Social Psychology AP (2025)

What is group polarization?

• the lack of critical thinking that results from a desire for harmony

• the strengthening or enhancement of a group's existing attitudes through discussion

• a split within a group produced by differences of opinion

• the tendency of individuals to exert more effort when working as part of a group

Jackson sees a coworker arrive late to a meeting and immediately thinks it's because the coworker is lazy, rather than considering that there might have been heavy traffic. This is an example of the Fundamental Attribution Error, which refers to our tendency to overestimate ______ and underestimate _______.

• normative influences; informational influences

• personal dispositions; situational influences

• situational influences; personal dispositions

• informational influences; normative influences

Abigail is asked by her neighbor to water the plants while they are away for a weekend. After she agrees and does this small favor, the neighbor later asks her to take care of their pets for a whole week during their vacation. Abigail is more likely to comply with this larger request because she already agreed to the smaller one. This tendency is known as...

• Bystander Effect

• Door-in-the-Face Technique

• Foot-in-the-Door Technique

• Groupthink

At a large political rally, Carmen found herself shouting slogans and behaving in ways she normally wouldn't, losing her sense of individuality in the crowd. What best explains this?

• Deindividuation

• Bystander Effect

• Social Facilitation

• Mere Exposure Effect

Sophia is a business leader who encourages her employees to share a variety of opinions and regularly invites experts to critique the company's protocols. By doing this, what is Sophia most likely to limit from developing in her company?

• Cognitive Dissonance

• Social Inhibition

• Social Loafing

• Groupthink

Tyler insists that his girlfriend's car accident was a result of her bad driving, not the snowy conditions. This illustrates...

• Groupthink

• Situational Attribution Error

• Fundamental Attribution Error

• Dispositional Attribution Error

Samuel and his classmates are assigned a group project. Instead of each person working hard, some members put in less effort, assuming others will pick up the slack. What is this tendency called?

• deindividuation

• bystander effect

• social loafing

• foot-in-the-door phenomenon

Kari had to use the bathroom, but the only public restroom was in McDonald's. Therefore, she felt obligated to purchase a Coke after using the McDonald's bathroom.  This is an example of...

• social facilitation

• reciprocity norm

• bystander effect

• just-world phenomenon

Lily sees an advertisement for Old Spice featuring a muscular man on a horse with the slogan "Smell like a man, man." What type of advertising strategy (persuasion) is used in this image?  

• Central Route Persuasion

• Peripheral Route Persuasion

• Normative Persuasion

• Subliminal Persuasion

Lance is a cross country runner. He tends to run faster when he is running with someone than when he is running alone. This is an example of...

• social facilitation

• bystander effect

• foot-in-the-door phenomenon

• social loafing