PSYC 101 Exam 4 V2 | PSYC 101 General
Psychology | Actual Q&A with Rationale
(PSYC101 Exam 4) | Portage Learning
1. Which of the following describes the Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)?
A. The tendency for observers to underestimate situational influences and overestimate
dispositional influences on others’ behavior.
B. The tendency to blame one’s own failures on situational factors rather than personal
flaws.
C. The belief that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.
D. The process of adapting one’s behavior to match the expectations of a social group.
Correct Answer: A
The Fundamental Attribution Error occurs when we judge others’ actions based on their
character rather than their circumstances. This concept was extensively explored in social
psychology to understand human interaction and judgment. It highlights how we often
overlook the environmental pressures that dictate individual behavior in social settings.
2. According to Freud’s structural model of personality, which component operates based on
the ‘pleasure principle’?
A. The Ego
B. The Superego
,C. The Id
D. The Libido
Correct Answer: C
The Id is the primitive and instinctive component of personality that demands immediate
gratification of all desires. It is present from birth and contains all inherited biological
components, including sex and aggression. Unlike the Ego, it does not consider reality or
social norms when seeking satisfaction.
3. In Solomon Asch’s classic study on conformity, what was the primary factor that influenced
participants to give the wrong answer?
A. The difficulty of the visual task presented.
B. The physical proximity of the experimenter to the participant.
C. The financial rewards offered for matching the group’s responses.
D. The presence of a unanimous group consensus among the confederates.
Correct Answer: D
Asch demonstrated that individuals are highly likely to conform to a group even when the
group is clearly incorrect. The unanimity of the group creates a powerful social pressure
that makes dissent difficult for the individual. If even one confederate disagreed with the
majority, conformity rates dropped significantly.
, 4. Which of the following conditions were found to increase obedience in Stanley Milgram’s
shock experiments? (Select All That Apply)
A. The experimenter was perceived as a legitimate authority figure.
B. The victim (learner) was in a separate room and not visible to the teacher.
C. The experiment took place in a run-down office building rather than at Yale University.
D. The experiment was supported by a prestigious institution.
E. The participant saw other ‘teachers’ disobeying the experimenter’s orders.
F. The authority figure was physically present in the room with the participant.
Correct Answer: A, B, D, F
Milgram identified several situational variables that bolster obedience to authority.
Proximity to the authority figure and distance from the victim both served to reduce the
emotional strain of compliance. Furthermore, the perceived prestige and legitimacy of the
setting and the experimenter played crucial roles in the participants’ willingness to
continue.
5. What is the primary characteristic of ‘Groupthink’ as described by Irving Janis?
A. The desire for group harmony that results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-
making.
B. The tendency for group discussion to strengthen a group’s dominant point of view.
C. A decrease in individual effort when working as part of a collective group.
Psychology | Actual Q&A with Rationale
(PSYC101 Exam 4) | Portage Learning
1. Which of the following describes the Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)?
A. The tendency for observers to underestimate situational influences and overestimate
dispositional influences on others’ behavior.
B. The tendency to blame one’s own failures on situational factors rather than personal
flaws.
C. The belief that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.
D. The process of adapting one’s behavior to match the expectations of a social group.
Correct Answer: A
The Fundamental Attribution Error occurs when we judge others’ actions based on their
character rather than their circumstances. This concept was extensively explored in social
psychology to understand human interaction and judgment. It highlights how we often
overlook the environmental pressures that dictate individual behavior in social settings.
2. According to Freud’s structural model of personality, which component operates based on
the ‘pleasure principle’?
A. The Ego
B. The Superego
,C. The Id
D. The Libido
Correct Answer: C
The Id is the primitive and instinctive component of personality that demands immediate
gratification of all desires. It is present from birth and contains all inherited biological
components, including sex and aggression. Unlike the Ego, it does not consider reality or
social norms when seeking satisfaction.
3. In Solomon Asch’s classic study on conformity, what was the primary factor that influenced
participants to give the wrong answer?
A. The difficulty of the visual task presented.
B. The physical proximity of the experimenter to the participant.
C. The financial rewards offered for matching the group’s responses.
D. The presence of a unanimous group consensus among the confederates.
Correct Answer: D
Asch demonstrated that individuals are highly likely to conform to a group even when the
group is clearly incorrect. The unanimity of the group creates a powerful social pressure
that makes dissent difficult for the individual. If even one confederate disagreed with the
majority, conformity rates dropped significantly.
, 4. Which of the following conditions were found to increase obedience in Stanley Milgram’s
shock experiments? (Select All That Apply)
A. The experimenter was perceived as a legitimate authority figure.
B. The victim (learner) was in a separate room and not visible to the teacher.
C. The experiment took place in a run-down office building rather than at Yale University.
D. The experiment was supported by a prestigious institution.
E. The participant saw other ‘teachers’ disobeying the experimenter’s orders.
F. The authority figure was physically present in the room with the participant.
Correct Answer: A, B, D, F
Milgram identified several situational variables that bolster obedience to authority.
Proximity to the authority figure and distance from the victim both served to reduce the
emotional strain of compliance. Furthermore, the perceived prestige and legitimacy of the
setting and the experimenter played crucial roles in the participants’ willingness to
continue.
5. What is the primary characteristic of ‘Groupthink’ as described by Irving Janis?
A. The desire for group harmony that results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-
making.
B. The tendency for group discussion to strengthen a group’s dominant point of view.
C. A decrease in individual effort when working as part of a collective group.
