Carl Word and His Colleagues Found That White University Students

question 154

Multiple Choice

Carl Word and his colleagues found that White university students who were assumed to already hold prejudiced attitudes sat further away, conducted briefer interviews, and made more speech errors when interviewing black students. Which of the following constructs most readily explains the results from this study?

• A) social facilitation
• B) self-fulfilling prophecies
• C) stereotype threat
• D) group polarization

---

Definitions:

Psychosocial Development

Refers to the theory by Erik Erikson that human development is a life-long process divided into eight stages, each characterized by a different psychological conflict that needs resolution.

Cognitive Development

The growth and change in intellectual/mental abilities such as thinking, reasoning, and understanding over the lifespan.

Attachment Theory

A psychological theory that describes the dynamics of long-term interpersonal relationships, focusing on how early attachments influence future emotional development.

Social Cognitive Theory

A theory positing that learning occurs in a social context with a dynamic and reciprocal interaction of the person, environment, and behavior.