Question 1

When members of a group give priority to the cohesiveness of the group over the facts of a situation, they are engaging in what social psychologists call ________.

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a phenomenon where members of a group prioritize the cohesiveness of the group over critically analyzing the available facts and making a sound decision. In groupthink, the group tends to make flawed decisions due to the pressure to conform to the group's views and maintain group harmony. Mass thought and consumerism are not social psychology concepts, and there is no such thing as "solidarity think."

Question 2

"Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Superman!" If you looked up, would you be conforming?

Accepted Answer

Conformity involves changing your behavior to match the actions or norms of a group, not simply following direct instructions.

Question 3

Which aspect of culture tends to decrease rates of conformity?

Accepted Answer

Lower levels of collectivism tend to decrease rates of conformity. In individualistic cultures, people are encouraged to be independent and value personal achievement, meaning they are less likely to conform to group norms or expectations. On the other hand, in collectivistic cultures, people prioritize group harmony and cohesiveness, leading to higher rates of conformity.

Question 4

In Solomon Asch's study, which factor increased the rate of conformity?

Accepted Answer

In Solomon Asch's study, the number of confederates increased from one to three, which increased the rate of conformity in the participants. When three confederates gave the same incorrect answer, the participants conformed to the majority opinion about 37 percent of the time, compared to about 25 percent conformity when there was only one confederate. The task difficulty, age of confederates, and having two chances at responding did not significantly affect the rate of conformity.

Question 5

Social psychology is the scientific study of how a person's behavior, thoughts, and feelings are influenced by ________.

Accepted Answer

Social psychology specifically focuses on the influence of social groups on behavior, thoughts, and feelings. While cognition and mental processes can play a role in social psychology, they are not the primary focus. Psychology as a whole encompasses a much broader range of topics and applications beyond just social psychology.

Question 6

It is 1951, and you are required to participate in a perception experiment. You join seven others seated in a room. You are shown a 10-inch test line and must choose the line that matches it in length from a choice of three lines. The experimenter, Solomon Asch, is studying ________.

Accepted Answer

Solomon Asch was studying conformity, specifically how individuals would conform to the majority opinion even when it was clearly incorrect, as was the case in this experiment.

Question 7

Asch found that the likelihood of conformity increased with group size until ________ confederates were present.

Accepted Answer

Asch found that the likelihood of conformity increased with group size until four confederates were present.

Question 8

Vince has always believed children deserve the best prenatal care available. During a class discussion, he hears the first of several speakers express very negative attitudes toward spending tax money on prenatal care for the poor. When it is his turn to speak, he voices an opinion more in keeping with the previous speakers. Vince's behavior is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

Vince's behavior of expressing an opinion in line with the previous speakers despite his own beliefs shows conformity. He has conformed to the group's opinion against spending tax money on prenatal care for the poor. Compliance is following a request or demand from someone in authority, while obedience is following orders from someone in authority. Persuasion involves trying to change someone's opinion or behavior through convincing arguments.

Question 9

Social psychology differs from psychology in its focus on ________.

Accepted Answer

Social psychology focuses on how the social environment and other people influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, while psychology is a broader field that also includes abnormalities, cognition, and neuroscience. Therefore, option B is the best choice.

Question 10

Which factor significantly decreased the likelihood of conformity in Solomon Asch's studies?

Accepted Answer

One confederate giving the correct response decreased the likelihood of conformity because it provided the participant with social support and a dissenting opinion to go against the unanimous group.

Question 11

Experiments showing the effects of group pressure on conformity were conducted by ________.

Accepted Answer

Solomon Asch conducted experiments in the 1950s to investigate how group pressure influences conformity.

Question 12

Asch's studies showed that overall conformity to group pressure occurred just over ________ of the time.

Accepted Answer

Asch's studies showed that overall conformity to group pressure occurred just over one-third (32%) of the time.

Question 13

The process through which we are affected by the real or implied presence of others around us is called social ________.

Accepted Answer

Social influence refers to the ways in which people impact the beliefs, feelings, and behaviors of others. This can occur through direct persuasion, such as when someone tries to convince us to adopt their point of view or take a particular action, or through more indirect means, such as observing what others are doing and using that information to guide our own behavior. The presence of others can also affect our behavior in more subtle ways, such as by making us more self-conscious or altering our expectations about how we should behave in a given situation. All of these forms of social influence fall under the broader umbrella of social psychology, which is the study of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations.

Question 14

Recent research using the Asch paradigm has found less conformity in the United States than the original study found in the 1950s. The reason for this decrease in conformity may be that ________.

Accepted Answer

The decrease in conformity may be due to changes in cultural norms and values over time, rather than individual differences such as obedience or wealth. The social and political environment in the United States has changed significantly since the 1950s, with increased emphasis on individualism and personal freedom. This cultural shift may have led to a decrease in conformity, as people feel less pressure to conform to group norms and more empowered to express their own ideas and opinions.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a form of social influence?

Accepted Answer

Altruism, also known as prosocial behavior or helping behavior, is not considered a form of social influence as it involves individuals acting voluntarily for the benefit of others without being influenced by social pressures. Conformity, compliance, and obedience, on the other hand, involve individuals changing their behavior or attitudes in response to social influence.

Question 16

A group of four friends, two men and two women, are out for an evening on the town. "I'd like to go to the bookstore and get coffee," one of the women says. "Nah, let's go over to that club and have drinks while we listen to the band," one of the men replies. What does Solomon Asch's research suggest will be the likely outcome?

Accepted Answer

Asch's research suggests that women tend to conform more than men when a public response is required. Therefore, it is likely that the group will end up going to the club instead of the bookstore.

Question 17

After a group of gang members learned that their friend had died in a seemingly random accident, several of the friends started blaming a rival gang for the death. Even though there was no evidence whatsoever that the death had been intentional, the more the gang members talked, the more passionate they became in their belief that an act of revenge was necessary. What concept from social psychology may contribute to an act of violent revenge in this case?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a phenomenon in social psychology where a group's desire for harmony and conformity overrides rational decision-making, often leading to poor or dangerous decisions. In this case, the gang members' belief in the need for revenge may have been fueled by their desire to conform to the group's beliefs rather than by evidence or rational thinking.

Question 18

Research has found support for Asch's findings in countries including Hong Kong, Japan, and Zimbabwe. In fact, in these locations the conformity effect was even higher than Asch reported. What might explain this increase in conformity?

Accepted Answer

The increase in conformity in Hong Kong, Japan, and Zimbabwe could be due to their generally collectivist cultures. In collectivist cultures, the emphasis is on group cohesion and harmony, and individuals are expected to conform to social norms and expectations. This cultural emphasis on conformity may have led to even higher levels of conformity in these countries compared to Asch's original findings in the United States.

Question 19

The main task of the Solomon Asch studies was ________.

Accepted Answer

The Solomon Asch studies were focused on a task that required participants to judge line sizes. Participants were presented with multiple lines and had to determine which one was the same size as a reference line. The study aimed to investigate the influence of group pressure on individual judgment and decision-making. Choosing option B reflects this main task of the study.

Question 20

Close, friendly groups usually work well together, but they may face a problem involving an extreme form of conformity called ________.

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a phenomenon in which group members prioritize consensus and harmony over critical thinking and decision-making. This can lead to faulty decision-making and a lack of individual expression of diverse opinions. Close, friendly groups may be particularly susceptible to groupthink because they may be more likely to prioritize harmony over constructive conflict. The other options (A, C, D) do not specifically relate to this phenomenon.

Quiz 12: Social Psychology