PSY-319-FINAL EXAM 2026 ACTUAL
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS.
power motivation: becomes rewarding
and influence status groups to gain
authority/control
achievement motivation: earn more
points due to competitiveness, goal-
oriented behavior, and reward-seeking
motivation
extrinsic motivation: driven by external
rewards (points, status, privileges, access
to rule-making power, incentives,
reinforcement)
theory connections:
operant conditioning - certain
behaviors help gain power (high
status) or punishment (lower
Starpower Activity status) to reinforce and repeat
behavior
social comparison theory - who
has more chips? —> emotional
reactions like resentment/envy
tied into self-esteem and social
rank
maslow’s hierarchy of needs -
when players are
excluded/powerless, the esteem
needs become threatened —>
emotional distress
learned helplessness - some
lower status participants
eventually stop trying b/c
advancement feels impossible
, preference for consistency in their
cognition, attitude, and behavior
cognitive consistency theory Inconsistencies between thoughts,
attitudes, and behavior can generate
motivation
, tendency for positive or negative
relationships between people, objects,
or both to be balanced, imbalanced
relationships are motivational
balance theory - Heider problems: doesn’t suggest how we
might resolve the imbalance & doesn’t
account for importance (ex.: Stealing
candy vs. stealing $1 million dollars from
charity)
• attempt to maintain consistency of our beliefs,
attitudes, and opinions with our overt behavior
• Cognitions can be:
• Consistent - "Smoking causes cancer" + "I
don't smoke"
cognitive dissonance • Irrelevant - "Smoking causes cancer” + “I ate
cereal for breakfast”
• Dissonant - "Smoking causes cancer” + I
smoke a pack a day"
• When there is dissonance, we are motivated to
resolve or reduce it —> change your attitude
and behavior —> justify
compelled to engage in behaviors that
conflict with their personal beliefs or
induced compliance attitudes —> alter their original
viewpoints to reduce —> psychological
discomfort
justification of effort • more effort to reach a goal —> more we will
value the object of our effort
Aronson & Mills (1959) - College women
to join a women’s discussion group by
passing a test by manipulating the
severity of initiation to the group:
Severe: read obscene and
explicit material aloud to male
experimenter
Mild: read mildly taboo words
aloud
group discussion
• Results: Severe initiation group rated
discussion as much more enjoyable
• Dissonant cognitions example: impulsively and
constantly purchasing food and coffee while
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS.
power motivation: becomes rewarding
and influence status groups to gain
authority/control
achievement motivation: earn more
points due to competitiveness, goal-
oriented behavior, and reward-seeking
motivation
extrinsic motivation: driven by external
rewards (points, status, privileges, access
to rule-making power, incentives,
reinforcement)
theory connections:
operant conditioning - certain
behaviors help gain power (high
status) or punishment (lower
Starpower Activity status) to reinforce and repeat
behavior
social comparison theory - who
has more chips? —> emotional
reactions like resentment/envy
tied into self-esteem and social
rank
maslow’s hierarchy of needs -
when players are
excluded/powerless, the esteem
needs become threatened —>
emotional distress
learned helplessness - some
lower status participants
eventually stop trying b/c
advancement feels impossible
, preference for consistency in their
cognition, attitude, and behavior
cognitive consistency theory Inconsistencies between thoughts,
attitudes, and behavior can generate
motivation
, tendency for positive or negative
relationships between people, objects,
or both to be balanced, imbalanced
relationships are motivational
balance theory - Heider problems: doesn’t suggest how we
might resolve the imbalance & doesn’t
account for importance (ex.: Stealing
candy vs. stealing $1 million dollars from
charity)
• attempt to maintain consistency of our beliefs,
attitudes, and opinions with our overt behavior
• Cognitions can be:
• Consistent - "Smoking causes cancer" + "I
don't smoke"
cognitive dissonance • Irrelevant - "Smoking causes cancer” + “I ate
cereal for breakfast”
• Dissonant - "Smoking causes cancer” + I
smoke a pack a day"
• When there is dissonance, we are motivated to
resolve or reduce it —> change your attitude
and behavior —> justify
compelled to engage in behaviors that
conflict with their personal beliefs or
induced compliance attitudes —> alter their original
viewpoints to reduce —> psychological
discomfort
justification of effort • more effort to reach a goal —> more we will
value the object of our effort
Aronson & Mills (1959) - College women
to join a women’s discussion group by
passing a test by manipulating the
severity of initiation to the group:
Severe: read obscene and
explicit material aloud to male
experimenter
Mild: read mildly taboo words
aloud
group discussion
• Results: Severe initiation group rated
discussion as much more enjoyable
• Dissonant cognitions example: impulsively and
constantly purchasing food and coffee while
