Question 1

Joe has a big Spanish exam coming up next week. Will it help him if he visualizes himself "acing" the exam? What about if he visualizes himself studying really hard for the exam?

Accepted Answer

D

Question 2

People who are suicidal tend to be especially low in self-awareness.

Accepted Answer

While suicidal individuals may struggle with feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, low self-awareness is not necessarily a consistent characteristic. In fact, some individuals may be acutely aware of their negative thoughts and emotions, which can contribute to their suicidal ideation. Additionally, seeking help and support requires a certain level of self-awareness and a recognition of one's own struggles.

Question 3

When asked whether they have any current goals or personal projects, only about 50% of people indicate that they do; other people are unable to identify any current goals that they have.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 4

William James, the father of American psychology, once wrote: "Thinking is for doing." What did he mean by this?

Accepted Answer

William James believed that the purpose of thinking was to guide behavior, and that human cognitive abilities evolved to serve this function. In other words, thinking is a means to an end, rather than an end in and of itself.

Question 5

People would make better decisions if they would focus more on the quantitative aspects than the qualitative aspects of the decision.

Accepted Answer

The answer of People would make better decisions if they...

Question 6

Most research focuses on the ____ step of decision-making, which involves ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Most research focuses on the ____ step...

Question 7

Goal shielding is the ability to block off consciousness from thinking about one goal to allow a person to focus on the immediate goal at hand.

Accepted Answer

Goal shielding is a cognitive process that allows individuals to temporarily inhibit thoughts about long-term goals in order to focus on accomplishing a specific task or immediate goal.

Question 8

The existence of absolute free will is undisputed amongst social psychologists.

Accepted Answer

The existence of absolute free will is actually a topic of debate among philosophers and scientists, including social psychologists. Some argue that free will is an illusion or that it is limited by factors such as genetics, upbringing, and environment. Others believe that individuals have some degree of free will, but that it is constrained by various factors.

Question 9

Self-determination theory suggests that most people need to feel at least some degree of autonomy and internal motivation.

Accepted Answer

Self-determination theory proposes that autonomy and internal motivation are two essential needs of most people for optimal functioning and well-being.

Question 10

Research on decision-making indicates that there are two main steps in making choices. They are ____.

Accepted Answer

The research on decision-making suggests that the first step is to narrow down the range of choices to a select few, and then carefully consider the remaining options. This is known as the "editing" phase of decision-making. Once you have a limited set of options, you can then enter the "evaluating" phase, where you weigh the pros and cons of each option to make your final decision. Therefore, option B is the best choice as it accurately reflects the two main steps in making choices according to research on decision-making.

Question 11

The so-called Zeigarnik effect refers to the tendency for people to be over ambitious when setting goals.

Accepted Answer

The Zeigarnik effect refers to the tendency for people to remember incomplete tasks better than completed tasks. It does not have anything to do with setting goals.

Question 12

When entity theorists encounter failure, they are more likely to experience learned helplessness than incremental theorists are when they experience failure.

Accepted Answer

Entity theorists believe that abilities are fixed and unchangeable, so when they encounter failure, they are more likely to attribute it to a lack of ability and feel helpless to improve. Incremental theorists believe that abilities can be developed and improved through effort, so they are more likely to persevere and try again after failure. This makes them less susceptible to learned helplessness.

Question 13

People rarely use habits.

Accepted Answer

People frequently use habits as a way to automate tasks and save mental energy. Habits can be beneficial for establishing routines and staying organized.

Question 14

Reactance theory and self-determination theory both suggest that a sense of freedom and autonomy is important to people.

Accepted Answer

Both Reactance theory and Self-Determination theory highlight the significance of a sense of freedom and autonomy to individuals.

Question 15

Monitoring is one of the key components of self-regulation.

Accepted Answer

Monitoring involves observing and tracking one's own behavior and progress towards a goal, which is a crucial aspect of self-regulation.

Question 16

Suicidal people tend to focus a lot on the future and how miserable it appears to be.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suicidal people tend to focus a lot...

Question 17

If Allison believes that intelligence is something that you are "just born with," then it would be correct to say that she has an entity theory of intelligence.

Accepted Answer

The belief that intelligence is something that you are born with is characteristic of an entity theory of intelligence. This contrasts with an incremental theory of intelligence, which holds that intelligence can be developed and improved through effort and learning.

Question 18

The "positive illusions" that characterize most thinking are typically set aside when people set goals for themselves.

Accepted Answer

Positive illusions refer to the tendency for people to view themselves and their abilities in a more positive light than may be accurate. However, when setting goals, people are more likely to engage in realistic thinking and take into account potential barriers and challenges, rather than solely relying on overly optimistic thinking.

Question 19

Research suggests that when athletes who are preparing for a big game visualize themselves training really hard for the game, they ____; when they visualize themselves actually winning the game, they ____.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that visualizing oneself training hard for the game can actually improve performance by increasing motivation and mental preparation. Additionally, visualizing oneself winning the game can also improve performance by boosting confidence and reducing anxiety. Therefore, athletes who visualize both of these scenarios are likely to train harder than usual and perform better overall. However, it is important to note that visualization alone is not enough and must be combined with actual physical training and preparation.

Question 20

Research on decision-making indicates that people tend to place more weight on possible gains than on possible losses when considering the pros and cons of a particular choice.

Accepted Answer

Research on decision making, particularly the Prospect Theory developed by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, indicates that people tend to place more weight on possible losses than on possible gains when considering the pros and cons of a particular choice, demonstrating a cognitive bias known as loss aversion.

Quiz 4: Behavior Control: the Self in Action