PSYCH 350 - Midterm 2 UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
"Women are wonderful" effect - CORRECT ANSWER - most people rate their beliefs
and feelings regarding women as more favorable than their feelings regarding men
Cognitive dissonance theory - CORRECT ANSWER - the theory that we act to reduce the
discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent
Harming an innocent victim - CORRECT ANSWER - typically leads aggressors to
disparage their victims, thus helping them justify their cruel behavior
Conformity - CORRECT ANSWER - A change in behavior or belief as the result of real
or imagined group pressure
Compliance - CORRECT ANSWER - Conformity that involves publicly acting in accord
with an implied or explicit request while privately disagreeing
Obedience - CORRECT ANSWER - A type of compliance involving acting in accord
with a direct order or command
Acceptance - CORRECT ANSWER - Conformity that involves both acting and believing
in accord with social pressure
Reactance - CORRECT ANSWER - A motive to protect or restore one's sense of
freedom. Reactance arises when someone threatens our freedom of action
Asch Study - CORRECT ANSWER - Participants were asked to select the line closest in
line to length X. When cohorts gave obviously wrong answers, more than 1/3 of the subjects
conformed and agreed with the incorrect choices. Depends on group size: 7 is optimal.
, Autokinetic phenomenon - CORRECT ANSWER - Self (auto) motion (kinetic). The
apparent movement of a stationary point of light in the dark
Public response - how do people respond differently when they do not respond privately? Pg.
162 - CORRECT ANSWER - people conform more when they must respond in front of
others rather than writing their answers privately
Sherif Study - CORRECT ANSWER - Study of norm formation that analyzed if
participants would change their estimates of light movement based on group norms
Milgram study - CORRECT ANSWER - Study of obedience and conformity that tested
amount of electric shock a person was willing to give to another person when told to by an
authority figure
How does whether or not we believe the message have to do with education and propaganda? Pg.
175 - CORRECT ANSWER - The bad we call "propaganda." The good we call
"education." Education is more factually based and less coercive Page 175 than propaganda. Yet
generally we call it "education" when we believe it, "propaganda" when we don't
What did the "blame-the-victim" process used by the military junta in Greece demonstrate about
compliance and acceptance? Pg. 156 - CORRECT ANSWER - - selected candidates based
on their respect for and submission to authority
- Step by step, an obedient but otherwise decent person evolved into an agent of cruelty
- Compliance breeds acceptance
Three classic obedience studies - CORRECT ANSWER - Sherif- norm formation
Asch- conformity
Milgram- obedience
How did the majority of participants perform in Milgram's study? Pg. 150 - CORRECT
ANSWER - 65% progressed all the way to 450 volts
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
"Women are wonderful" effect - CORRECT ANSWER - most people rate their beliefs
and feelings regarding women as more favorable than their feelings regarding men
Cognitive dissonance theory - CORRECT ANSWER - the theory that we act to reduce the
discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent
Harming an innocent victim - CORRECT ANSWER - typically leads aggressors to
disparage their victims, thus helping them justify their cruel behavior
Conformity - CORRECT ANSWER - A change in behavior or belief as the result of real
or imagined group pressure
Compliance - CORRECT ANSWER - Conformity that involves publicly acting in accord
with an implied or explicit request while privately disagreeing
Obedience - CORRECT ANSWER - A type of compliance involving acting in accord
with a direct order or command
Acceptance - CORRECT ANSWER - Conformity that involves both acting and believing
in accord with social pressure
Reactance - CORRECT ANSWER - A motive to protect or restore one's sense of
freedom. Reactance arises when someone threatens our freedom of action
Asch Study - CORRECT ANSWER - Participants were asked to select the line closest in
line to length X. When cohorts gave obviously wrong answers, more than 1/3 of the subjects
conformed and agreed with the incorrect choices. Depends on group size: 7 is optimal.
, Autokinetic phenomenon - CORRECT ANSWER - Self (auto) motion (kinetic). The
apparent movement of a stationary point of light in the dark
Public response - how do people respond differently when they do not respond privately? Pg.
162 - CORRECT ANSWER - people conform more when they must respond in front of
others rather than writing their answers privately
Sherif Study - CORRECT ANSWER - Study of norm formation that analyzed if
participants would change their estimates of light movement based on group norms
Milgram study - CORRECT ANSWER - Study of obedience and conformity that tested
amount of electric shock a person was willing to give to another person when told to by an
authority figure
How does whether or not we believe the message have to do with education and propaganda? Pg.
175 - CORRECT ANSWER - The bad we call "propaganda." The good we call
"education." Education is more factually based and less coercive Page 175 than propaganda. Yet
generally we call it "education" when we believe it, "propaganda" when we don't
What did the "blame-the-victim" process used by the military junta in Greece demonstrate about
compliance and acceptance? Pg. 156 - CORRECT ANSWER - - selected candidates based
on their respect for and submission to authority
- Step by step, an obedient but otherwise decent person evolved into an agent of cruelty
- Compliance breeds acceptance
Three classic obedience studies - CORRECT ANSWER - Sherif- norm formation
Asch- conformity
Milgram- obedience
How did the majority of participants perform in Milgram's study? Pg. 150 - CORRECT
ANSWER - 65% progressed all the way to 450 volts
