Soc Midterm

Question 1

What is the difference between social psychology and personality psychology?

Answer 1

Social psychology studies how situations and other people affect behavior, while personality psychology studies stable personality traits within individuals.

Question 2

What is Kurt Lewin’s formula for behavior?

Answer 2

Behavior is influenced by both the person and the environment.
B = f(P,E)

Question 3

What is the Fundamental Attribution Error?

Answer 3

The tendency to overestimate personality factors and underestimate situational factors when explaining other people’s behavior.

Question 4

What is an example of the Fundamental Attribution Error?

Answer 4

If someone is rude, we assume they are a rude person instead of thinking they might be stressed or having a bad day.

Question 5

What was the Good Samaritan Study?

Answer 5

Seminary students were asked to give a talk and passed a person who needed help on the way.

Question 6

What were the results of the Good Samaritan Study?

Answer 6

Students in a hurry helped less, while students with more time helped more, showing that situations strongly influence helping behavior.

Question 7

What is a channel factor or nudge?

Answer 7

A small situational change that strongly influences behavior.

Question 8

What are examples of nudges?

Answer 8

Automatic retirement enrollment, healthy foods placed at eye level, and voting reminders.

Question 9

What is a construal?

Answer 9

A person’s interpretation of a situation.

Question 10

How do construals affect behavior?

Answer 10

Different interpretations of the same situation lead to different thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Question 11

What is Gestalt psychology?

Answer 11

The idea that people perceive whole patterns rather than separate parts.

Question 12

How does Gestalt psychology relate to schemas and construals?

Answer 12

Our brain organizes information into patterns that influence how we interpret situations.

Question 13

What is automatic processing?

Answer 13

Fast, unconscious thinking that requires little effort.

Question 14

What is an example of automatic processing?

Answer 14

Recognizing a familiar face.

Question 15

What is controlled processing?

Answer 15

Slow, conscious thinking that requires effort and attention.

Question 16

What is an example of controlled processing?

Answer 16

Solving a complex math problem.

Question 17

What are independent cultures?

Answer 17

Individualist cultures where people focus on personal goals and independence (example: United States).

Question 18

What are interdependent cultures?

Answer 18

Collectivist cultures where people focus on group harmony and relationships.

Question 19

What is observational research?

Answer 19

Research where scientists observe behavior without interfering.

Question 20

What is archival research?

Answer 20

Research using existing records or data.

Question 21

What is survey research?

Answer 21

Research where people answer questions about their attitudes or behavior.

Question 22

What is experimental research?

Answer 22

Research where variables are manipulated to determine cause and effect.

Question 23

What is the difference between correlational and experimental studies?

Answer 23

Correlational studies show relationships between variables, while experimental studies test cause and effect.

Question 24

Why are experiments important in social psychology?

Answer 24

They allow researchers to determine causation.

Question 25

What are the main components of an experiment?

Answer 25

Independent variable, dependent variable, random assignment, and control conditions.

Question 26

What is an independent variable?

Answer 26

The variable that the researcher manipulates.

Question 27

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 27

The variable that is measured as the outcome.

Question 28

What is an example of an independent and dependent variable?

Answer 28

Independent variable: caffeine intake. Dependent variable: memory test score.

Question 29

What is reliability?

Answer 29

The consistency of a measurement or test.

Question 30

What is measurement validity?

Answer 30

Whether a test measures what it is supposed to measure.

Question 31

What is internal validity?

Answer 31

The extent to which a study truly shows cause and effect.

Question 32

What is external validity?

Answer 32

The extent to which results apply to real-world situations.

Question 33

What are threats to internal validity?

Answer 33

Selection bias, confounding variables, and demand characteristics.

Question 34

What is random assignment?

Answer 34

Participants are randomly placed into experimental groups.

Question 35

Why is random assignment important?

Answer 35

It helps ensure groups are similar before the experiment begins.

Question 36

What is random sampling?

Answer 36

Randomly selecting participants from a population.

Question 37

What is the difference between random assignment and random sampling?

Answer 37

Random assignment places participants into groups, while random sampling selects participants for the study.

Question 38

What does “correlation does not imply causation” mean?

Answer 38

Just because two variables are related does not mean one causes the other.

Question 39

What is an example of correlation without causation?

Answer 39

Ice cream sales and drowning both increase in summer, but one does not cause the other.

Question 40

What is basic science?

Answer 40

Research conducted to increase knowledge and understanding.

Question 41

What is applied science?

Answer 41

Research conducted to solve real-world problem

Question 42

What ethical concerns exist in social psychology research?

Answer 42

Protecting participants from harm and respecting their rights.

Question 43

What is the IRB?

Answer 43

The Institutional Review Board, which reviews research to ensure it is ethical.

Question 44

What is informed consent?

Answer 44

Participants agree to participate after learning about the study.

Question 45

What is deception research?

Answer 45

Research where participants are misled about the true purpose of the study, but are later debriefed.

Question 46

What are self-schemas?

Answer 46

Beliefs about ourselves that help organize information about the self.

Question 47

What is an example of a self-schema?

Answer 47

Someone who believes they are athletic pays more attention to sports-related information.

Question 48

What is the contingencies of self-worth model?

Answer 48

The idea that self-esteem depends on success in specific areas of life, such as academics or relationships.

Question 49

What is trait self-esteem?

Answer 49

A person’s overall stable level of self-esteem.

Question 50

What is state self-esteem?

Answer 50

Temporary changes in self-esteem based on situations.

Question 51

What is self-discrepancy theory?

Answer 51

People compare their actual self, ideal self, and ought self.

Question 52

What is the ideal self?

Answer 52

The person we wish or hope to become.

Question 53

What is the ought self?

Answer 53

The person we believe we should be based on duties or responsibilities.

Question 54

What emotions occur when we fail to meet our ideal self?

Answer 54

Disappointment or sadness.

Question 55

What emotions occur when we fail to meet our ought self?

Answer 55

Guilt or anxiety.

Question 56

What is social comparison theory?

Answer 56

The idea that people evaluate themselves by comparing themselves to others.

Question 57

What is an upward social comparison?

Answer 57

Comparing yourself to someone better than you.

Question 58

What is a downward social comparison?

Answer 58

Comparing yourself to someone worse than you.

Question 59

When are people most likely to make social comparisons?

Answer 59

When they are uncertain about their abilities or opinions.

Question 60

What is the better-than-average effect?

Answer 60

The tendency for people to believe they are better than the average person.

Question 61

When is the better-than-average effect most likely to occur?

Answer 61

When judging important abilities or traits.