Psychology 101:01
Spring 2025
Final Exam Practice Questions – Complete (with answers)
1. In a study of the , participants who were aware that essay writers were told what position to take regarding
Fidel Castro made attributions.
a. actor-observer effect; situational
b. fundamental attribution error; situational
c. actor-observer effect; dispositional
d. fundamental attribution error; dispositional
2. In Festinger’s study, participants who were paid to lie to the next group of participants about their
enjoyment of the task were most likely to change their attitudes – they then believed that the task was fun.
a. $20
b. $50
c. $1
d. $5
3. In the previous question, the participants changed their attitudes due to:
a. insufficient justification for their behavior
b. sufficient justification for their behavior
c. effort justification
d. pressures to conform
4. For a classroom demonstration, a third-grade teacher separated her class into brown-eyed and blue-eyed
students. The students started to form positive feelings toward the others with the same eye color,
demonstrating:
a. the fundamental attribution error
b. in-group bias
c. the just-world hypothesis
d. realistic conflict theory
5. Fraternity pledges who are subjected difficult hazing practices are more committed to their fraternities than
pledges who undergo mild initiation rituals due to:
a. the fundamental attribution error
b. self-serving attributions
c. cognitive dissonance
d. group polarization
6. When other shoppers leave their shopping carts next to their cars rather than putting them in the designated spot,
Spencer thinks the other shoppers are selfish and lazy. When Spencer leaves his shopping cart next to his car
rather than putting it in the designated spot, he knows that he is in a huge hurry to get to work. This reflects the:
a. self-serving attribution
b. cognitive dissonance effect
c. fundamental attribution error
d. actor-observer effect
, 7. In the original version of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the need that is highest (last) on the hierarchy is:
a. belongingness and love
b. self-actualization
c. physiological
d. esteem
8. Consider Dutton and Aron’s (1974) study. What is the explanation for why the men crossing the wobbly part of
the bridge were more likely to call the woman than those on the stable part of the bridge?
a. In the presence of an attractive person, the men attempted to repress their fear.
b. Fear-provoking situations exaggerate risk-taking in all areas, including finding a mate.
c. During times of heightened fear, people often try to distract themselves.
d. The men misinterpreted physiological signals of fear as physical attraction.
9. Neeka drank a Red Bull (an energy drink) and then found herself feeling very angry and screaming obscenities
when watching her little brother’s little league game in which the umpire made some errors. This is probably due
to:
a. the facial feedback hypothesis.
b. the actor-observer effect.
c. the misattribution of arousal.
d. cognitive dissonance.
10. According to the theory of emotion, after someone steals our car, we will first experience an increased
heart rate and then experience anger.
a. James-Lange
b. Cannon-Bard
c. Schachter-Singer
d. Craik-Tulving
11. Which scenario supports the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion?
a. Ash approaches his friend Avery, who is walking a dog. As the dog begins to bark, Ash’s heart races; he
thinks about why this is the case, and realizes he has a crush on Avery.
b. Brock wakes up feeling glum. He forces himself to smile from ear to ear and laugh out loud, and then he
begins to feel happy.
c. Shauna feels very depressed about her recent break-up. She slumps down on her couch and cries for an
hour, and then she begins to feel better.
d. Kiawe relaxes in his hammock. Suddenly, he feels an earthquake, causing him to feel afraid; at the
same time, his heart beats rapidly and his palms sweat.
12. Sophocles assumes that all of his professors have outgoing and talkative personalities since he always sees them
talking. This assumption reflects:
a. the actor-observer effect
b. a self-serving attribution
c. the fundamental attribution error
d. cognitive dissonance
13. Apolo, a speed-skater, feels good about being strong and training hard when he wins, but when he loses, he says
that the other skaters cheated. This shows the:
a. self-serving attribution
b. bystander effect
c. fundamental attribution error
d. actor-observer effect
Spring 2025
Final Exam Practice Questions – Complete (with answers)
1. In a study of the , participants who were aware that essay writers were told what position to take regarding
Fidel Castro made attributions.
a. actor-observer effect; situational
b. fundamental attribution error; situational
c. actor-observer effect; dispositional
d. fundamental attribution error; dispositional
2. In Festinger’s study, participants who were paid to lie to the next group of participants about their
enjoyment of the task were most likely to change their attitudes – they then believed that the task was fun.
a. $20
b. $50
c. $1
d. $5
3. In the previous question, the participants changed their attitudes due to:
a. insufficient justification for their behavior
b. sufficient justification for their behavior
c. effort justification
d. pressures to conform
4. For a classroom demonstration, a third-grade teacher separated her class into brown-eyed and blue-eyed
students. The students started to form positive feelings toward the others with the same eye color,
demonstrating:
a. the fundamental attribution error
b. in-group bias
c. the just-world hypothesis
d. realistic conflict theory
5. Fraternity pledges who are subjected difficult hazing practices are more committed to their fraternities than
pledges who undergo mild initiation rituals due to:
a. the fundamental attribution error
b. self-serving attributions
c. cognitive dissonance
d. group polarization
6. When other shoppers leave their shopping carts next to their cars rather than putting them in the designated spot,
Spencer thinks the other shoppers are selfish and lazy. When Spencer leaves his shopping cart next to his car
rather than putting it in the designated spot, he knows that he is in a huge hurry to get to work. This reflects the:
a. self-serving attribution
b. cognitive dissonance effect
c. fundamental attribution error
d. actor-observer effect
, 7. In the original version of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the need that is highest (last) on the hierarchy is:
a. belongingness and love
b. self-actualization
c. physiological
d. esteem
8. Consider Dutton and Aron’s (1974) study. What is the explanation for why the men crossing the wobbly part of
the bridge were more likely to call the woman than those on the stable part of the bridge?
a. In the presence of an attractive person, the men attempted to repress their fear.
b. Fear-provoking situations exaggerate risk-taking in all areas, including finding a mate.
c. During times of heightened fear, people often try to distract themselves.
d. The men misinterpreted physiological signals of fear as physical attraction.
9. Neeka drank a Red Bull (an energy drink) and then found herself feeling very angry and screaming obscenities
when watching her little brother’s little league game in which the umpire made some errors. This is probably due
to:
a. the facial feedback hypothesis.
b. the actor-observer effect.
c. the misattribution of arousal.
d. cognitive dissonance.
10. According to the theory of emotion, after someone steals our car, we will first experience an increased
heart rate and then experience anger.
a. James-Lange
b. Cannon-Bard
c. Schachter-Singer
d. Craik-Tulving
11. Which scenario supports the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion?
a. Ash approaches his friend Avery, who is walking a dog. As the dog begins to bark, Ash’s heart races; he
thinks about why this is the case, and realizes he has a crush on Avery.
b. Brock wakes up feeling glum. He forces himself to smile from ear to ear and laugh out loud, and then he
begins to feel happy.
c. Shauna feels very depressed about her recent break-up. She slumps down on her couch and cries for an
hour, and then she begins to feel better.
d. Kiawe relaxes in his hammock. Suddenly, he feels an earthquake, causing him to feel afraid; at the
same time, his heart beats rapidly and his palms sweat.
12. Sophocles assumes that all of his professors have outgoing and talkative personalities since he always sees them
talking. This assumption reflects:
a. the actor-observer effect
b. a self-serving attribution
c. the fundamental attribution error
d. cognitive dissonance
13. Apolo, a speed-skater, feels good about being strong and training hard when he wins, but when he loses, he says
that the other skaters cheated. This shows the:
a. self-serving attribution
b. bystander effect
c. fundamental attribution error
d. actor-observer effect
