Question 1

According to the authors, when we are angry, it is best to __________.

Accepted Answer

According to the authors, it is best to express our anger in an assertive way and state the reason behind it, rather than suppressing it or lashing out in a counterproductive way.

Question 2

Recall that Feshbach and Feshbach (2009) implemented a thirty-hour program in the Los Angeles schools designed to teach students empathy and perspective-taking skills. Which of the following behavior and characteristics were NOT improved through this program?

Accepted Answer

The Feshbach and Feshbach program was not designed to target or improve symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, so choice B is the correct answer. The program aimed to improve empathy, perspective-taking, and social skills, which could indirectly impact self-esteem, aggression, and potentially academic achievement, but there is no specific mention of improvement in academic achievement in the given information.

Question 3

A researcher (Pennebaker, 1990) asked people who had experienced a traumatic event to describe the event and how they experienced it. Six months later, he found that these people __________.

Accepted Answer

The study found that individuals who wrote about their traumatic experiences had improved physical health six months later compared to the control group who did not write. The study did not assess frustration or attributional styles.

Question 4

In a study described in the text, students who are trained to resolve conflict in nonaggressive ways, were studied 10 years after their training. They were exposed to a game situation where their opponent cheated them out of points. What happened to the participants when they discovered their points had been stolen?

Accepted Answer

The text states that the students who were trained to resolve conflict in nonaggressive ways were "less aggressive and had reduced testosterone reactivity" when their opponent cheated them out of points. This suggests that they were able to handle the situation in a calmer and more controlled manner, possibly using the conflict resolution strategies they had been trained in. Therefore, choice B is the correct answer.

Question 5

The research (Pennebaker, 1990) on "opening up" about the experience of traumatic events finds that expressing one's thoughts and feelings about these events is helpful primarily because __________.

Accepted Answer

Expressing thoughts and feelings about traumatic events helps primarily by fostering insights and increased self-awareness, as it allows individuals to process their experiences, understand them better, and integrate these understandings into their sense of self.

Question 6

__________ is to aggression as __________ is to cooperation.

Accepted Answer

Dehumanization, which involves denying the humanity of others, can lead to aggression, while empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, fosters cooperation.

Question 7

You've arrived half an hour late to pick up a friend. She was scheduled to take an examination, and even if you speed on the way to the university, she will now lose at least twenty minutes of the time she needs to complete the exam. According to the authors, what is the best thing to say when you arrive?

Accepted Answer

The best thing to do in this situation is to take responsibility for being late and apologize sincerely. This shows respect for your friend's time and commitment to her education. Option B may be a nice gesture, but it doesn't address the actual issue of being late. Option C is dismissive of the importance of the exam and can come across as insensitive. Option D is not a valid excuse for being late and does not show empathy for your friend's situation.

Question 8

Research has explained why men are less likely to apologize. Why is that?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that men have higher thresholds than women for what they perceive as offensive behavior that requires an apology.

Question 9

According to research on the effects of apologies in reducing later aggression, which of the following statements is true about the effects of apologies? Apologies __________.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that apologies that are sincere and include an explanation are the most effective in reducing later aggression. This is because it signals to the victim that the offender understands the harm they caused and is less likely to repeat the behavior. Apologies that include an offer of reparation or restitution can further increase their effectiveness in reducing aggression. Public apologies may have some benefits in terms of restoring the offender's public reputation, but they are not necessarily more effective in reducing aggression than private apologies. Additionally, apologies can serve to reduce dissonance in both the giver and receiver, but this is not the primary reason for their effectiveness in reducing aggression.

Question 10

__________ is to aggression as __________ is to peaceable solutions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of __________ is to aggression as __________ is...

Question 11

__________ refers to the ability to experience events and emotions the way that another person does.

Accepted Answer

Empathy refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It involves being able to put oneself in another's shoes and experience their emotions. Sympathy, on the other hand, involves feeling sorry for someone's situation without necessarily understanding how they feel. Identification refers to the process of seeing oneself in another person, while communion refers to a sense of unity or fellowship with others.

Question 12

The phenomenon of "road rage" has been given increasing attention by print and electronic media. Briefly, road rage involves retaliations against other drivers (e.g., shooting, running them off the road) that far exceed their offenses (e.g., driving too slowly, tailgating). You're designing next year's model cars, and have just read Chapter 12 (Aggression). What new design feature might you suggest?

Accepted Answer

Providing a second horn that makes a funny "I'm sorry" noise would be a positive addition to the car design. It could help diffuse tense situations and potentially prevent acts of road rage. A louder stereo system or a more threatening horn could potentially escalate already dangerous situations. Bulletproof glass is not a practical or feasible solution for preventing road rage.

Question 13

Why is empathy training a good antidote to aggression? Empathy makes it __________.

Accepted Answer

Empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of others, which makes it harder for us to derogate or dehumanize our victims. When we see them as real people with emotions and experiences, we are less likely to act aggressively towards them.

Question 14

To try and increase a child's ability to take the perspective of others and hence increase his or her empathic concern, one could ask that child to answer questions like __________.

Accepted Answer

Asking a child to consider what each person in their house would like best for Christmas encourages them to think from the perspectives of others, fostering empathic concern by putting themselves in someone else's shoes.

Question 15

Who would be most likely to expect an apology?

Accepted Answer

Different cultures have different expectations when it comes to apologies. French culture, for example, places high importance on politeness and formalities, which means that Samantha, who is French, would be more likely to expect an apology.

Question 16

According to Pennebaker (1990), talking about our angry feelings and their sources can be physically and psychologically beneficial because __________.

Accepted Answer

Pennebaker's research suggests that talking about our emotions can lead to increased insight and self-awareness, which can be beneficial both psychologically and physically. This suggests that option B is the most accurate. Options A and C might be possible outcomes of discussing our emotions, but they are not the primary reason why discussing our emotions might be beneficial. Option D, "opening up" and venting reducing aggressive impulses, is not supported by Pennebaker's research.

Question 17

Dehumanizing an enemy (e.g., referring to Germans as "Krauts" or Japanese as "Nips" or "Japs" during World War II or referring to Vietnamese as "gooks" during the Vietnam War) can contribute to further aggression and even wartime atrocities by __________.

Accepted Answer

Dehumanizing an enemy reduces our ability to empathize with them, making it easier to justify aggressive and violent actions towards them. This can contribute to further aggression and even wartime atrocities.

Question 18

You are trying to reach the glove compartment and drive at the same time and end up "tapping" the bumper of the driver in front of you. When you both get out to survey the damage, you apologize saying, "It's my fault; I should have been paying closer attention to driving. I'm sorry." What is the other motorist likely to do in response, according to the authors of your text?

Accepted Answer

According to the authors of the text, taking responsibility and apologizing can help to diffuse anger and tension in a situation like this. Therefore, it is likely that the other motorist will become less angry about the situation if you apologize and take responsibility. However, it's impossible to predict someone's exact behavior, so we cannot rule out options A or D completely. Option B is clearly not a likely response in this situation.

Question 19

Your boss is upset at you for being late so often. Assuming you've already apologized, if you wanted to assuage your boss's anger, one good strategy is to __________.

Accepted Answer

Showing empathy towards your boss can help them understand your situation and allow them to see your perspective. This may help to ease their anger and frustration towards you. Giving them a punching bag or yelling at them will likely only escalate the situation.

Question 20

Researchers (Ohbuchi, Ohno, & Mukai, 1993) found that participants were less likely to administer shocks to another person when that person had previously disclosed something personal about him- or herself. According to the authors of your textbook, why is that?

Accepted Answer

Personal information can make it easier to empathize with another, which can decrease the likelihood of aggression.

Quiz 12: Aggression: Why Do We Hurt Other People Can We Prevent It