MCAT Psych #8

Question 1

Michelangelo phenomenon

Answer 1

the concept of self is made up of both up of both intrapersonal self, the ideas an individual has regarding his or her own abilities, traits, and beliefs, and the interpersonal self, the manner in which others influence creation of the ideal self.

Question 2

social action

Answer 2

actions and behaviors that individuals are conscious of and performing because others are around. Considers just the individual that is surrounded by others. Humans will behave in different ways based on their social environment and how their behavior will affect those around them.

Question 3

social facilitation

Answer 3

people tend to perform better on simple tasks when in the presence of others. People naturally exhibit a performance response when they know they are being watched.

Yerkes Dodson

Question 4

Yerkes-Dodson Law of social facilitation

Answer 4

being in the presence of others will significantly raise arousal, which enhances the ability to perform tasks one is already good at (simple tasks) and hinders the performance on less familiar tasks (complex tasks)

Question 5

deindividuation

Answer 5

occurs when individuals are in group settings. The presence of a large group provides anonymity and causes a loss of individual identity.
 Leads to: Antinormative behavior: behavior against the norm
• Being part of a group makes someone lose their sense of individuality and makes them more likely to act in a manner inconsistent with their normal self ==> violence seen in crowds and riots

Question 6

antinormative behavior

Answer 6

behavior against the norm

Question 7

bystander effect

Answer 7

occurs in social groups wherein individuals do not intervene to help victims when others are present.
 The likelihood and timeliness of response is inversely related to the number of bystanders.
 1. In groups people are less likely to notice danger or anything out of the ordinary.
 2. Individuals take cues from others so if no one else is responding then neither should you
 3. The degree of the emergency or situation
 4. The relationship or emotions toward the person in need
 5. If the group knows each other well then they are more likely to help.

Question 8

5 factors of the bystander effect

Answer 8

 1. In groups people are less likely to notice danger or anything out of the ordinary because it is social etiquette not to watch others.
 2. Individuals take cues from others so if no one else is responding then neither should you
 3. The degree of the emergency or situation or the danger to the victim. Bystanders are more likely to intervene in a high danger scenario.
 4. The degree of responsibility felt by the bystander, which is determined by the bystander’s competency, the relationship or emotions toward the person in need, if the victim is deserving of aid
 5. If the group knows each other well then they are more likely to help.

Question 9

social loafing

Answer 9

the tendency of individuals to put in less effort when in a group setting than individually.
 Physical effort, mental effort, or initiative effort (coming up with a solution to a problem)

Question 10

peer pressure

Answer 10

the social influence placed on an individual by a group of people or another individual.

 Can be positive or negative. Play a big role as kids grow up and become teenagers.

 Identity shift effect: when an individual’s state of harmony is disrupted by a threat of social rejection, the individual will often conform to the norms of the group.
• Identity shift where the individual accepts the norm of the group as their own.
• Cognitive dissonance: the simultaneous presence of two opposing thoughts or opinions.
o Leads to an internal state of discomfort and the individual will reduce this discomfort by changing, adding to, or reducing one of the thoughts.
 Solomon Asch conformity experiment: card with different lengths and confederates (actors) placed in there to answer right or wrong
• Individuals will sometimes provide answers they know to be untrue if it avoids going against the group.

Question 11

peers

Answer 11

individuals who are equals within a social group.

Question 12

identity shift effect

Answer 12

peer pressure
when an individual’s state of harmony is disrupted by a threat of social rejection, the individual will often conform to the norms of the group. This can lead to internal conflict because the behavior is outside the normal character of the individual. To eliminate this, the individual experiences an identity shift where the individual accepts the norm of the group as their own.

Question 13

cognitive dissonance

Answer 13

the simultaneous presence of two opposing thoughts or opinions.
o Leads to an internal state of discomfort and the individual will reduce this discomfort by changing, adding to, or reducing one of the thoughts.

Question 14

Solomon Asch conformity experiment

Answer 14

card with different lengths and confederates (actors) placed in there to answer right or wrong
• Individuals will sometimes provide answers they know to be untrue if it avoids going against the group.

Question 15

social interaction

Answer 15

explores the ways in which two or more individuals can both shape each other’s behavior. Include group processes and establishment of culture.

Question 16

group polarization

Answer 16

the tendency for groups to make decisions that are more extreme than the individual ideas and inclinations of the members within the group (extreme as in riskier or more cautious). Describes behavior at the individual level.
 Either riskier or more cautious.
 Discussion within the group makes the ideas more and more extreme.
 Originally termed risky shift, but psychologists soon realized that groups also made more cautious decisions so the term became choice shift (behavior change of group as whole)
 Ex: jurors who initially want high punishment want even higher, politicians who agree when with members of their political party waver a little bit when they are on their own.

Question 17

groupthink

Answer 17

a social phenomenon in which desire for harmony or conformity results in a group of people coming to an incorrect or poor decision. 
	Alternative ideas are not assessed in order to minimize conflict among members. 
	Irving Janis factors in groupthink:
1. illusion of invulnerability
2. collective rationalization
3. illusion of morality
4. excessive stereotyping
5. pressure for conformity 
6. self-censorship
7. illusion of unanimity 
8. mindguards

Question 18

illusion of invulnerability

Answer 18

Groupthink

the creation of optimism and encouragement of risk-taking.

Question 19

collective rationalization

Answer 19

Groupthink

ignoring warnings against the ideas of the group

Question 20

illusion of morality

Answer 20

Groupthink

the belief that the group’s decisions are morally correct

Question 21

excessive stereotyping

Answer 21

Groupthink

the construction of stereotypes against outside opinions

Question 22

pressure for conformity

Answer 22

Groupthink

the pressure put on anyone in the group who expresses opinions against the group, viewing the opposition as disloyal

Question 23

self-censorship

Answer 23

Groupthink

the withholding of opposing views

Question 24

illusion of unanimity

Answer 24

Groupthink

the false sense of agreement within the group

Question 25

mindguards

Answer 25

Groupthink

the appointment of members to the role of protecting against opposing views.

Question 26

fad

Answer 26

a behavior that is transiently viewed as popular and desirable by a large community.
o Ex: media or social videos, clothing

Question 27

mass hysteria

Answer 27

a shared, intense concern about the threats to society. The delusion is augmented by distrust, rumors, propaganda, and fear mongering.
o Ex: Salem witch trials

Question 28

culture

Answer 28

defined as the beliefs, behaviors, actions, and characteristics of a group or society of people.
 Learned in a society by imitating
 Passed on through generations.
 Humans show varied behaviors based on their cultures.
 The beliefs held by an individual are typically based on learned behavior, expectations, and pressure from the group one is in.

Question 29

culture shock

Answer 29

when traveling outside of one’s own society, the cultural differences can seem quite dramatic.

Question 30

cultural assimilation

Answer 30

the process by which an individual’s or group’s behavior and culture begin to resemble that of another group.
o Could also be groups of different cultures merging into one.
o Typically, not an even blend.

o Ethnic enclaves: slows assimilation, locations (usually neighborhoods) with a high concentration of one specific ethnicity.

Question 31

cultural assimilation

Answer 31

melting pot, blending

the process by which an individual’s or group’s behavior and culture begin to resemble that of another group.
o Could also be groups of different cultures merging into one.
o Typically, not an even blend. The more powerful group has influence over the other, resulting in more traits of that culture being displayed after transformation.

o Ethnic enclaves: slows assimilation, locations (usually neighborhoods) with a high concentration of one specific ethnicity.

Question 32

multiculturalism

Answer 32

communities or societies containing multiple cultures.
o Enhances cultural diversity and acceptance within society.
o Cultural mosaic, cultures coexist

Question 33

subcultures

Answer 33

groups of people within a culture that distinguish themselves from the primary culture to which they belong.
• Could be a symbolic attachment to a particular thing
• Counterculture: the subculture group gravitates toward an identity that is at odds with the majority culture and deliberately opposes the prevailing social mores.

Question 34

counterculture

Answer 34

the subculture group gravitates toward an identity that is at odds with the majority culture and deliberately opposes the prevailing social mores.

subverts the majority culture’s definitions of normalcy.

Question 35

socialization

Answer 35

the process of developing, inheriting, and spreading norms, customs, and beliefs

primary
secondary
anticipatory
resocialization

Question 36

secondary socialization

Answer 36

the process of learning appropriate behavior within smaller sections of the larger society.
 Smaller changes and refinements and is based on learning the rules of specific social environments.
Ex: the behavior necessary to thrive in school is different than at home or on a sports field.

Question 37

anticipatory socialization

Answer 37

the process by which a person prepares for future changes in occupations, living situations, or relationships.
 A couple living together in preparation for married life.

Question 38

resocialization

Answer 38

process by which one discards old behaviors in favor of new ones to make a life change, and can have positive or negative connotations.
 Military: obey commands

Question 39

cultural transmission (cultural learning)

Answer 39

the manner in which a society socializes its members.

Question 40

cultural diffusion

Answer 40

the spread of norms, customs, and beliefs (especially new ones) throughout the culture

Question 41

norms

Answer 41

societal rules that define the boundaries of acceptable behavior

 Although they are not laws, norms act as social control for regulating behavior.
 Can differ between groups in society and between different cultures.

Question 42

mores

Answer 42

widely observed social norms

Question 43

folkways

Answer 43

norms that refer to behavior that is considered polite in particular social interactions
• Ex: shaking hands after a sports match

Question 44

sanctions

Answer 44

penalties for misconduct or rewards for appropriate behavior

can be both for positive and negative things.

Question 45

taboo

Answer 45

socially unacceptable, disgusting, or reprehensible

Question 46

what are the agents of socialization

Answer 46

parents or family members, friends, bosses, personal relationships, environment, geography, ethnic background, religion, media

Question 47

pop culture

Answer 47

: modern popular culture transmitted via the mass media and aimed particularly at younger people.

Question 48

pop culture

Answer 48

: modern popular culture transmitted via the mass media and aimed particularly at younger people.

Question 49

agents of socialization: family

Answer 49

language acquisition, relationships, rules, morals

Question 50

agents of socialization: peers

Answer 50

activities, trends

Question 51

agents of socialization: religion

Answer 51

values, love for others, meaning of life

Question 52

agents of socialization: government

Answer 52

laws, sense of security

Question 53

agents of socialization: media

Answer 53

stereotypes, trends

Question 54

agents of socialization: work

Answer 54

employment, money, rules, roles

Question 55

agents of socialization: ethnic background

Answer 55

beliefs, values, customs

Question 56

agents of socialization: clubs/social groups

Answer 56

social interaction, rules governing activities

Question 57

agents of socialization: school

Answer 57

grammar, rules, social setting values

Question 58

deviance

Answer 58

any violation of norms, rules, or expectations within a society
 Has strong negative connotation but simply means against the norm.
 Any act that is met with disapproval from the larger society

Question 59

social stigma

Answer 59

the extreme disapproval or dislike of a person or group based on perceived differences from the rest of the society.
 Difference in beliefs, abilities, behaviors, and appearance
 Ex: HIV
 Can affect others who are associated with the particular individual.

Allows for perception of social norms and acceptable boundaries and encourages unity in society and promotes social change.

Question 60

labelling theory

Answer 60

posits that the labels given to people affect not only how others respond to that person, but also the person’s self-image.
 Leads to channeling behavior toward deviance or conformity.
 Ex: girl is called slutty either becomes sluttier or less slutty after the label

Question 61

differential association theory

Answer 61

deviance can be learned through interactions with others.
 The degree to which one is surrounded by ideals that adhere to social norms vs. ideals that go against them.
 Whichever has the greater influence (numerous or intense) will sway the individual’s behavior and the individual will start acting like them

Question 62

strain theory

Answer 62

attempts to explain deviance as a natural reaction to the disconnect between social goals and social structure.
 Ex: American Dream: desirable social goal but the structure of society is unable to guarantee the education and opportunity needed to achieve this goal to all citizens. Theft to achieve the social goal outside of the limiting social structure.

Question 63

conformity

Answer 63

matching one’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to societal norms.
 Pressure to conform can be real or imagined.
 Majority influence is a synonym
likelihood of conformity depends on culture (western culture value independent thought, less likely to conform)

Question 64

normatitve conformity

Answer 64

the desire to fit into a group because of fear of rejection.

Question 65

what are the two types of conformity

Answer 65

internalization and identification

Question 66

internalization

Answer 66

conformity
involves changing one’s behavior to fit with a group while also privately agreeing with the ideas of the group. “convinced”
o Ex: Stanford Prison experiment where the subjects internalized their roles and actually started to take on the mentality of prisoners and guards.

Question 67

identification-conformity

Answer 67

the outward acceptance of other’s ideas without personally taking on these ideas.

Question 68

compliance

Answer 68

change in behavior based on a direct request

 The person or group asking for compliance does not have authority over the individual, typically.

Question 69

foot in the door technique

Answer 69

compliance
a small request is made and after gaining compliance a larger request is made.
o Ex: student asking for your notes and then for your homework answers later
Ex: Neighbor asks you to get their mail and then once you commit they ask you to water the plants  commit to one thing and then up it.

Question 70

door in the face technique

Answer 70

compliance
a larger request is made at first, and if refused, a smaller request is then made.
o Ex: same as above but opposite. The friend asks you to copy the notes for him but after you say no then he asks if he can borrow your notes to copy.
o The smaller request is oftentimes the original ultimate goal

Question 71

lowball technique

Answer 71

compliance
the requestor will get an initial commitment from the individual and then raise the cost (money, effort, time) of the commitment.
o Ex: agree to head a committee because it is five hours per month of meetings but then find out after accepting that there is also other stuff you have to do.

raise the cost of ONE commitment (commitment hasn’t been executed yet) rather than asking for another favor overall after one favor has been done (foot in door)

The low-ball is a persuasion technique in which an item or service is offered at a lower price than is actually intended to be charged, after which the price is raised. If a person is already enjoying the prospect of the item or idea, then backing out would create cognitive dissonance.

gaining compliance without revealing the full cost

Question 72

that’s not all technique

Answer 72

compliance
: an individual is made an offer, but before making a decision, is told the deal is even better than expected.
o Ex: infomercials, receive this and this but if you call in the next 30 mins you will also receive this other thing.

Question 73

social cognition

Answer 73

focuses on the ways in which people think about others and how these ideas impact behavior.

Question 74

attitude

Answer 74

expression of positive or negative feelings toward a person, place, thing, or scenario.
 Even before meeting someone, past experiences and information from others can influence your attitude toward a person.

3 components: affective, behavioral, cognitive (ABC(

Question 75

what are the 3 components of attitudes

Answer 75

affective, behavioral, cognitive

Question 76

affective (attitude)

Answer 76

the way a person feels toward something, and is the emotional component of attitude.
o Ex: snakes scare me

Question 77

behavioral (attitude)

Answer 77

the way a person acts with respect to something

o Ex: avoiding snakes

Question 78

cognitive (attitude)

Answer 78

the way an individual thinks about something, which is the justification for the other two components.
o Ex: knowing that snakes are poisonous and dangerous

Question 79

functional attitude theory

Answer 79

attitudes serve four functions:
 1. Knowledge: provides consistency and stability: attitudes help provide organization to thoughts and experiences, and knowing the attitudes of others helps to predict their behavior.
 2. Ego Expression: allowing us to communicate and solidify our self-identity.
• Ex: wear a sports hat to identify with a sports team
 3. Adaptation: one will be accepted if socially acceptable attitudes are expressed.
 4. Ego Defense: if they protect our self-esteem or justify actions that we know are wrong.
• Ex: a child who is bad at math may develop a negative attitude towards math.

Question 80

what are the four functions of attitudes in the functional attitudes theory

Answer 80

knowledge, ego expression, adaptation, ego defense

Question 81

learning theory

Answer 81

Attitudes
attitudes are developed through different forms of learning.
 Attitudes can be influenced by direct contact with the object (Ex: children like sweets right after trying them).
 Direct instruction from others.
 Influenced by other’s attitudes.
 Formed through classical or operant conditioning or observational learning.

Question 82

elaboration likelihood model

Answer 82

attitudes are formed and changed through different routes of information processing based on the degree of elaboration.

separates individuals on a continuum based on their processing of persuasive information.
 Central route processing: at one extreme are those who elaborate extensively, draw conclusions or make deep thought. Analyzing the content of persuasive info.
 Peripheral route processing: focus on superficial details, who the speaker is, catchphrases.
 Most individuals fall in the middle of the spectrum.

Question 83

central route processing

Answer 83

at one extreme are those who elaborate extensively, draw conclusions or make deep thought. Analyzing the content of persuasive info.

Question 84

dorsal route processing

Answer 84

focus on superficial details, who the speaker is, catchphrases.

Question 85

social cognitive theory

Answer 85

people learn how to behave and shape attitudes by observing the behaviors of others.
 Not trial and error but direct observation influenced by our environment and our own thoughts and behaviors.
 Bandura’s triadic reciprocal causation: Behavior, personal factors, and environment all influence each other.
• Ex: the work ethic of employees in a company is affected by how hard their colleagues work, and their previous attitudes toward work, and the systems and infrastructure of the company. And vice versa the behavior may influence the other things.

Question 86

Bandura’s triadic reciprocal causation

Answer 86

: Behavior, personal factors, and environment all influence each other.
• Ex: the work ethic of employees in a company is affected by how hard their colleagues work, and their previous attitudes toward work, and the systems and infrastructure of the company. And vice versa the behavior may influence the other things.

Question 87

draw the Yerkes dodson performance vs. arousal curve for simple vs. complex task

Answer 87

simple task is exponential with an asymptote at strong performance
complex task is a bell curve

Question 88

what increases deindividuation

Answer 88

when the group is uniform or masked

Question 89

can group polarization lead to both riskier and more cautious decisions or just one or the other?

Answer 89

both

Question 90

why did the group polarization term switch from risky shift to choice shift?

Answer 90

realize that being in groups may also lead to more cautious decisions.

Question 91

do people have to be together physically in groups to experience polarization?

Answer 91

no, they may just read another’s idea

Question 92

what is the difference between choice shift and polarization?

Answer 92

polarization is used to describe behavior at the individual level, while choice shift describes the behavior change of the group as a whole.

Question 93

In terms of immigrant assimilation, what factors can be used to assess the completeness of assimilation?

Answer 93

socioeconomic status, geographic distribution, language attainment, and intermarriage.

Question 94

ethnic enclaves

Answer 94

locations (usually neighborhoods) with a high concentration of one specific ethnicity.
Ex: chinatown or Little Italy.

Question 95

compare assimilation and multiculturalism

Answer 95

assimilation: usually uneven, merging of cultures, a melting pot
multiculturalism: celebration of coexisting culture, a cultural mosaic

Question 96

group polarization vs. group think

Answer 96

Group polarization and groupthink are both social processes that occur when groups make decisions. Group polarization is the tendency toward extreme decisions in a group. Groupthink is the tendency for groups to make decisions based on ideas and solutions that arise within the group without considering outside ideas, given the pressure to conform and remain loyal to the group.

Question 97

primary socialization

Answer 97

occurs during childhood when we initially learn acceptable actions and attitudes in our society, primarily through observations of our parents and other adults in close proximity

Question 98

____ are a form of social control because they act to regulate the behavior of individuals and groups

Answer 98

norms

Question 99

what are the agents of socialization in young kids, adolescents, adults?

Answer 99

young kids: parents or family members

adolescents: teachers and peers
adults: colleagues, partner, boss

one’s environment can also be an agent of socialization

Question 100

what does labelling theory lead to?

Answer 100

it leads the person to channel their behavior either into deviance or conformity.

Question 101

the pressure to conform can be both ___ and ____

Answer 101

real and imagined

Question 102

what is another name for conformity?

Answer 102

majority influence

Question 103

normative conformity

Answer 103

the desire to fit into a group because of fear of rejection

Question 104

____ society tends toward conformity

Answer 104

collectivist

Question 105

what are the common techniques used to gain compliance?

Answer 105

foot in the door technique
door in face
lowball
thats not all

Question 106

lowball technique vs. foot in door technique

Answer 106

foot in the door they actually complete the first thing whereas lowball they have no completed the first thing yet. Lowball: gaining compliance without revealing the full cost

Question 107

obedience

Answer 107

changing one’s behavior in response to a direct order from an authority figure (real or perceived)
Compared to compliance: friend vs. teacher demanding your notes

Question 108

what is the classic obedience study?

Answer 108

milgram study with shocking: learner and teacher

Question 109

what is the classic conformity study?

Answer 109

Asch conformity study

Question 110

compare primary and secondary socialization

Answer 110

primary socialization refers to the initial learning of acceptable behaviors and societal norms during childhood, which is facilitated mostly by parents and other trusted adults. Secondary socialization refers to learning the norms of specific subgroups or situations during adolescence and adulthood.

Question 111

can you have an attitude toward someone before meeting them?

Answer 111

yes, even prior to meeting someone, past experiences and information from others can influence your attitude toward a person

Question 112

functional attitudes theory: knowledge

Answer 112

provides consistency and stability: attitudes help provide organization to thoughts and experiences, and knowing the attitudes of others helps to predict their behavior.

Question 113

functional attitudes theory: ego expression

Answer 113

allowing us to communicate and solidify our self-identity.

Ex: wear a sports hat to identify with a sports team

Question 114

functional attitudes theory: adaptation

Answer 114

one will be accepted if socially acceptable attitudes are expressed.

Question 115

functional attitudes theory: ego defense

Answer 115

Ego Defense: if they protect our self-esteem or justify actions that we know are wrong.
• Ex: a child who is bad at math may develop a negative attitude towards math.

Question 116

central route processing is ____ elaboration

Answer 116

high

Question 117

peripheral route processing is ___ elaboration

Answer 117

low

Question 118

compare social action and social interaction

Answer 118

social action is best described as the effects that a group has on individual behavior, including social facilitation. deindividuation, the bystander effect, social loafing, and peer pressure. Social interaction describes how two or more individuals influence each other’s behavior, including group polarization and group think.