Psychology Degree Social and Group Behavior 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In social identity theory, which process involves comparing one's ingroup favorably to outgroups to maintain positive self-esteem?
- Social categorization
- Social comparison (Correct answer)
- Social identification
- Downward comparison
Correct answer: Social comparison
Social comparison is the process in SIT where people evaluate their group against other groups, and favorably biased comparisons enhance collective self-esteem.
Question 2: Research on prosocial behavior suggests that the most reliable predictor of helping in emergencies is:
- The number of bystanders present (Correct answer)
- The physical attractiveness of the victim
- The helper's mood state
- The similarity between helper and victim
Correct answer: The number of bystanders present
The number of bystanders is the strongest predictor of helping, with more bystanders leading to less helping due to diffusion of responsibility.
Question 3: The 'risky shift' phenomenon in group decision-making was eventually reframed as part of a broader concept because groups were found to also:
- Always make more accurate decisions
- Sometimes shift toward more cautious positions (Correct answer)
- Always reach consensus more quickly
- Reject minority viewpoints more frequently
Correct answer: Sometimes shift toward more cautious positions
The risky shift was reframed as 'group polarization' when researchers discovered groups can shift toward greater caution as well as greater risk, depending on members' initial inclinations.
Question 4: Which factor did Robert Cialdini NOT identify as one of his six principles of influence?
- Scarcity
- Reciprocity
- Similarity (Correct answer)
- Authority
Correct answer: Similarity
Cialdini's six principles are reciprocity, commitment/consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity—similarity per se is not one of the six (though it contributes to liking).
Question 5: Self-categorization theory extends social identity theory by explaining how people shift between:
- Personal and collective identities depending on context (Correct answer)
- Ingroup and outgroup membership over time
- High and low self-esteem states
- Cooperative and competitive orientations
Correct answer: Personal and collective identities depending on context
Self-categorization theory (Turner et al.) proposes that people can categorize themselves at different levels of abstraction, shifting between personal identity and various social identities based on context.
Question 6: The phenomenon where group members withhold unique information they possess because they focus on shared information is called:
- Social loafing
- Groupthink
- The common knowledge effect (Correct answer)
- Informational cascade
Correct answer: The common knowledge effect
The common knowledge effect (also called the hidden profile paradigm) describes how groups spend more time discussing information everyone already knows than unique information held by only one member.
Question 7: Stereotype threat, as described by Steele and Aronson, refers to the concern that:
- One will be stereotyped based on physical appearance
- One's performance will confirm a negative stereotype about one's group (Correct answer)
- Outgroup members will act on stereotypes against one's group
- Stereotypes will become self-fulfilling through discrimination
Correct answer: One's performance will confirm a negative stereotype about one's group
Stereotype threat is the apprehension that one's performance will confirm a negative stereotype about one's group, which ironically impairs performance through increased anxiety and cognitive load.
Psychology Degree Social and Group Behavior 4
In social identity theory, which process involves comparing one's ingroup favorably to outgroups to maintain positive self-esteem?