chapter 16 study guide ap psych
How does our explanation of strangers' behavior differ from that of our own behavior?
We explain strangers' behavior in terms of personality traits and our own behavior in terms of situational constraints.
Ksana insists that her boyfriend's car accident resulted from his carelessness. Her explanation for the accident provides an example of
a dispositional attribution
Deindividuation refers to
a loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity
Politicians who publicly oppose a tax increase that they privately favor best illustrate that
actions may sometimes be inconsistent with attitudes.
Studies of role-playing most directly highlight the effects of
actions on attitudes
conformity is best described as
adjusting one's behavior or thinking toward a group standard
Prejudice is best defined as
an unjustifiable attitude toward a group and its members
the fundamental attribution error is most likely to lead observers to conclude that unemployed people
are irresponsible and unmotivated
The presence of others does not always lead to social facilitation because
arousal encourages performance of the most likely response
a life insurance salesperson who takes advantage of the foot in the door phenomenon would be most likely to
ask customers to respond to a brief survey of their attitudes regarding life insurance.
An example of the fundamental attribution error is illustrated in our tendency to underestimate the extent to which others' behavior is influenced by
assigned roles
In order to analyze how people explain others' behavior, Fritz Heider developed:
attribution theory
Our attitudes are more likely to guide our actions when we
can easily recall our attitudes
Feeling responsible for behavior that violates our conscience is most likely to contribute to
cognitive dissonance
The discomfort we feel when two thoughts are inconsistent is called
cognitive dissonance
fernando's favorable attitude toward capital punishment began to change when he was asked to offer arguments opposing it in a university debate class. his attitude change is best explained by ________ theory.
cognitive dissonance
During a test, Abe impulsively copied several answers from a nearby student's paper. He felt very uncomfortable about having done this until he convinced himself that copying answers is not wrong if classmates are careless enough to expose their test sheets. Which theory best explains why Abe adopted this new attitude?
cognitive dissonance theory
Which theory best explains why our actions can lead us to modify our attitudes?
cognitive dissonance theory
After an exciting football game in which the home team loses by one point, angry fans throw bottles and begin to tear up the field. This behavior is best understood in terms of
deindividuation
Masked bandits might be more likely than unmasked bandits to physically injure their victims due to
deindividuation
When New York University women were dressed in Ku Klux Klan-style hoods, they demonstrated significantly more aggression. This finding is best explained in terms of
deindividuation
individuals who are normally law abiding may vandalize and loot when they become part of a mob. this change in behavior is best understood in terms of
deindividuation
When participants in Milgram's study were later surveyed about taking part in the research, most reported that they
did not regret taking part in the experiment
Refusing to hire qualified job applicants because of the color of their skin is to engage in
discrimination
Fritz Heider concluded that people tend to attribute others' behavior either to their
dispositions or their situations
Solomon Asch reported that individuals conformed to a group's judgment of the lengths of lines
even when the group judgment was clearly incorrect.
Social loafing refers to the tendency for people to
exert less effort when they are pooling their efforts toward a common goal
in which of the following groups is social loafing least likely
factory workers who are each paid on the basis of the number of bicycles each assembles individually
After giving in to her friends' request that she drink alcohol with them, 16-year-old Jessica found that she couldn't resist the pressure they exerted on her to try heroin. Her experience best illustrates:
foot-in-the-door phenomenon
After they had first agreed to display a 3-inch "Be a Safe Driver" sign, California home owners were highly likely to permit the installation of a very large and unattractive "Drive Carefully" sign in their front yards. This best illustrates
foot-in-the-door phenomenon
The impact of our actions on our attitudes is best illustrated by the:
foot-in-the-door phenomenon
Normative social influence results from peoples' desire to
gain social approval
By providing prospective terrorists with electronic "chat rooms" for interfacing online with others who share their attitudes, the Internet most likely serves as a medium for
group polarization
If the political conservatism of students who join fraternities and sororities is greater than that of students who do not, the gap in the political attitudes of the two groups will probably widen as they progress through college. This would be best explained in terms of
group polarization
Nora, Ko, Ian, and May each think that Ms. Akey may be a slightly better teacher than Mr. Schwenke. After discussing why each of them believes this to be so, they all conclude that Ms. Akey is definitely a much better teacher than Mr. Schwenke. This episode provides an example of
group polarization
Professors Maksoud, Struthers, and Vasic each tend to think that obtaining a university degree is easier today than it was when they were students. After discussing the matter over coffee, they are even more convinced that obtaining a degree is easier today. This episode provides an example of
group polarization
An overwhelming desire for harmony in a decision-making group increases the probability of
groupthink
The NASA executive who made the final decision to launch the space shuttle Challenger was shielded from information and dissenting views that might have led to a delay of the tragic launch. This best illustrates the dangers of
groupthink
The ill-fated decision of President John F. Kennedy and his advisors to invade Cuba best illustrates the dangers of
groupthink
attribution theory was designed to account for
how people explain others' behavior
People are especially likely to demonstrate the fundamental attribution error in cultures that value
individualism
After hearing respected medical authorities lecture about the value of regular exercise, Raul, who has rarely exercised, begins to jog regularly. The change in Raul's behavior best illustrates the impact of
informational social influence
Conformity resulting from the acceptance of others' opinions about reality is said to be a response to
informational social influence
When the task of correctly identifying an individual in a slide of a four-person lineup was both difficult and important, participants in an experiment were especially likely to conform to others' wrong answers. This best illustrates the impact of
informational social influence
Groupthink can be prevented by a leader who
invites outside experts to critique a group's developing plans.
social loafing has been found to be especially noticeable among
men in cultures that value individualism
A culture that promotes individualism is most likely to encourage
nonconformity
Conformity resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval is said to be a response to
normative social influence
Kentaro hates to wear ties but wears one to his sister's wedding to avoid his family's disapproval. Kentaro's behavior exemplifies the importance of
normative social influence
Luella publicly agrees with her seventh-grade classmates that parents should allow 13-year-olds to date. Later that day, she writes in her diary that she actually believes parents should prohibit kids from dating until they are at least 15 years old. Luella's public conformity to her classmates' opinion best illustrates the power of
normative social influence
Professor Maslova attends faculty meetings simply to gain the approval of the college dean. Professor Maslova's behavior exemplifies the importance of
normative social influence
Toby publicly agrees with his fraternity brothers that Ahmed, a senior, would make the best student senate president. On the secret ballot, however, he actually votes for Yoram. Toby's public conformity to his fraternity brothers' opinion best illustrates the power of
normative social influence
social facilitation refers to the tendency to
perform well-learned tasks more effectively in the presence of others
a dispositional attribution is to ________ as a situational attribution is to ________.
personality traits; assigned roles
An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members is called
prejudice
Students who were told that a young woman had been instructed to act in a very unfriendly way for the purposes of the experiment concluded that her behavior
reflected her personal disposition
Philip Zimbardo devised a simulated prison and randomly assigned college students to serve as prisoners or guards. This experiment best illustrated the impact of
role playing on attitudes
After she was promoted to a high-level executive position in the large company for which she worked, Jorana developed more pro-business political attitudes. This best illustrates the impact of ________ on attitudes.
role-playing
Vanna is tempted to shoplift a gold necklace even though she has negative feelings about shoplifting. Vanna is least likely to steal the merchandise if:
she is highly aware of her negative feelings about shoplifting.
In explaining our own behavior or the behavior of those we know well, we often resort to
situational attributions
After a light turns green, drivers take about 15 percent less time to travel the first 100 yards when another car is beside them at the intersection than when they are alone. This best illustrates
social facilitation
Expert pool players were observed to make 71 percent of their shots when alone. When four people watched them, they made 80 percent of their shots. This best illustrates
social facilitation
norman triplett observed that adolescents wound a fishing reel faster in the presence of someone working simultaneously on the same task. this best illustrates
social facilitation
Blindfolded subjects were observed to clap louder when they thought they were clapping alone than when they thought they were clapping with others. This best illustrates
social loafing
The tendency for people to exert less effort when they are pooling their efforts toward a common goal is known as:
social loafing
University students were observed to pull harder on a rope when they thought they were pulling alone than when they thought three others were pulling with them on the same rope. This best illustrates:
social loafing
class members are asked to work cooperatively in groups on major course papers. every member of a group is to receive exactly the same grade based on the quality of the groups paper. this situation is most likely to lead to
social loafing
Which branch of psychology is most directly concerned with the study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another?
social psychology
on which of the following tasks would the presence of observers be least likely to lead to better and faster performance
solving a crossword puzzle
Arturo believes that most young women from California are extremely good-looking and that extremely good-looking women are usually selfish and egotistical. His beliefs are examples of
stereotypes
The text indicates that the clusters of teenage suicides that occasionally occur in some communities may be the result of
suggestibility
the text indicates that the clusters of suicides that sometimes follow a highly publicized suicide may be the result of
suggestibility
In all of Milgram's obedience experiments, participants were deceived about
the amount of shock the victim actually received
Magazine computer ads seldom feature endorsements from Hollywood stars or great athletes. Instead, they offer detailed information for consumers to develop more positive opinions about the company's products. This advertising strategy best illustrates
the central route persuasion
If one student in a classroom begins to cough, others are likely to do the same. This best illustrates
the chameleon effect
The experience of empathy is most directly facilitated by:
the chameleon effect
group polarization refers to
the enhancement of a group's prevailing attitudes through group discussion.
in milgram's obedience experiments, "teachers" exhibited a somewhat lower level of compliance with an experimenter's orders when
the experiment was not associated with a prestigious institution like Yale University.
The gradually escalating levels of destructive obedience in the Milgram experiments best illustrate one of the potential dangers of
the foot-in-the-door phenomenon
The tendency for initial compliance with a small request to facilitate subsequent compliance with a larger request is known as the
the foot-in-the-door phenomenon
When a salesperson visits your home and asks you to try a free sample of a cleaning fluid, you agree. When he returns the following week and asks you to purchase an assortment of expensive cleaning products, you make the purchase. The salesperson appears to have made effective use of
the foot-in-the-door phenomenon
cognitive dissonance theory is most helpful for understanding
the foot-in-the-door phenomenon
in order to "brainwash" captured american soldiers during the korean war, chinese communists made effective use of
the foot-in-the-door phenomenon
A tendency to overestimate the extent to which a stranger's violent behavior stems from his or her aggressive personality best illustrates
the fundamental attribution error
Carol is restless during class because her professor's distressed facial expressions lead her to believe that he dislikes teaching. The professor, on the other hand, is distressed because he sees Carol's restlessness as an indication that she lacks any motivation to learn. At this point, both student and professor should be informed of the dangers of
the fundamental attribution error
Recognizing the powerful impact of social influence on others' behaviors is most likely to minimize
the fundamental attribution error
The tendency for observers to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal dispositions on another's behavior is called
the fundamental attribution error
Professor Jones is a member of the faculty committee on academic standards. He personally disagrees with the other committee members' proposed plan to begin accepting students with below-average grades. Professor Jones is most likely to vote in favor of their plan if
the other committee members are unanimous in their opinion.
in 1942, reserve police officers obeyed orders to kill some 1500 jews in the village of jozefow, poland. this incident illustrated that people are most likely to be destructively obedient when
they perceive their orders to come from legitimate authority figures
The text defines social psychology as the scientific study of how people ________ one another.
think about, influence, and relate to
research indicates that minorities are most influential when they
unswervingly stick to their position
Rhonda has just learned that her neighbor Patricia was involved in an automobile accident at a nearby intersection. The tendency to make the fundamental attribution error may lead Rhonda to conclude
"Patricia's recklessness has finally gotten her into trouble."
which of the following comments is most likely to be made by the leader of a group characterized by groupthink
"We have been united on matters in the past and I hope that will continue."
How does the presence of observers affect a person's performance?
It improves performance on easy tasks and hinders a person's performance on difficult tasks
Anton is the only juror to favor acquittal of the defendant in a murder trial. To influence the majority he should
be self-confident and consistent in expressing his viewpoint
Attitudes are ________ that guide behavior.
belief-based feelings
in milgram's first study of obedience, the majority of "teachers" who were ordered to shock a "learner"
complied fully and delivered the highest level of shock
The foot-in-the-door phenomenon refers to the tendency to
comply with a large request if one has previously complied with a small request
Solomon Asch asked people to identify which of three comparison lines was identical to a standard line. His research was designed to study
conformity
on which of the following tasks would the presence of others be most likely to lead to improved performance
counting backward from 10 to 1