Question 1

Rahid's server in the restaurant just can't seem to get his order right.If Rahid has just read Chapter 1 on social influence and is thinking more like a social psychologist than before,what would he be most likely to think?

Accepted Answer

If Rahid has just read Chapter 1 on social influence, he may be attuned to the social context and situational factors that could be impacting his server's behavior. He may consider that the server could be having a bad morning or could be under stress, which could be influencing their ability to get his order right. This would align with the social psychological concept of the fundamental attribution error, which highlights our tendency to attribute people's behavior to internal characteristics rather than external factors. Choosing option C reflects a more empathetic and nuanced approach to understanding people's behavior, which is often the focus of social psychology. Choosing options A, B, or D reflects a more simplistic and negative approach to understanding behavior, which is not consistent with the principles of social psychology.

Question 2

Juan thinks that the idea "birds of a feather flock together" has more merit than "opposites attract." So he designs an experiment to test his hypothesis.Juan is most likely a

Accepted Answer

Juan's experiment to test his hypothesis suggests that he is probably a social psychologist, as he is interested in understanding social behavior and testing a hypothesis using an experiment. Philosophers are more likely to focus on theoretical and abstract concepts, while sociologists study broader patterns and structures in society. Journalists, on the other hand, are typically not involved in designing experiments to test hypotheses.

Question 3

Why is it unwise to rely solely on philosophy in explaining human social behavior?

Accepted Answer

Philosophy is not an empirical science, and philosophers often disagree with each other about fundamental issues such as the nature of human beings. Without empirical data to support their claims, it's difficult to determine who is right. Therefore, relying solely on philosophy to explain human social behavior is unwise as it can lead to conflicting theories with no way to determine which one is correct.

Question 4

Compared to social psychologists,personality psychologists are more likely to focus their attention on

Accepted Answer

Personality psychologists are interested in understanding individual differences in traits, characteristics, and behaviors. Social psychologists, on the other hand, focus more on how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts and situations (such as group dynamics, interpersonal interactions, etc.) rather than individual differences. Therefore, C is the best choice. A, B, and D are all less relevant to the main difference between social and personality psychology.

Question 5

Social and personality psychologists share which common goal?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Social and personality psychologists share which common...

Question 6

According to the authors of your text,why is it that there may be conflicting philosophical positions about human nature?

Accepted Answer

The world is a complex place and situational differences can impact human behavior, so there may be conflicting philosophical positions about human nature due to differing interpretations of these situational factors.

Question 7

Like social psychologists,personality psychologists focus on

Accepted Answer

The answer of Like social psychologists,personality psychologists focus on
...

Question 8

Spinoza proposes the idea that when you love someone whom you used to hate,you cannot love him or her as strongly as you do someone you have always loved.Spinoza's idea is creative,and involves analytical thinking.How is this proposition best classified?

Accepted Answer

Spinoza's idea involves a philosophical proposition about the nature of love and how it changes over time, rather than common sense or personality psychology. It is not a construal, which typically involves interpreting or reinterpreting existing information rather than proposing a new idea.

Question 9

A personality psychologist and social psychologist were having a discussion.The personality psychologist is more likely to be talking about

Accepted Answer

The personality psychologist is more likely to focus on the individual differences in personality traits and characteristics that make people unique from each other. This is one of the core areas of study in personality psychology.

Question 10

How would a personality psychologist most likely explain the mass suicide in Jonestown?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How would a personality psychologist most likely...

Question 11

Professor Takahami is a personality psychologist interested in divorce.Which question is she most likely to investigate?

Accepted Answer

As a personality psychologist interested in divorce, Professor Takahami is more likely to investigate whether some types of people are more likely to divorce than others, which falls under the realm of personality psychology. Options A, B, and D are more related to social psychology and marital satisfaction, which is not directly in line with Professor Takahami's research interests.

Question 12

When confronted with two contradictory beliefs about social behavior,such as "absence makes the heart grow fonder" and "out of sight,out of mind," a social psychologist is likely to

Accepted Answer

A social psychologist is likely to conduct experiments to determine the conditions under which each belief holds true. Social psychology is an empirical science and relies on research to understand and explain social behavior. By conducting experiments, the psychologist can test the validity of each belief and determine the factors that influence the outcomes. This approach allows for empirical evidence to support or refute social beliefs and helps to advance our understanding of human behavior.

Question 13

According to your textbook,the major reason we have conflicting philosophical positions and conflicting folk wisdom is

Accepted Answer

The world is a complex place, and different truths hold under different conditions. This implies that conflicting philosophical positions and folk wisdom exist because what may be true in one context may not be true in another, leading to differing opinions and beliefs. An objective truth may not always exist due to the complexity and diversity of the world, creating a challenging and ongoing debate amongst philosophers and different schools of thought.

Question 14

Dr.Levowitz researches the question,"Are some people more aggressive than others?" This type of question is most closely in the realm of

Accepted Answer

The question is asking about individual differences in behavior, which is within the realm of personality psychology. Social psychology studies how social situations affect behavior, while social influence focuses on how individuals influence each other's behavior. Philosophy is not directly related to studying behavioral differences between individuals.

Question 15

"Are some people just better leaders than others?" Such a question about human nature is most likely to be asked by a

Accepted Answer

Personality psychologists study the traits and characteristics that contribute to individual differences in behavior, including leadership abilities. Therefore, they are most likely to ask questions related to the inherent qualities that make some people better leaders than others.

Question 16

A social psychologist is perplexed.Is it true that birds of a feather flock together,or do opposites attract? Confronted with these two contradictory pieces of folk wisdom,what is this social psychologist most likely to do?

Accepted Answer

The social psychologist is most likely to investigate the different situations in which each bit of common sense holds true. This will help in understanding the factors that influence whether birds flock together or opposites attract, and in which circumstances these tendencies are more likely to occur. Administering a questionnaire or choosing one explanation over the other is not sufficient to provide a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. Choosing a new topic for study would also not address this particular question.

Question 17

What do philosophers and social psychologists share in common? Both

Accepted Answer

Both philosophers and social psychologists often explore similar questions about human behavior, morality, and society, though they may use different methods to do so.

Question 18

Which of the following questions is most likely to be asked by a social psychologist?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following questions is most...

Question 19

When a psychologist discusses individual differences,she is discussing

Accepted Answer

The answer of When a psychologist discusses individual differences,she is...

Question 20

Sometimes when we encounter behavior that is unpleasant or unexpected,we assume that something about the person-and not the situation-caused the behavior.In this sense,lay people are most like

Accepted Answer

Personality psychologists focus on individual differences and how these influence behavior, which aligns with the tendency to attribute behavior to personal characteristics rather than situational factors.

Quiz 1: Introducing Social Psychology