Write two multiple choice questions (all must be application questions, i.e., scenario-based) 

Each question should have five options (A - E) with one correct answer (this includes "all of the above" or "both A & B" answers) 

Each question should be from a different section/chapter/reading 

Each question should have a few sentences rationale about why the correct answer is correct and other options are wrong 

Reference: 

Social Influence As a change in an individuals' thoughts, feelings, or behaviors caused by other people who may be actually present or whose presence is imagined, expected, or only implied As an interpersonal process that can cause individuals to change their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors Persuasion as a type of social influence (involves attitudes, beliefs, or emotions specifically) May or may not accompany changes in behavior Attitude an evaluation of a person, thing, or idea (an attitude object) I feel positively about working out I feel negatively about working out (Ambivalent) I feel positively about the post-session glow, but feel negatively about being sweaty (Indifferent) Working out is whatever... I don't feel any which way about it Attitudes vary in valence (Cacioppo et al., 1997) Explicit Consciously formed and aware of, can be reported Attitudes vary in consciousness (e.g., Greenwald & Banaji, 1995) Sometimes we have dual attitudes: When implicit and explicit attitudes towards an attitude object are inconsistent Implicit Not aware/conscious of, involuntarily formed, can be automatically activated and guide behavior What makes up an attitude? The Tripartite Model of Attitudes (Rosenberg & Hovland, 1960) Affective Feelings and Emotions "Working out makes me feel happy" Cognitive Thoughts and Beliefs "Working out is healthy" Behavioral Past and Future Activity "I work out four times a week" Attitude Overall Evaluation "I feel positively about working out" (A) Positive (B) Negative (C) Ambivalent (D) Neutral/ Indifferent Where ttitudes come from? (Remember social psychologists approach topics from different levels of analysis) Attitudes can come from our individual experiences and learning histories Association e.g., classical conditioning Repeated Contact e.g., mere exposure effect Reinforcement e.g., operant conditioning Context can influence our attitudes (e.g., media, education, culture) Attitudes as inheritable Twin study How much genetic factors explain similarity in attitudes (accounting for shared environmental factors) "26 out of 30 individual attitude items yielded significant genetic effects...these genetic effects emerged across a wide variety of attitude topics and domains, from attitudes as diverse as support for the death penalty to enjoyment of roller coaster rides" (p.856). To yourself, answer the following questions (yes or no) • Texting while driving is dangerous • It is important to stay informed about proposed legislation that affects my community • Soft drinks/sodas are unhealthy beverages • Poverty is a serious problem that needs to be addressed • Smoking cigarettes is an unhealthy behavior To yourself, answer the following questions (yes or no) • I text while driving • I am able to name at least one bill affecting my community that was passed in the last year by the legislators in my city/province • I drink soft drinks/soda • Within the last year I have donated money or engaged in volunteer work to address the problem of poverty • Within the last year, I have smoked a cigarette Balance Theory (Heider, 1985) People prefer elements within a cognitive system to be internally consistent with one another (i.e., balanced). Balanced systems are assumed to be more stable and psychologically pleasant than imbalanced systems Balance Theory (Heider 1958) Person Other Person Attitude Object + + + (+)(+)(+) = + I like coffee My friend likes coffee I like my friend Person Other Person Attitude Object - - + (+)(-)(-) = + I dislike Drake My friend dislikes Drake I like my friend Imbalance can happen! Person Other Person Attitude Object - + + (+)(+)(-) = - I dislike Taylor Swift My friend likes Taylor Swift I like my friend Person Other Person Attitude Object - - - (-)(-)(-) = - I dislike Taylor Swift My classmate dislikes Taylor Swift I dislike my classmate What happens when there is imbalance in a cognitive system? Cognitive Dissonance (Festinger, 1957) An unpleasant psychological state resulting from inconsistency between two or more elements in a cognitive system We are motivated to reduce dissonance How do people reduce dissonance? Changing the Behavior Changing the Attitude Adding New Cognitions Smoking is bad, but I smoke cigarettes! This stock photo man is experiencing dissonance I'm not smoking anymore! I don't feel that bad about smoking! I'm smoking because I'm stressed! He reduces dissonance by... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h27FuaUa7s Festinger & Carlsmith's (1959) Cognitive Dissonance Study Insufficient Justification When extrinsic motivation is low, motivated to reduce dissonance by finding an intrinsic motivation for behavior Imagine joining a club that requires an initiation/hazing. After going through with it, would you like the club... More? Less? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvknIZ00pj4 Undergraduate Ps volunteered to join a group to discuss the psychology of sex No initiation, mild initiation, difficult initiation Effort Justification when people come to evaluate a particular task or activity more favorably when it involves something that is difficult or unpleasant People act in inconsistent ways all the time, without knowing they're being inconsistent! Dissonance more likely when inconsistency is accessible and salient What increases accessibility/salience of inconsistency? • Weak external justification (again) • Freely chosen behavior • High commitment • Foreseeable aversive consequences Smoking is super cool, kid! Cognitive Dissonance (Festinger, 1957) An unpleasant psychological state resulting from inconsistency between two or more elements in a cognitive system We are motivated to reduce dissonance How we deal with dissonance - Change our behavior - Change our attitude - Add new cognitions Demonstrated in research on - Insufficient justification - Effort justification Cognitive Dissonance in the "wild" How might cognitive dissonance theory be used strategically in the "real world?" I think cognitive dissonance can be used to emphasize large scale and immediate problems such as climate change and environmental conservation. For example, someone could be asked what they think about climate change and then shown how much plastic they were using everyday. By inducing dissonance in them, we can try to guide them to change their actions to reduce dissonance and be true to their beliefs/be better. Tough assignments can actually propel students to find the course more enjoyable and worthy of efforts since they require more investment of time and energy to complete! Behavior change campaigns can create cognitive dissonance by emphasizing the contradiction between a person's unhealthy actions and their aspiration for good health, thereby encouraging them to quit smoking or embrace healthier living. Ps part of an HIV/AIDS campaign Manipulated... Mindfulness of past condom use: High (reflect on when they haven't) Low (no reflection) Speech given: For a high school program Rehearsed privately Followed up 3 months later asking about condom use Those mindful of their lack of condom use AND had to give a speech reported more condom use later-on Hypocrisy induction paradigm Persuasion as a type of social influence (involves attitudes, beliefs, or emotions specifically) May or may not accompany changes in behavior