Question 1

According to the authors of your text, one major problem with preparing excuses in advance of possible failure is that __________.

Accepted Answer

Preparing excuses in advance can lead us to believe those excuses ourselves, which might result in exerting less effort towards achieving success, as we might subconsciously rely on the prepared excuses.

Question 2

When Daphne goes on an interview, she does her best to present herself well and put her best foot forward. Which function of the self is exemplified in this situation?

Accepted Answer

Impression management refers to the process of presenting oneself to others in a way that will make a favorable impression. Daphne's effort to present herself well during the interview reflects her desire to manage the impression others have of her.

Question 3

Rosemary was invited to a dinner party by a colleague from her new job. Although she was told to arrive around 7:00, Rosemary made sure that she did not arrive before 7:30 so she would not appear overly eager. In which of the following strategies is Rosemary engaging?

Accepted Answer

Rosemary is engaging in impression management by strategically timing her arrival to give off a certain impression to her colleague and other guests at the party. She wants to come across as social and punctual without seeming too eager or desperate for approval.

Question 4

Attempting to get others to see you as you want to be seen is the definition of __________.

Accepted Answer

Impression management refers to the process of attempting to influence or control how others see us. It involves presenting oneself in a way that is consistent with the image or identity that we want to convey to others. Examples of impression management can include things like dressing in a certain way to match a desired image, carefully choosing our words or behaviors in social situations, or even using social media to create a particular persona or brand.

Question 5

After starting your job, your manager sends you a friend request on Facebook. You accept but find that your manager posts the most childish jokes on his page. When he asks you in the morning if you saw his post last night, you say, "Yes, and I thought it was hilarious. I particularly liked the joke about the three men entering the bar." You are using __________ to help your manager like you.

Accepted Answer

In this scenario, the individual is using ingratiation, which means they are attempting to gain favor or approval from their manager by acting in a way they believe will be pleasing to the manager. They are not implementing anything or engaging in social tuning or self-handicapping tactics.

Question 6

On the night of an important basketball game, Albert decided to leave his glasses at home. When his coach asked him if he wanted to return home to get them, Albert told the coach that he would rather not risk missing part of the game and that he'd try his best without them. Which of the following self-presentational strategies is Albert using?

Accepted Answer

Albert is using self-handicapping by intentionally creating a difficulty (playing without his glasses) that could potentially hinder his performance in order to have an excuse ready in case he performs poorly.

Question 7

Wilson is training for a 5K. To avoid the depletion effect of self-control, when is the best time for him to schedule his training run?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that self-control and willpower are limited resources that can become depleted as the day goes on. Therefore, it is best for Wilson to schedule his training run in the morning when his self-control and willpower will be at their highest levels. This will help him avoid the depletion effect and ensure that he is able to follow through with his training plan.

Question 8

Just before an exam, your friend Marc turns to you and says, "Man, I'm so tired! I partied until four in the morning." Marc is engaging in what type of self-presentation?

Accepted Answer

Marc is engaging in self-handicapping by providing an excuse for potentially performing poorly on the upcoming exam due to his lack of sleep.

Question 9

People engage in self-handicapping strategies in order to avoid __________.

Accepted Answer

Self-handicapping strategies are used to avoid an internal attribution for failure, meaning individuals use these strategies to avoid blaming themselves for failing, instead providing external or situational reasons for their lack of success.

Question 10

Ingratiation is an impression management strategy whereby people use __________.

Accepted Answer

Ingratiation involves using flattery, praise, and other behaviors that are intended to create or enhance liking between oneself and others. It is a type of impression management strategy that can be used to gain social acceptance, approval, or influence. Choices A, C, and D are not directly related to ingratiating behavior.

Question 11

According to your text, David Duke worked to change his image for a 1991 governor's race. He even had cosmetic surgery to change his appearance. How successful was he in changing the impressions people had of him?

Accepted Answer

The text does not provide any evidence that David Duke was able to successfully change the impressions people had of him. In fact, he lost the governor's race, which suggests that his attempt to change his image was not successful.

Question 12

Researchers randomly assigned participants to pray or not before doing a task that required a lot of energy. The group that prayed __________.

Accepted Answer

The task required a lot of energy which suggests the participants were performing a challenging or stressful activity. Therefore, praying may have helped the participants to better regulate their emotions and maintain focus on the task, ultimately leading to better emotional suppression.

Question 13

Brittany knows she will need all the mental resources she has to focus on a speech she must give. Which of the following would be LEAST helpful in terms of increasing her self-regulatory resources?

Accepted Answer

Trying to quit smoking that day would be the least helpful in terms of increasing self-regulatory resources as it would add an extra layer of mental strain and stress, making it harder for Brittany to focus on her speech. Choices A, B, and C are all helpful in supporting optimal mental functioning for the task at hand.

Question 14

Agustin knows you're taking a psychology class and wants to know what he can do to be more disciplined in a few weeks when midterm exams come around. What advice do you have, based on the information in this chapter?

Accepted Answer

Based on the information in this chapter, the best advice would be for Agustin to start practicing self-control in some area now to prepare for the upcoming midterm exams. This will help him develop habits that will make it easier to stay disciplined during the exam period.

Question 15

Which of the following people is using ingratiation as a self-presentational tactic?

Accepted Answer

Iman, who brings her boss coffee and offers to do other favors for her, is using ingratiation as a self-presentational tactic. Ingratiation refers to the ways people try to enhance their attractiveness to others by conveying a liking, admiration, or similarity to them. Iman is trying to create a positive impression and gain favor with her boss by performing small acts of kindness. The other choices do not involve ingratiation tactics. Edwin is using self-promotion, Kurt is engaging in self-handicapping, and Becky is using the tactic of playing helpless or powerless to gain attention.

Question 16

The two major ways that a person may self-handicap are __________ and __________.

Accepted Answer

Self-handicapping can occur in two major ways: by creating real obstacles to success or by making excuses in advance. Creating real obstacles to success might involve partying the night before an important exam or staying up late to watch a movie instead of studying. Making excuses in advance might involve claiming to be tired or distracted in advance of a task or activity.

Question 17

Which person would have the most difficulty exerting self-control?

Accepted Answer

Cassie, who is watching her diet, would likely have the most difficulty exerting self-control because dieting often requires resisting temptations and managing cravings, which can be challenging and require significant self-control.

Question 18

Dr. Patel just completed writing a tough exam and ate a healthy lunch instead of grabbing something from the vending machine. Based on research presented in the text, the fact that she avoided the depletion effect means she probably did what?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dr. Patel just completed writing a tough...

Question 19

After his psychology class, Albert tells his professor that she is an exceptional teacher and that he thinks she made the material interesting and engaging. Assuming that he is behaving insincerely, which of the following self-presentational tactics is Albert using?

Accepted Answer

Ingratiation is a self-presentational tactic in which an individual seeks to enhance his or her image in the eyes of others by expressing favorable opinions of them or flattering them in some way. In this case, Albert is praising his professor in order to make a good impression and enhance his own image.

Question 20

If you just declined an invitation to go out with friends so that you can study, and then another friend offers you a beer, according to research in this chapter, what can you do to exert some self-control and stick with your study plan?

Accepted Answer

Taking a break and collecting oneself is a good way to exert self-control and stick with the study plan. This allows the individual to refocus and remind themselves of their priorities, and resist the temptation of the beer. Giving up (Option A), rationalizing the behavior (Option C), or replacing the temptation with another indulgence (Option D) are not effective methods for exerting self-control.

Quiz 5: The Self: Understanding Ourselves in a Social Context