Question 1

Most people view their future prospects optimistically and believe that they possess more favorable characteristics and abilities than the average person. This is because they are motivated to

Accepted Answer

People are motivated to manage their self-image and therefore view their future prospects optimistically and believe they possess more favorable characteristics and abilities than the average person. They are not necessarily motivated to conserve mental effort or seek accuracy in this instance.

Question 2

You are the manager of a department in a big company and you are going to interview a candidate for an open position. The candidate comes 30 minutes late for the interview, has several body piercings, and doesn't seem very intelligent to you. Looking at his resume, however, you discover that he has graduated form a prestigious university and has several years of experience in the area. According to research, you would be

Accepted Answer

The candidate's lateness and appearance may be off-putting, but their education and experience cannot be discounted based on first impressions. It is important to gather more information before making a decision, as it is possible that the candidate has valuable skills and experience despite their initial appearance. A responsible manager should take the time to conduct a thorough interview and assess the candidate's qualifications before making a hiring decision.

Question 3

After failing a test for the first time, Marla compares herself to her little brother who failed four tests in one semester. Marla feels better about herself after making this comparison. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Marla's comparison to her little brother who failed four tests is an example of downward social comparison, where she compares herself to someone who is worse off than her in order to feel better about herself.

Question 4

Research has found that morning people

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research has found that morning people
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Question 5

What is a benefit of engaging in upward social comparison?

Accepted Answer

Engaging in upward social comparison can motivate individuals to improve themselves, as they strive to reach the level of those they are comparing themselves to. This can lead to personal growth and development. However, it is important to note that constant comparison can also lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem if not balanced with self-compassion and self-acceptance.

Question 6

A mental shortcut through which people begin with a rough estimation as a starting point and then revise this estimate to take into account unique characteristics of the present situation is

Accepted Answer

The description best fits the anchoring and adjustment heuristic, where people start with an initial reference point (anchor) and then make adjustments based on additional information.

Question 7

Downward social comparison is a

Accepted Answer

Downward social comparison involves comparing oneself to a person who is doing worse or experiencing more negative outcomes, which can enhance one's self-esteem and self-image. It is a tactic for managing one's self-image. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because downward social comparison is not a tactic for managing cognitive overload, persuading others that you are correct, or increasing the accuracy of one's self-image.

Question 8

Unexpected events motivate people to

Accepted Answer

The answer of Unexpected events motivate people to
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Question 9

According to the text,_________________prompts us to rely on simplified cognitive strategies.

Accepted Answer

The text states that arousal prompts us to rely on simplified cognitive strategies.

Question 10

Why do people desire positive self-regard?

Accepted Answer

People desire positive self-regard for a variety of reasons, including wanting to believe that they are effective, socially accepted, and because it often facilitates achievement. Therefore, all of the above options are correct.

Question 11

When people are physiologically aroused, they are

Accepted Answer

When people are physiologically aroused, their cognitive resources are limited, which often leads to relying on cognitive shortcuts or heuristics to make decisions. This is because the brain is directing more resources towards processing the physiological arousal (e.g., increased heart rate, breathing) rather than engaging in complex thinking.

Question 12

If you meet a member of a minority group when you are very busy preparing for a job interview, you are

Accepted Answer

When individuals are busy or under cognitive load, they are more likely to rely on stereotypes because it requires less cognitive effort than processing new or complex information about an individual.

Question 13

A student who works at a record store and plays in a rock band thinks for a minute about his own music-purchasing habits, and then makes a quick guess about the number of other students who buy more than 30 CDs a year. He grossly overestimates. He has probably applied the

Accepted Answer

The answer of A student who works at a record...

Question 14

If you were interviewing candidates for a job, which of the following situations would reduce the likelihood that you would use cognitive simplification strategies?

Accepted Answer

If your boss is going to ask you to justify your candidate selection, you are more likely to put in extra effort and avoid simplification strategies in order to ensure that your choices are thorough and justifiable.

Question 15

Festinger's (1954) social comparison theory emphasized the drive to assess one's abilities and opinions

Accepted Answer

Festinger's social comparison theory posits that individuals compare themselves to others to accurately evaluate their abilities and opinions. The emphasis is on accuracy, not necessarily positivity or frequency of comparison, and the theory acknowledges that these evaluations can be influenced by comparisons to others.

Question 16

People with high_________________are more likely to use cognitive simplification strategies.

Accepted Answer

Need for structure refers to the extent to which individuals prefer clear and unambiguous situations over uncertain and ambiguous situations. People with high need for structure are more likely to use cognitive simplification strategies because they want to simplify complex information and make it more understandable and manageable.

Question 17

Lara, who is a teaching assistant for a psychology class, is responsible for evaluating student essays. One of the students brings his essay to her office and she can't help noticing the smell of alcohol on his breath. This is especially likely to reduce the accuracy and objectivity of Lara's evaluation if

Accepted Answer

Time pressure (having only 10 minutes to grade the essay) can increase the reliance on stereotypes or first impressions (such as the smell of alcohol) in making judgments, thus potentially reducing the accuracy and objectivity of Lara's evaluation.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of a cognitive simplification strategy?

Accepted Answer

Anchoring and adjustment is a cognitive simplification strategy where an initial anchor (usually the first piece of information received) is used to judge the likelihood or value of subsequent information. This simplifies the decision-making process by reducing the amount of information that needs to be considered.

Question 19

Imagine that you are listening to a speech and you need to evaluate the speaker's "true" attitudes toward some issues. In which of the following cases would you be LESS likely to take into account the circumstances under which the speaker is giving the speech, for example, whether he had a choice on which side to take.

Accepted Answer

When you are the next speaker and are preparing your own speech, you are likely to be more focused on your own preparation and less on evaluating the circumstances of the current speaker's situation. This focus on your own task can reduce the attention you pay to the context of the speaker's position.

Question 20

People are LESS likely to use simplifying cognitive strategies when

Accepted Answer

When people's expectations do not fit with the current situation, it creates cognitive dissonance, which is uncomfortable for individuals. Therefore, they are more likely to engage in effortful cognitive processing instead of relying on simplifying cognitive strategies.

Quiz 3: Social Cognition: Understanding Ourselves and Others