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PSYC3402: Exam 1 Questions with
Detailed Verified Answers
Norman Tripplett (late 1800s)
⼀Answer:- basis of social facilitation
- observed: bicyclists did better when they raced against each other v. the
clock
- study: tested his hypothesis by building a 'competition machine'; n=40
kids, performed better against other kids than clock alone
Max Ringelmann
⼀Answer:- social loafing
- observed: more workers do not proportionally improve output
- study: pull rope alone v. in group; individual effort decreases with
increased group size
- decrease approx. 50% at 8 people, possibly due to forces of
deindividuation
- remedy by making aware of social roles
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Kurt Lewin (50s/60s)
⼀Answer:- behavior is a function of the person and situation, motivates
Milgram
Stanley Milgram
⼀Answer:- the role of obedience
- inspired by the complicit nature of Germans during the third reich;
inherently cruel or acting under authority?
- study: a teacher, learner, and authority figure
- 65% of teachers reached lethal shock
- replication studies show similar results across demographics, empathy
may play a role in reluctance but not stopping
Features (5) of the Milgram Experiment
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⼀Answer:- 1. gradual increase in demand, "foot in the door" effect, sum-
cost fallacy (not wanting to be inconsistent, might as well continue)
2. perception in authority: legitimate and confident authority figures
3. limited information in a novel situation
4. no responsibility, diffused responsibility
5. learner proximity and salience/prominence (physical and emotional)
the ABC triad
⼀Answer:- Affect: how people feel inside (self esteem, attitudes)
Behavior: actions, influenced by affect (joining groups, working,
discrimination, etc.)
Cognition: thoughts (self knowledge, stereotypes, etc)
Basic characteristics of science
⼀Answer:- testable hypothesis, hypothesis derived from theory (well-
observed, documented), skepticism, falsifiability, replication
self-report studies
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⼀Answer:- ask sample to report on their own subjective experiences
likert scales
⼀Answer:- questionnaires that require individuals to indicate their
degree of agreement or disagreement with a set of statements (ability to
quantify responses)
samples and populations
a. random, representative
b. large polls
⼀Answer:- a. representative, random sampling leads to more
generalizable results and attempt to control for confounding variables
b. large polls, of a random sample of 1200, can be 95% accurate +/- 3%
correlational research, coefficient
⼀Answer:- observe the association between two variables
- does not imply causation
- coefficients are statistical measurements indicating the linear
relationship between X and Y (strength and direction)
the third variable problem
PSYC3402: Exam 1 Questions with
Detailed Verified Answers
Norman Tripplett (late 1800s)
⼀Answer:- basis of social facilitation
- observed: bicyclists did better when they raced against each other v. the
clock
- study: tested his hypothesis by building a 'competition machine'; n=40
kids, performed better against other kids than clock alone
Max Ringelmann
⼀Answer:- social loafing
- observed: more workers do not proportionally improve output
- study: pull rope alone v. in group; individual effort decreases with
increased group size
- decrease approx. 50% at 8 people, possibly due to forces of
deindividuation
- remedy by making aware of social roles
, Page | 2
Kurt Lewin (50s/60s)
⼀Answer:- behavior is a function of the person and situation, motivates
Milgram
Stanley Milgram
⼀Answer:- the role of obedience
- inspired by the complicit nature of Germans during the third reich;
inherently cruel or acting under authority?
- study: a teacher, learner, and authority figure
- 65% of teachers reached lethal shock
- replication studies show similar results across demographics, empathy
may play a role in reluctance but not stopping
Features (5) of the Milgram Experiment
, Page | 3
⼀Answer:- 1. gradual increase in demand, "foot in the door" effect, sum-
cost fallacy (not wanting to be inconsistent, might as well continue)
2. perception in authority: legitimate and confident authority figures
3. limited information in a novel situation
4. no responsibility, diffused responsibility
5. learner proximity and salience/prominence (physical and emotional)
the ABC triad
⼀Answer:- Affect: how people feel inside (self esteem, attitudes)
Behavior: actions, influenced by affect (joining groups, working,
discrimination, etc.)
Cognition: thoughts (self knowledge, stereotypes, etc)
Basic characteristics of science
⼀Answer:- testable hypothesis, hypothesis derived from theory (well-
observed, documented), skepticism, falsifiability, replication
self-report studies
, Page | 4
⼀Answer:- ask sample to report on their own subjective experiences
likert scales
⼀Answer:- questionnaires that require individuals to indicate their
degree of agreement or disagreement with a set of statements (ability to
quantify responses)
samples and populations
a. random, representative
b. large polls
⼀Answer:- a. representative, random sampling leads to more
generalizable results and attempt to control for confounding variables
b. large polls, of a random sample of 1200, can be 95% accurate +/- 3%
correlational research, coefficient
⼀Answer:- observe the association between two variables
- does not imply causation
- coefficients are statistical measurements indicating the linear
relationship between X and Y (strength and direction)
the third variable problem
