Question 1

Which term refers to the tendency to take whatever course of action that does not require you to do anything (also called the default option)?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which term refers to the tendency to...

Question 2

An old advertisement for Dove ice cream bars touted the bars as "sinfully" delicious-so delicious that they should be banned or forbidden. The advertisement, which sought to make the bars seem as attractive to people as possible, was apparently playing on the concept of ____.

Accepted Answer

The advertisement was playing on the concept of reactance, which is a motivational reaction to offers, persons, rules, or regulations that threaten or eliminate specific behavioral freedoms. By suggesting the ice cream bars are "sinfully" delicious, it implies that enjoying them is a form of breaking the rules or indulging in forbidden pleasure, which can increase their appeal due to the psychological reactance against being told one shouldn't have them.

Question 3

The term ____ refers to the idea that people are distressed by a loss of freedom or options and that they will seek to reclaim or reassert them.

Accepted Answer

Reactance is the psychological response to restrictions on personal freedoms, where individuals strive to regain their lost choices or freedoms.

Question 4

The status quo bias is different from the omission bias in that the former is about making decisions that ____, while the latter is about making decisions that ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The status quo bias is different from...

Question 5

Ursula believes that traits and abilities as fixed at birth and remain the same no matter what. By contrast, Yuri believes that people develop their traits and abilities across time, and that they can become better and better with practice. Social psychologists would say that Ursula is a(n)____ while Yuri is a(n)____.

Accepted Answer

Ursula, who sees traits as fixed, aligns with the definition of an entity theorist. Yuri, who believes in development and improvement through practice, matches the description of an incremental theorist. Entity theorists think traits are innate and unchangeable, while incremental theorists believe in the potential for growth and change.

Question 6

Suppose that you went out on two dates with someone from one of your classes. You were not crazy about the person, but you did not dislike the person either. You thought that you would just wait and see how things turned out. Surprisingly, however, the person sent you an e-mail after your second date and wrote: "I just don't think we have good chemistry, but it was nice meeting you! Sayonara!" All of a sudden, the person becomes much more attractive to you. You wonder what you did wrong, and you strategize about how to get another chance. You are MOST likely experiencing ____.

Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of reactance, a psychological response where individuals desire something more when they believe their freedom to have it is threatened or taken away. When the person ended things, it suddenly made the prospect of dating them more attractive, triggering a desire to regain the lost opportunity.

Question 7

In social psychology, people who regard traits and abilities as fixed and stable are known as ____, while people who believe that it is possible to change and improve traits and abilities are known as ____.

Accepted Answer

Entity theorists believe that traits and abilities are fixed, whereas incremental theorists believe that traits and abilities can be developed over time.

Question 8

Research on entity and incremental theorists has shown that these two groups of people tend to make different kinds of attributions for other people's behaviors. Specifically, compared to entity theorists, incremental theorists tend to make more ____, thereby suggesting that others' behaviors are the result of ____.

Accepted Answer

Incremental theorists believe that people can change and grow, so they are more likely to attribute others' behaviors to external factors or circumstances, rather than to fixed personality traits.

Question 9

The status quo bias in decision making refers to the tendency for people to ____.

Accepted Answer

The status quo bias in decision making is the tendency for people to prefer to keep things the way they are rather than making a change. This bias leads individuals to resist change and prefer the current state of affairs, even when alternative options might lead to better outcomes.

Question 10

Even though Mildred knows that her relationship with her boyfriend is in trouble, she decides not to do anything about it (i.e., she will simply let the relationship fall to pieces). Social psychologists would say that her decision to do nothing reflects ____.

Accepted Answer

The omission bias refers to the tendency to favor an act of omission (doing nothing) over an act of commission (doing something) when faced with a decision, especially if the outcome of doing something could be seen as negative or harmful. In this scenario, Mildred's choice to not address the issues in her relationship and let it deteriorate on its own is an example of preferring inaction over action, which aligns with the concept of omission bias.

Question 11

Movies with "R" ratings tend to be more appealing to children and teenagers than similar movies with "G" or "PG" ratings. This finding best illustrates ____.

Accepted Answer

Reactance theory suggests that when people feel their freedom to choose is restricted or threatened, they may be more inclined to want what they can't have. In this case, the "R" rating, which restricts children and teenagers' access, makes the movies more appealing to them.

Question 12

The status quo bias is one form of ____ in decision-making.

Accepted Answer

The status quo bias is a form of avoidance in decision-making, where individuals prefer the current state of affairs to any change or alternative, often due to the desire to avoid the potential losses or discomfort associated with change.

Question 13

Much of the time, people are interested in keeping their options open rather than making restrictive, final decisions. Two forms of decision avoidance that help people postpone decisions are ____.

Accepted Answer

The status quo bias refers to the preference to keep things the same or maintaining a current or previous decision. The omission bias involves a tendency to favor an act of omission (not doing something) over one of commission (doing something), especially when making changes could lead to negative outcomes. Both biases help individuals postpone decisions by favoring inaction or sticking with current choices, thus avoiding the commitment to new, potentially restrictive decisions.

Question 14

Compared to incremental theorists, entity theorists show a ____.

Accepted Answer

Entity theorists believe that intelligence and abilities are fixed traits, so they tend to prefer doing things at which they are already skilled to confirm their existing abilities, unlike incremental theorists who believe abilities can be developed through effort and challenge.

Question 15

Rachel has taken French for years and is very good at it. Nonetheless, she just enrolled in Intermediate French (which will be easy for her)rather than Advanced French (which will be challenging but not impossible). It is probably safe to assume that Rachel ____.

Accepted Answer

Entity theorists believe that intelligence and talent are fixed traits, which can lead to avoiding challenges to prevent failure. Rachel's choice to enroll in a class that will be easy for her, rather than one that challenges her, aligns with the characteristics of an entity theorist who might avoid difficult tasks to prevent the risk of failure or to not challenge their self-concept of being good at something.

Question 16

Aimee is moving to a new state and has looked at numerous houses. She is avoiding making a decision on which house to purchase because she thinks that once she chooses, she may find a better house that she would like even more. Which of the following best explains Aimee's decision avoidance?

Accepted Answer

Aimee's behavior is best explained by anticipated regret, which is the fear that she will regret her decision if a better option appears later. This can lead to decision avoidance as she is worried about making a choice that she might regret if a more appealing house becomes available.

Question 17

Some studies suggest that when parents are extremely strict, their children become especially tempted to engage in forbidden behaviors. For example, when parents forbid their teenagers from going to parties, the teens report being even more attracted to parties and even more interested in attending them. These findings are MOST consistent with ____.

Accepted Answer

Reactance theory explains how individuals react against restrictions to their freedoms, often by showing increased interest in the restricted behavior, which aligns with the scenario of teenagers being more attracted to parties when they are forbidden by their parents.

Question 18

Research on entity and incremental theorists has shown that, compared to Japanese athletes, American athletes are more likely to be ____ theorists and are thus more likely to view their athletic skills as ____.

Accepted Answer

Entity theorists believe that skills and traits are inborn and fixed, which aligns with the tendency observed among American athletes compared to Japanese athletes, who are more often incremental theorists, viewing abilities as capable of growth and change.

Question 19

One of the common consequences of reactance is ____.

Accepted Answer

Reactance is a psychological response to restrictions on personal freedoms, leading individuals to resist the restriction and sometimes act aggressively toward the source of the restriction.

Question 20

Which themes best explain decision avoidance?

Accepted Answer

The themes of decision avoidance often include the idea that some choices are too difficult, leading individuals to avoid making a decision, and the idea of anticipated regret, where the fear of making the wrong choice leads to avoidance. These concepts explain why individuals might procrastinate or avoid decisions to circumvent the discomfort of difficult choices and the potential regret of making an incorrect decision.

Quiz 4: Choices and Actions: The Self in Control

Which term refers to the tendency to take whatever course of action that does not require you to do anything (also called the default option) ?

An old advertisement for Dove ice cream bars touted the bars as "sinfully" delicious-so delicious that they should be banned or forbidden. The advertisement, which sought to make the bars seem as attractive to people as possible, was apparently playing on the concept of ____.

The term ____ refers to the idea that people are distressed by a loss of freedom or options and that they will seek to reclaim or reassert them.

The status quo bias is different from the omission bias in that the former is about making decisions that , while the latter is about making decisions that .

In social psychology, people who regard traits and abilities as fixed and stable are known as , while people who believe that it is possible to change and improve traits and abilities are known as .