Deck 16: Social Cognition

Question 1

Claude Steele's research indicates that when highly intelligent minority students believe a test is measuring their intellectual abilities:

A) they perform on par with their "majority" counterparts
B) they surpass their "majority" counterparts
C) their performance declines greatly below that of their "majority" counterparts
D) none of the above

Answer 1

their performance declines greatly below that of their "majority" counterparts

Question 2

In a study by Steele involving SAT items, simply having a question about an individual's race in a demographic questionnaire was found to have which of the following effects on minorities?

A) It had the same effect as telling them the test measured their intellect.
B) It was found to be unimportant and ineffectual in affecting performance.
C) It resulted in a decrease in performance on a mental rotation task.
D) It yielded a substantial increase on the speed, but not accuracy, of performance on a number of tasks.

Answer 2

It had the same effect as telling them the test measured their intellect.

Question 3

A friend of mine strongly believes that human behavior should be considered in relation to how an individual interacts with others. My friend argues that our thoughts and perceptions of ourselves and others are essential to a better understanding of humans. My friend adopts which of the following notions?

A) social cognition
B) social schemas
C) social cognitive monitoring
D) interpersonal personality

Answer 3

social cognition

Question 4

The process by which people make sense of others, themselves, social interactions, and relationships is known as:

A) networks of associations
B) social psychology
C) social cognition
D) self concept

Question 5

Which of the following social cognitive models explains social cognition in relation to physiological interconnections resulting from experience?

A) networks of associations
B) schemas
C) concepts
D) social cognitive monitoring

Question 6

You see an individual of mixed race and you try to figure out the race of that individual's parents. Which of the following models used by those adhering to social cognition would be useful in explaining this case?

A) networks of associations
B) cognitive monitoring
C) concepts
D) representational language

Question 7

Cognitive psychologists have proposed a number of different models that guide research in social cognition. All of the following except one is a model used by social cognition psychologists. Which one is not such a model?

A) networks of associations
B) netware
C) schemas
D) concepts

Question 8

You are driving at night and you and a friend see an animal cross the road. You both agree that it could not have been a skunk since it was too small. You try to narrow it down by throwing out what it could not have been. Which of the following social cognition models would be useful in explaining this case?

A) reductionism
B) prototype
C) concepts
D) patterns of activation in networks

Question 9

Initial perceptions of another person that affect future beliefs about that person are called:

A) first impressions
B) initial stereotypes
C) primary cognitions
D) first contact

Question 10

I am going to meet my girlfriend's father for the very first time and I am hugely nervous. I clean and cut my nails. I get a haircut. I try to dress nicely but not too nicely. What am I trying to control with these efforts?

A) first impressions
B) initial stereotypes
C) primary cognitions
D) first contact

Question 11

Your mother always told you "You only get one chance to make a first impression." That one chance is important because

A) first impressions are affected by confirmation bias
B) initial impressions create a frame of reference to interpret everything else about a person
C) due to self-serving biases, you will believe that the other person likes you
D) people who believe they are physically attractive are better liked

Question 12

The premiere researcher in the area of first impressions is:

A) C.M. Steele
B) Theodore Adorno
C) Soloman Asch
D) Anthony Greenwald

Question 13

Soloman Asch proposed that first impressions create _____ within which everything else about a person is interpreted.

A) heuristics
B) schemas
C) clusters
D) frames of reference

Question 14

Which of the following people are likely to experience the halo effect?

A) physically attractive people
B) those with a religious occupation (e.g., priest)
C) altruistic people
D) senior citizens

Question 15

The halo effect refers to the idea that:

A) people who are physically attractive are assumed to possess a number of other favorable qualities as well
B) people who are highly moral in their explicit actions are also moral in their implicit attitudes
C) altruistic people will be rewarded for their behavior
D) people prefer beauty in their surrounding and companions

Question 16

According to the textbook, the tendency to assume that positive qualities cluster together is referred to as:

A) inter-correlated factors
B) the halo effect
C) the consistency effect
D) stereotyping

Question 17

I see this strikingly attractive girl. However, after having spoken to her, I conclude that she is antisocial, snobby, and ignorant. She is not what I expected based on:

A) inter-correlated factors
B) the halo effect
C) the consistency effect
D) stereotyping

Question 18

The authors of your textbook relate the halo effect to an increase in the number of people:

A) buying SUVs
B) buying expensive clothes that look terrible
C) getting elective plastic surgery
D) buying minivans

Question 19

According to the textbook, when is the halo effect most powerful?

A) during the late evening
B) when the person is familiar
C) when people have minimal information about each other
D) when the person is female

Question 20

Research indicates that we tend to perceive _____ people as possessing greater sociability and social competence than those who are not.

A) physically attractive
B) well-educated
C) wealthy
D) famous

Question 21

The idea that attractive people are more socially competent and sociable is not likely to exist in which one of the following countries?

A) Cuba
B) China
C) Korea
D) all of the above

Question 22

According to the textbook and based on self-reports, the personal qualities of extraversion, social comfortability, and mental health are all tied to those who consider themselves:

A) average in physical appearance
B) physically attractive
C) "plain"
D) physically unattractive

Question 23

Based on what was presented in the textbook, first impressions best fit which model used by those advocating social cognition?

A) networks of associations
B) schemas
C) concepts
D) patterns of activation in networks

Question 24

The patterns of thought hypothesized to organize human experience are known as:

A) schemas
B) attitudes
C) concepts
D) networks

Question 25

When remembering social information, what kind of information do people remember the most?

A) schema-relevant social information
B) schema-discrepant social information
C) both a and b
D) schema irrelevant social information

Question 26

Schemas have been widely used by psychologists. Based on what was stated in the text, all of the following are true except which one?

A) Without them, we would not know how to behave.
B) They cost a great deal of cognitive energy.
C) They allow us to predict some of what will happen in particular situations.
D) They facilitate the processing of information.

Question 27

Schemas have been widely used by psychologists. Based on what was stated in the text, all of the following are true except which one?

A) schemas guide information processing about people and relationships.
B) schemas often lead to errors in retrieval as people recall the schema, not the event
C) schemas direct attention to specific aspects of the situation.
D) schemas help people to notice highly discrepant information.

Question 28

Characteristics that are attributed to people based on their membership in a specific group, and that are often over-generalized, inaccurate, and resistant to new information are called:

A) prejudices
B) biases
C) stereotypes
D) discrimination

Question 29

The professor dresses very causally and speaks very casually. In fact, on occasion, the professor uses curse words. This shocks a number of students because it is not what they have been exposed to in the past and it is not what they conceive of when thinking about college professors. Which of the following terms apply to this scenario?

A) schema
B) schema-relevant social information
C) stereotypes
D) all of the above

Question 30

I met someone who declares that he is a Republican. I automatically assume that the person is against abortion and against gun control. Which best applies to this?

A) stereotypes
B) prejudice
C) discrimination
D) cannot be determined based on the information given

Question 31

Judging people based on negative stereotypes is called:

A) social cognition
B) prejudice
C) discrimination
D) attribution

Question 32

I meet someone and find them attractive and quite pleasant. As soon as I hear that they are a member of the Green Party, I start thinking that this person really is not all that great and kind of a flake. Which best applies to this?

A) social cognition
B) prejudice
C) discrimination
D) attribution

Question 33

I met this woman and think she is absolutely great. As soon as I hear that she is a staunch Democrat, I start thinking that this person is truly great. Which best applies to this?

A) social cognition
B) prejudice
C) discrimination
D) attribution

Question 34

The behavioral component of negative attitudes toward particular groups is called:

A) bias
B) prejudice
C) discrimination
D) stereotyping

Question 35

In 2003, the city council of Topeka, Kansas voted that it was acceptable not to rent a home or apartment to someone who is homosexual or transgendered. I took solace in the fact that state law overrules the council's decision. Which best applies to this decision by the city council?

A) stereotypes
B) prejudice
C) discrimination
D) all of the above

Question 36

Which of the following examples of prejudice against the obese have researchers found to be true?

A) Normal weight individuals are evaluated more negatively when shown in close proximity to an obese person.
B) Even 3 year olds express derogatory attitudes towards overweight people.
C) Obese people are perceived to be lazier and less intelligent than average weight people.
D) All of the above.

Question 37

According to the psychodynamic view, prejudice is most likely to be caused by:

A) unconscious motives
B) early conflicts with outgroup members
C) authoritarian personality
D) fixations during development

Question 38

Which event led Theodore Adorno to propose the notion of authoritarian personality?

A) civil rights movement
B) Presidential election of 1980
C) Nazi persecution
D) feminist movement of the 1970s and 1980s

Question 39

Theodore Adorno proposed the notion of _____, which relates to individuals who are characterized by a tendency to hate people who are different or downtrodden.

A) authoritarian personality
B) hate crimes
C) bigotry
D) prejudice

Question 40

According to Theodore Adorno, authoritarian personality develops as a result of:

A) culture
B) inadequate interpersonal skills
C) biological vulnerability
D) sadistic fathers and submissive mothers

Question 41

In a study by Devine (1989), subjects were primed with certain words, such as watermelon and Harlem. The primed words were related to stereotypes of blacks. When subjects subsequently read a story, subjects exposed to the prime rated the fictional character ____ more than if they were not primed.

A) as black
B) negatively
C) as a minority
D) as excessively emotional

Question 42

In a 1995 study by Fazio et al., subjects were presented with a picture of black and white faces. Either a positive or negative adjective followed the face. The task of the subject was to report whether the adjective was positive or negative. From their findings, the authors concluded that:

A) implicit measures of racism did not match explicit measures of racism
B) a strong positive correlation existed between implicit and explicit racism
C) personal experience is an essential part of understanding racism
D) none of the above

Question 43

My neighbor insists that he is not sexist at all and has a great deal of respect for women. However, he refers to his wife as "the little woman" and rarely follows her suggestions. My neighbor is demonstrating:

A) subtle sexism
B) explicit sexism
C) the halo effect
D) the WOW effect

Question 44

My neighbor is a strong believer in the Protestant Work Ethic. He insists that hard work is the key to being a success. According to his standards, people who are not successful simply haven't tried hard enough. My neighbor's unwillingness to admit that not everyone starts out with the same opportunities is an example of

A) subtle racism
B) explicit sexism
C) self-handicapping
D) implicit attitudes

Question 45

Neuroimaging studies have suggested that attitudes about race involve the:

A) left frontal lobe
B) amygdala
C) limbic system
D) hippocampus

Question 46

People are most likely to rely on stereotypes and implicit attitudes when:

A) they are motivated by self-presentation
B) they have to carefully make a decision
C) experiencing emotional arousal
D) all of the above

Question 47

Participants who were required to look into a mirror while responding to a questionnaire about the acceptability of stereotypes were found to:

A) consider stereotyping less appropriate than those in the control condition
B) display a substantial increase in stereotyping when the mirror was later removed
C) be suppressing their beliefs
D) all of the above

Question 48

According to research by Saraswathi and Dutta, Indian children begin to show prejudice:

A) as soon as they can speak
B) by age 4 or 5
C) from age 8 to 12
D) with the onset of puberty

Question 49

With regard to children from India and children from the United States, prejudice:

A) occurs by the age of 5 in both countries
B) occurs earlier in those from the United States
C) occurs earlier in those from India
D) appears to be greater in the United States than in India

Question 50

According to _____, prejudiced attitudes preserve the interests of the dominant classes.

A) Karl Marx
B) Jane Elliot
C) Edward Moreland
D) Steve Frost

Question 51

Members of the ingroup tend to perceive members of the outgroup as:

A) more prejudiced and less capable than themselves
B) similar to each other
C) more physically attractive than themselves
D) being of a different culture

Question 52

Stereotyping is enhanced by the fact that most perceive outgroup members as _____ and ingroup members as _____.

A) heterogeneous; homogenous
B) homogenous; heterogeneous
C) flexible; inflexible
D) inflexible; flexible

Question 53

A gas station attendant is robbed. The police have the victim assist in developing a composite picture of the robber. In truth, the victim is guessing because, to the victim, the physical features of the robber's race are not all that different. This supports the notion that:

A) racial attitudes affect interpersonal perception
B) outgroups are seen as homogenous
C) implicit attitudes affect memory recall
D) memory is affected by racism

Question 54

According to Kowalski and Westen, who are the individuals most likely to make ingroup-outgroup distinctions?

A) Those who derive primary identity from group membership
B) Individuals suffering from extremely low self-esteem
C) Individuals high in loneliness
D) Those having experienced multiple failures

Question 55

The idea that people derive part of their identity from groups to which they belong is known as

A) ingroup/outgroup relations
B) social identity theory
C) self-concept theory
D) prejudicial perspective theory

Question 56

According to your textbook, which of the following is an example of social identity theory?

A) increased patriotism after the terrorist attacks of September 11th
B) the halo effect for highly attractive people
C) depression and loneliness when beginning college
D) discrepancies between current and future views of self

Question 57

The Robber Cave study conducted by Sherif was designed to investigate:

A) ingroup/outgroup relations
B) stereotypes
C) discrimination
D) prejudice

Question 58

The Robber Cave study was divided into three stages. Which of the following was NOT one of the stages?

A) Having each group of boys select a leader.
B) Forming the two groups of boys.
C) Creating conflict between the two groups of boys.
D) Reducing the hostility between the two groups of boys.

Question 59

Based on what happened in the Robber Cave study, Sherif concluded that in order to reduce conflict between groups it is necessary:

A) to simply bring the two groups into contact with each other.
B) to have an authority figure insist that they get along.
C) for the two groups to work together in a cooperative fashion.
D) for the two groups to discuss their grievances.

Question 60

Which of the following is NOT important for contact to reduce conflict between groups?

A) the two groups have shared goals they are trying to achieve
B) the two groups have relatively equal status
C) the two groups have opportunities to interact, at least at a superficial level
D) none of the above, all are important

Question 61

Goals requiring groups to cooperate for the benefit of all are known as

A) empathic goals
B) prejudice-free goals
C) superordinate goals
D) equity goals

Question 62

In a recent episode of the television show, "Boston Public," two groups of high school students clash over the issue of affirmative action. Based on the information presented in the textbook (studies by Sherif), to solve the animosity that existed, the school should have:

A) sat them down and let them talk it out
B) thrown a party where everyone could let off some steam and have a good time together
C) provided a task that required the two groups to cooperate and depend on each other
D) done nothing; there is no solution to problems like this

Question 63

The process of inferring the causes of one's own and others' mental states and behaviors is called:

A) assessment
B) assumption
C) attribution
D) intuition

Question 64

I have been trying to figure out why it is that a particular student will come and talk to me for hours and yet not be very social outside those times. What term best applies to this case?

A) attribution
B) intuitional deficit
C) distinctiveness
D) consistency

Question 65

Who relies on intuitive theories, frames hypotheses, collects data about themselves and others, and draws conclusions as best they can based on the pattern of data they have observed?

A) implicit personality theorists
B) pseudo-theorists
C) soft scientists
D) intuitive scientists

Question 66

External attributions are attributions to the:

A) media
B) situation
C) society or culture
D) individual's external features or phenotypes

Question 67

I am fairly sure that the reason that some students will come see me and others will not is that when my class meets in the afternoon, my students are more chatty and willing to come see me. It has nothing to do with their personality. I am making:

A) external attributions for behavior
B) internal attributions for behavior
C) distinctiveness assessments
D) self-affirmation assessments

Question 68

Internal attributions are attributions to the:

A) person's mental state
B) person
C) person's physiological state, including genotypes
D) person's information processing strategies

Question 69

I am fairly sure that the reason that some students will come see me and others will not is that some students are intimidated by me, whereas others are more social and willing to approach their professor. It has nothing to do with the situation. I am making:

A) external attributions for behavior
B) internal attributions for behavior
C) consensus assessments
D) self-affirmation assessments

Question 70

One type of information that people rely upon when making attributions to a person or situation is _____ -- how most people respond in that situation.

A) consensus
B) consistency
C) compatibility
D) comparability

Question 71

One type of information that people rely upon when making attributions to a person or situation is consistency, which is:

A) the tendency of an individual to conform with the expectations of how "everyone" reacts in that situation
B) the extent to which a person always responds in the same way to the same stimulus
C) an individual's likelihood of responding in the same way to disparate settings
D) the tendency of an individual to depart from the expectations of how "everyone" reacts in that situation

Question 72

Every day, as soon as I arrive at the office, I turn on my computer, make coffee, greet those there, and check my email. I do this flawlessly each day and in that order. Which of the following best applies to my behavior?

A) behavioral invariance
B) repetitive response pattern
C) consistency
D) indistinctiveness

Question 73

When making attributions to a person or situation, the distinctiveness of a person's actions refers to:

A) the tendency of an individual to conform with the expectations of how "everyone" reacts in that situation
B) the extent to which a person always responds in the same way to the same stimulus
C) an individual's likelihood of responding in the same way to different stimuli
D) the tendency of an individual to depart from the expectations of how "everyone" reacts in that situation

Question 74

A student of mine treats me rather rudely one day. At first, I thought it was because of me. However, after watching her treat people the same way, I realize being rude is part of who she is. Which of the following best applies to my behavior?

A) behavioral invariance
B) cohesiveness
C) consistency
D) distinctiveness

Question 75

All of the following are types of information people rely on when making attributions about others except:

A) consensus
B) accommodation
C) consistency
D) distinctiveness

Question 76

The two processes involved in adjusting the strength of situational demands are referred to as:

A) discounting and augmentation
B) maximization and minimization
C) elaboration and pruning
D) consistency and consensus

Question 77

With attributions, discounting refers to:

A) downplaying the role of one variable because others may be contributing to the behavior in question
B) determining the degree to which others would make the same decisions in the same situations
C) minimizing the importance of self-serving biases
D) adjusting for the degree to which implicit processes are influencing the person's behavior

Question 78

A friend of mine got married, and is trying to sell her old house and is having huge problems with the plumbing in her new house. She gets a bit snippy but I know it is due to stress from the houses and being newly married. Which of the following best applies to my behavior?

A) inconsistency
B) discounting
C) augmentation
D) efficacy

Question 79

According to your text, in deciding how much to credit or blame a person, people sometimes adjust for the strength of the situational demands through increasing an internal attribution for behavior that has occurred despite situational demands. This is known as:

A) rationalization
B) augmentation
C) aggrandizement
D) lionization

Question 80

Which of the following is not indicated by your text as a typical step in making an attribution?

A) categorization of observed behavior
B) categorization of the actor's personality
C) categorization of the situation
D) correction of their inferences based upon their interpretation of the situation