Merry is normally a very quiet person who remains somewhat quiet during conversations and in social settings. Merry is also the reigning national debate club champion. According to the Trait Activation Theory, what happens to Merry at competitions?
A) She becomes highly narcissistic and is rude to the other competitors.
B) Being at the competition causes Merry to draw on normally unused traits.
C) Merry stops pretending to be shy.
D) Being at the competition causes Merry to internalize.
E) Merry wins by not saying much.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Trait Activation Theory suggests that individuals may exhibit traits that are typically unused or suppressed in certain situations. In this case, Merry's competitive nature and debating skills are likely activated during competitions, which allows her to excel in this particular domain despite her normally quiet demeanor.

Merry Is Normally a Very Quiet Person Who Remains Somewhat