Question 1

Amelia failed a test and said it was because the questions were "tricky"; Oscar passed the same test and said it was because he studied hard. Amelia is using _____; Oscar is using _____.

Accepted Answer

Amelia is attributing her failure to external factors (the "tricky" questions), which is an example of the self-serving bias, a tendency to attribute one's failures to external factors and successes to internal factors. Oscar is attributing his success to his own efforts (studying hard), which is also an example of the self-serving bias, but in the context of attributing success to internal factors.

Question 2

The two major attribution mistakes people make are _____.

Accepted Answer

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to overestimate dispositional factors and underestimate situational factors when making judgments about others. Self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute our successes to dispositional factors and our failures to situational factors. These two errors are the most commonly recognized and studied in attribution theory.

Question 3

The study of how other people influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions is called _____.

Accepted Answer

Social psychology is the study of how social factors, such as the presence of others, social norms, and social influence, impact our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sociology is the study of human society and social behavior more broadly, while social science is a broader term that encompasses the study of society, human behavior, and psychology. Sociobehavioral psychology is a less common term and does not specifically refer to the study of social influence.

Question 4

We misjudge the causes of another person's behavior because we overestimate internal, personal factors and underestimate external, situational influences. This is called_____.

Accepted Answer

The given description is of the fundamental attribution error, which refers to the tendency to ascribe a person's behavior to their personality traits or disposition rather than to external factors beyond their control.

Question 5

Regarding attitudes toward birth control, belief that birth control is important reflects the ______component of attitude.

Accepted Answer

The cognitive component of attitude refers to the beliefs and thoughts one holds about a particular topic or object. Believing that birth control is important is a cognitive component of attitude, as it reflects a belief or thought about the use of birth control. The affective component of attitude pertains to the emotional reactions one has to a topic or object, while the behavioral component refers to how one acts towards the topic or object. The situational component of attitude reflects the influence of the environment or context on one's attitude.

Question 6

The desires to maintain self-esteem and look good to others are two motivations for the use of _____.

Accepted Answer

The self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute one's successes to internal factors (such as ability or effort) and one's failures to external factors (such as bad luck or unfairness). This bias is often used to maintain self-esteem and look good to others by taking credit for success and avoiding blame for failure.

Question 7

According to the text, the two questions about attributions are whether a given action is about:

Accepted Answer

The two questions about attributions are whether a given action is a result of someone's dispositions or their situations. The other choices in the answer options are irrelevant or incomplete.

Question 8

Regarding attitudes toward birth control, being fearful of unwanted pregnancy reflects the ______component of attitude.

Accepted Answer

The affective component of attitude refers to the emotional or feeling aspect of attitudes. Fear of unwanted pregnancy is an emotional response and therefore reflects the affective component of attitude.

Question 9

Which of the following is most often TRUE of social behavior?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that people tend to judge themselves more favorably than they judge others, a phenomenon known as self-serving bias.

Question 10

When you attempt to maintain a positive self-image by taking credit for your successes and emphasizing external causes for your failures, you are engaged in _____.

Accepted Answer

This behavior is known as the self-serving bias, which is a cognitive bias in which people tend to attribute their successes to internal factors (such as their own abilities and efforts) and their failures to external factors (such as bad luck or difficult circumstances) in order to maintain a positive self-image. This bias can lead to distorted thinking and inflated egos.

Question 11

In contrast to other fields within psychology, social psychology emphasizes _____.

Accepted Answer

Social psychology focuses on how social forces, such as group dynamics and social perceptions, influence individual behavior and mental processes.

Question 12

You and a friend are watching a ballgame. The batter misses. You believe this is because the sun is setting and probably cast a glare in his eyes. Your friend believes this is because the batter lacks talent. You made a _____ attribution and your friend made a(n) _____ attribution.

Accepted Answer

You made a situational attribution by attributing the miss to an external factor (the sun's glare) that is out of the batter's control. Your friend made a dispositional attribution by attributing the miss to an internal factor (lack of talent) that is within the batter's control.

Question 13

A stranger walking in front of you trips. You assume this is because he is clumsy, rather than considering the fact that the sidewalk might be uneven. You have just committed _____.

Accepted Answer

The situation described is an example of the fundamental attribution error. This is when we assume that a person's behavior is due to their personality or disposition, rather than considering situational factors that may be influencing their behavior. In this case, the assumption is made that the person is clumsy, rather than considering the possibility that the sidewalk caused them to trip.

Question 14

Regarding attitudes toward birth control, using birth control demonstrates the ______component of attitude.

Accepted Answer

The behavioral component of attitude involves the actions or behaviors one takes in relation to their attitude. Using birth control is a behavior and therefore demonstrates the behavioral component of attitude. The affective component involves emotions or feelings toward the attitude object, the cognitive component involves beliefs or thoughts about the attitude object, and the situational component involves the context or circumstances surrounding the attitude object.

Question 15

The principles people follow in making judgments about the causes of events, others' behavior, and their own behavior are known as _____.

Accepted Answer

The principles people follow in making judgments about the causes of events, others' behavior, and their own behavior are known as attribution. Impression management refers to the strategies people use to control the impressions others have of them, stereotaxic determination is not a recognized psychological concept, and person perception refers to the processes people use to form impressions of others.

Question 16

Compared to individualist cultures, this is less commonly seen in collectivist cultures.

Accepted Answer

The fundamental attribution error and self-serving bias are less commonly seen in collectivist cultures, whereas attributions and prejudice/discrimination can still be present. In individualist cultures, people tend to focus on individual traits and actions when making attributions, leading to the fundamental attribution error and self-serving bias. However, in collectivist cultures, people tend to consider situational factors and the context in which behaviors occur when making attributions, which reduces these biases.

Question 17

The tendency to focus on the most noticeable factors when explaining the cause of behavior is called the _____ bias.

Accepted Answer

The salience bias refers to the tendency to focus on the most noticeable or prominent factors when explaining the cause of behavior, sometimes at the expense of other less visible or less obvious factors.

Question 18

The fact that husbands and wives both report doing more than 50% of the household chores is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is an example of the self-serving bias, where individuals tend to attribute positive outcomes to their own character but attribute negative outcomes to external factors. In this case, both husbands and wives overestimate their contribution to household chores, which serves to maintain or enhance their self-esteem.

Question 19

A learned predisposition to respond cognitively, affectively, and behaviorally to a particular object is known as _____.

Accepted Answer

A learned predisposition to respond cognitively, affectively, and behaviorally to a particular object is known as an attitude. Attitudes involve a person's evaluations and opinions about objects, people, or events. They can be positive, negative, or neutral, and they can influence a person's behavior and decision making.

Question 20

One explanation for why people commit the fundamental attribution error is _____.

Accepted Answer

The saliency bias, or the tendency to focus on the most noticeable or prominent features of a situation or person, can lead people to overlook situational factors and instead attribute behavior to dispositional traits. This can result in the fundamental attribution error.

Quiz 16: Social Psychology

Amelia failed a test and said it was because the questions were "tricky"; Oscar passed the same test and said it was because he studied hard. Amelia is using _; Oscar is using _.