Deck 10: Intelligence

Question 1

In the context of aggression, which of the following statements is true?

A) Twin studies indicate that aggression is never genetic.
B) A single spot in the brain controls aggression.
C) Alcohol enhances aggressiveness.
D) Aggression is typically caused by brain damage.

Answer 1

Alcohol enhances aggressiveness.

Question 2

_____ aggression aims to hurt only as a means to some other end.

A) Manipulative
B) Duplicitous
C) Hostile
D) Instrumental

Answer 2

Instrumental

Question 3

Which of the following is the best example of instrumental aggression?

A) An angry football player tackles a quarterback after he attempts a long pass.
B) A wife finds her husband with another woman and shoots them both.
C) A group of mercenaries, hired to kill the dictator of a small country, arrange to poison him.
D) A man smashes his TV set after he cannot get it to work.

Answer 3

A group of mercenaries, hired to kill the dictator of a small country, arrange to poison him.

Question 4

Sigmund Freud argued that aggression ultimately springs from

A) an innate sexual drive.
B) a self-destructive impulse.
C) observation of aggressive adult models.
D) blocking of goal-directed behavior.

Question 5

The study of neural influences on aggression has indicated that

A) one specific region of the brain controls aggression.
B) activating the amygdala can facilitate aggressive outbursts in humans.
C) activating the occipital lobe can cause a tyrant monkey to be more docile.
D) activating the frontal lobe can trigger aggressive behavior.

Question 6

Instinct theories of aggression fails to account for

A) silent and social aggression in animals.
B) wide variations of aggressiveness from culture to culture.
C) biochemical influences on aggression.
D) unprovoked outbursts of aggression.

Question 7

In contrast to Freud's view of aggression, Lorenz argued that aggression is

A) innate.
B) adaptive rather than self-destructive.
C) biologically influenced but not instinctive.
D) socially learned.

Question 8

_____ aggression springs from anger, and its only goal is to injure.

A) Manipulative
B) Duplicitous
C) Hostile
D) Instrumental

Question 9

Instinctive behavior is behavior that is

A) survival-oriented and common to most members of a species.
B) innate, unlearned, and shown by all members of a species.
C) reflexive and automatic but easily overcome by learning.
D) taught to members of a species.

Question 10

Physical or verbal behavior intended to cause harm is known as

A) aggression.
B) subjugation.
C) destruction.
D) frustration.

Question 11

Most terrorism is considered _____ aggression.

A) manipulative
B) duplicitous
C) hostile
D) instrumental

Question 12

In 2003, American and British leaders justified attacking Iraq not as a hostile effort to kill Iraqis but as an act of liberation and of self-defense against presumed weapons of mass destruction. Social psychologists would consider this an example of _____ aggression.

A) manipulative
B) duplicitous
C) hostile
D) instrumental

Question 13

A study of brain activity in the prefrontal cortex of murderers found

A) no differences between these men and normal controls.
B) less activity than normal.
C) spikes in activity level.
D) more activity than normal.

Question 14

Long-term studies of New Zealand children revealed that

A) "bad genes" cause aggressive behavior.
B) "bad environments" cause aggressive behavior.
C) neither genes nor environment is responsible for aggressive behavior.
D) the interaction of genes and the environment can cause aggressive behavior.

Question 15

Juanita is upset with Rose, so during a social gathering she verbally cuts Rose down in front of others. Juanita's behavior exemplifies

A) assertion.
B) manipulation.
C) aggression.
D) submission.

Question 16

Which theory is most susceptible to the criticism that it tries to explain aggression by naming it?

A) instrumental aggression theory
B) instinct theory
C) frustration-aggression theory
D) social-learning theory

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of aggression?

A) Sam accidentally slams the car door too quickly, and it hits Tim's knee.
B) Luisa urges her classmates not to vote for Marcy for dormitory senator, citing some rumors about Marcy's social life.
C) Carla, a dentist, delivers a shot of Novocain before pulling her patient's tooth.
D) Joe's eagerness and enthusiasm resulted in his being promoted to sales manager in a very short time.

Question 18

How intense and reactive we are in infancy reflects our

A) defense mechanisms.
B) aggressive instinct.
C) temperament.
D) social learning.

Question 19

Most murders are considered _____ aggression.

A) manipulative
B) duplicitous
C) hostile
D) instrumental

Question 20

The death penalty does not effectively deter homicide. One reason for this is that most murders are the result of

A) hormonal influences.
B) hostile aggression.
C) instrumental aggression.
D) a malfunctioning amygdala.

Question 21

Frustration is noted to arise from

A) a mismatch between achievements and rewards.
B) the gap between expectations and attainments.
C) the deprivation of elements essential to survival.
D) learned helplessness and hopelessness.

Question 22

The frustration-aggression theory is designed to explain

A) hostile aggression.
B) instrumental aggression.
C) both hostile and instrumental aggression.
D) neither hostile nor instrumental aggression.

Question 23

The redirection of aggression to a target other than the source of the frustration is referred to as

A) displacement.
B) substitution.
C) deprivation
D) projection.

Question 24

Your boss told you that she is giving you a 5 percent raise starting with your next paycheck. You are very pleased to hear this good news until you learn that some of your coworkers earned a 10 percent raise. Now you are unhappy and angry about your raise. Your experience is best explained in terms of

A) the adaptation-level phenomenon.
B) the relative deprivation principle.
C) the displacement theory.
D) Parkinson's second law.

Question 25

In a famous experiment by Albert Bandura and his colleagues, children watched an adult attack a Bobo doll with a mallet. They were then shown some toys that they were forbidden to play with. When they were taken to another room, they

A) began to cry.
B) attacked a Bobo doll.
C) verbally attacked the adult experimenter.
D) chose to watch a violent rather than a nonviolent film.

Question 26

The blocking of goal-directed behavior is called

A) instrumental aggression.
B) hostile aggression.
C) frustration.
D) displacement.

Question 27

A person kicking the wall after losing a game of poker is an example of

A) regression.
B) displacement.
C) relative deprivation.
D) the weapons effect.

Question 28

After arguing with her boyfriend over the telephone, Roberta smashes down the receiver and then throws the phone
Across the room. This behavior most clearly demonstrates

A) the weapons effect.
B) displacement.
C) instrumental aggression.
D) Parkinson's second law.

Question 29

Displaced aggression is most likely to occur when the target _____ to the instigator.

A) shares no similarity
B) shares some similarity
C) is related
D) is unrelated

Question 30

In a revision of the frustration-aggression theory, Berkowitz emphasized the importance of

A) anger in causing aggression.
B) the role of biochemical influences, such as alcohol.
C) relative deprivation and the adaptation level phenomenon.
D) catharsis as a reducer of frustration.

Question 31

Research on the role of family influences on aggression indicates that

A) abused children later abuse their own children at four times the national rate.
B) higher rates of violence occur when fathers care for the children.
C) an only child tends to be aggressive in social situations outside the family.
D) physical punishment suppresses aggression in children.

Question 32

According to Albert Bandura, an important influence on one's tendency to be aggressive is

A) hormonal factors.
B) how much anger or frustration has built up inside.
C) one's hereditary predisposition to be aggressive.
D) observations of others' behavior.

Question 33

According to Berkowitz (1989), the frustration-aggression relationship is mediated by the role of

A) gender.
B) age.
C) anger.
D) neurotransmitters.

Question 34

Jason instigates more and more fights with younger children on the school playground because it gains him the attention and respect of his friends. This most clearly suggests that his aggression is

A) the result of frustration.
B) instinctual in nature.
C) a learned response.
D) the result of displacement.

Question 35

MacDonald and her colleagues (2000) found that intoxicated people administered stronger shocks and felt angrier when thinking about

A) their physical shortcomings.
B) their grades in college.
C) relationship conflicts.
D) their families.

Question 36

Frustration grows when

A) our motivation to achieve a goal is weakened.
B) we do not expect gratification.
C) we are completely blocked in attaining our goal.
D) we are surprised by a consequence.

Question 37

Hennigan and her colleagues (1982) found that the larceny theft rate in U.S. cities jumped after television was first introduced. This result can be explained in terms of the

A) amount of crime depicted on television.
B) thieves' sense of feeling deprived relative to wealthy television characters and those portrayed in advertisements.
C) thieves' lack of positive socialization experiences at home and school.
D) amount of time spent watching TV.

Question 38

Studies of hormonal influences on aggression indicate that

A) hormonal influences are as strong in humans as they are in other animals.
B) after age 25, testosterone and rates of violent crime decrease together.
C) variations in testosterone seem to have no effect on behavior within the normal range of teen boys and adult men.
D) higher rates of testosterone are associated with less aggressiveness in males.

Question 39

It was raining out and Jessie's car had a flat tire. After she managed to fix it, she arrived home late only to find someone had parked in her assigned parking spot. When she entered her apartment, she kicked her pet cat, who was waiting at the door. Jessie's behavior is perhaps most easily explained in terms of

A) the frustration-aggression theory.
B) the adaptation-level phenomenon.
C) the Murphy's law.
D) the social learning theory.

Question 40

The perception that one is less well off than others with whom one compares oneself is referred to as

A) adaptation level phenomenon.
B) relative deprivation.
C) social ostracism.
D) unjust-world principle.

Question 41

Which of the following is least likely to cause aggressive behavior?

A) cold weather
B) offensive odors
C) air pollution
D) cigarette smoke

Question 42

"Playing violent video games gives people a harmless opportunity to vent their aggression." This statement is most clearly consistent with the _____ hypothesis.

A) sensitization
B) catharsis
C) frustration-aggression
D) social learning

Question 43

Research suggests that the sight of a weapon can

A) elicit frustration.
B) sensitize one to the dangers of violence.
C) prime aggressive thoughts.
D) produce catharsis.

Question 44

Viewing sexually violent movies _____ men to brutality and results in _____ for domestic violence victims.

A) sensitizes; less sympathy
B) sensitizes; more sympathy
C) desensitizes; less sympathy
D) desensitizes; more sympathy

Question 45

In the context of influences on aggression, which of the following statements is NOT true of arousal?

A) A frustrating situation heightens arousal.
B) Arousal fuels emotions.
C) Sexual arousal can amplify anger.
D) Arousal has no effect on emotions.

Question 46

The results of the Schachter and Singer (1962) experiment in which participants were injected with adrenaline prior to spending time with either a hostile or a euphoric person support the idea that

A) bodily arousal feeds one emotion or another depending on how we interpret the arousal.
B) distinct physiological differences exist among emotions.
C) frustration is largely a function of our prior experience and whom we compare ourselves with.
D) every emotion triggers an opposing emotion.

Question 47

In the context of influences on aggression, which of the following has NOT been linked with aggressive behavior?

A) a dashed expectation
B) a personal insult
C) physical pain
D) an unexpected request

Question 48

In view of research on the pain-attack response, Berkowitz (1998) now believes that _____ is the basic trigger of hostile aggression.

A) aversive stimulation
B) neural impulses
C) frustration
D) rage

Question 49

According to the social learning theory, whether we act aggressively depends on

A) the aversive event.
B) the anticipated consequences.
C) the role of the parent.
D) bodily symptoms.

Question 50

In an experiment conducted by Griffitt (1970), students who answered questionnaires while they were _____ reported feeling more tired and aggressive, and expressed more hostility toward a stranger than did participants in a control group.

A) distracted by loud noises
B) in an uncomfortably hot room
C) being closely observed
D) eating popcorn and peanuts

Question 51

In relation to aggression, the most studied environmental irritant is

A) pain.
B) cigarette smoke.
C) air pollution.
D) heat.

Question 52

Repeated exposure to erotic films that feature quick, uncommitted sex tends to

A) increase attraction for one's partner.
B) increase men's perceiving women in sexual terms.
C) decrease acceptance of extramarital sex.
D) decrease acceptance of women's sexual submission to men.

Question 53

Compared to the national rate, abused children are _____ times _____ likely to abuse their own children.

A) 4; less
B) 4; more
C) 10; less
D) 10; more

Question 54

Which of the following has been found to be an effect of sexual violence in movies and television?

A) Women are more likely to believe rape is a serious crime.
B) Men have become more accepting of violence against women.
C) Women have become more aggressive toward other women.
D) Viewers are less accepting of violence against women.

Question 55

Berkowitz and LePage (1967) found that frustrated men delivered more shocks when

A) guns happened to be in the room.
B) badminton racquets happened to be in the room.
C) they had just received a shot that lowered their serotonin levels.
D) they were initially depressed.

Question 56

In the context of influences on aggression, violent crimes are more likely committed

A) in the winter rather than the summer.
B) when the weather is hot.
C) on nights with a full moon.
D) during rainy periods.

Question 57

What can we conclude about the relationship between heat and aggression?

A) Heat directly fuels aggressiveness.
B) There is no relationship between heat and aggression.
C) Heat suppresses aggression.
D) The correlations between heat and aggression do not prove a causal relationship.

Question 58

Repeated exposure to fictional scenes of a man overpowering and arousing a woman

A) created a catharsis experience for men.
B) distorted people's perceptions of how women actually respond to sexual coercion.
C) decreased men's aggression against women.
D) created a climate of fear in women.

Question 59

As part of therapy, a clinical psychologist encourages her patients to install a punching bag in their homes to release hostility. The therapist apparently believes in

A) the social learning theory.
B) Parkinson's second law.
C) the catharsis hypothesis.
D) the adaptation-level phenomenon.

Question 60

The pain-attack response has been observed in

A) rats.
B) monkeys.
C) snakes.
D) many varied species.

Question 61

In the context of influences on aggression, groups can amplify aggressive reactions partly by

A) inhibiting impulses.
B) implementing the cathartic effect.
C) diffusing responsibility.
D) providing role models.

Question 62

According to Gentile and Anderson (2003), "The scientific debate over whether media violence has an effect _____."

A) has just begun
B) is an up-and-coming topic of inquiry
C) is basically over
D) is debatable

Question 63

In studies on violence, Eron and Huesmann (1980; 1985) found that 8-year-olds who watched the most violence were

A) unlikely to finish high school.
B) more likely to get a divorce.
C) more likely to be convicted of a crime.
D) more likely to commit child abuse.

Question 64

Which of the following is NOT one of the five consistent effects that Anderson (2003) found to be associated with video games?

A) increased interest in drugs and alcohol
B) increased aggressive thinking
C) increased antisocial behavior
D) decreased empathy for others

Question 65

Which of the following is an effect of playing violent video games?

A) increases in empathy for others
B) increases in self-control
C) lesser likelihood of carrying a weapon
D) habituation in the brain

Question 66

Positive, constructive, helpful social behavior is what psychologists refer to as

A) prosocial behavior.
B) affirmative behavior.
C) instrumental behavior.
D) antisocial behavior.

Question 67

Fourteen-year-old Kevin frequently watches violent television programs. In the context of altered perceptions, this will most likely lead him to

A) experience more distress at the sight of teens fighting on the streets.
B) underestimate the actual frequency of violent crimes in the world.
C) become more interested in resolving the conflict between two of his personal friends.
D) become more fearful of being personally assaulted.

Question 68

Which one of the following does NOT predict increased aggression?

A) male actors
B) anger-prone personalities
C) prosocial behavior
D) violence viewing

Question 69

The _____ view of aggression is that aggressive drive is reduced when one "releases" aggressive energy.

A) social learning
B) pornographic
C) catharsis
D) pain response

Question 70

Mullen (1986) reported that the more people are in a lynch mob, the _____ the murder and mutilation.

A) more frequent
B) less frequent
C) more vicious
D) less vicious

Question 71

According to Gentile and Anderson, playing violent games might have a more toxic effect than watching violent television because

A) the players are passive.
B) television appears more "real."
C) players play the role of a violent character.
D) television violence is rewarded.

Question 72

When exploring why viewing violence on TV affects behavior, researchers consider all of the following EXCEPT

A) arousal.
B) disinhibition.
C) reactance.
D) imitation.

Question 73

Research on the effects of video games report a _____ relationship between playing violent games and the frequency of arguments with teachers.

A) positive
B) slightly negative
C) neutral
D) significantly negative

Question 74

Adam frequently plays violent video games. Social psychologists would predict that Adam would therefore be likely to frequently

A) watch television.
B) access pornography.
C) get into fights.
D) listen to rap music.

Question 75

Which one of the following does NOT predict increased aggression?

A) anonymity
B) violence viewing
C) alcohol use
D) displacement

Question 76

When in groups, aggression can increase because of all of the following EXCEPT

A) diminishing self-identity.
B) increasing conformity pressures.
C) increasing deindividuation.
D) decreasing anonymity.

Question 77

In the context of effects of media on aggression, one reason that TV viewing affects behavior is that it

A) evokes imitation.
B) lowers arousal.
C) has a catharsis effect.
D) distracts from other activities.

Question 78

In the context of influences on aggression, research confirms that groups

A) have little effect on violence.
B) can amplify aggressive tendencies.
C) suppress aggressive tendencies.
D) promote catharsis.

Question 79

Meier and Hinsz (2004), when deciding how much hot sauce to administer during research experiments, found all of the following EXCEPT

A) groups retaliated by dishing out 24 percent more than individuals.
B) interaction with a group amplified individual aggressive tendencies.
C) group members retaliated by giving almost twice as much to those that had given them 48 grams.
D) groups did perceive less hostility from other groups than from individuals.

Question 80

Surveys of adults and adolescents indicate that heavy viewers of TV violence

A) become more sensitized to violence.
B) underestimate the frequency of violence in the world.
C) are more fearful of being personally assaulted.
D) feel safer and better able to protect themselves.