1. The prescnece of a ________ alters the meaning of other traits in forming an overall impression of others since it is more heavily weighed.
a) primary trait b) stable trait c) central trait d) functional trait e) none of these
2. In Stanley Milgram’s experiment, subjects were told by an experimenter to give increasingly strong shocks to another person as part of an investigation about learing. The real issue under the investigation was __________.
a) how much shock can a person actually take before screaming. b) the degree to which subjects would obey the experiementer’s request. c) the degree to which subjects seemed to enjoy the experence of shocking others. d) the sadistic tendencies of colledge freshmen. e) whether subjects had bette recall if an aversive stimulus is delivered after incorrect answers.
3. Having one person present who shares an unpopular viewpoint in a group is _______.
a)insufficent to have any conclusive effect on conformity. b) sufficent to reduce conformity if the person is will to speak. c) likely to increase conformity d) sufficent to increase the effects of autistic hostility e) insufficent to produce social interaction
The correct answer and explanation is:
- Correct Answer: c) central trait
Explanation:
A central trait refers to a characteristic that has a significant influence on how other traits of a person are perceived, affecting the overall impression formed. The presence of a central trait can alter the perception of other characteristics, making them more or less important in shaping how we view someone. For example, traits like “warm” or “cold” are central traits because they can influence how we interpret other qualities (e.g., being warm may make someone seem more likeable, while being cold might lead us to view them more negatively). Central traits hold more weight in social perception and often color our judgment of less prominent traits.
- Correct Answer: b) the degree to which subjects would obey the experimenter’s request
Explanation:
Stanley Milgram’s famous experiment on obedience was designed to investigate how far people would go in following an authority figure’s commands, even when those commands involved causing harm to another person. The actual focus was not on the effects of shock on the “learner” (who was actually an actor and not harmed) but on the obedience of the subjects. Milgram wanted to explore the limits of obedience and to understand the psychological mechanisms that drive individuals to obey authority figures, even in morally questionable situations. His results showed that people were surprisingly willing to administer severe shocks when instructed by an authority figure, which raised significant ethical and psychological questions about the power of authority in influencing behavior.
- Correct Answer: b) sufficient to reduce conformity if the person is willing to speak
Explanation:
Having just one person present in a group who shares an unpopular viewpoint can significantly reduce the pressure to conform, especially if that person is willing to express their opinion openly. This is because the presence of a dissenter provides social support for the individual who might otherwise feel pressured to go along with the majority. As shown in Asch’s conformity experiments, when one person disagrees with the majority, others are more likely to express their true opinions, knowing they are not alone. This effect is crucial in social psychology as it highlights the influence of social support in reducing conformity and enhancing individuality in group settings.