Deck 13: Social Psychology

Question 1

People who are physically attractive are viewed as ____ than less attractive people.

A) more conceited and insecure and less competent
B) more sociable and poised and less competent
C) more friendly, well adjusted, and competent
D) more arrogant, insecure, and competent

Answer 1

more friendly, well adjusted, and competent

Question 2

Research on physical attractiveness has shown that

A) most people disregard physical attractiveness when forming first impressions of people.
B) judgments of women's personalities are affected by their physical attractiveness, but judgments of men's personalities are not.
C) we tend to ascribe desirable personality characteristics to good-looking people.
D) men are more likely than women to make biased judgments of others based on physical appearance.

Answer 2

we tend to ascribe desirable personality characteristics to good-looking people.

Question 3

Newton believes that all airline pilots are calm, cool individuals who never get excited or show any strong emotional responses.In this case, Newton's beliefs about the traits and behaviours of airline pilots are one example of

A) the fundamental attribution error.
B) a confirmation bias.
C) stereotypes.
D) the matching hypothesis.

Answer 3

stereotypes.

Question 4

A group that one belongs to and identifies with is known as

A) a stereotype.
B) a social schema.
C) an outgroup.
D) an ingroup.

Question 5

Which of the following statements BEST reflects an evolutionary explanation of why we tend to be influenced by physical attractiveness in our perception of others?

A) We have a tendency to identify with those we perceive as attractive.
B) Physically attractive individuals are also likely to be intelligent and hard working.
C) Being around attractive people tends to make us view ourselves more favourably.
D) At one time in our history, physical attractiveness was associated with reproductive potential.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a reason evolutionary psychologists propose to explain the biases associated with person perception?

A) there was a need to quickly categorise others as friend or foe
B) physical attractiveness was associated primarily with friends and not foes
C) physical attractiveness was associated with reproductive potential of females
D) physical attractiveness was associated with health and vigour of males

Question 7

A group that one does not belong to, or identify with, is known as

A) a stereotype.
B) a social schema.
C) an outgroup.
D) an ingroup.

Question 8

In terms of personality characteristics, people who are good looking tend to be viewed as

A) sociable, friendly, and warm.
B) dominant and perceptive.
C) intelligent and nonconforming.
D) honest and truthful.

Question 9

Which of the following people are MOST likely to be viewed as more competent?

A) older people
B) people who wear conservative attire
C) people who are physically attractive
D) people who mimic our own mannerisms

Question 10

Person perception refers to the process of

A) forming impressions of others.
B) developing an implicit personality theory.
C) predicting the behaviour of others.
D) monitoring the impressions you make on other people.

Question 11

According to evolutionary psychologists, we tend to view members of outgroups

A) as role models.
B) as superior to us.
C) as potential mates.
D) in terms of various negative stereotypes.

Question 12

The branch of psychology concerned with the way individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by others is

A) individual psychology.
B) social psychology.
C) abnormal psychology.
D) cultural psychology.

Question 13

The subfield of psychology that studies attitudes, the attribution process, person perceptions, interpersonal attraction, conformity and obedience and group behaviour is known as

A) environmental psychology.
B) neuropsychology.
C) sociocultural psychology.
D) social psychology.

Question 14

Marsha believes that all news reporters are cynical, doubting individuals who would sell their souls for an exclusive story.In this case, Marsha's beliefs about the traits and behaviours of news reporters are one example of

A) the fundamental attribution error.
B) a confirmation bias.
C) stereotypes.
D) the matching hypothesis.

Question 15

Widely held beliefs about groups of people based on their group membership defines

A) cognitive structuring.
B) cultural direction.
C) stereotypes.
D) schematising.

Question 16

Jim just saw a photograph of a professor whom he has not met.Research suggests that based on the picture, Jim can probably make meaningful inferences about all of the following EXCEPT the professor's

A) income.
B) extraversion.
C) agreeableness.
D) self-esteem.

Question 17

Evolutionary psychologists ascribe much of the bias in person perception to cognitive mechanisms that have been shaped by

A) parental attitudes.
B) natural selection.
C) childhood experiences.
D) relationships with others.

Question 18

Patty is a member of a jury and she has voted "guilty".All the other jury members have voted "not guilty".At this point in time, the other jury members should classify Patty

A) as a member of their ingroup.
B) using a confirmation bias.
C) as a member of their outgroup.
D) as outside their latitude of acceptance.

Question 19

Joel and Keith both work with a stock brokerage firm.Joel is considered to be extremely attractive, and Keith is considered to be average in appearance.Based on research that has investigated the effects of physical appearance in person perception, you should predict that

A) Joel will tend to receive better performance evaluations than Keith, for equivalent work.
B) Keith will tend to receive better performance evaluations than Joel, for equivalent work.
C) Joel will be perceived as having greater integrity and being more honest.
D) Keith will be perceived as being more submissive and naïve.

Question 20

Harry is 35 years old, and he has just enrolled in his first university course.On the first day of class he looks over the individuals in the room and sits next to another male student who appears to be in his early 30s.In this case, Harry has likely classified the other student

A) using a self-serving bias.
B) as a member of his ingroup.
C) as the teaching assistant for the class.
D) as someone who has more university experience than Harry.

Question 21

Sally and Neil have been married for 15 years.They have an extremely warm and trusting relationship, and even though Neil frequently travels on business, Sally never worries about him seeing other women.According to Hatfield and Berscheid, Sally and Neil share

A) reciprocal love.
B) companionate love.
C) passionate love.
D) consummate love.

Question 22

Similarity of personal characteristics is influential in

A) only romantic relationships.
B) only friendships.
C) both romantic relationships and friendships.
D) neither romantic relationships nor friendships.

Question 23

Actors and observers tend to give different explanations for the same instance of behaviour because

A) only actors themselves can accurately explain their own behaviour.
B) only outside observers can accurately explain actors' behaviour.
C) observers tend to possess more knowledge than the actors.
D) situational pressures may not be readily apparent to an observer.

Question 24

What is the main reason we tend to make attributions about the causes of events, others' behaviour, and our own behaviour?

A) We have a strong need to understand our experiences.
B) Attribution making was selected for at some point in our ancestral past.
C) We have an unconscious urge to psychoanalyse the behaviour of others.
D) Having access to information about others tends to fulfill our need for power.

Question 25

Joe has been calling Jill each evening and talking with her every day at lunch, but now he is deeply despondent because she is out of town.Joe is in the throes of

A) companionate love.
B) sexual infatuation.
C) communal love.
D) passionate love.

Question 26

The idea that males and females of approximately equal physical attractiveness are likely to select each other as partners refers to the

A) matching hypothesis.
B) propinquity hypothesis.
C) attitude-behaviour consistency principle.
D) attributional outcome principle.

Question 27

Putting group goals ahead of personal goals and defining one's identity in terms of the group is called

A) collectivism.
B) functionalism.
C) individualism.
D) attributionism.

Question 28

The tendency to attribute other people's behaviour to internal factors and our own behaviour to situational influences is known as

A) the fundamental attribution error.
B) a stereotype.
C) the actor-observer bias.
D) the foot-in-the-door technique.

Question 29

In the research on romantic attraction which of the following did researchers discover to be the key determinant of a person's initial attraction to someone else?

A) similarity
B) reciprocity
C) attributional style
D) physical attractiveness

Question 30

An actor tends to attribute the cause of his behaviours differently than observers, in large part, because an actor has

A) less knowledge concerning situational factors.
B) less knowledge concerning his personality.
C) more knowledge concerning situational factors.
D) more knowledge concerning his personality.

Question 31

Although physical attractiveness strongly influences interpersonal attraction, many individuals of average and below average attractiveness are involved in long-term relationships.This apparent paradox is BEST explained by the

A) similarity hypothesis.
B) matching hypothesis.
C) companionate love hypothesis.
D) least common denominator hypothesis.

Question 32

Romantic relationships characterised by a couple's complete absorption in one another, and that include strong emotions and tender sexual feelings are termed

A) passionate love.
B) intimate love.
C) companionate love.
D) committed love.

Question 33

Putting personal goals ahead of group goals and defining one's identity in terms of personal attributes is referred to as

A) hedonism.
B) dispositional attributional bias.
C) egocentrism.
D) individualism.

Question 34

Compared with attractive people, less attractive people

A) delude themselves into thinking their partners are more attractive than they really are.
B) are indifferent to physical appearance.
C) place less emphasis on the importance of physical attractiveness.
D) try to date people who are much more attractive than themselves.

Question 35

Whenever Scott sees Diana he can feel his heart start to pound with excitement.Even though Scott and Diana have only dated a few times, Scott often becomes jealous when Diana talks to other men.He also finds he can't get her out of his mind when they are apart.According to Hatfield and Berscheid, Scott is experiencing

A) passionate love.
B) companionate love.
C) consummate love.
D) reciprocal love.

Question 36

Observers tend to attribute actors' behaviour to ____ factors and actors tend to attribute their own behaviour to ____ factors.

A) external; internal
B) internal; external
C) external; external
D) internal; internal

Question 37

Steve and Stacey have been a couple for several years.Their love is characterised by warm feelings and affection.They enjoy spending time together and describe themselves as lovers and friends.Steve and Stacey's love is best described as

A) attached love
B) companionate love
C) mature love
D) passionate love

Question 38

When Darren's classmate earns a "D" on an for their history class, Darren figures the classmate is unmotivated and should have spent more time working on the paper and less time socialising.The classmate is disappointed with her grade, but she knows she didn't have much time to work on the because she had to work double-shifts the entire week before the paper was due.The different attributions for the low grade on the illustrate

A) the actor-observer bias.
B) defensive attributions.
C) the self-serving bias.
D) cognitive dissonance.

Question 39

Cross-cultural studies on mate preferences find that people all over the world value all of the following EXCEPT

A) kindness.
B) intelligence.
C) good health.
D) passion.

Question 40

You are likely to attribute your own failing grade on a test to ____; your roommate is more likely to attribute your failing grade to ____.

A) an unfair test; your poor study habits
B) your poor study habits; an unfair test
C) a poor teacher; an unfair test
D) your own stupidity; a poor teacher

Question 41

Which of the following psychologists is known for conducting classic research on conformity?

A) Solomon Asch
B) Daryl Bem
C) Leon Festinger
D) Stanley Milgram

Question 42

Attitudes that we hold consciously and can easily describe to others are known as __________ attitudes.

A) explicit
B) inferential
C) implicit
D) external

Question 43

A positive or negative evaluation of an object of thought defines

A) an attitude.
B) an opinion.
C) a schema.
D) a preference.

Question 44

When the behaviour of all subjects was combined, Asch's study of conformity found that subjects exhibited conformity on approximately ____ of the trials.

A) 5-10%
B) 15-20%
C) 35-40%
D) 55-60%

Question 45

Carmen has been invited to a party.Immediately after receiving the invitation she meets with a group of friends to discuss what they plan to wear to the party.Carmen then makes the decision to wear what her friends are wearing.Carmen's party dressing behavior demonstrates

A) obedience to an authority.
B) conformity.
C) a social decision scheme.
D) groupthink.

Question 46

Vanessa is working on a take-home exam and she is fairly certain that the answer to the fourth question should be alternative "C".Based on the research by Solomon Asch into the influence of group size on conformity, Vanessa will be MOST likely to select an alternative other than "C" if she is working on the exam with

A) one other student who believes the correct alternative is actually "B".
B) four other students who all believe the correct alternative is actually "B".
C) two other students who both believe the correct alternative is actually "B".
D) four other students who can't agree on a single correct answer, but who all believe that alternative "C" is definitely wrong.

Question 47

Yielding to real or imagined social pressure defines which of the following terms?

A) cognitive dissonance
B) obedience
C) groupthink
D) conformity

Question 48

A psychologist with which of the following orientations is most likely to analyse romantic relationships in terms of the adaptive problems they have presented over the course of human history?

A) behavioural
B) humanistic
C) evolutionary
D) psychodynamic

Question 49

In Asch's studies, what was the relationship between group size and conformity?

A) Conformity did not change with group size.
B) Conformity increased steadily as group size went from two to four, and then leveled off.
C) Conformity increased as group size went from two to four, and then decreased.
D) Conformity increased steadily as group size was increased up to fifteen.

Question 50

Rita believes that racial prejudice is wrong but she also possesses subtle negative views about other races.Rita's negative views make up her

A) implicit attitudes.
B) explicit attitudes.
C) defined attitudes.
D) peripheral attitudes.

Question 51

In his studies on conformity, Asch found that if a group of persons espouses an opinion contradictory to one's own opinion, one is most likely to

A) voice the group's opinion.
B) echo the opinion of the nearest group member.
C) voice one's own opinion, even though it's contradictory.
D) show mild symptoms of learned helplessness.

Question 52

Which statement is NOT an accurate reflection of relationships on the Internet?

A) Internet relationships are just as intimate as face-to-face ones.
B) Relationships that begin on the Internet are as stable as traditional relationships.
C) Internet relationships seldom evolve into face-to-face relationships.
D) Similarity of interests assumes more power than in face-to-face relationships.

Question 53

Research indicates that when women are approaching ovulation, they prefer men who are

A) happy-go-lucky.
B) good with children.
C) masculine and dominant.
D) suspicious and aggressive.

Question 54

Most research on implicit attitudes has addressed the topic of

A) politics.
B) sex.
C) education.
D) prejudice.

Question 55

Asch found that two key factors influencing conformity were

A) group size and task difficulty.
B) group size and group unanimity.
C) the sex of group members and group unanimity.
D) the sex of group members and task difficulty.

Question 56

Conformity occurs when people

A) change their behaviour as a result of receiving a persuasive argument.
B) change their behaviour as a result of observational learning.
C) follow direct commands, usually from someone in a position of authority.
D) yield to real or imagined social pressure.

Question 57

Asch's "line study" clearly demonstrated that people ____ alter their behaviour so that it conforms to the behaviour of others.

A) almost always
B) frequently
C) rarely
D) almost never

Question 58

According to evolutionary theorists, which of the following factors is likely to be the MOST important for a male seeking a prospective mate?

A) ambition
B) social status
C) financial resources
D) physical attractiveness

Question 59

Covert attitudes that are expressed subtly and automatically are known as __________ attitudes.

A) accessible
B) inferential
C) implicit
D) elaborative

Question 60

Asch found that group size made little difference on conformity when

A) the task was easy.
B) just one accomplice failed to go along with the rest of the group.
C) the experimenter ridiculed the group's wrong answers.
D) the task was difficult.

Question 61

According to research conducted by Darley and Latane a person who collapsed on the street would be least likely to be helped if

A) the number of witnesses is high.
B) there is a single witness.
C) the people who witness the event are strangers.
D) the situation is judged to be serious by the witness.

Question 62

In Milgram's (1963) study of obedience, subjects

A) were ordered to deliver painful electric shocks to a stranger.
B) became the recipients of painful electric shocks delivered by an experimental accomplice.
C) indicated which of three lines matched a "standard line" in length.
D) were ordered to give consistently wrong answers to simple questions.

Question 63

The results of Burger's recent replication of Milgram's obedience study suggest that

A) people's tendency to obey has declined greatly since Milgram's study.
B) people's tendency to obey has remained about the same since Milgram's study.
C) contemporary research participants respond only to stronger authority figures.
D) contemporary research participants respond both to male and female authority figures.

Question 64

Jeff, Greg, Dan, and Ray all watched as the building across the street burned to the ground.They kept waiting for the fire trucks to show up, even though none of them had called the Fire Station.In this case, the fact that none of the four friends phoned to report the fire illustrates the phenomenon known as

A) social loafing.
B) a self-fulfilling prophecy.
C) group polarisation.
D) the bystander effect.

Question 65

Which of the following statements regarding the influence of culture on conformity and obedience is MOST accurate?

A) Conformity and obedience appear to be unique to American culture.
B) Replications of Milgram's study in other countries have generally resulted in low levels of obedience.
C) Collectivistic cultures tend to encourage more conformity than individualistic cultures.
D) Studies of conformity and obedience have yielded virtually identical results across a variety of cultures.

Question 66

Maria is driving along her normal route to work when a police officer stops her and directs her to take a different route.She is not sure why she has to take the detour, but she does what the police officer tells her to do.The process that best explains Maria's actions in this instance is

A) conformity.
B) obedience.
C) ingratiation.
D) reciprocity.

Question 67

Research has revealed higher levels of conformity in

A) collectivistic cultures than in individualistic cultures.
B) individualistic cultures than in collectivistic cultures.
C) industrialised cultures than in non-industrialised cultures.
D) Western cultures than in Asian cultures.

Question 68

In Milgram's research on obedience, what did the experimenter do to the teacher when the teacher questioned whether the experiment should continue?

A) The teacher was verbally abused.
B) The teacher was shocked.
C) The teacher was given verbal prompts to continue.
D) The teacher was requested to change places with the learner.

Question 69

Karen is a graduate student in psychology and proposes to use Milgram's procedure to study whether men or women are more likely to exhibit obedience.Most likely her faculty advisor will tell her

A) people today are too sophisticated to believe the deception Milgram used.
B) people today are more likely to simply refuse to participate in the study at all.
C) it is an excellent choice for a research project.
D) modern ethical guidelines would not permit the study to be conducted.

Question 70

Obedience is a form of compliance in which people change their behaviour in response to

A) direct commands.
B) implied pressure.
C) requests from others.
D) persuasive communications.

Question 71

The bystander effect is the finding that

A) the probability that a witness to an emergency will help increases as the number of bystanders increases.
B) a group of witnesses to an emergency will all tend to cooperate to provide help.
C) the probability that a witness to an emergency will help decreases as the number of bystanders increases.
D) bystanders' willingness to help depends on the seriousness of the emergency.

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT a defining feature of a group?

A) It consists of two or more people.
B) The members must meet face-to-face.
C) Group members must interact with each other.
D) The group members are interdependent

Question 73

The "typical" subject in Milgram's study experienced ____ psychological distress ____ to administer stronger electric shocks.

A) considerable; but continued
B) considerable; and refused
C) little; and continued
D) little; and refused

Question 74

According to social psychologists, a group

A) exists whenever two or more people are in spatial proximity to each other.
B) consists of three or more people who interact on a regular basis.
C) consists of two or more people who interact and are interdependent.
D) will not affect the behaviour of its members.

Question 75

The primary explanation(s) suggested to explain the behaviour of the prison guards and prisoners in the Stanford Prison Simulation was

A) obedience.
B) conformity and situational factors.
C) group polarisation.
D) social roles and situational factors.

Question 76

Which of the following psychologists is known for conducting classic research on obedience to authority?

A) Solomon Asch
B) Daryl Bem
C) Leon Festinger
D) Stanley Milgram

Question 77

Milgram's original study found that approximately ____ of subjects exhibited obedience by administering all 30 levels of electric shock.

A) 85%
B) 65%
C) 35%
D) 15%

Question 78

In his Stanford Prison study Zimbardo found that

A) situational factors have a powerful impact on social behaviour.
B) group size is an important factor in conformity.
C) collectivistic cultures tend to encourage more conformity than individualistic cultures.
D) subjects who are exposed to severe stress develop emotional scars.

Question 79

Milgram found that subjects' obedience declined dramatically when

A) an innocent stranger was harmed by the subjects' actions.
B) group size was increased beyond seven members.
C) another "teacher" defied the experimenter's order.
D) the study was conducted in a run-down, dilapidated building.

Question 80

In the Stanford Prison study, the "guards" routinely

A) became malicious and abusive in fulfilling their responsibilities.
B) became withdrawn and had to be forced to fulfill their roles.
C) resisted the demands of the researchers to play a role of a malicious and abusive person.
D) used physical punishment on their "prisoners".