1. What does the concept of “conformity” refer to?
A) Changing one’s beliefs due to an authority’s influence
B) Changing one’s beliefs or behaviors to match a group
C) Voluntary change of behavior for personal gain
D) Following instructions without questioning
Answer: B) Changing one’s beliefs or behaviors to match a group
Explanation: Conformity refers to changing one’s behavior or beliefs to match those of a group, often to fit in or avoid conflict.
2. Which of the following is an example of compliance?
A) Following a law because it’s the right thing to do
B) Agreeing to donate money after being asked by a charity worker
C) Changing your views to match a group’s opinion
D) Obeying an authority figure’s instructions
Answer: B) Agreeing to donate money after being asked by a charity worker
Explanation: Compliance involves changing one’s behavior as a result of a direct request, even if the individual may not necessarily agree with the behavior.
3. What is obedience in psychology?
A) Voluntary submission to societal norms
B) The change in attitude due to group influence
C) Following orders from an authority figure
D) Disagreement with group norms
Answer: C) Following orders from an authority figure
Explanation: Obedience refers to following commands or orders from an authority figure, even when they may conflict with personal beliefs or attitudes.
4. Who is associated with the famous experiment on obedience involving electric shocks?
A) Kurt Lewin
B) Stanley Milgram
C) Solomon Asch
D) Philip Zimbardo
Answer: B) Stanley Milgram
Explanation: Stanley Milgram conducted experiments on obedience in the 1960s, where participants administered what they believed were electric shocks to others under the authority of an experimenter.
5. What is informational social influence?
A) Influence based on the need to be accepted by others
B) Influence based on the desire to be correct in one’s beliefs
C) Influence that occurs when people copy the behaviors of others
D) Influence that comes from the desire to avoid punishment
Answer: B) Influence based on the desire to be correct in one’s beliefs
Explanation: Informational social influence occurs when individuals conform because they believe others possess more knowledge, and thus want to be correct in their decisions.
6. Normative social influence is best described as:
A) Seeking advice from friends when unsure
B) Changing one’s behavior to fit in with a group
C) Refusing to change one’s opinion to avoid conflict
D) Reassessing one’s beliefs when presented with new evidence
Answer: B) Changing one’s behavior to fit in with a group
Explanation: Normative social influence happens when individuals conform to the expectations of others to be liked or accepted, even if they do not necessarily agree.
7. In which situation would you most likely observe the phenomenon of “groupthink”?
A) A team making decisions without critical evaluation
B) A person refusing to change their opinion
C) An individual challenging societal norms
D) A group questioning the validity of their leader’s instructions
Answer: A) A team making decisions without critical evaluation
Explanation: Groupthink occurs when a group makes faulty or poor decisions due to the desire for harmony and conformity within the group, often leading to a lack of critical evaluation.
8. What does the term “foot-in-the-door” technique refer to?
A) First making a small request to increase compliance with a larger request
B) Gaining compliance through intimidation or force
C) Changing a person’s behavior by making them feel guilty
D) Asking for an unreasonable request to gain compliance
Answer: A) First making a small request to increase compliance with a larger request
Explanation: The foot-in-the-door technique involves starting with a small request to gain compliance and then following up with a larger, related request.
9. The concept of “social facilitation” refers to:
A) Improved performance in the presence of others
B) Decreased motivation in the presence of others
C) Focusing on tasks in private settings
D) Conforming to others’ expectations
Answer: A) Improved performance in the presence of others
Explanation: Social facilitation is the tendency to perform tasks better or more efficiently when in the presence of others, particularly when the task is familiar.
10. In Asch’s conformity experiments, what was the main result?
A) Participants always conformed to the wrong answer
B) Participants rarely conformed to group pressure
C) A significant proportion of participants conformed at least once
D) Participants refused to participate in the study
Answer: C) A significant proportion of participants conformed at least once
Explanation: Solomon Asch’s experiments on conformity showed that a significant percentage of participants conformed to incorrect group opinions even when the correct answer was obvious.
11. The “door-in-the-face” technique involves:
A) A small request being made after a large request is rejected
B) Making a small request that is easily granted
C) Asking for an unreasonable request and then a smaller one
D) Asking a large request to be denied in order to later make a smaller request
Answer: C) Asking for an unreasonable request and then a smaller one
Explanation: The door-in-the-face technique involves first making a large, unreasonable request and following it with a more reasonable one, which increases the likelihood of the latter being accepted.
12. What is the primary factor that influences obedience in Milgram’s experiments?
A) The personality of the subject
B) The presence of others
C) The authority’s perceived legitimacy
D) The task difficulty
Answer: C) The authority’s perceived legitimacy
Explanation: Milgram’s studies revealed that participants were more likely to obey when the authority figure was perceived as legitimate or authoritative.
13. The “low-ball” technique is best described as:
A) Increasing the difficulty of the request
B) Giving someone an unrealistic offer that they accept, then changing it to a less favorable one
C) Allowing a person to back out of a request
D) Giving a person a small reward for agreeing to a request
Answer: B) Giving someone an unrealistic offer that they accept, then changing it to a less favorable one
Explanation: The low-ball technique involves initially offering an attractive deal and then changing the terms to be less favorable after the person has already agreed.
14. What is the bystander effect?
A) The tendency to behave more aggressively in a crowd
B) The tendency for people to help others when in groups
C) The tendency to be less likely to help others when there are other witnesses
D) The effect of watching someone perform an action
Answer: C) The tendency to be less likely to help others when there are other witnesses
Explanation: The bystander effect refers to the phenomenon where people are less likely to offer help to a victim when there are other witnesses present, due to a diffusion of responsibility.
15. What does the “obedience to authority” theory primarily focus on?
A) People’s tendency to obey due to social pressure
B) The role of authoritarian personalities in obedience
C) The impact of laws and regulations on behavior
D) People’s tendency to follow commands from figures of authority
Answer: D) People’s tendency to follow commands from figures of authority
Explanation: The obedience to authority theory emphasizes how individuals are likely to follow orders from authority figures, even when those orders conflict with personal morals.
16. Which factor increases conformity in a group setting?
A) Having a minority viewpoint
B) Group members having similar views
C) Increased independence of thought
D) Smaller group size
Answer: B) Group members having similar views
Explanation: Conformity tends to increase when there is unanimity or similarity among group members, as individuals are more likely to adjust their views to align with the group.
17. According to social identity theory, group behavior is influenced by:
A) How individuals see themselves in relation to their group
B) The amount of pressure the group exerts
C) The economic status of the group
D) The authority figures in the group
Answer: A) How individuals see themselves in relation to their group
Explanation: Social identity theory suggests that people’s behavior is influenced by how they categorize themselves and others based on group memberships, such as in-group versus out-group dynamics.
18. A person who conforms to a group’s expectations to avoid being disliked is influenced by:
A) Informational influence
B) Normative influence
C) Internalization
D) External justification
Answer: B) Normative influence
Explanation: Normative influence occurs when people conform to group norms to be accepted or liked by others, even if they do not necessarily agree with the group’s stance.
19. Which of the following is NOT a factor that increases obedience?
A) Proximity of the authority figure
B) Presence of dissenting peers
C) Legitimacy of the authority figure
D) Lack of personal responsibility
Answer: B) Presence of dissenting peers
Explanation: The presence of dissenting peers typically decreases obedience, as social support can embolden individuals to resist authority.
20. Which of the following best describes “group polarization”?
A) A tendency for group discussion to lead to more extreme decisions
B) A shift from individual to collective responsibility
C) The tendency to adopt less risky decisions in groups
D) Conforming to group opinions
Answer: A) A tendency for group discussion to lead to more extreme decisions
Explanation: Group polarization refers to the tendency of group discussion to result in decisions that are more extreme than those made by individuals alone.
