Deck 6: Social Identity

Question 1

What are 2 factors that affect people's decision to engage in a strategy of either individual mobility, social creativity, or social change? Pick a disadvantaged group from your society and walk through some of the things they would have to think about when deciding how to deal with a devalued social identity.

Answer 1

The two most important factors that affect people's choice of strategy are the strength of their group identification and their perceptions of the possibility of individual mobility. The groups that students pick will differ but they will have to consider similar factors. Research shows that, compared to those who are less identified, individuals who are highly identified with a low-status group are less likely to seek individual mobility out of the group. In addition, these individuals perceived their group to be homogeneous which is associated with collective action such as social competition. In terms of individual mobility, people will be more likely to seek individual mobility out of a disadvantaged group whenever they see that as possible. If mobility is not possible, then members of disadvantaged groups will be more likely to turn to more disruptive social competition strategies.

Question 2

Which of the following has proven to be a useful safeguard against the effects of stereotype threat?

A) Tell students to study longer hours.
B) Warn students that they will be taking a difficult test.
C) Present the test as a challenge.
D) All of the above.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Research on race and self-esteem has shown that for White students, ______ self-esteem was a predictor of depression, whereas for Black students, ______ self-esteem was a predictor of depression.

A) low personal; low collective
B) low collective; low personal
C) low state; low trait
D) low trait; low state

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Research on self-esteem after defeat has shown that there is greater consumption of fatty and high-calorie foods:

A) In cities whose teams lost the previous day.
B) On game day in cities whose teams go on to win.
C) By sports fans who are asked to write about a recent win.
D) In cities whose teams lost the previous day and whose fan base is relatively weak.

Question 5

Mallorie just brought her car in for an oil change and the mechanic told her that she needs to get her tires replaced - which will cost $500! Mallorie wonders if the mechanic is being truthful, or if he's trying to cheat her because she's a woman. This uncertainty of whether the mechanic's behavior is truthful or due to her group membership is known as __________.

A) Moral exclusion
B) Attributional ambiguity
C) Social identity threat
D) Stereotype threat

Question 6

Which of the following statements about attributional ambiguity is true?

A) It can protect self-esteem.
B) It only helps if you can attribute negative feedback to prejudice against a meaningful group.
C) It can destroy one's trust in positive feedback.
D) All of the above

Question 7

In a study by Heilman, Simon and Reppe (1987), males and females were told that they had been selected to fill a leadership position. Who was most likely to experience attributional ambiguity in this study?

A) Women who learned that they had scored well on a test of leadership.
B) Men who learned they had scored well on a test of leadership.
C) Women who learned that the experimenter needed more female leaders.
D) Men who learned that the experimenter needed more male leaders.

Question 8

Raul is a Mexican teenager who is struggling in school. If Raul wants to give his self-esteem a little boost, with whom should he compare himself?

A) His neighbor Derek, a White male, who is the same age and is the captain of the soccer team.
B) His classmate Juan, who is Mexican, and who just got a scholarship to a university.
C) His friend Terry, who is Mexican, and who just dropped out of school.
D) His bandmate Leon, who is White, and who just failed a history test.

Question 9

Individuals who want to escape from a stigmatized groups can use two strategies. _______is a psychological strategy and _______ is a physical strategy.

A) disidentification; dissociation
B) dissociation; disidentification
C) individual mobility; disidentification
D) dissociation; individual mobility

Question 10

A number of promising interventions have been proposed to protect against stereotype threat. Based on the research by Rydell, McConnell and Beilock (2009), what would you advise your girlfriend to do if she's nervous about an upcoming math test?

A) Tell her to think about her last math test and visualize what the exam looked like.
B) Tell her to think about herself as a college student.
C) Tell her to visualize the classroom in which she will take the exam as she studies.
D) Tell her to think about herself as a female.

Question 11

Which of the following is true about stereotype threat?

A) This threat can be avoided if people reflect upon their personal values.
B) This threat only occurs if people personally believe in the stereotype about their group.
C) This threat occurs because people are afraid of revealing their true personalities to others.
D) This threat increases people's ability to hold information in their memory.

Question 12

In a study by Fein and Spencer (1997) heterosexual participants were asked to form an impression and make ratings of a presumably homosexual young man. The results showed that:

A) Participants rated the young man negatively across all conditions.
B) Participants rated the young man positively across all conditions.
C) Participants rated the young man negatively, but only after they had received negative feedback.
D) Participants rated the young man positively, but only after they had received negative feedback.

Question 13

When a wealthy ________ feels threatened, it will see its group as superior to out-groups on dimensions such as ________.

A) high-status group; hard work and intelligence
B) high-status group; friendliness and likeability
C) low-status group; hard work and intelligence
D) low-status group; power and dominance

Question 14

Hatred and violent actions toward an out-group will occur when:

A) People are randomly divided into two groups and the out-group is perceived as threatening.
B) People are randomly divided into two groups and the in-group is perceived as superior.
C) When our in-group is perceived as especially good and the out-group is perceived as threatening.
D) All of the above

Question 15

In the years leading up to World War II, the Nazis portrayed Jews as rats and as an ""alien species."" These attempts to degrade and dehumanize the Jews is an example of:

A) Moral exclusion
B) Stereotype threat
C) Attributional ambiguity
D) Social identity theory

Question 16

Research on stigma shows that members of stigmatized groups experience:

A) Decreased self-esteem
B) Increased infant mortality rates
C) Greater risk of suicide
D) All of the above

Question 17

In the stereotype threat study by Steele and Aronson (1995), Black and White participants were asked to take a difficult test. In which of the following conditions did the participants experience stereotype threat?

A) When the test was described as ""just a laboratory exercise.""
B) When participants thought the test was unrelated to their academic ability.
C) When the Black participants were asked to indicate their race beforehand.
D) When the Black participants were smarter than the White participants.

Question 18

Which of the following is the best example of the black sheep effect among a group of cheerleaders?

A) Margaret made fun of another member of her team after her teamate fell while doing a stunt.
B) Janie made fun of a cheerleader from another team after she mixed up the steps in the routine.
C) Linda supported a member of her team after she twisted her ankle.
D) Serena high-fived a cheerleader from another team after she did 5 back flips in a row.

Question 19

After moving from Poland to America, Gina Lewandowski changed her last name to Lewan, she started wearing jeans and tennis shoes more often, and she practiced speaking English until she could speak without an accent. From this example, it is clear that Gina is engaging in ______ from her Polish roots.

A) Disidentification
B) Disengagement
C) Dissociation
D) Differentiation

Question 20

Given your extensive knowledge of social psychology, you have been asked to be an expert witness at a trial. The defendant, who is Black, is being accused of stealing jewelry from a homeowner, who is White. The homeowner is the only witness. Use what you know about the out-group homogeneity effect to help the jury determine how much weight to place on the homeowner's testimony. First, you should explain the out-group homogeneity effect, then you should provide 3 explanations for why this effect

Question 21

Briefly describe one study using the minimal intergroup situation and provide some explanation of the results. Next, explain how in-group bias turns in to the hatred and moral exclusion seen in some real world groups. How do groups respond when threatened?

Question 22

Imagine that you are a math teacher at a university and you are developing a new math test. You've heard about something called "stereotype threat" and you want to be sure to avoid placing your students under this threat. First, explain what this threat is, which of your students are likely to be impacted by this threat, and 3 interventions you can implement in your classroom to make sure your students don't feel threatened.

Question 23

A Latino female named Maria has been hired at a company as part of an affirmative action initiative. Maria will be managing a team of primarily White males. First, define attributional ambiguity and briefly describe how it might affect Maria on the job. Second, explain how attributional ambiguity in the workplace may both protect and harm Maria's self-esteem. As Maria's boss, is there any way to help smooth Maria's transition into her new job?

Question 24

It seems that, no matter how hard he tries, Ted cannot succeed in school. Assuming that, in this case, hard work will not pay off for Ted, what are 3 strategies of individual mobility that Ted can use to escape his present situation?

Question 25

Explain the plight of someone who is living with a concealed stigma. What are the pros and cons of concealing the stigma and what are some ways to help individuals who are in this situation?

Question 26

Members of certain groups do not have the option to 'escape' their group membership. Should members of such groups just give up and wallow in low self-esteem? What are 2 other options that individuals have if they are part of a devalued group?

Question 27

One company has a history of discrimination and unfair pay against ethnic minorities. In order to change their image, the company is requiring all employees to take part in diversity training and they are facilitating a number of positive contact experiences among employees of different ethnicities. Using the research by Saguy as your guide, why might the interventions by this company have both positive and negative consequences?

Question 28

Explain the phenomenon of BIRGing. Are people more likely to BIRG when their self-esteem is high, or when their self-esteem is threatened? Explain.

Question 29

A team of baseball players from the United States are flying to China to compete against a Chinese baseball team. Describe 3 situations in which the group membership of the American players will be made salient (these 3 situations should illustrate 3 of the different factors described in the text)

Question 30

Members of a group that just lost a trivia game made themselves feel better by commenting on how sociable and fun they are. These group members are engaging in which strategy?

A) Social creativity
B) Social change
C) Social competition
D) Dissociation

Question 31

Which of the following statements about social creativity is true?

A) Women may accept aspects of society's definition of femininity by emphasizing their nurturing or peacemaking abilities.
B) Social creativity strategies might not lead to any lasting change in a group's position in society.
C) Attempts at social creativity may provide rationales for excluding certain groups from positions of power.
D) All of the above

Question 32

Groups of blue collar workers go on strike to protest their substandard pay. Which strategy are these individuals engaging in?

A) Dissociation
B) Social change
C) Disidentification
D) Social creativity

Question 33

Which of the following is true about social competition?

A) Out-groups will back off when they see that the disadvantaged group is serious.
B) Disadvantaged groups will back off when they see that there will be backlash against their group.
C) Social competition will occur when group members are highly identified and they emphasize their homogeneity in values.
D) Competition by disadvantaged groups is rarely taken seriously by dominant groups.

Question 34

Research by Saguy on contact among a relatively advantaged versus disadvantaged group has shown that, when the two groups came together and focused on similarities between the groups, this interaction led to:

A) More positive intergroup attitudes.
B) Fewer thoughts about group inequality.
C) Greater in-group bias when allocating rewards.
D) All of the above

Question 35

The ________ ideology is the idea that race should not affect how people are treated.

A) Color-blind
B) Multicultural
C) Individualistic
D) Collectivistic

Question 36

Which of the following people will be most likely to pursue individual mobility?

A) Deanna, who is in a wheelchair and strongly identifies with being a disabled woman.
B) Erin, who isn't very strongly identified with her soccer team and they just lost the big game.
C) Angela, who is African American and doesn't consider it an option to dissociate or disidentify with her race.
D) None of the above will pursue individual mobility

Question 37

What are 2 benefits and 2 drawbacks of group membership?

Question 38

According to ________, in-group bias occurs because people derive part of their self-esteem from the groups to which they belong.

A) moral exclusion
B) stereotype threat
C) attributional ambiguity
D) social identity theory

Question 39

In his work on the minimal intergroup situation, Tajfel found that prejudice and discrimination between two groups first appeared at which point?

A) After dividing people randomly into two groups.
B) When the groups had negative stereotypes about each other.
C) When the two groups competed for prizes.
D) When the two groups had to fight over scarce resources.

Question 40

Because they are in the majority, white males do not experience stereotype threat.

Question 41

Members of stigmatized groups, such as African Americans and people who are facially disfigured, have lower self-esteem than the non-stigmatized.

Question 42

It is overwhelmingly better to have a concealable stigma than a visible stigma.

Question 43

Social creativity is an effective way to change a group's status in society.

Question 44

Being liked is the ultimate goal of social change movements.

Question 45

The strategy of social competition is most likely to lead to in-group bias and backlash by other groups.

Question 46

Chapter 6 opened with the description of a study by Brewer and Weber (1994) on self-perception and social identity. Participants in this study were told that they would be videotaped while being interviewed about their academic and social lives. Before being videotaped, the participants saw a sample tape in which another individual gave either a great performance or a poor performance. The results of their study showed that:

A) Majority group members who watched a videotape of a successful minority interviewee felt bad.
B) Majority group members who watched a videotape of a successful minority interviewee felt good.
C) Majority group members who watched a videotape of an unsuccessful minority interviewee felt good.
D) Minority group members who watched a videotape of an unsuccessful minority interviewee felt bad.

Question 47

________ is the process of seeing oneself as a member of a group, whereas ________ refers to our thoughts and feelings about the groups to which we belong.

A) Self-categorization; social identity
B) Social identity; self-categorization
C) Looking-glass self; self-esteem
D) Self-esteem; looking-glass self

Question 48

Black students who are asked to indicate their race before taking a difficult test will perform more poorly than students who are asked to take the same test but who do not first indicate their race.

Question 49

Prejudice and discrimination against out-groups is stronger in collectivistic, as opposed to individualistic, cultures.

Question 50

The roles and occupations commonly held by a particular group influence how the members of the group see themselves.

Question 51

A threat to one's group can cause members of that group to see themselves as more typical group members.

Question 52

A good way to improve the relationship between two groups is to have the two groups compete against each other.

Question 53

When people see nonsense syllables (e.g., heg) paired with the word ""we"" people feel more positively toward them.

Question 54

Altruistic behavior begins when people put their individual interests ahead of others.

Question 55

Hostility toward out-group members is common all over the world.

Question 56

White perceivers have a harder time differentiating between Black faces as compared to White faces.

Question 57

In order to create in-group bias, two groups must have a long history of antagonism and aggression toward each other.

Question 58

One reason that we favor in-groups over out-groups is because it helps to boost our _______.

A) self-attributions
B) feelings of empathy
C) understanding of the other group
D) self-esteem

Question 59

From which of the following sources do we learn the characteristics associated with our groups?

A) From observing the behavior of other group members.
B) From the common occupations held by members of the group.
C) From our parents.
D) All of the above

Question 60

Which of the following findings has been supported by research?

A) People like nonsense syllables more when they are paired with the word ""they.""
B) People use more abstract language to describe the positive actions performed by in-group members.
C) People respond more quickly to positive words that follow the prime ""they.""
D) People like typical in-group members but only if they are likeable.

Question 61

Who is most likely to act in a way that benefits their own group?

A) Carissa, whose group membership was just made salient.
B) Marci, whose fellow in-group members are not very similar to her.
C) Rand, who likes to look out for number one.
D) All of the above

Question 62

Millie's grandfather believes that members of a particular social group are ""all the same."" This perception of Millie's grandfather is known as __________ .

A) In-group bias
B) The minimal intergroup situation
C) The out-group homogeneity effect
D) Moral exclusion

Question 63

Which of the following provides an explanation of the out-group homogeneity effect?

A) People usually are more familiar with out-group members than in-group members
B) Interactions with out-group members are usually less personal.
C) Interactions with out-group members are usually relaxed and informal.
D) People tend to remember more personal information about out-group members.

Question 64

Lowell, a Black male, was recently mugged and he is at the police station attempting to identify his mugger. According to research reviewed in your text, Lowell will be most accurate at identifying the mugger if the mugger is:

A) Female
B) Male
C) White
D) Black

Question 65

Research by Hugenberg, Miller and Claypool (2007) shows that the cross-race identification bias occurs because:

A) People are not motivated
B) People are not paying close attention
C) People are not aware of this bias
D) All of the above

Question 66

Dr. Bach has a group of people listen to classical music and indicate which of two musicians they like best. After listening to the music, Dr. Bach tells people that they prefer music by Composer A or Composer B. After dividing people up into two groups (in truth, they were divided up randomly), Dr. Bach finds that people tend to allocate more rewards (concert tickets) to members of their in-group. This in-group favoritism is best explained by:

A) The strong bond that forms when in-group members interact.
B) The mere categorization of people into two groups.
C) Each individual's tendency to reward themselves the most points.
D) A feeling that in-group members share similarities.

Question 67

Which of the following is true about the way we think about our in-groups?

A) When our group membership is accessible, we focus on the similarities we share with our in-group members.
B) When our personal identity is salient, we focus on the characteristics of our in-group members that make them unique.
C) When our personal identity is salient, we see our group members as possessing diverse characteristics.
D) All of the above

Question 68

Steven is an American who is studying abroad in Paris and he is feeling lonely and homesick. With which of the following groups will Steven be most likely to identify?

A) Steven will identify as a male.
B) Steven will identify as an American.
C) Steven will identify with the other handful of Americans who are in his program.
D) Steven will identify with his two roommates from the U.K.

Question 69

Jenna is the singer in a band. In which of the following situations will Jenna's band membership be most salient?

A) Jenna is looking at herself in a mirror and applying some make-up.
B) Jenna is playing a game of dodge ball on a team with one of her bandmates and some other friends.
C) Jenna is eating at a restaurant and someone comes over and says they enjoyed her show last night.
D) All of the above

Question 70

Research on group identification shows that people are more likely to make their group memberships salient to others:

A) When people are in the majority.
B) When members of the out-group are present.
C) When members of the in-group are present.
D) When people are in large groups.

Question 71

If your goal is to encourage people from two different groups to look beyond their individual group memberships, what should you do?

A) Have the two groups compete.
B) Have the two groups wear different colored t-shirts so that they can tell each other apart.
C) Call individuals from one group ""Group A"" and individuals from the other group ""Group B"" to help them look past pre-existing group labels.
D) None of the above

Question 72

How do people from collectivistic cultures tend to think about their group memberships?

A) Groups are fluid
B) Groups are changeable
C) Groups are a stable part of the self
D) Group memberships are not important

Question 73

In a study by Spears, Doosje and Ellemers (1997), psychology students were asked to compare their level of intelligence to that of physics majors. This specific comparison was designed to potentially threaten the psychology students. The results showed that:

A) Students who strongly identified as psychology majors rated themselves as highly typical of their group.
B) Students who did not strongly identify as psychology majors rated themselves as highly typical of their group.
C) Students who strongly identified as psychology majors distanced themselves from the group.
D) Students who strongly identified as psychology majors challenged the physics majors to a duel.

Question 74

Which of the following is the best-example of basking in reflected glory?

A) Dina's parents gave her a treat when she aced her Spanish test.
B) Alice felt proud when her sister won the state spelling bee.
C) Rhonda took first place in the diving competition.
D) Amanda wore her school colors the day after her school lost in order to show her support.

Question 75

__________ is a way of boosting self-esteem by identifying oneself with the accomplishments of fellow in-group members.

A) Self-affirmation
B) Basking in reflected glory
C) Mindfulness
D) Cutting off reflected failure

Question 76

Results of a study by Smith (1993) in which psychology students read about another psychology student who had been treated unfairly by authorities, showed that:

A) The participants felt anger on behalf of the other student only when that student also attended their university.
B) The participants felt anger on behalf of the other student only when the participants were personally affected.
C) The participants felt anger on behalf of the other student after their common identity had been primed, even when the student went to another school.
D) None of the above

Question 77

Our group memberships are an important part of how we see ourselves.