PSYC 350 Test #1
To study fear, a neuroscientist connects Natividad to an electroencephalograph (EEG) and then shows her a brief movie of scary animals. These include wasps, snakes, and alligators. He then observes as Natividad shows activation in her amygdala. At which level of analysis has this scientist made his observations?
physiology
In science, a possible explanation that can be tested through research is called a ________.
hypothesis
Dr. Shaw is researching marital behaviors that predict divorce. He trains his students to observe and code videotapes of couples interacting. The students are looking for specific types of behaviors but they are unaware of the anticipated outcomes of the study. In this regard, the students are being ________.
kept blind to the research hypothesis.
Since Miguel was kind to homeless people, his girlfriend became kind to them as well. Miguel used his ______ to change her attitude and behavior.
social influence
What is the term for our opinions, feelings, and beliefs about others?
attitudes
Shortly after she gets to her new college 2,500 miles from home, Tomasa goes to the school's activity fair to find some groups to join. She immediately signs up to audition for two different musical clubs, which are her interest. Her desire to join these groups may help to satisfy her need to _______.
belong
Jacinta believes that people who are military veterans are all brave, honorable, and respectable. She tends to treat them with an enhanced sense of consideration, and thanks them for their service whenever she can. These beliefs represent a(n) ________ that Jacinta has for veterans.
attitude
By what trait do we judge our friends’ attractiveness?
personality
A research ________ is a person who works with or for the researcher, and who poses as a participant or bystander. Sometimes they have instructions to behave a certain way to see how the actual participant will respond.
confound
Vicenta is looking at a book at the local library when Daina brushes past her, gently pushing Vicenta backward. "Wow, she is very rude," Vicenta thinks. This is an example of social ________, which occurs when we make educated guesses about the efforts or motives of another person.
attribution
When you are explaining the behavior of others, you are making ______.
social attributes
The study of ________, which is a major topic of focus for social psychologists, examines the psychological processes involved in having a sexual interest in another person.
attraction
What is the highest level of analysis in psychology?
culture and the environment
After watching his father open the door hundreds of times, the preschooler was able to do it as well. The child used ______learning to gain the new skill. '
Observational
The psychological process of being sexually interested in another person is known as ______
Attraction
Rueben is in a biology class and the professor tells the students to find a lab partner. Rueben immediately approaches an Asian classmate because Rueben believes that all Asian students are naturally gifted in mathematics and science. Ruben's mental shortcut is an example of a(n) ________.
Stereotype
The sergeant expected his soldiers to listen and follow his every direction. He demanded ______ from them.
obedience
The decision to follow the orders or requests of people who have authority of you is called ________.
Obedience
Devin is interviewing candidates to work at the cash register in his convenience store. When Margaret applies, she indicates on her application that she has been in rehab for a drug addiction and that she has been clean and sober for over 3 years. Devin decides not to hire her, because he thinks that people with drug habits are not trustworthy. Devin is demonstrating a ________.
prejudice
Jacinta beliefs that people who are military veterans are all brave, honorable, and respectable. She tends to treat them with an enhanced sense of consideration, and thanks them for their service whenever she can. These beliefs represent a(n) ________ that Jacinta has for veterans.
Attitude
Vicenta is looking at a book at the local library when Daina brushes past her, gently pushing Vicenta backward. "Wow, she is very rude," Vicenta thinks. This is an example of social ________, which occurs when we make educated guesses about the efforts or motives of another person.
Attitude
A background variable about an individual such as race, gender, or socioeconomic status is considered what kind of variable?
participant variable
A researcher waited at the library and counted how many people held the door for someone behind them. What type of design is this study?
naturalistic observation
One commonly used test of nonconscious bias is the
implicit association test
The variable that gets manipulated in an experimental study is known as the
independent variable
Josue wants to know which bathroom stall people are most likely to use. He asks his school’s IRB if he can set up a camera in the bathroom to secretly record the users’ behaviors. Why should the IRB deny Josue’s request?
He is violating the participants’ privacy
Abigail is researching US presidents by reviewing their campaign speeches and letters. She is conducting which type of research?
archival research
In social psychological studies involving deception, sometimes a person who appears to be a participant is actually working for the researcher. What is this person called?
confederate
Researchers rarely need to obtain informed consent when they are conducting what type of study?
naturalistic observation
Martha measured the amount of food people ate while sitting alone or while sitting in a group. What is the dependent variable in her study?
amount of food consumed
In ______, participants are notified by technology several times a day to complete a survey.
experience sampling
Which of the following is NOT a difficulty in studying social categorization?
People must be in negative moods to engage in social categorization
EEG studies reveal what about social categorization (SC)?
SC is an automatic process
How is social neuroscience similar to neuroscience?
Both use the same measures (e.g., fMRI, EEG).
How is EEG research conducted?
Electrode caps measure the electrical activity of the brain
What social category might be part of a first impression?
She is a woman.
What effects does chronic stress have on people?
It impairs attention, memory, and self-control.
Why might interacting with outgroup members increase stress responses?
People worry that they will seem prejudiced if the interaction goes poorly.
The field of ________ emphasizes methods that focus on the brain to understand how we think and act toward other people.
social neuroscience
Paris has just found out that her company is downsizing their staff and that she is highly likely to lose her job at any moment. Her heartbeat is increasing, she feels warm, and she has to take several deep breaths to try to calm down. The part of her body that is currently 'speeding her up' is called the ________ nervous system.
sympathetic
When Lev is out to lunch at a restaurant he sees a woman with very short hair, facial piercings, and several tattoos. He thinks to himself, "She must be into motorcycles." Lev has engaged in the process of __________.
social categorization
When a person makes an assumption that all members of a specific group of people must share some common attribute, ability, or feature, (s)he is engaging in ________.
a stereotype
The fMRI study on “mentalizing” found that judging happiness ______.
was linked to activation of the medial prefrontal cortex
When Surita sees a man walking around the shopping mall in December and notices that he is very robust, has a long white beard, and wears thin rimmed eyeglasses, she immediately assumes that he is a Santa Claus actor taking a break; she is engaging in a(n) _________ process.
Automatic
How is research involving cortisol conducted?
Saliva and blood samples are analyzed
________, which involves imitation of other peoples' behaviors or feelings, might help us understand other people better.
Simulation
Stress produces a ______response
fight or flight
How is social neuroscience similar to social psychology?
Both involve the study of the same topics.
According to Leon Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory, humans have a basic need for ______, which is why they use social comparison.
Self-evaluation
All but which of the following are goals that would be considered mastery goals
Wanting to get an “A” in French class
"I may not live in the biggest house in the city, but at least I'm not homeless like some other unfortunate people!" If this use of downward comparison makes a person feel better about their own situation, it demonstrates the ________ effect
self-enhancement
Which of the following is a potential negative effect of using downward social comparisons?
scorn
When people mentally compare themselves to others in order to understand their own abilities, they are using ______
social comparison
Janine loves to play chess but she is only a beginner. The members of her chess club laugh when she suggests her opening moves are similar to those of Kasparov, one of the greatest players of all time. Janine's social comparison is really unusual, since there is no ________ to the figure to which she is comparing herself.
similarity
Duncan is aware that he does not have any skill at golf; in fact, he can barely swing a club! He watches the Ryder Cup and sees the amazing skill of the professional golfers. He doesn’t care much about the game and is not motivated to work on his own golf swing. Duncan does not really compare himself to the professional golfers because golf lacks ________ to him
relevance
Hana is a 10-year-old soccer goalkeeper. When she considers how her skills compare to the older and more advanced goalies, she is using _____
upward comparison
According to the ______ model, several psychological forces, including closeness to the comparison target, affect our self-esteem.
self-evaluation maintenance
The process by which people understand their own ability or standing by mentally contrasting themselves against others is called social ________.
Comparison
Which correlation coefficient is the strongest?
-.40
Related to the stress response
HPA Axis
Active when people think of themselves
Medial prefrontal cortex
An EEG study showed that ( ) happens quickly
Social categorization
Which is NOT part of the HPA axis system for stress
Amygdala
A person’s answer to the question
“Who am I” comprises his or her, Social concept
Social actor
Traits and roles
Narrative
Autobiographical
Leon Festinger
Who said: We have a need for self-evaluation, so we compare ourselves to others
The characteristic is relevant to our self-concept
We are more likely to make social comparisons when
Impact bias
We overestimate the strength of our emotional response to an imagined event
Explicit
Education and persuasion tend to change what type of attitudes
Stereotypes
Beliefs about social groups
chemistry/dna
Most specific level of analysis
Periolus
Our social institutions are often powerful but sometimes
Theory
An integrated set of principles that can explain/predict observed events