Question 1

If people are primed with words related to the concept "elderly," what does research suggest they are likely to do?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If people are primed with words related...

Question 2

Which of the following statements is an implication of the research on the role of metaphor in social cognition?

Accepted Answer

The research on the role of metaphor in social cognition suggests that people construct an understanding of abstract ideas by drawing on their knowledge of sensory and motor experiences from very early in development. This implies that metaphor is not only a useful tool for individuals who are well-educated or think creatively, but rather a fundamental aspect of how humans think and understand the world around them. Option A is incorrect as it suggests that only certain individuals can benefit from metaphor use. Option C is incorrect as it oversimplifies the role of metaphor in understanding concrete concepts. Option D is incorrect as it suggests that metaphors are only activated subliminally, which is not necessarily true.

Question 3

Rodrigo is watching his favorite basketball team play an important game. When it comes to the number of potential penalties committed by his favored team, what does research suggest Rodrigo will likely perceive?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that fans tend to perceive fewer penalties committed by their favored team due to bias and emotional investment.

Question 4

Research suggests that people in a positive mood process information _____, while people in a negative mood process information _____.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that people in a positive mood tend to process information heuristically and experientially, relying more on shortcuts and past experiences. On the other hand, people in a negative mood tend to process information carefully and deliberately, paying more attention to details and using systematic processing. Therefore, option C, experientially and heuristically for positive mood and carefully and deliberately for negative mood, is the correct answer.

Question 5

At a cognitive level, metaphors allow people to make sense of _____ using their knowledge of _____.

Accepted Answer

Metaphors allow people to use their understanding of concrete concepts to make sense of abstract concepts. For example, we often talk about emotions in terms of physical sensations (e.g. a "heavy heart" or "butterflies in your stomach"), which helps us understand something intangible (emotions) by relating it to something concrete (physical sensations).

Question 6

What is the primary implication of the meaning maintenance model?

Accepted Answer

The primary implication of the meaning maintenance model is that when individuals are exposed to situations or information that seemingly have no clear meaning or purpose, they will strive to affirm familiar meanings and morals in unrelated areas of their life. This is done in order to maintain a sense of coherence, stability, and predictability in their belief systems.

Question 7

If a person is primed with words related to hunger, and they are then offered a candy bar by one of their friends, what does research on priming and motivation suggest will occur?

Accepted Answer

Priming with hunger-related words can increase the likelihood of eating if the person is already hungry, as it activates related motivations and behaviors.

Question 8

What does the existential perspective suggest is the reason why people are quite sensitive to even small violations of expected meanings?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does the existential perspective suggest is...

Question 9

_____ organize knowledge about a given idea, but _____ connect an idea to knowledge of a different type of thing.

Accepted Answer

Schemas organize knowledge about a given idea, such as a person's schema for "dog" containing information about their appearance, behavior, and typical environment. Metaphors, on the other hand, create connections between an idea and knowledge of a different type of thing, such as describing a loud noise as a "thunderous applause."

Question 10

What does current research suggest about the relationship between social cognition, emotion, and motivation?

Accepted Answer

Current research suggests that social cognition is influenced both by people's motivations and the emotions that they feel. For example, motivations such as affiliation and intimacy can influence how people perceive and process social information, and emotions such as fear and anger can influence the interpretation of social cues. This suggests that social cognition, emotion, and motivation are intertwined and can impact each other in complex ways.

Question 11

Research suggests that the more a person has invested _____ into an object of judgment, the more his or her _____ will influence his or her judgment.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research suggests that the more a person...

Question 12

Selena reads newspapers very frequently, and likes to follow high-profile criminal cases. At the time of the trial of Bernard Madoff for committing the largest financial fraud in U.S. history, Selena read almost every article that came out about the case. One day she was traveling. She read an article about Madoff in a filthy bus station on her way home, and then a similar article that evening sitting in her bright, clean house. Theory on metaphor's role in cognition suggests that Selena would have the HARSHEST opinion of Madoff in which setting?

Accepted Answer

According to the theory on metaphor's role in cognition, the physical environment can affect our emotional and cognitive responses. In this case, the dirty and uncomfortable bus station may trigger negative emotions in Selena, which can potentially lead to a harsher opinion of Madoff. Therefore, the setting would have an impact on Selena's opinion, and the harshest opinion would be formed in the bus station.

Question 13

In a study by Bless and colleagues (1990), students were presented with weak or strong arguments for tuition increases, after being put in either a positive or negative mood. What was the central finding of the study?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a study by Bless and colleagues...

Question 14

Which of the following motives is NOT a primary influence on our processes of social cognition?

Accepted Answer

The desire for cognitive uncertainty is not a primary influence on our processes of social cognition. The other three motives - the desire to be certain, the desire to maintain particular beliefs and attitudes, and the desire to be accurate - are all primary influences on our processes of social cognition.

Question 15

In the social cognition literature, a metaphor can be defined as:

Accepted Answer

A metaphor is a cognitive tool that allows people to understand an abstract concept in terms of a dissimilar, concrete concept. It is a way of making an abstract idea more relatable and understandable by comparing it to something that is more familiar. It goes beyond just using a simile to say that one thing is like another; it is a deeper comparison that helps people make connections and draw conclusions.

Question 16

In which of the following situations are people MOST likely to make a decision about another person based on the first information they are given, rather than considering all of the information they receive equally?

Accepted Answer

When people are under a time limit to make a decision, they may not have the luxury of considering all of the information they receive equally. Instead, they may rely on first impressions or initial information to make their decision quickly. This is known as the "halo effect," where the first impression a person gives creates a halo that influences how the person is viewed in the future.

Question 17

Leymah comes to a party in a generally bad mood, because before leaving her house she learned that her uncle (of whom she is quite fond) has fallen ill. Leymah is currently single, and at the party her friend Ellen introduces her to several people whom she thinks Leymah might be interested in dating. How does research suggest Leymah will interact with these potential dating partners?

Accepted Answer

The research suggests that when in a negative mood, individuals tend to think more critically and skeptically about potential partners. Therefore, Leymah is likely to be cautious and careful in her evaluations of each potential partner introduced to her by Ellen.

Question 18

In a study by Williams and Bargh (2008) on the role of metaphor in person perception, researchers found that:

Accepted Answer

The study found that people holding a warm coffee cup evaluated a stranger as more friendly than people holding a cold coffee cup. This suggests that the metaphor of physical warmth influencing social perceptions is a powerful one.

Question 19

Takashi often thinks about his life as a journey that he is taking. For example, he feels like he took a wrong turn when he started hanging out with some cruel friends in high school, but now that he's in college studying what interests him, he feels like he's back on the right path. It is MOST appropriate to say that Takashi is using a(n) _____ to understand his life.

Accepted Answer

Takashi is using a metaphor to understand his life. He is comparing his life to a journey and using this comparison to make sense of his experiences, such as taking a wrong turn and getting back on the right path.

Question 20

What is the definition of mood?

Accepted Answer

Mood is a more long-lasting state of affect than an emotion. It is a general, diffuse feeling state that can persist over time and can influence a person's perception and behavior.

Quiz 3: The Core Elements of Social Cognition