Question 1

Which of the following was a finding in the classic study by Festinger and Carlsmith (1959)?

Accepted Answer

Festinger and Carlsmith's (1959) study on cognitive dissonance found that participants who were paid $1 to lie about a boring task found the task more interesting than those who were paid $20. This is because those paid less experienced more cognitive dissonance and thus had to convince themselves the task was more interesting to justify their actions.

Question 2

Dave believes all college professors are irritable,impatient,and uninterested in whether students learn.His belief is an example of _______________.

Accepted Answer

Dave's belief that all college professors possess certain negative qualities is an example of a stereotype, which is an overgeneralized and often oversimplified belief about a group of people. It is not based on individual experiences or facts, but rather on preconceived notions or cultural biases.

Question 3

Luis picks up a pack of cigarettes and reads,"Cigarette smoking is harmful to your health." Which one of the following statements leads one to believe Luis is actually having cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Option C indicates that Luis is aware of the harmful effects of smoking and wants to quit, but is struggling to stop smoking. This suggests that he is experiencing cognitive dissonance because his beliefs (smoking is harmful) and his behavior (continuing to smoke) are inconsistent. Option A and B are examples of confirmation bias, where Luis is only considering information that confirms his existing beliefs. Option D is an example of denial, where Luis is rejecting the warning label and denying the harmful effects of smoking.

Question 4

Which part of the brain has been identified as being particularly active when people experience cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

The left frontal cortex has been identified as particularly active during experiences of cognitive dissonance, a psychological state where one's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors are in conflict, leading to discomfort and the motivation to reduce the dissonance.

Question 5

What is the term for the process of developing our first knowledge about another person?

Accepted Answer

Impression formation refers to the process of developing our first knowledge about another person. It involves using various cues, such as physical appearance, behavior, and communication, to form an initial impression of the person. This impression can influence our subsequent interactions with the person and shape our overall perception of them. Social interaction refers to any exchange of information and activities between individuals. Stereotyping involves making assumptions or generalizations about a group of people based on limited or incomplete information. Interpersonal judgment refers to the overall evaluation or assessment of another person's characteristics or qualities.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs or values. In this scenario, the person believes that reality TV is for morons, but at the same time, they watch every episode of American Idol, which is a reality TV show. This creates a conflict between their belief and behavior, leading to cognitive dissonance.

Question 7

Which of the following would result in cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a conflict between beliefs and actions. In this scenario, the individual believes smoking is bad for their health, but still loves to smoke, creating a cognitive dissonance.

Question 8

You've always`s disliked a particular coworker who strikes you as dishonest,but he is nice to you and does you favors,so you become friendly with him despite your misgivings.One day you learn that he stole personal items from your desk.You now decide to discontinue the friendshi

Accepted Answer

The situation described involves a conflict between the individual's cognitions (disliking the coworker for his dishonesty, but also accepting favors and being friendly). The individual's decision to discontinue the friendship is a way to reduce this cognitive dissonance. This process is known as reduction of cognitive dissonance. The other options (operant conditioning, instrumental learning, classical conditioning) are not applicable in this scenario.

Question 9

What is the the primacy effect,as it relates to impression formation,more commonly known as?

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect, as it relates to impression formation, is more commonly known as the "first impression". This refers to the phenomenon of placing greater weight and emphasis on the initial information we receive about a person or situation, compared to information we receive later on.

Question 10

Dr.Cirillo divided her first-period class into two groups.One group had to read 20 pages in a boring psychology text but would get 2 extra points on the next test.The other group also read 20 pages but were given 25 points added to the next test.The class members were then asked to tell the second-period class how interesting the book was.According to the results of the Festinger and Carlsmith study,what predictions could one make about the remarks of the first-period class?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dr.Cirillo divided her first-period class into two...

Question 11

The issue of racial profiling has been a controversial topic in the United States for many years,and it was particularly widespread after the events of September 11,2001.When an individual engages in profiling and assumes that one person must possess certain qualities because of their race or ethnicity, (s)he is engaging in _____________.

Accepted Answer

Stereotyping involves making assumptions about a group of people based on their race, ethnicity, religion, or other characteristic. Racial profiling is a form of stereotyping that involves assuming someone is more likely to commit a crime based on their race or ethnicity. Discrimination involves treating someone negatively because of their race or ethnicity. Attributing and social loafing are not relevant to this concept.

Question 12

Attributions are __________________.

Accepted Answer

Attributions are explanations that account for one's own behaviors and/or the behaviors of others. They can be related to various factors such as situational influences, personal traits, and external circumstances.

Question 13

Which of the following statements concerning social categorization is correct?

Accepted Answer

Social categorization is a cognitive process that occurs automatically without conscious awareness.

Question 14

Which term refers to a set of characteristics believed to be shared by all members of a particular group?

Accepted Answer

A stereotype is a widely held, oversimplified, and generalized belief about a particular group of people, which is often not based on accurate information or individual differences.

Question 15

The World-Will-End-on-June-7 group got together on June 7 to pray as the world ended.The next day the world did not end.The leader of the group said,"Our prayers saved the world." What process was responsible for the attitude change?

Accepted Answer

The leader of the group experienced cognitive dissonance, which refers to the discomfort or mental stress that arises from holding two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes. In this case, the leader held the belief that the world was going to end on June 7 and the belief that their prayers saved the world, which are contradictory. To reduce the discomfort, the leader changed their attitude and attributed the world not ending to their prayers, thus resolving the dissonance.

Question 16

According to the research on implicit personality theory,who among the following is most likely to think that personality is a changeable thing?

Accepted Answer

Research has found that individuals from collectivistic cultures, such as China, tend to have a more malleable view of personality compared to individuals from individualistic cultures, such as the United States. Therefore, Yonghang, a Chinese American born in Hong Kong, is most likely to think that personality is a changeable thing.

Question 17

Which of the following descriptions best defines implicit personality theory?

Accepted Answer

Implicit personality theory refers to the set of assumptions or beliefs people have about personality traits, behavior, and actions. It is an individual's personal perception of people and events, which may not always be accurate or valid.

Question 18

"We" have all different types of personalities and lots of endearing little quirks,whereas "they" all think and act alike.This assumption would be an example of the cognitive schema called______________.

Accepted Answer

This assumption reflects a stereotype, which involves making overly simplistic generalizations about a group of people based on limited experiences or perceptions. In this case, the assumption suggests that "we" are diverse and unique, while "they" are all the same.

Question 19

Which of the following would result in cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

The statement "pink shirts are effeminate" conflicts with the fact that Bruce Willis, who is often viewed as a masculine figure, wears pink shirts. This creates cognitive dissonance as the two beliefs cannot both be true at the same time. The other options do not necessarily create conflicting beliefs.

Question 20

In Festinger and Carlsmith's (1959)classic study on cognitive dissonance,participants who were paid $20 for doing a boring task,in contrast to those who were paid $1 for doing the same task,________.

Accepted Answer

Festinger and Carlsmith found that participants who were paid $1 for doing a boring task experienced cognitive dissonance, as they had no external justification for why they did the task. To reduce their discomfort, they convinced themselves that the task was actually enjoyable. In contrast, participants who were paid $20 had a clear external justification for why they did the task, and therefore did not experience cognitive dissonance. They did not need to convince themselves that the task was enjoyable and were more likely to be honest about how boring it actually was. Thus, they liked the task less than those who were paid $1.

Quiz 12: Social Psychology

Which of the following was a finding in the classic study by Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) ?

Dave believes all college professors are irritable,impatient,and uninterested in whether students learn.His belief is an example of _______________.

Luis picks up a pack of cigarettes and reads,"Cigarette smoking is harmful to your health." Which one of the following statements leads one to believe Luis is actually having cognitive dissonance?

Which part of the brain has been identified as being particularly active when people experience cognitive dissonance?

What is the term for the process of developing our first knowledge about another person?

Which of the following is an example of cognitive dissonance?

Which of the following would result in cognitive dissonance?

You've always`s disliked a particular coworker who strikes you as dishonest,but he is nice to you and does you favors,so you become friendly with him despite your misgivings.One day you learn that he stole personal items from your desk.You now decide to discontinue the friendshi

What is the the primacy effect,as it relates to impression formation,more commonly known as?

Attributions are __________________.

Which of the following statements concerning social categorization is correct?

Which term refers to a set of characteristics believed to be shared by all members of a particular group?

The World-Will-End-on-June-7 group got together on June 7 to pray as the world ended.The next day the world did not end.The leader of the group said,"Our prayers saved the world." What process was responsible for the attitude change?

According to the research on implicit personality theory,who among the following is most likely to think that personality is a changeable thing?

Which of the following descriptions best defines implicit personality theory?

"We" have all different types of personalities and lots of endearing little quirks,whereas "they" all think and act alike.This assumption would be an example of the cognitive schema called______________.

Which of the following would result in cognitive dissonance?

In Festinger and Carlsmith's (1959) classic study on cognitive dissonance,participants who were paid $20 for doing a boring task,in contrast to those who were paid $1 for doing the same task,________.