Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

A)  sociologists.
B)  personality psychologists.
C)  social psychologists.
D)  philosophers. B

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

A)  are inherently flawed in our reasoning.
B)  choose to ignore the relevant facts.
C)  ignore simple decisions in favor of complex decisions.
D)  lack the stamina to seek out all the relevant facts. D

Question 3

What is the role of folk wisdom in social psychology?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is unrelated.
B)  It provides many ideas or hypotheses for scientific investigation.
C)  It has been completely disproven by scientific research.
D)  It tends to be more accurate and useful than social psychological research. B

Question 4

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?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Consider the following situation: Madeline does very...

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

A)  hunger and thirst
B)  need for control
C)  the promise of love
D)  need to nurture others

Question 6

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?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Wash your hands,or you WILL get sick."
B)  "People who do not wash their hands often are twenty times more likely to contract a serious communicable illness."
C)  "Washing your hands only takes a minute,and can keep you well."
D)  "I should have washed my hands" shown with a picture of a person in a hospital bed

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

A)  Philosophers make their living through debate.
B)  Philosophy relies purely on layperson observation.
C)  It is likely that philosophers build incorrect arguments about human nature.
D)  The world is a complex place,and situational differences impact behavior.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

A)  individual differences.
B)  the fundamental attribution error.
C)  a strong social situation.
D)  gender differences in perception.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

A)  An advertising campaign is launched to promote a new soft drink.
B)  A senatorial candidate delivers a speech to convince voters that she is not really liberal.
C)  A parent disciplines his child by taking away her favorite toy.
D)  A child sees other kids wearing their sweatshirts inside out and starts wearing his the same way.

Question 10

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?

Accepted Answer

A)  She had a different construal of her grade.
B)  She was directly persuaded.
C)  She used an explicit value.
D)  She exerted social influence on Melissa.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

A)  the bloomers really were better students than their peers.
B)  the teachers were motivated to prove that the researchers were right.
C)  the teachers were motivated to reward bloomers and punish the others.
D)  teachers' expectations were powerful in influencing the bloomers' behaviors.

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

A)  based on observations of human nature
B)  an experimental science
C)  a theoretical approach
D)  reliant on objective measurement

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

A)  perceive the situation as accurately as possible.
B)  save as many lives as possible.
C)  justify his previous actions.
D)  convince the taxpayers that a tax increase was necessary.

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

A)  overestimate; the situation
B)  overestimate; personal influence
C)  underestimate; personality characteristics
D)  underestimate; personal motivations

Question 15

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.

Accepted Answer

A)  a direct
B)  an ineffective
C)  an indirect
D)  an unintended

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

A)  there is no truly objective way to test reality.
B)  there are no universal laws governing human behavior.
C)  false beliefs are as likely to be promoted by their adherents as are true beliefs.
D)  the world is a complicated place,and different truths hold under different conditions.

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

A)  Why does absence make the heart grow fonder?
B)  Do outgoing people make better romantic partners?
C)  Is the capacity to love one of humanity's greatest achievements?
D)  Why are marriage rates decreasing in the lower classes?

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

A)  folk wisdom.
B)  philosophy.
C)  sociology.
D)  social psychology.

Question 19

One common goal of sociology and social psychology is to understand

Accepted Answer

A)  how individuals function in modern society.
B)  the processes of society at large.
C)  how individuals are influenced by other people.
D)  the influence of social factors on human behavior.

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

A)  seldom disagree with one another.
B)  ignore the notion of human consciousness.
C)  use science to test hypotheses about the social world.
D)  rely primarily on insight.

Exam 1: Introducing Social Psychology