Question 1

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 2

Suppose that Sergej has just asked Georgia whether she would like to study with him for an upcoming English exam. Georgia is struggling in the class, and she knows that Sergej is an excellent English student, so she enthusiastically agrees and says that she is excited to study with him. According to error management theory, it is likely that Sergej will view Georgia's enthusiasm as a sign that ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose that Sergej has just asked Georgia...

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

The term described in the question is reactance, which refers to the human tendency to resist attempts to limit their freedom or choices. A and C are not related to the concept of reactance, and D refers to a different psychological bias.

Question 4

What theme(s)best explain decision avoidance?

Accepted Answer

Decision avoidance is often driven by the idea that some choices are too difficult to make at the moment, as well as the fear of anticipated regret. While temporal discounting and certainty bias may play a role in decision-making, they are not the primary themes that best explain decision avoidance.

Question 5

Compared to incremental theorists, entity theorists show a ____.

Accepted Answer

Entity theorists tend to believe that their abilities are fixed and cannot be improved much through effort, so they tend to stick to things they are already good at in order to avoid failure. In contrast, incremental theorists believe that their abilities can be developed through effort and practice, so they are more likely to take on challenging tasks and work to improve in areas where they are not already skilled. Therefore, A is the best choice as it reflects the tendency of entity theorists to stick to areas where they believe they already possess fixed abilities.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Research on entity and incremental theorists suggests that incremental theorists tend to make more external attributions, attributing others' behaviors to their circumstances or situations, rather than their fixed traits or personalities. This is in contrast to entity theorists who tend to make more internal attributions, attributing behavior to fixed traits or abilities of the person. Therefore, the best choice is C, external attributions for circumstances.

Question 7

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 slightly challenging but not impossible). It is probably safe to assume that Rachel ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Rachel has taken French for years and...

Question 8

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 is an example of reactance, which refers to the phenomenon of wanting something more when it becomes less available or when our freedom to have it is threatened or restricted. In this case, the person's rejection triggered a desire to have another chance with them.

Question 9

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 10

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 ____.

Accepted Answer

The advertisement is playing on reactance, which is the psychological phenomenon where people have a negative reaction to being told what they can or cannot do. By suggesting that the bars should be banned or forbidden, the advertisement is actually making people more attracted to them.

Question 11

Much of the time, people are interested in keeping their options open rather than making restrictive, final decisions. Two biases that help them avoid making decisions are ____.

Accepted Answer

The status quo bias refers to the tendency to maintain the current state of affairs rather than make changes. This bias can keep people from making decisions that would alter the current state, thereby keeping their options open. The omission bias refers to the tendency to avoid taking action that may have negative consequences. By not making a decision, people can avoid the negative outcomes that could result from a wrong decision. Therefore, the best choice is D, which includes both biases. The certainty bias and temporal discounting are not directly related to avoiding making decisions.

Question 12

Which term refers to the tendency to take whatever course of action 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 13

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 14

Aimee is moving to a new state and has looked at numerous houses. She is avoiding making a decision on which one to purchase because she knows once she chooses, she may find a better house she would have loved even more. What best explains Aimee's decision avoidance?

Accepted Answer

Aimee's decision avoidance is best explained by anticipation of regret, which refers to the emotional pain that people experience when they believe that they have made a wrong choice. Aimee may be avoiding making a decision because she fears that she will regret her choice if she finds a better house later.

Question 15

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 most reflects ____.

Accepted Answer

The omission bias refers to our tendency to judge harmful actions as worse than equally harmful inactions (omissions). Mildred’s decision not to take any action to save her relationship reflects the omission bias as she considers the harm caused by taking action (e.g., conflict, potential breakup) to be worse than the harm caused by doing nothing (e.g., gradual deterioration of the relationship).

Question 16

Movies with "R" ratings tend to be more appealing to children and teens than similar movies with "G" or "PG" ratings. This finding is good evidence of ____.

Accepted Answer

Reactance theory explains that when people feel their freedom of choice is threatened, they become more drawn to the forbidden option. Children and teens may feel they have more “forbidden” choices with R-rated movies, which could make them more appealing.

Question 17

One of the common consequences of reactance is ____.

Accepted Answer

Reactance often involves a desire to reassert one's freedom and autonomy, which can lead to aggressive behavior toward the person or situation that triggered the reactance. A and B are not necessarily common consequences of reactance, and D implies a level of rationality and reflection that may not occur in the moment of reactance.

Question 18

Some research suggests that when parents are extremely strict, their children become especially tempted to engage in deviant behaviors. For example, when parents forbid their teen children from going to parties, the teens report being even more attracted to parties and even more interested in attending. These findings are most consistent with ____.

Accepted Answer

Reactance theory suggests that when individuals feel their freedom or autonomy is being threatened or restricted, they may respond with behaviors that attempt to restore their sense of control over their lives. In the case of strict parents, the teens may feel their autonomy is being threatened and therefore be more tempted to engage in deviant behaviors as a way of asserting their independence.

Question 19

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 view traits and abilities as fixed and stable, while incremental theorists believe that it is possible to change and improve traits and abilities. The other options (C and D) refer to cultural orientations rather than beliefs about traits and abilities.

Question 20

The so-called "status quo bias" in decision-making refers to the tendency for people to ____.

Accepted Answer

The status quo bias refers to the tendency for people to want to maintain the current state of affairs instead of making changes. This is often because the current state is seen as familiar and less risky than an unknown future state.

Quiz 4: Behavior Control: the Self in Action

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

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

What theme(s) best explain decision avoidance?

Compared to incremental theorists, entity theorists show a ____.

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

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 slightly challenging but not impossible) . It is probably safe to assume that Rachel ____.

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 ____.

Much of the time, people are interested in keeping their options open rather than making restrictive, final decisions. Two biases that help them avoid making decisions are ____.

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

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 .

Aimee is moving to a new state and has looked at numerous houses. She is avoiding making a decision on which one to purchase because she knows once she chooses, she may find a better house she would have loved even more. What best explains Aimee's decision avoidance?

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 most reflects ____.

Movies with "R" ratings tend to be more appealing to children and teens than similar movies with "G" or "PG" ratings. This finding is good evidence of ____.

One of the common consequences of reactance is ____.

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 .

The so-called "status quo bias" in decision-making refers to the tendency for people to ____.