Psychology Test 2

What is AGGRESSION?

any physical, verbal, or social behavior intended to hurt or destroy

Any physical, verbal, or social behavior intended to hurt or destroy

Aggression

True or False: Something is still aggression if it is only physical

True

What are some genetic correlates to aggression?

Identical Twins and dog fighting

What are some neurological correlates to aggression?

People tend to be more aggressive if the amygdala (frontal lobe) is less stimulated

How does testosterone relate to aggression?

Higher levels of testosterone tend to cause higher levels of aggression

Why do men tend to be more aggressive?

Higher levels of testosterone

What evidence proves the relationship between testosterone levels and aggression?

Castrating aggressive lab mice proved to lower their testosterone and made them less aggressive

True or False: Alcohol decreases aggression

False

What percent of crimes are caused by alcohol?

57%

Why does alcohol increase aggression?

It disrupts regular brain function

What is OSTRACISM?

Intentional social exclusion

Intentional social exclusion

Ostracism

True or False: Ostracism is not aggression

False

What kind of pain does ostracism cause?

Social AND physical

How do we know ostracism causes pain?

It activates parts of the brain that activate when experiencing physical pain

True or False: Ostracism increases aggression

True

What are SOCIAL SCRIPTS?

Culturally produced models or guides for behavior in various situations

Culturally produced models or guides for behavior in various situations

Social Scripts

What is the RAPE MYTH?

If someone says no to sexual advances, they don’t actually mean no because they don’t want to take responsibility

If someone says no to sexual advances, they don’t actually mean no because they don’t want to take responsibility

Rape Myth

True or False: The rape myth is true

False

How do social scripts found in popular media relate to social scripts?

Popular media (ex: movies and tv shows) is often full of the rape myth

Do negative, aggressive social scripts found in media like movies, tv shows, video games, etc. result in increased aggression in real life?

Yes

How much do children imitate violent cartoons?

In experiments, how did watching violent and sexually violent movies lead to desensitization?

4 groups of students watched different violent movies in different orders. Whichever movie was first was always ranked the most violent, and the last movie was ranked the least violent.

How did watching violent movies in the experiment change the behavior and attitudes of college-age men?

Men who watched the movies were more willing to accept the rape myth, trivialize rape, and act more aggressive towards women

What is the CATHARSIS HYPOTHESIS?

the idea that releasing aggressive energy, either through fantasy or actual behavior, relieves and reduces aggressive urges, allowing us to “blow off steam” and harmlessly vent our aggressive urges

The idea that releasing aggressive energy, either through fantasy or actual behavior, relieves and reduces aggressive urges, allowing us to “blow off steam” and harmlessly vent our aggressive urges

Catharsis hypothesis

What does research find about the catharsis hypothesis and how well it works?

There may or may not be a temporary decrease in aggressive urges, but it increases longterm

What are MIRROR IMAGE PERCEPTIONS?

Mutual views held by people or peoples ion conflict, where each thinks its side is good and right, but the other side is bad and wrong

Mutual views held by people or peoples ion conflict, where each thinks its side is good and right, but the other side is bad and wrong

Mirror Image Perceptions

What would be real-world examples of mirror image perceptions and the harm they do?

The Cold War; Politics/Political Parties

What is ALTRUISM?

An unselfish concern for the welfare of others, putting their needs ahead of your own

An unselfish concern for the welfare of others, putting their needs ahead of your own

Altruism

What is an example of altruism?

Soldiers in combat throwing themselves over a grenade to save their comerades

True or False: It is better to receive than to give

False

How was altruism demonstrated in a research study?

Students were given $20. Some were told to treat themselves while others were told to give it to someone else, and the students that gave to someone else showed an increase in mood

What is the BYSTANDER EFFECT?

The tendency for a witness to an emergency to be less likely to help a stranger in need if other witnesses are present

The tendency for a witness to an emergency to be less likely to help a stranger in need if other witnesses are present

Bystander effect

In general, what 2 powerful factors contribute to the bystander effect?

1. Diffusion of responsibility

2. Conformity

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when the person seems to need/deserve help

True

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when the person has nothing in common with them

False

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when the person who needs help is a man

False

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when they’ve observed someone else help someone in need

True

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when they’re in a small town

True

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when they’re feeling guilty about something

True

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need even if they haven’t had training in a relevant skill

False

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when they’ve encountered a similar situation

True

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need if they’re in a bad mood

False

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when they’re focused on others rather than themselves

True

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when they’re in a hurry

False

True or False: Bystanders are most likely to help a stranger in need when they haven’t learned about the bystander effect

False

What is PROXIMITY?

Physical or geographic nearness

Physical or geographic nearness

Proximity

How does proximity relate to liking and attraction?

We’re much more likely to be friends with, date, marry, etc. people we are around often

What is the MERE EXPOSURE EFFECT?

Repeated exposure to new stimuli increases our liking for them

Repeated exposure to new stimuli increases our liking for them

Mere Exposure effect

What are some examples of the mere exposure effect?

Music and company logos

Generally, do “opposites attract” or do “birds of a feather flock together”?

Birds of a feather flock together

How important is physical attractiveness, and how is this reflected in our spending on things intended to make us more physically attractive?

Physical attractiveness is very important, and we spend more money on things to make us attractive every year than all our education and social welfare system combined

How did researchers set up an experiment to study physical attractiveness?

Students at the University of Wisconsin were randomly pulled at a dance to meet each other on a blind date

What factors did and did not predict whether subjects wanted to see their blind dates again?

If they thought the other person was physically attractive

True or False: Attractiveness does NOT relate to self-esteem

True

How do men and women differ in the importance they place on looks in the opposite sex

Men and women say different things, but they both value attractiveness equally

What are some universal characteristics of attractive men and attractive women worldwide?

Men tend to like younger, more youthful women; women tend to like older, more mature men

How long does it take to judge someone’s physical attractiveness?

2/10 of a second

What are 2 types of love in relationships?

Passionate and Companionate love

What is PASSIONATE LOVE?

An intense, positive, aroused preoccupation with (very frequent mental and emotional focus on) a romantic partner

An intense, positive, aroused preoccupation with (very frequent mental and emotional focus on) a romantic partner

Passionate love

What 2 factors bring about passionate love?

1. Physiological arousal

2. The other person has to be the cause of that physiological arousal

If you want someone to fall passionately in love with you, what should you do to up your odds?

Take them to do something that causes physiological arousal like riding a rollercoaster or going to a haunted house

How does passionate love relate to brain activity?

It activates parts of the brain related to obsession

What happens when we are in passionate love?

You are happy/overjoyed when you’re with the person you love, but you feel miserable when you’re not with them

True or False: Passionate love usually doesn’t last long

True

What typically happens when passionate love has run its course?

Either you break up and look for the next person to give you passionate love, or it turns into companionate love

What is COMPANIONATE LOVE?

A deep, affectionate attachment involving mutual comfort, support, and respect

A deep, affectionate attachment involving mutual comfort, support, and respect

Companionate love

Which are more enduring: relationships based on passionate love, or those based on companionate love

Companionate love

What is the evidence for relationships built on companionate love lasting longer?

Eastern cultures marry for companionate love, and western cultures marry for passionate love, resulting in higher divorce rates

What is the relationship between wealth (or lack of it) and happiness?

Once your basic needs are met, more money wouldn’t make you happier

What was found in a study of the average levels of wealth and happiness in the Unites States during the last 60 years or so?

The average income tripled, but happiness never changed

What is the ADAPTATION LEVEL PHENOMENON?

The tendency to base our judgements on our most recent level of experience; in other words, we are generally more sensitive to change in inputs or experiences rather than their absolute level

The tendency to base our judgements on our most recent level of experience; in other words, we are generally more sensitive to change in inputs or experiences rather than their absolute level

Adaptation Level phenomenon

How does adaptation relate to wealth and happiness?

What is RELATIVE DEPRIVATION?

Comparing ourselves to those who are better off than we are, and feeling frustrated at the disparity, instead of comparing ourselves to those who are less well off than we are and appreciating our advantages

Comparing ourselves to those who are better off than we are, and feeling frustrated at the disparity, instead of comparing ourselves to those who are less well off than we are and appreciating our advantages

Relative Deprivation

What is a real-world example of relative deprivation?

Someone at the company getting a pay raise despite being at the company for a shorter time than you

How much of our happiness is genetically determined?

½ (50%)

What percent of our happiness is due to circumstances that you can’t control?

10%

What percent of your happiness is due to circumstances you CAN control?

40%

What is the FEEL-GOOD, DO-GOOD PHENOMENON?

When people feel good themselves, they’re more likely to do good for others

When people feel good themselves, they’re more likely to do good for others

Feel-good, Do-good phenomenon

True or False: It is selfish to pursue your own happiness

False

Are good people happy, or are happy people good?

Happy people are good

How common are psychological disorders in the general United States population?

About 1 in 5 (20%) at any given time

How common are psychological disorders among US college and university students?

1 in 3

What country has the highest rates of psychological disorders?

The US

What percentage of people in the United States are likely to develop psychological disorders in their lifetimes?

1 in 2 (50%)

True or False: Most people who have a psychological disorder seek treatment

False