Question 1

Blindfolded people were observed to clap louder when they thought they were clapping alone than when they thought they were clapping with others.This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is an example of social loafing, where individuals exert less effort when they are in a group compared to when they are alone, due to the perceived diffusion of responsibility.

Question 2

In which of the following groups is social loafing LEAST likely?

Accepted Answer

In group B, each food server is directly responsible for their own tips and therefore has a personal stake in putting forth effort to provide good service. In the other groups, the individuals may feel less pressure to put forth effort because their contributions are not directly linked to personal gain or success.

Question 3

How can deindividuation help explain adolescent acts of vandalism on Halloween?

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation theory suggests that anonymity can reduce self-awareness and inhibitions, leading individuals to behave in ways that are inconsistent with their normal values and beliefs. Halloween provides a perfect setting for deindividuation to occur, with darkness, masks, and group travel all contributing to feelings of anonymity and a sense of reduced social accountability. Therefore, the best choice is B.

Question 4

The tendency for people to exert less effort when they are pooling their efforts toward a common goal is known as

Accepted Answer

Social loafing refers to the tendency for people to exert less effort when they are working together with others towards a common goal. This occurs because individuals may feel that their efforts will not be individually recognized or rewarded, and therefore they rely on others to do the work instead. Deindividuation refers to a loss of self-awareness in groups, social facilitation refers to the tendency for people to perform better on simple tasks in the presence of others, and the foot-in-the-door phenomenon is a persuasion technique in which small requests are followed by larger ones.

Question 5

If the political conservatism of Stacey,who joined a sorority,is greater than that of Theresa who did not,the gap in their political attitudes will probably widen as they progress through college.This would be best explained in terms of

Accepted Answer

Group polarization is the tendency for a group to make more extreme decisions than the individuals would on their own, and this can result in the widening of gaps in attitudes or beliefs within the group. As Stacey is in a sorority, she will be constantly exposed to like-minded individuals who reinforce her beliefs, and group discussions may result in more extreme views being expressed and accepted, leading to a widening gap in political attitudes between her and Theresa.

Question 6

Nolan is working with two other students on a class project.He is aware that the class is important to the others because it is a pre-med requirement;for his major,the class is unimportant.So,Nolan figures that they can do most of the work and he will do only what he has to.Nolan is demonstrating

Accepted Answer

Nolan is exhibiting social loafing by not contributing his fair share to the project, assuming that the other two students will pick up the slack.

Question 7

Professors Maksoud,Struthers,and Vasic each tend to think that obtaining a university degree is easier today than it was when they were students.After discussing the matter over coffee,they are even more convinced that obtaining a degree is easier today.This episode provides an example of

Accepted Answer

The episode is an example of group polarization, where after discussing their views within a group, the members' initial opinions become more extreme. In this case, the professors' belief that obtaining a university degree is easier today becomes even stronger after their discussion.

Question 8

Social loafing is a phenomenon in which

Accepted Answer

Social loafing refers to the tendency for people to exert less effort on collective tasks than when they work alone. This is often due to a diffusion of responsibility, where individuals feel less accountable for the overall outcome of the task when they are part of a group.

Question 9

Masked bandits might be more likely than unmasked bandits to physically injure their victims because of

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation is the loss of self-awareness and individual identity that occurs in group settings, which can lead individuals to engage in impulsive, aggressive behavior. Wearing a mask can contribute to the sense of anonymity and reduced self-awareness, making individuals more likely to behave in ways they might not otherwise, potentially leading to physical harm of their victims. Group polarization (B) refers to the tendency for group discussion to intensify group attitudes, leading to more extreme opinions, but is not directly related to physical aggression. Groupthink (C) is when group members prioritize harmony and consensus over critical thinking, but this does not necessarily lead to increased physical aggression. Social facilitation (D) refers to the phenomenon where the presence of others can improve performance on simple or well-learned tasks, but does not explain an increase in physical aggression.

Question 10

Which of the following is may contribute to social loafing?

Accepted Answer

Social loafing occurs when individuals feel less accountable for their own contributions to a group task. They may feel that their individual efforts are not as important, which can lead to decreased motivation and productivity. Underestimating one's own contributions or having high levels of motivation would not typically lead to social loafing, and in fact may have the opposite effect of increasing participation and engagement in the task.

Question 11

Circumstances that increase ________ are likely to reduce ________.

Accepted Answer

Increasing self-awareness tends to reduce deindividuation, as deindividuation occurs when individuals in groups lose self-awareness and thus feel less responsible for their actions.

Question 12

In Samantha's biology class,students are asked to work cooperatively in groups on major course papers.Every member of a group is to receive exactly the same grade based on the quality of the group's paper.This situation is most likely to lead to

Accepted Answer

The situation described is likely to lead to social loafing because every member of the group will receive the same grade regardless of their individual effort. This can lead individual members to reduce their effort or contribution to the project, assuming the other members will pick up the slack.

Question 13

Group polarization refers to

Accepted Answer

Group polarization refers to the phenomenon in which a group's prevailing attitudes become more extreme through group discussion. This means that individuals become more convinced of their original opinions and become more extreme in their beliefs after discussing them with like-minded individuals. This phenomenon can be seen in situations ranging from political discussions to online forums.

Question 14

Which of the following is LEAST likely to create deindividuation?

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation involves a loss of self-awareness and a reduced sense of individual identity, so anything that heightens self-awareness (like taking a video) would work against creating deindividuation. A feeling of anonymity (choice A), emotional arousal (choice C), and increasing the likelihood of antisocial behavior (choice D) are all factors that could contribute to deindividuation.

Question 15

Although Abigail has repeatedly posted negative comments "fat-shaming" overweight females on the internet,she would never do so in person.This demonstrates

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation refers to the phenomenon where individuals in groups or online settings feel a sense of anonymity and detachment from their actions, leading them to behave in ways they normally wouldn't, such as making negative or harmful comments they wouldn't make in person.

Question 16

Social loafing is most likely to be observed in

Accepted Answer

Social loafing, which is the tendency for individuals to exert less effort in group settings, has been found to be more prevalent in individualistic cultures like the United States compared to collectivistic cultures like China and Japan. There is no clear evidence on the prevalence of social loafing in Thailand, but studies suggest that it may vary depending on the specific cultural context.

Question 17

Individuals who are normally law-abiding may vandalize and loot when they become part of a mob.This change in behavior is best understood in terms of

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation occurs when people lose their sense of individual identity and become part of a group, which can lead to a reduction in inhibitions, increase in impulsivity, and decrease in self-awareness. This can result in increased aggression and destructive behavior, sometimes seen in mobs or riots where individuals who are normally law-abiding may engage in vandalism and looting. Social facilitation refers to the tendency for individuals to perform better on simple, well-learned tasks in the presence of others, while groupthink refers to the tendency for group members to prioritize harmony and consensus over critical thinking and individual dissent. Group polarization refers to the tendency for group discussion to strengthen the preexisting attitudes of group members.

Question 18

By providing prospective terrorists with electronic chat rooms for interfacing online with others who share their attitudes,the internet most likely serves as a medium for

Accepted Answer

The internet's provision of chat rooms for terrorist communication creates a platform for group polarization - the phenomenon whereby individuals in a group tend to adopt more extreme attitudes in line with the group's prevailing views.

Question 19

An unlikable person is likely to be perceived more ________ a group discussion of that person's qualities,and a likable person is likely to be perceived more ________ a group discussion of that person's qualities.

Accepted Answer

When discussing an unlikable person's qualities, the group is likely to mention negative traits, leading to a perception of the person in a more negative light. On the other hand, when discussing a likable person's qualities, the group is likely to mention positive traits, leading to a perception of the person in a more positive light. Therefore, the likable person is perceived more positively after a group discussion, while the unlikable person is perceived more negatively after a group discussion.

Question 20

In group situations,the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint that fosters arousal and anonymity is called

Accepted Answer

Deindividuation refers to the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint that can occur in group situations, where arousal and anonymity are present. This can lead individuals to engage in behaviors that they might not normally engage in if they were alone or in a non-group setting.

Quiz 12: Social Psychology