A Rose by Any Other Name

Relate: Explain social cognition;
Define persuasion

Brand names mean big business in the consumer marketplace. A designer's name on a product can instantly inflate the price of an object (such as clothing), while using the right spokesperson can sway shoppers towards a certain product.

Look through a magazine or newspaper, paying close attention to the product ads. Pick one that shows at least one person in the ad space.

1. Describe the individual in the ad? Is this person attractive? Famous?
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. Do you think people might be persuaded to by this product based on this ad? Explain your answer.
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. Imagine that you and a friend are shopping for jeans. You quickly notice that the designer brand costs $200, while the department store pair only costs $65. Your friend tries on both jeans, and the cheaper pair is actually a better fit. However, your friend chooses to buy the designer brand instead. What influenced your friend's decision?
   ____________________________________________________________________

The Truth vs. The Marlboro Man

Relate: Define persuasion

Let's take a closer look at how advertisers use different types of information processing to persuade consumers!

Using the Internet or print resources like magazines or newspaper ads, find a sample advertisement for a tobacco product (e.g., Camel, Marlboro, or Skoal). Next, watch an advertisement presented by the truth® campaign on television or at http://www.thetruth.com/videos/

1. What information-processing route does the truth® advertisement use? Explain your answer.
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. What information-processing route does the tobacco product use? Explain your answer.
   ____________________________________________________________________

A Campus Tradition

React: Define persuasion;
Explain social cognition

Many college groups and organizations use hazing as a way to initiate new members. Hazing is often abusive or humiliating – and occasional lethal. As a result, many college and university administrations have banned hazing on campus grounds.

However, despite the harassment and poor treatment suffered during the hazing period, many of these groups continue the hazing tradition. Though they would never tolerate such treatment outside of the group's setting, many members claim that the hazing process actually brought them closer to the organization and its members.

1. Using chapter information, how would explain this apparent contradiction in attitudes and cognition? Why are some of the strongest proponents of hazing people who have been hazed in the past?

Doing a Lynndie

Remember: Define conformity
Discuss obedience

In September 2005, Private Lynndie England was convicted of one count of conspiracy, four counts of maltreating detainees and one count of committing an indecent act on detainees of the Abu Ghraib prison following the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Photos of her behavior quickly flooded the media, garnering strong negative reaction from the public and from politicians alike. The word "torture" was used by the press to describe her treatment of the prisoners. When questioned about her actions, England explained that she was following the orders of her commanding officers.

1. How is Lynndie England's case similar to the situation experienced during the Milgram experiment?

Just 25¢ a Day

Remember: Explain compliance

As you've learned from the text, companies employ a variety of methods in order to move their product. Have you learned how to identify the different techniques companies use?

Identify the compliance technique utilized by each sales pitch:

1. "The children in this poor part of the world have need food, clothing, shelter and medicine. $500 will help build a new well. $100 will help build a new school. But with a simple donation of only 25¢ a day, you can help save a child's future today."
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. "We have this red sofa set priced at $1,200. Buy now and I can throw in a extra 6 months on the warranty!"
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. "We hope you have enjoyed the free address labels mailed last month! We'd now love to invite you to take a peek at our holiday catalog, full of plenty of gift ideas for everyone on your shopping list!"
   ____________________________________________________________________
4. "Last year you cared enough to donate $5 to our cause. This year, we've managed to accomplish several of our goals, but we still need your help! Please consider a donation of $10 or $20 when making your gifts this year."
   ____________________________________________________________________

Mary's Blind Date

Relate: Explain social cognition

Identify the biases demonstrated in the following scenario:

1. Mary has agreed to go on a blind date with a close acquaintance of Mary's good friend, Joan. Mary finally agreed to the date because Joan liked this fellow and spoke highly of him, and Mary figured that she and Joan had the same taste in men.
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. After 20 minutes at the restaurant, Mary's date – Steven – has yet to arrive. Mary grows increasingly irate, and assumes that Steven has decided to stand her up and just not show up for their date.
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. Just then a slightly out-of-breath Steven appears. Mary is immediately struck by how attractive her blind date is! He apologizes for being late, but fails to offer a full explanation. Mary lets this slide, as she figures he simply must have been side-tracked by something important.
   ____________________________________________________________________
4. Their date goes well and Mary and Steve arrange to meet a second time. Mary chalks this up to her sense of humor and charm. However, the second date doesn't go as smoothly and a third date isn't arranged. Mary decides that Steven just wasn't her type and was really too dull to go out with again.
   ____________________________________________________________________

Love in Kilobytes

Remember: Compare and contrast the concepts of "like" and "love"
Explain social cognition

Mary has decided to give dating another try. This time, she uses an online dating service to find a potential match.

Mary sets up her online profile to only include potential matches who live within 15 miles of her residence. She lists a range of her interests, hobbies, favorite books and movies, and least favorite character and personality traits. She includes three photos of herself: a headshot, a photo from her last birthday, and a photo from a formal event she attended earlier in the year. Mary makes her profile available for viewing by anyone who also belongs to the Web site.

Describe how the factors that influence attraction fit into Mary's online dating environment:

1. Proximity
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. Exposure
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. Similarity
   ____________________________________________________________________
4. Physical attractiveness
   ____________________________________________________________________

Implicit Association

Relate: Identify the origins of prejudice;
Distinguish measuring practices for prejudice and discrimination

Psychologists have been measuring prejudice for years. As a result, it is now possible to measure how likely a person is to be biased in favor of or against various ethnic, religious, or minority groups.

Head over to the Implicit Association Test Web site: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/

Go to the Demonstration Test section ("Take a Demo Test") and agree to proceed.

Take either the Race IAT. Answer the following questions after you have finished the test and received your results.

1. How did you score?
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. Were these the results you expected? Explain your answer.
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. How might these test results show up in your regular interactions with members of different race groups?
   ____________________________________________________________________

Girls Can't Play the Trombone

React: Identify the origins of prejudice;
Distinguish measuring practices for prejudice and discrimination;
Assess ways to reduce prejudice and discrimination

Gender discrimination and inequity in the workplace is hardly new. Consider the plight of female musicians: The proportion of women playing professionally in orchestras worldwide (particularly in the brass and percussion sections) is considerably lower than the proportion of women who graduate from music programs designed to train them for those exact professions. In other words, during open auditions for orchestral musicians, it is more likely that a male trombone player will get the job than a female one, even if the female is the better player.

1. What are some possible solutions to reverse this trend? Provide a brief explanation for each answer you provide.

For the record, several orchestras have implemented new protocols to help combat prejudice and discrimination during the audition process.

The most effective solution to date?

Placing a screen between the musician and the judges, so that the judges can only hear – and not see – the candidate as he or she auditions.

Change Your Score

React: Distinguish measuring practices for prejudice and discrimination;
Assess ways to reduce prejudice and discrimination

Let's see if it's possible to change your Implicit Association Test score. Using the Internet or other research materials, spend at least 30 – 45 minutes looking up information on the following individuals:

1. Martin Luther King, Jr.
2. Jesse Owens
3. George Washington Carver
4. Nelson Mandela

Now, return to the Implicit Association Test. Retake the Race IAT.

Answer the following questions after completing the test:

1. How did you score?
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. Is this score different from your original score? If yes, how so?
   ____________________________________________________________________

In theory, your score should have improved (i.e., your level of bias should have evened out). Research has found that it is possible to change initial impressions by making positive associations with different groups (such as the individuals you researched prior to retaking the Race IAT).

3. Based on this information, what are some steps you could take to further reduce prejudice and discrimination? What are some steps society at large (e.g., the media, police, admissions boards) could take?
   ____________________________________________________________________

The Case of Kitty Genovese

Remember: Explain aggression and prosocial behavior

As discussed in the chapter, prosocial behavior is influenced by numerous factors, both internal (personality characteristics) and external (social expectations).

1. Using the Internet or other research resources, look up information the Kitty Genovese case. Brief describe the case.
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. Applying information presented in the chapter, explain the behavior of the individuals who witnessed the event.
   ____________________________________________________________________

The Truly Vicious Cycle

React: Remember: Explain aggression and prosocial behavior

As noted in the chapter, human beings are prone to aggressive behavior. However, why human beings are aggressive is still under debate.

In each box, write the letter that best describes the particular approach to aggression:

1. After working a 12-hour day, Michael spends an hour in rush hour traffic trying to get home. He is cut off numerous times on the road by other drivers. On his way home, he spills coffee on the front seat of the car. When he arrives home, he has to park on the street because the driveway is covered in children's toys, despite the fact that he has punished his children for the same thing in the past.
2. After he finally gets into the house, Michael immediately yells at his children to pick up the toys that are blocking the driveway, shouting that they are keeping him from parking his car. When his wife tells him to watch his voice with the children, Michael yells at her, as well.
3. Michael's younger son, Jake, observes his father's behavior. Everyone does exactly what his father demands. This isn't the first time he's seen his father yell at the family. Years later as an adult, Jake also yells at his family when his has had a long and frustrating day.
4. The Case of Kenny

Remember: Explain aggression and prosocial behavior

Altruism stands in stark contrast to the behavior demonstrated in the previous exercise. Altruistic behavior can range from volunteering personal time to saving a stranger from burning building. Some of the most famous examples commonly used to illustrate altruism are the men and women who rescued Jewish individuals and families during the Holocaust.

Using the information provided in the chapter, let's break down the decision to help process. Imagine the following scenario:

Kenny is driving one afternoon. During the drive he notices erratic skid marks on the road. Just ahead he sees it: A car that has clearly been in a bad accident. The road is pretty empty, and it is cold outside and growing dark. However, Kenny quickly notices that the driver, unconscious, is still in the now-smoking car. Kenny decides to intervene and help the driver out of the car.

1. Based on the four-step process discussed in the textbook, describe Kenny's thoughts or actions as he made his decision to help the driver of the wrecked car. Be sure to include any details in the scenario that may influence Kenny's decision:
   1. Noticing a need for help
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Interpreting the event as one that requires help
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. Assuming responsibility for taking action
      ____________________________________________________________________
   4. Deciding on and implementing a form of assistance
      ____________________________________________________________________

Your Stress Level Quantified

Relate: Define stress and discuss how it affects us;
Explain the nature of stressors

Below is a modified stress test. Go through the list of life events, and check the box if that particular event has happened to you during the past 12 months. Count the box twice if it's happened more than once.

TOTAL NUMBER OF BOXES CHECKED: ___________

The higher your score is, the higher your stress level and subsequent risk of becoming physically affected by stress is as well.

1. What affect do you think your score has on your current level of stress?
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. How does this level of stress affect your behavior (both positively and negatively)? Your health?
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. The items in the first column of the list of life events are considered to be more stressful than the life events in the second column. How do you explain this? (Hint: Keep in mind what the chapter teaches about different types of stressors.)
   ____________________________________________________________________
4. Which items on the list could be considered:
   1. Personal stressors:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Background stressors:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. Uplifts:
      ____________________________________________________________________

(Try it out! The original version of this particular stress test can be found on the University of Minnesota's counseling center Web site: http://www.uccs.umn.edu/oldsite/lasc/ handouts/socialreadjustment.html)

Chill Out

React: Describe how we people cope with stress

The last few months have been hard on Susan. In addition to managing a household that includes two young children, Susan has been working a full-time job while taking a college course on the weekends. Recently, Susan began hearing rumors that her job site was going to layoff 10% of its labor force before the end of the year, around the same time as her final exams. In an attempt to keep her job, Susan has begun to work overtime during the week. Susan's stress level has been steadily increasing now for weeks, and it's starting to show.

1. Susan is currently in which stage of the GAS model? Explain your answer.
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. For each coping category, provide some examples of ways Susan can mange her stress:
   1. Emotion-focused coping
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Problem-focused coping
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. Avoidant coping