Social psychology worksheet with answers

Free printable Social psychology worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

New worksheetPractise online with hints

For teachers: free to print, copy and use in class. Every new worksheet has new values and its own answer key. A link to ExamProblems on your course page is appreciated.

Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

When everyone in a group looks calm in an unclear situation, each person may conclude that nothing is wrong. This is called:

  1. ADiffusion of responsibility
  2. BSocial loafing
  3. CPluralistic ignorance
  4. DGroup polarisation
2.Easy

Overestimating how much other people notice our appearance or behaviour is called the:

  1. AActor–observer bias
  2. BSpotlight effect
  3. CHalo effect
  4. DFalse consensus effect
3.Easy

In Milgram's obedience study, about what percentage of participants went to the maximum 450-volt level?

  1. AAbout 65%
  2. BAbout 25%
  3. CAbout 95%
  4. DAbout 5%
4.Medium

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to:

  1. AOverestimate personality and underestimate the situation when explaining others' behaviour
  2. BAssume others agree with us
  3. COverestimate the role of luck in success
  4. DBlame the situation for one's own failures while taking personal credit for one's successes
5.Medium

Research comparing American and Indian participants found that the fundamental attribution error was:

  1. AStronger among Indians, who live in a more collectivist culture
  2. BExactly the same in both cultures
  3. CStronger among Americans, who live in a more individualist culture
  4. DAbsent in American participants
6.Medium

Everyone laughs at a comedian, Sam laughs at this comedian but at no others, and Sam always laughs at her. Using Kelley's covariation model, the cause is most likely:

  1. AThe comedian
  2. BChance circumstances
  3. CSam's personality
  4. DSam's mood that night
7.Hard

In Reicher and Haslam's BBC prison study, guards did not form a strong shared identity, while prisoners did and challenged the guards. What does this suggest about the Stanford prison experiment?

  1. ABehaviour depends on shared identity, not automatic role-taking
  2. BAssigned roles and group membership have no effect on behaviour at all
  3. CPrisoners always accept their low status without resistance
  4. DGuards will always become cruel when they are given power
8.Hard

In Ross's quiz study, randomly assigned questioners wrote hard questions for contestants. Observers rated the questioners as more knowledgeable. Why is this an attribution error?

  1. AThe contestants knew the answers but chose to hide them
  2. BThe questioners' role advantage was taken as ability
  3. CThe observers believed the roles were assigned by skill
  4. DThe questioners really were more intelligent overall

Answer key

  1. 1. C · Pluralistic ignorance
  2. 2. B · Spotlight effect
  3. 3. A · About 65%
  4. 4. A · Overestimate personality and underestimate the situation when explaining others' behaviour
  5. 5. C · Stronger among Americans, who live in a more individualist culture
  6. 6. A · The comedian
  7. 7. A · Behaviour depends on shared identity, not automatic role-taking
  8. 8. B · The questioners' role advantage was taken as ability

Full step-by-step solutions: practise this topic on examproblems.com.