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STUDY EXERCISES (OBJECTIVES)

CHAPTER 1 1. Offer a definition of social psychology and discuss the types of issues this field considers. 2. State the four key components of a science. 3. Consider how social psychology differs from the field of sociology. 4. State and briefly discuss the five ma or headings that characteri!e the variables of interest to most social psychologists. ". #iscuss some of the ma or contemporary research trends in social psychology. $. Consider the advantages and limitations of systematic observations and the survey method. %. #escribe the correlational method including the meaning of correlational coefficients and the key drawback of this method. &. Outline the nature of the e'perimental method including all of the key components of this methodology. (. )'plain the basic purpose of inferential statistics and meta*analysis. 1+. #efine the term ,theory- and describe the procedure involved in building theories. 11. Consider when and how deception is used in social psychological research. 12. #iscuss the importance of informed consent and debriefing in social psychological research.

2 CHAPTER 2 1. #escribe the ma or purpose and functions of social perception. 2. #efine what is meant by nonverbal communication and how it is related to the concepts and terms ,irrepressible.- ,deception.- and ,emotional contagion.3. #escribe the si' /or perhaps seven0 basic emotions e'pressed in uni1ue facial e'pressions. #oes this mean we are limited to only a small number of facial e'pressions2 4. #escribe how body language. including gestures. posture. and movements. can communicate emotion. including such e'amples as ballet and various emblems. ". 3dentify and describe the five key nonverbal cues that may allow us to recogni!e deception. $. Compare and contrast the key elements of 4ones and #avis5 theory of correspondent inference with those of 6elley5s theory of attribution. %. )'plain the difference between internal and e'ternal causes and controllable versus uncontrollable factors. &. Contrast the discounting and augmenting principles. (. #escribe and contrast the ma or attributional errors7 the correspondence bias. the actor*observer effect. and the self*serving bias. Consider cultural differences with respect to these biases. 1+. #iscuss how attribution theory has been applied to the study of depression and pre udice. 11. #iscuss how 8sch5s research on central and peripheral traits supports his view that forming impressions involves more than simply adding together individual traits. 12. Contrast older models of how we combine diverse information about others into unified impressions of them with more contemporary perspectives. 13. #escribe the role played by e'emplars and abstractions when we make udgments about others. 14. 9ist self*enhancement tactics and other*enhancement tactics used in impression management. and describe research results on whether these tactics ,pay off- for persons using them. 1". :rovide evidence to support the idea that we are 1uite accurate in social perception.

3 CHAPTER 3 1. #iscuss what is meant by ,social cognition- and list the basic assumptions that most social psychologists have with respect to cognitive processes. 2. State the basic purpose and function of schemas as well as the three basic processes that they influence. 3. Consider how our schemas may /or may not0 be altered in the face of new information. 4. #iscuss how the self*fulfilling prophecy may operate in certain applied settings. such as classroom environments. ". )'plain why we often use heuristics and the conse1uences of their use. Contrast two different types of heuristics. $. #iscuss the nature of automatic processing in social thought. %. )'amine why we tend to show a negativity bias;particularly from an evolutionary or biological perspective. &. Consider the prevalence of the optimistic bias. its conse1uences. and when this bias typically is <O= shown. (. #iscuss why sometimes our tendency to do a minimal amount of cognitive work may be ustified. 1+. 3dentify the effects that counterfactual thinking may have on our mood and general well*being. 11. State the meaning of ,magical thinking- as well as the three principles that pertain to this pattern of cognition. 12. )'plain what thought suppression is. and why it can be;but often is <O=; effective. and identify the individual difference characteristic that is particularly susceptible to the negative effects of thought suppression. 13. :rovide a rationale for why we actually do a fairly good ob in processing social information. 14. Consider how affect can influence cognition by discussing mood*dependent memory. mood congruence effects. mental contamination. and the effects of being in a good mood on social behavior. 1". 9ist the three ways that cognition can influence affect.

4 CHAPTER 4 1. #escribe what attitudes are and why they are of interest to social psychologists. 2. Outline the ways in which we may ac1uire attitudes through learning. 3. 3dentify the role that genetics plays in attitude ac1uisition. 4. #iscuss the basic functions that attitudes may serve. ". Outline when and how attitudes may affect behavior from both a historical and contemporary social psychological perspective. $. #escribe the aspects of attitudes themselves and how they may influence behavior. %. Summari!e how the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior and the attitude*to*behavior process model try to understand the attitude*behavior link. &. State the key factors that social psychologists have historically believed lead to successful persuasion. (. Contrast systematic and heuristic processing in terms of how they relate to persuasion. 1+. #escribe why and how we may resist persuasion by discussing reactance. forewarning. selective avoidance. biased assimilation. and attitude polari!ation. 11. Consider when we e'perience cognitive dissonance. how we can reduce it. and whether it is unpleasant for most individuals. 12. #iscuss the less*leads*to*more effect by paying particular attention to the famous >estinger and Carlsmith /1("(0 study. 13. )'plain how hypocrisy can be used in a manner that produces beneficial effects for an individual.

" CHAPTER 6 1. )'plain how schemas and negative emotions provide the basic foundations for pre udice. 2. State the two basic reasons for why pre udice persists. 3. Contrast the key difference between pre udice and discrimination. 4. #iscuss how modern racism operates in contrast to ,old*fashioned- racism. ". #escribe how racial attitudes have been measured as a function of the ,bogus pipeline- and the ,bona fide pipeline.$. Consider why tokenism e'ists and its implications. %. )'plain how realistic conflict theory helps to understand the origins of pre udice. &. #iscuss the general methods and findings of the famous ,?obber5s Cave- study and why it is relevant to the study of pre udice. (. Contrast historical and contemporary social psychological views of whether poor economic conditions foster pre udice. 1+. #iscuss how the social learning view of pre udice affects how a person develops attitudes about other racial or ethnic groups. 11. #iscuss the nature and effects of social categori!ation and. in doing so. highlight the relevance of the ultimate attribution error and social identity theory. 12. Offer a basic overview of what stereotypes are and how they operate. 13. Compare and contrast how illusory correlations. in*group differentiation. and the illusion of out*group homogeneity all relate to the development of pre udice. 14. )'plain how the contact hypothesis and the e'tended contact hypothesis differ in terms of their predictions for how we can reduce pre udice. 1". Consider how recategori!ations. cognitive interventions. and social influence can all be used to reduce pre udice. 1$. #iscuss how individuals cope with pre udice. 1%. )'plain how hostile and benevolent se'ism function. 1&. #iscuss how gender stereotypes and differential respect often provide the foundation for the cognitive bases of se'ism. 1(. #iscuss why subtle forms of discrimination;particularly in the workplace;may still e'ist and. in doing so. e'plain what is meant by a ,glass ceiling.-

$ CHAPTER 9 1. )'plain the differences between conformity. compliance. obedience. and intense indoctrination. 2. )'plain what a ,social norm- is and how it functions. 3. Outline the methods. goals. and general findings from 8sch5s famous studies of conformity. 4. Consider how cohesiveness and group si!e affect conformity. ". Contrast descriptive and in unctive norms and. in doing so. state the relevance of normative focus theory. $. #escribe how social psychologists have previously and currently study how social norms persist. %. 3dentify the differences between normative and informational social influence. &. #iscuss the various reasons why we sometimes do not or cannot conform. (. Consider when and how the minority can influence the ma ority. 1+. 9ist the si' basic principles of compliance and the seven tactics for gaining compliance that are grounded in these principles. 8lso. identify two other compliance tactics that are not necessarily rooted in these principles. 11. :rovide a detailed overview of the initial @ilgram obedience study including its methods. results. and ethical concerns. 8lso. provide a few e'amples of subse1uent obedience studies conducted by @ilgram and these results. 12. #escribe the social psychological basis for destructive obedience and how individuals can resist its effects. 13. Outline the four stages of intense indoctrination and why this form of social influence succeeds.

% CHAPTER 10 1. Contrast the views of >reud. 9oren!. and evolutionary perspectives in terms of how aggression develops. 2. State the purpose of drive theories of aggression and note the most well*known of these theories. 3. Outline the variables involved in the general affective aggression model and briefly e'plain how this model operates. 4. 3dentify the ways by which social psychologists study aggression in the laboratory. ". #iscuss why the original frustration*aggression hypothesis is <O= considered to be accurate by most contemporary social psychologists. $. Outline the ma or points of e'citation transfer theory. %. 3dentify individual difference or personal causes of aggression by discussing /among others0 the =ype 8 behavior pattern. hostile and instrumental aggression. and the hostile attributional bias. &. 3dentify the nature of gender differences in aggression. (. #iscuss how temperature and alcohol may influence aggression. 1+. Contrast the characteristics of bullies. victims. and bullyAvictims and note the ways by which bullying behavior can be reduced. 11. <ote the prevalence of workplace violence and summari!e the three main categories of aggression in the workplace. 12. Consider whether punishment can be an effective deterrent to violence. 13. )valuate the veracity of the catharsis hypothesis. 14. 3dentify the various techni1ues /both cognitive and non*cognitive interventions0 that can be used in order to reduce aggression.

& CHAPTER 11 1. Contrast the views of >reud. 9oren!. and evolutionary perspectives in terms of how aggression develops. 2. State the purpose of drive theories of aggression and note the most well*known of these theories. 3. Outline the variables involved in the general affective aggression model and briefly e'plain how this model operates. 4. 3dentify the ways by which social psychologists study aggression in the laboratory. ". #iscuss why the original frustration*aggression hypothesis is <O= considered to be accurate by most contemporary social psychologists. $. Outline the ma or points of e'citation transfer theory. %. 3dentify individual difference or personal causes of aggression by discussing /among others0 the =ype 8 behavior pattern. hostile and instrumental aggression. and the hostile attributional bias. &. 3dentify the nature of gender differences in aggression. (. #iscuss how temperature and alcohol may influence aggression. 1+. Contrast the characteristics of bullies. victims. and bullyAvictims and note the ways by which bullying behavior can be reduced. 11. <ote the prevalence of workplace violence and summari!e the three main categories of aggression in the workplace. 12. Consider whether punishment can be an effective deterrent to violence. 13. )valuate the veracity of the catharsis hypothesis. 14. 3dentify the various techni1ues /both cognitive and non*cognitive interventions0 that can be used in order to reduce aggression.

( CHAPTER 12 1. #efine what is meant by a ,group- and the role that entiativity plays in studying groups. 2. 3dentify how roles. status. norms. and cohesiveness allow a group to function. 3. #efine what is meant by ,social facilitation- and provide a detailed overview of how this topic has been studied throughout social psychology5s history. 4. )'plain why social loafing occurs and ways to reduce it. ". Contrast the terms ,cooperation- and ,conflict.$. )'plain the dynamics of a social dilemma. %. #iscuss how reciprocity. personal orientations. communication. and the discontinuity effect may influence the occurrence of cooperation. &. 3dentify the basic nature and causes of conflict as well as ways to reduce it. (. )'plain the importance of perceived fairness in groups and. in doing so. identify and describe the three main categories of ustice. 8lso. consider how individuals react to feelings of perceived unfairness. 1+. Outline some of the social decision schemes that a group may decide to pursue. 11. #iscuss the nature and conse1uences of group polari!ation. 12. #iscuss the nature. underlying causes. and conse1uences of groupthink. 13. Consider how and why the devil5s advocate techni1ue and authentic dissent may improve group decisions.