Free Social Psychology MCQs with Answers

289 Social Psychology MCQs from Psychology, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

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  • A. Predictions
  • B. Attributions
  • C. Endings
  • D. Prophecies

Explanation: Attributions are explanations or judgments about why an event or outcome occurred, such as blaming personality or circumstances.

Correct answer: Attributions
  • A. crystallized intelligence
  • B. social influence
  • C. abnormal cognitive development
  • D. postconventional moral thinking

Explanation: Social influence can lead ordinary people to act against personal moral standards when authority, group pressure, or institutional roles…

Correct answer: social influence
  • A. pursed lips
  • B. smiling
  • C. sticking out your tongue
  • D. raising your eye brows

Explanation: Smiling is widely recognized across cultures as a facial signal of happiness or positive social interaction.

Correct answer: smiling
  • A. fear
  • B. anger
  • C. disgust
  • D. all of theseGet Study Guides

Explanation: Fear, anger, and disgust are among the basic facial expressions recognized across cultures, although cultures may differ in how often they…

Correct answer: all of theseGet Study Guides
  • A. The environment
  • B. Hard work
  • C. Better schooling
  • D. Genetics

Explanation: Americans commonly explain Asians’ higher mathematics performance through an internal factor such as genetics, whereas Asians are more…

Correct answer: Genetics
  • A. Cognitive dissonance
  • B. Self-doubt
  • C. Balance theory
  • D. Second guessing

Explanation: Cognitive dissonance is the uncomfortable conflict produced by inconsistent thoughts, especially after choosing between alternatives.

Correct answer: Cognitive dissonance
  • A. Ethnography
  • B. Sociology
  • C. Biology
  • D. None of these

Explanation: Sociology systematically studies social behavior, social relationships, institutions, and human groups.

Correct answer: Sociology
  • A. Affective
  • B. Cognitive
  • C. Behavioral
  • D. Emotional

Explanation: The standard ABC model of attitudes contains affective, behavioral, and cognitive components.

Correct answer: Emotional
  • A. Cognition
  • B. Estimation
  • C. Behavior
  • D. Attitude

Explanation: An attitude is a learned positive or negative evaluation directed toward a person, object, group, or idea.

Correct answer: Attitude
  • A. Hard-sell
  • B. Soft-sell
  • C. Peripheral
  • D. Relevant

Explanation: A message is more persuasive when it is relevant to the audience because relevance increases attention and motivation to process the…

Correct answer: Relevant
  • A. Impulsive
  • B. Incipient
  • C. Inauspicious
  • D. Instrumental

Explanation: Impulsive aggression is a rapid, emotion-driven reaction to provocation or a threatening situation.

Correct answer: Impulsive
  • A. competence
  • B. autokinetic norms
  • C. role
  • D. usefulness

Explanation: A person's social position or status carries expected patterns of behavior, called a role.

Correct answer: role
  • A. projection
  • B. discrimination
  • C. scapegoating
  • D. authoritarianism

Explanation: Scapegoating occurs when frustration or aggression is displaced onto a convenient, often less powerful target instead of its true source.

Correct answer: scapegoating
  • A. Singularism
  • B. Collectivism
  • C. Egoism
  • D. Altruism

Explanation: Singularism is not a standard motivation for prosocial behavior. The recognized motives include egoism, altruism, and collectivism, which…

Correct answer: Singularism
  • A. Implicit guide
  • B. Explicit guide
  • C. Rule
  • D. Social role

Explanation: A rule is a behavioral guideline that specifies what is permitted or expected in a particular setting.

Correct answer: Rule
  • A. Conformity
  • B. Social norms
  • C. Compliance
  • D. Mastery

Explanation: Conformity is the tendency to adjust one’s behavior or opinions to match those of a group.

Correct answer: Conformity
  • A. individuals
  • B. Groups
  • C. governments
  • D. criminals

Explanation: The sociological perspective examines how people function within groups, institutions, and wider social systems rather than focusing only…

Correct answer: Groups
  • A. similarities
  • B. differences
  • C. parallels
  • D. hierarchies

Explanation: Culture is often studied by comparing how beliefs, values, and behaviour differ across cultural groups.

Correct answer: differences
  • A. Fundamental attribution error
  • B. Perpetuating stereotype
  • C. Behavioral confirmation
  • D. Self-serving bias

Explanation: Discounting evidence that contradicts a stereotype helps preserve the original belief and can lead to behavioral confirmation, in which…

Correct answer: Behavioral confirmation
  • A. Foster shared goals
  • B. Educate the groups
  • C. Encourage competition
  • D. Maintain inter-group contact

Explanation: In the Robbers Cave study, hostility declined when the rival groups had to cooperate to achieve superordinate goals that neither group…

Correct answer: Foster shared goals

Social Psychology MCQs: common questions

Are these Social Psychology MCQs free?

Yes. All Social Psychology MCQs from Psychology are free on TestUstad, with unlimited attempts and no account needed. Nothing on this page is a sample or a trial.

How many Social Psychology MCQs are on this page?

There are 289 Social Psychology MCQs in the Psychology bank, shown 20 to a page with the correct answer and an explanation on each.

Does every Social Psychology MCQ have an explanation?

Yes. Each Social Psychology question shows the correct option and a written explanation of why it is correct, so a wrong answer teaches you something rather than just being marked wrong.

Can I take a timed Social Psychology test?

Yes. The practice button on this page starts a free Social Psychology test drawn from the Psychology bank. It marks each answer instantly, gives you a score at the end, and can be retaken as many times as you like.