Question 1

Cecilia was one of the Stanford students who participated in the classic research on cognitive dissonance conducted by Festinger and Carlsmith.What was Cecilia asked to do as part of this study?

Accepted Answer

Cecilia was asked to tell others that working on monotonous tasks was enjoyable as part of the study on cognitive dissonance.

Question 2

A student is chairperson of the group responsible for developing a procedure to handle cheating at his school,yet he takes no action when his best friend confides in him that he cheated on his last test.According to Festinger,what is this student likely to experience?

Accepted Answer

The student is experiencing cognitive dissonance, which is the psychological discomfort that arises from holding contradictory beliefs or behaving in a way that goes against one's values or beliefs. The student's role as chairperson responsible for developing a procedure to handle cheating conflicts with their personal relationship as a friend to the person who cheated. This creates a state of cognitive dissonance, where the student may experience discomfort and tension due to the inconsistency between their beliefs and actions.

Question 3

When asked to rate the job that a Member of Parliament has done,a politician responds,"I think the MP has introduced several important pieces of legislation." In the context of attitudes,which term best reflects this statement?

Accepted Answer

The politician's statement reflects cognitive information, which relates to the beliefs and ideas that shape one's attitudes. The statement does not indicate any influence on the politician's own behavior or emotions, and it is not necessarily an attempt to persuade or influence others (as would be the case with informational or behavioral influence).

Question 4

In a classic experiment on cognitive dissonance that is described in the textbook,students were paid either $1 or $20 to tell another student that a boring task was fun and interesting.What were the results of the study?

Accepted Answer

The results of the study showed that the students who were paid $1 to tell another student that a boring task was fun and interesting experienced cognitive dissonance, as they realized that they were not being truthful. To reduce this discomfort, they convinced themselves that the task was actually fun and interesting, thus changing their attitudes and beliefs to match their behavior. On the other hand, the students who were paid $20 did not experience cognitive dissonance, as the high payment was sufficient justification for their behavior.

Question 5

Which statement about 'attitude' is accurate?

Accepted Answer

Attitudes can be subconscious, and an individual may not be fully aware of the attitude they hold. They may be influenced by societal or cultural norms without realizing it.

Question 6

Brigitte takes great pride in her critical thinking ability.When others try to convince her to adopt their viewpoint,Brigitte likes to think carefully about the value of their persuasive argument.According to the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion,which route to persuasion is being characterized?

Accepted Answer

The central route to persuasion is characterized by careful thinking and evaluation of the persuasive argument, which is exactly what Brigitte is doing in this scenario. This route involves a high level of cognitive processing and consideration of the message content, rather than relying on superficial or peripheral cues.

Question 7

Critics of the political process often claim that political campaigning focuses,to a substantial degree,on appearances rather than issues.If this is the case,which route to persuasion do political advertisments most likely emphasize?

Accepted Answer

If political campaigning focuses on appearances rather than issues, the route to persuasion used in political advertisements is most likely the peripheral route. The peripheral route to persuasion focuses on superficial aspects, such as emotions, attractiveness, and credibility of the communicator, rather than the central message or content. Political advertisements often use peripheral cues, such as music, images, slogans, and celebrity endorsements, to influence voters' attitudes and behavior.

Question 8

When Liu answers the doorbell,she encounters a young person who hands her a free laminated bookmark and then asks if she would be interested in subscribing to some magazines.What concept lies at the root of this sales technique?

Accepted Answer

The sales technique described in the scenario is based on the concept of reciprocity, which suggests that people feel a social obligation to return a favor when someone does something kind for them. By giving Liu a free bookmark, the young person is tapping into this tendency and hoping to gain her interest in subscribing to magazines as a form of reciprocation.

Question 9

When a sports fan is asked about his attitudes toward sports,he says that he loves sports because he feels an emotional surge when watching them.Which attitudinal component is being described?

Accepted Answer

The emotional surge the sports fan feels when watching sports indicates the affective component of his attitude, which refers to the emotional reaction or feeling associated with the attitude object.

Question 10

Predictions made about a future behaviour can modify behavioural interactions so that the predictions come true.Which term best characterizes this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described is known as a self-fulfilling prophecy. This occurs when a prediction or expectation influences human behavior and causes the prediction to come true. In this case, the prediction affects the behavior of individuals, leading to the outcome predicted.

Question 11

Which approach do individuals often take to cope with the unpleasant state of tension associated with cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Individuals often cope with cognitive dissonance by changing their attitudes to reduce the tension. This could involve changing their behavior to align with their attitudes or changing their attitudes to align with their behavior. Engaging in groupthink, focusing on dispositional factors, and denying the dissonance exists are not effective ways to cope with cognitive dissonance.

Question 12

Robert Rosenthal studied the effect that teacher expectations had on the performance of selected elementary school students.What was believed to be the actual source of the changes in student intellectual performance?

Accepted Answer

Robert Rosenthal found that teacher expectations had a significant effect on student performance, suggesting that the way in which teachers behaved towards selected students caused changes in their intellectual performance.

Question 13

A student thinks that it is wrong to cheat on tests,but she copied some answers from the person sitting next to her during the chemistry exam and now feels very guilty.According to dissonance theory,how is she likely to respond?

Accepted Answer

According to dissonance theory, individuals strive for consistency between their beliefs and actions. In this case, the student believes that cheating is wrong and yet she cheated on the exam. This will create cognitive dissonance, which is a state of mental discomfort. To reduce this discomfort, the student may justify her actions (e.g., "everyone else was doing it"), change her attitude (e.g., conclude that cheating is acceptable in certain situations), or change her behavior (e.g., not cheat again in the future). Option B suggests that the student may choose to modify her beliefs about the exam being too difficult as a way of justifying her cheating behavior.

Question 14

Joni is a music critic who always seems to be asked for her attitudes about the relative merits of rock music from the 60s versus the 90s.Why would Joni's attitudes about rock music most likely be highly accessible?

Accepted Answer

Joni's attitudes are likely highly accessible due to rehearsal, as she is frequently asked about her opinions, which reinforces and strengthens her attitudes through repeated expression.

Question 15

According to Festinger,which term characterizes the state of conflict that someone experiences after taking an action,making a decision,or being exposed to information that is contrary to his or her beliefs?

Accepted Answer

Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance refers to the state of conflict or discomfort that arises when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs or values, or when their beliefs are inconsistent with their behavior or experiences. This conflict or dissonance motivates people to reduce the discomfort by changing their beliefs, attitudes, or behavior.

Question 16

As described in the textbook,under which circumstances are individuals more likely to have the energy and motivation to engage in elaborative processing?

Accepted Answer

Individuals are more likely to engage in elaborative processing when they encounter persuasive messages at their "optimal" time of day, as they have more energy and motivation to process information deeply.

Question 17

Which statement best illustrates the self-perception theory of Daryl Bem?

Accepted Answer

Self-perception theory suggests that people infer their attitudes and emotions by observing their own behavior. In choice B, the person infers love from the action of marrying.

Question 18

Three businessmen are afraid of flying on commercial airlines.The first businessman has read accounts of airplane crashes,the second has heard stories of crashes,and the third has experienced a near-fatal accident on a flight.With respect to the accessibility of their fears of flying,which statement is accurate?

Accepted Answer

The businessman who experienced a near-fatal accident will have a more accessible attitude because his fear is based on a personal and vivid experience, making it more emotionally charged and easily accessed in memory. The other businessmen's fears are based on less personal or direct experiences, making them less accessible.

Question 19

A friend asks Dominic if he likes scary rides at the fair.Although Dominic has never really thought about it before,he answers "yes" because he remembers that whenever he goes to the fair he chooses the scary rides.According to Daryl Bem,which concept best explains this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

Self-perception theory suggests that individuals infer their attitudes from their behavior and the context in which it occurred. In this scenario, Dominic's behavior (choosing scary rides) led him to infer that he must like scary rides, hence answering "yes" to his friend's question.

Question 20

How is cognitive dissonance best understood?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance occurs when an individual holds two conflicting beliefs or values, causing a state of mental discomfort or tension. The individual may then seek to reduce this discomfort by altering their beliefs or behaviors to align with one another or rationalizing their inconsistencies. Therefore, cognitive dissonance is best understood as a state of conflict between an individual's beliefs or values.

Quiz 17: A: Social Psychology