Unit 4A- Social Psychology

Question 1

What is Attribution Theory?

Answer 1

Attribution Theory is a framework used to understand how individuals explain the causes of behavior and events.

Question 2

True or False: The Fundamental Attribution Error refers to the tendency to overemphasize situational factors when evaluating others’ behavior.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Fill in the blank: The Fundamental Attribution Error is the tendency to attribute others’ actions to __________ while downplaying the influence of situational factors.

Answer 3

dispositional factors

Question 4

Multiple Choice: Which of the following best defines the Fundamental Attribution Error? A) The tendency to see one’s own behavior as situational. B) The tendency to attribute others’ behavior to their character. C) The tendency to underestimate the influence of personality traits in oneself. D) All of the above.

Answer 4

B) The tendency to attribute others’ behavior to their character.

Question 5

Short Answer: What impact does the Fundamental Attribution Error have on interpersonal relationships?

Answer 5

It can lead to misunderstandings and misjudgments about others, as people may wrongly assume character flaws instead of considering situational influences.

Question 7

What is Social Psychology?

Answer 7

The study of how people think, feel, and act in social situations, including how they influence and relate to each other.

Question 8

Define Attribution Theory.

Answer 8

A way to explain someone’s behavior by either their personality (internal factors) or the situation (external factors).

Question 9

What is the Fundamental Attribution Error?

Answer 9

The tendency to blame someone’s personality for their behavior while ignoring the role of the situation.

Question 10

What is Dispositional Attribution?

Answer 10

Explaining someone’s behavior as being caused by their personality or traits.

Question 11

What is Situational Attribution?

Answer 11

Explaining someone’s behavior as being caused by the circumstances or environment.

Question 12

What does Actor-Observer Bias refer to?

Answer 12

The tendency to explain your own behavior as due to the situation but others’ behavior as due to their personality.

Question 13

Define Self-serving Bias.

Answer 13

The tendency to take credit for successes (internal factors) but blame failures on the situation (external factors).

Question 14

What is Explanatory Style?

Answer 14

The way a person explains events in their life, either positively or negatively.

Question 15

What characterizes an Optimistic Explanatory Style?

Answer 15

Explaining bad events as temporary, specific, and not your fault.

Question 16

What characterizes a Pessimistic Explanatory Style?

Answer 16

Explaining bad events as lasting, widespread, and your fault.

Question 17

Define External Locus of Control.

Answer 17

Believing that outside forces like luck or fate control your life.

Question 18

Define Internal Locus of Control.

Answer 18

Believing that you control your own life and outcomes through your actions.

Question 19

What is Social Comparison?

Answer 19

Evaluating yourself by comparing yourself to others.

Question 20

What is Upward Comparison?

Answer 20

Comparing yourself to someone who is better than you to motivate improvement.

Question 21

What is Downward Comparison?

Answer 21

Comparing yourself to someone who is worse off to feel better about yourself.

Question 22

What is Prejudice?

Answer 22

An unjustified and negative attitude toward a group of people.

Question 23

Define Stereotypes.

Answer 23

Overgeneralized beliefs about a group of people.

Question 24

What is Discrimination?

Answer 24

Unfair treatment of a group of people based on prejudice.

Question 25

What is Implicit Prejudice?

Answer 25

Unconscious negative attitudes toward a group.

Question 26

What is Explicit Prejudice?

Answer 26

Conscious and openly expressed negative attitudes toward a group.

Question 27

Define Just-world Phenomenon.

Answer 27

The belief that people get what they deserve, so the world seems fair.

Question 28

What is Out-group Homogeneity Bias?

Answer 28

Thinking that members of a group you don’t belong to are all the same.

Question 29

What is In-group Bias?

Answer 29

Favoring people in your own group over others.

Question 30

Explain Scapegoat Theory.

Answer 30

Blaming someone else (usually a weaker group) for your problems to reduce your frustration.

Question 31

What is the Role of Availability Heuristic?

Answer 31

Using information that comes to mind easily to make judgments, even if it’s not accurate.

Question 32

Define Ethnocentrism.

Answer 32

Believing that your culture or group is better than others.

Question 33

What are Attitudes?

Answer 33

Feelings and beliefs that influence how we act toward things, people, or situations.

Question 34

What is the Foot-in-the-Door Technique?

Answer 34

Getting someone to agree to a small request first, which makes them more likely to agree to a bigger one later.

Question 35

What is the Door-in-the-Face Technique?

Answer 35

Asking for something big (likely to be rejected) and then requesting something smaller, which seems more reasonable.

Question 36

What does Cognitive Dissonance Theory explain?

Answer 36

The discomfort we feel when our actions don’t match our beliefs, leading us to change one to reduce the conflict.

Question 37

Define Persuasion.

Answer 37

The process of trying to change someone’s attitudes, beliefs, or actions.

Question 38

What is the Elaboration Likelihood Model?

Answer 38

A theory explaining how people are persuaded either through deep thought or superficial cues.

Question 39

What is Peripheral Route Persuasion?

Answer 39

Persuasion based on surface-level cues, like attractiveness or a catchy slogan, rather than facts.

Question 40

What is Central Route Persuasion?

Answer 40

Persuasion that focuses on logical arguments and evidence to convince someone.