Exam 1: Introducing Social Psychology

Tom saw a weight-loss program advertised on late-night television. The ad claimed that deep breathing exercises would speed up metabolism, causing people to lose weight. He mailed a check for $99.95. When the plan arrived, Tom rearranged his day so that he could complete the breathing exercises as scheduled. They made him nauseated and dizzy, and before long, Tom's friends began to think that he was going overboard with the program, and they began to avoid him. After the end of the ten-week program, Tom got on the scale and saw that he hadn't lost an ounce! Still, he remained enthusiastic and thought, "I may not have lost any weight, but I feel so much healthier!" This situation is best explained by __________.

The authors of your text discuss three snares in people's ability to reason accurately. Which of the following is NOT a challenge to reasoning accurately?

Nanami and April were playing in the den when April's mother entered the room and scolded them for making a mess. Nanami decided then and there that April's mother was a grouch. Nanami's inference is an example of __________.

Social psychologists, as compared with personality psychologists, believe that by only paying attention to the influence of personality traits on behavior, one is ignoring what?

The whole is different from the sum of its parts. This statement reflects a tenet of __________ psychology.

What is the take-home message of the authors' description of the presidents' decisions to continue and even escalate wars?

According to the authors of your text, people's evaluations of how good, competent, and decent they are is the definition of __________.

Which of the following is an example of social influence?

Human beings are often motivated to construe themselves and the social world accurately. The __________ approach is based on this assumption.

Which of the following would most likely be an article written by a Gestaltist?

Two groups at your university are at odds. Design an intervention based on the research by Ross and colleagues regarding "naïve realism" that might get them to change their opinions of the other group.

Suppose that in a restaurant, a waiter grows impatient with a customer, rolls his eyes, taps his pencil impatiently on his order book, and finally snaps, "I haven't got all day, you know." Compare and contrast how a personality psychologist and a social psychologist would attempt to explain such behavior.

Jamal was confused by his sister's relationship with her boyfriend. They just didn't seem to have anything in common. "Oh well," Jamal figured, "I guess opposites really do attract." Jamal's explanation is an example of __________.

The authors of your text suggest that in the 1930s and 1940s, the most influential person in social psychology was __________.

Which of the following social phenomena would be of interest to both social psychologists and sociologists?

Social psychologists differ from sociologists in that social psychologists __________.

Which of the following represents a potential contribution by a social psychologist?

Social psychologists have identified two motives that are of primary importance in explaining our thoughts and behaviors. According to your textbook authors, these are the need to __________ and the need to __________.

Which question about romantic relationships is a sociologist most likely to ask?

Which of the following is most likely to be studied by a social psychologist?