Ch. 12-13: Old Quiz Questions

Question 1

Research on physical attractiveness has shown that

a. most people disregard physical attractiveness when forming first impressions of people.
b. judgments of women’s personalities are affected by their physical attractiveness, but judgments of men’s personalities are not.
c. we tend to ascribe desirable personality characteristics to good-looking people.
d. men are more likely than women to make biased judgments of others based on physical appearance.

Answer 1

c. we tend to ascribe desirable personality characteristics to good-looking people.

Question 2

John observed Gracie, an executive for a large accounting firm, behave in an aggressive and pushy manner with her subordinates. John now believes that most women executives are aggressive and pushy with their subordinates. John’s overestimation of the link between women executives and the social traits of “pushy” and “aggressive” is referred to as

a. an illusory correlation.
b. a contravened stereotype.
c. a heuristic overbias.
d. a self-serving attribution.

Answer 2

a. an illusory correlation.

Question 3

Eric has joined a new fraternity. Based on the research conducted by Krebs and Denton, if the other fraternity members now consider Eric as part of their ingroup, they are MORE likely to

a. view him in somewhat negative terms.
b. pay less attention to his actions and ideas.
c. remember things that he does with greater accuracy.
d. view him in a generally positive light.

Answer 3

d. view him in a generally positive light.

Question 4

In making a causal attribution, we first tend to decide if an event was due to

a. subjective or objective causes.
b. usual or unusual causes.
c. positive or negative causes.
d. internal or external causes.

Answer 4

d. internal or external causes.

Question 5

Skye scored 100% on her statistics midterm. According to Weiner’s attributional model, if Skye makes an internal-stable attribution for her success, she is MOST likely to say,

a. “It was just good luck that most of the exam was on the material I had time to study.”
b. “I was calm and relaxed the day of the exam because I was able to get a good night’s sleep the night before.”
c. “I have always been good at statistics; I guess I just have a natural ability in that area.”
d. “The professor makes the whole course so easy to understand that it is virtually impossible to do poorly in the class.”

Answer 5

c. “I have always been good at statistics; I guess I just have a natural ability in that area.”

Question 6

Which of the following could be an example of the fundamental attribution error?

a. Ralph described himself as a failure.
b. Ralph thought that the reason he failed was that he was sick that day.
c. Jayne said Ralph failed because the test was unfair.
d. Sue explained Ralph’s failure in terms of his incompetence and laziness.

Answer 6

d. Sue explained Ralph’s failure in terms of his incompetence and laziness.

Question 7

You are likely to attribute your own failing grade on a test to ____; your roommate is more likely to attribute your failing grade to ____.

a. an unfair test; your poor study habits
b. your poor study habits; an unfair test
c. a poor teacher; an unfair test
d. your own stupidity; a poor teacher

Answer 7

a. an unfair test; your poor study habits

Question 8

Nicole is a 30-year-old lawyer who holds very conservative views. She always votes the straight Republican ticket in every election. At a New Year’s Eve party, she meets Frank who is also a 30-year-old lawyer but who holds very liberal views. He tells Nicole that he would never think of voting for a Republican candidate. Based on the research, you should predict that Nicole will

a. be attracted to Frank because they are both lawyers.
b. be attracted to Frank because they are similar in age.
c. dislike Frank because he holds opposing attitudes.
d. be attracted to Frank because he holds opposite political views.

Answer 8

c. dislike Frank because he holds opposing attitudes.

Question 9

Joe has been calling Jill each evening and talking with her every day at lunch, but now he is deeply despondent because she is out of town. Joe is in the throes of

a. companionate love.
b. sexual infatuation.
c. communal love.
d. passionate love.

Answer 9

d. passionate love.

Question 10

Adults who experience love relationships that are volatile, marked by jealousy, and reflect expectations of rejection exhibit

a. immature attachment.
b. avoidant attachment.
c. anxious-ambivalent attachment.
d. secure attachment.

Answer 10

c. anxious-ambivalent attachment.

Question 11

According to evolutionary theorists, which of the following factors is likely to be the MOST important for a male seeking a prospective mate?

a. ambition
b. social status
c. financial resources
d. physical attractiveness

Answer 11

d. physical attractiveness

Question 12

The beliefs people have concerning the object of an attitude describes the ____ component of an attitude.

a. affective
b. behavioral
c. perceptual
d. cognitive

Answer 12

d. cognitive

Question 13

Implicit racism in white subjects is associated with all of the following in interracial interactions EXCEPT

a. decreased smiling.
b. increased verbal aggression.
c. shorter speaking time.
d. reduced eye contact.

Answer 13

b. increased verbal aggression.

Question 14

In general, messages that present ____ arguments are effective in persuasion because that style of argument tends to increase the credibility of the source.

a. fear-arousing
b. emotion-calming
c. one-sided
d. two-sided

Answer 14

d. two-sided

Question 15

If you are trying to persuade others to your point of view on AIDS research, you would be wise to

a. give only a one-sided, fear-invoking argument.
b. stress only the personal threat of getting AIDS.
c. give a two-sided argument, arouse fear, and offer a solution.
d. emphasize arguments directed at the opposing view.

Answer 15

c. give a two-sided argument, arouse fear, and offer a solution.

Question 16

Which of the following individuals is noted for developing the theory of cognitive dissonance?

a. Albert Bandura
b. Daryl Bem
c. Leon Festinger
d. Sigmund Freud

Answer 16

c. Leon Festinger

Question 17

In Festinger and Carlsmith’s classic study of cognitive dissonance, which group of subjects experienced both a high level of cognitive dissonance and exhibited more attitude change?

a. Subjects who were offered $1 to “lie” and accepted the offer
b. Subjects who were offered $1 to “lie” and refused the offer
c. Subjects who were offered $20 to “lie” and accepted the offer
d. Subjects who were offered $20 to “lie” and refused the offer

Answer 17

a. Subjects who were offered $1 to “lie” and accepted the offer

Question 18

According to the elaboration likelihood model of attitude change, when people ponder the content and logic of persuasive messages, it is referred to as the

a. objective route.
b. subjective route.
c. central route.
d. peripheral route.

Answer 18

c. central route.

Question 19

Asch’s “line study” clearly demonstrated that people ____ alter their behavior so that it conforms to the behavior of others.

a. almost always
b. frequently
c. rarely
d. almost never

Answer 19

b. frequently

Question 20

Maria is driving along her normal route to work when a police officer stops her and directs her to take a different route. She is not sure why she has to take the detour, but she does what the police officer tells her to do. The process that BEST explains Maria’s actions in this instance is

a. conformity.
b. obedience.
c. ingratiation.
d. reciprocity.

Answer 20

b. obedience.

Question 21

Research has revealed higher levels of conformity in

a. collectivistic cultures than in individualistic cultures.
b. individualistic cultures than in collectivistic cultures.
c. industrialized cultures than in non-industrialized cultures.
d. Western cultures than in Asian cultures.

Answer 21

a. collectivistic cultures than in individualistic cultures.

Question 22

According to research conducted by Darley and Latane, a person who collapsed on the street would be LEAST likely to be helped if

a. the number of witnesses is high.
b. there is a single witness.
c. the people who witness the event are strangers.
d. the situation is judged to be serious by the witness.

Answer 22

a. the number of witnesses is high.

Question 23

The decrease in individual effort exerted by group members when working together on a task is known as

a. deindividuation.
b. social loafing.
c. group polarization.
d. conformity.

Answer 23

b. social loafing.

Question 24

The group polarization effect implies that

a. when most of the group members initially favor a cautious decision, discussion will cause the group to adopt an even more cautious decision.
b. the gap between two opposing factions will be narrowed after group discussion.
c. when most of the group members initially favor a cautious decision, discussion will cause the group to adopt a risky decision.
d. group decisions will always be better than individual decisions.

Answer 24

a. when most of the group members initially favor a cautious decision, discussion will cause the group to adopt an even more cautious decision.

Question 25

According to Janis, what is the major cause of groupthink?

a. strong group cohesion
b. diffusion of responsibility
c. the tendency of group members to grandstand
d. group conflict

Answer 25

a. strong group cohesion

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT included in the definition of stress? Stress includes circumstances that

a. tax one’s coping abilities.
b. are traumatic.
c. threaten one’s well-being.
d. are perceived to threaten one’s well-being.

Answer 26

b. are traumatic.

Question 27

Being prevented from reaching a goal will cause MOST individuals to experience

a. conflict.
b. frustration.
c. pressure.
d. vacillation.

Answer 27

b. frustration.

Question 28

In general, the LEAST stressful conflict is the

a. avoidance-avoidance conflict.
b. approach-avoidance conflict.
c. approach-approach conflict.
d. double approach-avoidance conflict.

Answer 28

c. approach-approach conflict.

Question 29

Scott is taking a course in American history, and his professor has given all the students in the class a choice between completing an in-class final exam that will count for 60% of their final grade or writing a 25-page term paper that will count for 60% of their final grade. As Scott considers which of these two options he will choose, he is most likely facing

a. a frustration-pressure conflict.
b. an avoidance-avoidance conflict.
c. an approach-approach conflict.
d. an approach-avoidance conflict.

Answer 29

b. an avoidance-avoidance conflict.

Question 30

Which of the following is an example of a stressful situation that involves conflict?

a. You can’t decide whether to go to Florida or Mexico for spring break.
b. You’re stuck behind a slow-moving car on a one-lane road.
c. You have a term paper due the day after tomorrow that you haven’t started yet.
d. You just took out a large car loan.

Answer 30

a. You can’t decide whether to go to Florida or Mexico for spring break.

Question 31

People with higher scores on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale have been found to

a. react more negatively to stressful events.
b. be more vulnerable to physical illness and psychological problems.
c. have a more external locus of control.
d. cope more effectively with stress.

Answer 31

b. be more vulnerable to physical illness and psychological problems.

Question 32

Which of the following is an example of a stressful situation that involves pressure?

a. you just transferred to a different college
b. you are stuck in a traffic jam on your way to work
c. you are meeting your significant other’s parents tomorrow and your partner wants you to make a good impression
d. you can’t decide whether to study for your psychology exam or work on your history paper

Answer 32

c. you are meeting your significant other’s parents tomorrow and your partner wants you to make a good impression

Question 33

The optimal level of arousal for task performance

a. is about the same from one task to another.
b. increases as the tasks become more complex.
c. decreases as the tasks become more complex.
d. relates more to personal makeup than to the task.

Answer 33

c. decreases as the tasks become more complex.

Question 34

The name Hans Selye gave to the body’s response to stress is

a. the fight-or-flight response.
b. the general adaptation syndrome.
c. catharsis.
d. defensive coping.

Answer 34

b. the general adaptation syndrome.

Question 35

With three finals and two papers on her schedule at the beginning of finals week, Kim was very aware of feeling her body “all keyed up” as she worried how she could possibly do everything she needed to do. By the middle of the week, Kim felt calmer and was dealing fairly well with budgeting her time and was completing tasks in a timely fashion. During the middle of finals week, Kim was MOST likely in the ____ stage of the general adaptation syndrome.

a. resistance
b. recovery
c. exhaustion
d. alarm reaction

Answer 35

a. resistance

Question 36

In times of stress, stimulation of the pituitary gland results in the adrenal gland secreting hormones that tend to

a. decrease emotional arousal.
b. mobilize the body for action.
c. conserve energy.
d. increase energy and inhibit tissue inflammation.

Answer 36

d. increase energy and inhibit tissue inflammation.

Question 37

The hormones secreted into the bloodstream during times of stress are

a. catecholamines and corticosteroids.
b. endorphins and serotonin.
c. catecholamines and endorphins.
d. endorphins and corticosteroids.

Answer 37

a. catecholamines and corticosteroids.

Question 38

Suki routinely responds to stress with a learned helplessness response. Suki’s response will involve

a. a release of emotional tension that often accompanies stress.
b. passive behavior produced by exposure to unavoidable aversive events.
c. protecting oneself from unpleasant situations by refusing to acknowledge them.
d. atoning for unacceptable unconscious drives or impulses in socially acceptable ways.

Answer 38

b. passive behavior produced by exposure to unavoidable aversive events.

Question 39

Research has demonstrated that aggression is often a behavioral response to stressors that involve

a. change.
b. conflict.
c. frustration.
d. pressure.

Answer 39

c. frustration.

Question 40

Relatively healthful efforts that people make to deal with stressful events are referred to as

a. adaptive coping.
b. offensive coping.
c. defensive coping.
d. constructive coping.

Answer 40

d. constructive coping.

Question 41

Which of the following is the MOST accurate conclusion one can draw about Type A behavior and the risk of coronary heart disease?

a. The Type A person is six times more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease than the Type B person.
b. As it turns out, there is actually very little connection between stress and coronary heart disease.
c. The Type A person is more resistant to coronary heart disease than the Type B person.
d. The relationship between the two seems more modest than originally thought, with Type A behavior increasing coronary risk only for some.

Answer 41

d. The relationship between the two seems more modest than originally thought, with Type A behavior increasing coronary risk only for some.

Question 42

Studies of the immune system in humans have found that stress

a. can lead to increased levels of immune activity.
b. has very little effect on immune activity.
c. can lead to decreased levels of immune activity.
d. decreases autonomic nervous system function.

Answer 42

c. can lead to decreased levels of immune activity.

Question 43

Having a general feeling that “things” will be okay and problems will eventually work out is known as

a. internal control
b. optimism
c. learned helplessness
d. hardiness

Answer 43

b. optimism

Question 44

Long-term success rates for those who quit smoking are about

a. 15%.
b. 25%.
c. 50%.
d. 75%.

Answer 44

b. 25%.

Question 45

The serious consequences of ____ are BEST described as resulting from the illness’s negative effect on the body’s immune system.

a. cancer
b. AIDS
c. diabetes
d. heart disease

Answer 45

b. AIDS

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT an important factor in patient nonadherence or noncompliance to medical advice?

a. patients believe the instructions are inappropriate
b. patients find the instructions unpleasant to follow
c. patients sometimes dislike their physicians
d. patients misunderstand the instructions

Answer 46

a. patients believe the instructions are inappropriate

Question 47

Catastrophic thinking is characterized as involving

a. personality disordered type of thinking.
b. thinking associated with neuroticism.
c. exaggeration of the magnitude of one’s problems.
d. focusing on major stressors and ignoring the impact of minor frustrations.

Answer 47

c. exaggeration of the magnitude of one’s problems.

Question 48

Pennebaker and his colleagues have shown that

a. talking or writing about traumatic events increases overall stress levels.
b. talking about stress events has beneficial effects, but writing about them has no impact.
c. psychological inhibition can be an effective coping strategy for most people.
d. talking or writing about traumatic events can have beneficial effects.

Answer 48

d. talking or writing about traumatic events can have beneficial effects.

Question 49

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

a. Even a moderate amount of exercise reduces one’s risk of disease.
b. Only a substantial amount of exercise reduces one’s risk of disease.
c. Exercise has little, if any, effect on one’s risk of disease.
d. Only individual forms of exercise, and not team sport forms of exercise, reduce one’s risk of disease.

Answer 49

a. Even a moderate amount of exercise reduces one’s risk of disease.

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT associated with moderating or reducing the effects of stress?

a. relaxation
b. optimism
c. humor
d. suppressing pent-up emotions

Answer 50

d. suppressing pent-up emotions