KME's EPPP Social Psychology UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Who are the important founders of social psychology? - CORRECT ANSWER - Sherif:
credited with studying social stimuli in a scientific manner, conformity and intergroup
cooperation
Lewin: Field theory
Field Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - Lewin's theory, established social psychology as a
distinct field, bx is the function of interaction b/w person and the environment
Life Space - CORRECT ANSWER - concept in field theory
consists of the person, the immediate env't & present moment
includes needs, goals, external events, etc.
Conflict in Field Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - A person moves toward goals that have
positive valence and away from goals that have negative valence
conflict: forces directing away and toward a goal have the same strength
3 types: approach-approach, avoidance-avoidance, approach-avoidance
Approach-Approach Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER - conflict in field theory
person located b/w two positive goal objects
Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER - conflict in field theory
choice b/w two unattractive goals
either "leave the field" or vacillate b/w and achieve equilibrium
Approach-Avoidance Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER - conflict in field theory
,simultaneously drawn to and repelled by same thing
Miller and Approach-Avoidance Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER - rats run a maze,
shocked when eating food
then, run maze and stop short of food: this place is where equilibrium is reached
"avoidance gradient" is steeper than "approach gradient"
Zeigarnik Effect - CORRECT ANSWER - experimental application of field theory
we remember unfinished tasks better than finished
interruption = disequilibrium and an urge to complete task
Bem's Self-Perception Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - if internal cues are weak, we infer
what we think or feel based on what we can observe about our behavior and the situation (we
form our self-perception the same we we perceive others)
confirmed by Schater-Singer epinephrine experiment
Overjustification hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER - when we reward (extrinsic
motivation) people for behavior that was just an enjoyable activity (intrinsic motivation), the
interest in the activity decreases
supports self-perception theory ("I must be doing it for the reward")
Social Comparison Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - Festinger
we compare ourselves to similar others when unsure of our abilities/opinions
when our self-esteem is at stake, we make downward comparisons
Self-Verification Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - Swann
we seek confirmation of our self-concept, regardless of if it is positive or negative
we are more likely to attend to, recall, and believe verification, and closer to those who self-
verify
, Social Role Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - men and women behave differently in social
situations due to societal expectations for gender
Fundamental Attribution Error - CORRECT ANSWER - We focus on disposition when
explaining behavior of others, not on situation. True even when we know roles have been
assigned
Actor-Observer Effect - CORRECT ANSWER - Jones & Nisbett
Fundamental attribution error for ourselves
we attribute our own behavior to situation rather than disposition
Self-serving bias - CORRECT ANSWER - Miller & Ross
we are likely to attribute our success to disposition, and our failure to situation
may not apply in depression
Weiner's Attributional Theory of Motivation and Emotion - CORRECT ANSWER - three
dimensions:
1) interntal/external
2) stable/unstable
3) controllable/uncontrollable
then added: 4) intentional/unintentional, and 5) global/specific
Rotter's Locus of Control - CORRECT ANSWER - similar to Weiner's attributional theory
internal v. external locus of control
internal = better functioning
Belief in a Just World - CORRECT ANSWER - Lerner
blame the victim
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Who are the important founders of social psychology? - CORRECT ANSWER - Sherif:
credited with studying social stimuli in a scientific manner, conformity and intergroup
cooperation
Lewin: Field theory
Field Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - Lewin's theory, established social psychology as a
distinct field, bx is the function of interaction b/w person and the environment
Life Space - CORRECT ANSWER - concept in field theory
consists of the person, the immediate env't & present moment
includes needs, goals, external events, etc.
Conflict in Field Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - A person moves toward goals that have
positive valence and away from goals that have negative valence
conflict: forces directing away and toward a goal have the same strength
3 types: approach-approach, avoidance-avoidance, approach-avoidance
Approach-Approach Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER - conflict in field theory
person located b/w two positive goal objects
Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER - conflict in field theory
choice b/w two unattractive goals
either "leave the field" or vacillate b/w and achieve equilibrium
Approach-Avoidance Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER - conflict in field theory
,simultaneously drawn to and repelled by same thing
Miller and Approach-Avoidance Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER - rats run a maze,
shocked when eating food
then, run maze and stop short of food: this place is where equilibrium is reached
"avoidance gradient" is steeper than "approach gradient"
Zeigarnik Effect - CORRECT ANSWER - experimental application of field theory
we remember unfinished tasks better than finished
interruption = disequilibrium and an urge to complete task
Bem's Self-Perception Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - if internal cues are weak, we infer
what we think or feel based on what we can observe about our behavior and the situation (we
form our self-perception the same we we perceive others)
confirmed by Schater-Singer epinephrine experiment
Overjustification hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER - when we reward (extrinsic
motivation) people for behavior that was just an enjoyable activity (intrinsic motivation), the
interest in the activity decreases
supports self-perception theory ("I must be doing it for the reward")
Social Comparison Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - Festinger
we compare ourselves to similar others when unsure of our abilities/opinions
when our self-esteem is at stake, we make downward comparisons
Self-Verification Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - Swann
we seek confirmation of our self-concept, regardless of if it is positive or negative
we are more likely to attend to, recall, and believe verification, and closer to those who self-
verify
, Social Role Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - men and women behave differently in social
situations due to societal expectations for gender
Fundamental Attribution Error - CORRECT ANSWER - We focus on disposition when
explaining behavior of others, not on situation. True even when we know roles have been
assigned
Actor-Observer Effect - CORRECT ANSWER - Jones & Nisbett
Fundamental attribution error for ourselves
we attribute our own behavior to situation rather than disposition
Self-serving bias - CORRECT ANSWER - Miller & Ross
we are likely to attribute our success to disposition, and our failure to situation
may not apply in depression
Weiner's Attributional Theory of Motivation and Emotion - CORRECT ANSWER - three
dimensions:
1) interntal/external
2) stable/unstable
3) controllable/uncontrollable
then added: 4) intentional/unintentional, and 5) global/specific
Rotter's Locus of Control - CORRECT ANSWER - similar to Weiner's attributional theory
internal v. external locus of control
internal = better functioning
Belief in a Just World - CORRECT ANSWER - Lerner
blame the victim
