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.

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1.Easy

Conforming because you believe the group knows the correct answer, especially in an unclear situation, is called:

  1. AObedience
  2. BNormative social influence
  3. CInformational social influence
  4. DSocial loafing
2.Easy

Which researcher found that cyclists rode faster when racing against others than when riding alone, in an early study of social facilitation?

  1. ARobert Zajonc
  2. BBibb Latané
  3. CNorman Triplett
  4. DMuzafer Sherif
3.Easy

Helping another person without expecting anything in return is called:

  1. AAltruism
  2. BReciprocity
  3. CSocial exchange
  4. DCompliance
4.Medium

Exposing people to weak arguments against their view, along with rebuttals, makes them more resistant to later persuasion. This is:

  1. AThe sleeper effect
  2. BReactance theory
  3. CInoculation theory
  4. DThe elaboration likelihood model
5.Medium

The foot-in-the-door technique works by:

  1. AUsing fear to persuade
  2. BOffering a discount after the request
  3. CMaking a large request first, which is refused, then a smaller one
  4. DGetting agreement to a small request before making a larger one
6.Medium

A friend suggests hitting a punching bag to "get anger out of your system". What does research by Bushman and others suggest?

  1. AVenting reliably reduces anger and so lowers later aggression
  2. BVenting has no effect on mood or on later behaviour
  3. CVenting helps only if done in front of the target
  4. DVenting like this tends to increase later aggression
7.Hard

Why are the results of the Stanford prison experiment treated with caution today?

  1. AIt was carried out in a real prison with real inmates as the prisoners
  2. BGuards were partly coached and demand characteristics were strong
  3. CIt found no differences between guards and prisoners
  4. DIt had too many participants to analyse
8.Hard

Zanna and Cooper gave participants a placebo pill, telling some it would make them tense. After writing a counter-attitudinal essay, those told the pill causes tension showed little attitude change. This supports the idea that:

  1. AWriting essays never changes people's attitudes
  2. BSelf-perception theory explains all attitude change
  3. CDissonance involves arousal that people try to explain
  4. DPlacebo pills themselves cause attitude change

Answer key

  1. 1. C · Informational social influence
  2. 2. C · Norman Triplett
  3. 3. A · Altruism
  4. 4. C · Inoculation theory
  5. 5. D · Getting agreement to a small request before making a larger one
  6. 6. D · Venting like this tends to increase later aggression
  7. 7. B · Guards were partly coached and demand characteristics were strong
  8. 8. C · Dissonance involves arousal that people try to explain

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