Question 1

What term is used by evolutionary theorists for a group that one belongs to and identifies with

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary theorists use the term "ingroup" to refer to a group that an individual belongs to and identifies with. This concept is central to understanding social behavior and intergroup relations among humans and other animals.

Question 2

Tally just heard that her neighbour,Rupert,was involved in an automobile accident.If Tally concludes that Rupert's reckless driving habits caused the accident,what has she done

Accepted Answer

Tally has made an internal attribution by assuming that Rupert's behavior (reckless driving habits) caused the accident. This attribution implies that the cause of the accident is located within Rupert's personality or character, rather than being due to external factors such as road conditions or other drivers' behavior.

Question 3

You've just been awarded a full scholarship for next year,which you perceive as confirmation of your superior intellectual ability.According to Weiner's model,what type of attribution have you made about your success

Accepted Answer

The attribution made in this situation is internal and stable. The individual attributes their success to their own abilities (internal) and perceives it as a stable trait rather than a situational factor.

Question 4

Parvati is a member of a jury,and she has voted "guilty." All the other jury members have voted "not guilty." At this point,how would the other jury members classify Parvati

Accepted Answer

The other jury members would classify Parvati as a member of their outgroup because she disagrees with their unanimous decision. This can lead to feelings of distrust and bias towards Parvati, creating an ingroup-outgroup dynamic. Choice A (confirmation bias) does not apply to how the other jury members would classify Parvati, as that refers to an individual's tendency to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs. Choice C (ingroup) is incorrect because Parvati is not a member of their group if she voted differently. Choice D (latitude of acceptance) does not apply here as it refers to the range of ideas or opinions that an individual is willing to accept.

Question 5

Which statement best reflects an evolutionary explanation of why we tend to be influenced by physical attractiveness in our perception of others

Accepted Answer

Evolutionarily, physical attractiveness is associated with reproductive success, and therefore, it has adaptive value. Humans tend to be influenced by physical attractiveness in their perception of others because it is an indicator of good genes and overall health, which are attractive traits for potential mates.

Question 6

Alphonse failed his geology midterm.According to Weiner's attributional model,if Alphonse makes an external-unstable attribution for his failure,what is he most likely to say

Accepted Answer

Alphonse is making an external attribution by blaming his failure on "bad luck," indicating that he does not believe his failure was due to a stable personal trait or ability. Additionally, he is citing an external factor, the exam questions focusing on a chapter he didn't study, as the reason for his failure.

Question 7

According to evolutionary psychologists,what has shaped the cognitive mechanisms that lead to bias in person perception

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychologists believe that bias in person perception is shaped by natural selection. Our ancestors had to quickly judge whether someone was friend or foe, and this cognitive mechanism has been passed down through generations. This can lead to biases such as assuming someone who looks like us is more trustworthy or assuming someone who looks different from us is a threat.

Question 8

Tina recently lost half of the money she had put away for her retirement.If Webster concludes that Tina lost the money because the stock market took a significant downturn,what has he done

Accepted Answer

By attributing Tina's loss of money to the stock market, Webster is making an external attribution, or attributing the cause of the event to external factors outside of Tina's control.

Question 9

What do we use attributions for

Accepted Answer

Attributions are used to explain our experiences and influence our social relations by helping us understand the causes of behaviors and events.

Question 10

You and your friend Nick are having lunch at a café.As you start describing your last date,Nick starts making a nasty face.You assume that Nick must have tasted something terrible,so you ask if there is something wrong with the soup.Why did you ask about the soup

Accepted Answer

The answer of You and your friend Nick are having...

Question 11

Imagine that you recently obtained a job that you applied for.According to Weiner's attributional model,if you state,"I knew I would get the job because I just seemed to do everything right on the day of the interview," what type of attribution have you made

Accepted Answer

This statement reflects an internal-unstable attribution because it attributes the success to something about the self (internal) that may not always be the case (unstable), such as performing exceptionally well on a particular day.

Question 12

Celine just heard that her neighbour,Rodney,was involved in an automobile accident.If Celine concludes that Rodney's children must have distracted him for a few seconds,and that was the reason for the accident,what has she done

Accepted Answer

Celine has made an external attribution by attributing Rodney's accident to an external factor (his children distracting him) rather than something about Rodney himself, such as his driving skills or attention.

Question 13

Martha wins three games of backgammon in a row,even though she has never played before.If Martha assumes she has "beginner's luck," what type of attribution has she made about her success

Accepted Answer

Martha attributes her success to external factors (i.e. beginner's luck), which suggests that her success is unstable and not necessarily due to her internal abilities or traits. Therefore, the best choice is B - external-unstable.

Question 14

What type of attribution is blaming a car accident on the weather conditions an example of

Accepted Answer

Blaming a car accident on the weather conditions is an example of an external attribution, as the cause of the accident is seen as being due to external factors (the weather), rather than something internal to the driver or another individual involved in the accident.

Question 15

Eric has joined a new fraternity.Based on the research conducted by Krebs and Denton,if the other fraternity members now consider Eric as part of their ingroup,what are they more likely to do

Accepted Answer

According to Krebs and Denton's research on social identity theory, when someone is perceived as part of the ingroup, they are likely to be viewed in a generally positive light. Therefore, the other fraternity members are more likely to view Eric positively now that he is part of their ingroup.

Question 16

According to evolutionary psychologists,how do we tend to view members of outgroups

Accepted Answer

According to evolutionary psychologists, humans tend to view members of outgroups with negative stereotypes. This is believed to stem from evolutionary tendencies towards favoring members of one's own group for survival purposes. Studies have shown that people are more likely to show bias towards members of outgroups even when there is no obvious reason to do so.

Question 17

Dallas watches as Rhoda missteps in the cafeteria and spills coffee on herself and two other students.If Dallas concludes that Rhoda is an uncoordinated "klutz" who wasn't paying attention to what she was doing,what has he done

Accepted Answer

Dallas has made an internal attribution by assuming that Rhoda's clumsiness is due to her personal characteristics, rather than external factors such as the crowded cafeteria or an unstable surface.

Question 18

A father suggests that his son's low marks in school are the result of having a bad teacher this year.What type of attribution has the father made

Accepted Answer

The father is attributing his son's low marks to an external factor (the teacher) that is not inherent to the son's abilities or personality, and it is considered unstable because it can change over time (e.g., the son could have a different teacher next year).

Question 19

Harper is 35 years old,and she has just enrolled in her first university course.On the first day of class,she looks over the individuals in the room and sits next to another female student who appears to be in her early 30s.In this case,how did Harper classify the other student

Accepted Answer

Harper classified the other student as a member of her ingroup, likely based on perceived similarities such as age or gender.

Question 20

A father suggests that his son's low marks in school are because the boy has always been lazy.What type of attribution has the father made

Accepted Answer

The father has attributed the cause of the low marks to an internal and stable factor, laziness, suggesting that it is a trait of the boy's personality which is unlikely to change.

Quiz 13: A: Social Behaviour