PSY 306 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ACCURATE ANSWERS
Conformity - answer A change in one's behavior due to the real or imagined influence of
other people
Informational Social Influence - answer The influence of other people that leads us to
conform because we see them as a source of information to guide our behavior; we
conform because we believe that others' interpretation of an ambiguous situation is
more correct than ours and will help us choose an appropriate course of action.
Private Acceptance - answer Conforming to other people's behavior out of a genuine
belief that what they are doing or saying is right.
Public Compliance - answer Conforming to other people's behavior publicly without
necessarily believing in what we are doing or saying
Contagion - answer The rapid spread of emotions or behaviors through a crowd.
Mass Psychogenic Illness - answer The occurrence, in a group of people, of similar
physical symptoms with no known cause
Social Norms - answer The implicit or explicit rules a group has for the acceptable
behaviors, values, and beliefs of its members
Normative Social Influence - answer The influence of other people that leads us to
conform in order to be liked and accepted by them; this type of conformity results in
public compliance with the group's beliefs and behaviors but not necessarily private
acceptance of those beliefs and behaviors.
Social Impact Theory - answer The idea that conforming to social influence depends on
the strength of the group's importance, its immediacy, and the number of people in the
group
Idiosyncrasy Credits - answer The tolerance a person earns, over time, by conforming
to group norms; if enough idiosyncrasy credits are earned, the person can, on occasion,
behave deviantly without retribution from the group
Minority Influence - answer The case where a minority of group members influences the
behavior or beliefs of the majority
Injunctive Norms - answer People's perceptions of what behaviors are approved or
disapproved of by others
Descriptive Norms - answer People's perceptions of how people actually behave in
, given situations, regardless of whether the behavior is approved or disapproved of by
others
Propinquity Effect - answer The finding that the more we see and interact with people,
the more likely they are to become our friends
Mere Exposure Effect - answer The finding that the more exposure we have to a
stimulus, the more apt we are to like it
Social Exchange Theory - answer The idea that people's feelings about a relationship
depend on their perceptions of the rewards and costs of the relationship, the kind of
relationship they deserve, and their chances for having a better relationship with
someone else.
Comparison Level - answer People's expectations about the level of rewards and
punishments they are likely to receive in a particular relationship
Comparison Level for Alternatives - answer People's expectations about the level of
rewards and punishments they would receive in an alternative relationship
Equity Theory - answer The idea that people are happiest with relationships in which the
rewards and costs experienced and the contributions made by both parties are roughly
equal
Companionate Love - answer The intimacy and affection we feel when we care deeply
for a person but do not experience passion or arousal in there person's presence
Passionate Love - answer An intense longing we feel for a person, accompanied by
physiological arousal; when our love is reciprocated, we feel great fulfillment and
ecstasy, but when it is not, we feel sadness and despair
Evolutionary Approach to Love - answer A theory derived from evolutionary biology that
holds that men and women are attracted to different characteristics in each other (men
ACCURATE ANSWERS
Conformity - answer A change in one's behavior due to the real or imagined influence of
other people
Informational Social Influence - answer The influence of other people that leads us to
conform because we see them as a source of information to guide our behavior; we
conform because we believe that others' interpretation of an ambiguous situation is
more correct than ours and will help us choose an appropriate course of action.
Private Acceptance - answer Conforming to other people's behavior out of a genuine
belief that what they are doing or saying is right.
Public Compliance - answer Conforming to other people's behavior publicly without
necessarily believing in what we are doing or saying
Contagion - answer The rapid spread of emotions or behaviors through a crowd.
Mass Psychogenic Illness - answer The occurrence, in a group of people, of similar
physical symptoms with no known cause
Social Norms - answer The implicit or explicit rules a group has for the acceptable
behaviors, values, and beliefs of its members
Normative Social Influence - answer The influence of other people that leads us to
conform in order to be liked and accepted by them; this type of conformity results in
public compliance with the group's beliefs and behaviors but not necessarily private
acceptance of those beliefs and behaviors.
Social Impact Theory - answer The idea that conforming to social influence depends on
the strength of the group's importance, its immediacy, and the number of people in the
group
Idiosyncrasy Credits - answer The tolerance a person earns, over time, by conforming
to group norms; if enough idiosyncrasy credits are earned, the person can, on occasion,
behave deviantly without retribution from the group
Minority Influence - answer The case where a minority of group members influences the
behavior or beliefs of the majority
Injunctive Norms - answer People's perceptions of what behaviors are approved or
disapproved of by others
Descriptive Norms - answer People's perceptions of how people actually behave in
, given situations, regardless of whether the behavior is approved or disapproved of by
others
Propinquity Effect - answer The finding that the more we see and interact with people,
the more likely they are to become our friends
Mere Exposure Effect - answer The finding that the more exposure we have to a
stimulus, the more apt we are to like it
Social Exchange Theory - answer The idea that people's feelings about a relationship
depend on their perceptions of the rewards and costs of the relationship, the kind of
relationship they deserve, and their chances for having a better relationship with
someone else.
Comparison Level - answer People's expectations about the level of rewards and
punishments they are likely to receive in a particular relationship
Comparison Level for Alternatives - answer People's expectations about the level of
rewards and punishments they would receive in an alternative relationship
Equity Theory - answer The idea that people are happiest with relationships in which the
rewards and costs experienced and the contributions made by both parties are roughly
equal
Companionate Love - answer The intimacy and affection we feel when we care deeply
for a person but do not experience passion or arousal in there person's presence
Passionate Love - answer An intense longing we feel for a person, accompanied by
physiological arousal; when our love is reciprocated, we feel great fulfillment and
ecstasy, but when it is not, we feel sadness and despair
Evolutionary Approach to Love - answer A theory derived from evolutionary biology that
holds that men and women are attracted to different characteristics in each other (men
