Blackboard weekly practice questions

After repeatedly volunteering at a community food bank, Liam concludes that he must care deeply about helping disadvantaged people.

Using self-perception theory, Liam’s conclusion is based upon…

Observing his own behaviours

A student seeks detailed feedback highlighting both strengths and weaknesses, even when the feedback may be unflattering. This behaviour is most consistent with:

Self-assessment

A student really wants to be highly disciplined and productive but often procrastinates and misses deadlines. This mismatch causes feelings of guilt and dissatisfaction. According to Self-Discrepancy Theory, these feelings arise because of a gap between the student's:

Actual and ideal self

After giving a class presentation, Mia believes her classmates think she is intelligent and articulate. As a result, she begins to see herself that way too.

What theory best explains this process?

The looking glass self

Sarah receives a distinction on an assignment but feels disappointed after learning that several friends received higher marks. Which theory best explains Sarah's reaction?

Social comparison theory

A hiring manager spends several hours carefully reviewing applicants resumes, reference letters, and work samples before making a decision.

Of the following, which social cognition approach best describes the behaviour? 

Naive scientist

Emma learns a colleague is highly extroverted and assumes he is friendly and humorous. This is indicative of...

Implicit personality theory

A judge gives a relatively attractive defendant a lighter sentence for burglary than an otherwise identical unattractive defendant. 

According to lecture findings, this outcome is most consistent with: 

The halo effect

James laughs loudly whenever he attends a particular comedy club. 

You discover that: 

• He laughs there every time. 

• He does not laugh like this elsewhere. 

• Most patrons also laugh there. 

According to Kelley, what attribution is most likely? 

External attribution

Sophie receives an award after her manager publicly admits that applicants were selected primarily through family connections. Observers become less likely to attribute Sophie's success to talent. 

This illustrates:

Discounting principle

Which of the following best defines an attitude?

A psychological tendency to evaluate an entity with favour or disfavour

Which concept refers to simultaneously holding positive and negative evaluations of the same attitude object?

Attitudinal ambivalence

According to the tripartite model, which of the following is an affective component of attitudes?

Feeling happy when exercising

The Mere Exposure Effect suggests that:

Repeated exposure generally increases liking of a stimulus

Which process is illustrated when a company uses a popular celebrity to endorse a product?

Evaluative conditioning

A child develops a fear of spiders after observing a parent's fearful reaction. This is an example of:

Observational learning

Which form of motivation reflects doing an activity because it is inherently enjoyable?

Intrinsic motivation

After choosing one university over another, a student begins rating their chosen university more positively and the rejected university more negatively. This is known as:

Spreading of alternatives

According to the classic cognitive dissonance model, dissonance is least likely when people can:

Attribute their behaviour to external causes

Within the Yale model of persuasion, the term "source" refers to:

The communicator delivering the message

A conservative audience is encouraged to support environmental protection because it reflects patriotism and civic duty. This is an example of:

Moral reframing

According to the Elaboration Likelihood Model, attitude change based primarily on argument quality occurs through the:

Central route

Which behaviour best demonstrates selective exposure?

Seeking out information that supports existing attitudes

A supporter of the death penalty judges pro-death-penalty evidence as more convincing than anti-death-penalty evidence, despite both studies being of equal quality. This illustrates:

Biased assimilation

The false consensus effect refers to the tendency to:

Assume others share one's own attitudes more than they actually do

When someone responds to an argument by thinking of reasons why their existing view is correct, they are engaging in:

Counterarguing

A student is practising multiplication tables they know very well. When other students enter the room, their performance improves. This outcome is an example of:

Social facilitation

According to Zajonc's Drive Theory, the presence of an audience increases:

Arousal

A skilled pianist performs a familiar piece in front of an audience but struggles when playing a newly learned and highly complex piece. Drive Theory would predict this because audiences increase:

Dominant responses

A researcher finds that audience effects are strongest when observers are closely watching and judging performance. This finding is most consistent with:

Evaluation apprehension theory

In a university cafeteria, posters displaying human eyes reduce littering compared with posters displaying flowers. The most likely explanation is that the eyes:

Remind people they may be observed

Which of the following is NOT one of the necessary conditions for social learning?

Vicarious learning

A replication of Asch's study found that participants made fewer conformity errors when:

They received money for correct answers

A person is travelling in an unfamiliar country and follows the behaviour of locals because they assume the locals know the correct way to behave. This is an example of:

Informational Influence

A sign states: "90% of students place their rubbish in the bin." This sign is primarily communicating:

Descriptive Norm

A manager successfully persuades employees to adopt a new software system because employees believe the manager has specialised knowledge about the system. The manager's influence reflects:

Expert power

A team leader regularly reminds members of their shared values, emphasises common goals, and creates a strong sense of "we". According to the Social Identity Model of Leadership, this leader is primarily demonstrating:

Identity entrepreneurship

According to the Belongingness Hypothesis, humans have a fundamental motivation to:

Form and maintain lasting, positive interpersonal relationships

In Williams' Cyberball paradigm, ostracism is typically operationalised as:

Other players stopping the participant from receiving the ball

According to the Temporal Needs-Threat Model, which stage involves the effects of chronic ostracism?

Resignation

Which of the following is NOT one of the core needs threatened by ostracism, according to the Temporal Needs-Threat Model?

Competence

Research suggests that social pain resulting from ostracism:

Is registered by the brain similarly to physical pain

A friendship group whose members primarily identify with each other rather than the group as a whole would be best described as a:

Common-bond group

Templeton et al.'s crowd research suggests that a social aggregate can become a common-identity group when:

When a social identity is made salient

The Black Sheep Effect refers to the tendency for:

Ingroup deviants to be judged more harshly than comparable outgroup deviants

Social loafing is most likely to occur when:

Performance is pooled across group members

A person expresses negative attitudes toward immigrants, religious minorities, and people with disabilities.

According to research on generalised prejudice, this pattern suggests:

Negative attitudes towards one group frequently co-occur with negative attitudes towards other groups.

Which statement is most consistent with high social dominance orientation?

"Some groups naturally deserve more power and influence than others."

A community member strongly supports traditional values, believes citizens should obey authorities, and endorses harsh punishment for people who break social norms.

This profile is most characteristic of:

Authoritarianism

A student argues that every gain made by one social group must come at the expense of other groups.

This belief is most consistent with:

Zero-sum thinking

A person believes all lawyers are greedy. After meeting a generous lawyer, they conclude, "She's different from most lawyers." This response best represents:

Subtyping

A group is perceived as friendly and trustworthy but lacking competence and capability.

According to the Stereotype Content Model, this group is most likely to elicit:

Pity

Before attending a cultural exchange event, Mia feels nervous because she has little experience interacting with members of the other group and is worried she might say the wrong thing. Mia is experiencing:

Intergroup anxiety

Students are randomly assigned to the "Triangle Group" or the "Circle Group." Despite having no prior interaction, they begin favouring members of their own group.

These findings demonstrate that:

Mere group categorisation can produce bias.

Which statement best reflects a stereotype?

"People from that group are generally lazy."

According to the Robbers Cave Study, prejudice emerged most strongly during the stage involving:

Intergroup competition

The "prejudice blindspot" refers to the tendency for people to:

View themselves as less prejudiced than others

Decategorisation aims to reduce prejudice by encouraging people to:

View others as individuals rather than group members

A student tells a stereotypical joke during class. Afterwards, a close friend privately explains why the joke was harmful and encourages them to think about its effects.

Why is this approach likely to be effective?

It is delivered by a trusted source and focuses on behaviour.

A school trains influential students to challenge prejudice when they see it. Several months later, other students are also standing up against prejudice more frequently.

What mechanism is most consistent with these findings?

Social learning and norm change

After becoming friends with one refugee coworker, Liam develops positive feelings toward that person but continues to hold negative views of refugees more generally.

Which concept best explains this?

Subtyping

A university promotes the message: "We are all UQ students, but we also value our unique cultural backgrounds."

Which categorisation strategy is being used?

Dual identity

Researchers use virtual reality to allow participants to experience situations from the perspective of a member of a stigmatised group.

This is an example of:

Embodied perspective taking

A student volunteers at an organisation serving refugees. Most interactions are positive, but one particularly negative encounter strongly shapes their attitudes.

This reflects evidence suggesting that:

Negative contact can have disproportionate effects on prejudice.

Ben has never met a transgender person. However, his best friend has a close transgender friend and often talks positively about that relationship.

This is an example of:

Extended contact

Members of a disadvantaged group report many positive interactions with an advantaged group and consequently become less supportive of social change efforts addressing inequality.

This finding is most consistent with research showing:

Positive contact can sometimes reduce perceptions of injustice.

While texting, Sam accidentally sends a message containing private information that embarrasses a friend. The friend feels hurt, but Sam did not intend any harm.

According to the lecture definition, this behaviour is:

Not aggression because there was no intent to harm

A student carefully plans to spread false rumours about a classmate to improve their own chances of being elected club president.

This behaviour is best classified as:

Proactive aggression

After being insulted during an argument, Jordan immediately punches a wall in anger.

Jordan's behaviour is most consistent with:

Reactive aggression

After becoming angry at work, Taylor spends ten minutes punching a punching bag while repeatedly thinking about the colleague who caused the frustration.

Based on the evidence discussed in class, the most likely outcome is:

Anger and aggression may increase

A student consistently interprets neutral comments from peers as hostile and frequently responds with anger.

Which personality characteristic best explains this pattern?

Trait aggressiveness

Morgan is manipulative, deceptive, willing to exploit others for personal gain, and believes most people cannot be trusted.

Which Dark Triad trait best fits?

Machiavellianism

Recent reinterpretations of the Stanford Prison Experiment suggest participants may have behaved cruelly partly because:

Guards were explicitly encouraged to fulfil the study's goals

A child watches an older sibling insult and mock classmates. Several weeks later, the child begins using similar insults toward peers.

This pattern is best explained by:

Social learning theory

A passerby notices a stranded motorist. They decide to help because they believe the person would do the same for them in the future and helping will make them feel good about themselves.

This decision is most consistent with:

Social exchange theory

Emma learns about a family whose home was destroyed in a flood. She feels deep compassion and donates a significant amount of money despite receiving no recognition and expecting nothing in return.

Which explanation best accounts for this behaviour?

Empathy-altruism hypothesis

A student witnesses another student collapse during a lecture. Everyone looks around, appearing calm and unconcerned. The student concludes that the situation must not be serious and does not intervene.

Which barrier in Latané and Darley's model best explains this decision?

Pluralistic ignorance