Question 1

Only the deliberate system helps in the pursuit of goals.

Accepted Answer

Both the deliberate and the automatic systems contribute to the pursuit of goals; the deliberate system allows for conscious planning and decision-making, while the automatic system can guide behavior based on habits and instincts.

Question 2

Self-regulation enables people to adapt themselves to different circumstances.

Accepted Answer

Self-regulation allows individuals to control their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, adapting effectively to various situations and challenges.

Question 3

While setting goals, people tend to be quite accurate about their own capabilities.

Accepted Answer

True

Question 4

William James, the father of American psychology, once wrote the following: "Thinking is for doing." What did he mean by this?
A)The human brain probably developed its current cognitive abilities in large part to enable effective decision making and to facilitate behavior.
B)People typically engage in conscious thought only when engaged in a task (e.g., only when solving a puzzle, trying to construct an argument, or making a decision about something).
C)Every behavior that a person engages in implies a particular thought or set of thoughts; researchers can therefore infer thoughts from behaviors.
D)Because the primary role of thoughts is simply to plan behaviors, the proper focus of study for psychologists is behaviors themselves (and not thoughts).

Accepted Answer

James's statement suggests that the evolution of thinking was driven by practical needs, particularly the need to make decisions and guide actions, rather than thinking being an end in itself.

Question 5

Self-determination theory suggests that people who are motivated by intrinsic factors have greater confidence than those who are motivated by extrinsic factors.

Accepted Answer

Self-determination theory posits that intrinsic motivation, which comes from within an individual and is driven by an interest in or enjoyment of the task itself, leads to higher levels of psychological well-being, including greater confidence, compared to extrinsic motivation, which is driven by external rewards or pressures.

Question 6

Research suggests that belief in free will is detrimental to society.

Accepted Answer

Research generally indicates that belief in free will is beneficial for society as it promotes moral responsibility, prosocial behavior, and a sense of personal agency.

Question 7

Research suggests that suicide rates are often lowest in favorable circumstances.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research suggests that suicide rates are often...

Question 8

Joe has an important Spanish exam next week. Would it help him if he visualizes himself acing the exam? What about if he visualizes himself studying really hard for the exam?
A)Neither of these things will help him.
B)Both of these things will help him about equally.
C)Both of these things will help him-but visualizing himself acing the exam (the true end goal)will help more than visualizing himself studying really hard.
D)Both of these things will help him-but visualizing himself studying really hard (which will likely lead to him actually studying harder)will help more than visualizing himself acing the exam.

Accepted Answer

Visualizing the process of achieving a goal, such as studying hard, has been shown to be more effective in enhancing performance and motivation than visualizing the end result, such as acing an exam. This is because process visualization encourages planning and preparation, which are critical for achieving the desired outcome.

Question 9

When entity theorists encounter failure, they are more likely than incremental theorists to experience learned helplessness.

Accepted Answer

Entity theorists believe that intelligence and abilities are fixed traits, so when they encounter failure, they are more likely to attribute it to their unchangeable abilities, leading to feelings of helplessness. Incremental theorists, on the other hand, believe that intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort, so they are more likely to see failure as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Question 10

Pursuing goals involves at least two major steps, both of which involve the same mental state.

Accepted Answer

Pursuing goals typically involves multiple steps that require different mental states, such as planning, motivation, execution, and adjustment, rather than a single, uniform mental state throughout the process.

Question 11

Research on decision making indicates that people tend to place more weight on possible gains than on possible losses when considering the pros and cons of a particular choice.

Accepted Answer

Research on decision making, particularly the Prospect Theory developed by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, indicates that people tend to place more weight on possible losses than on possible gains when considering the pros and cons of a particular choice, demonstrating a cognitive bias known as loss aversion.

Question 12

People would make better decisions if they focused more on the quantitative aspects than the qualitative aspects of the decision.

Accepted Answer

While quantitative aspects provide measurable and numerical data, qualitative aspects offer insights into the context, values, and subjective factors that are also crucial for making well-rounded and informed decisions. Ignoring qualitative aspects can lead to decisions that are not aligned with personal or organizational values, goals, and the subtleties of human experience.

Question 13

Reactance theory and self-determination theory both suggest that a sense of freedom and autonomy is important to people.

Accepted Answer

Both Reactance Theory and Self-Determination Theory emphasize the importance of autonomy and freedom in motivating behavior and psychological well-being. Reactance Theory suggests that when people feel their freedom to choose is threatened, they experience reactance, a motivational state aimed at restoring that freedom. Self-Determination Theory posits that autonomy is a fundamental psychological need, and fulfilling this need is essential for psychological growth, integrity, and well-being.

Question 14

Habits first occur within the automatic system and are then transferred to the deliberate system.

Accepted Answer

Habits form in the brain's automatic system (like the basal ganglia) and remain there, allowing us to perform tasks without conscious thought. The deliberate system (like the prefrontal cortex) is involved in planning and decision-making, not in the execution of habits.

Question 15

If Allison believes that intelligence is something that you are "just born with," then it would be correct to say that she is an entity theorist.

Accepted Answer

Allison's belief that intelligence is innate and fixed aligns with the characteristics of an entity theory of intelligence, which posits that intelligence is a fixed trait.

Question 16

Research on decision making indicates that there are two main steps in making choices. They are ____.
A)choosing one final option from a wide range of options and then analyzing the thinking behind the choice made
B)whittling the full range of choices down to a limited few and then carefully considering each option
C)making a preliminary choice and then reviewing your choice to be certain that you are satisfied with it
D)establishing your priorities and then identifying the choice that best complements your priorities

Accepted Answer

The two main steps in decision making involve narrowing down the options to a manageable few and then thoroughly evaluating these options to make a choice. This process helps in simplifying the decision-making process and ensures a more thoughtful and informed choice.

Question 17

MOST research focuses on the ____ step of decision making, which involves ____.
A)first; whittling a full range of choices down to a limited few
B)first; carefully considering a few major options
C)second; whittling a full range of choices down to a limited few
D)second; carefully considering a few major options

Accepted Answer

The answer of MOST research focuses on the ____ step...

Question 18

The more committed a person is to his or her current goal, the more effectively the mind shields the goal by blocking thoughts of other goals.

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is known as goal shielding, where high commitment to a goal helps focus cognitive resources on that goal, reducing attention to alternative goals and thus minimizing distractions.

Question 19

Research suggests that when athletes who prepare for an important game visualize themselves training really hard for the game, they ____; when they visualize themselves actually winning the game, they ____.
A)tend to train less than usual and thus perform worse; in fact perform better
B)tend to train less than usual and thus perform worse; also tend to perform worse
C)tend to train harder than usual and thus perform better; in fact tend to perform worse
D)tend to train harder than usual and thus perform better; also tend to perform a little better

Accepted Answer

When athletes visualize themselves training hard, they tend to train harder than usual and thus perform better. When they visualize themselves winning the game, they also tend to perform a little better.

Question 20

The "E" in the acronym TOTE stands for Evaluate

Accepted Answer

The answer of The "E" in the acronym TOTE stands...

Quiz 4: Choices and Actions: The Self in Control