AP PSYCHOLOGY MODULE 4.1-4.3e EXAMPLE PROBLEMS

Which field studies how people think about, influence, and relate to one another?

Social psychology

When you form an impression of someone based on their traits and the situation, what process are you using?

Person perception

When you automatically place someone into a category such as “athlete” or “nerd,” what are you engaging in?

Social categorization

If you assume someone who is kind is also trustworthy and generous, what belief are you showing?

Implicit personality theory

Why do people tend to like a new song more after hearing it many times on the radio?

Mere exposure effect

If you compare your grades to classmates to judge your own performance, what process are you using?

Social comparison

A worker feels unhappy with their salary only after learning coworkers earn more. What concept explains this?

Relative deprivation

When you decide someone is late because they are lazy, not because of traffic, what theory applies?

Attribution theory

Saying someone failed a test because they didn’t study is what type of attribution?

Internal attribution

Saying someone failed a test because the exam was unfair is what type of attribution?

External attribution

When a driver cuts you off and you assume they’re rude, not that they might be rushing to an emergency, what error are you making?

Fundamental attribution error

If you explain your own speeding as “being late to work” but think another speeder is reckless, what bias is this?

Actor-observer bias

If you ace a test and credit your intelligence but blame the teacher when you fail, what bias is at play?

Self-serving bias

Believing “I control my future if I work hard” reflects which locus of control?

Internal locus of control

Believing “my life is mostly controlled by luck or fate” reflects which locus of control?

External locus of control

A student’s opinion about climate change influences how she feels and acts about recycling. What is this called?

Attitude

When a commercial uses flashy images and a famous actor to sell a product, what persuasion route is being used?

Peripheral route persuasion

When a lawyer uses clear evidence and logic to persuade a jury, what persuasion route is being used?

Central route persuasion

You feel uncomfortable smoking cigarettes because you know it causes cancer, so you change your attitude toward smoking. What explains this discomfort?

Cognitive dissonance

A charity first asks for a small donation, then later requests a much larger one. Which technique is this?

Foot-in-the-door technique

A salesperson asks for a huge purchase knowing you’ll refuse, then offers a smaller deal you accept. Which technique is this?

Door-in-the-face technique

In a famous study, college students acted as guards and prisoners until the roles took over their behavior. What experiment was this?

Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment

Refusing to give up your belief that vaccines are harmful even after being shown scientific evidence is what phenomenon?

Belief perseverance

Searching only for news articles that support your political views is what bias?

Confirmation bias

If you assume someone is kind overall just because they are attractive, what effect is this?

Halo effect

Choosing to dress like friends because it’s expected is following what?

Social norms

Going along with the group to be liked, even if you disagree, shows what type of influence?

Normative social influence

Believing the group’s interpretation of an ambiguous situation must be correct is what type of influence?

Informational social influence

When people in a line-judging experiment gave clearly wrong answers just to match others, what study demonstrated this?

Solomon Asch’s conformity experiment

When a soldier follows direct orders from a superior, what concept is illustrated?

Obedience

In a famous study, participants administered shocks to others when told by an authority. Which experiment was this?

Stanley Milgram’s obedience experiment

When athletes run faster in front of a crowd than when alone, what group behavior is this?

Social facilitation

When a student does worse on a hard math problem in front of peers than alone, what group effect is this?

Social impairment

When group members each slack off in a group project, what behavior is occurring?

Social loafing

When rioters lose self-awareness and do things they wouldn’t do alone, what phenomenon is this?

Deindividuation

When discussion among like-minded students leads to stronger political opinions, what process occurred?

Group polarization

When a committee values harmony and ignores alternative solutions, what problem is happening?

Groupthink

When no one in a crowd calls 911 during an emergency because each assumes someone else will, what concept is this?

Diffusion of responsibility

If many bystanders fail to help a person in distress, what effect is this?

Bystander effect

Donating money to charity without expecting anything in return illustrates what concept?

Altruism

Holding the door open for a stranger to benefit them is what kind of behavior?

Prosocial behavior

Helping someone because they once helped you shows what social norm?

Reciprocity norm

Feeling obligated to help children and the elderly reflects what norm?

Social responsibility norm

Two roommates fight over noise levels and each refuses to compromise, making the situation worse. What is this an example of?

Conflict

If individuals fishing a lake overexploit resources and harm everyone, what is this scenario called?

Social trap

If two rival groups both see themselves as good and the other as evil, what perception is this?

Mirror-image perceptions

When two feuding groups work together toward a common goal, like fixing the water supply, what concept is this?

Superordinate goals

When nations reduce conflict by taking small, reciprocal steps of peace, what strategy is being used?

GRIT (Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction)

Why are people more likely to become friends with neighbors than with strangers far away?

Proximity

Why do people often find classmates more attractive over time simply by being around them?

Mere exposure effect (attraction)

Why might someone get a job interview because they are physically attractive?

Physical attractiveness

Why do people tend to date those with similar values and interests?

Similarity

When a couple shares deep affection, trust, and long-term commitment, what type of love is this?

Companionate love

When new couples feel intense passion and absorption with each other, what type of love is this?

Passionate love

When both partners in a marriage share chores and decision-making equally, what relationship principle is this?

Equity

When friends reveal personal secrets to build closeness, what is this practice?

Self-disclosure

Believing “all teenagers are irresponsible” is an example of what?

Stereotype

Disliking someone simply because they belong to a certain ethnic group is an example of what?

Prejudice

Refusing to hire someone because of their religion is an example of what?

Discrimination

Automatically associating certain groups with stereotypes without conscious awareness shows what?

Implicit bias

Consciously believing and expressing prejudice toward a group shows what?

Explicit bias

If you see your school sports team as “us” and rivals as “them,” what concept is this?

In-group vs. out-group

Preferring your own group over others is what bias?

In-group bias

Thinking all people from a rival town are the same is what type of bias?

Out-group homogeneity bias

Blaming immigrants for economic problems is an example of what theory?

Scapegoat theory

Believing poor people must deserve their situation because the world is fair reflects what phenomenon?

Just-world phenomenon

Thinking your own culture’s way of life is superior to others is an example of what?

Ethnocentrism

When a teacher expects certain students to misbehave, and they eventually do, what effect is this?

Self-fulfilling prophecy

You notice that you are much better at recognizing the faces of people from your own racial group than faces of people from other racial groups. What effect explains this tendency?

Other-race effect

After a basketball game, Maria says, “I knew our team was going to win all along,” even though she had no idea before the game started. What cognitive bias does this illustrate?

Hindsight bias

A group of people shares common language, traditions, and ways of celebrating holidays. What concept explains these shared beliefs and behaviors?

Culture

A school implements programs that celebrate and incorporate perspectives from multiple cultural groups to promote inclusion and understanding. What approach is this an example of?

Multiculturalism

When going on a first date, people often follow certain expected behaviors, like holding the door or ordering politely at a restaurant. What are these culturally learned guides for behavior called?

Social scripts

In a jury, one or two members consistently voice an opinion different from the majority. Over time, some majority members begin to adopt this minority viewpoint. What social process explains this?

Minority influence

In a community where people prioritize group goals, cooperation, and family needs over individual desires, what cultural orientation is being demonstrated?

Collectivism

In a society where people value personal achievement, independence, and expressing their own opinions over group goals, what cultural orientation is this?

Individualism