Exam 1: Introducing Social Psychology

Sometimes when we encounter behavior that is unpleasant or unexpected,we assume that something about the person-and not the situation-caused the behavior.In this sense,lay people are most like

According to social cognition researchers,we sometimes have difficulty making sense of the social world because we

What is the role of folk wisdom in social psychology?

Consider the following situation: Madeline does very poorly on a term paper she has written.If Madeline is motivated by the need to feel good about herself (the self-esteem approach),what kinds of construals might she make about this?

Based on the text,which of the following is not a motive that influences people's thoughts and behaviors?

The government is putting together an ad campaign to encourage citizens to wash their hands more often during flu season.Based on your knowledge about fundamental motives and the use of denial,which slogan would work the best?

According to the authors of your text,why is it that there may be conflicting philosophical positions about human nature?

Sheila shows up for a blind date with her hair disheveled and her clothes a mess.Her date,Jamal,thinks,"She must be a total slob!" Jamal's thought about Sheila is an example of

Not all social influence is direct or deliberate.Which of the following is the best example of more indirect or subtle social influence?

Lisa and Melissa were comparing grades on their chemistry exam.Lisa was disappointed when she first saw that she had received a grade of 76 percent,but when she saw that Melissa (the class valedictorian in high school)had earned a grade of 78 percent,she felt much better about her grade.What is most likely to be a reason that Lisa changed her perspective?

Recall that Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968)told teachers that some of their students were "bloomers." Consequently,those students actually performed better than students who were not labeled as bloomers.This finding suggests that

Social psychology is set apart from other ways of interpreting social behavior such as folk wisdom or literature because it is ____.

Recall from your text that President Lyndon B.Johnson's advisers gave him conflicting advice during the Vietnam War.Some urged him to pursue a peaceful solution; others urged him to escalate bombing to overcome the enemy.Johnson did not want to go down in history as the first U.S.president to lose a war,so he chose to escalate,prolonging a futile war.According to your text,Johnson's decision was most likely a consequence of his motive to

When we commit the fundamental attribution error,we ____ the power of ____.

From across the room,J.T.sees his mother sigh,and he approaches to give her a hug in the hopes of cheering her up.In this case,J.T.'s behavior is an example of ____ social influence attempt.

According to your textbook,the major reason we have conflicting philosophical positions and conflicting folk wisdom is

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

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

One common goal of sociology and social psychology is to understand

How do social psychologists differ from philosophers,novelists,and political pundits in answering questions about human nature? Social psychologists