You are waiting in line at a university book store while wearing a shirt with the mascot of a rival school. Before ringing you up, the cashier spends several minutes chatting on his cell phone instead of helping you right away. You believe his rude behavior was due to his distaste for the rival school featured on your shirt. Your friend thinks the cashier simply didn't notice you. This situation is an example of which of the following?
A) Ambivalent discrimination
B) Subtle stereotyping
C) Attributional ambiguity
D) Categorical hypersensitivity

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The situation is an example of attributional ambiguity, as it is unclear whether the cashier's behavior was due to his distaste for the rival school or whether he simply didn't notice the person wearing the shirt. There is no evidence of ambivalent discrimination or categorical hypersensitivity, and while subtle stereotyping could be a factor, it is not the primary issue at play in this situation.

You Are Waiting in Line at a University Book Store