Due Tomorrow!!! Environment Psychology Exam
INSTRUCTIONS: FOR THE MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS, HIGHLIGHT OR BOLD THE LETTER
THAT CORRESPONDS TO YOUR CHOICE OF THE CORRECT ALTERNATIVE. FOR THE ESSAY QUESTIONS, ANSWER THE TWO INDICATED IN RED FONT. EACH ESSAY ANSWER WILL BE EVALUATED ON A 10-POINT BASIS.
1. In US culture, an individual’s personal space is approximately:
a. 6 inches
b. 12 inches
c. 18 inches
d. 36 inches
2. Hall defined four distances at which various kinds of interactions can occur. The largest or greatest distance was “public distance.” Interactions at this distance are characterized by:
a. communication via touch and smell
b. exaggerated gestures
c. normal speaking voice (volume)
d. subtle, nonverbal communicative signals
3. According to Hall, the smallest interpersonal distance is appropriate for:
a. business meetings
b. casual interactions among friends
c. public performances, such as stage performances and political speeches
d. intimate contacts and contact sports
4. In an experimental situation, a "communicator" was rated more of an expert, and subjects paid more attention to this communicator, at a distance of approximately 5 feet (1.5 m), rather at 2 feet or 15 feet. This distance of 5 feet corresponds to which one of Hall's categories of space?
a. intimate distance
b. personal distance
c. social distance
d. public distance
5. Data from research indicate that smaller interpersonal distances between close friends of opposite sexes were due to:
a. females moving closer to males
b. males moving closer to females
c. males and females both moving closer to each other
d. situational factors that are independent of the sexes of the individuals involved
6. Generally, the amount of space kept between individuals decreases as:
a. air temperature increases
b. similarity increases
c. the number of people within social distance decreases
d. competition for resources increases
7. According to research by Middlemist et al (1976), having someone too close to another person in a restroom results in:
a. faster onsets to urination and shorter durations of urination
b. slower onsets to urination and shorter durations of urination
c. slower onsets to urination and longer durations of urination
d. faster onsets to urination and longer durations of urination
8. In studies of territoriality, such as those conducted in library environments, which types of objects were most effective in saving one's place at a table?
a. objects that conveyed that the space was being saved for a high-status individual
b. library books, especially if left open rather than closed
c. objects that conveyed information about why the person was reserving the space
d. objects that were clearly personal items
9. Imagine yourself in a college classroom, taking a course that meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, starting at 10:30 am and ending at 11:20 am. Students have to be enrolled in this course in order to use this space at these times. What kind of territory does this represent?
a. a primary territory
b. a secondary territory
c. implicit territory
d. public territory
10. Territoriality, such as trying to keep the bench on the streetcar to yourself, tends to lessen or decrease when:
a. demand for available space is low
b. demand for available space is high
c. the space is outdoors
d. the space is indoors
11. In a primary territory,
a. personalization does not occur and is not necessary because others know to whom the space belongs
b. the owner’s personal space (body buffer zone) is never invaded
c. invasions of that space are common when the owner is not present
d. the owner has control over the interactions that occur in that space
12. The probability of a home being burglarized is reduced when:
a. garages are not present
b. there is a window in the front door
c. the home is personalized in some way, such as with landscaping or a name on the mailbox
d. the backyard has no fence separating it from the front yard
13. In Calhoun’s studies of rodents living in high density environments,
a. infant mortality was much higher than normal
b. the life spans of both males and females were longer than under less dense conditions
c. animals spent more time cleaning and grooming themselves, hence the term “behavioral sink”
d. males experienced very high mortality rates due to aggression, so most adults at the end of the study were females
14. Calhoun interpreted the results of his rodent universe studies with respect to "optimal group size." This explanation is based on which of the following?
a. high densities led to increased male aggression towards females rather than males defending females against territorial intrusions from other males
b. in high density environments, the normal balance between privacy and social interaction was disrupted
c. crowding caused stress, which led to abnormal physiological functioning, including enlarged adrenal glands
d. probers, being hypersexual, produced more offspring than others, so the number of probers increased more rapidly than any other type of male
15. If we were meeting in a regular classroom, the density of this classroom, when every student is present, is 8 people/room. If the number of people is kept the same, and the amount of space changed (e.g., size of the classroom), then what has been manipulated?
a. social density
b. spatial density
c. objective density
d. functional proximity
16. When interactions between or among people are allowed, women tend to be less comfortable in low density situations than in high density ones, whereas men are less comfortable in high density situations than in low density ones. One explanation for this finding is that:
a. women can better detect the discomfort of others in high density situations, then act to reduce that discomfort
b. women naturally prefer high density situations and environments, with evidence coming from many species of mammals
c. men try to maintain their personal space by physically pushing others out of that space
d. men are more competitive than are women, and will rate all others as less helpful, friendly, likable, etc. no matter what the density
17. Compliance to simple requests, such as returning one’s cafeteria tray to a specific area, varies with:
a. density; more compliance in low density environments
b. the ratio of workers-to-eaters: more workers present results in greater compliance
c. the number of people commenting on the posted signs; more comments by more people results in greater compliance (e.g., shared experiences)
d. decibel levels; more compliance was evident under moderate decibel levels, with less compliance at low and high decibel levels (e.g., inverted U-shaped curve)
18. The perception of crowding in a room tends to be reduced when:
a. there are rounded “corners” rather than right-angled corners
b. ceilings are relatively low
c. furniture is concentrated in the center of the room rather than around the perimeter
d. windows and/or doors are present
19. Results from studies of aggression of children during play indicated that:
a. as social density increased, older children became more aggressive, while younger children did not
b. as social density increased, boys became more aggressive, while girls did not, especially when there were a limited number of things with which to play
c. as social density increased, interpersonal aggression decreased, but object-direct aggression increased
d. as social density increased, boys (but not girls) reported more health-related problems, and sought refuge in the school’s infirmaries
20. In high density conditions,
a. prosocial behavior (helping) occurs more frequently than under low density conditions
b. prosocial behaviors increase for both sexes/genders, contrary to expectations
c. interpersonal attraction and cooperation are reduced compared to low density conditions
d. most social behaviors are reduced if occurring indoors, but are increased if occurring outdoors
21. In promoting the quality of life to be found in apartment complexes, which one of the following is prevalent in advertising?
a. availability of garden plots
b. neighbors who are likely to be similar
c. proximity to services (e.g., shopping, entertainment, etc.)
d. privacy that is comparable to private residences
22. As guests become better known with repeated visits, they are given increased access to one’s home. This relationship between amount of access and degree of familiarity is known as the:
a. privacy gradient
b. entrance gradient
c. friendship gradient
d. graciousness gradient
23. From an environmental psychology perspective, friendship patterns are based primarily on:
a. physical proximity
b. functional proximity
c. dysfunctional proximity
d. random contacts between/among people
24. According to the research findings of Gosling and colleagues, which type of environment correlates the best with all five “Big Five” personality factors (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism)?
a. kitchens
b. bathrooms (including medicine cabinets)
c. cars
d. bedrooms
25. Also related to Gosling’s work, which kind of “identity claim” is culture-specific?
a. behavioral residue
b. other-directed claims
c. self-directed claims
d. thought/feeling regulators
26. According to Gosling, keeping photos on your desk of your family or pets “back home,” while you are living away from them, would most likely be classified as being:
a. thought and feeling regulators
b. behavioral residue
c. self-directed identity claims
d. other-directed identify claims
27. The major problem facing the designers of libraries is:
a. the location of the photocopy machines in relation to the circulation desk
b. the location of catalogues (card and computer) in relation to the collection (the “stacks”)
c. determining how to build a building that can support the weight of the collection
d. providing a balance between storage space for the library collection and study space for users
28. As discussed with respect to the Monroe Library on campus (from Havel’s 2005 study), students:
a. preferred to use “computer lab” computers (rather than computers in carrels) for their academic work
b. preferred to use the old card catalogue to find resources rather than the online catalogue
c. preferred to wander the stacks in search of needed materials rather than to ask librarians and other staff for assistance
d. preferred to use computers with some architectural privacy provided than computers without
29. One problem found on many college and university campuses is that faculty offices can be located at great distances from classrooms. This design problem can have a negative impact on education in that:
a. instructors are often too tired to teach after walking long distances to classrooms
b. students are more likely to miss class because they believe they can learn more by going directly to the instructor’s office and waiting for the instructor there than going to class
c. relevant materials, equipment, and handouts might not be easily transportable, and thus not used/provided in class
d. on these large campuses, carts can be rented by the instructors, but the rental cost is generally too high to be worthwhile (or cost effective)
30. One issue associated with the design of faculty offices, as it relates to learning by students, is:
a. glare on work surfaces from windows or artificial lighting
b. insufficient bookshelf space
c. noise from adjacent offices
d. office furniture that acts as a barrier between people
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. With respect to personal space, describe its hypothesized primary functions, and then explain (and differentiate) Argyle and Dean’s “Equilibrium Theory” and Paterson’s “Arousal Theory. Finally, provide evidence (from actual studies) that indicate that (a) invading someone’s personal space can be stressful and (b) having one’s personal space invaded is likewise stressful.
2. Describe the three types of territories, with appropriate examples of each, and if any of these types of territory is personalized, indicate how it can be personalized to indicate ownership.
3. Differentiate between “density” and “crowding,” as well as explaining the two different ways that density can be conceptualized or manipulated. With respect to density and crowding, describe the effects of high density on TWO of the following: Affect (emotion), interpersonal attraction, and interpersonal aggression.
4. There are several ways that the experience of crowding can be reduced through changes in the design of buildings and rooms, or modifications to existing rooms, all of which are referred to as “architectural mediators.” Describe four such effects.
5. Friendship patterns can be influenced strongly by the locations of residences (living environments). Explain this idea, providing appropriate examples, and in the course of your explanation, differentiate between physical proximity and functional proximity (also referred to as “propinquity”).
6. Gosling believes people personalize their work, living, and transportation environments in a way that allows for the study of personality in these environments. Describe the three mechanisms by which Gosling believes people portray themselves – thought and feeling regulators, identity claims, and behavioral residue. Provide examples for each of these (of course).
7. There are a number of fixed and semi-fixed features that need to be considered in the design of a university classroom so that that space functions well as a learning environment. Describe three of each type of feature (fixed and semi-fixed), indicating how that feature could enhance or detract from learning.