Question 1

If you notice that a student who does not talk to others in history class does talk freely to others in English class and in math class, you might attribute his behavior to not knowing anyone in history class.Your attribution was based on the _____ of his behavior.

Accepted Answer

The distinctiveness of the student's behavior in history class compared to English and math class (where he talks freely) led to the attribution that he may not know anyone in history class. This is an example of the distinctiveness attribution theory which involves determining whether the behavior is unique to a particular situation or if it is a pervasive behavior across different situations.

Question 2

You have just obtained for your company a large contract.As you enter a business meeting, the CEO of the company comes over to you and compliments you on your work.You attribute this compliment to

Accepted Answer

The answer of You have just obtained for your company...

Question 3

Someone compliments you on your appearance.You will probably infer a reason for the compliment on the basis of the

Accepted Answer

The correct inference about the reason for a compliment on appearance often involves considering the actor (who gives the compliment), the object (the person receiving the compliment or the specific aspect of appearance being complimented), and the setting (the context in which the compliment is given). These elements help in understanding the motive and sincerity behind the compliment.

Question 4

When making attributions, noticing that a behavior changes very little on different occasions is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Consistency refers to the degree to which a behavior is consistent across time and situations. If a behavior remains relatively stable across different occasions, we are more likely to attribute it to internal causes (such as personality traits) rather than situational factors.

Question 5

The physician who ignores the pleadings of a hypochondriacal patient for medication is attributing the expression of symptoms to the

Accepted Answer

The term "actor" refers to the person displaying the symptoms or behavior, in this case the hypochondriacal patient. The physician is attributing the expression of symptoms to the patient's behavior rather than a real medical issue.

Question 6

In attribution theory, the unstated expectations that define appropriate behavior in various settings are known as

Accepted Answer

The unstated expectations that define appropriate behavior in various settings are known as situational demands in attribution theory. These situational demands can influence how people attribute the behavior of others to either internal or external factors.

Question 7

Your best friend tells you how "great" you look.You attribute this compliment to your best friend being her usually "sweet" self, which would mean that this compliment was more influenced by

Accepted Answer

The compliment is attributed to the actor, in this case, the best friend, and their typical behavior of being sweet.

Question 8

When making attributions, noticing that a behavior occurs only under specific circumstances is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Distinctiveness refers to the extent to which a behavior is unique or unusual to a particular situation or context. If a behavior is only observed in one particular context, then it is likely that the behavior is being influenced by the situation, rather than the individual's internal attributes or personality traits. Therefore, noticing distinctiveness is an important factor when making attributions about someone's behavior.

Question 9

You are attending a educational workshop, and the presenter compliments all the participants for their interest in improving education.You would most likely attribute this presenter's compliment to

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are attending a educational workshop, and...

Question 10

If you notice that your teacher has talked to almost all of the students in class except you today, you might conclude that she may be angry with you for some reason.This conclusion would be based on which factor related to attribution?

Accepted Answer

Distinctiveness refers to whether a person's behavior is unique to a particular situation. If the teacher usually talks to you but didn't today, it suggests that her behavior is distinct in this situation, leading you to conclude she might be angry with you.

Question 11

When situational demands are strong, we tend to

Accepted Answer

When situational demands are strong, people are more likely to attribute someone's behavior to those external situations rather than to internal characteristics, thus discounting internal causes for behavior.

Question 12

When a mother teaches her child not to giggle in church, she is being strongly influenced by

Accepted Answer

The mother is being influenced by situational demands, as she is trying to teach her child appropriate behavior for the specific situation of being in church.

Question 13

According to Harold Kelley, two factors that greatly influence attribution of behavior are

Accepted Answer

According to Harold Kelley's attribution theory, two factors that greatly influence attribution of behavior are consistency and distinctiveness. Consistency refers to how consistently the person's behavior is observed in similar situations, while distinctiveness refers to whether the behavior is unique to the specific situation or if it can be generalized to other situations. These factors help people determine if the behavior is caused by the person's personality or the situation.

Question 14

If you notice that a student who does not talk to others in history class also does not talk to other students in English class and in math class, you might attribute his behavior to shyness based on

Accepted Answer

The consistency of the student's behavior across different classes suggests that shyness may be a trait or pattern of behavior for this individual, rather than being caused by external factors or situational demands. Distinctiveness (whether the behavior is unique to the specific situation) and situational demand (whether the situation is causing the behavior) are less relevant in this case because the behavior is consistent across different contexts.

Question 15

Dr.Fareed is a sociologist who studies criminal behavior.She conducts a study looking at the causes of criminal behavior in urban neighborhoods.One of her conclusions is that most of those people who engage in shoplifting do so because of poverty.One of her other conclusions is that most of the people arrested for prostitution are motivated by low self-esteem.In Dr.Fareed's first conclusion, she is assigning an _____ cause.In her second conclusion, she is assigning an _____ cause.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Fareed is assigning an external cause in her first conclusion, stating that poverty is the cause of shoplifting, which is a situational factor outside of the individual's control. In her second conclusion, she is assigning an internal cause, stating that low self-esteem is the cause of engaging in prostitution, which is a personal characteristic or trait within the individual's control.

Question 16

If you are in a clothing store and a salesperson compliments you, you will probably attribute the compliment to the _____, since most salespersons are taught to compliment buyers that come into their stores.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you are in a clothing store...

Question 17

While in the restroom, Deanna hears her friend Jenna throwing up and assumes that Jenna has food poisoning from something she ate at lunch, while a stranger in the restroom assumes that Jenna is bulimic.Deanna has attributed Jenna's behavior to an _____ cause, while the stranger attributes Jenna's behavior to an _____ behavior.

Accepted Answer

Deanna attributes Jenna's vomiting to an external cause (food poisoning), while the stranger attributes it to an internal cause (bulimia, a psychological condition).

Question 18

If you notice Maria smiles and greets both friends and strangers wherever she is on campus, you might attribute Maria's behavior to her upbeat, sunny disposition based on the _____ of her behavior.

Accepted Answer

Consistency refers to the regularity of a person's behavior across different situations, suggesting that Maria's behavior is due to her consistent upbeat and sunny disposition.

Question 19

Mr.Perkins is surprised that his most valued employee was late getting to work.He wonders if the employee might have had car trouble or encountered a traffic jam.What kind of cause(s) is Mr.Perkins assigning to his employee's behavior?

Accepted Answer

Mr. Perkins is assuming that the employee's lateness was caused by external factors, such as car trouble or traffic. Therefore, he is assigning an external cause to the behavior.

Question 20

Someone compliments you on your taste in clothes.You attribute this compliment to what you are wearing.This example illustrates which factor regarding attribution?

Accepted Answer

The compliment is being attributed to the object, which in this case is the clothes. The person is not complimenting themselves or the environment, so actor and setting are not applicable. Proxemics refers to the study of personal space and distance, so it does not apply to this scenario.

Quiz 16: Extension A: Social Thinking and Social Influence