Question 1

Jacob was pouring gravy when he dropped the ladle and splattered it all over the tablecloth. In order to maintain his self-esteem, Jacob decided that __________.

Accepted Answer

Choosing option C allows Jacob to maintain his self-esteem as it frames the incident as a result of an external factor (the ladle being slippery) rather than a personal flaw or mistake. It also doesn't place blame on anyone else, as option B might do. Option D is also a viable choice, but it implies that Jacob did something wrong to begin with and needs to improve, whereas option C takes the focus off of Jacob altogether. Option A is the worst choice as it is self-deprecating and damaging to Jacob's self-esteem.

Question 2

George just finished a poem and is very proud of his work. He knows he should ask his instructor for some constructive feedback to improve it, but chooses not to because he is afraid of losing his sense of accomplishment. In this case, which basic motive did George give in to?

Accepted Answer

George chose to prioritize the need to feel good about himself by avoiding potentially negative feedback and preserving his sense of accomplishment.

Question 3

From the perspective of Fritz Heider, you're not only reacting to the behavior of your roommate but also __________.

Accepted Answer

According to Heider's attribution theory, we make inferences about other people's behavior based on their internal states, such as thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. Therefore, when reacting to the behavior of our roommate, we are also taking into account what we think they might be perceiving, thinking, and feeling, in order to understand and respond appropriately to their behavior.

Question 4

One application of Ross's idea of naïve realism is to assist in negotiations between longtime adversaries such as Palestinians and Israelis. How would understanding naïve realism potentially help these parties negotiate more successfully?

Accepted Answer

Understanding naïve realism would help both sides recognize that their perception of the conflict is biased and that there are alternative perspectives that should be taken into consideration. This would encourage both sides to approach negotiations with a more open mind and strive for objectivity, ultimately leading to more successful negotiations.

Question 5

Jordan's lover of four years just left him. He is hurt, angry, and confused, and says to himself, "He never did understand my need for independence." This explanation for the break-up best reflects which human motive?

Accepted Answer

Jordan's statement reflects his need to protect his self-esteem by justifying the break-up as his partner's lack of understanding rather than acknowledging any fault on his own part.

Question 6

Lee Ross describes the idea of "naïve realism" as the __________.

Accepted Answer

Naïve realism refers to the belief that we perceive things "as they really are," without any biases or subjectivity. It suggests that our perception of reality is a direct representation of reality itself, rather than being influenced by our own personal beliefs or assumptions.

Question 7

When Mark goes to give Sven a congratulatory pat on the back after a job well done, he jumps and turns away. Mark has just read Chapter 1 and fancies himself something of a Gestalt psychologist. What is he likely to think about Sven's behavior?

Accepted Answer

As a Gestalt psychologist, Mark would likely focus on how Sven perceived the gesture rather than any deeper psychological issues. Sven's reaction suggests that he interpreted the pat on the back differently, potentially as an invasion of personal space or a threat. This demonstrates the Gestalt principle of "figure and ground," where the context of the situation influences our perception of events.

Question 8

Rashim is viewed by most people he knows as rude, brusque, and completely unconcerned with other people's feelings. He, in contrast, describes himself as efficient and task-oriented. Rahim's self-description best reflects the motive to __________.

Accepted Answer

Rahim's self-description as efficient and task-oriented, despite being viewed as rude and unconcerned with others' feelings by most people, reflects his motive to justify his past behavior. This justification helps him maintain a positive self-image despite negative perceptions from others.

Question 9

When Maria's father asks her how her day was at school, she says, "Great!" When he asks for details, she explains that she did well on her spelling test and made a new friend, but injured herself in gym class and was late for soccer practice. Maria's summary of the day's events as "Great!" best exemplifies a __________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

A Gestalt perspective focuses on the overall "big picture" of a situation rather than breaking it down into specific details or behaviors. Maria's response of "Great!" reflects a Gestalt view because she is looking at the day as a whole rather than focusing on individual positive or negative events.

Question 10

People often construe the world as they do in order to maintain a favorable image of themselves. This assumption underlies the __________ approach.

Accepted Answer

The self-esteem approach suggests that people have a basic need to maintain their self-esteem, and they will construe the world in a way that supports their positive self-image, even if it is not entirely accurate. This is consistent with the assumption that people maintain a favorable image of themselves by interpreting the world in a way that is flattering to their self-concept. The other options - public image, accuracy motive, and self-perception - do not directly relate to this assumption.

Question 11

According to the authors of your text, people's evaluations of how good, competent, and decent they are is the definition of __________.

Accepted Answer

The description given matches the definition of self-esteem, which refers to one's overall evaluation of their own worth or value as a person. Self-evaluation, self-efficacy, and self-monitoring are related constructs, but they refer to different aspects of self-perception such as how accurately one can judge their own abilities or how closely they monitor their own behavior in social situations.

Question 12

Research by Lee Ross suggests that even when people recognize that others perceive information differently, they persist in thinking that others are biased, while they themselves are objective. This illustrates the idea of __________.

Accepted Answer

The research by Lee Ross demonstrates the concept of naïve realism, which refers to the belief that individuals perceive the world objectively, while others' perceptions are biased or distorted. This concept can cause misunderstandings and conflicts as individuals may fail to recognize the influence of their own perceptions and assumptions on their judgments of others.

Question 13

Garry is a physician and is convinced that his patient Mr. Mraz has cancer. However, after several diagnostic tests and a biopsy that came back negative, Garry rethinks his original diagnosis. He admits that he was wrong and does more research to find the correct diagnosis. In this case, which basic motive did Garry give in to?

Accepted Answer

Garry demonstrated the need for accuracy by admitting he was wrong and doing more research to find the correct diagnosis.

Question 14

Several presidents have been given conflicting advice during wartime. Some advisers urged the president to pursue a peaceful solution; others urged him to escalate bombing to overcome the enemy. These presidents did not want to go down in history as the first U.S. president to lose a war, so they chose to escalate, thereby prolonging the war. According to your text, this decision was most likely a consequence of the motive to __________.

Accepted Answer

The decision to escalate the war despite conflicting advice was most likely driven by the motive to justify previous actions and avoid being seen as the first U.S. president to lose a war. This suggests a concern with reputation and legacy, which is more aligned with option C. Options A, B, and D are not as directly related to this decision.

Question 15

Social psychologists have identified two motives that are of primary importance in explaining our thoughts and behaviors. According to your textbook authors, these are the need to __________ and the need to __________.

Accepted Answer

The two primary motives identified by social psychologists, as stated in the question, are the need to be as accurate as possible and the need to feel good about ourselves. Option B correctly reflects these motives. Option A is incorrect as enhancing power is not one of the primary motives identified. Option C is incorrect as the need to belong is important, but not a primary motive according to the question. Option D is incorrect as maintaining social control is not one of the primary motives identified.

Question 16

According to the authors of your text, why do people sometimes construe information to feel good about themselves?

Accepted Answer

According to the authors of the text, people sometimes construe information to feel good about themselves because they have a strong need to maintain their self-esteem.

Question 17

In which of the following examples does the need for accurate information most conflict with the need for self-esteem?

Accepted Answer

Carla faces a conflict between wanting to know how to improve (requiring accurate information from the comments) and protecting her self-esteem (which could be hurt by reading critical feedback on a paper she spent weeks writing).

Question 18

What is the take-home message of the authors' description of the presidents' decisions to continue and even escalate wars?

Accepted Answer

The author discusses how the presidents' decisions to continue and escalate wars were often made to make themselves feel good, rather than being based on accurate information. However, this prioritization of feeling good over accuracy can lead to serious consequences, as seen in the continuation of wars despite their ineffective nature. Therefore, the take-home message is that when we focus on feeling good about ourselves rather than being accurate, there can be negative consequences.

Question 19

Given the choice between distorting the world in order to enhance their self-esteem or viewing the world accurately, people often __________.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that people tend to put a slightly positive spin on things in order to maintain their self-esteem, but not completely distort reality. This allows them to still be relatively accurate while also feeling good about themselves.

Question 20

When asked why she is always losing things, Veronique replies, "I'm not careless. It's just that I have more important things to think about." This response would be predicted by a social psychologist who understands Veronique's __________ motive.

Accepted Answer

Veronique's response reflects a self-esteem motive, as she justifies her behavior by attributing it to focusing on more important things, rather than admitting to carelessness. This is a way to protect her self-esteem.

Quiz 1: Introducing Social Psychology