Question 1

Based on a pleasant interaction with a Jamaican, Rita believes that all Jamaicans are nice, pleasant people. Rita ___________ Jamaicans.
A)has formed a stereotype about
B)has formed a primary impression about
C)has formed a self-fulfilling prophecy about
D)is prejudiced toward

Accepted Answer

Rita has formed a stereotype about Jamaicans based on a single pleasant interaction, generalizing that all Jamaicans are nice and pleasant. This is a classic example of stereotyping, where one assumes that all members of a group share the same characteristics based on limited experiences.

Question 2

In the study conducted by John Darley and Paget Gross (1983) that was discussed in the text, subjects saw a video of a young girl named Hannah and were asked to rate her academic potential. They found that the ability of a young girl was judged to be lower when ________.
A)participants' levels of cognitive dissonance were increased
B)consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus were all high
C)participants were told that she had a disadvantaged or blue-collar background
D)participants perceived the girl to be less attractive and less similar to them

Accepted Answer

The study by John Darley and Paget Gross found that participants judged Hannah's academic potential to be lower when they were told she came from a disadvantaged or blue-collar background, demonstrating how social and economic contexts can influence perceptions of ability.

Question 3

Bem's (1972) self-perception theory places an emphasis on ________.
A)cognitive dissonance
B)evaluative dissonance
C)observing our own behaviour
D)attitudes predicting behaviour

Accepted Answer

Bem's self-perception theory suggests that individuals come to understand their own attitudes and emotions by observing their own behavior and the situations in which this behavior occurs, rather than through inner introspection.

Question 4

Attitudes are relatively good predictors of future behaviour when people have positive attitudes toward their behaviour, when subjective norms support their attitudes, and when they believe that their behaviour is under personal control. This is known as ________.
A)the 'just world' phenomenon
B)the self-perception theory
C)the consonance theory
D)the theory of planned behaviour

Accepted Answer

The theory of planned behaviour suggests that attitudes are good predictors of future behaviour when the individual has a positive attitude towards the behaviour, perceives social support (subjective norms) for the behaviour, and believes they have control over the behaviour. This theory integrates the role of intention as a mediator between attitude and actual behaviour, emphasizing the importance of perceived behavioural control.

Question 5

Which of the following is most likely to generate attitude change?
A)Counter-attitudinal behaviour that is freely chosen
B)Counter-attitudinal behaviour that happens from social pressure
C)Consistent attitudes and behaviours
D)Consistent attitudes and emotions

Accepted Answer

Counter-attitudinal behavior that is freely chosen is most likely to generate attitude change because it involves engaging in behavior that is inconsistent with one's current attitude, leading to cognitive dissonance. When the behavior is freely chosen, the individual is more likely to change their attitude to align with their actions to resolve the dissonance.

Question 6

According to the text, a(n) __________ is a positive or negative evaluative reaction toward a stimulus.
A)attitude
B)social norm
C)stereotype
D)attribution

Accepted Answer

An attitude is defined as a positive or negative evaluative reaction toward a stimulus, such as a person, object, or concept.

Question 7

The study conducted by Richard LaPiere in 1934 using a young Chinese couple as participants demonstrated that ________.
A)people in the United States were highly prejudiced against Asians at that time
B)normative social influence is largely responsible for prejudiced attitudes
C)people's attitudes did not correlate well with their actual behaviours
D)much prejudicial behaviour appears to be motivated by stereotype threats

Accepted Answer

LaPiere's study showed a significant discrepancy between the prejudiced attitudes people expressed and their actual behavior towards the Chinese couple, indicating that people's attitudes did not correlate well with their behaviors.

Question 8

Most people have attitudes toward recycling, but people may not always be aware of these attitudes. If a city puts up several billboards that say "WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT RECYCLING?" (making people more aware of their attitudes), you would expect ________.
A)more recycling behaviours
B)fewer recycling behaviours
C)no change in recycling behaviours
D)changes in driving habits

Accepted Answer

Making people more aware of their attitudes towards recycling is likely to lead to more recycling behaviors, as it encourages individuals to reflect on their views and potentially act in alignment with positive attitudes towards recycling.

Question 9

Studies have indicated that attitudes are good predictors of behaviours when people are ______________ of their attitudes and when the attitudes are _____________ held.
A)not aware; strongly
B)not aware; not strongly
C)aware; strongly
D)aware; not strongly

Accepted Answer

Attitudes are better predictors of behaviors when individuals are conscious of their attitudes and when these attitudes are held with conviction. Being aware allows for deliberate action based on those attitudes, and strong conviction means the attitudes are likely to influence behavior consistently.

Question 10

Which of the following occurs when people's incorrect expectations are confirmed when they relate to other people in a way that brings about the very behaviours they expect, thereby confirming their original beliefs?
A)Social facilitation
B)Informational social influence
C)Peripheral route persuasion
D)Self-fulfilling prophecy

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is known as a self-fulfilling prophecy, where an individual's expectations about another person or entity eventually lead to the expected behavior or outcome, thus confirming the original expectation.

Question 11

Counter-attitudinal behaviours change attitudes because they generate an uncomfortable state of tension according to the theory of _______________, whereas the ________________ argues that the same changes are the product of logically inferring attitudes based on the observation of behaviour.
A)cognitive dissonance; self-perception theory
B)cognitive dissonance; theory of planned behaviour
C)self-perception; cognitive dissonance theory
D)realistic conflict; cognitive dissonance theory

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that counter-attitudinal behaviors cause discomfort leading to attitude change, while self-perception theory posits that individuals infer their attitudes by observing their own behavior.

Question 12

Suppose that someone has just opened a new restaurant near your school, and you have been convinced to walk around for 3 hours on a very hot day carrying a big, obnoxious, heavy sign advertising this restaurant. According to ______________, you would probably rate this activity as the most enjoyable (or the least boring) if someone paid you ___________ to do it.
A)the cognitive dissonance theory; $1
B)the self-fulfilling prophecy; $100
C)the self-fulfilling prophecy; $1
D)the cognitive dissonance theory; $100

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when there is a discrepancy between our beliefs and our actions, we will change one to match the other to reduce discomfort. If you are paid only $1 for a task that is unpleasant and difficult, you are likely to justify the effort by altering your perception of the activity to be more positive, because the external reward (money) is not sufficient to explain why you engaged in the task. This leads to a greater internal justification for the action.

Question 13

If you wanted to predict whether someone would buy Tropicana orange juice, you should assess the attitudes toward ________.
A)fruit juices
B)oranges
C)orange juice
D)Tropicana orange juice

Accepted Answer

To predict whether someone would buy Tropicana orange juice specifically, it's most accurate to assess their attitudes toward Tropicana orange juice itself, as this directly reflects their perception and potential purchasing behavior regarding the brand in question.

Question 14

Parents warn a new babysitter that their child is very aggressive and loud. As a result of this initial expectation, the babysitter behaves in such a way that these very behaviours are evoked from the child, thus confirming what the sitter was initially told. This example best demonstrates the phenomenon called ________.
A)the self-fulfilling prophecy
B)the self-serving bias
C)the fundamental attribution error
D)social loafing

Accepted Answer

The self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when an individual's expectations about someone else lead to the enactment of behaviors that confirm those expectations. In this case, the babysitter's expectation of the child being aggressive and loud leads to interactions that provoke those very behaviors, thus confirming the initial expectation.

Question 15

When forming impressions of people, how people tend to attach more importance to initial information that is learned about a person refers to the ___________ effect.
A)recency effect
B)stereotype effect
C)primacy effect
D)source effect

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect describes the tendency for individuals to remember and give more importance to information that they learn first about someone, compared to information that comes later.

Question 16

A generalized belief about a group or a category of people is best known as a ________________.
A)social norm
B)mental set
C)schema
D)stereotype

Accepted Answer

A stereotype is a generalized belief about a group or category of people, often oversimplified and not accounting for individual differences within the group.

Question 17

Cognitive dissonance is more likely to occur when a person feels that her actions are ___________ and when the counter-attitudinal behaviour __________ her sense of self-worth.
A)freely chosen; threatens
B)freely chosen; enhance
C)coerced; threatens
D)coerced; enhances

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a conflict between one's beliefs and actions, especially when actions are freely chosen and threaten one's sense of self-worth, leading to discomfort and a motivation to reduce the dissonance.

Question 18

The term "self-fulfilling prophecy" specifically refers to the instances in which people ________.
A)act in ways that confirm their beliefs about themselves
B)act toward others in a way that brings about the expected behaviours
C)tend to attribute their successes to personal factors
D)tend to attribute their failures to situational factors

Accepted Answer

A self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when a person's expectations about another person or situation lead them to act in ways that cause the expected behavior to occur, thereby confirming the original expectation.

Question 19

The tendency to be more alert to the information that is received first and the tendency of using this initial information to shape how subsequent information is to be perceived are both most relevant while explaining ________.
A)the primacy effect
B)social facilitation
C)the fundamental attribution error
D)the self-serving bias

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect refers to the tendency to remember and give more weight to information that we encounter first, influencing how we perceive and interpret information that comes later. This effect explains why first impressions are so powerful and can shape our perceptions and judgments in various contexts.

Question 20

According to Leon Festinger, when two or more cognitions are inconsistent with or contradict one another, an uncomfortable state of tension called cognitive ______________ results.
A)friction
B)conflict
C)discord
D)dissonance

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance is the term coined by Leon Festinger to describe the uncomfortable tension that comes from holding two conflicting thoughts at the same time.

Quiz 13: Behaviour in a Social Context

Based on a pleasant interaction with a Jamaican, Rita believes that all Jamaicans are nice, pleasant people. Rita ___________ Jamaicans.

In the study conducted by John Darley and Paget Gross (1983) that was discussed in the text, subjects saw a video of a young girl named Hannah and were asked to rate her academic potential. They found that the ability of a young girl was judged to be lower when ________.

Bem's (1972) self-perception theory places an emphasis on ________.

Attitudes are relatively good predictors of future behaviour when people have positive attitudes toward their behaviour, when subjective norms support their attitudes, and when they believe that their behaviour is under personal control. This is known as ________.

Which of the following is most likely to generate attitude change?

According to the text, a(n) __________ is a positive or negative evaluative reaction toward a stimulus.

The study conducted by Richard LaPiere in 1934 using a young Chinese couple as participants demonstrated that ________.

Most people have attitudes toward recycling, but people may not always be aware of these attitudes. If a city puts up several billboards that say "WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT RECYCLING?" (making people more aware of their attitudes) , you would expect ________.

Studies have indicated that attitudes are good predictors of behaviours when people are __ of their attitudes and when the attitudes are _ held.

Which of the following occurs when people's incorrect expectations are confirmed when they relate to other people in a way that brings about the very behaviours they expect, thereby confirming their original beliefs?

Counter-attitudinal behaviours change attitudes because they generate an uncomfortable state of tension according to the theory of _, whereas the __ argues that the same changes are the product of logically inferring attitudes based on the observation of behaviour.

If you wanted to predict whether someone would buy Tropicana orange juice, you should assess the attitudes toward ________.

When forming impressions of people, how people tend to attach more importance to initial information that is learned about a person refers to the ___________ effect.

A generalized belief about a group or a category of people is best known as a ________________.

Cognitive dissonance is more likely to occur when a person feels that her actions are _ and when the counter-attitudinal behaviour her sense of self-worth.

The term "self-fulfilling prophecy" specifically refers to the instances in which people ________.

The tendency to be more alert to the information that is received first and the tendency of using this initial information to shape how subsequent information is to be perceived are both most relevant while explaining ________.

According to Leon Festinger, when two or more cognitions are inconsistent with or contradict one another, an uncomfortable state of tension called cognitive ______________ results.