, as well as a greater likelihood of successful communication and a sense of validation from being understood.

Question 18

Which of the following is best supported by research on interpersonal attraction?

Accepted Answer

Research on interpersonal attraction consistently shows that similarity between individuals, such as shared interests, values, and attitudes, is a significant factor in relationship formation and maintenance.

Question 19

Researchers have found that physical beauty in a culture could be defined as

Accepted Answer

Studies have found that physical beauty varies across cultures, but within a given culture, there seems to be a consistent ideal of beauty. This ideal is often based on the mathematical average of facial features within the culture, meaning that the most common or typical features are seen as beautiful. This theory is known as the "averageness hypothesis" and has been supported by research looking at facial attractiveness ratings and the use of computer-generated composite faces.

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of the mere-exposure effect?

Accepted Answer

The mere-exposure effect refers to the tendency for people to develop a preference for things simply because they are familiar with them. In this scenario, Brian's increasing attraction to Suzanne after seeing her frequently at the library is an example of the mere-exposure effect.

Quiz 10: Social Psychology