Deck 1: The Mission and the Method

Question 1

The first social psychological experiments and the publication of the first book to bear the title Social Psychology both occurred around ____.

A) 400 A.D.
B) 1750
C) 1900
D) 1965

Answer 1

C

Question 2

In one of the first social psychological experiments ever conducted, researcher Norman Triplett examined the records of teams of cyclists. He found that cyclists who raced against each other ____ than those who raced alone (against the clock).

A) were more aggressive after the race
B) got into more accidents
C) cycled more quickly
D) enjoyed the race less

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Suppose that you own a rowboat and enjoy going rowing on a nearby lake in the summer. In June, you are planning to go rowing with two of your friends (three people total in the boat), and in July, you are planning to go rowing with just one friend (two people total in the boat). Will you put in more effort (row harder) on the three-person trip or on the two-person trip?

A) You will put in more effort on the three-person trip.
B) You will put in more effort on the two-person trip.
C) You will put in the same amount of effort on both trips.
D) It is impossible to say-no research has examined this question.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Based on early research by Norman Triplett, we should expect that children who work on math problems alone will ____ than children who work on math problems side by side with their classmates.

A) work more slowly
B) work more quickly
C) second-guess themselves less
D) second-guess themselves more

Question 5

Dr. Puni does not want the participants in his study to be aware of his hypothesis. What will he strive to reduce in his study?

A) margin of error
B) divergent validity
C) measurement validity
D) demand characteristics

Question 6

In the 1950s and 1960s, mainstream psychology was divided between two main theoretical camps: ____.

A) trait theory and behaviorism
B) Freudian psychoanalysis and humanism
C) humanism and trait theory
D) behaviorism and Freudian psychoanalysis

Question 7

In one of the first social psychological experiments ever conducted, researcher Max Ringelmann observed men as they pulled on a rope either alone, as part of a small group, or as part of a large group. He found that as the size of the group increased, ____.

A) individual effort increased
B) individual effort decreased
C) the task took longer to complete
D) the task took less time to complete

Question 8

The influence of Freudian psychoanalysis on psychology is most readily seen in ____.

A) the identification of neurological correlates
B) detailed studies of genotypes and phenotypes
C) elaborate interpretation of individual experiences
D) the systematic search for reinforcement contingencies

Question 9

In one of the first social psychological experiments ever conducted, researcher Norman Triplett built a "competition machine," in which children wind up a fishing reel. He found that the children were able to wind more quickly when ____.

A) they worked as a group side by side than when they worked alone
B) they worked alone than when they worked as a group side by side
C) they were explicitly asked to work as fast as possible
D) they were explicitly asked to take their time to "get it right"

Question 10

When did social psychology begin to come into its own as a field?

A) The 1910s and 1920s
B) The 1930s and 1940s
C) The 1950s and 1960s
D) The 1970s and 1980s

Question 11

Given Max Ringelmann's early research looking at group size and individual effort, should we expect Student X to put in a different amount of effort depending on whether she worked on a history project in a five-person group rather than a two-person group?

A) Yes, we should expect her to work harder in the five-person group.
B) Yes, we should expect her to work harder in the two-person group.
C) No, we should expect her to work equally hard in both groups.
D) It is impossible to say; it appears group size effects depend on other variables.

Question 12

Based on early research by Norman Triplett with racing cyclists, we should expect that people who exercise on rowing machines at gyms are more likely to ____ than people who exercise on the same machines in the privacy of their homes.

A) burn more calories
B) burn less calories
C) feel a sense of accomplishment
D) feel a sense of failure

Question 13

Which of the following elements is particularly critical to include in a deception study, but is not usually required in other types of studies?

A) IRB approval
B) demand characteristics
C) complete debriefing
D) informed consent

Question 14

Early research in social psychology conducted by Max Ringelmann revealed that people ____ when they work as part of a group (e.g., pushing a car off of the road with two other people) compared to when they work alone at the same task.

A) do not work as hard
B) work harder
C) feel like they are doing more work
D) feel like they are doing less work

Question 15

Who proposed the idea that behavior is a function of both the person and the situation in the first half of the 20th century?

A) Max Ringelmann
B) Norman Triplett
C) Kurt Lewin
D) Gordon Allport

Question 16

During the first half of the 20th century, who argued that attitudes were the most important and useful concept in social psychology?

A) Kurt Lewin
B) Max Ringelmann
C) Norman Triplett
D) Gordon Allport

Question 17

In the history of psychology and social psychology, the late 1800s and early 1900s marked ____.

A) the very first social psychological experiments
B) social psychology's independence from behaviorism
C) the beginnings of research in social cognition
D) the beginnings of research in social neuroscience

Question 18

Milgram's famous studies of obedience to authority were motivated by which historical event?

A) The Holocaust
B) The fall of Communism
C) The return of soldiers from Desert Storm
D) The Great Depression

Question 19

Today, both funded and unfunded studies conducted at universities must first obtain ____ approval.

A) ABPP
B) IRB
C) APA
D) ERB

Question 20

You want to ask your friend Maya to help you with your sorority's float for the competition in the homecoming parade next week. Maya is extremely reliable and trustworthy, but she is totally swamped with her internship and upcoming midterm exams. You decide not to ask her since she might be too busy to follow through. According to Kurt Lewin's analysis of human behavior, knowing that Maya is reliable is an example of "____" information, and knowing she is busy is an example of "____" information.

A) person; situation
B) situation; person
C) social; nonsocial
D) nonsocial; social

Question 21

While social psychologists are interested in a wide variety of topics, three themes that have become increasingly important during the last 30 years are ____.

A) psychoanalysis, meditation, and hypnosis
B) economic behavior, political behavior, and criminal behavior
C) social cognition, biological influences on behavior, and the self
D) personality measurement, organizational behavior, and spirituality

Question 22

Ed just stole $50 from his parents. In assessing Ed's motives, which of the following questions would a social psychologist be MOST likely to ask?

A) Is Ed unconsciously motivated to hurt his parents?
B) Is Ed a person with a weak moral character?
C) Does Ed have friends or other role models who are also stealing?
D) Is Ed mentally healthy enough to realize what he has done?

Question 23

Which of the following fields is best defined as "the study of human culture-the shared values, beliefs, and practices of a group of people"?

A) history
B) political science
C) social psychology
D) anthropology

Question 24

When attempting to explain a person's behavior, what do social psychologists tend to assess first?

A) The person's unconscious motivations
B) The person's personality
C) The person's situation
D) The person's childhood

Question 25

How are social psychologists generally similar to behaviorists?

A) They both tend to favor experiments and the scientific method.
B) They are both interested in the mind, thoughts, and emotions.
C) They are both originally rooted in psychoanalytic theory.
D) They are both interested in the unconscious mind.

Question 26

Most social psychologists perform research by ____.

A) engaging in historical analyses
B) conducting case studies (individual interviews)
C) conducting experiments
D) using nonexperimental observational methods

Question 27

Social psychology is best defined as the study of ____.

A) how we learn to behave in accordance with the rules of society
B) how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are affected by other people
C) how cultures are created in order to serve the interests of the powerful
D) how societies work to allocate resources and responsibilities

Question 28

Social psychology focuses especially on the power of ____.

A) genetics
B) reinforcement
C) situations
D) unconscious

Question 29

When psychologists talk about "cognitions," they are typically referring to ____.

A) unconscious motivations
B) thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes
C) abnormal thoughts or experiences
D) emotions or feelings

Question 30

In psychology, an "affect" is most similar to ____.

A) an emotion or mood
B) a belief or attitude
C) a behavior or reaction
D) a motivating force or drive

Question 31

Which of the following is an example of an "emotion"?

A) A stomach ache
B) A nervous twitch
C) Happiness
D) Political activism

Question 32

Behaviorism seeks to explain human behavior in terms of ____.

A) basic biological drives such as hunger and thirst
B) broad environmental influences such as historical time period
C) the natural tensions between biological drives and society
D) learning principles such as rewards and punishments

Question 33

Which topic has been of the MOST interest to social psychologists during the last 30 years?

A) Social cognition-concerned with how people think about other people and how people think about the social world in general
B) Behaviorism-concerned with basic principles of learning such as reward and punishment
C) The idea that modern life makes people vulnerable to alienation and exploitation
D) The idea that people act less on the basis of firm moral principles than they do on the basis of conformity, or "following the crowd"

Question 34

Roger holds a number of negative stereotypes about women; specifically, he thinks that most women are manipulative, vain, and lazy. In trying to understand why Roger holds these stereotypes, which of the following questions would a social psychologist be MOST likely to ask?

A) Does Roger feel so intimidated by women that he expresses these negative stereotypes in order to "cover up" his deep-seeded lack of self-esteem?
B) Did Roger have a difficult relationship with his mother as a young child that might have fostered negative attitudes toward all women?
C) Does Roger have a physical brain abnormality?
D) Has Roger been exposed to these stereotypes in the media, or has he perhaps had a few limited (but negative) interactions with women that might have helped to perpetuate these stereotypes?

Question 35

Following the collapse of the Soviet empire in 1989, social psychology's focus on conflict ____.

A) remained unchanged
B) emphasized racial/ethnic conflict
C) lessened
D) increased

Question 36

Which of the following is the best example of "cognition"?

A) Experiencing an auditory hallucination
B) Having a hunger pang
C) Thinking that you are a valuable employee
D) Exhibiting a nervous twitch

Question 37

Social psychologists are generally similar to Freudian psychoanalysts in that they both ____.

A) are more interested in abnormal behavior than in normal behavior
B) tend to favor experiments and the scientific method
C) are primarily interested in external behaviors rather than the mind
D) have an interest in thoughts and feelings as well as behaviors

Question 38

Martin believes that his blue coat is warmer than his red coat. Ted thinks that he might want to have kids sometime in the next few years. Yesi remembers playing baseball with her friends as a child. These are all examples of ____.

A) delusions
B) schemas
C) affects
D) cognitions

Question 39

As a rule, social psychologists are MOST interested in ____.

A) normal adult human beings
B) severe mental illness
C) normal childhood development
D) diagnoses in abnormal behavior

Question 40

In social psychology, the "ABC triad" consists of ____.

A) attitudes, beliefs and commitments
B) ambiances, biology, and culture
C) affects, behaviors and cognitions
D) attributions, boundaries, and corrections

Question 41

Dr. Otten studies the relationship between crime rates and childrearing practices. Dr. Otten is MOST likely a(n) ____.

A) anthropologist
B) economist
C) sociologist
D) social psychologist

Question 42

During the "Decade of the Brain" in the ____, social psychologists became particularly interested in the biological aspects of social behavior.

A) 1960s
B) 1970s
C) 1980s
D) 1990s

Question 43

Laela is interested in studying how our thoughts and behaviors are influenced by the groups to which we belong. Laela's work will MOST closely intersect with which other social science?

A) economics
B) sociology
C) neuroscience
D) history

Question 44

Although sociologists and social psychologists are both interested in group behavior, sociologists tend to focus on ____, whereas social psychologists tend to focus on ____.

A) individual members within the group; the group as a single unit
B) the group as a single unit; individual members within the group
C) how groups are unique; how various groups are similar to one another
D) how various groups are similar to one another; how groups are unique

Question 45

According to the simile in your text, if psychology is like a tree, then social psychology is like ____.

A) the trunk
B) a branch
C) a leaf
D) a root

Question 46

Which of the following fields is MOST concerned with understanding different human cultures?

A) economics
B) political science
C) social psychology
D) anthropology

Question 47

The social psychological theory known as "social exchange theory" is based MOST obviously on which of the following other social sciences?

A) economics
B) history
C) political science
D) anthropology

Question 48

Which of the following fields is concerned with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services?

A) anthropology
B) history
C) economics
D) political science

Question 49

With which of the following social sciences has social psychology had the LEAST interaction until recently?

A) sociology
B) anthropology
C) economics
D) history

Question 50

Political science is BEST described as the study of ____.

A) organizations and institutions, especially governments
B) human societies and groups that form those societies
C) past events
D) human culture

Question 51

In recent years, what has emerged as an important subfield of social psychology that explores the ways in which people think about social situations?

A) cognitive sociology
B) social cognition
C) cognitive psychology
D) socioneurology

Question 52

Which field is BEST defined as "the study of human societies and the groups that form those societies"?

A) anthropology
B) political science
C) sociology
D) psychology

Question 53

Dr. Kay researches the effectiveness of different therapies for treating severe anxiety disorders. He is MOST likely a ____.

A) personality psychologist
B) clinical psychologist
C) cognitive psychologist
D) Freudian psychoanalyst

Question 54

Which of the following fields is LEAST focused on what happens in the brain, nervous system, and other bodily processes?

A) Biological psychology
B) Physiological psychology
C) Neuroscience
D) Social neuroscience

Question 55

How has the textbook described the historical relationship between clinical psychology and social psychology?

A) Clinical psychology grew out of social psychology.
B) Both clinical psychology and social psychology grew out of cognitive psychology.
C) The two fields have historically been at odds and argued with one another.
D) The two fields have historically exchanged ideas and viewpoints.

Question 56

Anthropologists would posit that social psychologists cannot understand human behavior fully unless they understand the ____.

A) genetic makeup of the populations under study
B) relationship between humans and animals
C) biological basis of the behavior
D) cultural context in which that behavior occurs

Question 57

What do we best call the field that combines the interests of social and biological psychology?

A) Neuroscience
B) Physiological psychology
C) Social neuroscience
D) Social cognition

Question 58

Within psychology, ____ typically focus on "abnormal" behavior (e.g., mental disorders and behavioral disorders).

A) only clinical psychologists
B) both clinical psychologists and personality psychologists
C) only personality psychologists
D) psychologists from all branches of psychology

Question 59

Johnna is examining how attitudes predict voting behavior. Her research will MOST likely involve an intersection of social psychology and what other social science?

A) anthropology
B) sociology
C) political science
D) economics

Question 60

Which branch of psychology is primarily concerned with thought processes (e.g., how memory works and what people notice)?

A) developmental psychology
B) social psychology
C) cognitive psychology
D) biological psychology

Question 61

In recent years, the line between social psychology and ____ has become especially blurred.

A) developmental psychology
B) biological psychology
C) clinical psychology
D) personality psychology

Question 62

Consider the following two American adages, which seem to contradict one another: "Birds of a feather flock together" and "opposites attract." The authors of the textbook would probably say that ____.

A) this contradiction is an anomaly since Americans tend to be extremely single-minded in their "common sense" views about social psychology
B) most people in the U.S. probably believe one of these adages to be true-but not both-since most people have very clear personal theories about social psychology
C) the contradiction is not surprising at all, since "common sense" theories are often poorly defined, i.e., most people would probably say that both of these things are true (if you asked them at different times)
D) most people would not see the contradiction if it were pointed out to them, since the average person is not a strong logical thinker

Question 63

Which of the following topics is a personality psychologist MOST likely to study?

A) The development of schizophrenia
B) Gender differences in the acquisition of language skills
C) Individual differences in leadership ability
D) Cross-cultural differences in mating and courtship behaviors

Question 64

According to the textbook, "common sense" theories about social psychology are ____.

A) almost always wrong
B) often misleading or contradictory
C) very often correct
D) very often correct when they have to do with dyadic (two-person) relationships, but usually wrong when they have to do with group behavior

Question 65

Basic research is to applied research as ____ is to ____.

A) general; specific
B) specific; general
C) hard; easy
D) easy; hard

Question 66

Dr. Hon is a researcher who studies methods for increasing condom usage among sexually active teens. Dr. Hon would probably be BEST described as a(n) ____.

A) personality psychologist
B) applied researcher
C) social worker
D) developmental psychologist

Question 67

Applied researchers are BEST defined as social scientists who ____.

A) work in "real life" settings-such as in workplaces, schools, or zoos
B) focus on concrete problems-such as how to boost literacy rates or how to increase water conservation
C) seek to "test out," or apply, others' theories rather than develop their own theories
D) study the process of research itself-how researchers go about selecting research questions, conducting studies, and reporting findings

Question 68

According to the textbook, the key distinction between philosophy and psychology is the fact that psychology ____.

A) is concerned with observable phenomena (e.g., behaviors) rather than unobservable phenomena (e.g., thoughts)
B) is concerned with unobservable phenomena (e.g., thoughts) rather than observable phenomena (e.g., behaviors)
C) primarily relies on the scientific method
D) primarily relies on the case study method

Question 69

According to the textbook, what is one major reason people study social psychology?

A) It is fun and interesting, and can help make the world a better place.
B) It provides an important foundation for understanding clinical psychology.
C) It helps people overcome their personal problems and become happier.
D) It is an easy topic to understand that offers opportunities for good jobs.

Question 70

The top research journals in social psychology have substantial overlap, content-wise, with which of the following?

A) developmental psychology
B) clinical psychology
C) personality psychology
D) biological psychology

Question 71

The study of how people change across their lives from conception to death is the purview of ____.

A) developmental psychology
B) cognitive psychology
C) clinical psychology
D) biological psychology

Question 72

Social scientists who focus on concrete problems-such as how to boost literacy rates in schools or how to increase energy conservation-are known as ____.

A) counselors
B) applied researchers
C) psychometricians
D) social workers

Question 73

According to the textbook, psychology can be thought of as a kind of "experimental philosophy" because psychology ____ while relying on the experimental method.

A) addresses many of the same questions that interest philosophers
B) is as popular today as philosophy was in ancient times
C) also grew out of the mathematical sciences
D) is also a highly controversial field

Question 74

Many areas of study in social psychology evoke a lot of passion from the researchers invested in that arena. Although doing research to make the world a better place is great motivation, one of the hazards of this motive is that ____.

A) only correlational studies can be conducted
B) ideals and political beliefs may cloud scientific judgment
C) the research is hard to replicate
D) the research will not be reported accurately

Question 75

Which of the following topics would a cognitive psychologist be MOST likely to study?

A) The heritability of depression
B) Male-female differences in sexual behavior
C) How people learn to memorize complex musical compositions
D) Altruistic behavior among chimpanzees

Question 76

When social psychologist Kurt Lewin said that "there is nothing so practical as a good theory," he meant that ____.

A) many theories are overly abstract; a good theory should be based on directly observable facts
B) many theories are overly abstract; a good theory should make predictions about directly observable phenomena
C) although they may seem impractical, theories can be very important in helping to stimulate practical ideas and practical research
D) he was opposed to overly theoretical work and a major proponent of applied research

Question 77

Which of the following would a basic researcher MOST LIKELY study?

A) A theory that explains the causes of aggression
B) The plight of welfare mothers
C) Why people don't wear seat belts
D) How to get people to conserve electric power

Question 78

Until recently, what was the relationship between developmental and social psychology?

A) The two subfields mutually influenced each other.
B) Developmental psychology tended to draw more on social psychology.
C) Social psychology tended to draw more on developmental psychology.
D) The two fields had relatively little influence on each other.

Question 79

Which of the following branches of psychology is MOST closely affiliated with social psychology?

A) developmental psychology
B) clinical psychology
C) personality psychology
D) biological psychology

Question 80

Dr. Gem studies individual differences in introversion (a trait similar to shyness). Dr. Gem is MOST likely a _____ psychologist.

A) social
B) personality
C) clinical
D) developmental