Psyc 111 Final Exam with Complete
Solutions
Social Influence - correct Answer-A change in a person's thoughts, feelings, or actions
due to other people (real or percieved)
The three major kinds of social influence - correct Answer-conformity, compliance,
obedience
Conformity - correct Answer-changing one's behavior to be consistent with another
person or group (to match a perceived social norm); "everyone else was doing it"
Compliance - correct Answer-responding favorably to another explicit request by
another person
obedience - correct Answer-changing one's behavior in response to the demands of a
more powerful person
Examples of conformity - correct Answer-- Not unique to humans: seen in chimps and
other animals
- Child development (ex: a kid copying their dad reading the paper)
- Mean girls and copying trends
- Tasimi and his cousin? (not sure about this example)
Solomon Ash's line judgment study - correct Answer-- Study design: 6 confederates + 1
real participant; asked to match line lengths
- Findings: alone participants made fewer than 1% of errors; with group pressure, 37%
of answers were wrong
- Only 25% of participants stayed strong
Why do we conform? - correct Answer-- Normative conformity = the need to belong
(norm = group "rule" or belief about how members act in certain contexts)
- Examples: Candid camera (picked up on a norm) + clapping at bad kindergarten
performance
What increases/decreases conformity? - correct Answer-situational factors: ambiguity,
group size, uniformity
Ambiguity - correct Answer-- Not sure what to go or what to do
- ex: when you don't know where something is, you will usually follow other people who
are heading to the same place
,Group size - correct Answer-Milgram study where random New Yorkers are more likely
to look up at the sky the more people that are doing it
Uniformity - correct Answer-uniformity of the group; when punctuated, people less likely
to conform
Two types of norms - correct Answer-injunctive; descriptive
Injunctive Norms - correct Answer-prescribe what you should do (usually explicit)
Descriptive norms - correct Answer-describe what people do do (usually implicit)
Conflict between Injunctive and Descriptive norms - correct Answer-- These norms can
sometimes conflict
- Ex: sneaking snacks into a movie theatre
Petrified Wood Study - correct Answer-- Experimented with no signs vs. injunctive
norms vs. descriptive norms
Results
- No sign = no sign; 3% theft
- Injunctive sign = don't remove the wood; 1.5% theft
- Descriptive norms = many visitors in the past have removed the wood and changed
the natural state of the forest; 8% theft
- Signifiance = ???
DARE - correct Answer-- the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, which uses
anti-drug use curriculum delivered by law enforcement officers in school classrooms in
an effort to deter kids from using drugs
- significance???
Static vs Dynamic Norms - correct Answer-- Static norms = current behaviors and
beliefs (ex: most people eat meat)
- Dynamic norms = change in beliefs and behavior over time (ex: people are starting to
eat less meat)
Study on static and dynamic norms - correct Answer-- People at a cafe read about a
static or dynamic norm before getting lunch:
- Static message = 30% of Americans make an effort to limit their meat consumption
- Dynamic message = In the last 5 years, 30% of Americans have started to make an
effort to limit their meat consumption
- Results: less likely to eat meat when exposed to static message
Compliance - correct Answer-"Just say yes"
, Cialdini's tricks of the trade - correct Answer-- Wrote book entitled: "The Psychology of
Persuasion (Influence)"
Trick 1: Reciprocity
1 mint: tip increases 3-4%, 2 mint tip increases 9-12%, 1+1 mint: tip increases by 25%
(saying just for you, here is another mint)
Trick 2: Consistency and Commitment ("foot in the door")
Safe driving
17% normally agree to have a sign about safe driving
However, when first asked how important safe driving is, 76% agreed to put up a sign
The morality of the money mattered more than the morality of the giver → prefer a bad
giver with neutral money than a neutral giver and bad money
What if the amount of money increased? - correct Answer-Doesn't change much →
People are more likely to accept money when it is neutral or from a bad giver; however,
in scenarios that involve bad money, the amount people want still doesn't increase (an
increase in money offered can get people to negate physical taint but not moral taint)
Maybe people feared punishment? - correct Answer-No, there were still no changes in
people's beliefs
Talk is "cheap" - correct Answer-- Asked participants: "Did someone ever offer you
money (coins or bills) that you feel was tainted or dirty, literally or metaphorically? If so,
how was it tainted or dirty? Please provide as much detail as possible
- Literally dirty = blood, stinky, cocaine residue
- Metaphorically dirty = not wanting to accept money from a meth dealer, not wanting to
accept money someone got from selling their prescription medication, not wanting to
accept money someone stole from a dying old man
Results: 87% accepted literally dirty money, whereas 58% reported that they accepted
metaphorically dirty money
What are conspiracy theories? - correct Answer-- Conspiracy theories are explanations
for events that involve secret plots by powerful and malevolent groups
-Even seemingly fringe or extreme conspiracy beliefs are endorsed by thousands of
individuals (ex: lizard people control politics or why JFK was actually killed)
- These conspiracy theories can drive people to do dangerous things
Examples of conspiracy theorists - correct Answer-- Egar Allan Welch → Welch fired his
weapon 3 times in a pizza restaurant because he believed there was a childhood sex
ring; he was arrested and required to serve time in jail
Solutions
Social Influence - correct Answer-A change in a person's thoughts, feelings, or actions
due to other people (real or percieved)
The three major kinds of social influence - correct Answer-conformity, compliance,
obedience
Conformity - correct Answer-changing one's behavior to be consistent with another
person or group (to match a perceived social norm); "everyone else was doing it"
Compliance - correct Answer-responding favorably to another explicit request by
another person
obedience - correct Answer-changing one's behavior in response to the demands of a
more powerful person
Examples of conformity - correct Answer-- Not unique to humans: seen in chimps and
other animals
- Child development (ex: a kid copying their dad reading the paper)
- Mean girls and copying trends
- Tasimi and his cousin? (not sure about this example)
Solomon Ash's line judgment study - correct Answer-- Study design: 6 confederates + 1
real participant; asked to match line lengths
- Findings: alone participants made fewer than 1% of errors; with group pressure, 37%
of answers were wrong
- Only 25% of participants stayed strong
Why do we conform? - correct Answer-- Normative conformity = the need to belong
(norm = group "rule" or belief about how members act in certain contexts)
- Examples: Candid camera (picked up on a norm) + clapping at bad kindergarten
performance
What increases/decreases conformity? - correct Answer-situational factors: ambiguity,
group size, uniformity
Ambiguity - correct Answer-- Not sure what to go or what to do
- ex: when you don't know where something is, you will usually follow other people who
are heading to the same place
,Group size - correct Answer-Milgram study where random New Yorkers are more likely
to look up at the sky the more people that are doing it
Uniformity - correct Answer-uniformity of the group; when punctuated, people less likely
to conform
Two types of norms - correct Answer-injunctive; descriptive
Injunctive Norms - correct Answer-prescribe what you should do (usually explicit)
Descriptive norms - correct Answer-describe what people do do (usually implicit)
Conflict between Injunctive and Descriptive norms - correct Answer-- These norms can
sometimes conflict
- Ex: sneaking snacks into a movie theatre
Petrified Wood Study - correct Answer-- Experimented with no signs vs. injunctive
norms vs. descriptive norms
Results
- No sign = no sign; 3% theft
- Injunctive sign = don't remove the wood; 1.5% theft
- Descriptive norms = many visitors in the past have removed the wood and changed
the natural state of the forest; 8% theft
- Signifiance = ???
DARE - correct Answer-- the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, which uses
anti-drug use curriculum delivered by law enforcement officers in school classrooms in
an effort to deter kids from using drugs
- significance???
Static vs Dynamic Norms - correct Answer-- Static norms = current behaviors and
beliefs (ex: most people eat meat)
- Dynamic norms = change in beliefs and behavior over time (ex: people are starting to
eat less meat)
Study on static and dynamic norms - correct Answer-- People at a cafe read about a
static or dynamic norm before getting lunch:
- Static message = 30% of Americans make an effort to limit their meat consumption
- Dynamic message = In the last 5 years, 30% of Americans have started to make an
effort to limit their meat consumption
- Results: less likely to eat meat when exposed to static message
Compliance - correct Answer-"Just say yes"
, Cialdini's tricks of the trade - correct Answer-- Wrote book entitled: "The Psychology of
Persuasion (Influence)"
Trick 1: Reciprocity
1 mint: tip increases 3-4%, 2 mint tip increases 9-12%, 1+1 mint: tip increases by 25%
(saying just for you, here is another mint)
Trick 2: Consistency and Commitment ("foot in the door")
Safe driving
17% normally agree to have a sign about safe driving
However, when first asked how important safe driving is, 76% agreed to put up a sign
The morality of the money mattered more than the morality of the giver → prefer a bad
giver with neutral money than a neutral giver and bad money
What if the amount of money increased? - correct Answer-Doesn't change much →
People are more likely to accept money when it is neutral or from a bad giver; however,
in scenarios that involve bad money, the amount people want still doesn't increase (an
increase in money offered can get people to negate physical taint but not moral taint)
Maybe people feared punishment? - correct Answer-No, there were still no changes in
people's beliefs
Talk is "cheap" - correct Answer-- Asked participants: "Did someone ever offer you
money (coins or bills) that you feel was tainted or dirty, literally or metaphorically? If so,
how was it tainted or dirty? Please provide as much detail as possible
- Literally dirty = blood, stinky, cocaine residue
- Metaphorically dirty = not wanting to accept money from a meth dealer, not wanting to
accept money someone got from selling their prescription medication, not wanting to
accept money someone stole from a dying old man
Results: 87% accepted literally dirty money, whereas 58% reported that they accepted
metaphorically dirty money
What are conspiracy theories? - correct Answer-- Conspiracy theories are explanations
for events that involve secret plots by powerful and malevolent groups
-Even seemingly fringe or extreme conspiracy beliefs are endorsed by thousands of
individuals (ex: lizard people control politics or why JFK was actually killed)
- These conspiracy theories can drive people to do dangerous things
Examples of conspiracy theorists - correct Answer-- Egar Allan Welch → Welch fired his
weapon 3 times in a pizza restaurant because he believed there was a childhood sex
ring; he was arrested and required to serve time in jail
