Question 1

Which statement correctly characterizes one aspect of Stanley Milgram's study of obedience?

Accepted Answer

In Stanley Milgram's study of obedience, subjects were shown an ominous-looking shock machine that was marked 0 to 450 volts. This was a key aspect of the study as it created a sense of urgency and danger that influenced participants' behavior.

Question 2

Imagine 100 individuals are asked to take part in a replication of Milgram's famous study on obedience.How are these 100 people likely to respond?

Accepted Answer

Milgram's study has been replicated numerous times, and the results have consistently shown that the majority of participants obeyed the experimenter's orders and administered the highest shock level of 450 volts. It is unlikely that the majority of participants would immediately leave or refuse to obey, as they may feel pressure to comply with the experimenter's requests. Additionally, there is no evidence to suggest that there would be a gender difference in obedience rates, and it is unlikely that the participants would work together to force the experimenter to end the experiment.

Question 3

One form of the norm of reciprocity is when the merchant offers more than the consumer asks for.This is called the ___________ technique.

Accepted Answer

The "that's-not-all" technique is when a merchant offers more than the consumer asks for, creating a feeling of obligation on the part of the consumer to reciprocate by making a purchase. This is a classic example of the norm of reciprocity in action. Option A, B, and D are not related to the norm of reciprocity.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT one of the three major components of attitudes?

Accepted Answer

The three major components of attitudes are thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Goals may influence attitudes, but they are not considered a direct component of attitudes.

Question 5

Attitudes are __________________.

Accepted Answer

Attitudes are not innate, they are learned through experiences and interactions with the environment. While attitudes can be difficult to change, they are not inherently unchangeable. Attitudes can be positive, negative or neutral, but there is no inherent tendency for them to be one way or the other.

Question 6

Analysis of the participants in Milgram's obedience study has indicated that which personality trait was highly related to the willingness to be obedient?

Accepted Answer

No single personality trait, including hostility, submissiveness, or aggressiveness, has been definitively linked to higher levels of obedience in Milgram's study. The findings suggest that situational factors, rather than individual personality traits, play a more significant role in determining obedience levels.

Question 7

You want to visit Argentina but your attitude about Argentina is changing as you read the news about the kidnappings that have occurred there.Which component of attitude is being affected?

Accepted Answer

The cognitive component of attitude, which includes beliefs and perceptions, is being affected by the news about kidnappings in Argentina. The person's thoughts and perceptions about Argentina are changing as they learn more about the security situation.

Question 8

A consultant was telling newly hired salespeople about techniques they can use to increase sales.At one point he was talking about increasing compliance by creating a sense of obligation.Because one of the last classes you took before you graduated was Social Psychology,you recognize the concept as ________________.

Accepted Answer

The concept of increasing compliance by creating a sense of obligation is known as the norm of reciprocity in social psychology.

Question 9

Some have suggested that the results of Milgram's obedience study may have been due to the __________ effect.

Accepted Answer

The foot-in-the-door effect is a behavioral psychology phenomenon where people are more likely to comply with a larger request if they have first agreed to a smaller request. In Milgram's study, the participants were first asked to deliver a small shock and then gradually increased the intensity, which may have led to the participants feeling committed to follow through with the larger requests.

Question 10

A response,either positive or negative,toward a certain person,idea,object,or situation is called _____________.

Accepted Answer

An attitude is a person's positive or negative feeling towards a certain person, idea, object, or situation. Bystander apathy refers to a lack of response or intervention by witnesses to an emergency situation, groupthink is a phenomenon where individuals conform to the decision made by the group rather than voicing their own opinions, and conformity is the act of matching one's behaviors, attitudes or beliefs to those of a larger group. Therefore, the best answer is B.

Question 11

Roberta is trying to decide whether to vote for a political candidate.Based on what she has read about him,she has concluded that he is not qualified for the position,but she agrees with his political positions.Also,she trusts him and likes his decisive personality.In fact,she likes him so much that she sent a small donation to his campaign.Her opinion that the candidate is not qualified represents the ______ component of her attitude toward him.

Accepted Answer

The cognitive component of attitude refers to beliefs, knowledge, and thoughts about a person or object. Roberta's conclusion that the candidate is not qualified is based on her beliefs and knowledge about him, indicating the cognitive component of her attitude towards him. The feeling component (B) refers to emotional reactions, intuition (C) refers to automatic, intuitive judgments or impressions, and behavioral (D) refers to actions taken towards the person or object.

Question 12

At the supermarket,a demonstrator gives away free samples of a new pizza.He also gives each taster a coupon worth $1 off his or her grocery bill.This manufacturer is depending on the social process of ________ to increase sales.

Accepted Answer

The norm of reciprocity is the social norm that states that when someone does something for us, we feel obligated to do something for them in return. In this case, giving away free samples and coupons creates a feeling of indebtedness in the tasters, which may lead them to purchase the product and increase sales for the manufacturer.

Question 13

Which of the following is the best example of the behavioral component of an attitude?

Accepted Answer

The behavioral component of an attitude pertains to an individual's actions or behaviors towards the object of their attitude. Betty's action of writing a letter to her senator to support a law making corporations responsible for their pollution reflects her behavioral component of attitude towards environmental responsibility. A, B, and C are examples of affective and cognitive components of attitude, but not behavioral.

Question 14

Which statement best describes an important finding of Milgram's classic research?

Accepted Answer

Milgram's classic research found that people will easily obey an authority figure even if it means doing harm to others. This was demonstrated through experiments where participants were instructed to administer electric shocks to others who were actually actors pretending to be in pain. Despite the apparent distress of the actors, the majority of participants continued to administer shocks simply because they were instructed to do so by someone in a position of authority. This has important implications for understanding the power of authority and obedience in social situations.

Question 15

What is a difference between obedience and conformity?

Accepted Answer

The main difference between obedience and conformity is the presence of a difference in status between the ones who are obeying and the ones who are making the request. In obedience, there is usually a higher-status person or authority figure giving the order, while in conformity, the pressure to conform comes from peers who are seen as equals in status. Option B is incorrect because both obedience and conformity involve the adherence to rules or requests, although conformity may be more about conforming to social norms rather than explicit rules. Option C is incorrect because both obedience and conformity can involve direct or indirect requests. Option D is partly true, as conformity often involves an individual conforming to the norms of a social group they belong to, but there may not necessarily be a perceived difference in status between the individual and the group.

Question 16

What do we call judgments about people,situations,objects,or thoughts?

Accepted Answer

Attitudes refer to our evaluations, feelings or opinions about people, situations, objects or thoughts. Cognitions refer to knowledge, beliefs or thoughts about something. Stereotypes refer to simplified generalizations about a group of people without considering individual differences. Attributions refer to explanations we make about the causes of behaviors or events.

Question 17

A dealer persuades a customer to buy a new car by reducing the price to well below that of his competitors.Once the customer has agreed to buy the car,the terms of the sale are shifted by lowering the value of the trade-in and requiring the purchase of expensive extra equipment.Now the car costs well above the current market rate.This is an example of the ______ technique.

Accepted Answer

The low-ball technique involves initially offering a product or service at a lower price than competitors to lure the customer in, and then increasing the price by adding extra costs or lowering trade-in values, as described in the scenario.

Question 18

A social psychologist has been invited to give a community lecture on the importance of Milgram's research.He asks a social psychology class for suggested titles.Which of the following titles might they suggest as the most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Title B, "Do Not Underestimate the Power of Perceived Authority," is the most appropriate because it accurately reflects the main finding of Milgram's research which is that people are willing to obey perceived authority figures, even when it conflicts with their moral values or involves harming others. The other choices are either too broad or suggest that obedience/aggression is innate rather than influenced by social factors.

Question 19

When watching an infomercial offering the latest and greatest in laundry soap products the pitchman continually asks how much you'd be willing to pay,but immediately after telling you the price he yells,"plus,if you act now,we'll double your order absolutely free!" This is a classic example of the _____________ technique.

Accepted Answer

The pitchman is using the "that's-not-all" technique by adding a free bonus to the product to make it seem like a better deal.

Question 20

An attitude has ______ major components.

Accepted Answer

Attitude has three major components- cognitive, affective, and behavioral. Cognitive component represents a person's beliefs, thoughts, and knowledge about a particular subject or object. Affective component encompasses a person's feelings or emotions towards the subject or object. Behavioral component refers to a person's actions or behavior towards the subject or object.

Quiz 10: A Social Psychology