Question 1

The process of forming impressions of and making inferences about other people is

Accepted Answer

Social perception is the process of forming impressions and making inferences about other people.

Question 2

Which of the following is not a major theory that describes how we think about the reasons people engage in particular behaviours?

Accepted Answer

Dissonance theory is primarily concerned with the discomfort people feel when their beliefs and behaviors are inconsistent, rather than explaining the reasons behind behaviors.

Question 3

According to Heider (1958), people use cause and effect theories to understand their world and other peoples' behaviour. In this way, Heider suggests, we are all

Accepted Answer

Heider proposed that people act as "naïve psychologists," meaning they naturally try to understand and explain the behavior of others by attributing causes to actions, even without formal training in psychology.

Question 4

Which of the following is not a principle in Heider's (1958) theory of "naïve psychology"?

Accepted Answer

Heider's theory of "naïve psychology" does not specifically include the principle of looking at the distinctiveness of other people's behaviors. This concept is more related to Kelley’s covariation model.

Question 5

If your explanation for a person's behaviour is situational, then you can say it is a(n)

Accepted Answer

If your explanation for a person's behaviour is situational, then you can say it is an external attribution because it is based on the situation rather than the person's internal characteristics.

Question 6

If your explanation for a person's behaviour is dispositional, then you can say it is a(n)

Accepted Answer

Dispositional explanations refer to internal attributions, where behavior is attributed to internal characteristics such as personality traits.

Question 7

If Roz is making an external attribution about Frasier's short-temper she might say

Accepted Answer

External attributions involve explaining behavior by referring to situational factors, such as stress or external pressures, rather than personal characteristics.

Question 8

If you explain a fast driver by saying, "That person is so aggressive" then you are making a(n)

Accepted Answer

An internal attribution assigns the cause of behavior to personal characteristics, such as being aggressive.

Question 9

If you explain a fast driver by saying, "That driver must be late for an important appointment" then you are making a(n)

Accepted Answer

An external attribution is when behavior is explained by situational factors, such as being late for an appointment.

Question 10

Eugenia bought a Fudgesicle at the snack bar. If you learn that this was the only flavour left, you would probably attribute her choice to the _______. If you know there was a selection of flavours, you would probably attribute her choice to _______.

Accepted Answer

If Fudgesicle was the only flavor left, her choice is due to the situation (limited options). If there were multiple flavors, her choice reflects her disposition (personal preference).

Question 11

The correspondent inference theory states that we make a dispositional attribution when all of the following are present, except

Accepted Answer

The answer of The correspondent inference theory states that we...

Question 12

Using the correspondent inference theory, the flavour selected at an ice cream store with 99 flavours would be attributed to

Accepted Answer

The correspondent inference theory suggests that when someone makes a choice from many options, it is more likely attributed to their disposition or personal preference.

Question 13

You know that Jennie has been a life long supporter of the Conservative party, so you were a bit surprised that she supported the NDP tax plan. Based on the correspondent inference theory, Jennie's behaviour would be attributed to

Accepted Answer

The answer of You know that Jennie has been a...

Question 14

What theory focuses on the factors present when the behaviour occurs and the factors absent when the behaviour does not occur?

Accepted Answer

The covariation model, proposed by Harold Kelley, focuses on how people determine the causes of a person's behavior by considering the presence or absence of potential causal factors when the behavior occurs and does not occur.

Question 15

Micah is afraid of dogs, so when he visits Amanda's house for the first time, he avoids going to the door because they have a dog. According to the correspondent inference theory, you would attribute Micah's behaviour at Amanda's house to

Accepted Answer

According to the correspondent inference theory, behavior is attributed to a person's disposition when it is freely chosen, unexpected, and has a few effects. Micah's avoidance of the door due to fear of dogs suggests a dispositional attribution.

Question 16

Which of the following is not a main component to be considered in the covariation theory?

Accepted Answer

Diversity is not a component of the covariation theory. The main components are consistency, consensus, and distinctiveness.

Question 17

One component to consider in the covariation model is information about whether a person's behaviour toward a given stimulus is the same across time; a factor referred to as

Accepted Answer

Consistency refers to whether a person's behavior toward a given stimulus is the same across time and situations.

Question 18

Information about whether a person's behaviour is generally the same toward different stimuli, considered in the covariation model is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Distinctiveness refers to whether a person's behavior is unique to a particular situation or stimulus, indicating if their behavior changes with different stimuli.

Question 19

When making an attribution based on the covariation model, one factor that is considered is whether other people generally behave in the same way toward the stimulus as the target person; a factor referred to as

Accepted Answer

Consensus refers to the extent to which other people generally behave in the same way toward the stimulus as the target person.

Question 20

Jenna was not surprised that Ebony found the slapstick routine funny since all of their friends find it funny as well. Jenna would make a situational attribution based on which component of the covariation theory?

Accepted Answer

Consensus refers to how other people behave in similar situations. Since all of their friends find the routine funny, it indicates high consensus, leading Jenna to make a situational attribution.

Quiz 4: Social Perception