chapter 12 psychology

Zechariah is biracial. His mother is Caucasian and his father is African-American. Other people will likely categorize him as:

African-American.

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the effect of attitudes on behavior?

Attitudes do influence behavior in many instances.

Like all attitudes, prejudice involves:

both beliefs and emotions.

Seid's friends ask him to participate in some activities. He feels pressure to join them even though the adventures might not be in his best interest. Which of the following reasons might be strengthening Seid's conformity to the group?

He admires the group's status and attractiveness.

Joshua pleads not guilty at his trial for simple assault. A psychiatrist has testified that Joshua has a gene that has altered the brain area related to aggressive behavior. What is likely to happen?

The judge will give him a lighter sentence.

What might account for why, in college residence halls, students' attitudes become more similar to those living near them?

They may feel as though others in the residence hall are observing their behavior.

A(n) _____ is a learned tendency to evaluate some object, person, or issue in a particular way that may be positive, negative, or ambivalent.

attitude

Discrimination is a negative _____, whereas prejudice is a negative _____.

behavior; attitude

Prejudice is a mixture of three components, which are _____.

beliefs (stereotypes) 2. emotions (hostility/fear) 3. predispositions (to discriminate)

Ingrid is looking for a new car that is dependable and affordable. She would MOST likely be convinced to buy a particular car based on:

central route persuasion.

Professor Stewart wrote a very positive letter of recommendation for a student, despite his doubts about her competence. After writing the letter, he began to develop a more favorable attitude about the student's abilities. Professor Stewart's changing attitude is BEST explained by:

cognitive dissonance theory.

When people adjust their own behavior or thinking so that it coincides with a group standard, they are exhibiting:

conformity.

When reading the comments posted about a current Internet news story, Cheryl notices that many of them are racist. What might account for this?

deindividuation

Seven-year-old Peter's parents use harsh physical punishment and verbal intimidation to control his behavior. Based on research cited in the text, if his parents continue this type of discipline, Peter is more likely to:

demonstrate delinquent behavior in the future.

An unjustifiable behavior toward a group and its members is called _____.

discrimination

Deficits in the functioning of the brain's _____ are associated with aggression.

frontal lobe

When the temperature rises in the summer, the rates of violent crimes increase. This is BEST explained in terms of the _____ principle.

frustration-aggression

Shortly after learning he did not make it onto his high school football team, Alex vandalized the team's locker room and broke several of the school's windows. His behavior is BEST explained in terms of:

frustration-aggression principle.

The use of sex-selective abortions in Asian countries is an example of _____ prejudice.

gender

People with whom we share a common identity form a(n) _____.

ingroup

In the United States in the late 1980s, most Democrats believed inflation had risen under Republican president Ronald Reagan when in fact it had declined. This was likely a result of:

ingroup bias.

Which of the following is a social-cultural influence on aggressive behavior?

minimal father involvement in the lives of children

Those perceived as different or apart from one's group are the _____.

outgroup

Those perceived as different or apart from one's group are the:

outgroup

Considering the results of Solomon Asch's research, conformity to group judgments probably would be LEAST likely when:

participants are not observed by other group members when giving their answers.

Cynthia tells her friend that she thinks all African-American men look alike. This demonstrates how:

people often stereotype when categorizing people into groups.

The tendency to attribute the behavior of others to internal, personal characteristics while ignoring or underestimating the effects of external or situational factors is called:

the fundamental attribution error.

_____ is an unjustifiable, usually negative, attitude toward a group and its members

prejudice

DeWayne is a police officer. When he is off the job, he is an easygoing, fun-loving person who enjoys life. When he is on the job, he is a very stern, serious, and no-nonsense police officer. DeWayne's professional behavior is an example of a:

role

After the attacks on the United States in 2001, some Americans boycotted Arab-American stores and lashed out at any Middle-Eastern person they saw. This behavior is BEST explained in terms of:

scapegoat theory.

Dr. Perez is conducting research about how people form impressions of others and how they interpret each other's behavior in a variety of situations. Dr. Perez is probably a(n) _____ psychologist.

social

Thomas enjoys watching violent pornography. When he goes out with a woman, he expects her to be submissive to his sexual demands; when he is turned down, he becomes violent. Research suggests that his beliefs about using coercion in sexual relations were formed by:

social scripts.

People who are happily married will attribute a spouse's cutting remarks to a _____, whereas people who are NOT happily married will attribute such remarks to a _____.

temporary situation; mean disposition

_____ circulates in the bloodstream to influence the neural systems that control aggression.

testosterone

Marilyn thinks a strict class attendance policy is an indication of her professor's overly controlling personality. Her judgment BEST illustrates:

the fundamental attribution error.

While visiting a concentration camp shortly after World War II, one German civilian is said to have remarked, "What terrible criminals these prisoners must have been to receive such treatment." This reaction is BEST explained in terms of:

the just-world phenomenon.

Cognitive dissonance theory states that to reduce dissonance, individuals tend to:

try to align their attitudes and behavior.