Conceptual

 

1 According to Aronson’s analysis of the Challenger disaster, which of the following most likely did not contribute to the disaster?

 

• NASA had already conducted two dozen successful launches.

 

• A school teacher was on board, which had created more publicity than normal.

 

• At NASA a lift-off decision was a more desirable decision than a delay.

 

• NASA engineers assured management that all safety measures had been taken.

 

 

 

Explain why you selected this answer.

 

Applied

 

2. Suppose you saw a small child eating lima beans with obvious reluctance. When asked why she was eating them if she wasn’t fond of them, she replied, “Because Big Bird eats his vegetables, and I want to be like him!” What type of conformity is she displaying?

 

• identification

 

• internalization

 

• reactance

 

• compliance

 

 

 

Why is this the best answer and what might explain this type of conformity in a small child?

 

 

 

Research/textbook

 

3. Aronson and O’Leary conducted a study designed to encourage water conservation among male students showering at the university field house. Under what conditions were students less likely to conserve water. Explain the conditions under which students were more likely to conserve water (by turning off the shower while soaping up).

 

 

 

Research/reader

 

Article #4

 

4. Why did Milgram conduct his experiments on obedience? What features, according to this article, helped to account for the high levels of obedience displayed by Milgram’s subjects?

 

Personal Relevance

 

5. Define and give examples of compliance, identification, and internalization. Which of these has the most permanent influence on an individual’s behavior? Select one of these responses and describe an instance of your own behavior which might be or have been the result of this particular type of social influence.

 

Summary

 

6. Why don’t bystanders come to the aid of victims of injury or crime? Summarize the reasons for non-intervention by bystanders. Summarize the conditions under which some bystanders do respond to someone in distress.

 

 

 

Conceptual

 

1. The catharsis theory of aggression holds that:

 

a. aggressive impulses, if kept bottled up, will eventually fade away.

 

b. one act of aggression usually leads to further aggression.

 

c. one act of aggression reduces the likelihood of further acts of aggression.

 

d. frustration leads to aggression.

 

Why did you select this answer?

 

 

 

Applied

 

2. The Iroquois Indians lived in peace for hundreds of years as a hunting nation, but in the seventeenth century, trade introduced by Europeans brought the Iroquois into competition with a neighboring tribe. A series of tribal wars developed, and the Iroquois ultimately became ferocious and successful warriors. This series of events suggest that:

 

a. warlike behavior is the result of uncontrollable aggressive instincts.

 

b. competition inevitably leads to violence.

 

c. changing social conditions can lead to changes in aggressive behavior.

 

d. aggressive behavior ensures evolutionary survival.

 

Why is this the best answer?

 

 

 

Research/textbook

 

3. Bushman and Bonacci had an experiment in which people watched violent or sexually explicit or neutral TV shows with advertisements. Under which conditions did men and women recall the advertised products? How did the experimenters explain the reasons for this outcome?

 

 

 

Research/reader

 

Article #26

 

4. Explain Malamuth’s findings on the predictors of naturalistic sexual aggression.

 

 

 

Personal Relevance

 

5. Some people believe that exposure to, or participation in, aggressive behavior is beneficial because it allows people to release their pent-up aggression. Where do you stand on this issue? Do you agree or disagree with this premise? Be sure to back up your answer with examples of relevant research.

 

 

 

Summary

 

6. Most everyone would agree that reducing human aggression is a worthwhile goal—one that may be crucial to our survival as a species. Summarize two of the several methods for achieving this goal. Support your choices with the relevant research.

 

Reggie works with Gloria and Lakeisha. He is a friendly older man who often talks about his plans for retirement in five years. He likes to make people laugh but often jokes about his struggles to learn new programs and technology.

The company recently informed the team that there will be a compliance test on new safety policies, which employees will need to pass in order to keep their jobs. The company has provided materials to study as well as optional practice exams. Gloria, Lakeisha, and Reggie are having lunch in the break room, and Gloria and Lakeisha mention that they have already signed up to take the first practice test. Reggie comments about how hard it is for him to learn a different way of doing the jobs that he has already been doing for years, joking that “you can’t teach an old man new tricks.” However, later in the day, he stops by Gloria’s desk to find out how she is preparing for the test and asks for advice. Given that they have a month until the compliance test, Gloria is confident that she can help Reggie prepare. Using your problem solving and self and social awareness skills and the information that you learned in Chapter 7 of the webtext about brain plasticity and mindset, answer the questions below:

1.Define mindset and describe what kind of mindset Reggie needs to embrace to be successful.

2. What is brain plasticity?

3. In Chapter 4, you learned about memory and how to effectively study. Using Chapter 4 in the webtext, what two specific strategies should Gloria suggest to Reggie so that he will be prepared for the compliance test? Why will these two strategies work?

4. If Reggie were your coworker, what important aspects of the situation would you want to keep in mind when offering advice and strategies to him? Why do you think this is important?