Question 1

Unhappy spouses tend to make attributions that are ________ and ________, which may maintain their distress.
A) internal; stable
B) external; temporary
C) nonblaming; temporary
D) blaming; external

Accepted Answer

Unhappy spouses often make attributions that are internal (blaming themselves or their partner's character) and stable (believing the cause is unchanging), which can perpetuate their distress.

Question 2

A study that followed men for 40 years and asked them to rate their marital satisfaction at regular intervals found the usual gradual decline in satisfaction over time. However, in a retrospective account after 40 years, the men reported that their marriages had been very satisfying in the beginning, grew gradually less satisfying in the middle years, and then became more satisfying again in recent years (a U-shaped curve). Their memories of how their satisfaction changed were ________ with the actual satisfaction data collected over the course of their lives due to a ________.
A) consistent; confirmation bias
B) consistent; memory bias
C) inconsistent; memory bias
D) inconsistent; confirmation bias

Accepted Answer

The men's retrospective account of their marital satisfaction is inconsistent with the actual data collected over the course of their lives. This inconsistency is due to memory bias, as their memories of their satisfaction levels followed a U-shaped curve, whereas the actual data showed a gradual decline in satisfaction over time. Confirmation bias refers to the tendency to selectively look for or interpret information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or expectations, which is not relevant in this scenario. Therefore, choice C is the best answer.

Question 3

Selective attention and memory bias serve to ________, whereas adaptive attributions and flexible standards serve to ________.
A) create distress; promote satisfaction
B) keep negative information out of awareness; minimize the impact of negative information
C) promote accuracy; interfere with enhancement
D) make information processing implicit; make information processing explicit

Accepted Answer

Selective attention and memory bias work to exclude negative information and maintain a positive self-image, which can ultimately lead to distress. On the other hand, adaptive attributions and flexible standards promote a more accurate and realistic view of the self, which can lead to greater satisfaction and well-being.

Question 4

When you were in high school, your friend Janise said that a romantic partner with a sense of humor was critical to a lasting relationship. At your 5-year reunion, you meet her husband and he seems to be a nice person but quite deficient in the humor department. Having just taken a course on close relationships, you recognize that this is an example of ________.
A) compartmentalization
B) sentiment override
C) flexible standards
D) memory bias

Accepted Answer

Flexible standards refer to the idea that people may adjust their criteria for a partner or aspects of a relationship over time, indicating that what Janise once deemed critical (a sense of humor) may have changed by the time she chose her husband.

Question 5

According to the empathy accuracy model, when should partners in intimate relationships be especially motivated to understand each other accurately?
A) when they want to feel closer to their partners
B) during and immediately after a conflict
C) when individuals suspect that what their partners are thinking will not be threatening to them
D) when partners need support from each other

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the empathy accuracy model, when...

Question 6

You are constantly amazed that your friend Parminder seems unaware of the negative behaviors of her boyfriend, Sam. You notice that Sam has a tendency to tease Parminder in a mean-spirited way in front of her friends. What might explain this phenomenon?
A) self-serving bias
B) selective attention
C) empathy accuracy model
D) diagnosticity bias

Accepted Answer

Parminder's selective attention could be causing her to overlook or rationalize Sam's negative behaviors towards her. She may be focusing on the positive aspects of their relationship or may be afraid of being alone, leading her to overlook the negative behaviors.

Question 7

Jack and Kate are unhappy in their relationship. Robbie and Sawyer are happy in their relationship. One night, Jack and Robbie find themselves sitting at a restaurant waiting for their very late partners to arrive for dinner. According to research on attributions in relationships, Jack is likely to think ________, and Robbie is likely to think ________.
A) Òshe is unorganized and lost track of timeÓ; Òshe is rather inconsiderateÓ
B) Òshe likely got tied up at the officeÓ; Òshe must have gotten lost on the way hereÓ
C) Òshe doesn't care about our familyÓ; Òshe is probably having trouble finding parkingÓ
D) Òshe must have hit heavy trafficÓ; Òshe always was a little forgetfulÓ

Accepted Answer

Jack, being unhappy in his relationship, is more likely to make a negative attribution about Kate's lateness, such as not caring about their family. Robbie, being happy in his relationship, is more likely to make a benign attribution for Sawyer's lateness, like having trouble finding parking.

Question 8

What is one explanation for the self-serving bias?
A) It allows people to see each other accurately.
B) It gives people an excuse for their bad behavior in relationships.
C) It helps people see the best in each other.
D) It helps people make relationship decisions based on accurate information.

Accepted Answer

The self-serving bias allows people to attribute their positive actions to their own character and their negative actions to external causes, ultimately giving them an excuse for their bad behavior in relationships.

Question 9

Samantha and Carmine, like many couples, have experienced declining satisfaction over the years. However, Samantha is quite adamant that their relationship is Òthe best it's ever been!Ó How is this possible?
A) Samantha has an enhancement bias.
B) Samantha has positive expectancy biases.
C) Samantha has a memory bias.
D) Samantha makes positive attributions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Samantha and Carmine, like many couples, have...

Question 10

________ occurs when existing knowledge structures change to integrate new information. ________ occurs when new information is integrated with existing knowledge without changing the existing knowledge structures.
A) Assimilation; Accommodation
B) Cognitive editing; Motivated reasoning
C) Motivated reasoning; Cognitive editing
D) Accommodation; Assimilation

Accepted Answer

Accommodation involves altering existing schemas or ideas as a result of new information or new experiences. Assimilation, on the other hand, involves integrating new experiences into existing schemas without changing them.

Question 11

Jose and Savannah have just had a huge argument about finances, but now they feel closer to each other than before. How would you explain this using the empathy accuracy model?
A) Jose and Savannah were able to accurately detect each other's nonthreatening and threatening thoughts.
B) Jose and Savannah were able to accurately detect each other's nonthreatening thoughts but inaccurately detect each other's threatening thoughts.
C) Jose and Savannah were able to accurately detect each other's threatening thoughts but inaccurately detect each other's nonthreatening thoughts.
D) Jose and Savannah were able to inaccurately detect each other's nonthreatening and threatening thoughts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jose and Savannah have just had a...

Question 12

Jasmine's partner comes home from work with a bouquet of flowers for her. Jasmine thinks, ÒSarah hardly ever brings me flowers. She's so cheap; they must have been on sale.Ó Because Jasmine is ________, we can conclude that she and Sarah are in a ________ relationship.
A) giving Sarah credit for positive behaviors and likely excusing her negative ones; satisfied
B) giving Sarah credit for positive behaviors and likely excusing her negative ones; distressed
C) finding external reasons for Sarah's positive behaviors and likely excusing her negative ones; satisfied
D) finding external reasons for Sarah's positive behaviors and likely blaming her for negative ones; distressed

Accepted Answer

Jasmine's interpretation of Sarah's action (bringing flowers) as motivated by external factors (the flowers being on sale) rather than attributing it to Sarah's affection or thoughtfulness, and her readiness to think negatively (labeling Sarah as cheap), suggests a tendency to find external reasons for positive behaviors and blame Sarah for negative ones. This pattern of attribution is often found in distressed relationships, where partners view each other's actions through a negative lens.

Question 13

Cesar says his wife is a flighty person, which is her greatest fault, and then he later says he loves her spontaneity. This is an example of:
A) compartmentalization.
B) integration.
C) refutation.
D) cognitive restructuring.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cesar says his wife is a flighty...

Question 14

Adam believes that his marriage ended simply because he and his wife were poorly matched and experienced a lot of stress when he lost his job. He also believes that his new relationship is working so well because he has learned a lot and is working hard to build intimacy with his new partner. What information processing bias does this reflect?
A) self-serving bias
B) confirmation bias
C) empathy bias
D) selective attention

Accepted Answer

Adam is attributing the end of his marriage to external factors (poor match and job loss) rather than acknowledging any personal responsibility, which is a classic example of self-serving bias. He is also giving credit to himself for the success of his current relationship, indicating a bias towards viewing himself in a positive light.

Question 15

The explanations an individual makes about a partner's behavior are:
A) flexible standards.
B) attributions.
C) refutations.
D) accommodations.

Accepted Answer

The term used for explanations of a partner's behavior is "attributions".

Question 16

Even after Bill Clinton had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, Hillary Clinton did not seek to divorce him. What kind of information processing may have led to her decision to stay?
A) attributions that discounted the undesirable aspects of his actions and emphasized his positive qualities
B) selective attention, which overlooked his negative behavior
C) attributions that put Monica Lewinsky in a favorable light and thus allowed Hillary Clinton to preserve a positive view of her husband
D) attributions that assumed that Bill's behavior was motivated by malicious intent, thus allowing Hillary to forgive him

Accepted Answer

Hillary Clinton may have processed the information about Bill Clinton's affair by making attributions that discounted the undesirable aspects of his actions and emphasized his positive qualities. This would allow her to preserve a positive view of her husband and the relationship, which may have been more important to her than leaving him over the affair.

Question 17

Tom and Amrita have been fighting a lot and are thinking of breaking up. After a particularly bad fight, Tom decides to pick up some flowers for Amrita on his way home. Amrita thinks that Tom is bringing her flowers because he is feeling guilty about the fight and not because he is sorry. What kind of attribution is she making?
A) an external, nonintentional attribution
B) an external, stable attribution
C) an internal, stable attribution
D) an internal, temporary attribution

Accepted Answer

Amrita is making an internal, temporary attribution by assuming that Tom's behavior (bringing flowers) is caused by his current emotional state (feeling guilty about the fight) rather than a stable trait or external circumstances.

Question 18

________ refers to whether the cause of behavior is something about the person or something about circumstances; ________ refers to whether the cause of the behavior is something that is likely to persist over time or is temporary.
A) Locus; stability
B) Intentionality; stability
C) Stability; locus
D) Locus; intentionality

Accepted Answer

Locus refers to where the cause of behavior is found, whether in the person (internal) or in the circumstances (external). Stability refers to whether the cause of behavior is likely to persist over time or is temporary.

Question 19

According to the text, Simpson and colleagues conducted a study about empathy in relationships. They discovered that:
A) liking and empathy go hand in hand; as one increases, so does the other.
B) when a partner experiences thoughts that might be threatening to the relationship, it is best if the other partner accurately understands them.
C) an individual feels closer to her or his partner following a discussion if the individual accurately detects nonthreatening thoughts about the relationship but inaccurately detects when the partner has threatening thoughts.
D) Òignorance is blissÓ; an individual is generally better off being inaccurate about his or her partner's thoughts and feelings and simply assuming that the partner views them favorably.

Accepted Answer

Simpson and colleagues found that individuals feel closer to their partners when they accurately detect nonthreatening thoughts but inaccurately detect threatening thoughts, suggesting selective empathy benefits relationship closeness.

Question 20

In couples' relationships, memory biases:
A) are likely to increase over time.
B) are a relationship-enhancing strategy.
C) are based on an accuracy motivation.
D) only occur in married couples.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In couples' relationships, memory biases:
A) are likely...

Quiz 10: Understanding Each Other

Unhappy spouses tend to make attributions that are and , which may maintain their distress.

Selective attention and memory bias serve to , whereas adaptive attributions and flexible standards serve to .

According to the empathy accuracy model, when should partners in intimate relationships be especially motivated to understand each other accurately?

You are constantly amazed that your friend Parminder seems unaware of the negative behaviors of her boyfriend, Sam. You notice that Sam has a tendency to tease Parminder in a mean-spirited way in front of her friends. What might explain this phenomenon?

What is one explanation for the self-serving bias?

Samantha and Carmine, like many couples, have experienced declining satisfaction over the years. However, Samantha is quite adamant that their relationship is Òthe best it's ever been!Ó How is this possible?

occurs when existing knowledge structures change to integrate new information. occurs when new information is integrated with existing knowledge without changing the existing knowledge structures.

Jose and Savannah have just had a huge argument about finances, but now they feel closer to each other than before. How would you explain this using the empathy accuracy model?

Jasmine's partner comes home from work with a bouquet of flowers for her. Jasmine thinks, ÒSarah hardly ever brings me flowers. She's so cheap; they must have been on sale.Ó Because Jasmine is , we can conclude that she and Sarah are in a relationship.

Cesar says his wife is a flighty person, which is her greatest fault, and then he later says he loves her spontaneity. This is an example of:

The explanations an individual makes about a partner's behavior are:

Even after Bill Clinton had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, Hillary Clinton did not seek to divorce him. What kind of information processing may have led to her decision to stay?

refers to whether the cause of behavior is something about the person or something about circumstances; refers to whether the cause of the behavior is something that is likely to persist over time or is temporary.

According to the text, Simpson and colleagues conducted a study about empathy in relationships. They discovered that:

In couples' relationships, memory biases: