Question 1

According to Sorrentino and colleagues at the University of Western Ontario, if you are trying to persuade someone regarding an issue that is personally relevant to that person and that person has a certainty-oriented approach to new information, you would probably be more successful by:

Accepted Answer

A)  having that person think carefully about your arguments. 
B)  presenting your arguments in a compelling and unbiased manner. 
C)  presenting your arguments in a persuasive and biased manner. 
D)  appearing to be an attractive speaker and an expert on that issue.

Question 2

A new ad for breakfast cereal features famous sports figures who are shown eating the cereal. Obviously, the ad company is trying to influence you by using

Accepted Answer

A)  the door-in-the-face technique 
B)  the peripheral route to persuasion 
C)  a self-serving bias 
D)  the primacy effect 
E)  the central route to persuasion

Question 3

The mere exposure effect, where liking or attraction for something can increase just from multiple exposures to it, demonstrates the importance of with regard to attraction.

Accepted Answer

A)  proximity 
B)  differences 
C)  physical beauty 
D)  similarity

Question 4

Before asking you for a favour, your roommate vacuums the apartment and cleans the bathroom. Which of the following persuasion techniques is your roommate using?

Accepted Answer

A)  the door-in-the-face technique 
B)  the foot-in-the-door technique 
C)  lowballing 
D)  the norm of reciprocity

Question 5

Janie's basketball team has collected money to buy the coach a gift at the end of the season. Most of the girls want to get the coach a gift certificate to her favourite restaurant, but Janie and Susie want to get her tickets to the Final Four tournament that year. After a lot of discussion, Janie and Susie agree to get the gift certificate. Some of the other girls pointed out that the restaurant certificate would be better because this way the coach could take her husband and they did not have enough money to get two tournament tickets. This made Janie and Susie change their opinion about the best gift. The two girls conformed due to:

Accepted Answer

A)  group think 
B)  social facilitation 
C)  normative social influence 
D)  informational social influence

Question 6

Based on the findings of Milgram's research, which of the following led to the greatest decrease in harmful obedience in the study?

Accepted Answer

A)  when the "student" complained about heart problems 
B)  when the "teacher" stood closer to the student 
C)  when the "teacher" actually touched the student 
D)  when the "teacher" actually administered the "shock" 
E)  when the "teacher" was solely responsible for the outcome

Question 7

You've just heard a new song on the radio. As you listened to it a few more times, you decided that you really liked it. How might we explain this increase in liking?

Accepted Answer

A)  recency effect 
B)  social exchange 
C)  mere exposure 
D)  primacy effect 
E)  categorization

Question 8

Based on the research examining the factors that contribute to affiliation, it appears that the statement "opposites attract" is most accurate.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

In-group favouritism and the out-group homogeneity bias were both mentioned as possible contributing causes of:

Accepted Answer

A)  group polarization. 
B)  stereotype threat. 
C)  groupthink. 
D)  prejudice.

Question 10

Research indicates that the primary aspect of deindividuation that disinhibits behaviour is:

Accepted Answer

A)  being just a "cog in a wheel" and not actually doing the "dirty work" oneself. 
B)  being less identifiable to people outside the group partaking in the behaviour. 
C)  being led by someone who appears to be a clear and legitimate authority figure. 
D)  being less identifiable to others who are also taking part in the behaviour.

Question 11

Paul is feeling very frustrated and angry with his boss. Rather than attacking his boss, Paul goes to the gym and engages in a very vigorous workout. After the gym, he feels much better. A psychodynamic interpretation of this activity would focus on the concept of

Accepted Answer

A)  provocation. 
B)  empathy. 
C)  overcontrolled hostility. 
D)  catharsis. 
E)  social learning.

Question 12

You are really frustrated with your boss, but cannot attack her. So you go to the gym and work out for a while. You find that you are less frustrated and no longer want to attack. How can we explain this?

Accepted Answer

A)  catharsis 
B)  self-justification 
C)  social learning 
D)  just world hypothesis 
E)  excitation transfer

Question 13

If an individual sees a member of an out-group as threatening, it is expected that the ________ will show more activation.

Accepted Answer

A)  prefrontal cortex 
B)  hippocampus 
C)  hypothalamus 
D)  amygdala

Question 14

The text makes an important distinction between _ , which refers to a negative attitude toward people based on their membership in a group, and , which is concerned with actually treating people unfairly based on their group membership.

Accepted Answer

A)  prejudice; discrimination 
B)  attribution; stereotype 
C)  discrimination; prejudice 
D)  stereotype; prejudice 
E)  prejudice; stereotype

Question 15

In trying to explain long-term relationships, all of the following are important EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  stability 
B)  commitment 
C)  passion 
D)  consummate love 
E)  intimacy

Question 16

All of the following were mentioned as ways that prosocial behaviour can be increased EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  mandatory volunteerism. 
B)  learning about the bystander apathy effect. 
C)  decreasing social comparisons. 
D)  exposure to positive models.

Question 17

You are conducting a conformity experiment patterned after the one utilized by Asch. Under which of the following conditions would you expect conformity to be the highest (i.e., the most people will conform)?

Accepted Answer

A)  When there are four people in the group. 
B)  When financial incentives are offered for correct answers on an easy task, making a mistake more costly. 
C)  When there is at least one dissenter in the group. 
D)  When there are two people in the group.

Question 18

According to Festinger, when two or more cognitions are inconsistent with or contradict one another, an uncomfortable state of tension called cognitive results.

Accepted Answer

A)  discord 
B)  dissonance 
C)  friction 
D)  conflict

Question 19

The belief that one's individual performance within a group is not being monitored and having a task goal that is not very meaningful or valuable to a person are two factors that are most likely to increase the chance of:

Accepted Answer

A)  groupthink. 
B)  group polarization. 
C)  social loafing. 
D)  minority influence.

Question 20

All of the following were mentioned as factors that increase the influence of a minority opinion EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  when the person with the minority opinion remains independent in the face of majority pressure. 
B)  when the person with the minority opinion is resistant to hearing the majority side's viewpoint. 
C)  when the person with the minority opinion appears to keep an open mind. 
D)  when the person with the minority opinion is consistent over time.

Exam 13: Behaviour in a Social Context