BAPSY Social Psychology 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In social psychology, 'normative social influence' leads people to conform in order to:
- Gain accurate information about reality
- Be liked and accepted by others (Correct answer)
- Test the limits of social rules
- Express their authentic beliefs
Correct answer: Be liked and accepted by others
Normative influence is driven by the need for approval and belonging, causing people to publicly conform even when privately disagreeing.
Question 2: Which of the following is most consistent with the concept of 'reciprocity' as a norm in social exchange?
- Helping others without expectation of return
- Returning favors received from others (Correct answer)
- Distributing resources based on need
- Withholding help from those who have not contributed
Correct answer: Returning favors received from others
The reciprocity norm creates an obligation to return benefits received, and is widely exploited as a compliance technique.
Question 3: What does the 'fundamental attribution error' specifically describe?
- Overemphasizing situational factors when explaining others' behavior
- Overemphasizing dispositional factors when explaining others' behavior (Correct answer)
- Ignoring one's own role in interpersonal conflicts
- Misremembering past social events in self-serving ways
Correct answer: Overemphasizing dispositional factors when explaining others' behavior
The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency to overweight personal characteristics and underweight situational context when explaining others' actions.
Question 4: Aggression research consistently shows that exposure to hot temperatures is associated with:
- Decreased aggressive behavior due to discomfort
- Increased aggressive behavior and hostile cognitions (Correct answer)
- No measurable change in aggression levels
- Increased cooperation as people seek social comfort
Correct answer: Increased aggressive behavior and hostile cognitions
The heat hypothesis, supported by archival and laboratory studies, links higher temperatures to increased irritability and aggressive acts.
Question 5: The 'self-fulfilling prophecy' in social contexts refers to a situation where:
- People accurately predict their own future behavior
- Expectations about others cause behaviors that confirm those expectations (Correct answer)
- People overestimate their own abilities due to positive thinking
- Negative beliefs about oneself lead to depression
Correct answer: Expectations about others cause behaviors that confirm those expectations
A self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when an initially false belief triggers behaviors in a target that ultimately make the belief come true.
Question 6: According to Latané and Darley's model of bystander intervention, which step must occur FIRST before someone helps in an emergency?
- Deciding how to help
- Noticing that an event is occurring (Correct answer)
- Assuming personal responsibility
- Having the skills to help
Correct answer: Noticing that an event is occurring
The five-step decision model begins with noticing the event — if a bystander fails to perceive the situation, all subsequent steps are bypassed.
Question 7: The concept of 'pluralistic ignorance' helps explain bystander inaction because onlookers:
- Are unaware that anyone else has noticed the emergency
- Each privately interpret the event as an emergency but publicly act calm, misleading one another (Correct answer)
- Are collectively unaware of what the appropriate response should be
- Assume emergency services have already been called
Correct answer: Each privately interpret the event as an emergency but publicly act calm, misleading one another
Pluralistic ignorance occurs when individuals privately hold one belief but assume others feel differently, leading the group to publicly model calm non-response even in genuine emergencies.
BAPSY Social Psychology 5
In social psychology, 'normative social influence' leads people to conform in order to: