PSY 120 Exam #4 questions well
answered graded A+
What is social cognition? - correct answer ✔✔ How people process, store and apply information
about other people and social situations
Focuses on role that cognitive processes play in our social interactions
Is physical appearance an important determinant of first impressions? Why or why not? -
correct answer ✔✔ Yes, because it gives us subtle, subconscious information about who it is we
are interacting with
What is a schema? Specifically, what is a social schema? - correct answer ✔✔ Concept that
informs a person about what to expect from a variety of experiences and situations
What is stereotyping vs prejudice vs discrimination? - correct answer ✔✔ Stereotype -
generalized belief (knowledge structure) about traits/characteristics of members of a group
Prejudice - generalized attitude toward members of a group or evaluation of a group
Discrimination - behaviors directed toward people on the basis of their group membership
How is the confirmation bias an important cognitive source of prejudice? Why does the
confirmation bias make it hard to get rid of prejudice? - correct answer ✔✔ We are attuned to
the information that supports our biases, and blinded to the information that contradicts it
What is social identity theory? How/why does social identity theory provide an explanation of a
motivational source of prejudice? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. We want to feel good about ourselves
,2. Much of our identity comes from the groups to which we belong
3. Just as individual social comparison can boost self-esteem, comparing our group with other
groups that are less well off can raise our self-esteem
What is meant by institutional support as a social source of prejudice? - correct answer ✔✔
Social institutions (schools, government, media) can reinforce biased beliefs
What is a self-fulfilling prophecy? What are the results of the Snyder telephone study and how
did the women's conversational styles demonstrate a self-fulfilling prophecy effect? - correct
answer ✔✔ Believing the desired result is the case, then interpreting the results to align with
the desired results
Thought the woman was pretty, she was somehow 'nicer'
Thought she was average, she wasn't 'as nice'
What is meant by implicit vs. explicit prejudice? Why do dual attitudes make it difficult to get rid
of all our prejudices? - correct answer ✔✔ Implicit - feeling you are not aware of
Explicit - feelings you're aware of
People have explicit (conscious) and implicit (automatic) attitudes toward social groups
What does IAT stand for? What does it test for? How does it work? What do the results of the
test mean? - correct answer ✔✔ Implicit Association Test, attempts to measure implicit
responses
Labels presented on screen
, Words or pictures quickly flashed
What is the basic difference between how a social psychologist would measure an explicit
attitude vs an implicit attitude? - correct answer ✔✔ Implicit Attitudes Test to test for implicit
attitudes
Explicit through survey, observation, etc.
Do explicit or implicit attitudes usually tend to be more negative? Why? What kind of behavior
does an explicit attitude best predict and what kind of behavior does an implicit attitude best
predict? - correct answer ✔✔ Implicit tend to be more negative; based partially on associations
rather than prejudice
Explicit attitudes are too positive because are subject to self-report bias
Explicit - conscious, self-directed behavior
Implicit - uncontrollable behavior
What is an attribution? - correct answer ✔✔ Causes/explanations for behavior
According to the covariation model of attribution, what are the 3 pieces of information that help
us make the appropriate inference or attribution of someone else's behavior? - correct answer
✔✔ Consistency - covariation of behavior across time
Distinctiveness - degree of uniqueness of behavior to particular situation
Consensus - covariation of behavior across different people
answered graded A+
What is social cognition? - correct answer ✔✔ How people process, store and apply information
about other people and social situations
Focuses on role that cognitive processes play in our social interactions
Is physical appearance an important determinant of first impressions? Why or why not? -
correct answer ✔✔ Yes, because it gives us subtle, subconscious information about who it is we
are interacting with
What is a schema? Specifically, what is a social schema? - correct answer ✔✔ Concept that
informs a person about what to expect from a variety of experiences and situations
What is stereotyping vs prejudice vs discrimination? - correct answer ✔✔ Stereotype -
generalized belief (knowledge structure) about traits/characteristics of members of a group
Prejudice - generalized attitude toward members of a group or evaluation of a group
Discrimination - behaviors directed toward people on the basis of their group membership
How is the confirmation bias an important cognitive source of prejudice? Why does the
confirmation bias make it hard to get rid of prejudice? - correct answer ✔✔ We are attuned to
the information that supports our biases, and blinded to the information that contradicts it
What is social identity theory? How/why does social identity theory provide an explanation of a
motivational source of prejudice? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. We want to feel good about ourselves
,2. Much of our identity comes from the groups to which we belong
3. Just as individual social comparison can boost self-esteem, comparing our group with other
groups that are less well off can raise our self-esteem
What is meant by institutional support as a social source of prejudice? - correct answer ✔✔
Social institutions (schools, government, media) can reinforce biased beliefs
What is a self-fulfilling prophecy? What are the results of the Snyder telephone study and how
did the women's conversational styles demonstrate a self-fulfilling prophecy effect? - correct
answer ✔✔ Believing the desired result is the case, then interpreting the results to align with
the desired results
Thought the woman was pretty, she was somehow 'nicer'
Thought she was average, she wasn't 'as nice'
What is meant by implicit vs. explicit prejudice? Why do dual attitudes make it difficult to get rid
of all our prejudices? - correct answer ✔✔ Implicit - feeling you are not aware of
Explicit - feelings you're aware of
People have explicit (conscious) and implicit (automatic) attitudes toward social groups
What does IAT stand for? What does it test for? How does it work? What do the results of the
test mean? - correct answer ✔✔ Implicit Association Test, attempts to measure implicit
responses
Labels presented on screen
, Words or pictures quickly flashed
What is the basic difference between how a social psychologist would measure an explicit
attitude vs an implicit attitude? - correct answer ✔✔ Implicit Attitudes Test to test for implicit
attitudes
Explicit through survey, observation, etc.
Do explicit or implicit attitudes usually tend to be more negative? Why? What kind of behavior
does an explicit attitude best predict and what kind of behavior does an implicit attitude best
predict? - correct answer ✔✔ Implicit tend to be more negative; based partially on associations
rather than prejudice
Explicit attitudes are too positive because are subject to self-report bias
Explicit - conscious, self-directed behavior
Implicit - uncontrollable behavior
What is an attribution? - correct answer ✔✔ Causes/explanations for behavior
According to the covariation model of attribution, what are the 3 pieces of information that help
us make the appropriate inference or attribution of someone else's behavior? - correct answer
✔✔ Consistency - covariation of behavior across time
Distinctiveness - degree of uniqueness of behavior to particular situation
Consensus - covariation of behavior across different people
