Psychology Midterms: Attitude Formation and Value

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Questions and Answers

What was the primary research question regarding the manipulation of news feeds?

Do users prefer positive content in their news feeds?

Does the volume of posts increase with negative content exposure?

Does exposure to less positive content influence posting behavior? (correct)

Does users' emotional state affect the positivity of their statuses?

What dependent variable was measured in the experiment?

The percentage of positive or negative words in users' status updates (correct)

The emotional reactions of users to news feed changes

The total number of status updates made by users

The frequency of users logging into their accounts

What effect was observed when positive content was filtered out from users' news feeds?

There was no change in posting behavior

Users experienced increased emotional well-being

Users posted more negative content

Users' status updates became less positive (correct)

What was the result when negative content was reduced in the news feeds?

Users' updates became more positive Signup and view all the answers

How many status updates were analyzed during the experiment?

Over 3 million Signup and view all the answers

How can early relationships with parents influence an individual's future romantic relationships?

They may establish a pattern of attachment styles. Signup and view all the answers

What concept explains that increased exposure to an object can lead to a greater liking for it?

Mere Exposure Effect Signup and view all the answers

Which brain region is associated with the increase in liking due to the mere exposure effect?

Ventral Tegmental Area Signup and view all the answers

What can be concluded about a parent’s discipline method and its effects?

It reflects the parent’s childhood environment, including potential aggression. Signup and view all the answers

What role does personality play in the formation of affective value?

It is one of several factors that shape value constructs. Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of mere exposure on food preferences, as observed in research?

It results in an increased liking for novel food items over time. Signup and view all the answers

What is the overall effect of personal history on attitudes we form?

Both short-term and long-term experiences shape our attitudes. Signup and view all the answers

How does affective value primarily function in our decision-making process?

It is a rapid judgment influenced by diverse inputs. Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect on participants' feelings towards a prize when they are blocked from obtaining it?

They have an increased desire but decreased liking. Signup and view all the answers

How does the desire for rewards that are unattainable impact people's behaviors?

They are more likely to trade rewards once received. Signup and view all the answers

What emotional values are associated with taking midterms, according to recent findings?

Midterms create intense emotional experiences like relief and disappointment. Signup and view all the answers

What psychological trait may lead individuals to easily feel disappointed?

Neuroticism. Signup and view all the answers

How does a person's past affect their emotional response to midterms?

Past experiences lead to stronger emotional reactions towards midterms. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a possible influence on a student's approach to midterms?

Social norms and values imposed by peers. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between desire and liking in the context of blocked rewards?

Desire increases while liking remains unaffected. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of personality might affect a student’s value placed on grades?

Extraversion. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between nucleus accumbens activity and social feedback regarding facial beauty?

Higher peer ratings lead to increased nucleus accumbens activity. Signup and view all the answers

How does conflicting with a group's opinion affect an individual's brain response?

It triggers an error-like response detected by the rostral cingulate cortex. Signup and view all the answers

What internal reaction does an individual typically experience when their opinion differs from group norms?

An internal alarm indicating a mistake. Signup and view all the answers

What cognitive phenomenon does the Stroop paradigm illustrate?

Delay in reaction times when faced with incongruent stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

Which brain activity is linked to monitoring internal conflict during social feedback?

Increased activity in the rostral cingulate cortex. Signup and view all the answers

What role does social conformity play in individual behavior?

It alters both public compliance and private acceptance. Signup and view all the answers

What does increased activity in the rostral cingulate cortex indicate?

Recognition of error when opinions conflict with the group. Signup and view all the answers

In social feedback studies on facial attractiveness, what was the aim of the participants' activities?

To independently judge facial attractiveness and respond to feedback. Signup and view all the answers

What was a primary psychological outcome observed in participants of the study who believed they were administering shocks?

They developed serious mental illnesses such as PTSD. Signup and view all the answers

What type of attribution error do people tend to commit when evaluating others' behaviors?

Fundamental attribution error. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary aim of the experiment involving Israelis and Palestinians reading articles?

To test the impact of situational vs. dispositional attributions. Signup and view all the answers

How did participants' attitudes toward enemy groups change after reading articles that presented situational attributions?

Participants expressed less negative attitudes towards the enemy group. Signup and view all the answers

What is the conclusion regarding attributions that can be drawn from the studies on Israelis and Palestinians?

People's attributions can be flexible and influence feelings. Signup and view all the answers

What was the effect of reading a dispositional attribution article on participants' feelings about enemy groups?

It resulted in more negative feelings towards the enemy. Signup and view all the answers

What statement best reflects the authors' hypothesis regarding attributions for enemy behaviors?

Attributing enemy behaviors to situational factors can reshape perceptions. Signup and view all the answers

What does the study suggest is a possible effect of changing attributions on willingness to compromise?

It promotes greater willingness to compromise for peace. Signup and view all the answers

How is situational attribution defined in the context of understanding group behavior?

Understanding behavior as influenced by external circumstances. Signup and view all the answers

What common misconception does the content challenge regarding perceptions of enemy groups?

Enemy groups are entirely evil and irredeemable. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Early and Recent Experiences

Attitudes are shaped by both short-term and long-term personal experiences
Short-term experiences are those that are immediately prior to the formation of an attitude, while long-term experiences are things that occurred in the past.
Relationships with parents can influence romantic relationships later in life, this is due to attachment theory
Parental relationships with their children can be influenced by how they were treated by their own parents.
Exposure to something more often can lead to a greater liking of it.
The mere exposure effect can be observed for faces, food, and objects.

Affective Value

Affective value is a brain construct that is influenced by evolution, experiences, personality, and social norms.
We assign value to things unconsciously and consciously based on these inputs.
Desiring something can increase wanting but decrease liking.
People can have conflicting attitudes.

Midterms and the Meaning of Life

Objects like midterms are not inherently valuable but can have intense emotional value.
The value we assign to a midterm can be influenced by personality traits, past experiences, and social norms.
Values are influenced by motivations and the following personality traits: neuroticism, openness to experience, extroversion, and curiosity.
Experiences such as attachments with parents and social conformity can influence how much value is assigned to a specific event.
Emotions about an event can also be influenced by emotional contagion from others.

How Does Feeling Arise?

Facebook conducted an experiment to study the effect of emotional contagion.
The experiment manipulated the content of users' news feeds.
The dependent variable was user's emotional state, operationalized as the percentage of positive or negative words in their status updates.
Results showed that the user's emotional state could be influenced by the emotions expressed in their news feed.
The study suggested that negative emotions can spread more easily.
Nucleus accumbens activity is linked to social feedback, with higher ratings associated with greater activity.

Group Influence

Attributions play a role in how we perceive other groups
Fundamental Attribution Error: We tend to attribute actions to individual characteristics rather than situational ones.
Dispositional attribution: assuming the behavior stems from an individual’s inherent trait.
Situational attributions: assuming the behavior stems from the external context surrounding the individual.
Situational attributions can influence how we feel about enemy groups
Study: Israelis and Palestinians were presented with articles about the enemy group’s behavior, attributing it to situational or dispositional causes.
Study showed that the attribution of enemy behavior to situational causes resulted in more positive attitudes towards the group.
These studies demonstrate that people can easily change their attitudes toward enemy groups through situational attributions.

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Description

This quiz explores the formation of attitudes influenced by early and recent experiences, including the impact of parental relationships and attachment theory. It also delves into the concept of affective value and how our desires affect our perceptions. Test your understanding of these psychological concepts and their implications.