QCAA Psychology Attitudes
15 sample questions with marking guides and sample answers · Avg. score: 14.3%
The components of the tri-component model are known as affective, behavioural and
active.
physical.
cognitive.
emotional.
Reveal Answer
active.
"Active" is not a standard term in this model; the action-oriented aspect of an attitude is already covered by the behavioural component.
physical.
Physical attributes are not considered a distinct component of the psychological structure of attitudes in the tri-component model.
cognitive.
The cognitive component completes the ABC model (Affective, Behavioural, Cognitive) and refers to a person's knowledge, beliefs, and thoughts about the object.
emotional.
Emotional factors are synonymous with the affective component, which is already listed in the question, so this would be redundant.
This question refers to the theory of cognitive dissonance proposed by Festinger (1957).
Describe implicit attitudes and explain how cognitive dissonance may reveal them.
Reveal Answer
Implicit attitudes are unconscious attitudes that individuals are often unaware they hold, even though they may influence their behaviour.
An implicit attitude may be revealed to the person as they experience a feeling of discomfort when presented with a situation in which there is a discrepancy between their beliefs and behaviours.
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
describes implicit attitudes | 1 |
explains how cognitive dissonance may reveal an implicit attitude | 1 |
Describe identification as a form of social influence and explain how it could lead to cognitive dissonance.
Reveal Answer
Identification occurs when a person changes their behaviour or thinking to be more like someone they want to emulate.
Identification could lead to cognitive dissonance as it could prompt behaviours (copied from someone you identify with) that are discrepant with existing attitudes.
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
describes identification as a form of group social influence | 1 |
explains how identification could lead to cognitive dissonance | 1 |
A person who believes that smoking is dangerous but continues to smoke may eventually change their beliefs about smoking. This change would most likely be in response to
situational attribution.
cognitive dissonance.
confirmation bias.
self-serving bias.
Reveal Answer
situational attribution.
Situational attribution involves explaining behavior based on external circumstances rather than internal character, which is not the mechanism driving the belief change in this scenario.
cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a conflict between a belief (smoking is dangerous) and a behavior (smoking); to reduce the resulting mental discomfort, individuals often modify their beliefs to align with their actions.
confirmation bias.
Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out information that supports pre-existing beliefs, rather than the process of changing a belief to resolve a conflict with behavior.
self-serving bias.
Self-serving bias involves attributing successes to internal traits and failures to external factors, which does not explain the realignment of beliefs to match contradictory behaviors.
Cramton (2002) found that work groups in different locations formed in-groups and out-groups based on location. This increased the tendency to attribute behaviour of out-group members to their personal qualities, especially when this presented them in a bad light.
Which two processes in social psychology does this reflect?
prejudice and self-serving bias
discrimination and confirmation bias
social identification and situational attributions
social comparison and the fundamental attribution error
Reveal Answer
prejudice and self-serving bias
Self-serving bias refers to attributing one's own successes to internal factors and failures to external factors, whereas the scenario describes attributing the behavior of others (out-group members) to internal qualities.
discrimination and confirmation bias
Confirmation bias involves favoring information that confirms existing beliefs, which is distinct from the attributional bias described; additionally, discrimination refers to behavioral actions, while the prompt focuses on cognitive grouping and attribution.
social identification and situational attributions
While social identification relates to group formation, the prompt explicitly states behavior was attributed to personal qualities (dispositional attributions), which is the opposite of making situational attributions.
social comparison and the fundamental attribution error
The formation of in-groups and out-groups involves social comparison to establish distinctiveness, and the tendency to attribute others' behavior to internal characteristics (personal qualities) rather than context is the definition of the fundamental attribution error.
Miller (1984) asked groups of middle-class adults and children aged 8, 11 and 15 from two different cultures to narrate antisocial behaviours and explain what prompts them. The proportion of dispositional attributions for each culture are shown.
| Group | Culture 1 | Culture 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 8-year-olds | 0.13 | 0.08 |
| 11-year-olds | 0.13 | 0.07 |
| 15-year-olds | 0.30 | 0.07 |
| Adults | 0.45 | 0.15 |
Describe dispositional attributions and identify two observed differences between cultures 1 and 2. Use data to explain your reasoning.
Reveal Answer
A dispositional attribution is the tendency to assign responsibility for the behaviour of others to their inherent characteristics, rather than the external (situational) influences that stem from the environment or culture in which that individual is found.
Culture 1 participants were proportionally more likely to use dispositional attributions for antisocial behaviours than culture 2.
This is seen in the data table, where in culture 1 dispositional attributions were proportionally used up to 0.45, whereas for culture 2 they were used only up to 0.15.
Additionally, the proportion of dispositional attributions increases considerably earlier for culture 1 than for culture 2.
This is seen in the data table as the proportion of dispositional attributions made at 11 years old (0.13 in culture 1) is similar to adults in culture 2 (0.15).
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Describes dispositional attributions | 1 |
Identifies a difference between cultures 1 and 2 | 1 |
Provides evidence from the data to support the difference | 1 |
Identifies a second difference between cultures 1 and 2 | 1 |
Provides evidence from the data to support the second difference | 1 |
Contrast self-serving bias and confirmation bias.
Reveal Answer
Self-serving bias is the tendency to view ourselves more favourably than others in the same position, whereas confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, recall and interpret information to suit pre-existing beliefs.
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Contrasts self-serving bias and confirmation bias | 1 |
Describe ageism and identify a behaviour that may result from it.
Reveal Answer
Ageism is prejudice based on age.
A behaviour that may result from ageism is an employer overlooking an older person for employment because they believe their technological skills are low.
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Describes ageism as prejudice based on age | 1 |
Identifies a relevant behaviour | 1 |
Describe prejudice expressed as sexism, using an example.
Reveal Answer
Prejudice expressed as sexism is a preconceived negative opinion expressed against individuals or groups on the basis of their sex or gender.
An example is an employer with the opinion that female workers must wear makeup when working at the front counter.
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Describes prejudice expressed as sexism | 1 |
Identifies an example of sexism | 1 |
An investigation by Minard (1952) found that below ground, 80% of white miners were friendly towards black miners, whereas above ground this dropped to 20%.
The behaviour of the miners above ground demonstrates
cognitive dissonance.
discrimination.
stereotyping.
prejudice.
Reveal Answer
cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs or behaviors. While the miners might experience this internal tension, the question asks to identify the observable behavior itself, not the internal psychological state.
discrimination.
Discrimination is the behavioral component of bias, referring to the unfair treatment or exclusion of a group of people. The miners' change in behavior—treating black miners poorly above ground despite being friendly below ground—is an act of discrimination based on the social context.
stereotyping.
Stereotyping is a cognitive process involving generalized beliefs or assumptions about a specific group. The question focuses on the actual actions and interactions (behavior) of the miners, rather than the mental generalizations they might hold.
prejudice.
Prejudice refers to a negative attitude or feeling towards a specific group. While prejudice may underlie the miners' actions, the question specifically asks about their behavior, and discrimination is the term used to describe the behavioral manifestation of prejudice.
This question refer to an investigation that partially modified the methodology of Bargh, Chen and Burrows (1996) (Experiment 2). The table shows data from the investigation.
| Number of elderly primes | Walking time (s) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 7.30 |
| 1 | 7.45 |
| 2 | 7.62 |
| 3 | 7.89 |
| 4 | 7.91 |
| 5 | 8.05 |
| 6 | 8.28 |
| 7 | 8.28 |
| 8 | 8.28 |
| 9 | 9.12 |
| 10 | 9.12 |
| A conclusion that could be drawn from the analysed result is |
the number of elderly primes had no effect on walking time.
the number of elderly primes had little effect on walking time.
as the number of elderly primes increased, walking time increased.
as the number of elderly primes increased, walking time decreased.
Reveal Answer
the number of elderly primes had no effect on walking time.
This is incorrect because the results indicate a specific relationship between the variables, contradicting the claim that the primes had no effect.
the number of elderly primes had little effect on walking time.
This is incorrect because the data demonstrates a clear trend rather than a negligible or small effect.
as the number of elderly primes increased, walking time increased.
This is correct. The results show a positive correlation where exposure to more elderly-related primes caused participants to walk slower, thereby increasing the time taken.
as the number of elderly primes increased, walking time decreased.
This is incorrect because it suggests an inverse relationship (walking faster), whereas the actual result was an increase in walking time.
Siblings Clarissa, 16, and Sabiya, 17, are arguing over who needs to stay home on Friday night to look after their younger sister Una.
Clarissa has her best friend Henny’s birthday dinner on Friday night, while Sabiya has her second shift at her new job. In an effort to improve the sisters’ conflict resolutions skills, their father explained if the sisters discussed each other’s needs and motivation they may reach a win-win solution and then he left them alone to resolve the conflict.
The sisters began discussing the issue, presenting their own points of view and seeking a middle ground solution. It became clear, however, that Sabiya had volunteered to pick up the extra shift, even though she knew Una needed babysitting on Friday.
The discussion finished abruptly with Clarissa getting angry and recounting how Sabiya had been rude to Henny the last two times she came to a family dinner when the rest of the family had been friendly. Sabiya also ignores Henny at school. Clarissa attributed Sabiya picking up the extra shift to her dislike of Henny and left the room.
Write an extended answer with reference to the scenario by explaining the relevant psychological concepts.
In your answer you must:
-
identify and explain the conflict resolution technique the girls used, and identify and explain one suitable alternative
-
name, describe and evaluate the three types of solutions to resolve conflict the girls could have reached
-
explain, using Kelley’s covariation model, why Clarissa made an internal attribution for Sabiya’s extra shift at work
-
communicate psychological understandings clearly with correct use of psychological language.
Reveal Answer
The girls used negotiation, because they discussed their needs, explained their positions and tried to reach a mutually acceptable middle-ground solution themselves. A suitable alternative is mediation, in which a neutral third party helps the disputants communicate productively and reach agreement; their father could have done this.
An imposed solution is when a stronger or third party decides the outcome, for example the father deciding who babysits. This is quick and can work if one party will not compromise, but it may leave one or both sisters dissatisfied because the outcome is not agreed by all parties.
An integrative solution is a win-win solution that meets the objectives of all parties, for example finding another babysitter so Clarissa can attend the dinner and Sabiya can work. This is the most desirable outcome because all parties’ needs are met, but it may be difficult or time-consuming to achieve.
A distributive solution is a compromise or middle-ground solution in which both parties give up something. This can be practical when their goals are incompatible, but it is not ideal because neither sister gets exactly what she wants.
Using Kelley’s covariation model, Clarissa made an internal attribution for Sabiya’s extra shift because she saw it as caused by Sabiya’s negative attitude towards Henny. Clarissa perceives low consensus because everyone else in the family is friendly to Henny while Sabiya is not. She perceives high consistency because Sabiya has been rude or unfriendly to Henny each time. She perceives low distinctiveness because Sabiya acts negatively towards Henny in different situations, such as at family dinner and at school. Therefore Clarissa attributes Sabiya’s behaviour to an enduring internal factor, namely her dislike of Henny.
Conflict Resolution Technique
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Identifies the method of conflict resolution as negotiation | 1 |
Explains negotiation as a reciprocal communication process in which two or more parties in a dispute examine issues, explain positions, and exchange offers and counteroffers | 1 |
Explains negotiation as an attempt to identify a solution or outcome that is acceptable to all parties | 1 |
Identifies an alternative method of conflict resolution as mediation | 1 |
Explains mediation as involving a neutral third party (e.g., parent) | 1 |
Explains mediation as helping the girls to reach a solution by facilitating productive discussion | 1 |
Solutions to Resolve Conflict
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Names imposed solution | 1 |
Describes imposed solution as a stronger or third party deciding on a solution to the issue | 1 |
Provides a reasonable evaluation of an imposed solution (e.g., likely to result in one or both parties being dissatisfied, solution has not been agreed to by all parties, solution can be achieved relatively quickly, no requirement for parties to state/justify their position, effective where one party does not act in good faith/unwilling to compromise) | 2 |
Names integrative solution | 1 |
Describes integrative solution as a solution to conflict that meets the objectives of all parties | 1 |
Provides a reasonable evaluation of an integrative solution (e.g., not always practical/possible to meet objectives, may be more time consuming, may require a higher level of skill, desirable as it leaves all parties satisfied in a win-win outcome) | 2 |
Names distributive solution | 1 |
Describes distributive solution as a middle ground where both parties agree to a compromise | 1 |
Provides a reasonable evaluation of a distributive solution (e.g., parties can be satisfied as they save face, practical where objectives are incompatible, not ideal as neither party necessarily gets what they want) | 2 |
Kelley's Covariation Model
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
States that Clarissa's internal attribution to Sabiya's behaviour was based upon her perceiving a negative attitude from Sabiya towards Henny | 1 |
Identifies low consensus | 1 |
Explains low consensus by stating everyone else in the family is kind to Henny, only Sabiya is not | 1 |
Identifies high consistency | 1 |
Explains high consistency by stating Sabiya has been rude or unhelpful towards Henny each time she has had the opportunity | 1 |
Identifies low distinctiveness | 1 |
Explains low distinctiveness by stating Sabiya has acted negatively towards Henny in different situations (at family dinner and ignoring her at school) | 1 |
Communication
Marking Bands| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Candidate writes coherent and logically ordered paragraphs. Appropriate psychological terminology used consistently, extensively, and correctly. Punctuation and grammar do not impede meaning. (Does not need essay style broad introduction or conclusion for full marks.) | 4 |
Candidate writes coherent and logically ordered paragraphs. Uses a range of psychological terminology that is mostly correct. There may be some errors in punctuation/grammar evident but these do not impede meaning. | 3 |
Candidate uses paragraphs. Uses simple psychological terminology. May have some errors in punctuation/grammar evident but these do not impede meaning. | 2 |
Candidate uses some psychological terminology correctly and may have limited correct spelling, punctuation and grammar. | 1 |
No response or does not meet the criteria for 1 mark. | 0 |
Kutner, Wilkins and Yarrow (1952) had a group comprised of one African-American and two white participants enter different restaurants in a predominantly white suburb in the United States. All were served a meal. Weeks later, experimenters called each restaurant to make a table reservation for a mixed-race group, and more than half of the restaurants refused this booking.
Restaurants were inconsistent in which component of the tri-component model of attitudes?
experience
behaviour
cognition
affect
Reveal Answer
experience
"Experience" is not considered one of the three components of the tri-component (ABC) model of attitudes, which consists of Affect, Behavior, and Cognition.
behaviour
The restaurants demonstrated inconsistent behaviors by serving the group in person (actual behavior) but refusing the reservation over the phone (verbal behavior/intention). This study illustrates the gap between actions and stated intentions.
cognition
Cognition refers to beliefs and thoughts. It is likely the restaurant owners held consistent negative beliefs (prejudice) throughout, but social pressures in the face-to-face situation caused their behavior to diverge from these cognitions.
affect
Affect refers to feelings and emotions. The negative affect toward the group was likely stable, but the inconsistency lay in how the restaurants acted (behavior) relative to those feelings in different contexts.
In an experiment, participants were asked to select statements expressing how much they favoured one category of people over another. An example was ‘I strongly prefer young people to old people’.
This experiment was investigating
discrimination and scapegoating.
stereotypes and direct experience.
explicit attitudes and group prejudice.
implicit attitudes and the prejudiced personality.
Reveal Answer
discrimination and scapegoating.
Discrimination refers to behavioral actions against a group, and scapegoating involves blaming a group for problems. This experiment measures stated attitudes (preferences), not actual behaviors or acts of blaming.
stereotypes and direct experience.
Stereotypes are cognitive generalizations about the traits of a group, whereas the example statement reflects an evaluative preference (attitude). Additionally, the experiment measures the attitude itself, not the source (direct experience) of that attitude.
explicit attitudes and group prejudice.
Explicit attitudes are those that individuals consciously endorse and can report, such as selecting a statement of preference. Favoring one group over another is a direct expression of group prejudice.
implicit attitudes and the prejudiced personality.
Implicit attitudes are unconscious or automatic associations, typically measured using reaction-time tasks like the Implicit Association Test (IAT). Because participants consciously selected statements, this experiment measures explicit, not implicit, attitudes.
Van der Meer et al. (2020) recruited participants with strong views on certain social issues to view eight headlines relevant to those issues. The headlines came from media outlets with different political orientations. Participants were asked to rate the likelihood that they would read each article.
The study found that participants more often rated articles consistent with their views as ‘highly likely to read’.
Describe a source of cognitive dissonance from this study.
Reveal Answer
For a participant with strong views, reading a headline presenting a contrasting view would create cognitive dissonance, as the view expressed in the headline is dissonant with the participant’s beliefs.
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Identifies the contrast between headline and existing attitude/belief as a source of cognitive dissonance | 1 |
Contrast confirmation bias and self-serving bias. Identify which bias was responsible for how participants rated articles.
Reveal Answer
Confirmation bias is the preference for information that confirms existing beliefs, whereas self-serving bias describes a tendency to attribute one’s successes to dispositional factors and one’s failures to situational factors.
Confirmation bias is responsible for the participants’ ratings of articles.
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Contrast confirmation bias and self-serving bias | 1 |
Identify confirmation bias as the best explanation for the ratings | 1 |
Experiments by Tajfel (1970) demonstrated that dividing participants into arbitrary groups produces in-group favouritism — the tendency to respond more positively, say with rewards, to the people from in-groups (‘us’) than people from out-groups (‘them’).
Which stage of social identity theory do these experiments demonstrate?
social categorisation
social identification
social comparison
social evaluation
Reveal Answer
social categorisation
Tajfel's "minimal group" experiments demonstrated that the mere act of classifying people into distinct groups (social categorisation), even based on arbitrary or trivial criteria, is sufficient to trigger in-group favouritism.
social identification
Social identification involves an individual adopting the norms, values, and identity of the group into their self-concept, which is a deeper psychological process than the immediate, arbitrary division tested in this study.
social comparison
While participants did compare groups when allocating rewards, the primary finding of the study was that categorisation is the fundamental trigger (the minimal condition) required to produce this discrimination, rather than the comparison process itself.
social evaluation
Social evaluation is not one of the three distinct stages of Social Identity Theory proposed by Tajfel and Turner, which are social categorisation, social identification, and social comparison.