Briefly describe Festinger's (1954) social comparison theory
What will be an ideal response?
Answer:
In many instances, there are no objective indicators of the accuracy of our beliefs and attitudes. In this situation, we seek confirmation of our beliefs by comparing our beliefs and attitudes with those of other people. Confirmation provides consensual validation – giving us a sense that our judgments are sound and that we are normal. This, in turn, produces a positive affective state. Negative affective states arise when there is a lack of consensual validation because of dissimilarity in beliefs and attitudes.
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If you were presented with the following array of letters—"S, M, T, W, T, F, ____"—your ability to find the next logical letter would be an example of ____ intelligence. By the way, the answer is S, as the letters represent the days of the week in English
a. fluid b. crystallized c. creative d. practical
Research by Drum and colleagues (2009) found that ____
a. more than 90 percent of undergraduate and graduate college students reported suicidal thoughts b. more than 50 percent of undergraduate and graduate college students reported suicidal thoughts c. more than 50 percent of undergraduate and graduate college students reported seriously considering suicide d. more than 90 percent of undergraduate and graduate college students reported seriously considering suicide
Children who were exposed to psychological trauma or deviant communication patterns have a higher risk of developing
a. autism. b. an organic mental disorder. c. schizophrenia. d. a conversion disorder.
Lola is 18 and it is an election year. Lola comes from a family of Republicans and accepts her family's beliefs without question. She plans to vote Republican in November for the presidential election. Which identity status characterizes Lola?
a. identity diffused c. identity achieved b. moratorium d. identity foreclosed