GRE Psychology Subject Test Prep Latest 2026
Questions and Correct Detailed Answers Already
Graded A+
two sided messages - CORRECT ANSWER-arguments for and against a position;
often used for persuasion since such seems to be "balanced" communication.
(News reporting)
Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion - CORRECT ANSWER-model that
suggests 2 routes of persuasion; central & peripheral; Petty & Cacioppo
central route persuasion - CORRECT ANSWER-persuasion that occurs when
interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts
peripheral route persuasion - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT
ANSWER-3 ways to resist persuasion
,Analogy of inoculation - CORRECT ANSWER-analogy where people can resist
persuasive communications as seen in physical inoculation (flu shot); William
McGuire
Attitudes - CORRECT ANSWER-An opinion or general feeling about cognitions,
beliefs, feelings, or behavioral predisposition.
Consistency Theories - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT ANSWER-Increased
pressure to decrease dissonance.
free choice & forced compliance - CORRECT ANSWER-two types of dissonance
free choice dissonance - CORRECT ANSWER-dissonance where a person
decides between several desirable outcomes
forced compliance dissonance - CORRECT ANSWER-dissonance where a
person is forced into behaving in an inconsistent manner from their beliefs
post-decision dissonance - CORRECT ANSWER-dissonance where a person has
a feeling of anxiety over whether the correct decision was made
spreading of alternatives - CORRECT ANSWER-when alternatives are seen as
different after choice is made (the one we chose as better, the one we rejected as
worse)
minimal justification effect - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT ANSWER-Hovland's
model of persuasion components
Questions and Correct Detailed Answers Already
Graded A+
two sided messages - CORRECT ANSWER-arguments for and against a position;
often used for persuasion since such seems to be "balanced" communication.
(News reporting)
Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion - CORRECT ANSWER-model that
suggests 2 routes of persuasion; central & peripheral; Petty & Cacioppo
central route persuasion - CORRECT ANSWER-persuasion that occurs when
interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts
peripheral route persuasion - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT
ANSWER-3 ways to resist persuasion
,Analogy of inoculation - CORRECT ANSWER-analogy where people can resist
persuasive communications as seen in physical inoculation (flu shot); William
McGuire
Attitudes - CORRECT ANSWER-An opinion or general feeling about cognitions,
beliefs, feelings, or behavioral predisposition.
Consistency Theories - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT ANSWER-Increased
pressure to decrease dissonance.
free choice & forced compliance - CORRECT ANSWER-two types of dissonance
free choice dissonance - CORRECT ANSWER-dissonance where a person
decides between several desirable outcomes
forced compliance dissonance - CORRECT ANSWER-dissonance where a
person is forced into behaving in an inconsistent manner from their beliefs
post-decision dissonance - CORRECT ANSWER-dissonance where a person has
a feeling of anxiety over whether the correct decision was made
spreading of alternatives - CORRECT ANSWER-when alternatives are seen as
different after choice is made (the one we chose as better, the one we rejected as
worse)
minimal justification effect - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT ANSWER-Hovland's
model of persuasion components
