It Is 1951, and You Are Required to Participate in a Perception

question 171

Multiple Choice

It is 1951, and you are required to participate in a perception experiment. You join seven others seated in a room. You are shown a 12-inch test line and must choose the line that matches it in length from a choice of three lines. The experimenter, Solomon Asch, is studying __________.

• A) bystander apathy
• B) social loafing
• C) groupthink
• D) conformity

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Definitions:

Egoism

A theory that suggests individuals should act in their own self-interest and that this action ultimately benefits society as a whole.

Utilitarianism

A moral theory that suggests the best action is the one that maximizes utility, typically defined as maximizing happiness and reducing suffering.

Cognitive Moral Development

A theory by Lawrence Kohlberg that suggests individuals progress through a series of moral reasoning stages.

Ethical Concern

Issues or situations that require individuals or organizations to choose between alternatives that must be evaluated as right or wrong, based on ethical principles.