Question 1

Which of the following is true about the original Milgram experiment (1965)?

Accepted Answer

The original Milgram experiment (1965) found that nearly all participants called the experimenter's attention to the learner's suffering, and many participants stated explicitly that they refused to continue. This demonstrates a strong ethical concern among the participants and challenges the notion that individuals will blindly follow authority figures, even when it goes against their moral code.

Question 2

About ________ percent of the participants in Milgram's original experiment delivered the maximum shock of 450 volts.

Accepted Answer

In Milgram's original experiment, 62% of the participants delivered the maximum shock of 450 volts to the learner. This shows the disturbing level of obedience to authority that people can exhibit, even when it may harm others.

Question 3

A prison warden has instructed his prison guards to hose down the prisoners with icy cold water as punishment,despite the fact that this is likely illegal.When one of the guards protests,the warden informs the guards that he himself will take personal responsibility for any negative consequences.This will make the guards more likely to obey because it

Accepted Answer

The warden taking personal responsibility for any negative consequences reduces the guards' stress about what they are doing, as they are now assured that they will not be held accountable for any potential legal or ethical consequences of their actions. This can make them more likely to follow the warden's instructions as they feel less pressure and responsibility.

Question 4

Technological advances such as long-range missiles mean that countries can inflict harm on each other from great distances.Research conducted by ________ suggests that these advances make it considerably ________ likely that people will be willing to inflict harm.

Accepted Answer

The use of the word "considerably" suggests a significant increase in likelihood, which is consistent with Milgram's research on obedience to authority and willingness to harm others. Asch's research focused more on conformity and group influence, which may not be directly applicable to this situation. Additionally, the use of long-range missiles would likely increase feelings of remoteness and detachment from the harm inflicted, which has also been studied by Milgram in his famous obedience experiments.

Question 5

Hideous crimes against humanity include the Holocaust in Nazi Germany,the "ethnic cleansing" in Bosnia,and the tribal massacres in Rwanda.According to the textbook,there are two different ways of explaining such crimes.One of these explanations,the normalist thesis,holds that

Accepted Answer

The normalist thesis holds that under certain circumstances, almost anyone has the capacity to harm others.

Question 6

According to the norm of reciprocity,

Accepted Answer

The norm of reciprocity is the social norm that people should benefit those who have benefited them. In other words, if someone does something positive for us, we feel compelled to do something positive in return. This can apply to a wide range of behaviors, from gift-giving to simple acts of kindness.

Question 7

Jackie has been in a terrible mood lately,and she is looking for any way to improve it.When Jackie's friend Anthony asks if she would be willing to volunteer with him at the local food bank,she jumps at the chance,hoping it will make her feel better.This example demonstrates the

Accepted Answer

The negative state relief hypothesis suggests that people are more likely to engage in altruistic behavior when they themselves are in a negative emotional state, with the hope that doing something positive for others will improve their own mood. In this example, Jackie's negative mood is leading her to seek out opportunities to feel better, and volunteering at a food bank is one way she might hope to achieve this.

Question 8

Using a ________-based approach to reduce destructive behavior is likely to be most effective when people ________ the popularity of the behavior.

Accepted Answer

A norm-based approach, which highlights what is socially acceptable or desirable, is effective when people overestimate the prevalence or popularity of a behavior. This can create social pressure to conform to the norm and reduce destructive behavior.

Question 9

After successfully requesting that his neighbor loan him his jumper cables to start his car,Jeremy then persuades his neighbor to drive him the ten miles to where his car is stalled.This kind of foot-in-the-door technique works because people

Accepted Answer

The foot-in-the-door technique works because once people agree to a small request, they are more likely to comply with a larger request to maintain consistency with their self-image of being helpful or cooperative.

Question 10

Imagine that you are walking inside the mall and you come across a person asking for signatures on a petition for a cause that you support.The person asks if you would be willing to sign the document,to which you agree,but then asks if you would be willing to volunteer your time to collect signatures as well,and you find yourself agreeing again.What technique did the person use to get you to agree to both requests?

Accepted Answer

The person used the foot-in-the-door technique by starting with a small request (asking for a signature) and then increasing the size of the request (asking for a commitment to volunteer time) in order to increase the likelihood of compliance.

Question 11

In the original Milgram experiment (1965),the experimenter asked participants to shock someone else whenever that person made a mistake on a learning task.The results of this experiment showed that people

Accepted Answer

The results of the experiment showed that participants were willing to inflict pain on strangers, even if it meant causing them extreme discomfort or harm. This was evidenced by the fact that many participants continued to administer shocks to the person they were supposed to be teaching, even when they heard the person screaming or pleading for them to stop. This suggests that people can be highly influenced by authority figures and may be willing to do things they would not normally consider ethical or moral if they believe they are following orders or carrying out an important task.

Question 12

In the original Milgram experiment (1965),participants found themselves in an agonizing conflict.Forces compelling them to complete the experiment included all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The forces that compelled participants to complete the experiment included advancing science, avoiding the experimenter's disapproval, and a sense of fair play. However, feeling empathy for the victim was not a factor that compelled participants to complete the experiment. In fact, it was this empathy that caused many participants to struggle with the ethical implications of their actions.

Question 13

The results of the Milgram experiments are less surprising to us when we consider the

Accepted Answer

All of the answer options are correct. Each of these factors contributed to the results of the Milgram experiments. The stepwise nature of the experimenter's commands gradually increased the level of obedience, while participants' attempts to terminate the experiment demonstrated their discomfort with the situation. However, the ability to view the experimenter as responsible for their actions was also important, as participants may have felt less guilt or personal responsibility for their behavior.

Question 14

Following his initial experiment,Milgram conducted several additional experiments to examine factors that might increase or decrease obedience to authority.In one of these experiments,Milgram showed that participants were less likely to obey the experimenter's orders if

Accepted Answer

Milgram found that obedience decreased when the authority figure (the experimenter) gave orders over the telephone, suggesting that physical presence is an important factor in the level of obedience.

Question 15

Jim just received an "A" on his statistics exam.While he is still happy about this,a classmate asks to borrow his lecture notes.According to research on emotion-based appeals for compliance,why is Jim likely to comply with this request?

Accepted Answer

Jim is likely to comply with the request because the request will seem less threatening to him, and he will feel guilty if he does not comply. This is because Jim is in a positive mood after receiving an "A" on his statistics exam, and people in a positive mood are more likely to comply with requests. Additionally, Jim may feel guilty if he does not comply with the request because he knows that his classmate is asking for help.

Question 16

Emilio wants his friend to participate in a 5k race with him,but he's worried his friend might say no.In order to increase the chances that his friend will say yes,Emilio first agrees to do a favor for his friend.This example demonstrates

Accepted Answer

The example demonstrates the norm of reciprocity because Emilio is offering to do a favor for his friend before asking him to participate in the 5k race, creating a sense of obligation for his friend to reciprocate the favor by agreeing to participate.

Question 17

The foot-in-the-door studies and the Milgram studies are similar in that they both

Accepted Answer

The foot-in-the-door studies and the Milgram studies both begin by asking people to comply with a small or relatively unobjectionable action first. In the foot-in-the-door studies, participants are asked to perform a small task that requires minimal effort or commitment, whereas in the Milgram studies, participants are asked to administer a low-level electrical shock to someone else. This initial compliance then makes it more likely that participants will comply with larger, more objectionable actions later on.

Question 18

According to the principle of reciprocal concessions,Amal's dad is more likely to comply with her request to buy her a used car if Amal

Accepted Answer

The principle of reciprocal concessions, also known as the door-in-the-face technique, suggests that people are more likely to agree to a smaller request after they have first declined a larger one. If Amal first asks for a new car and is declined, her dad might be more inclined to agree to the smaller request of a used car.

Question 19

________ is the first step in the foot-in-the-door technique.

Accepted Answer

The first step in the foot-in-the-door technique is making a small request, which is likely to be agreed upon. Once the person agrees to the small request, they are more likely to comply with a larger request later on. Giving people a gift, whether small or large, may create a positive impression but does not necessarily lead to compliance with a request. Making a large request as the first step is less effective because it is more likely to be rejected.

Question 20

According to the negative state relief hypothesis,

Accepted Answer

The negative state relief hypothesis suggests that people who are in a negative mood are more likely to comply with requests in order to alleviate their negative state. Granting someone's request can lead to a sense of satisfaction and positive feeling, thereby reducing the negative mood state. Therefore, choice C is the correct answer.

Quiz 9: Social Influence

Which of the following is true about the original Milgram experiment (1965) ?