Question 1

When considering factors that determine people's beliefs and values about relationships,why is it important to distinguish between influences that are more distant from the individual and influences that are specific to the individual?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When considering factors that determine people's beliefs...

Question 2

Contrast perceptual and behavioral confirmation,and indicate how each can affect relationship experiences.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Contrast perceptual and behavioral confirmation,and indicate how...

Question 3

According to the commitment calibration hypothesis,people who are in ______ marriages rated dating service photos of attractive alternate partners as significantly _________attractive compared to ratings of ______ married individuals.
A) happy;less;unhappily
B) happy;more;happily
C) unhappy;more;unhappily
D) unhappy;less;happily

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the commitment calibration hypothesis,people who...

Question 4

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 5

Nayanna says,"I want a relationship that sweeps me off my feet." According to the ideal standards model,how might this impact Nayanna's satisfaction in her current relationship?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Nayanna says,"I want a relationship that sweeps...

Question 6

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 with Monica Lewinsky in a way that discounted the negative aspects of his behavior and focused on his positive qualities. This attribution may have led her to believe that he was still a loving and devoted husband despite his infidelity, and thus she may have decided to stay in the marriage.

Question 7

You have been asked to participate in a radio show about how the media affect our beliefs about ourselves and our relationships.One of the other participants comments that,because of the pervasiveness of media,people are bombarded by unhealthy messages they can do little about.How do you respond?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You have been asked to participate in...

Question 8

Researchers have distinguished between two dimensions of relationship knowledge: (1)beliefs versus values;and (2)general versus specific knowledge.Define beliefs and values,and then offer examples of a general belief and a general value about relationships.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Researchers have distinguished between two dimensions of...

Question 9

________ 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 of control refers to whether the cause of behavior is internal (something about the person) or external (something about the circumstances). Stability, on the other hand, refers to whether the cause of behavior is likely to persist over time or is temporary. Therefore, option A is the correct answer. Option B is incorrect because intentionality does not refer to stability. Option C is incorrect because stability comes after locus of control in the question, and option D is incorrect because intentionality does not come up in the question.

Question 10

Jasmine's partner comes home from work with a bouquet of flowers for her.Jasmine thinks,"Sarah hardly ever brings me flowers.She's so cheap;they must have been on sale." 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 11

People who _________,as opposed to _______,can feel more encouraged in their intimate relationships.
A) make downward social comparisons;upward social comparisons
B) show enhancement bias;diagnosticity bias
C) make upward social comparisons;downward social comparisons
D) show diagnosticity bias;enhancement bias

Accepted Answer

Making downward social comparisons (comparing oneself to those perceived as less fortunate or successful) rather than upward social comparisons (comparing oneself to those perceived as more fortunate or successful) can lead to a more positive self-view, which can encourage feelings of worth and optimism in intimate relationships.

Question 12

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 13

We would expect relationship partners who make ________ comparisons to be happier than those who make ________ comparisons.
A) upward;downward
B) downward;upward
C) social;relational
D) downward;social

Accepted Answer

Downward comparisons (comparing oneself to those who are worse off) can boost self-esteem and satisfaction, making one feel better about their own situation. In contrast, upward comparisons (comparing oneself to those who are better off) can lead to feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction, potentially harming relationship happiness.

Question 14

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) "she is unorganized and lost track of time";"she is rather inconsiderate"
B) "she likely got tied up at the office";"she must have gotten lost on the way here"
C) "she doesn't care about our family";"she is probably having trouble finding parking"
D) "she must have hit heavy traffic";"she always was a little forgetful"

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 15

Unhappy people tend to make attributions about their partner's behavior that are ________ and ________ for negative behaviors.
A) internal;stable
B) external;temporary
C) nonblaming;temporary
D) blaming;external

Accepted Answer

Unhappy people often attribute their partner's negative behaviors to internal (something inherent in the partner) and stable (unlikely to change) factors, indicating a pessimistic view of the partner's actions and character.

Question 16

________ involve comparisons with others who are doing worse than we are;________ involve comparisons with others who are doing better than we are.
A) Adaptive attributions;protective attributions
B) Upward social comparisons;downward social comparisons
C) Protective attributions;stable attributions
D) Downward social comparisons;upward social comparisons

Accepted Answer

Downward social comparisons involve comparing ourselves with others who are doing worse than we are, while upward social comparisons involve comparing ourselves with others who are doing better than we are. Choices A and C refer to different types of attributions, which are not relevant to the question. Choice B is the opposite of the correct answer, as upward and downward social comparisons are reversed.

Question 17

John has been married 10 years but is very unhappy with his relationship.There is an attractive female coworker,Leila,at his office.According to the commitment calibration hypothesis,in which of the following situations is John most likely to DOWNPLAY his perception of Leila's attractiveness?
A) John's wife decides she can no longer be married to him and files for a divorce.
B) John decides he can no longer be married to his wife and files for a divorce.
C) John frequently needs to consult with Leila on various business projects.
D) John learns that Leila finds him attractive and that she wants to have an affair with him.

Accepted Answer

The commitment calibration hypothesis suggests that individuals in a committed relationship will downplay the attractiveness of potential alternative partners when their commitment is threatened or when they are motivated to protect their relationship. In option C, where John frequently needs to consult with Leila on various business projects, his interaction with her is purely professional and does not pose a direct threat to his marriage. Therefore, he is more likely to downplay her attractiveness to maintain his commitment to his marriage.

Question 18

Explain and give examples of three ways in which people's thoughts about relationships can affect what they experience in their relationships.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain and give examples of three ways...

Question 19

When is a spouse LEAST likely to make adaptive attributions about her or his partner's negative behavior?
A) when the couple is experiencing more stress than usual
B) when there are no external explanations for the behavior
C) in the absence of strong negative emotions
D) when commitment is high and there is no threat to the relationship

Accepted Answer

When a couple is experiencing more stress than usual, individuals are less likely to make adaptive attributions for their partner's negative behavior, as stress can exacerbate negative perceptions and reduce the ability to view the partner's actions in a forgiving or understanding light.

Question 20

Jaspreet and Imara are friends living in the same town in India.Both are getting married this summer,Jaspreet to a neighbor's son who was selected for her by her family and Imara to a young man she met in one of her university classes.Based on research comparing happiness in arranged marriages and partner-selected marriages,what would you predict about Jaspreet's and Imara's marital satisfaction?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jaspreet and Imara are friends living in...

Quiz 12: Interpreting Experience

When considering factors that determine people's beliefs and values about relationships,why is it important to distinguish between influences that are more distant from the individual and influences that are specific to the individual?

Contrast perceptual and behavioral confirmation,and indicate how each can affect relationship experiences.

According to the commitment calibration hypothesis,people who are in __ marriages rated dating service photos of attractive alternate partners as significantly _attractive compared to ratings of __ married individuals.

Nayanna says,"I want a relationship that sweeps me off my feet." According to the ideal standards model,how might this impact Nayanna's satisfaction in her current relationship?

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?

You have been asked to participate in a radio show about how the media affect our beliefs about ourselves and our relationships.One of the other participants comments that,because of the pervasiveness of media,people are bombarded by unhealthy messages they can do little about.How do you respond?

Researchers have distinguished between two dimensions of relationship knowledge: (1)beliefs versus values;and (2)general versus specific knowledge.Define beliefs and values,and then offer examples of a general belief and a general value about relationships.

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.

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

People who ___,as opposed to _,can feel more encouraged in their intimate relationships.

We would expect relationship partners who make comparisons to be happier than those who make comparisons.

Unhappy people tend to make attributions about their partner's behavior that are and for negative behaviors.

involve comparisons with others who are doing worse than we are; involve comparisons with others who are doing better than we are.

John has been married 10 years but is very unhappy with his relationship.There is an attractive female coworker,Leila,at his office.According to the commitment calibration hypothesis,in which of the following situations is John most likely to DOWNPLAY his perception of Leila's attractiveness?

Explain and give examples of three ways in which people's thoughts about relationships can affect what they experience in their relationships.

When is a spouse LEAST likely to make adaptive attributions about her or his partner's negative behavior?