Question 1

Julia's behavior is typical of the actor-observer difference when she thinks that she did poorly on her exam because the questions were too hard, but that her friend did poorly because he is just not that smart.

Accepted Answer

This is a classic example of the actor-observer difference, in which an individual tends to attribute their own negative behavior to external situational factors (such as difficult exam questions) while attributing negative behavior in others to internal dispositional factors (such as lack of intelligence).

Question 2

The covariation principle characterizes attribution as a quick and simple process that focuses primarily on single instances of behavior.

Accepted Answer

The covariation principle, proposed by Harold Kelley, suggests that attribution is a systematic process where people consider multiple instances of behavior across different contexts to determine the cause of behavior.

Question 3

According to the textbook, which of the following statements is INACCURATE?

Accepted Answer

The statement that Asians do not commit the fundamental attribution error is inaccurate. Research has shown that although Asians may be less likely to make dispositional attributions than Westerners, they still exhibit the fundamental attribution error to some extent.

Question 4

Actors' and observers' attributions often differ because

Accepted Answer

Actors and observers have different assumptions about what needs explaining, as actors are more likely to attribute their behavior to situational factors while observers are more likely to attribute behavior to dispositional factors. Additionally, different types of information may be perceptually salient to actors versus observers, such as actors having more information about their own internal states and motives while observers have more information about the situation in which the behavior occurred. Lastly, actors and observers may differ in the amount and kind of information they have about the actor and the behavior, as actors have more access to their own thoughts and feelings while observers may have more context about the situation or previous behaviors of the actor.

Question 5

The just world hypothesis is relevant to the fundamental attribution error because this hypothesis helps explain why we tend to

Accepted Answer

The just world hypothesis suggests that people believe the world is generally fair and that individuals get what they deserve. This can lead to the fundamental attribution error, where we attribute others' behavior to dispositional causes (their character or personality) rather than considering situational factors that may have influenced their behavior. This is because we want to believe that people's behavior is a result of their inherent qualities rather than external circumstances, which is consistent with the just world hypothesis.

Question 6

Consensus information refers to whether a specific person generally acts the same way in similar situations.

Accepted Answer

Consensus information refers to how different people behave in the same situation, not how one person behaves across similar situations.

Question 7

Lisa and Sally ask a job applicant to talk about her background for a few minutes.Before doing so, the applicant says she has bad allergies, so she might sniffle and speak with a shaky voice.The applicant then talks about herself, and she does, in fact, sniffle and speak with a shaky voice.While the applicant talks, Lisa is attentive.But Sally is tired and her mind wanders a bit.Attribution research suggests that, compared with Lisa, Sally is more likely to

Accepted Answer

Attribution research suggests that when people are not paying close attention, they tend to rely on internal attributions (such as the applicant being anxious or upset) rather than external attributions (such as the applicant having allergies) to explain someone's behavior. So, Sally is more likely to infer that the applicant is anxious or upset, while Lisa is more likely to attribute the sniffles and shaky voice to the applicant's allergies.

Question 8

The view that personality is malleable and that abilities can be changed by environmental factors is most characteristic of

Accepted Answer

The view that personality is malleable and that abilities can be changed by environmental factors is most characteristic of people from interdependent cultures, where collectivism and social harmony are emphasized. In contrast, people from independent cultures, such as the United States, tend to emphasize individualism and the value of personal achievement and control over the environment.

Question 9

Many people think that victims of domestic abuse and rape are responsible for their fates.This disturbing tendency is most closely related to

Accepted Answer

The belief that victims are responsible for their fate is closely related to the just world hypothesis - the idea that people get what they deserve in life. This belief can lead people to blame victims for their own misfortunes and overlook the actions and responsibilities of perpetrators.

Question 10

Research suggests that Easterners are more likely to make the fundamental attribution error than Westerners.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that Westerners are more likely to make the fundamental attribution error, which involves attributing others' behaviors to their character rather than situational factors, compared to Easterners who tend to consider situational contexts more.

Question 11

Monica has just been laid off from her job.Her coworker Vicki quickly concluded that this must have happened because Monica was an inferior employee.Vicki's explanation reflects the just world hypothesis.

Accepted Answer

The just world hypothesis is the belief that people get what they deserve and that the world is fair. In this case, Vicki assumes that Monica must have been a bad employee to have been laid off, rather than considering other factors such as company financial problems or restructuring. This reflects a belief in a just world where only bad employees get laid off, which may not necessarily be the case.

Question 12

When we have a self-serving bias, we attribute failure and other bad events that happen to us to ____________, but we attribute success and other good events to ____________.

Accepted Answer

Self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute positive events to one's own character or actions, while attributing negative events to external factors.

Question 13

Studies have shown that students with a pessimistic explanatory style tend to get better grades, because they try harder to avoid failure.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Studies have actually shown the opposite, that students with an optimistic explanatory style tend to get better grades because they are more likely to attribute their success to internal factors (such as their own abilities) and are therefore more motivated to keep working hard.

Question 14

Explanatory style is assessed along the three dimensions of internal/external, global/specific, and stable/unstable.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Explanatory style is indeed assessed along the three dimensions of internal/external, global/specific, and stable/unstable.

Question 15

Which of the following statements best represents something that a Japanese coach might say to a newspaper reporter after winning a game?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements best represents...

Question 16

How does social class influence attribution?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that individuals from lower or working-class backgrounds tend to have a more interdependent cultural orientation, which leads to making attributions that take into account situational factors and the perspectives of others. This differs from the more individualistic approach of middle- and upper-class individuals. Therefore, Option B is the closest to being correct. The other options are not supported by research.

Question 17

Which of the following is FALSE regarding the findings from research on culture and social perception? Relative to

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is FALSE regarding...

Question 18

People tend to make situational attributions when levels of consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency information are low.

Accepted Answer

When consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency are low, people are more likely to make dispositional attributions, attributing behavior to the person's inherent traits rather than the situation.

Question 19

On first learning that the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank, Americans were probably more likely than Japanese to consider the skill of the ship's crew a causal factor.

Accepted Answer

Americans tend to place a high value on individual achievement and responsibility, and may therefore be more inclined to attribute the disaster to human error. Japanese culture, on the other hand, places more emphasis on group harmony and cooperation, and may be more likely to view the Titanic's fate as a consequence of larger systemic factors.

Question 20

The fundamental attribution error refers to people's tendency to jump to situational attributions for behaviors, without considering dispositional factors.

Accepted Answer

The fundamental attribution error refers to people's tendency to jump to dispositional attributions for behaviors, without considering situational factors.

Quiz 5: Social Attribution: Explaining Behavior