Question 1

Fritz Heider believed that all people are "intuitive psychologists." What did Heider mean by this statement?

Accepted Answer

Heider meant that people naturally try to understand the behavior of others and what causes it, similar to the way professional psychologists approach behavior. This implies that there is some distinction between common sense and professional psychology.

Question 2

When a student does well on a test,she immediately takes the credit,saying that she did well because she studied hard.When she does poorly,however,she blames the teacher for making up an "impossible" test.Which term best captures this scenario?

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of the self-serving bias, where the individual takes credit for successes but blames external factors for failures to protect their self-esteem. This bias is common and widespread in everyday life.

Question 3

Consider the hypothesis that people who live in some cultures may be more susceptible to the fundamental attribution error than people who live in other cultures.If this hypothesis is true,what should one expect?

Accepted Answer

Cultures with interdependent construals of self emphasize social roles and context, which may reduce the tendency to attribute behavior to personal traits, thus reducing susceptibility to the fundamental attribution error.

Question 4

What implication can one derive from cross-cultural research on the fundamental attribution error?

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural research on the fundamental attribution error suggests that people's tendencies to make dispositional or situational attributions are largely shaped by their cultural background, rather than being inborn. Studies have found that Western, individualistic cultures tend to display a stronger fundamental attribution error, whereas Eastern, collectivistic cultures tend to make more situational attributions. This suggests that people's biases are not completely predetermined, but are influenced by the social norms and values of their cultural environment.

Question 5

According to the authors of the textbook,how can the effects of the fundamental attribution error be minimized?

Accepted Answer

The authors of the textbook suggest that the effects of the fundamental attribution error can be minimized by trying to identify situational forces that may have caused a behavior. This can help to counteract the tendency to automatically attribute behavior to dispositional factors. While the other options may also be useful in reducing the impact of the fundamental attribution error, the authors specifically mention the importance of considering situational factors.

Question 6

What has research revealed about the self-serving bias in educational environments?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that professors may exhibit self-serving bias by taking credit for student success, attributing it to their teaching, while attributing student failure to factors outside their control, such as student effort or ability.

Question 7

Which statement suggests that the speaker is making the fundamental attribution error?

Accepted Answer

The speaker is attributing the guy's behavior of not leaving a tip to his character as a "cheapskate," rather than considering external factors that may have influenced his behavior. This is an example of the fundamental attribution error.

Question 8

Where is an attributional psychologist most likely to look for the causes of behaviour?

Accepted Answer

Attributional psychologists believe that behaviour can be attributed to either the individual or the situation they are in. They do not solely rely on past experiences or unconscious factors, and they do not focus on material or spiritual selves. Instead, they analyze the factors that lead to specific behaviours and determine whether they are dispositional (related to the individual's characteristics) or situational (related to the environment or context in which the behaviour occurred).

Question 9

In a study that is described in the textbook,students from Princeton and Dartmouth evaluated a filmed football game.There were definite differences in their perceptions of the content of the film and the actions of the players.Which concept is most directly demonstrated by these differences in perception?

Accepted Answer

The differences in perception of the football game suggest that the students were selectively encoding information, or paying attention to different aspects of the game. This can explain why they had different perceptions of the content and actions. The other options (a-c) are not directly applicable to the situation described.

Question 10

In a study that is described in the textbook,excerpts from American and Japanese newspapers and television reports regarding athletes in the 2000 Olympics were analyzed for causal statements.What did the results demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

Japanese writers tended to consider a broad range of factors, reflecting a more holistic approach to causality compared to American writers, who often focus on individual attributes.

Question 11

Which term refers to the tendency to attribute one's success to dispositional factors and one's failures to situational factors?

Accepted Answer

The self-serving bias is the tendency for individuals to attribute their successes to dispositional factors (such as skill or ability) and their failures to situational factors (such as bad luck or external circumstances). This bias allows individuals to protect their self-esteem and maintain a positive self-image. Choices A, C, and D refer to different biases or phenomena.

Question 12

Which observation by Harold Kelley about causal attributions is accurate?

Accepted Answer

Harold Kelley proposed that causal attributions are based on three dimensions of information: consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus. These dimensions are used to determine whether the behavior is caused by internal factors (e.g. personality) or external factors (e.g. situation).

Question 13

Which of the following statements involves an attribution?

Accepted Answer

The statement attributes the reason for not being able to afford a washing machine to the man's spending habits.

Answer: C
 The statement attributes the choice of shrimp for dinner to the person mentioned.

Both A and C involve attributions, so the answer could be "A and C".

Question 14

According to the fundamental attribution error,which factors do individuals tend to overestimate?

Accepted Answer

Individuals tend to overestimate dispositional factors, attributing others' behaviors to their personality or character rather than considering situational influences.

Question 15

After a close play at the plate during a baseball game,one fan believes that the runner was safe while another fan sitting next to him believes the runner was out.From a social psychology perspective,how do the two fans differ?

Accepted Answer

The two fans differ in the way they construct reality, as their interpretation of the play at the plate is based on their own subjective perceptions and biases. This is a common phenomenon in social psychology known as selective perception, where people tend to interpret information in a way that confirms their pre-existing beliefs or expectations. It is not necessarily related to their knowledge of baseball or their personality traits, although these factors may influence their perception as well. Logic and reason may also play a role, but are not the primary factor in this situation.

Question 16

A teammate struck out three times in the softball game last night.In applying the covariation principle to understand the cause of his performance,how should the the "consistency" dimension be applied?

Accepted Answer

Consistency refers to whether or not the person's behavior or performance is consistent across situations or over time. In this case, looking at whether or not the teammate has struck out often in the past would be the best way to apply the consistency dimension. This information would help determine if his performance in the game was consistent with his past performance, which would suggest that the cause of his performance was likely internal (e.g. lack of skill or confidence).

Question 17

According to Kelley,what are the three dimensions of information that individuals use to assess covariation when making attributions?

Accepted Answer

Kelley identified three dimensions of information that individuals use to assess covariation when making attributions: distinctiveness (whether the behavior is unique to a particular situation or if it occurs across multiple situations), consistency (whether the behavior is consistently exhibited in a given situation), and consensus (whether others also exhibit the behavior in the same situation).

Question 18

Theo is an attributional theorist.In the course of his research,what is Theo likely to investigate?

Accepted Answer

Attributional theory, also known as attribution theory, is concerned with individuals' perceptions of the causes of events. This theory attempts to explain how individuals interpret events and the reasons or causes they give for their own behaviors and the behaviors of others. Therefore, Theo is likely to investigate individuals' perceptions of the causes of events.

Question 19

A homeless person approaches Fred and his friend,Betty for some money.When Betty donates a dollar,Fred attributes Betty's behaviour to her inherently generous spirit.According to Fritz Heider,what type of attribution did Fred make?

Accepted Answer

Fred attributes Betty's behavior to her inherent generosity, which is a dispositional attribution. He is assuming that Betty's behavior is a result of her personality trait rather than the situation or external factors.

Question 20

Antoine has gotten back his test on attribution theory and has received an "A" grade.Which statement best reflects the use of the "consensus" dimension when attempting to understand why Antoine received such an excellent grade?

Accepted Answer

The consensus dimension refers to the extent to which other individuals in a similar situation behave the same way. In this case, if most other individuals taking the test also received "A's," it suggests that Antoine's grade is not solely due to his personal effort or ability, but rather the test was designed in a way that allowed many students to achieve high grades. Therefore, C is the best choice. A, B, and D, are not relevant to the consensus dimension.

Quiz 17: A: Social Psychology