Deck 5: Perspective Taking

Question 1

José is walking down his office hallway and notices that his coworker Eva has moved to a different desk. This is an example of the ________ aspect of interpersonal perception.

A) organization
B) selection
C) response
D) interpretation
E) communication

Answer 1

selection

Question 2

Which of the following stimuli is most likely to stand out?

A) a song you have never heard playing softly on the radio
B) a person talking loudly on the phone in a busy manufacturing plant
C) a dim light in the corner of the room
D) a strong, unfamiliar odor occurring throughout the office
E) a pale new watercolor painting hanging in the office hallway

Answer 2

a strong, unfamiliar odor occurring throughout the office

Question 3

The part of the brain that helps us focus on certain stimuli and ignore others is called the

A) temporal lobe.
B) corpus callosum.
C) amygdala.
D) reticular formation.
E) pineal gland.

Answer 3

reticular formation.

Question 4

We use ________ constructs to organize information about people's behavior.

A) physical
B) psychological
C) role
D) perceptual
E) interaction

Question 5

Psychological constructs emphasize people's

A) social position.
B) feelings.
C) behavior.
D) appearance.
E) intelligence.

Question 6

Saul notices that the visitor in his office building is carrying tools and looking at a coworker's computer, so he classifies the visitor as a member of the company's IT department. Saul has used a(n) ________ construct to label the visitor.

A) physical
B) interaction
C) role
D) psychological
E) metaphysical

Question 7

Perceptual schemas are the mental frameworks we use in the ________ stage of perception.

A) selection
B) interpretation
C) organization
D) communication
E) attribution

Question 8

Yvonne notices that her coworker Paul rarely speaks up in meetings even though he is a reliable and valued member of the team. She determines that Paul is shy around coworkers and decides that he has not had enough of an opportunity to socialize with the other members of the team. This is an example of the ________ stage of perception.

A) organization
B) selection
C) communication
D) interpretation
E) attribution

Question 9

People from collectivistic cultures are most likely to perceive the way people from individualistic cultures communicate as

A) weak.
B) passive.
C) aggressive.
D) normal.
E) disinterested.

Question 10

What is the second step in the process by which we stereotype others, after we have identified the group to which we believe a person belongs?

A) We recall a generalization others often make about the group.
B) We look for evidence that the person truly belongs in the group.
C) We consider whether we have had any personal experiences with someone in the group.
D) We weigh the negative effects of applying a generalization to a group.
E) We list the characteristics that differentiate us from the group.

Question 11

According to the primacy effect, our ________ impression of a person sets the tone for all future interactions.

A) most recent
B) first
C) most intense
D) longest-lasting
E) final

Question 12

If a friend tells us that his new dog is a Rottweiler, we perceive the dog to be more vicious and dangerous than if the friend had told us the dog was a Labrador Retriever. This is an example of

A) the primacy effect.
B) the recency effect.
C) a perceptual set.
D) an attribution error.
E) a cultural difference.

Question 13

We form attributions to answer the question

A) "Who did this?"
B) "Why did this occur?"
C) "What happened?"
D) "When did this occur?"
E) "Where did this occur?"

Question 14

Your coworker John starts crying during a meeting. You assume this is because a family member was involved in an accident. In this case, you have formed an attribution that is

A) external and unstable.
B) external and stable.
C) internal and unstable.
D) internal and stable.
E) external and fluctuating.

Question 15

The self-serving bias occurs when we attribute our successes to ________ causes.

A) stable, internal
B) stable, external
C) unstable, internal
D) unstable, external
E) unknowable

Question 16

Xavier does poorly writing a weekly report and tells his friend that it was because the noisy fire sirens outside distracted him. The next week, when his boss praises his weekly report, Xavier tells his friend that he has a natural ability with words. This is an example of

A) a fundamental attribution error.
B) a self-serving bias.
C) a perceptual set.
D) stereotyping.
E) the recency effect.

Question 17

Which of the following statements is most closely associated with the self-serving bias?

A) "Everything good that happens to me is because of my friends and family."
B) "The universe has a plan for me, so I just go with the flow."
C) "I am much more likely to fail than to succeed."
D) "My successes are deserved, but my failures are not my fault."
E) "Teamwork makes the world go around."

Question 18

A coworker fails to complete a report that is central to your upcoming presentation. A fundamental attribution error you could make when trying to understand this behavior is to assume that your coworker didn't complete the report because

A) he is overworked.
B) he does not care.
C) he has health issues.
D) he needs more information.
E) his computer crashed.

Question 19

Fundamental attribution errors occur when we attribute other people's behavior to

A) external causes.
B) self-serving bias.
C) internal causes.
D) poor communication.
E) stereotypes.

Question 20

Most attribution errors can be associated with our tendency to

A) blame others.
B) blame ourselves.
C) take mental shortcuts.
D) be distracted.
E) overthink things.

Question 21

You describe yourself to others as a vegetarian. This is an example of communicating a(n)

A) self-serving bias.
B) self-concept.
C) perceptual set.
D) attribution.
E) primacy effect.

Question 22

Which of the following is the best definition for what we call the self?

A) the most common opinion that others have about us
B) a collection of smaller selves
C) a network of relationships with others
D) the sum total of our past deeds
E) an abstract image that cannot be described using language

Question 23

According to the Johari window, the ________ area refers to the aspects that others recognize in us, but of which we are unaware.

A) open
B) multi-faceted
C) hidden
D) unknown
E) blind

Question 24

Ingrid's fear of public speaking is a major reason why she has avoided certain types of jobs, but she never tells people about it. In the Johari window, this would be an example of the ________ area.

A) blind
B) hidden
C) multifaceted
D) open
E) unknown

Question 25

In the Johari window, the unknown area refers to characteristics that are

A) known to others but not to us.
B) known to us but not to others.
C) not known to ourselves or to others.
D) known to us and to others.
E) imagined by others but known by us to be false.

Question 26

Which of the following statements represents a subjective self-assessment?

A) "I live in Seattle."
B) "I have a bachelor's degree."
C) "I am beautiful."
D) "I exercise every day."
E) "I travel once a month."

Question 27

For something we think about ourselves to be objective, it must be

A) something in which we strongly believe.
B) something on which other people agree.
C) verifiably true.
D) something that no one else has noticed.
E) an uncommon or unique trait.

Question 28

People with high self-esteem are likely to

A) magnify the importance of their failures.
B) underestimate their abilities.
C) take negative feedback to heart.
D) assess themselves positively.
E) judge themselves negatively.

Question 29

Three pathways by which self-concept can shape how we communicate are self-esteem, self-monitoring, and

A) self-serving bias.
B) self-fulfilling prophecy.
C) self-worth.
D) self-avoidance.
E) self-selection.

Question 30

The act of being aware of our behavior and how our behavior affects others is called

A) self-conceptualizing.
B) self-coordinating.
C) self-appraising.
D) self-monitoring.
E) self-fulfilling.

Question 31

Jane dresses carefully and prepares what she is going to say days before her job interview. This is an example of ________ behavior.

A) high self-concept
B) low self-concept
C) low self-monitoring
D) high self-monitoring
E) self-fulfilling

Question 32

Which of the following is an advantage of low self-monitoring behavior?

A) having control over one's impression on others
B) putting people at ease in social situations
C) understanding what others are thinking and feeling
D) being relaxed and straightforward in conversations
E) feeling organized and prepared

Question 33

Jack feels that he is a poor interviewee. He worries so much about his abilities that he becomes incredibly nervous at a job interview and fails to secure a job offer. This is an example of a(n)

A) self-serving bias.
B) self-fulfilling prophecy.
C) self-monitoring behavior.
D) high self-worth.
E) attribution error.

Question 34

Self-fulfilling prophecies occur when we

A) pay close attention to our behavior in different social settings.
B) are comfortable and confident with ourselves and our abilities.
C) take credit for our successes but blame others for our failures.
D) predict something and then behave in a way that causes it to happen.
E) attribute other people's behaviors to internal rather than external causes.

Question 35

Which of the following is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy?

A) Josh thinks he's bad at math, so he doesn't study and therefore fails the test.
B) Josh thinks the stock market will crash, but prices continue to rise.
C) Josh thinks it will snow during the week, and later it does.
D) Josh thinks his neighbor is a recluse, so he invites him over and the neighbor accepts.
E) Josh thinks his candidate in the election will win, and she does.

Question 36

Janet proudly lists all of her accomplishments during a job interview. Her attitude is an example of high

A) self-fulfilling prophecy.
B) self-esteem.
C) self-monitoring.
D) self-serving bias.
E) self-stability.

Question 37

Self-esteem is a(n) ________ assessment of one's value and worth.

A) subjective
B) fixed
C) objective
D) multifaceted
E) false

Question 38

Using several different email addresses is an example of how we

A) manage our image collaboratively.
B) tell our life story.
C) organize our images.
D) manage multiple identities.
E) commit fundamental attribution errors.

Question 39

Our desire to have other people like us is considered our ________ face need.

A) competence
B) autonomy
C) fellowship
D) image
E) communication

Question 40

Reina tells her parents that she needs to choose her own career path, rather than having her parents choose her career for her. This is an example of

A) fellowship face.
B) competence face.
C) image face.
D) autonomy face.
E) identity face.

Question 41

Jackie finds out that another person in her office received the promotion they were both interviewed for. This could be considered a(n)

A) competence face.
B) face-threatening act.
C) fellowship face.
D) autonomy face.
E) face need.

Question 42

Claudio was rejected from his preferred MBA program, but he later declares that he didn't care about getting an MBA anyway. This is an example of a(n)

A) autonomy face.
B) fellowship face.
C) defense mechanism.
D) image management scheme.
E) face need.

Question 43

David thinks of himself as an impressive speaker and likes to brag to people about his speaking skills. However, most of David's coworkers find his presentations dull, undermining the image David projects. This is an example of how

A) we communicate under multiple identities.
B) our image management is complex.
C) our image management is collaborative.
D) our life story is stable over time.
E) we manage our identity online.

Question 44

Pablo's supervisor invites him to come to dinner with her and a few other managers at his firm, but Pablo has a major report due the next day and needs to work late to finish. Pablo wants to ingratiate himself to his superiors, but he also doesn't want to appear irresponsible by not finishing his work. This is an example of how

A) we manage multiple identities.
B) we communicate under multiple identities.
C) image management is collaborative.
D) image management is complex.
E) we present our life story.

Question 45

Sociologist Erving Goffman uses the term ________ to describe behaviors we use to project our desired public image.

A) face needs
B) face
C) face threats
D) facework
E) competence face

Question 46

Perception happens in three defined, strictly ordered stages.

Question 47

Role constructs emphasize people's social or professional standing.

Question 48

Personal experience with a person is one of the factors we use to understand what their behavior is communicating.

Question 49

Your first impression of someone typically fades as you get to know him or her.

Question 50

Your client misses a meeting, and you attribute his absence to a severe storm that caused his flight to be canceled. This is an example of a controllable attribution.

Question 51

People in collectivistic cultures tend to engage in direct, overt forms of conflict communication.

Question 52

Stereotypes are always inaccurate.

Question 53

Most people do not make self-serving bias or fundamental attribution errors when interpreting other people's behavior.

Question 54

A car cuts you off on the freeway. You think, "I guess the driver must really be late for something important."
Your thinking is an example of a fundamental attribution error.

Question 55

Enid loves her wife Laura very much. Last night, when Laura left a pile of unwashed dishes in the sink for Enid to deal with, Enid thought, "She must have been really tired from a long day at work."
This is an example of a self-serving bias.

Question 56

We each have a single, unified self-concept.

Question 57

It is easy for people to assess themselves objectively.

Question 58

We can have different Johari windows with different people.

Question 59

Karim blames himself for not getting a promotion at work. He is starting to believe his coworker's remark that he is "not cut out for management."
This behavior hints that Karim has low self-esteem.

Question 60

There are some benefits to being a low self-monitor.

Question 61

Aggressive people always have low self-esteem.

Question 62

You think your coworker will arrive late to the meeting, and she does. This is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Question 63

Altering selfies before posting them onto social media is one example of how people try to control their image.

Question 64

Our life story is influenced by other people.

Question 65

Autonomy face refers to our need to be respected and have our abilities and intelligence acknowledged by others.

Question 66

Your boss walks into the building, slams the door, and then calls you in to her office. Describe how you would use the three stages of perception to make sense of her behavior.

Question 67

Choose someone from your life and briefly describe a recent interaction you had with him or her. Next, list the four perceptual schemas, or constructs, and explain how various details from your interaction would apply to each construct.

Question 68

Suppose you are a member of an online group of single parents. Explain the values you might have as part of this co-culture, and describe at least two ways in which your cultural values might affect your perception of your workplace policies or the behaviors of your coworkers.

Question 69

Using the process of stereotyping explained in your textbook, describe a time in your life in which you applied a stereotype to someone else. How did that stereotype affect your perception of the person and their communication behavior? Did the person ever behave in a way that challenged the stereotype about them and caused you to change your perception? What strategies could you have used to ensure that the stereotype did not cause you to misperceive the person's communication behavior?

Question 70

Give an example from your own life of a time in which you demonstrated the self-serving bias while at work or at school.

Question 71

Compare and contrast the self-serving bias and the fundamental attribution error. How are these two common attribution errors alike, and how are they different?

Question 72

Choose a close relationship in your life and construct a Johari window to describe your self-concept with that person.

Question 73

Imagine you will be speaking before a large audience at a business conference. How would you act and look if you were a high self-monitor? A low self-monitor?

Question 74

Provide at least three examples of different identities that you assume throughout your day depending on the context. Examples can include both your real life and your online life.

Question 75

List the three types of face needs and discuss which need is strongest in your life. Give an example of how a specific face need influenced your behavior in a certain situation.