Which branch of psychology is most directly concerned with the study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another?
a. developmental psychology
b. social psychology
c. personality psychology
d. experimental psychology
e. clinical psychology
b
Attribution theory was designed to account for:
a. the process of revealing intimate aspects of ourselves to others.
b. the impact of both heredity and environment on social behavior.
c. social facilitation and social loafing.
d. the loss of self awareness that occurs in group situations.
e. how people explain others' behavior.
e
Alicia insists that her boyfriend's car accident resulted from his carelessness. Her explanation for the accident provides an example of:
a. the bystander effect.
b. deindividuation.
c. ingroup bias.
d. the foot in the door phenomenon.
e. a dispositional attribution.
e
Fritz Heider concluded that people tend to attribute others' behavior either to their ________ or to their ________.
a. heredity; environment
b. biological motives; psychological motives
c. cognitions; emotions
d. dispositions; situations
e. abilities; effort
d
The fundamental attribution error refers to our tendency to underestimate the impact of ________ and to overestimate the impact of ________ in explaining the behavior of others.
a. normative influences; informational influences
b. informational influences; normative influences
c. personal dispositions; situational influences
d. situational influences; personal dispositions
d
Freire did very poorly on his last arithmetic test. The tendency to make the fundamental attribution error might lead his sixth grade teacher to conclude that Freire did poorly because:
a. he is unmotivated to do well in school.
b. the test covered material that had not been adequately covered in class.
c. his parents had an argument the evening before the test.
d. he was not given enough time to complete the test.
a
An example of the fundamental attribution error is illustrated in our tendency to underestimate the extent to which others' behavior is influenced by:
a. genetics.
b. social roles.
c. their political philosophy.
d. their level of motivation.
e. personality traits.
b
We have a tendency to explain the behavior of others in terms of ________ and to explain our own behavior in terms of ________.
a. informational influence; normative influence
b. situational constraints; personality traits
c. environmental influences; hereditary influences
d. normative influence; informational influence
e. personality traits; situational constraints
e
Observing yourself on a videotape is most likely to increase your tendency to attribute your behavior to:
a. social norms.
b. role playing.
c. personality traits.
d. the mere exposure effect.
e. any of the above.
c
Carol is restless during class because her professor's distressed facial expressions lead her to believe that he dislikes teaching. The professor, on the other hand, is distressed because he sees Carol's restlessness as an indication that she lacks any motivation to learn. At this point, both student and professor should be informed of the dangers of:
a. group polarization.
b. the mere exposure effect.
c. deindividuation.
d. the fundamental attribution error.
e. the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
d
The fundamental attribution error is likely to lead observers to:
a. show sympathy toward those who are poor and unemployed.
b. praise those who have engaged in acts of heroism.
c. show mercy toward those who have committed criminal acts.
d. do all the above.
b
Poverty and unemployment are likely to be explained in terms of personal dispositions by ________ and in terms of situational influences by ________.
a. the poor; the rich
b. attribution theory; social exchange theory
c. social psychologists; evolutionary psychologists
d. political conservatives; political liberals
d
Americans are more likely than the Japanese to be vulnerable to:
a. groupthink.
b. ingroup bias.
c. the reciprocity norm.
d. mirror-image perceptions.
e. the fundamental attribution error.
e
Attitudes are ________ that guide behavior.
a. norms and roles
b. superordinate goals
c. beliefs and feelings
d. dispositional attributions
c
Politicians who publicly oppose a tax increase that they privately favor best illustrate that:
a. people often fail to notice the influence they exert over others.
b. a pooling of efforts toward a common goal contributes to social loafing.
c. the presence of others interferes with individual performance on difficult tasks.
d. actions may sometimes be inconsistent with attitudes.
e. group discussion enhances a group's prevailing attitudes.
d
Political pollsters find that people's attitudes toward the presidential candidates are very accurate predictors of the election outcome. This best illustrates that attitudes guide our actions when the attitude:
a. is a response to informational social influence.
b. is closely related to a more general value.
c. has a strongly emotional component.
d. is forged through life experiences rather than mere hearsay.
e. is specifically relevant to the behavior.
e
Vanna is tempted to shoplift a gold necklace even though she has negative feelings about shoplifting. Vanna is least likely to steal the merchandise if:
a. her negative feelings about shoplifting result from normative social influence.
b. she is suffering the effects of deindividuation.
c. her negative feelings about stealing were developed in her early childhood.
d. she is highly aware of her negative feelings about shoplifting.
e. she has recently shoplifted jewelry from several different stores.
d
The impact of our actions on our attitudes is best illustrated by the:
a. bystander effect.
b. fundamental attribution error.
c. foot in the door phenomenon.
d. mere exposure effect.
e. frustration aggression principle.
c
The foot in the door phenomenon refers to the tendency to:
a. neglect critical thinking because of a strong desire for social harmony within a group.
b. perform simple tasks more effectively in the presence of others.
c. comply with a large request if one has previously complied with a small request.
d. lose self restraint in group situations that foster anonymity.
e. experience an increasing attraction to novel stimuli as they become more familiar.
c
After they had first agreed to display a 3 inch "Be a Safe Driver" sign, California home owners were highly likely to permit the installation of a very large and unattractive "Drive Carefully" sign in their front yards. This best illustrates:
a. the mere exposure effect.
b. the foot in the door phenomenon.
c. the fundamental attribution error.
d. social facilitation.
e. deindividuation
b
When a salesperson visits your home and asks you to try a free sample of a cleaning fluid, you agree. When he returns the following week and asks you to purchase an assortment of expensive cleaning products, you make the purchase. The salesperson appears to have made effective use of:
a. the bystander effect.
b. the fundamental attribution error.
c. the social responsibility norm.
d. the foot in the door phenomenon.
e. deindividuation.
d
Fred has recently begun to bully and hurt his younger brother. If this behavior continues, it is likely that Fred will:
a. experience a substantial loss of self esteem.
b. develop an increasing dislike for his brother.
c. experience a sense of deindividuation.
d. develop a great sense of admiration and respect for his brother.
b
Philip Zimbardo devised a simulated prison and randomly assigned college students to serve as prisoners or guards. This experiment best illustrates the impact of:
a. team membership on social loafing.
b. groupthink on social conflict.
c. frustration on aggression.
d. role playing on attitudes.
e. deindividuation on the fundamental attribution error.
d
After she moved into a high-level executive position in the large company for which she worked, Andrea developed more pro-business political attitudes. This best illustrates the impact of:
a. deindividuation.
b. social facilitation.
c. role playing.
d. mirror-image perceptions.
e. the bystander effect.
c
The discomfort we feel when two thoughts are inconsistent is called:
a. cognitive dissonance.
b. group polarization.
c. deindividuation.
d. the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
e. the fundamental attribution error.
a
Which theory best explains why our actions can lead us to modify our attitudes?
a. equity theory
b. scapegoat theory
c. cognitive dissonance theory
d. social exchange theory
e. the two-factor theory
c
We are most likely to experience cognitive dissonance if we feel _______ sense of responsibility for engaging in behaviors of which we personally _______.
a. little; disapprove
b. little; approve
c. a great; disapprove
d. a great; approve
c
Fernando's favorable attitude toward capital punishment began to change when he was asked to offer arguments opposing it in a college debate class. His attitude change is best explained by ________ theory.
a. cognitive dissonance
b. social exchange
c. scapegoat
d. equity
e. the two-factor
a
The experience of empathy is most directly facilitated by:
a. the bystander effect.
b. the chameleon effect.
c. the mere exposure effect.
d. mirror-image perceptions.
e. social facilitation.
b
The best evidence that some fatal auto accidents and private airplane crashes may actually be intentional comes from the fact that these events have increased in frequency:
a. following a highly publicized suicide.
b. when people thought they were being observed by others.
c. among people who have suffered the effects of deindividuation.
d. shortly after people have committed the fundamental attribution error.
e. during major holiday seasons.
a
Solomon Asch reported that individuals conformed to a group's judgment of the lengths of lines:
a. only when the group was composed of at least six members.
b. even when the group judgment was clearly incorrect.
c. even when the group seemed uncertain and repeatedly altered its judgment.
d. only when members of the group were of high status.
b
Professor Jones is a member of the faculty committee on academic standards. He personally disagrees with the other committee members' proposed plan to begin accepting students with below average high school grades. Professor Jones is most likely, however, to vote in favor of their plan if:
a. the other committee members are unanimous in their opinion.
b. he stated his personal opinion early in the committee's discussion.
c. committee voting is done by private ballot.
d. he has a high level of self esteem.
e. he personally dislikes the other committee members and wishes he were on a more prestigious college committee.
a
Normative social influence results from peoples' desire to:
a. clarify reality.
b. maintain personal control.
c. gain social approval.
d. demonstrate self restraint.
e. avoid deindividuation.
c
Ben hates to wear ties but wears one to his sister's wedding to avoid his family's disapproval. Ben's behavior exemplifies the importance of:
a. the mere exposure effect.
b. informational social influence.
c. normative social influence.
d. social facilitation.
e. the reciprocity norm.
c
Cheryl publicly agrees with her seventh-grade classmates that parents should allow 13-year-olds to date. Later that day, she writes in her diary that she actually believes parents should prohibit kids from dating until they are at least 15 years old. Cheryl's public conformity to her classmates' opinion best illustrates the power of:
a. deindividuation.
b. normative social influence.
c. the mere exposure effect.
d. informational social influence.
e. social facilitation.
b
Accepting others' opinions about reality is to ________ as the desire to gain approval is to ________.
a. deindividuation; social facilitation
b. social facilitation; deindividuation
c. informational social influence; normative social influence
d. normative social influence; informational social influence
c
After hearing respected medical authorities lecture about the value of regular exercise, Ila, who has rarely exercised, begins to jog regularly. The change in Ila's behavior best illustrates the impact of:
a. normative social influence.
b. the foot in the door phenomenon.
c. social facilitation.
d. the mere exposure effect.
e. informational social influence.
e
When the task of correctly identifying an individual in a slide of a four-person lineup was both difficult and important, participants in an experiment were especially likely to conform to others' wrong answers. This best illustrates the impact of:
a. the fundamental attribution error.
b. informational social influence.
c. the mere exposure effect.
d. normative social influence.
e. ingroup bias.
b
A culture that promotes individualism is most likely to encourage:
a. altruism.
b. nonconformity.
c. ingroup bias.
d. groupthink.
e. superordinate goals.
b
Most people are likely to be surprised by the results of Milgram's initial obedience experiment because:
a. the "learners" made so few learning errors under stressful circumstances.
b. the "teachers" actually enjoyed shocking another person.
c. the "teachers" were more obedient than most people would have predicted.
d. the "learners" obediently accepted painful shocks without any protest.
e. of all the above reasons.
c
The Milgram obedience experiments were controversial because the:
a. "teachers" actually seemed to enjoy shocking the "learners."
b. "learners" received painful electric shocks even if they had heart problems.
c. experiments were performed despite mass student protests against the research.
d. "teachers" were deceived and frequently subjected to severe stress.
d
In Milgram's obedience experiments, "teachers" were most likely to deliver high levels of shock when:
a. the experiment was conducted at a prestigious institution such as Yale University.
b. they saw what happened when other subjects disobeyed the experimenter.
c. the experimenter was perceived to be an ordinary college freshman.
d. the victim was placed in the very same room as the "teacher."
a
The level of obedience in the Milgram experiments was highest when the "teacher" was ________ the experimenter and ________ the "learner."
a. close to; close to
b. far from; far from
c. close to; far from
d. far from; close to
c
In 1942, reserve police officers obeyed orders to kill some 1500 Jews in the village of Jozefow, Poland. This incident illustrated that people are most likely to be destructively obedient when:
a. they fail to realize their actions are morally wrong.
b. their victims are distant and depersonalized.
c. they perceive their orders to come from legitimate authority figures.
d. they derive personal satisfaction from destructive acts.
c
According to Milgram, the most fundamental lesson to be learned from his study of obedience is that:
a. people are naturally predisposed to be hostile and aggressive.
b. even ordinary people, who are not usually hostile, can become agents of destruction.
c. the desire to be accepted by others is one of the strongest human motives.
d. people value their freedom and react negatively when they feel they are being coerced to do something.
b
The impact of the foot in the door phenomenon is most clearly illustrated by:
a. the increased number of suicides shortly after Marilyn Monroe's highly publicized death.
b. President John F. Kennedy's ill fated decision to invade Cuba.
c. the tragic murder of Kitty Genovese just outside her New York apartment.
d. the destructive obedience of participants in the Milgram experiments.
d
Studies of "facilitated communication" best illustrate that people:
a. more readily comply with a large request if they previously complied with a small request.
b. become more extreme in their opinions after group discussions.
c. often fail to notice the influence they exert over others.
d. perform well-learned tasks more effectively in the presence of others.
e. experience an increasing attraction to novel stimuli as they become more familiar.
c
Social facilitation refers to the tendency to:
a. neglect critical thinking because of a strong desire for social harmony within a group.
b. perform well learned tasks more effectively in the presence of others.
c. experience an increasing attraction to novel stimuli as they become more familiar.
d. lose self restraint in group situations that foster anonymity.
e. comply with a large request if one has previously complied with a small request.
b
The presence of others does not always lead to social facilitation because:
a. an increasing familiarity with novel stimuli facilitates liking.
b. the loss of self restraint often accompanies arousal and anonymity.
c. one's focus of attention shifts when playing the role of actor rather than observer.
d. arousal encourages performance of the most likely response.
e. group discussion enhances whatever attitude is initially dominant in the group.
d
Expert pool players were observed to make 71 percent of their shots while alone. When four people watched them, they made 80 percent of their shots. This best illustrates:
a. the foot in the door phenomenon.
b. social facilitation.
c. group polarization.
d. the bystander effect.
e. the mere exposure effect.
b
The presence of others ________ a person's performance on well learned tasks and ________ a person's performance on unmastered tasks.
a. improves; has no effect on
b. hinders; improves
c. has no effect on; hinders
d. improves; hinders
e. improves; improves
d
On which of the following tasks would the presence of others be most likely to lead to improved performance?
a. reciting the months of the year in alphabetical order
b. solving a crossword puzzle
c. learning foreign language words
d. raking up fallen leaves
e. solving complex mathematical problems
d
The tendency for people to exert less effort when they are pooling their efforts toward a common goal is known as:
a. deindividuation.
b. the bystander effect.
c. group polarization.
d. social loafing.
e. the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
d
University students were observed to pull harder on a rope when they thought they were pulling alone than when they thought three others were pulling with them on the same rope. This best illustrates:
a. social loafing.
b. the foot in the door phenomenon.
c. group polarization.
d. social facilitation.
e. deindividuation.
a
Social loafing has been found to be especially noticeable among ________ in cultures that value ________.
a. women; collectivism
b. women; individualism
c. men; collectivism
d. men; individualism
d
Social loafing is most likely among:
a. members of a game show audience instructed to applaud when the host appears on stage.
b. factory workers paid on the basis of individual level of productivity.
c. a group of runners competing for first place in a race.
d. students in a college class who are each assigned a different topic for their course term papers.
a
Deindividuation refers to:
a. lack of critical thinking due to a strong desire for social harmony within a group.
b. the tendency to overestimate the impact of personal dispositions on another's behavior.
c. the failure to give aid in an emergency situation observed by many onlookers.
d. a loss of self awareness and self restraint in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.
e. the enhancement of a group's prevailing attitudes through group discussion.
d
When college women were dressed in Ku Klux Klan style hoods, they demonstrated significantly more aggression. This finding is best explained in terms of:
a. social facilitation.
b. modeling.
c. groupthink.
d. deindividuation.
e. ingroup bias.
d
After an exciting football game in which the home team loses by one point, a crowd of fans throws bottles and begins to tear up the field. This behavior is best understood in terms of:
a. the just-world phenomenon.
b. deindividuation.
c. the bystander effect.
d. groupthink.
e. social facilitation.
b
Group polarization is most likely to occur in a group in which:
a. two subgroups of individuals have opposing opinions.
b. individuals share a similar opinion.
c. each individual has a unique perspective.
d. individuals have not formed any opinion.
b
Nora, Ko, Ian, and May each think that Ms. Akey may be a slightly better teacher than Mr. Schwenke. After discussing why each of them believes this to be so, they all conclude that Ms. Akey is definitely a much better teacher than Mr. Schwenke. This episode provides an example of:
a. social facilitation.
b. the fundamental attribution error.
c. group polarization.
d. deindividuation.
e. the mere exposure effect.
c
Individuals who believe that the death penalty should be abolished meet to discuss the issue. Research on group interaction suggests that after discussion the individuals will be:
a. even more convinced that the death penalty should be abolished.
b. convinced that the death penalty should be retained.
c. sharply divided over whether the death penalty should be abolished.
d. in favor of a more moderate position on the issue.
a
The ill fated decision of President John F. Kennedy and his advisors to invade Cuba best illustrates the dangers of:
a. deindividuation.
b. the bystander effect.
c. social facilitation.
d. the mere exposure effect.
e. groupthink.
e
Which of the following processes most obviously operates in groupthink?
a. social facilitation
b. cognitive dissonance
c. group polarization
d. self disclosure
c
Which of the following comments is most likely to be made in a group characterized by groupthink?
a. "In order to proceed democratically, we need to know the honest opinions of all group members."
b. "We all seem to be in basic agreement, so there's no sense in continuing our discussion of this issue."
c. "Do any of you see any potential problem with our group's position?"
d. "As a group, we have to think carefully about all the pros and cons surrounding this issue."
b
In one experiment, men talked charmingly because they thought the women on the phone were beautiful. The fact that the women responded warmly best illustrates the impact of:
a. social facilitation.
b. facilitated communication.
c. the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
d. the mere exposure effect.
e. self-fulfilling prophecies.
e
Teachers who anticipate better math performance from boys than from girls often give boys the kind of preferential treatment that leads them to outperform their female classmates. This best illustrates the dynamics of:
a. mirror-image perceptions.
b. the fundamental attribution error.
c. the mere exposure effect.
d. self-fulfilling prophecies.
e. social facilitation.
d
Kevin is the only juror to favor acquittal on a murder trial. To influence the majority he should:
a. unswervingly hold to his position.
b. express some uncertainty about his position.
c. be the last member to speak and present his argument as briefly as possible.
d. address his arguments specifically to the member of the majority who seems most disagreeable.
a
Prejudice is best defined as:
a. the tendency to favor members of one's own group.
b. a fearful suspicion of people one has never met.
c. an unjustifiable attitude toward a group and its members.
d. a perceived incompatibility of actions or goals.
e. the belief that victims of misfortune deserve their fate.
c
Which of the following individuals most clearly adheres to a stereotype?
a. Vladimir, who is especially attracted to Latin-American women
b. Peter, who feels very uncomfortable interacting with African-Americans
c. Robin, who is convinced that college professors are usually unfriendly and forgetful
d. Cyril, who never hires people over age 50 to work in his restaurant
c
On the basis of what Americans say, in the last half-century, prejudice toward women has ________ and prejudice toward African-Americans has ________.
a. decreased; increased
b. increased; increased
c. increased; decreased
d. decreased; decreased
d
Mr. and Mrs. Kelly are expecting their first child to be born in the next week or so. Cross cultural research indicates it is most likely that:
a. both prospective parents are hoping for a boy.
b. both prospective parents are hoping for a girl.
c. Mr. Kelly is hoping for a boy and Mrs. Kelly is hoping for a girl.
d. neither prospective parent has a definite preference regarding the sex of the child.
a
When shown pictures of men with either a slightly feminized or a slightly masculinized face, women were ________ attracted to slightly masculinized faces and they were ________ likely to perceive a slightly masculinized face as belonging to someone interested in a long-term relationship.
a. more; more
b. less; less
c. more; less
d. less; more
d
Prejudice is most likely to develop as a way of justifying:
a. group polarization.
b. social traps.
c. mirror image perceptions.
d. superordinate goals.
e. social inequalities.
e
Mr. Formby has never offered job promotions to minority employees because he suspects they lack the motivation to succeed. The fact that minority employees rarely seek career advancements in Mr. Formby's business organization best illustrates the impact of:
a. the fundamental attribution error.
b. social loafing.
c. deindividuation.
d. group polarization.
e. self-fulfilling prophecies.
e
The tendency to favor members of one's own group is likely when people are formed into distinguishable groups on the basis of:
a. identical racial backgrounds.
b. shared religious beliefs.
c. common occupational concerns.
d. similar leisure time hobbies.
e. any of the above criteria.
e
Most children believe their school is better than the other schools in their town. This best illustrates:
a. the just-world phenomenon.
b. ingroup bias.
c. the fundamental attribution error.
d. the reciprocity norm.
e. scapegoating.
b
According to the scapegoat theory, prejudice is likely to result from:
a. stereotypes.
b. the just world phenomenon.
c. ingroup bias.
d. frustration.
e. self serving bias.
d
Bill, a white college student, is on academic probation for poor grades. Ever since he received notice of his probation, Bill has become increasingly hostile toward black students on campus. His increasing hostility can best be explained in terms of:
a. ingroup bias.
b. the mere exposure effect.
c. the just world phenomenon.
d. the scapegoat theory.
e. the reciprocity norm.
d
Disparaging or belittling a despised outgroup provides people with a heightened sense of their own:
a. fundamental attribution errors.
b. deindividuation.
c. superordinate goals.
d. self-worth.
e. social loafing.
d
People tend to perceive the members of an outgroup as ________ each other and the members of an ingroup as ________ each other.
a. different from; similar to
b. similar to; different from
c. similar to; similar to
d. different from; different from
b
The tendency to categorize people on the basis of their sex is most likely to lead Jack to believe that:
a. women all have pretty much the same attitudes about sex.
b. women seem to be unpredictable, because no two are alike.
c. most men tend to be logical and emotionally controlled.
d. in contrast to women, men have very similar tastes in dress and fashion.
a
Twenty Wallonians were arrested for nonviolent crimes, whereas 20 Pireaneans were arrested for violent crimes. The tendency to judge that more crimes were committed by Pireaneans than by Wallonians best illustrates the power of:
a. ingroup bias.
b. the mere exposure effect.
c. the just world phenomenon.
d. deindividuation.
e. vivid cases.
e
In laboratory experiments, merely observing someone receive painful electric shocks leads viewers to think less of the victim. This reaction is best explained in terms of:
a. the just world phenomenon.
b. the bystander effect.
c. the scapegoat theory.
d. the mere exposure effect.
a
An eagerness to believe that victims of a natural disaster are being punished by God for their sins best illustrates a potential consequence of:
a. deindividuation.
b. ingroup bias.
c. the bystander effect.
d. the just world phenomenon.
e. the mere exposure effect.
d
Only when experimental participants were informed that a woman was raped did they perceive the woman's behavior as inviting rape. This best illustrates that victim-blaming is fueled by:
a. the mere exposure effect.
b. self-fulfilling prophecies.
c. the foot-in-the door phenomenon.
d. hindsight bias.
d
According to the text, aggression always involves:
a. physical damage.
b. anger and hostility.
c. the intent to hurt.
d. a reaction to frustration.
e. all the above.
c
Which of the following persons is most clearly acting aggressively?
a. a noisy neighbor who often mows his lawn at 8 o'clock on Saturday mornings
b. a child who tries to hit another child with a rock
c. an assertive salesperson who interrupts your evening meal with a telephone sales pitch
d. a careless motorist who accidentally hits a small child running in the street
b
Sigmund Freud would most likely have suggested that wars result from:
a. deindividuation.
b. frustration.
c. human instinct.
d. the fundamental attribution error.
e. inequitable relationships.
c
The fact that human aggression varies widely from culture to culture most strongly suggests that it is not:
a. a reaction to frustration.
b. influenced by social norms.
c. an instinctive behavior.
d. a product of deindividuation.
e. a result of group polarization.
c
When a mild-mannered woman had an electrode implanted in her amygdala, she:
a. developed more aggressive tendencies.
b. acted just as she had before the implantation.
c. became even milder, unable to even say "no" to anyone's request for help.
d. lost her ability to remember events that had recently occurred.
a
Testosterone levels of male college basketball fans were observed to be the highest just ________ a big game that was ________ by their team.
a. before; won
b. after; won
c. before; lost
d. after; lost
b
Aggressive behavior is most likely to be ________ by injections of testosterone and ________ by consumption of alcohol.
a. increased; decreased
b. decreased; increased
c. increased; increased
d. decreased; decreased
c
After Jerry's father refused to let him use the family car on Friday night, Jerry let all the air out of the tires. His action is best explained in terms of the:
a. mere exposure effect.
b. foot in the door phenomenon.
c. fundamental attribution error.
d. bystander effect.
e. frustration aggression principle.
e
Minimal levels of father care are associated with high levels of:
a. conformity.
b. group polarization.
c. social facilitation.
d. aggression.
d
Which of the following would be the best advice to give parents who are concerned about the frequent aggressive outbursts of their 6 year old son?
a. "Encourage your son to express his anger by slugging a punching bag."
b. "Make a point of rewarding and praising your son whenever he is socially cooperative and altruistic."
c. "Be consistent in spanking your child after every outburst so he'll realize that aggression never pays."
d. "Encourage your son to watch the devastating consequences of violence portrayed on TV."
e. "Don't be concerned about your child's aggressiveness, unless the behavior pattern continues beyond the fifth grade."
b
Most researchers who have examined the effects of viewing televised aggression conclude that:
a. viewing violence takes people's minds off their own problems and thus reduces their aggressive urges.
b. viewing violence leads children and teenagers to behave aggressively.
c. there is no correlation between viewing aggression and behaving aggressively.
d. although viewing violence is correlated with increased aggression, there is no evidence that viewing violence actually leads to aggression.
b
Children are especially likely to behave aggressively after viewing TV violence in which an attractive person commits ________ violence that causes ________ visible pain or harm.
a. justified; no
b. unjustified; no
c. justified; a lot of
d. unjustified; a lot of
a
The frequent observation of television violence is most likely to lead 9 year old Fred to:
a. react with a sense of distress at the sight of two children fighting on the school playground.
b. exaggerate the frequency of violent crimes in the world around him.
c. be more inhibited about personally starting a fight on the school playground.
d. experience a reduced sense of fear about the possibility of being personally assaulted.
b
Surveys of the incidence of sexual harassment in the United States indicate that:
a. due to increased educational efforts, the majority of rapes are now reported to the police.
b. the majority of women report that they have never experienced any form of sexual harassment.
c. women tend to define many sexual advances as rape attempts, even when legally they are not.
d. victims of acquaintance rape are more likely to report the crime to police than are victims of stranger rape.
e. women are more likely to be victimized by acquaintance rape than by stranger rape.
e
Violent pornographic movies often perpetuate the myth that:
a. many women enjoy aggressive sexual encounters.
b. most rapes are commonly committed by victims' dates or acquaintances.
c. women are more likely rape victims than are men.
d. most rapes are never reported to the police.
a
After watching a large number of violent pornographic movies, Ollie will probably be:
a. more likely to believe that such movies should be banned.
b. less likely to believe that women are seriously harmed by rape.
c. more likely to favor long prison sentences for convicted rapists.
d. less likely to believe that women enjoy aggressive sexual treatment from men.
b
After extensive exposure to pornographic films, viewers have been found to see their partners as ________ attractive and to be ________ accepting of short prison sentences for convicted rapists.
a. more; less
b. less; less
c. less; more
d. more; more
c
Social psychologists attribute the media's influence partly to the ________ they provide.
a. mirror-image perceptions
b. social scripts
c. stereotypes
d. self-serving bias
b
A social trap is a situation in which:
a. there are not enough resources to satisfy the needs of all members of a social group.
b. false stereotypes influence how people interpret the behavior of others.
c. the pursuit of self interest leads to collective harm.
d. the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
e. all people in a conflict situation suffer, no matter how cooperatively they behave.
c
Continuing to operate a fuel-inefficient car despite warnings about the effect of greenhouse gases best illustrates the dynamics of:
a. the just world phenomenon.
b. social loafing.
c. a social trap.
d. the fundamental attribution error.
e. the mere exposure effect.
c
Despite government warnings of a severe shortage of heating fuels, most citizens continue to turn up their home thermostats in the belief that their personal fuel consumption will have little effect on the country's total fuel reserves. This reaction best illustrates the dynamics of:
a. the bystander effect.
b. the fundamental attribution error.
c. the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
d. the just world phenomenon.
e. a social trap.
e
Two conflicting groups who share the same negative views of one another demonstrate:
a. the reciprocity norm.
b. the fundamental attribution error.
c. superordinate goals.
d. GRIT.
e. mirror image perceptions.
e
Julie thinks Keith's silence indicates that he's angry, so she avoids talking to him. Unfortunately, Keith thinks Julie's quietness signifies that she's angry and wants to be left alone. This situation best illustrates:
a. mirror image perceptions.
b. the reciprocity norm.
c. superordinate goals.
d. scapegoating.
e. deindividuation.
a
Vince, an extraverted college freshman, has just moved into a college dormitory. Vince is most likely to become friends with:
a. Alfonse, a junior who is majoring in psychology and lives across the hall.
b. Mohammed, an introverted student who lives on the next floor and enjoys playing chess.
c. James, a lonely sophomore who lives down the hall and is undecided about his major.
d. Bill, his assigned roommate who is majoring in computer science.
d
The mere exposure effect refers to the fact that people:
a. perform well-learned tasks more effectively in the presence of others.
b. become more extreme in their opinions following group discussion.
c. more readily comply with a large request if they previously complied with a small request.
d. experience increasing attraction to novel stimuli that become more familiar.
e. often fail to notice the influence they exert on others.
d
After 3 months of riding the 8:30 bus to work, Cindy has actually started to feel affection for the gruff and scowling old bus driver. Cindy's reaction best illustrates:
a. the fundamental attribution error.
b. the mere exposure effect.
c. mirror image perceptions.
d. the bystander effect.
e. the social exchange theory.
b
People's preference for mirror image photographs of themselves illustrates the impact of:
a. reciprocity norms.
b. the bystander effect.
c. deindividuation.
d. the mere exposure effect.
e. cognitive dissonance.
d
What determined whether college freshmen who had been randomly paired for a "Welcome Week" dance liked each other?
a. similarity in attitudes
b. similarity in intelligence
c. physical attractiveness
d. self-disclosure skills
e. all the above
c
Research on physical attractiveness indicates that women are less likely than men to:
a. express unhappiness with their own physical appearance.
b. verbally attribute their liking for physically attractive dates to good looks.
c. judge members of the opposite sex as more attractive if they have a mature appearance.
d. marry someone who is less physically attractive than they themselves are.
e. be attracted to dating partners whose hips are narrower than their waists.
b
Sara, a 20 year old college sophomore, is very beautiful. Research suggests that she is likely to ________ than less attractive college women.
a. be perceived as more socially skilled
b. have a much higher level of self esteem
c. be perceived as less intelligent
d. date less frequently
e. have more difficulty securing employment
a
Which of the following proverbs is most clearly supported by research on social attraction?
a. The beautiful are the lonely.
b. Birds of a feather flock together.
c. Familiarity breeds contempt.
d. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
b
Andrew, a 19 year old college freshman, is very talkative, intelligent, assertive, and politically conservative. Research suggests that he would be most likely to develop a close friendship with:
a. Toren, who is talkative and assertive.
b. Erez, who is quiet and passive.
c. Tom, who is intelligent and quiet.
d. Jason, who is politically liberal and talkative.
a
Our tendency to establish and maintain warm relationships with people if they are physically attractive and similar to us is best explained in terms of:
a. the mere exposure effect.
b. attribution theory.
c. social exchange theory.
d. the just-world phenomenon.
e. the foot in the door phenomenon.
c
The two factor theory of emotion has been used to explain:
a. the bystander effect.
b. passionate love.
c. social facilitation.
d. the mere exposure effect.
e. the just-world phenomenon.
b
Susan, who is attractive and likable, has just telephoned Mike and asked him for a date. According to the two factor theory of emotion, Mike is likely to experience the most intense romantic feelings for Susan during their telephone conversation if he has just:
a. awakened from a short nap.
b. finished eating a delicious meal.
c. completed a series of aerobic exercises.
d. been studying his history lecture notes.
c
In an experiment by Dutton and Aron, one group of men were asked by an attractive woman to complete a short questionnaire immediately after they had crossed a swaying footbridge suspended 230 feet above the Capilano River. This experiment was designed to study the factors that contribute to:
a. the bystander effect.
b. social facilitation.
c. the mere exposure effect.
d. passionate love.
e. the foot in the door phenomenon.
d
Marsha is unusually attractive and intelligent, and she works hard to please her husband. He displays little affection for her, however, and spends most of the family's resources on his own interests. Marsha's relationship with her husband is best characterized as:
a. deindividuated.
b. companionate.
c. inequitable.
d. complementary.
e. reciprocal.
c
Kathy and Max have a fulfilling marital relationship because they readily confide their deepest hopes and fears to each other. This best illustrates the value of:
a. passionate love.
b. deindividuation.
c. social facilitation.
d. self-disclosure.
e. the mere exposure effect.
d
The tragic murder of Kitty Genovese outside her New York apartment stimulated social psychological research on:
a. altruism.
b. the mere exposure effect.
c. the fundamental attribution error.
d. the foot in the door phenomenon.
e. the effects of exposure to violent pornography.
a
When 12-year-old Jack saw an old man lying on the sidewalk in apparent discomfort, he prepared to offer help. But when he noticed several adults walk past the man, he concluded that the man did not need any help. His reaction most clearly illustrates one of the dynamics involved in:
a. the mere exposure effect.
b. the fundamental attribution error.
c. social loafing.
d. the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
e. the bystander effect.
e
Darley and Latané observed that most university students failed to help a person having an epileptic seizure when they thought there were four other witnesses to the emergency. The students' failure to help is best explained in terms of:
a. the ingroup bias.
b. a failure to interpret the incident as an emergency.
c. indifference and apathy.
d. their limited feelings of responsibility.
e. the foot in the door phenomenon.
d
The best explanation for the inaction of bystanders during the Kitty Genovese murder is that they failed to:
a. experience any empathy for a stranger.
b. assume personal responsibility for helping the victim.
c. realize that the incident was really an emergency situation.
d. notice that the incident was taking place.
e. do any of the above.
b
The bystander effect refers to the tendency for an observer of an emergency to withhold aid if the:
a. emergency takes place in a large city.
b. observer has just endured a frustrating experience.
c. emergency victim is a member of a different racial group than the observer.
d. emergency is being observed by a number of other people.
e. observer has been exposed to many similar emergencies in the past.
d
Which of the following people would be most likely to help Gita study for her history exam?
a. Gita's older brother, who probably has nothing better to do that evening
b. Gita's mother, who is excited about the unexpected bonus she just received from her employer
c. Gita's father, who always points out how differently men and women think and act
d. Gita's younger sister, whose boyfriend just canceled their date for the next evening
b
According to social exchange theory, altruistic behavior is guided by:
a. calculations of costs and benefits.
b. feelings of social responsibility.
c. reciprocity norms.
d. family ties.
a
Two classmates ask you to spend a couple of hours helping them prepare for a chemistry test. According to social exchange theory, you would be most likely to help them if:
a. your parents helped you study for tests when you were younger.
b. your classmates are slow learners who really need your help.
c. you know you would feel terribly guilty for refusing their request.
d. you know that no one else is willing to help them.
e. your classmates cannot afford to pay for a private tutor.
c
After she received a free hand painted Christmas ornament from a religious organization, Mrs. Montevecchi felt obligated to mail a cash donation to the organization. Her response to the free gift best illustrates the impact of:
a. the foot in the door phenomenon.
b. the mere exposure effect.
c. the just-world phenomenon.
d. the fundamental attribution error.
e. the reciprocity norm.
e
Gallup surveys indicate that Americans who frequently attend religious services are particularly likely to:
a. report that they are currently aiding the poor and infirm.
b. demonstrate the bystander effect.
c. violate the social responsibility norm.
d. base their altruistic acts on the principle of reciprocity.
a
Sherif's study of conflict in a Boy Scout camp indicated that conflict between two groups of boys could be reduced most effectively by:
a. bringing the members of both groups into close contact.
b. having one group make conciliatory gestures to the other group.
c. allowing leaders of the two groups to communicate.
d. exposing the groups to tasks that required their joint cooperation.
d
Sherif planned a disruption of the water supply in a Boy Scout camp in order to observe how social relationships are influenced by:
a. ingroup bias.
b. social traps.
c. group polarization.
d. superordinate goals.
e. the mere exposure effect.
d
If one were to generalize from Sherif's study of conflict resolution between two groups of children campers, the best way for the United States and Japan to improve their relationship would be to:
a. hold highly publicized athletic contests between the two countries.
b. minimize their trade and economic exchanges.
c. conduct a joint space program designed to land humans on Mars.
d. allow citizens of each country the right to freely immigrate to the other country.
c
John and Mary argued bitterly about which of them should have use of the family car that night. Neither realized, however, that Mary needed the car only in the early evening and that John needed it only in the late evening. John and Mary's failure to resolve their argument for their mutual benefit best illustrates the dangers of:
a. superordinate goals.
b. the mere exposure effect.
c. ingroup bias.
d. a win-lose orientation.
e. GRIT.
d
GRIT attempts to reduce conflict through:
a. third-party mediation.
b. intimidation.
c. conciliation.
d. pacifism.
c
Which of the following would be most consistent with a GRIT strategy?
a. announcing that even a small attack on an ally will result in a nuclear attack on the enemy
b. announcing that defense expenditures will be cut by 5 percent and inviting the enemy to do likewise
c. announcing that one has formed an alliance with several countries encircling the enemy
d. announcing that the opposing party's invasion of a neutral country will be challenged in an international court of law
b
