Question 1

Why is empathy training a good antidote to aggression?

Accepted Answer

A)  Empathy makes it easier to think about the consequences we will experience as a result of our actions. 
B)  Empathy makes it harder to derogate our victims. 
C)  Empathy makes it easier to reduce cognitive dissonance. 
D)  Empathy makes it harder to reduce cognitive dissonance. 
E)  Empathy makes it harder to be self-aware. 
A)  Empathy makes it easier to think about the consequences we will experience as a result of our actions. 
B)  Empathy makes it harder to derogate our victims. 
C)  Empathy makes it easier to reduce cognitive dissonance. 
D)  Empathy makes it harder to reduce cognitive dissonance. 
E)  Empathy makes it harder to be self-aware.

Question 2

In an attempt to debunk the myth that aggression is instinctual,biologist Zing Yang Kuo (1961)raised a kitten in the same cage with a rat.Not only did the cat refrain from killing the rat,but the two became quite close companions.This experiment demonstrated that

Accepted Answer

A)  aggression is not instinctual. 
B)  the aggressive instinct can be inhibited by early experience. 
C)  it is possible to learn to discriminate-the cat would not attack rats, but would still attack other animals. 
D)  the aggressive instinct can be inhibited in an artificial environment. 
E)  the aggressive instinct can be inhibited in some species but not in others. 
A)  aggression is not instinctual. 
B)  the aggressive instinct can be inhibited by early experience. 
C)  it is possible to learn to discriminate-the cat would not attack rats, but would still attack other animals. 
D)  the aggressive instinct can be inhibited in an artificial environment. 
E)  the aggressive instinct can be inhibited in some species but not in others.

Question 3

Gina has recently been convicted in a highly publicized assault case.When asked by the press,she offers many reasons for her aggressiveness.Which of the following of Gina's arguments would a social psychologists find the least compelling?

Accepted Answer

A)  "I watched a lot of violent television growing up." 
B)  "I used to watch my older brother beat up on neighbourhood kids." 
C)  "The man I assaulted provoked me. It wasn't intentional, but I didn't care." 
D)  "I'm a huge fan of boxing and watch all the bouts." 
E)  "There was a gun in the room when it happened." 
A)  "I watched a lot of violent television growing up." 
B)  "I used to watch my older brother beat up on neighbourhood kids." 
C)  "The man I assaulted provoked me. It wasn't intentional, but I didn't care." 
D)  "I'm a huge fan of boxing and watch all the bouts." 
E)  "There was a gun in the room when it happened."

Question 4

Biologist Zing Yang Kuo (1961)demonstrated that a cat who had been raised from birth with a rat in the same cage would attack neither that specific rat nor other rats.This research suggests that

Accepted Answer

A)  aggression is species specific. 
B)  aggressive instincts can be modified through experience. 
C)  conflict over scarce resources contributes to aggression. 
D)  aggression is an entirely learned response. 
E)  aggressive behaviour is not instinctive. 
A)  aggression is species specific. 
B)  aggressive instincts can be modified through experience. 
C)  conflict over scarce resources contributes to aggression. 
D)  aggression is an entirely learned response. 
E)  aggressive behaviour is not instinctive.

Question 5

Mike's parents try to stop Mike from hitting his brother by punishing him.Based on social learning theory why might that not work?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mike will hide his violent behaviour from his parents. 
B)  Mike will learn violent behaviours from the other kids in school. 
C)  Mike's parents serve as role models of aggression for Mike to imitate. 
D)  It is normal for boys to go through an aggressive phase. 
E)  Mike has a personality disorder. 
A)  Mike will hide his violent behaviour from his parents. 
B)  Mike will learn violent behaviours from the other kids in school. 
C)  Mike's parents serve as role models of aggression for Mike to imitate. 
D)  It is normal for boys to go through an aggressive phase. 
E)  Mike has a personality disorder.

Question 6

Which of the following conclusions concerning gender differences in aggression is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A)  Women's aggression is more likely to be directed at a romantic partner than a stranger. 
B)  Although men are much more aggressive than women under ordinary circumstances, gender differences are smaller when men and women are provoked. 
C)  Women are less likely than men to be physically aggressive toward their partner. 
D)  Patterns of male aggression show a link to alcohol consumption. 
E)  Men's aggression is more likely to be directed at other men. 
A)  Women's aggression is more likely to be directed at a romantic partner than a stranger. 
B)  Although men are much more aggressive than women under ordinary circumstances, gender differences are smaller when men and women are provoked. 
C)  Women are less likely than men to be physically aggressive toward their partner. 
D)  Patterns of male aggression show a link to alcohol consumption. 
E)  Men's aggression is more likely to be directed at other men.

Question 7

_______ refers to the ability to experience events and emotions the way that another person does.

Accepted Answer

A)  Empathy 
B)  Sympathy 
C)  Communion 
D)  Identification 
E)  Social focus 
A)  Empathy 
B)  Sympathy 
C)  Communion 
D)  Identification 
E)  Social focus

Question 8

Which of the following statements about catharsis is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Acting aggressively now reduces the chance that you will act aggressively later. 
B)  Although acting aggressively does not reduce the chances of future aggressive behaviour, watching aggression does seem to have a cathartic effect. 
C)  Watching aggressive behaviour has a cathartic effect only for people who are nonaggressive by nature. 
D)  Watching aggressive behaviour has a cathartic effect only for people who are aggressive by nature. 
E)  Either acting aggressively or watching aggression increases the chances of future aggressive behaviour. 
A)  Acting aggressively now reduces the chance that you will act aggressively later. 
B)  Although acting aggressively does not reduce the chances of future aggressive behaviour, watching aggression does seem to have a cathartic effect. 
C)  Watching aggressive behaviour has a cathartic effect only for people who are nonaggressive by nature. 
D)  Watching aggressive behaviour has a cathartic effect only for people who are aggressive by nature. 
E)  Either acting aggressively or watching aggression increases the chances of future aggressive behaviour.

Question 9

DeWall and Bushman's (2009)study of the impact on aggression of heat-related,cold-related,or neutral words,found that those exposed to ________ words produced the most aggressive word completions.

Accepted Answer

A)  heat-related 
B)  cold-related 
C)  neutral 
D)  heat- and cold-related 
E)  cold-related and neutral 
A)  heat-related 
B)  cold-related 
C)  neutral 
D)  heat- and cold-related 
E)  cold-related and neutral

Question 10

According to Freud,aggressive behaviour is the result of a build-up of emotions that then needs to be released._______ is the modern explanation for aggression that is most similar to Freud's.

Accepted Answer

A)  The weapons effect 
B)  Ego tension 
C)  Social learning theory 
D)  Catharsis 
E)  Reactance theory 
A)  The weapons effect 
B)  Ego tension 
C)  Social learning theory 
D)  Catharsis 
E)  Reactance theory

Question 11

Arthur Patterson (1974)studied the hostility levels of high school football players both one week before and one week after the football season.If engaging in socially acceptable aggressive behaviour like football reduces hostility,then the players' level of hostility should have

Accepted Answer

A)  increased on the football field, but decreased in classes. 
B)  been dependent on personality variables. 
C)  increased over the duration of the playing season. 
D)  remained the same over the duration of the playing season. 
E)  decreased over the duration of the playing season. 
A)  increased on the football field, but decreased in classes. 
B)  been dependent on personality variables. 
C)  increased over the duration of the playing season. 
D)  remained the same over the duration of the playing season. 
E)  decreased over the duration of the playing season.

Question 12

According to cognitive dissonance theorists,when people attempt to vent their aggressive impulses by harming another person,they are more likely to engage in later acts of aggression because

Accepted Answer

A)  "blowing off steam" increases the arousal caused by dissonance, yielding more aggression. 
B)  arousal caused by dissonance is misinterpreted as frustration. 
C)  dissonance is reduced by derogating the victim, increasing the odds of later aggression. 
D)  frustration is mistaken for dissonance. 
E)  dissonance has been reduced. 
A)  "blowing off steam" increases the arousal caused by dissonance, yielding more aggression. 
B)  arousal caused by dissonance is misinterpreted as frustration. 
C)  dissonance is reduced by derogating the victim, increasing the odds of later aggression. 
D)  frustration is mistaken for dissonance. 
E)  dissonance has been reduced.

Question 13

"Ho-hum.More blood and guts,another brutal beating.What's on the other channels?" This reaction to TV violence best captures the power of TV violence to

Accepted Answer

A)  lower our inhibitions about aggressing. 
B)  promote violence. 
C)  prime anger and make it more accessible. 
D)  providing suggestible viewers with ideas. 
E)  reduce our sympathy for the victims of violence. 
A)  lower our inhibitions about aggressing. 
B)  promote violence. 
C)  prime anger and make it more accessible. 
D)  providing suggestible viewers with ideas. 
E)  reduce our sympathy for the victims of violence.

Question 14

Desdemona is having a bad day.As she runs to answer the phone,she bangs her knee on the coffee table.Cursing and limping,Desdemona grabs the phone and tosses it across the room.She never did figure out who called.This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  the neural basis of aggression. 
B)  a biochemical cause of hostile aggression. 
C)  aggression caused by pain. 
D)  irrational behaviour. 
E)  an interpersonal cause of aggression. 
A)  the neural basis of aggression. 
B)  a biochemical cause of hostile aggression. 
C)  aggression caused by pain. 
D)  irrational behaviour. 
E)  an interpersonal cause of aggression.

Question 15

_______ aggression is an act in the service of a goal that does not involve the infliction of pain.

Accepted Answer

A)  Oblique 
B)  Misplaced 
C)  Social 
D)  Hostile 
E)  Instrumental 
A)  Oblique 
B)  Misplaced 
C)  Social 
D)  Hostile 
E)  Instrumental

Question 16

William Griffitt and Roberta Veitch (1971)administered tests to students who were randomly assigned to take the test in a room with normal temperature or in a 32ºC room.After completing the test,students were asked how aggressive they felt and their hostility toward a stranger was measured.These researchers found that students in the

Accepted Answer

A)  normal room felt more aggressive than those in the 32ºC room, but both sets of students were equally hostile to the stranger. 
B)  32ºC room felt more aggressive than those in the normal room and were more hostile to the stranger. 
C)  normal room felt less aggressive than those in the 32ºC room, but were more hostile to the stranger. 
D)  32ºC room felt more aggressive than those in the normal room, but both sets of students were equally hostile to the stranger. 
E)  normal room felt less aggressive than those in the 32ºC room, but both sets of students were equally hostile to the stranger. 
A)  normal room felt more aggressive than those in the 32ºC room, but both sets of students were equally hostile to the stranger. 
B)  32ºC room felt more aggressive than those in the normal room and were more hostile to the stranger. 
C)  normal room felt less aggressive than those in the 32ºC room, but were more hostile to the stranger. 
D)  32ºC room felt more aggressive than those in the normal room, but both sets of students were equally hostile to the stranger. 
E)  normal room felt less aggressive than those in the 32ºC room, but both sets of students were equally hostile to the stranger.

Question 17

Wells,Graham,and West (1998)suggested that members of a particular Canadian subculture,bouncers who work in bars,were most likely to act in an extremely aggressive manner because

Accepted Answer

A)  the consumption of alcohol reduced inhibitions against aggressive behaviour. 
B)  of perceived threats to their masculinity and authority. 
C)  bar patrons tend to be aggressive. 
D)  people who are aggressive by nature tend to take those kinds of jobs. 
E)  the crowding and noise raised their levels of physiological arousal. 
A)  the consumption of alcohol reduced inhibitions against aggressive behaviour. 
B)  of perceived threats to their masculinity and authority. 
C)  bar patrons tend to be aggressive. 
D)  people who are aggressive by nature tend to take those kinds of jobs. 
E)  the crowding and noise raised their levels of physiological arousal.

Question 18

In recent studies of catharsis and aggression,Bushman,Baumeister,and Stack (1999)found that

Accepted Answer

A)  catharsis reduces aggressiveness for everyone, whether or not they believe it will. 
B)  catharsis and venting anger increases anger rather than reducing it. 
C)  in a version of the self-fulfilling prophecy, if people believe that catharsis effectively reduces their aggressive behaviour it will, if they don't believe catharsis reduces their aggressive behaviour then it won't. 
D)  catharsis reduces aggressiveness for men, but not women. 
E)  most people believe that catharsis is an effective way to reduce aggressive behaviours. 
A)  catharsis reduces aggressiveness for everyone, whether or not they believe it will. 
B)  catharsis and venting anger increases anger rather than reducing it. 
C)  in a version of the self-fulfilling prophecy, if people believe that catharsis effectively reduces their aggressive behaviour it will, if they don't believe catharsis reduces their aggressive behaviour then it won't. 
D)  catharsis reduces aggressiveness for men, but not women. 
E)  most people believe that catharsis is an effective way to reduce aggressive behaviours.

Question 19

_______ reflects the idea that if people can "aggress" in harmless ways,built up aggressive energies will diminish,reducing the odds of further aggressive behaviour.

Accepted Answer

A)  Contagion 
B)  Displacement 
C)  Catharsis 
D)  Social learning 
E)  Fantasy inhibition 
A)  Contagion 
B)  Displacement 
C)  Catharsis 
D)  Social learning 
E)  Fantasy inhibition

Question 20

The fact that a large percentage of physically abusive people were themselves abused by their parents can be best explained by

Accepted Answer

A)  urban overload. 
B)  catharsis. 
C)  frustration-aggression theory. 
D)  genetic predisposition. 
E)  social learning theory. 
A)  urban overload. 
B)  catharsis. 
C)  frustration-aggression theory. 
D)  genetic predisposition. 
E)  social learning theory.

Why is empathy training a good antidote to aggression?

In an attempt to debunk the myth that aggression is instinctual,biologist Zing Yang Kuo (1961)raised a kitten in the same cage with a rat.Not only did the cat refrain from killing the rat,but the two became quite close companions.This experiment demonstrated that

Gina has recently been convicted in a highly publicized assault case.When asked by the press,she offers many reasons for her aggressiveness.Which of the following of Gina's arguments would a social psychologists find the least compelling?

Biologist Zing Yang Kuo (1961)demonstrated that a cat who had been raised from birth with a rat in the same cage would attack neither that specific rat nor other rats.This research suggests that

Mike's parents try to stop Mike from hitting his brother by punishing him.Based on social learning theory why might that not work?

Which of the following conclusions concerning gender differences in aggression is FALSE?

_______ refers to the ability to experience events and emotions the way that another person does.

Which of the following statements about catharsis is true?

DeWall and Bushman's (2009)study of the impact on aggression of heat-related,cold-related,or neutral words,found that those exposed to ________ words produced the most aggressive word completions.

According to Freud,aggressive behaviour is the result of a build-up of emotions that then needs to be released._______ is the modern explanation for aggression that is most similar to Freud's.

Arthur Patterson (1974)studied the hostility levels of high school football players both one week before and one week after the football season.If engaging in socially acceptable aggressive behaviour like football reduces hostility,then the players' level of hostility should have

According to cognitive dissonance theorists,when people attempt to vent their aggressive impulses by harming another person,they are more likely to engage in later acts of aggression because

"Ho-hum.More blood and guts,another brutal beating.What's on the other channels?" This reaction to TV violence best captures the power of TV violence to

Desdemona is having a bad day.As she runs to answer the phone,she bangs her knee on the coffee table.Cursing and limping,Desdemona grabs the phone and tosses it across the room.She never did figure out who called.This is an example of

_______ aggression is an act in the service of a goal that does not involve the infliction of pain.

Wells,Graham,and West (1998)suggested that members of a particular Canadian subculture,bouncers who work in bars,were most likely to act in an extremely aggressive manner because

In recent studies of catharsis and aggression,Bushman,Baumeister,and Stack (1999)found that

_______ reflects the idea that if people can "aggress" in harmless ways,built up aggressive energies will diminish,reducing the odds of further aggressive behaviour.

The fact that a large percentage of physically abusive people were themselves abused by their parents can be best explained by

Introduction to Social Psychology

Methodology

Social Cognition

Social Perception

The Self Understanding Ourselves in a Social Context

Attitudes and Attitude Change

Conformity

Group Processes

Interpersonal Attraction

Prosocial Behaviour

Prejudice

Social Psychology in Action 1

Social Psychology in Action 2

Social Psychology in Action 3

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Exam 11: Aggression

Why is empathy training a good antidote to aggression?

In an attempt to debunk the myth that aggression is instinctual,biologist Zing Yang Kuo (1961)raised a kitten in the same cage with a rat.Not only did the cat refrain from killing the rat,but the two became quite close companions.This experiment demonstrated that

Gina has recently been convicted in a highly publicized assault case.When asked by the press,she offers many reasons for her aggressiveness.Which of the following of Gina's arguments would a social psychologists find the least compelling?

Biologist Zing Yang Kuo (1961)demonstrated that a cat who had been raised from birth with a rat in the same cage would attack neither that specific rat nor other rats.This research suggests that

Mike's parents try to stop Mike from hitting his brother by punishing him.Based on social learning theory why might that not work?

Which of the following conclusions concerning gender differences in aggression is FALSE?

_______ refers to the ability to experience events and emotions the way that another person does.

Which of the following statements about catharsis is true?

DeWall and Bushman's (2009)study of the impact on aggression of heat-related,cold-related,or neutral words,found that those exposed to ________ words produced the most aggressive word completions.

According to Freud,aggressive behaviour is the result of a build-up of emotions that then needs to be released._______ is the modern explanation for aggression that is most similar to Freud's.

Arthur Patterson (1974)studied the hostility levels of high school football players both one week before and one week after the football season.If engaging in socially acceptable aggressive behaviour like football reduces hostility,then the players' level of hostility should have

According to cognitive dissonance theorists,when people attempt to vent their aggressive impulses by harming another person,they are more likely to engage in later acts of aggression because

"Ho-hum.More blood and guts,another brutal beating.What's on the other channels?" This reaction to TV violence best captures the power of TV violence to

Desdemona is having a bad day.As she runs to answer the phone,she bangs her knee on the coffee table.Cursing and limping,Desdemona grabs the phone and tosses it across the room.She never did figure out who called.This is an example of

_______ aggression is an act in the service of a goal that does not involve the infliction of pain.

Wells,Graham,and West (1998)suggested that members of a particular Canadian subculture,bouncers who work in bars,were most likely to act in an extremely aggressive manner because

In recent studies of catharsis and aggression,Bushman,Baumeister,and Stack (1999)found that

_______ reflects the idea that if people can "aggress" in harmless ways,built up aggressive energies will diminish,reducing the odds of further aggressive behaviour.

The fact that a large percentage of physically abusive people were themselves abused by their parents can be best explained by

Introduction to Social Psychology

Methodology

Social Cognition

Social Perception

The Self Understanding Ourselves in a Social Context

Attitudes and Attitude Change

Conformity

Group Processes

Interpersonal Attraction

Prosocial Behaviour

Prejudice

Social Psychology in Action 1

Social Psychology in Action 2

Social Psychology in Action 3

Filters