Question 1

Drug rehabilitation programs often require that patients discontinue contact with old "using" friends, and maintain friendships with new "clean" friends only. One reason this makes sense from a social psychological standpoint is that by changing their social networks in this way, ____.

Accepted Answer

Changing social networks to include "clean" friends helps patients in drug rehabilitation programs create new, more positive self-concepts by surrounding themselves with individuals who support their recovery and reflect the positive changes they are trying to make in their lives. This can reinforce their identity as someone who is recovering and help them adopt new behaviors and attitudes that support their sobriety.

Question 2

Which of the following would be the MOST promising technique to change the self-concept of an individual?

Accepted Answer

Changing the social context can provide new experiences and feedback, which can lead to a change in self-concept.

Question 3

In the context of revising self-knowledge, changing the way you think about yourself is difficult because ____.

Accepted Answer

People often perceive others in terms of stable traits, which can make it challenging to revise self-knowledge as it requires altering these ingrained perceptions.

Question 4

____ is an important factor in facilitating self-concept change.

Accepted Answer

The interpersonal context is crucial in facilitating self-concept change as interactions with others provide feedback and new perspectives that can influence and reshape one's self-concept.

Question 5

Tina has been trying to sell some of her things on eBay, but nobody wants to buy them. She listed an old Ouija board for $20, a pair of used tights for $25, and an old (partially working)smoke detector for $60. A friend suggested that she lower the prices to attract buyers, but Tina felt that the items were reasonably priced. Tina's behavioral pattern is an example of the ____.

Accepted Answer

The endowment effect is a cognitive bias that causes people to assign more value to things merely because they own them. Tina's belief that her items are reasonably priced despite no interest from buyers illustrates this effect, as she likely overvalues her possessions simply because they are hers.

Question 6

The endowment effect refers to the finding that ____.

Accepted Answer

The endowment effect is a psychological phenomenon where people ascribe more value to things merely because they own them. This means that ownership itself causes people to value goods more highly than if they do not own them.

Question 7

Wanda, who is constantly ill, remembers herself as a sickly child. She recalls she was at home with a cold at least six or seven times a year. However, if we were able to go back in time and see for ourselves, we would probably find that ____.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the phenomenon known as "illusory correlation," where individuals may remember events occurring together more often than they actually do, leading to exaggerated memories, such as thinking one was sick more often than was actually the case.

Question 8

Chinese officials successfully brainwashed American prisoners during the Korean War, such that their self-concepts and American identities changed. One of the main reasons the Chinese were successful was that they ____.

Accepted Answer

The Chinese officials used isolation as a psychological tactic, keeping American prisoners separate from each other to break down their resistance and make them more susceptible to indoctrination. This method undermined group solidarity and individual resistance, making the prisoners more malleable to re-education efforts.

Question 9

Kendall was always the class clown. When he goes to university far from home, though, he really changes who he is. He becomes very studious and interested in research, and starts to run around with "smart" kids instead of kids who party all the time (like he did in high school). Kendall's experience at university BEST illustrates ____.

Accepted Answer

Kendall's transformation from a class clown to a studious individual interested in research and associating with "smart" kids illustrates the significant impact the social environment can have on an individual's self-knowledge and behavior. This change reflects how new social contexts, like university, can lead to revisions in how one sees oneself and behaves.

Question 10

Research suggests that the most effective way to change one's self-concept is by ____.

Accepted Answer

Changing one's social environment can provide new experiences and feedback that can lead to a shift in self-concept.

Question 11

Ted tends to think of himself as a workaholic and perfectionist. When he thinks back on his college years, he remembers studying hard for exams and getting good grades. But he tends to forget about the time he nearly failed a class, and disregards the many nights he spent partying. The way that Ted thinks about his college years illustrates the fact that people ____.

Accepted Answer

Ted's selective memory of his college years, focusing on the aspects that align with his self-perception as a workaholic and perfectionist while ignoring contradictory events, demonstrates how people can revise or distort their memories to fit their current self-concepts.

Question 12

The self-reference effect implies that ____.

Accepted Answer

The self-reference effect is a phenomenon in psychology that suggests individuals are more likely to remember information if they relate it to themselves. This effect demonstrates that personal relevance enhances memory, which is why option B is correct.

Question 13

Suppose you want your brother to memorize the word "conniving." Would he remember the word better if you asked him if he was ever conniving?

Accepted Answer

Self-referential processing, where information is related to oneself, enhances memory retention. Associating the word "conniving" with oneself, regardless of the nature of the association, makes it more memorable due to the personal relevance and deeper cognitive processing involved.

Question 14

Suppose you are studying the concept of self-handicapping. Research shows that you will be able to remember this concept especially well if you link it to yourself in some way (e.g., by thinking of examples of times that you engaged in self-handicapping). This finding refers to the ____.

Accepted Answer

The self-reference effect is a phenomenon where information related to oneself is more easily remembered and recalled. By linking the concept of self-handicapping to personal experiences, one leverages the self-reference effect to enhance memory retention.

Question 15

Compared to people with high self-esteem, people with low self-esteem have ____.

Accepted Answer

People with low self-esteem typically have similar life goals as those with high self-esteem but possess less confidence in their abilities to achieve these goals. This lack of confidence can impact their motivation and actions towards achieving their goals.

Question 16

Research suggests that our memory for personal events, important moments in our lives, as well as day-to-day events, is ____.

Accepted Answer

Research in psychology indicates that our memories are not static and can be influenced by our current beliefs, emotions, and other factors. This means that our recollection of past events can change over time as our perspective or understanding of ourselves changes, leading to a constant revision of these memories.

Question 17

People with low self-esteem are MORE likely to focus on ____ than on self-enhancement.

Accepted Answer

People with low self-esteem tend to focus more on self-protection rather than self-enhancement as a way to avoid further negative evaluations or harm to their self-concept.

Question 18

Damian is asked how he is feeling as he gets ready to take the MCAT exam. He says that he is not sure, and he feels calm, yet nervous. Based on the research about self-esteem, Damian is most likely to have ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Damian is asked how he is feeling...

Question 19

People with high self-esteem are likely to think "I am great," whereas people with low self-esteem are likely to think, ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of People with high self-esteem are likely to...

Question 20

Research suggests that if you really want to change your self-concept, you should ____.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that changing one's social environment or gaining support from existing social networks can significantly aid in altering one's self-concept. This is because our self-concept is often reflected and reinforced by the people around us.

Quiz 3: The-Self