,CHAPTER 1An Invitation to Social Psychology
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
A. Define social psychology and describe its value for our society
1.2 The Power of the Situation
A. Describe Kurt Lewin’s theory of the field of forces
B. Explain what the Milgram experiment and the Good Samaritan study reveal about the power of the situation
C. Define channel factors
D. Define the fundamental attribution error
1.3 The Role of Construal
A. Define construals and give some examples for construals of situations
B. Define schemas and describe how they relate to social behavior and interaction
1.4 Automatic vs. Controlled Processing
A. Distinguish between automatic processing and controlled processing
1.5 Evolution and Human Behavior: How We Are the Same
A. Describe the evolutionary perspective on social behavior, including the emerging field of social neuroscience
1.6 Culture and Human Behavior: How We Are Different
A. Distinguish between independent (individualistic) and interdependent (collectivistic) cultures, and explain how
these cultural differences relate to the ways people think, feel, and behave
1.7 The Uses of Social Psychology
A. Explain how social psychology can improve critical thinking.
,MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Social psychology can be defined as the ________ study of the ________ of individuals in social situations.
a. rational; feelings, thoughts, and behaviors
b. scientific; behaviors
c. scientific; feelings, thoughts, and behaviors
d. behavioral; thoughts and feelings
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Remembering
2. Social psychologists would be MOST likely to focus on which of the following potential causes underlying the military abuses at Abu
Ghraib prison during the Iraq War?
a. The soldiers who instigated these abuses were bad people.
b. The power imbalance at the prison facilitated the soldiers’ bad behavior.
c. American foreign policy encouraged anti-Arab behavior in many spheres.
d. The soldiers were not in their right minds, having been traumatized by their experiences during the
war.
ANS: B DIF: Difficult REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Applying
3. Sandra thinks that smiling a lot during a job interview increases a person’s chances of getting a job offer. The main difference between
Sandra’s folk theory and social psychological theories is that social psychological theories are
a. always more complicated. c. based on logic.
b. almost always counterintuitive. d. tested using the scientific method.
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Understanding
4. Which of the following statements about social psychology is the most accurate?
a. Social psychologists rely primarily on correlational research.
b. Social psychologists argue that genetics do not exert causal effects on social behavior.
c. Social psychologists examine the influence of situations on behaviors.
d. Social psychologists stress individual differences in behavior.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Analyzing
5. Which of the following is LEAST characteristic of the goals of social psychology?
a. understanding how people in different cultures think, feel, and behave
b. understanding how people control each other’s behaviors
c. evaluating the accuracy of folk theories about how situations influence behavior
d. understanding how personality traits predispose people to respond to major events in their lives
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Analyzing
6. Which of the following phenomena best illustrates the relationship between social influence and behavior?
a. acting more cooperative when you are in a good mood (as opposed to a bad mood)
b. preferring to drive with the car radio on (as opposed to off)
c. cycling faster when people are watching you (as opposed to when you are alone)
d. getting into more arguments when the temperature is above 80 degrees (as opposed to under 80
degrees)
ANS: C DIF: Difficult REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Analyzing
7. What is the “field of forces” that Kurt Lewin emphasized in understanding human behavior?
a. personal attributes c. underlying genetics
b. social situations d. biological factors
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2A MSC: Remembering
, 8. Kurt Lewin’s concept of channel factors emphasizes how ________ rather than ________ shape(s) human behavior.
a. childhood upbringing; genetic predisposition
b. genetic predisposition; childhood upbringing
c. subtle situational features; internal dispositions
d. internal dispositions; subtle situational features
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2C MSC: Analyzing
9. Kurt Lewin’s concept of the field of forces emphasizes that ________ underlie(s) much of human behavior.
a. genetics c. the characteristics of a situation
b. physical stimulation d. natural selection
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2A MSC: Understanding
10. Kurt Lewin, the founder of modern social psychology, argued that the effects of psychological forces can be understood in the same
way that ________ forces are understood.
a. physical c. personality
b. attributional d. armed
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2A MSC: Understanding
11. Research on ________ suggests it is ________ for people to assume that dispositions are the underlying causes of most behaviors.
a. the fundamental attribution error; common
b. the fundamental attribution error; uncommon
c. channel factors; common
d. channel factors; uncommon
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2D MSC: Remembering
12. The classic Milgram study showed that about ________ percent of participants delivered ________ to the “learner.”
a. 1; a 330-volt shock or higher (i.e., after the learner let out an agonized scream)
b. 10; no shocks
c. 20; a 450-volt shock (highest possible)
d. 60; a 450-volt shock (highest possible)
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2B MSC: Remembering
13. According to social psychologists, which of the following conditions is most likely to make someone do what an authority figure says
to do, even if it involves hurting someone?
a. when people know ahead of time that an authority figure will be ordering them around
b. when people have been raised in abusive families
c. when people can hold an authority figure responsible for his or her actions
d. when people are used to hurting other people
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2B MSC: Understanding
14. The Good Samaritan study conducted by Darley and Batson (1973) examined helping behavior in seminary students at Princeton
University. These students were either rushed or not rushed to get to an appointment. The results of this study showed that
a. participants who viewed religion as a means toward personal salvation were less likely to help a
person in need than participants who viewed religion as a means to develop moral and spiritual
values.
b. when rushed, only participants who viewed religion as a means for personal salvation were less
likely to help a person in need.
c. when rushed, only participants who viewed religion as a means to develop moral and spiritual
values were less likely to help a person in need.
d. the nature of participants’ religious orientations did not predict helping behavior; only whether or
not they were rushed predicted whether they helped a person in need.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
A. Define social psychology and describe its value for our society
1.2 The Power of the Situation
A. Describe Kurt Lewin’s theory of the field of forces
B. Explain what the Milgram experiment and the Good Samaritan study reveal about the power of the situation
C. Define channel factors
D. Define the fundamental attribution error
1.3 The Role of Construal
A. Define construals and give some examples for construals of situations
B. Define schemas and describe how they relate to social behavior and interaction
1.4 Automatic vs. Controlled Processing
A. Distinguish between automatic processing and controlled processing
1.5 Evolution and Human Behavior: How We Are the Same
A. Describe the evolutionary perspective on social behavior, including the emerging field of social neuroscience
1.6 Culture and Human Behavior: How We Are Different
A. Distinguish between independent (individualistic) and interdependent (collectivistic) cultures, and explain how
these cultural differences relate to the ways people think, feel, and behave
1.7 The Uses of Social Psychology
A. Explain how social psychology can improve critical thinking.
,MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Social psychology can be defined as the ________ study of the ________ of individuals in social situations.
a. rational; feelings, thoughts, and behaviors
b. scientific; behaviors
c. scientific; feelings, thoughts, and behaviors
d. behavioral; thoughts and feelings
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Remembering
2. Social psychologists would be MOST likely to focus on which of the following potential causes underlying the military abuses at Abu
Ghraib prison during the Iraq War?
a. The soldiers who instigated these abuses were bad people.
b. The power imbalance at the prison facilitated the soldiers’ bad behavior.
c. American foreign policy encouraged anti-Arab behavior in many spheres.
d. The soldiers were not in their right minds, having been traumatized by their experiences during the
war.
ANS: B DIF: Difficult REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Applying
3. Sandra thinks that smiling a lot during a job interview increases a person’s chances of getting a job offer. The main difference between
Sandra’s folk theory and social psychological theories is that social psychological theories are
a. always more complicated. c. based on logic.
b. almost always counterintuitive. d. tested using the scientific method.
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Understanding
4. Which of the following statements about social psychology is the most accurate?
a. Social psychologists rely primarily on correlational research.
b. Social psychologists argue that genetics do not exert causal effects on social behavior.
c. Social psychologists examine the influence of situations on behaviors.
d. Social psychologists stress individual differences in behavior.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Analyzing
5. Which of the following is LEAST characteristic of the goals of social psychology?
a. understanding how people in different cultures think, feel, and behave
b. understanding how people control each other’s behaviors
c. evaluating the accuracy of folk theories about how situations influence behavior
d. understanding how personality traits predispose people to respond to major events in their lives
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Analyzing
6. Which of the following phenomena best illustrates the relationship between social influence and behavior?
a. acting more cooperative when you are in a good mood (as opposed to a bad mood)
b. preferring to drive with the car radio on (as opposed to off)
c. cycling faster when people are watching you (as opposed to when you are alone)
d. getting into more arguments when the temperature is above 80 degrees (as opposed to under 80
degrees)
ANS: C DIF: Difficult REF: 1.1 Characterizing Social Psychology
OBJ: 1.1A MSC: Analyzing
7. What is the “field of forces” that Kurt Lewin emphasized in understanding human behavior?
a. personal attributes c. underlying genetics
b. social situations d. biological factors
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2A MSC: Remembering
, 8. Kurt Lewin’s concept of channel factors emphasizes how ________ rather than ________ shape(s) human behavior.
a. childhood upbringing; genetic predisposition
b. genetic predisposition; childhood upbringing
c. subtle situational features; internal dispositions
d. internal dispositions; subtle situational features
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2C MSC: Analyzing
9. Kurt Lewin’s concept of the field of forces emphasizes that ________ underlie(s) much of human behavior.
a. genetics c. the characteristics of a situation
b. physical stimulation d. natural selection
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2A MSC: Understanding
10. Kurt Lewin, the founder of modern social psychology, argued that the effects of psychological forces can be understood in the same
way that ________ forces are understood.
a. physical c. personality
b. attributional d. armed
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2A MSC: Understanding
11. Research on ________ suggests it is ________ for people to assume that dispositions are the underlying causes of most behaviors.
a. the fundamental attribution error; common
b. the fundamental attribution error; uncommon
c. channel factors; common
d. channel factors; uncommon
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2D MSC: Remembering
12. The classic Milgram study showed that about ________ percent of participants delivered ________ to the “learner.”
a. 1; a 330-volt shock or higher (i.e., after the learner let out an agonized scream)
b. 10; no shocks
c. 20; a 450-volt shock (highest possible)
d. 60; a 450-volt shock (highest possible)
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2B MSC: Remembering
13. According to social psychologists, which of the following conditions is most likely to make someone do what an authority figure says
to do, even if it involves hurting someone?
a. when people know ahead of time that an authority figure will be ordering them around
b. when people have been raised in abusive families
c. when people can hold an authority figure responsible for his or her actions
d. when people are used to hurting other people
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 1.2 The Power of the Situation
OBJ: 1.2B MSC: Understanding
14. The Good Samaritan study conducted by Darley and Batson (1973) examined helping behavior in seminary students at Princeton
University. These students were either rushed or not rushed to get to an appointment. The results of this study showed that
a. participants who viewed religion as a means toward personal salvation were less likely to help a
person in need than participants who viewed religion as a means to develop moral and spiritual
values.
b. when rushed, only participants who viewed religion as a means for personal salvation were less
likely to help a person in need.
c. when rushed, only participants who viewed religion as a means to develop moral and spiritual
values were less likely to help a person in need.
d. the nature of participants’ religious orientations did not predict helping behavior; only whether or
not they were rushed predicted whether they helped a person in need.
