Psychology Chapter on Attitudes and Influence

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Questions and Answers

What is the nature of attitudes as described in the content?

Attitudes are temporary feelings toward certain stimuli.

Attitudes are stable evaluations that reflect a value on something. (correct)

Attitudes can change rapidly with new experiences.

Attitudes are primarily based on physical sensations.

How do attitudes relate to the concept of affect?

Attitudes are part of a broader phenomenon known as affect, which involves good versus bad distinctions. (correct)

Affect describes the transient feelings rather than stable evaluations.

Attitudes can only reflect negative responses within the affect framework.

Affect is unrelated to attitudes and only pertains to emotions.

In what way do stable attitudes differ from short-lived feelings?

Stable attitudes are only applicable to social judgments.

Stable attitudes are based solely on positive experiences.

Stable attitudes persist over time while short-lived feelings are temporary. (correct)

Stable attitudes have no connection to emotions or sensations.

Which example demonstrates the bodily response to affect?

Experiencing warmth from the sun on your skin. Signup and view all the answers

What would be an example of a stable attitude?

Valuing education regardless of specific experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between attitudes and personal values?

Attitudes can influence personal values but are not dependent on them. Signup and view all the answers

How can attitudes manifest in everyday situations?

As stable evaluations reflecting preferences on various topics. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes affect's operation in the domain of 'emotion' from 'attitude'?

Emotional responses are typically short-lived whereas attitudes are long-lasting. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main purpose of Stanley Milgram's obedience studies?

To investigate the impact of authority figures on normal individuals Signup and view all the answers

What did Hannah Arendt suggest regarding the nature of people who committed evil acts during the Holocaust?

They were ordinary people following orders. Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of Milgram's participants administered the highest shock level during his studies?

65% Signup and view all the answers

What neurotransmitter is associated with the sensation of liking?

Endogenous opioids Signup and view all the answers

How did the presence of two confederates who rebelled affect the participants' obedience?

It decreased obedience to 10%. Signup and view all the answers

Which cultural aspect did Milgram hypothesize influenced obedience in Germans?

Deference to authoritative figures Signup and view all the answers

How can wanting and liking be described based on the content?

They are separable and can be independently altered. Signup and view all the answers

What role did the confederate play in the Milgram's obedience study?

The learner receiving the shocks Signup and view all the answers

What happens to wanting and liking when dopamine activity is enhanced?

Wanting increases while liking remains unchanged. Signup and view all the answers

What effect does increasing anandamide expression in rats have?

It increases their liking of sugar. Signup and view all the answers

During the Milgram experiment, what did participants believe they were actually studying?

Learning processes and memory retention Signup and view all the answers

What was the emotional response reported by participants during the debriefing after the experiment?

Horror at their actions during the experiment Signup and view all the answers

What does the Berridge & Robinson study (2016) suggest about addiction?

Want for a drug grows, while liking may remain the same or even decrease. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following scenarios exemplifies the independence of wanting and liking?

A person misses their ex but recognizes they do not like them. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is correct regarding cravings and drug addiction?

Cravings can peak even when enjoyment of the drug declines. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the Lusting while Loathing study, what behavior is observed?

Desire for unattainable items can coexist with negative feelings. Signup and view all the answers

What response occurs when participants learn they are in conflict with the group?

An error-like response from the brain Signup and view all the answers

In the context of conformity, which brain area becomes less active when individuals agree with the group?

Cingulate cortex Signup and view all the answers

What effect does internal conflict have on an individual's motivation to conform?

Varies among individuals Signup and view all the answers

Which factor can lead to rapid changes in private acceptance when it comes to conformity?

Immediate social feedback patterns Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the ordinary face trial in the study of social conformity?

Participants believe peers judged faces only as ordinary Signup and view all the answers

What happens in the attractive face: high peer-rating trial condition?

Participants are shown a highly attractive face with positive ratings Signup and view all the answers

How does the brain respond when someone deviates from group norms?

Activates error detection processes Signup and view all the answers

What does the content suggest about differences in internal conflict regarding conformity?

They influence the degree of motivation to conform Signup and view all the answers

What is de-individuation primarily associated with in group settings?

Loss of self-consciousness Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon occurs when two introverts in a romantic relationship share more personal information than they normally would?

High self-disclosure Signup and view all the answers

According to Gustav Le Bon, what happens to individuals in a crowd?

They act by instinct and may behave aggressively Signup and view all the answers

What was observed in the Halloween trick-or-treating study regarding children's behavior in groups?

Group anonymity increased the likelihood of stealing Signup and view all the answers

What is one potential positive outcome of de-individuation in a group setting?

Encouragement of pro-social behavior Signup and view all the answers

What effect does adding a mirror to a room have on participants' moral behavior?

It encourages ethical decision-making Signup and view all the answers

How does de-individuation impact moral behavior according to recent research?

It can lead to both negative and positive actions Signup and view all the answers

What triggers a loss of self-control significantly in group settings?

Group immersion and anonymity Signup and view all the answers

What psychological effect may arise from being in a crowd, as suggested by Le Bon?

Aggressive instincts may surface Signup and view all the answers

What psychological boundary begins to collapse when individuals are in a group, according to the content?

Self from the environment Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Attitudes

A stable "evaluation" of something
Brains response in placing some kind of value on a specific event, person, stimulus
Affect: The brain's ability to feel good or bad in response to various things
- Sensation: Bodily responses to stimuli
- Emotion: Cognitive response to an event or stimulus
- Attitude: Relatively stable goodness or badness responses which are long lasting

Wanting vs. Liking

Wanting: The desire for something
Liking: The pleasure or enjoyment derived from something
Wanting and liking are separable
Dopamine is linked to wanting: Enhanced activity increases wanting, while depleted activity reduces wanting
Endogenous opioids (enkephalin) and endogenous cannabinoids (anandamide) are linked to liking
Drug addicts demonstrate increased wanting, but liking may either decrease or not change over time

Conformity and Group Influence

Conformity: Changing one's actions, beliefs, or attitudes to align with a group
Automaticity of Social Conformity: The brain automatically detects deviation from group norms and initiates mechanisms for re-alignment
Private Acceptance: Rapid changes in personal beliefs due to group influence
Lusting While Loathing Study: Participants' responses to facial stimuli were influenced by their perceived conformity with group norms, illustrating the impact of social feedback on preferences.

Obedience to Authority

Stanley Milgram’s Obedience Studies: Investigated the extent to which individuals obey authority figures, even when instructed to perform morally questionable actions.
Key Finding: 65% of participants administered the highest level of shock to a learner, demonstrating a strong tendency to obey authority, even when it causes harm.

De-individuation

A process where individuals lose their sense of self-awareness and self-control within a group
Group Dynamics: The presence of a group can lead to a loss of self-control, promoting aggressive or "bad" behaviors.
Trick-or-Treat Study: Children were more likely to steal candy and money when anonymous and in groups, showcasing the connection between de-individuation and immoral behavior.

Self-consciousness and De-individuation

Changes in self-consciousness are directly linked to altered moral behavior
Mirror Study: People in a room with a mirror were less likely to engage in immoral behavior due to increased self-awareness.

The Dual Nature of De-Individuation

De-individuation is not inherently negative.
It can produce positive consequences depending on the context of the group
Positive effects of de-individuation may occur when a group engages in prosocial or supportive actions.

Lebon's "The Crowd"

Suggests humans have ugly instincts that are released in group settings
Evidence for this negative view includes people acting more aggressively in crowds.
Self-regulation normally controls these negative impulses, but they are loosened in groups

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Description

Explore key concepts in psychology related to attitudes, wanting versus liking, and the impact of conformity and group influence. This quiz will test your understanding of emotional responses and the neurological factors that influence our desires and social behaviors.