Question 1

Martha wins three games of backgammon in a row, even though she has never played before. If Martha assumes she has "beginner's luck," she is making an ____ attribution about her success; if she decides backgammon is an easy game, she is making an ____ attribution about her success.
A) internal-stable; internal-unstable
B) internal-unstable; external-unstable
C) external-unstable; internal-stable
D) external-unstable; external-stable

Accepted Answer

The answer of Martha wins three games of backgammon in...

Question 2

Celine just heard that her neighbor, Rodney, was involved in an automobile accident. If Celine concludes that Rodney's children distracted him for a few seconds, and that was the reason for the accident, she has
A) made an external attribution.
B) made an internal attribution.
C) made the fundamental attribution error.
D) been influenced by an illusory correlation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Celine just heard that her neighbor, Rodney,...

Question 3

Ralph watches as a customer with at least 40 items lines up at his express checkout line. He decides the customer must be a real "idiot" to miss the sign that indicates Ralph's checkout line is an express line with a limit of 10 items. Ralph's attribution for the cause of the customer's behavior is consistent with
A) the fundamental attribution error.
B) drawing an illusory correlation.
C) a self-serving bias.
D) a defensive attribution.

Accepted Answer

Ralph is committing the fundamental attribution error by assuming that the customer's behavior is due to their personal characteristics (being an idiot) rather than considering situational factors (such as not seeing the sign or not realizing they had over the item limit).

Question 4

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, he has
A) been influenced by an illusory correlation.
B) made an internal attribution.
C) made a self-serving attribution.
D) made an external attribution.

Accepted Answer

Dallas has made an internal attribution by concluding that Rhoda's behavior is due to her personal characteristics, such as being uncoordinated and not paying attention. He is not considering external factors, such as a slippery floor or a distracting noise, that may have contributed to Rhoda's misstep. This is an example of the fundamental attribution error.

Question 5

According to Bernard Weiner people also focus on the ____ of the causes of underlying behavior.
A) stability
B) personal nature
C) positive or negative aspect
D) correctness

Accepted Answer

According to Bernard Weiner's attribution theory, people focus on the stability of the causes of underlying behavior, whether the causes are stable (consistent over time) or unstable (inconsistent over time). The other options are not directly addressed by Weiner's theory.

Question 6

If you tend to overemphasize internal characteristics in explaining the behavior of others, you are evidencing the
A) false consensus effect.
B) situational attributional tendency.
C) self-serving bias.
D) fundamental attribution error.

Accepted Answer

The fundamental attribution error involves overemphasizing internal characteristics (such as personality traits) in explaining the behavior of others, while underestimating situational factors.

Question 7

When the causes of a person's behavior are attributed to situational demands and environmental constraints, it is referred to as
A) a stable attribution.
B) an unstable attribution.
C) an external attribution.
D) an internal attribution.

Accepted Answer

When a person's behavior is attributed to situational demands and environmental constraints, it is an external attribution, meaning that factors outside of the person's control are seen as contributing to the behavior. This is different from an internal attribution, which would attribute the behavior to the person's internal qualities or characteristics. A stable attribution would suggest that the behavior is consistent over time, while an unstable attribution would suggest that the behavior is variable or situational.

Question 8

Tina recently lost over half 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, he has
A) made an internal attribution.
B) made the fundamental attribution error.
C) been influenced by an illusory correlation.
D) made an external attribution.

Accepted Answer

Webster is making an external attribution by attributing Tina's loss of money to external factors such as the stock market, rather than internal factors such as Tina's own actions or decisions.

Question 9

Weiner suggested that when making attributions for success and failure, people focus on the ____ dimension concerning causes that contribute to the behavior.
A) stable-unstable
B) internal-external
C) unique-common
D) optimistic-pessimistic

Accepted Answer

The answer of Weiner suggested that when making attributions for...

Question 10

Which of the following reflects a clear dispositional attribution?
A) "Something got the best of him"
B) "He did what he felt was right"
C) "He did what he had to do"
D) "He went along with the crowd"

Accepted Answer

"He did what he felt was right" reflects a clear dispositional attribution because it suggests that the person's behavior was a result of their personal beliefs or values. It implies that the person acted based on their own internal motivations, rather than external factors.

Question 11

Jane's eight-year-old son brought a note home from school today stating that he was involved in a fight at recess. Which of the following is an example of an external attribution that Jane might make to explain her son's behavior?
A) he's just like his father
B) he always gets in fights
C) the other child probably started the fight and he was protecting himself
D) he probably couldn't help himself since he doesn't have much self-control

Accepted Answer

Making an external attribution involves attributing behavior to external factors, such as the situation, environment, or other people. Option C suggests that the other child may have started the fight, which is an external factor that may have led to Jane's son's behavior. Options A, B, and D are all examples of internal attributions, which involve attributing behavior to internal factors, such as personality traits or abilities. For example, option A suggests that Jane's son's behavior is like his father's and therefore may be a part of his inherent character.

Question 12

When the causes of a person's behavior are attributed to personal dispositions, traits, abilities, and feelings, it is
A) an external attribution.
B) an internal attribution.
C) a stable attribution.
D) an unstable attribution.

Accepted Answer

When the causes of a person's behavior are attributed to personal dispositions, traits, abilities, and feelings, it is an internal attribution.

Question 13

The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency of
A) observers to favor external attributions in explaining the behavior of others.
B) observers to favor internal attributions in explaining the behavior of others.
C) actors to favor external attributions in explaining the behavior of others.
D) actors to favor internal attributions in explaining the behavior of others.

Accepted Answer

The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency of observers to favor internal attributions in explaining the behavior of others, rather than considering situational factors. This can lead to overestimating the role of personal characteristics in behavior and underestimating the impact of external circumstances.

Question 14

You see on the news that a local high school athlete just received a college scholarship to play basketball while none of his teammates received scholarships. If you believe he received a scholarship due to his outstanding natural ability, you would be making an ____ attribution.
A) external-unstable
B) internal-unstable
C) external-stable
D) internal-stable

Accepted Answer

An internal-stable attribution implies that the cause of the athlete's success lies within themselves and is likely to be a consistent and enduring trait, such as natural ability or hard work. This is the best choice given that the question indicates that the athlete received the scholarship due to his outstanding natural ability.

Question 15

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, you are making an ____ attribution about your success.
A) internal-stable
B) internal-unstable
C) external-stable
D) external-unstable

Accepted Answer

The answer of You've just been awarded a full scholarship...

Question 16

Skye scored 100% on her statistics midterm. According to Weiner's attributional model, if Skye makes an internal-stable attribution for her success, she is MOST likely to say
A) "It was just good luck that most of the exam was on the material I had time to study."
B) "I was calm and relaxed the day of the exam because I was able to get a good night's sleep the night before the exam."
C) "I have always been good at statistics, I guess I just have a natural ability in that area."
D) "The professor makes the whole course so easy to understand that it is virtually impossible to do poorly in the class."

Accepted Answer

Skye is making an internal attribution (crediting her own ability) and a stable attribution (suggesting that her abilities are a fixed trait rather than situational). Option C is the only answer that reflects an internal-stable attribution.

Question 17

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," you have made an
A) external-unstable attribution.
B) internal-unstable attribution.
C) external-stable attribution.
D) internal-stable attribution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Imagine that you recently obtained a job...

Question 18

Alphonse failed his geology midterm. According to Weiner's attributional model, if Alphonse makes an external-unstable attribution for his failure, he is MOST likely to say
A) "It was just bad luck that most of the exam was on the one chapter I didn't study."
B) "I was really tired during the exam because I had to work the late shift the night before the exam."
C) "I just can't seem to catch on in my geology classes, and I don't think I'll ever learn all those terms."
D) "That professor has impossible exams; if I retake the class with a different professor I'll probably do much better."

Accepted Answer

According to Weiner's attributional model, an external-unstable attribution means that the cause of the failure is seen as something outside of the person's control and not likely to happen again in the future. Option A suggests bad luck as the cause, which is external and unstable. Option B suggests fatigue, which is external but stable (it could happen again in the future). Option C suggests a lack of ability or intelligence, which is internal and stable. Option D suggests the difficulty of the exam, which is external but possibly stable (if the student takes the class with the same professor again). Therefore, option A is the best choice as it fits the criteria for an external-unstable attribution in Weiner's model.

Question 19

Blaming your friend's auto accident on the weather conditions is an example of
A) a self-serving attribution.
B) a defensive attribution.
C) an external attribution.
D) a dispositional attribution.

Accepted Answer

Blaming the auto accident on the weather conditions is an example of an external attribution, as the cause of the accident is being attributed to factors outside of the driver's control.

Question 20

When you see a classmate in class or at a study session, they are always very friendly towards you. However, when you run into them at an upscale party, they act as if they do not know you. Since you know they are really a friendly person, you are MOST likely to attribute your classmate's behavior to
A) a fundamental attribution error.
B) a stereotype.
C) external attributions.
D) internal attributions.

Accepted Answer

External attributions are explanations for someone's behavior that consider situational factors, rather than personal characteristics. In this scenario, the classmate may be acting differently at the upscale party due to the different social context and expectations, which would count as an external factor. It is possible that they are not intentionally trying to ignore or snub the person, but simply adapting to the different environment.

Quiz 31: Social Behavior Part 1

Martha wins three games of backgammon in a row, even though she has never played before. If Martha assumes she has "beginner's luck," she is making an attribution about her success; if she decides backgammon is an easy game, she is making an attribution about her success.

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

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, he has

According to Bernard Weiner people also focus on the ____ of the causes of underlying behavior.

If you tend to overemphasize internal characteristics in explaining the behavior of others, you are evidencing the

When the causes of a person's behavior are attributed to situational demands and environmental constraints, it is referred to as

Tina recently lost over half 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, he has

Weiner suggested that when making attributions for success and failure, people focus on the ____ dimension concerning causes that contribute to the behavior.

Which of the following reflects a clear dispositional attribution?

Jane's eight-year-old son brought a note home from school today stating that he was involved in a fight at recess. Which of the following is an example of an external attribution that Jane might make to explain her son's behavior?

When the causes of a person's behavior are attributed to personal dispositions, traits, abilities, and feelings, it is

The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency of

You see on the news that a local high school athlete just received a college scholarship to play basketball while none of his teammates received scholarships. If you believe he received a scholarship due to his outstanding natural ability, you would be making an ____ attribution.

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, you are making an ____ attribution about your success.

Skye scored 100% on her statistics midterm. According to Weiner's attributional model, if Skye makes an internal-stable attribution for her success, she is MOST likely to say

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," you have made an

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

Blaming your friend's auto accident on the weather conditions is an example of