1
SOCIAL PSYCH UCT EXAM LATEST UPDATES -2025/2026-
ACTUAL QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS ALREADY
GRADED A+ GUARANTEED SUCCESS
•The popular view is that it is our attitudes that influence how we behave. Self-
perception Theory, however, argues that this is not always the case and that,
sometimes, it is through our behaviour and how we interpret our behaviour that
we form our attitudes
•Example: I don't have any thoughts or feelings towards dogs. However, on
meeting a dog I feel anxious and irritated and avoid interacting with the dog.
Through my behaviour towards the dog, I come to the conclusion that this must
mean that I don't like dogs.
• Self-perception Theory: Daryl Bem (1967, 1972)
1.Evaluative: object is the end in itself-- attitude functions allow the individual
access to the object itself.
•Experiential and specific (based on and restricted to a single object)
•Experiential and schematic (based on expreience with particular objects, but
generalized to a class of objects)
-ANTICIPATORY - based on expected rather than direct experience
2.Expressive (or symbolic) : object is a means to an end. Provides social support,
increases self esteem, reduce anxiety.
•Social-expressive- based on the individuals need to be accepted by others
, 2
•Value-expressive- based on indivduals need to define self by expressing
important values and aligning self with important reference groups
•Defensive- based on indivudals need to reduce anxiety associated with
intrapsychic conflicts
STRATEGIES TO CHANGE ATTITUDES MUST CONSIDER WEATHER ATTITUDES ARE
HELD FOR EVALUATIVE OR EXPRESSIVE/SYMBOLIC REASONS!
• HEREK- 2 kinds of attitudes.
**ATTITUDES FOLLOW BEHAVIOR**
•Humans want consistency between their cognitions (i.e. beliefs, values, opinions
etc.)
•Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds two cognitions (thoughts) that
are psychologically contradictory, which often results in feelings of anxiety
•Dissonance often occurs when a person has to choose bwteeen two
incompatible beliefs or behaviours
•When dissonance occurs, the person often has to change something in order to
reduce the anxiety associated with the dissonance
•Three ways in which a person can reduce dissonance:
1.Reduce the importance attached to one or both of the cognitions;
2.Find or add new information that outweighs the dissonant beliefs;
3.Or, change one or both of the dissonant beliefs
, 3
• EXAMPLE: I want to lose weight for my wedding and I believe that eating
chocolate and cake is going to make me gain weight. But, I continue eating
chocolate and cake. If I want to
• Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Leon Festinger (1957)
it is through behavior that we interpret and form attitudes!
same as cog dissonance but more simple
where are our behavior intentions at? attitude predicts behavior.
1. normative beleif
2. motivation to comply
look at these two before taking action
•This theory argues that our attitudes don't predict our behaviour, but rather
predicts our behavioural intentions
•Our behavioural intent is caused by two factors: Attitudes and norms (i.e. the
expectations/thoughts/opinions/beliefs of those in our social world)
, 4
•EXAMPLE: I fall pregnant and my own attitudes towards terminating the
pregnancy are pro-choice [i.e. attitude]. But, my friends believe that abortion is
immoral and wrong [i.e. norms].
•In terms of norms, it is our attitudes together with our subjective norms that
play an integral role in predicting our behavioural intentions
•Subjective norms involve two elements
1.Normative beliefs: What I think others will expect me to do. [From the above
example, I think that my friends would want me to not have an a
• Theory of Reasoned Action: Fishbein and Ajzen
• refers to the ways in which people identify causes for things happening the way
that they did
• ATTRIBUTIONS
• Characteristics of a person are the cause
• E.g. Their homework is late because they are lazy and couldn't care less about
their academics.
• Dispositional factors: (ATTRIBUTIONS)
• Characteristics of a situation are the cause
• E.g. Their homework is late because their car must have broken down and they
couldn't get to campus on time.
• People are biased in their attributions
SOCIAL PSYCH UCT EXAM LATEST UPDATES -2025/2026-
ACTUAL QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS ALREADY
GRADED A+ GUARANTEED SUCCESS
•The popular view is that it is our attitudes that influence how we behave. Self-
perception Theory, however, argues that this is not always the case and that,
sometimes, it is through our behaviour and how we interpret our behaviour that
we form our attitudes
•Example: I don't have any thoughts or feelings towards dogs. However, on
meeting a dog I feel anxious and irritated and avoid interacting with the dog.
Through my behaviour towards the dog, I come to the conclusion that this must
mean that I don't like dogs.
• Self-perception Theory: Daryl Bem (1967, 1972)
1.Evaluative: object is the end in itself-- attitude functions allow the individual
access to the object itself.
•Experiential and specific (based on and restricted to a single object)
•Experiential and schematic (based on expreience with particular objects, but
generalized to a class of objects)
-ANTICIPATORY - based on expected rather than direct experience
2.Expressive (or symbolic) : object is a means to an end. Provides social support,
increases self esteem, reduce anxiety.
•Social-expressive- based on the individuals need to be accepted by others
, 2
•Value-expressive- based on indivduals need to define self by expressing
important values and aligning self with important reference groups
•Defensive- based on indivudals need to reduce anxiety associated with
intrapsychic conflicts
STRATEGIES TO CHANGE ATTITUDES MUST CONSIDER WEATHER ATTITUDES ARE
HELD FOR EVALUATIVE OR EXPRESSIVE/SYMBOLIC REASONS!
• HEREK- 2 kinds of attitudes.
**ATTITUDES FOLLOW BEHAVIOR**
•Humans want consistency between their cognitions (i.e. beliefs, values, opinions
etc.)
•Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds two cognitions (thoughts) that
are psychologically contradictory, which often results in feelings of anxiety
•Dissonance often occurs when a person has to choose bwteeen two
incompatible beliefs or behaviours
•When dissonance occurs, the person often has to change something in order to
reduce the anxiety associated with the dissonance
•Three ways in which a person can reduce dissonance:
1.Reduce the importance attached to one or both of the cognitions;
2.Find or add new information that outweighs the dissonant beliefs;
3.Or, change one or both of the dissonant beliefs
, 3
• EXAMPLE: I want to lose weight for my wedding and I believe that eating
chocolate and cake is going to make me gain weight. But, I continue eating
chocolate and cake. If I want to
• Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Leon Festinger (1957)
it is through behavior that we interpret and form attitudes!
same as cog dissonance but more simple
where are our behavior intentions at? attitude predicts behavior.
1. normative beleif
2. motivation to comply
look at these two before taking action
•This theory argues that our attitudes don't predict our behaviour, but rather
predicts our behavioural intentions
•Our behavioural intent is caused by two factors: Attitudes and norms (i.e. the
expectations/thoughts/opinions/beliefs of those in our social world)
, 4
•EXAMPLE: I fall pregnant and my own attitudes towards terminating the
pregnancy are pro-choice [i.e. attitude]. But, my friends believe that abortion is
immoral and wrong [i.e. norms].
•In terms of norms, it is our attitudes together with our subjective norms that
play an integral role in predicting our behavioural intentions
•Subjective norms involve two elements
1.Normative beliefs: What I think others will expect me to do. [From the above
example, I think that my friends would want me to not have an a
• Theory of Reasoned Action: Fishbein and Ajzen
• refers to the ways in which people identify causes for things happening the way
that they did
• ATTRIBUTIONS
• Characteristics of a person are the cause
• E.g. Their homework is late because they are lazy and couldn't care less about
their academics.
• Dispositional factors: (ATTRIBUTIONS)
• Characteristics of a situation are the cause
• E.g. Their homework is late because their car must have broken down and they
couldn't get to campus on time.
• People are biased in their attributions
