Social psychology is the scientific study of how individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. It examines key phenomena such as social influence, including conformity, obedience, and persuasion; group dynamics, which explore how people behave in groups and how groups form and function; interpersonal relationships, covering topics like attraction, love, aggression, and altruism; and attitudes, stereotypes, and prejudice, including their formation, change, and impact on social behavior.
Historically rooted in the early 20th century with pioneers like Kurt Lewin, social psychology integrates methods from psychology and sociology to understand human interaction. It addresses real-world issues such as discrimination, crowd behavior, and social change, with applications in fields like marketing, education, therapy, and public policy.
Key theories include social identity theory, which explains how group membership shapes self-concept; cognitive dissonance theory, which deals with the discomfort of holding conflicting beliefs; and attribution theory, which examines how people explain others’ behaviors.
Through experiments and observations, social psychology reveals how situational factors and cultural contexts shape human actions, emphasizing the interplay between individual psychology and social environments.
Table of contents
- Part 1: Create an amazing social psychology quiz using AI instantly in OnlineExamMaker
- Part 2: 20 social psychology quiz questions & answers
- Part 3: Automatically generate quiz questions using AI Question Generator
Part 1: Create an amazing social psychology quiz using AI instantly in OnlineExamMaker
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Part 2: 20 social psychology quiz questions & answers
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1. What is the fundamental attribution error in social psychology?
A. Overemphasizing personality-based explanations for others’ behavior
B. Underestimating the role of situational factors in one’s own behavior
C. The tendency to conform to group norms
D. Biased perception of out-group members
Answer: A
Explanation: The fundamental attribution error occurs when people attribute others’ actions to their character rather than external circumstances, highlighting how internal factors are overemphasized.
2. Which theory explains how individuals reduce cognitive dissonance?
A. Social identity theory
B. Cognitive dissonance theory
C. Equity theory
D. Self-perception theory
Answer: B
Explanation: Cognitive dissonance theory posits that people experience discomfort from conflicting beliefs and attitudes, leading them to change one to reduce the inconsistency.
3. What is conformity as described in Asch’s experiments?
A. Changing one’s behavior due to real or imagined group pressure
B. Obeying authority figures without question
C. Forming attitudes based on personal experiences
D. Resisting social norms for individuality
Answer: A
Explanation: Asch’s studies demonstrated that individuals often conform to group opinions, even if incorrect, due to social influence and the desire to fit in.
4. In social psychology, what is prejudice?
A. A preconceived negative attitude toward a group
B. A learned behavior through observation
C. An emotional response to social cues
D. A neutral evaluation of group differences
Answer: A
Explanation: Prejudice involves unfounded judgments and negative feelings toward individuals based on their group membership, often stemming from stereotypes.
5. What does the bystander effect illustrate?
A. The tendency for individuals to help less when others are present
B. Increased aggression in group settings
C. The formation of in-group favoritism
D. Rapid decision-making in emergencies
Answer: A
Explanation: The bystander effect shows that the presence of other people reduces the likelihood of intervention in an emergency, as responsibility is diffused.
6. Which concept refers to the enhancement of an individual’s performance in the presence of others?
A. Social facilitation
B. Group polarization
C. Deindividuation
D. Social loafing
Answer: A
Explanation: Social facilitation occurs when the real or imagined presence of others improves task performance, particularly for well-learned tasks.
7. What is self-fulfilling prophecy in social interactions?
A. A belief that leads to its own fulfillment
B. An inaccurate prediction based on bias
C. A form of groupthink
D. The projection of one’s traits onto others
Answer: A
Explanation: A self-fulfilling prophecy is when an expectation about a person or situation influences behavior in a way that makes the expectation come true.
8. In Milgram’s obedience studies, what was the key finding?
A. People often obey authority figures even when it conflicts with personal morals
B. Individuals resist commands that harm others
C. Obedience decreases in group settings
D. Authority has no impact on behavior
Answer: A
Explanation: Milgram’s experiments revealed that ordinary people can administer what they believe are harmful shocks due to obedience to authority, demonstrating social influence.
9. What is the difference between implicit and explicit attitudes?
A. Implicit attitudes are unconscious, while explicit ones are deliberate
B. Explicit attitudes are always more influential
C. Implicit attitudes only affect behavior in groups
D. They are the same and interchangeable
Answer: A
Explanation: Implicit attitudes are automatic and subconscious, whereas explicit attitudes are conscious and controllable, affecting behavior in different ways.
10. Which theory suggests that attraction is based on similarity?
A. Balance theory
B. Social exchange theory
C. Reinforcement theory
D. Equity theory
Answer: C
Explanation: Reinforcement theory explains that people are attracted to those who provide positive reinforcement, often through shared similarities that lead to rewarding interactions.
11. What is group polarization?
A. The tendency for group discussions to make attitudes more extreme
B. The process of forming subgroups within a larger group
C. Reduced effort in group tasks
D. Conflict arising from diverse opinions
Answer: A
Explanation: Group polarization occurs when group members’ initial opinions become more exaggerated after discussion, due to social comparison and persuasion.
12. How does the contact hypothesis reduce prejudice?
A. Through positive interactions between groups
B. By increasing physical distance between groups
C. Via media representations of stereotypes
D. By enforcing segregation
Answer: A
Explanation: The contact hypothesis proposes that direct, cooperative contact between members of different groups can reduce prejudice when certain conditions, like equal status, are met.
13. What is deindividuation in a crowd?
A. Loss of self-awareness and individual identity leading to impulsive behavior
B. Increased self-reflection in social settings
C. Formation of strong personal bonds
D. Adherence to social norms
Answer: A
Explanation: Deindividuation happens when people in a group lose their sense of individuality, often resulting in uninhibited or antisocial actions.
14. In social psychology, what is attribution theory?
A. Explaining the causes of behavior as internal or external
B. Predicting future social interactions
C. Measuring levels of conformity
D. Analyzing group decision-making
Answer: A
Explanation: Attribution theory deals with how people interpret events and behaviors, deciding whether they stem from dispositional (internal) or situational (external) factors.
15. What role does reciprocity play in relationships?
A. The expectation that favors will be returned
B. The avoidance of social exchanges
C. Unilateral giving without expectation
D. Competition for resources
Answer: A
Explanation: Reciprocity involves the norm of repaying kindness or favors, which strengthens social bonds and influences interpersonal relationships.
16. Which factor is most associated with the formation of stereotypes?
A. Categorization and generalization about groups
B. Individual personality traits
C. Direct personal experiences only
D. Emotional neutrality
Answer: A
Explanation: Stereotypes form through the cognitive process of categorizing people into groups and applying broad generalizations, often leading to bias.
17. What is the just-world hypothesis?
A. The belief that people get what they deserve
B. A theory of random social outcomes
C. An explanation of altruistic behavior
D. The idea that injustice promotes change
Answer: A
Explanation: The just-world hypothesis is the assumption that the world is fair, leading individuals to blame victims for their misfortunes to maintain their belief in justice.
18. How does social identity theory explain in-group favoritism?
A. People favor their own group to enhance self-esteem
B. Groups form based on shared resources
C. Favoritism is due to external rewards
D. It results from out-group threats
Answer: A
Explanation: Social identity theory argues that individuals derive self-worth from group membership, leading to positive bias toward their in-group and negativity toward out-groups.
19. What is the primary cause of diffusion of responsibility?
A. In a group, individuals feel less personally accountable
B. Increased personal motivation in teams
C. Direct orders from leaders
D. Heightened awareness of consequences
Answer: A
Explanation: Diffusion of responsibility occurs when the presence of others makes individuals assume someone else will take action, reducing their own involvement.
20. In persuasion, what is the elaboration likelihood model?
A. A dual-process theory of how people process messages via central or peripheral routes
B. A method for creating persuasive arguments
C. A focus on emotional appeals only
D. A theory of resistance to influence
Answer: A
Explanation: The elaboration likelihood model describes two routes to persuasion: the central route, involving deep thinking, and the peripheral route, based on superficial cues.
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