The Individual & The Group

Which of the following is not an assumption made by social psychologists?

• A. We have a personal self and several social selves. 

• B. Our behaviour is influenced by others, even when we believe we are acting independently.

• C. Culture affects our behaviour.

• D. Animals may be studied in order to get a deeper insight into human behaviour.

Answer explanation

Animals may be studied....  is an example of an assumption from the biological approach.

Social psychologists believe that as the individual is affected by being part of a group, the individual can also affect behaviour in the group. What is the term used to describe this phenomenon?

• A. Reciprical determinism

• B. Social Identity Theory

• C. Social determinism

• D. Bidirectional ambiguity

Answer explanation

Bandura's theory of recipricol determinism says that our behaviour with a group is bidirectional - an individual affects a group's behaviour and the group influences an individual's behaviour.

What was the independent variable in Asch’s 1956 study?

• A. The unanimity of the response

• B. The rate of conformity - that is, whether they agreed with the confederates or not

• C. The length of the lines

• D. The confederates' answer to the question

The Asch paradigm is highly standardized.  Why is this important?

• A. To increase the predictive validity of the study.

• B. For ethical reasons; it is important that all participants are treated equally.

• C. To increase the ecological validity of the study.

• D. To increase the reliability of the study.

Answer explanation

When a procedure is highly standardized it is possible to replicate the study.  Only through replication can the reliabilty of the results be established.

According to Asch, why did the participants conform?

• A. A combination of informational and normative social influence

• B. Referential social influence

• C. Normative social influence

• D. Informational social influence

Answer explanation

There were some participants who claimed that they thought they didn't understand the directions.  In this case, they followed what others did - a case of informational social influence.  In addition, some said that they felt that they didn't want to look stupid.  In this case, it was normative social influence.

What was the control group in Asch's study?

• A. A second group was allowed to ask questions.

• B. Participants matched the lines alone - with no confederates.

• C. A second group had more participants.

• D. A second group was told that they were late and to write down their responses.

Answer explanation

Asch wanted to make sure that it was in fact the power of social pressure - and not the ability to read the lines - that made the difference in the participants' responses.