FSU SOP 3004 Exam 1 Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2025/2026
Social Psychology - Answers the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors are influenced by other people; focus on the individual
Theory - Answers scientific explanation based on theories based on observations; unify findings
and help guide future research
Four Major Theoretical Perspectives (all correct) - Answers 1. Sociocultural
2. Evolutionary
3. Social Learning
4. Social Cognitive
Sociocultural Perspective - Answers prejudices, preferences, & political persuasions are
affected by factors that work at group level such as nationality, social class, current historical
trends;
- SOCIAL NORMS, OUR CULTURE
Evolutionary Perspective - Answers social behaviors are rooted in unintentional ways that
helped our ancestors survive & reproduce
- NATURAL SELECTION, MOTIVATION, REPRODUCTION
- GENES/ADAPTATIONS
Natural Selection - Answers process by which animals pass characteristics useful for survival
on to their offspring
- changes in POPULATION
3 Principles of Evolutionary Perspective - Answers 1) Variation (random)
2) Heritability (must be able to be passed on)
3) Differential survival & reproductive success
Misconceptions of Evolutionary Perspective - Answers 1. Evolution isn't purposeful.
2. Traits are random (beneficial, detrimental, neural) & don't appear in response to need.
3. Environment (physical or social) plays role in determine which traits are + or -
Misconception Ex: "The male peacock evolved a large colorful tail to attract females." - WRONG
- Answers "Male peacocks w/ large colorful tails were more successful at finding mates, which
led to large colorful tails becoming more numerous in the population." - RIGHT
, Adaptations - Answers - characteristics that are well suited for a particular environment
- there are universal patterns, but some things are byproducts
Adaptation Ex: Innate Fears - Answers children and dogs fear snakes
Possible Motivations - Answers Acquire resources, mating, child-rearing, protection
What do evolutionary social psychologists study? - Answers Translational questions:
- human behavior patterns vs. animal?
- how environmental patterns affect people from different cultures
Biological questions:
- hormones affect on social behavior
- social situations affect on physiological responses
Naturalistic Fallacy - Answers - is to ought
- what is natural is good/how things should be
Naturalistic Fallacy Ex: - Answers "Bc people are genetically different and endowed with
different innate abilities and talents, they ought to be treated differently."
Moralistic Fallacy - Answers - ought to is
- assumption that what ought to be is what is -- that the undesirable opposes nature.
Moralistic Fallacy Ex: - Answers "Bc everybody ought to be treated equally, there are no innate
genetic differences between people."
Social psychologists DON'T claim: - Answers 1. People ought to act a certain way
2. People can't change their behavior from their instincts
3. Everything has an evolutionary explanation
4. Don't prove how ancestors lived, explain why certain behavior patterns now exist
Social Learning Perspective - Answers - social behavior is driven by past learning experiences,
rewards, & punishments
- imitation of parents, teachers, peers, tv., etc.
- BOBO DOLL; OUR LEARNING HISTORY
Bobo doll experiment (1961) - Answers - Albert Bandura & Ross
Social Psychology - Answers the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors are influenced by other people; focus on the individual
Theory - Answers scientific explanation based on theories based on observations; unify findings
and help guide future research
Four Major Theoretical Perspectives (all correct) - Answers 1. Sociocultural
2. Evolutionary
3. Social Learning
4. Social Cognitive
Sociocultural Perspective - Answers prejudices, preferences, & political persuasions are
affected by factors that work at group level such as nationality, social class, current historical
trends;
- SOCIAL NORMS, OUR CULTURE
Evolutionary Perspective - Answers social behaviors are rooted in unintentional ways that
helped our ancestors survive & reproduce
- NATURAL SELECTION, MOTIVATION, REPRODUCTION
- GENES/ADAPTATIONS
Natural Selection - Answers process by which animals pass characteristics useful for survival
on to their offspring
- changes in POPULATION
3 Principles of Evolutionary Perspective - Answers 1) Variation (random)
2) Heritability (must be able to be passed on)
3) Differential survival & reproductive success
Misconceptions of Evolutionary Perspective - Answers 1. Evolution isn't purposeful.
2. Traits are random (beneficial, detrimental, neural) & don't appear in response to need.
3. Environment (physical or social) plays role in determine which traits are + or -
Misconception Ex: "The male peacock evolved a large colorful tail to attract females." - WRONG
- Answers "Male peacocks w/ large colorful tails were more successful at finding mates, which
led to large colorful tails becoming more numerous in the population." - RIGHT
, Adaptations - Answers - characteristics that are well suited for a particular environment
- there are universal patterns, but some things are byproducts
Adaptation Ex: Innate Fears - Answers children and dogs fear snakes
Possible Motivations - Answers Acquire resources, mating, child-rearing, protection
What do evolutionary social psychologists study? - Answers Translational questions:
- human behavior patterns vs. animal?
- how environmental patterns affect people from different cultures
Biological questions:
- hormones affect on social behavior
- social situations affect on physiological responses
Naturalistic Fallacy - Answers - is to ought
- what is natural is good/how things should be
Naturalistic Fallacy Ex: - Answers "Bc people are genetically different and endowed with
different innate abilities and talents, they ought to be treated differently."
Moralistic Fallacy - Answers - ought to is
- assumption that what ought to be is what is -- that the undesirable opposes nature.
Moralistic Fallacy Ex: - Answers "Bc everybody ought to be treated equally, there are no innate
genetic differences between people."
Social psychologists DON'T claim: - Answers 1. People ought to act a certain way
2. People can't change their behavior from their instincts
3. Everything has an evolutionary explanation
4. Don't prove how ancestors lived, explain why certain behavior patterns now exist
Social Learning Perspective - Answers - social behavior is driven by past learning experiences,
rewards, & punishments
- imitation of parents, teachers, peers, tv., etc.
- BOBO DOLL; OUR LEARNING HISTORY
Bobo doll experiment (1961) - Answers - Albert Bandura & Ross
