Question 1

Denrell's (2005)explanation for the persistence of negative first impressions is that when we meet someone and do not like them, we tend to reduce the opportunity for future interaction, which allows the first impression to remain stable and relatively crystallized.This notion is called

Accepted Answer

Denrell's explanation for the persistence of negative first impressions is called biased experience sampling, where we selectively sample experiences that confirm our initial impression while ignoring those that might contradict it.

Question 2

The primacy effect refers to the tendency for

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect refers to the tendency for people's impressions of others to be more affected by information that is learned early rather than late in a sequence. This is why first impressions are often so powerful and can have a lasting impact on how someone is perceived.

Question 3

Imagine that you are grading the exams of two students, Michael and Fredo.They both get only half the questions correct.However, Michael gets most of his questions right on the first half of the test, whereas Fredo gets most of his questions right on the last half of the test.According to Asch's work on primacy effects in impression formation, you would be likely to conclude that

Accepted Answer

Asch's work on primacy effects suggests that the information presented at the beginning of a sequence has a stronger impact on impression formation. Therefore, because Michael did better on the first half of the test, the grader is likely to conclude that he is smarter than Fredo, who did better on the second half of the test. However, it is important to note that this conclusion may not be accurate as it is based on a cognitive bias.

Question 4

A baseball manager who clings to old strategies that are ineffective, a lawyer who selects juries according to false stereotypes, and a political leader who does not withdraw support for a failing program are all exhibiting

Accepted Answer

The baseball manager, lawyer, and political leader are all demonstrating belief perseverance, which is the tendency to stick to one's beliefs even in the face of contradictory evidence. They are not willing to reassess their strategies or decisions, despite evidence that they may be ineffective or harmful.

Question 5

Ellen is at the mall doing some shopping when she runs into one of her closest friends, Vicki.Vicki is with a friend visiting from out of town and introduces that friend to Ellen.Research on impression formation suggests that

Accepted Answer

Research on impression formation suggests that people tend to like individuals who are introduced by someone they already like or admire. In this case, since Ellen considers Vicki as one of her closest friends, she is likely to have a positive impression of Vicki's friend as well. Therefore, option B is the best choice. Options A, C, and D are unlikely to happen based on the given information.

Question 6

Research has shown that the strength of first impressions is even greater for individuals who

Accepted Answer

Individuals who are high in need for closure tend to seek out quick and definitive conclusions, and thus tend to rely heavily on first impressions. This can lead to a stronger impact of first impressions on their perception and judgments of others. Research has found that individuals high in need for closure are more likely to rely on initial impressions for evaluating others in a variety of contexts.

Question 7

Implicit personality theories suggest that if we know Yael is an extrovert, we would

Accepted Answer

Implicit personality theories suggest that people tend to assume that certain traits go together. Therefore, if Yael is described as an extrovert, people are likely to assume that she also possesses other personality traits that are commonly associated with extroversion, such as being outgoing or sociable.

Question 8

Traits that suggest the presence of other traits and that exert a powerful influence on final impressions are called

Accepted Answer

Central traits are traits that are highly influential in forming impressions of a person and suggest the presence of other traits. They have a strong impact on the final impressions we have of a person. Implicit traits are traits that are inferred from behavior and are not directly observed. Priming traits are traits that are activated in memory due to exposure to a related stimulus. Confirming traits are traits that confirm already existing beliefs about a person but may not have a powerful influence on final impressions.

Question 9

Cosmo is convinced that his accountant is a drug addict.To determine whether he is correct, Cosmo asks his friends if the accountant sniffs a lot, uses slang when he speaks, or frequently excuses himself to use the men's room-three behaviors Cosmo believes are characteristic of drug addicts.Cosmo's methods illustrate

Accepted Answer

Cosmo's methods illustrate confirmatory hypothesis testing, as he is seeking information that confirms his preexisting belief about the accountant being a drug addict. He is not considering other explanations or seeking objective evidence, which are important components of scientific inquiry.

Question 10

The universal dimensions of social cognition are

Accepted Answer

Social cognition is the study of how people think about and interact with others. It is a universal human experience, and as such, it has certain dimensions that are common to all cultures. These dimensions include the ability to recognize and understand emotions, the ability to infer the intentions of others, and the ability to cooperate with others.

Question 11

The finding that people's initial impressions of someone affect their interpretation of subsequent information about that person is most consistent with the

Accepted Answer

The answer of The finding that people's initial impressions of...

Question 12

People most often and easily differentiate each other based on which of the following two dimensions?

Accepted Answer

Warm vs. cold is a fundamental dimension of personality that is easily observable and distinguishable.

Question 13

Negative information about a target

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that negative information elicits stronger electrical activity in the right prefrontal cortex and amygdala, which are associated with processing negative emotions and threats, compared to positive or neutral information.

Question 14

The desire to reduce cognitive uncertainty, which heightens the importance of first impressions, is called

Accepted Answer

Need for closure is the desire to reduce uncertainty and ambiguity, leading individuals to seek out information that will provide closure and make decisions quickly. This heightens the importance of first impressions as they can provide a sense of closure and reduce uncertainty.

Question 15

One explanation for the primacy effect is that

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect suggests that initial information influences how later information is perceived, often altering its meaning to fit with the first impressions.

Question 16

A confirmation bias refers to people's tendency to

Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias refers to the tendency to seek, interpret, and create information in ways that support existing beliefs. This often involves ignoring or downplaying information that contradicts one's beliefs and exaggerating or overemphasizing information that supports them. Confirmation bias is a common cognitive bias that can lead to flawed decision-making and beliefs that are resistant to change, even in the face of contradictory evidence.

Question 17

A network of assumptions that people make about the relationships among traits and behaviors is called

Accepted Answer

A network of assumptions that people make about the relationships among traits and behaviors is referred to as an implicit personality theory. These theories guide how people process and interpret information about others' personalities and behaviors, and can influence their attitudes and behaviors towards them.

Question 18

Which of the following traits would produce the most extreme impression of a target?

Accepted Answer

Cruelty would produce the most extreme impression of a target as it is a highly negative trait and can create a strong emotional response in others. Honesty, maturity, and intelligence are positive traits that can certainly leave an impression, but they may not elicit as extreme of a reaction as cruelty.

Question 19

Which of the following is the best example of a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Accepted Answer

This is the best example of a self-fulfilling prophecy because the interviewer's expectation that minority candidates are unprepared leads to behaviors that influence the candidate's performance during the interview. The candidate's poor performance then reinforces the initial expectation of the interviewer, creating a cycle of self-fulfillment.

Question 20

Darley and Gross (1983)conducted a study in which they asked participants to evaluate the intellectual ability of a nine-year-old named "Hannah." Some participants were led to believe that she came from a high socioeconomic (SES)background; others were led to believe she came from a low SES background.Which of the following statements about this study is accurate?

Accepted Answer

This is supported by the study conducted by Darley and Gross (1983), where participants' expectations affected their perceptions of the target's performance, even when that performance was identical across conditions. Participants who believed Hannah came from a high SES background rated her as more intelligent than those who believed she came from a low SES background, even though she performed the same in both conditions.

Quiz 4: Perceiving Persons

Denrell's (2005) explanation for the persistence of negative first impressions is that when we meet someone and do not like them, we tend to reduce the opportunity for future interaction, which allows the first impression to remain stable and relatively crystallized.This notion is called