GRE PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Attitudes - (answer)An opinion or general feeling about cognitions, beliefs, feelings, or behavioral
predisposition.
Consistency Theories - (answer)Theoretical perspectives from social psychology that hold that people
prefer consistency between attitudes and behaviors, and that people will change or resist changing
attitudes based upon this preference.
balance theory - (answer)theory that is concerned with the way 3 elements are related: the person
whom we're talking about (symbolized as P), some other person (symbolized as O), and a thing, idea, or
some other person (symbolized by X). Balance exists when all three fit together harmoniously. When
there isn't balance, there will be stress, and a tendency to remove this stress by achieving balance; Fritz
Heider
cognitive dissonance theory - (answer)theory that the conflict or inconsistency between internal
attitudes and external behaviors which may result in a change of attitude; Leon Fistinger
What does increased dissonance lead to? - (answer)Increased pressure to decrease dissonance.
free choice & forced compliance - (answer)two types of dissonance
free choice dissonance - (answer)dissonance where a person decides between several desirable
outcomes
forced compliance dissonance - (answer)dissonance where a person is forced into behaving in an
inconsistent manner from their beliefs
post-decision dissonance - (answer)dissonance where a person has a feeling of anxiety over whether the
correct decision was made
spreading of alternatives - (answer)when alternatives are seen as different after choice is made (the one
we chose as better, the one we rejected as worse)
,GRE PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
minimal justification effect - (answer)effect studied by Participants who did a boring task, then were
asked to tell next person it was fun for $1 or $20
- Results: $1 participants reported enjoying task more than $20 participants
- Explanation: $20 participants could attribute behavior (saying it was fun) to the $20 they received, but
$1 isn't enough to justify the dissonant behavior. So, $1 participants instead changed their attitudes
about the task
- Festinger and Carlsmith (1959)
self-perception theory - (answer)The theory that when our attitudes and feelings are uncertain or
ambiguous, we infer these states by observing our behavior and the situation in which it occurs; Daryl
Bem
overjustification effect - (answer)the effect of bribing people to do what they already like doing; they
may then see their actions as externally controlled rather than intrinsically appealing
Model of persuasion - (answer)model described by an attitude change as a process of communicating a
message with the intent to persuade someone; Carl Hovland
communicator, communication, and situation - (answer)Hovland's model of persuasion components
sleeper effect - (answer)effect where persuasive communication from a source of low credibility may
become more acceptable later while communication from high credibility source may decrease; source
credibility study on era controversial topics (one written by an American physicist & another by a
Russian newspaper)
Russain newspaper persuaded 0%, American physicist persuaded 36%; Hovland & Weiss (1951)
two sided messages - (answer)arguments for and against a position; often used for persuasion since
such seems to be "balanced" communication. (News reporting)
,GRE PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion - (answer)model that suggests 2 routes of persuasion;
central & peripheral; Petty & Cacioppo
central route persuasion - (answer)persuasion that occurs when interested people focus on the
arguments and respond with favorable thoughts
peripheral route persuasion - (answer)persuasion that occurs when non-interested people do not clearly
understand an argument and can be influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness
analogy of inoculation, belief perseverance, and reactance - (answer)3 ways to resist persuasion
Analogy of inoculation - (answer)analogy where people can resist persuasive communications as seen in
physical inoculation (flu shot); William McGuire
cultural truisms & refuted counterarguments - (answer)2 ways to rest the analogy of inoculation
cultural truisms - (answer)beliefs that are seldom questioned, but rarely attacked even though they are
vulnerable to attack.
refuted counterarguments - (answer)when a person is first presenting arguments against the truisms
and then refuting them; motivates people to practice defending beliefs.
belief perseverance phenomenon - (answer)phenomenon where there's a tendency to stick to our initial
beliefs even when evidence contradicts them
reactance effect - (answer)effect that occurs if we try hard to persuade someone, they may believe the
opposite.
social comparison theory - (answer)theory that we seek to evaluate our abilities and beliefs by
comparing them with those of others;
, GRE PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
people prefer to evaluate themselves objectively, and then in comparison to others
less similarities in opinions = less of a tendency to make comparisons
discrepancy existing = change in opinions to be a part of the group
Leon Festinger
Stanley Schachter - (answer)person who stated greater anxiety = greater need to affiliate
Reciprocity Hypothesis - (answer)Hypothesis where we tend to like people who indicate that they like
us, dislike those who indicate they don't like us
Gain-Loss Principle - (answer)principle where an evaluation that changes will have more of an impact
than an evaluation that remains constant; increased interest shown, we show increased interest; Arison
& Linder
social exchange theory - (answer)theory where a person weighs rewards & costs of interactions,
increased rewards = decreased cost = increased interest
equity theory - (answer)a theory that states that people will be motivated when they perceive that they
are being treated fairly (find equity or inequity)
individual characteristics correlation - (answer)correlation found between affiliation & similarity of
intelligence, attitudes, education, height, age, religion, SES, habits, and mental health.
need complementarity hypothesis - (answer)hypothesis where people seek and are more satisfied with
marital partners who are the opposite of themselves (dom/sub, introvert/extrovert)
Attitudes - (answer)An opinion or general feeling about cognitions, beliefs, feelings, or behavioral
predisposition.
Consistency Theories - (answer)Theoretical perspectives from social psychology that hold that people
prefer consistency between attitudes and behaviors, and that people will change or resist changing
attitudes based upon this preference.
balance theory - (answer)theory that is concerned with the way 3 elements are related: the person
whom we're talking about (symbolized as P), some other person (symbolized as O), and a thing, idea, or
some other person (symbolized by X). Balance exists when all three fit together harmoniously. When
there isn't balance, there will be stress, and a tendency to remove this stress by achieving balance; Fritz
Heider
cognitive dissonance theory - (answer)theory that the conflict or inconsistency between internal
attitudes and external behaviors which may result in a change of attitude; Leon Fistinger
What does increased dissonance lead to? - (answer)Increased pressure to decrease dissonance.
free choice & forced compliance - (answer)two types of dissonance
free choice dissonance - (answer)dissonance where a person decides between several desirable
outcomes
forced compliance dissonance - (answer)dissonance where a person is forced into behaving in an
inconsistent manner from their beliefs
post-decision dissonance - (answer)dissonance where a person has a feeling of anxiety over whether the
correct decision was made
spreading of alternatives - (answer)when alternatives are seen as different after choice is made (the one
we chose as better, the one we rejected as worse)
,GRE PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
minimal justification effect - (answer)effect studied by Participants who did a boring task, then were
asked to tell next person it was fun for $1 or $20
- Results: $1 participants reported enjoying task more than $20 participants
- Explanation: $20 participants could attribute behavior (saying it was fun) to the $20 they received, but
$1 isn't enough to justify the dissonant behavior. So, $1 participants instead changed their attitudes
about the task
- Festinger and Carlsmith (1959)
self-perception theory - (answer)The theory that when our attitudes and feelings are uncertain or
ambiguous, we infer these states by observing our behavior and the situation in which it occurs; Daryl
Bem
overjustification effect - (answer)the effect of bribing people to do what they already like doing; they
may then see their actions as externally controlled rather than intrinsically appealing
Model of persuasion - (answer)model described by an attitude change as a process of communicating a
message with the intent to persuade someone; Carl Hovland
communicator, communication, and situation - (answer)Hovland's model of persuasion components
sleeper effect - (answer)effect where persuasive communication from a source of low credibility may
become more acceptable later while communication from high credibility source may decrease; source
credibility study on era controversial topics (one written by an American physicist & another by a
Russian newspaper)
Russain newspaper persuaded 0%, American physicist persuaded 36%; Hovland & Weiss (1951)
two sided messages - (answer)arguments for and against a position; often used for persuasion since
such seems to be "balanced" communication. (News reporting)
,GRE PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion - (answer)model that suggests 2 routes of persuasion;
central & peripheral; Petty & Cacioppo
central route persuasion - (answer)persuasion that occurs when interested people focus on the
arguments and respond with favorable thoughts
peripheral route persuasion - (answer)persuasion that occurs when non-interested people do not clearly
understand an argument and can be influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness
analogy of inoculation, belief perseverance, and reactance - (answer)3 ways to resist persuasion
Analogy of inoculation - (answer)analogy where people can resist persuasive communications as seen in
physical inoculation (flu shot); William McGuire
cultural truisms & refuted counterarguments - (answer)2 ways to rest the analogy of inoculation
cultural truisms - (answer)beliefs that are seldom questioned, but rarely attacked even though they are
vulnerable to attack.
refuted counterarguments - (answer)when a person is first presenting arguments against the truisms
and then refuting them; motivates people to practice defending beliefs.
belief perseverance phenomenon - (answer)phenomenon where there's a tendency to stick to our initial
beliefs even when evidence contradicts them
reactance effect - (answer)effect that occurs if we try hard to persuade someone, they may believe the
opposite.
social comparison theory - (answer)theory that we seek to evaluate our abilities and beliefs by
comparing them with those of others;
, GRE PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
people prefer to evaluate themselves objectively, and then in comparison to others
less similarities in opinions = less of a tendency to make comparisons
discrepancy existing = change in opinions to be a part of the group
Leon Festinger
Stanley Schachter - (answer)person who stated greater anxiety = greater need to affiliate
Reciprocity Hypothesis - (answer)Hypothesis where we tend to like people who indicate that they like
us, dislike those who indicate they don't like us
Gain-Loss Principle - (answer)principle where an evaluation that changes will have more of an impact
than an evaluation that remains constant; increased interest shown, we show increased interest; Arison
& Linder
social exchange theory - (answer)theory where a person weighs rewards & costs of interactions,
increased rewards = decreased cost = increased interest
equity theory - (answer)a theory that states that people will be motivated when they perceive that they
are being treated fairly (find equity or inequity)
individual characteristics correlation - (answer)correlation found between affiliation & similarity of
intelligence, attitudes, education, height, age, religion, SES, habits, and mental health.
need complementarity hypothesis - (answer)hypothesis where people seek and are more satisfied with
marital partners who are the opposite of themselves (dom/sub, introvert/extrovert)
