Question 1

Randy always turns in reports with punctuation errors. The reports of the three other employees on the QA report writing team always produce grammatically clean reports. Randy is about to turn in another report, and his manager has already noticed errors. Randy demonstrates ________. His sloppy reports can be attributed to an ________ cause.
A) low distinctiveness, low consensus, and high consistency; internal
B) high distinctiveness, low consensus, and high consistency; external
C) low distinctiveness, high consensus, and high consistency; internal
D) low distinctiveness, low consensus, and high consistency; external
E) high distinctiveness, high consensus, and high consistency; internal

Accepted Answer

Randy's behavior (turning in reports with punctuation errors) is low in distinctiveness because he always does this when turning in reports, showing a pattern specific to the task of report writing. It is low in consensus because the other employees do not share this behavior; they turn in grammatically clean reports. It is high in consistency because Randy always exhibits this behavior when turning in reports. Therefore, the cause of Randy's behavior is attributed to an internal factor, such as his lack of attention to detail or lack of knowledge regarding punctuation, rather than external circumstances.

Question 2

Loud people are more likely to be noticed in a group than quiet ones. So, too, are extremely attractive or unattractive individuals. Which of the following statements best explains the reason behind this fact?
A) Our perception of reality depends on our past experiences.
B) Our perception of reality depends on our personality.
C) The relationship of a target to its background influences our perception of the target.
D) The time at which we see an object can influence our perception of the object.
E) Our motives and expectations affect our perception of a target.

Accepted Answer

The principle of perceptual grouping called "figure-ground relationship" states that our perception of an object is influenced by its relationship to the background. Thus, a person who is louder or more attractive stands out because they create a stronger figure-ground relationship in our perception, making them more noticeable.

Question 3

Attribution theory uses three factors to determine if a person's behavior is caused internally or externally. One of these three factors is consensus. It indicates if ________.
A) the person has high propensity to defer to others
B) the individual displays different behaviors in different situations
C) everyone who faces a similar situation responds in the same way
D) the individual responds the same way over time
E) the person scores high on conscientiousness

Accepted Answer

Consensus refers to whether everyone who faces a similar situation responds in the same way. If there is high consensus, it suggests that the behavior was caused by external factors, and if there is low consensus, it suggests that the behavior was caused by internal factors. The other options (A, B, D, and E) do not directly relate to consensus as a factor in attribution theory.

Question 4

Two people see the same thing at the same time yet interpret it differently. In this situation, factors that operate to shape their dissimilar perceptions reside in the ________.
A) perceivers
B) target
C) timing
D) context
E) situation

Accepted Answer

Perceivers' differences in past experiences, knowledge, expectations, motivations, and emotions can influence their interpretations of the same object or event. This illustrates the concept of perception as a process that involves active selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory information according to the perceiver's cognitive and affective processes.

Question 5

With reference to the attribution theory, which of the following terms indicates the extent to which an individual displays different behaviors in different situations?
A) continuity
B) integrity
C) stability
D) flexibility
E) distinctiveness

Accepted Answer

Distinctiveness refers to the degree to which an individual behaves differently across various situations, according to attribution theory. It helps in determining whether the cause of behavior is situational or dispositional.

Question 6

What factors that operate to shape and sometimes distort perception reside in the perceiver, what factors reside in the target being perceived, and what factors reside in the context of the situation in which the perception is made?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What factors that operate to shape and...

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of externally caused behavior?
A) An employee is late to work because he was partying late and overslept.
B) An employee is late because of a flat tire.
C) An employee was fired because he violated a company policy.
D) An employee was promoted because he was hard working.
E) An employee died from lung cancer after excessive tobacco use.

Accepted Answer

External causes refer to factors outside of oneself, and in this case, the employee's lateness was caused by an external factor, such as a flat tire. The other options listed are either caused by internal actions (such as oversleeping or violating company policy) or are outcomes of past behaviors (such as being promoted or dying from lung cancer).

Question 8

Which of the following statements is true regarding perception?
A) Our perception of reality is independent of our personality.
B) The context of the situation in which the perception is made has little effect on our perception of reality.
C) Our perception of reality can be different from the objective reality.
D) Our perception of reality is independent of our past experiences.
E) We form a perception of a target by looking at it in isolation.

Accepted Answer

Our perception of reality can be different from the objective reality because it is influenced by factors such as our past experiences, expectations, beliefs, and emotions. Therefore, two people can have different perceptions of the same situation or object.

Question 9

Janice is late for work each day by about ten minutes. How would the attribution theory describe this behavior?
A) It shows consensus.
B) It shows similarity.
C) It shows reliability.
D) It shows consistency.
E) It shows distinctiveness.

Accepted Answer

The attribution theory would describe Janice's late behavior as showing consistency, which means that she is consistently late by about ten minutes every day.

Question 10

David is of the opinion that people who drive SUVs are dangerous drivers. He often thinks that people driving SUVs are driving rashly, even when other observers can see nothing wrong with the behavior of the SUV drivers. What factor is affecting his perception in this case?
A) his interests
B) his personality
C) his expectations
D) his motives
E) his attitude

Accepted Answer

David's perception is being influenced by his expectations of SUV drivers. He has developed a negative stereotype or belief about them, which affects his perceptions and judgments of their driving behavior. This can be an example of confirmation bias, where he selectively notices or remembers information that confirms his expectations while ignoring contradictory evidence.

Question 11

According to the attribution theory, if a behavior scores ________, we tend to attribute it to external causes.
A) low on distinctiveness
B) high on adaptability
C) low on consistency
D) high on stability
E) low on consensus

Accepted Answer

If a behavior scores low on consistency, it suggests that the behavior is not regularly exhibited by the individual, leading us to attribute it to external causes rather than internal ones.

Question 12

Attribution theory suggests that when we observe an individual's behavior, we attempt to determine whether it was internally or externally caused. That determination, however, depends largely on three factors. Which of the following is one of these three factors?
A) stereotyping
B) consistency
C) anchoring
D) rationality
E) intuition

Accepted Answer

Consistency is one of the three factors that determine whether behavior was internally or externally caused. Consistency in behavior implies that the behavior is likely to be caused by internal factors, while inconsistency suggests that the behavior was caused by external factors.

Question 13

When neither the perceiver nor the target has changed, which of the following factors influences perception?
A) self-serving bias
B) stereotyping
C) satisficing
D) selective perception
E) situation

Accepted Answer

When neither the perceiver nor the target has changed, the situation or context in which the perception occurs can influence the perceiver's interpretation. For example, a person's behavior in a work setting may be interpreted differently than the same behavior in a social setting, even though the person and behavior are the same. This is because the situational context can provide additional information or cues that affect how the perceiver interprets the target's behavior.

Question 14

________ is the process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment.
A) Cognitive dissonance
B) Environmental analysis
C) Social verification
D) Emotional labor
E) Perception

Accepted Answer

Perception is defined as the process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment. This involves not only taking in sensory information, but also using past experiences and knowledge to make sense of it.

Question 15

On the first day of class, you came dressed in a business suit while the remainder of your classmates came dressed in casual clothing or their workout clothes. All semester you have noticed that your professor always seems to talk to you before or after class and that you always seem to get a little more feedback on your papers than your classmates. Why is this?
A) Your professor is hitting on you.
B) Your professor thinks you are a more serious student.
C) Your professor feels sorry for you because you are a social outcast.
D) You are sucking up to your professor.
E) There is no theoretical explanation for this.

Accepted Answer

Your professor may have perceived you as a more serious student because you came dressed in a business suit on the first day of class. Dressing professionally can give the impression of taking your education seriously and being prepared for class, which may have led your professor to have higher expectations of you. Additionally, your professor may be providing more feedback on your papers because they see potential in you as a student and want to encourage you to do well.

Question 16

People are not that perceptive about their own abilities.

Accepted Answer

Numerous studies have shown that people tend to overestimate their own abilities and skills, a phenomenon known as the Dunning-Kruger effect. This can lead to self-delusion and a lack of awareness of one's own limitations.

Question 17

Sarah and Holly started working at a Human Resources firm as recruiters on the same day and have the same position. Both women have been meeting their placement goals and are both very well liked within the organization. Because Holly lives almost 60 miles away, she sometimes works 9-6 to avoid traffic rather than the 8-5 that Sarah works. Johnson, their supervisor, awarded Sarah the "Employee of the Month" award for her outstanding work. Which influence of perception is at work in this situation?
A) perceiver: Johnson thinks because Holly arrives at 9 that she must not be working a full day
B) perceiver: Holly thinks she is entitled to special privilege because she is meeting her goals
C) target: Sarah arrives on time so people think she is doing her job better than Holly
D) situation: Since the office opens at 8, Sarah is more conscientious than Holly
E) situation: Since Holly travels the farthest, she is actually more dedicated than Sarah

Accepted Answer

The influence of the perceiver is at work in this situation as Johnson has made assumptions about Holly's work ethic based on her arrival time, rather than evaluating her actual performance.

Question 18

Our perception of a target is affected by the characteristics of the target and not by our personality and past experiences.

Accepted Answer

Our perception of a target is influenced by a combination of the characteristics of the target and our personality, past experiences, and cultural background. Our past experiences and personality can affect how we interpret and evaluate information about the target, and can also influence our expectations and assumptions about the target. Therefore, our perception of a target is a complex process that is influenced by both the characteristics of the target and our own individual traits and experiences.

Question 19

Our perception of reality can be substantially different from objective reality.

Accepted Answer

Our perception of reality is influenced by various factors such as our background, experiences, biases, and emotions, which can result in a subjective interpretation of reality. Therefore, our perception of reality can be substantially different from the objective reality.

Question 20

________ theory tries to explain the ways in which we judge people differently, depending on the meaning we attribute to a given behavior.
A) ERG
B) Hierarchy of needs
C) Acquired needs
D) Attribution
E) Two factor

Accepted Answer

Attribution theory attempts to explain how we make judgments about others based on the meaning we attribute to their behavior. It suggests that we focus on two main types of attributions: internal (dispositional) and external (situational) attributions. Internal attributions are made when we believe that a person's behavior is due to their personal traits, abilities, or characteristics, while external attributions are made when we believe that a person's behavior is due to factors outside of their control, such as the situation they are in.

Quiz 6: Perception and Individual Decision Making

Loud people are more likely to be noticed in a group than quiet ones. So, too, are extremely attractive or unattractive individuals. Which of the following statements best explains the reason behind this fact?

Attribution theory uses three factors to determine if a person's behavior is caused internally or externally. One of these three factors is consensus. It indicates if ________.

Two people see the same thing at the same time yet interpret it differently. In this situation, factors that operate to shape their dissimilar perceptions reside in the ________.

With reference to the attribution theory, which of the following terms indicates the extent to which an individual displays different behaviors in different situations?

What factors that operate to shape and sometimes distort perception reside in the perceiver, what factors reside in the target being perceived, and what factors reside in the context of the situation in which the perception is made?

Which of the following is an example of externally caused behavior?

Which of the following statements is true regarding perception?

Janice is late for work each day by about ten minutes. How would the attribution theory describe this behavior?

David is of the opinion that people who drive SUVs are dangerous drivers. He often thinks that people driving SUVs are driving rashly, even when other observers can see nothing wrong with the behavior of the SUV drivers. What factor is affecting his perception in this case?

According to the attribution theory, if a behavior scores ________, we tend to attribute it to external causes.

Attribution theory suggests that when we observe an individual's behavior, we attempt to determine whether it was internally or externally caused. That determination, however, depends largely on three factors. Which of the following is one of these three factors?

When neither the perceiver nor the target has changed, which of the following factors influences perception?

________ is the process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment.

People are not that perceptive about their own abilities.

Our perception of a target is affected by the characteristics of the target and not by our personality and past experiences.

Our perception of reality can be substantially different from objective reality.

________ theory tries to explain the ways in which we judge people differently, depending on the meaning we attribute to a given behavior.