Question 1

Before Dr. Smith's receptionist led a new patient into his dental office she told him that the little girl was not very bright. Armed with this information, Dr. Smith did not pay much attention when the little girl asked him questions about the examination after he had finished. He didn't really believe she would understand his explanations. Dr. Smith had ________________ of less intelligent people.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Smith had a stereotype of less intelligent people, which led him to prejudge the little girl's capabilities based on the receptionist's comment, affecting his interaction with her.

Question 2

When people's incorrect expectations are confirmed and they relate to other people in a way that brings about the very behaviours they expect, thereby confirming their original beliefs, then a _______________ has occurred.

Accepted Answer

This describes a self-fulfilling prophecy, where an individual's expectations about another person or entity eventually lead to the expected behavior becoming a reality, thus confirming the original expectations.

Question 3

Under which of the following conditions do attitudes best predict behaviour?

Accepted Answer

Attitudes are more likely to predict behavior accurately when specific attitudes are used to predict specific behaviors. This specificity alignment ensures that the attitude in question is directly relevant to the behavior being predicted, leading to a stronger predictive relationship.

Question 4

When Sarah takes her new boyfriend home to meet her parents she is very nervous. Trying to explain that he is anxious about the meeting, she introduces Brendon, telling her parents that he is anxious, nervous, and very quiet. Later on, after having calmed down considerably, when her brother comes home she introduces Brendon as quiet because of his nervousness and anxiety about meeting her family. Based on the primacy effect, which of the following will be true about Brendon's impression on Sarah's parents and her brother?

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect suggests that information presented first is usually remembered better or has more influence on perception than information that comes later. In this scenario, Sarah's parents were introduced to Brendon with three descriptors: anxious, nervous, and very quiet, which might create a more negative impression. Her brother, however, only heard Brendon described as "quiet" due to his nervousness and anxiety, which could be perceived more neutrally or even positively compared to the more negative descriptors of "anxious" and "nervous." Therefore, her brother might have a more favorable impression because the introduction focused on a less negative trait.

Question 5

Researchers have determined that general attitudes do best when used to predict __________ behaviours.

Accepted Answer

General attitudes are more effective in predicting general behaviors rather than specific actions, extreme behaviors, or stereotypic behaviors. This is because general attitudes reflect an individual's overall disposition or tendency towards something, making them more aligned with broad patterns of behavior rather than specific instances.

Question 6

Suppose you are told that a guest lecturer who will be coming to your class is rather aloof and cold. When the lecturer does come, you find that the lecturer behaves in a way that is consistent with the expectations you have been given. While it may be that the lecturer is in fact cold and aloof, which of the following additional conclusions is most likely?

Accepted Answer

Your conclusions were likely influenced by the activation of a specific schema, which is a mental structure that organizes your knowledge and expectations about something, in this case, the lecturer's behavior. This preconceived notion influenced how you interpreted their actions.

Question 7

When we are unaware of the role that our behaviour played in shaping another person's behaviour and we then interpret the other person's behaviour as evidence that our expectation of the other person was correct all along, a __________________ is said to have occurred.

Accepted Answer

This describes a self-fulfilling prophecy, where an individual's expectations about another person or situation lead to behaviors that cause those expectations to come true.

Question 8

The tendency to be more alert to information that is received first and the tendency for initial information to shape how subsequent information is perceived may both help to explain

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect refers to the tendency to remember and give more weight to information that is received first, influencing how subsequent information is perceived and remembered. This is why initial information can shape our perceptions and judgments.

Question 9

According to this theory, attitudes are relatively good predictors of future behaviour when people have positive attitudes towards their behaviours, when subjective norms support their attitudes, and when they believe that behaviours are under their personal control. This is the ______________.

Accepted Answer

The Theory of Planned Behavior suggests that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control work together to shape an individual's behavioral intentions and behaviors. This theory posits that when people have positive attitudes towards a behavior, believe that significant others desire them to perform the behavior (subjective norms), and feel that the behavior is under their personal control, they are more likely to intend to perform and actually perform the behavior.

Question 10

A positive or negative evaluative reaction towards a stimulus is a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

Attitudes are defined as positive or negative evaluative reactions towards a stimulus, which can include people, objects, events, or ideas.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

LaPiere's study is famous for showing that people's expressed attitudes (in this case, prejudiced attitudes towards Asians) did not predict their actual behavior towards a young Chinese couple. Despite widespread prejudicial attitudes, the couple was treated hospitably in most establishments they visited, indicating a significant discrepancy between attitudes and behaviors.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A stereotype is a specific type of schema, which is a cognitive framework or concept that helps organize and interpret information. Schemas can be about objects, people, events, or situations. Stereotypes are schemas that are specifically about categorizing groups of people based on perceived traits.

Question 13

The term, "self-fulfilling prophecy" specifically refers to instances in which

Accepted Answer

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

Question 14

Juan is in the process of forming an opinion about someone when a friend, who is taking a psychology class, tells him to avoid making snap judgements and to carefully consider the evidence. The net result of this advice is that Juan feels more accountable for his opinions. The advice of Juan's friend should most likely decrease

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect refers to the tendency to weigh initial information more heavily than subsequent information. By considering all evidence carefully, Juan is less likely to be influenced by the first impressions, thus decreasing the primacy effect.

Question 15

When forming impressions of people, when people tend to attach more importance to initial information that is learned about a person, this is termed the ____________.

Accepted Answer

The correct term is the "primacy effect," which refers to the tendency to remember and give more weight to information that we learn first about someone or something, compared to information that comes later.

Question 16

A new babysitter is warned by a child's parents that their son 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

Accepted Answer

The self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when an individual's expectations about someone else lead to behaviors that cause those expectations to come true. In this scenario, the babysitter's expectation of the child being aggressive and loud influences their behavior in a way that actually brings about these behaviors in the child, thus confirming the initial expectation.

Question 17

Studies have indicated that attitudes are good predictors of behaviours when people are aware of their attitudes and when the attitudes are ____________.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that attitudes are more likely to predict behaviors accurately when those attitudes are strongly held. This is because strong attitudes are more stable, accessible, and likely to guide behavior.

Question 18

In a study conducted by Darley and Gross, participants watched a video of a nine-year-old girl, Hannah, answering questions and were then asked to judge her academic potential. Participants who were told she was ___________ rated her lower in ability.

Accepted Answer

Participants who were told Hannah was from a disadvantaged background rated her lower in ability, demonstrating how stereotypes and preconceived notions about social class can influence judgments of ability.

Question 19

Elizabeth has every good intention of sticking to her New Year's diet resolution. However, Elizabeth does not believe that her weight is under her control, and she has a very negative attitude about eating less food every day. Which of the following statements best explains what will happen to Elizabeth?

Accepted Answer

Elizabeth's negative attitude towards eating less and her belief that her weight is not under her control are likely to undermine her efforts to stick to her diet. This misalignment between her attitude and her intended behavior (eating less) suggests that she may struggle to maintain the diet and, consequently, may not lose weight.

Question 20

A generalized belief about a group or a category of people is defined as a ____________.

Accepted Answer

A stereotype is a generalized belief about a group or category of people, often simplifying or generalizing characteristics without acknowledging individual differences.

Quiz 13: Behaviour in a Social Context