Fujita has been a straight "A" student since high school.Now in university,she studies hard and has continued to make the top grades in her program.However,every time she must write a final exam,she tells her classmates that she is certain she will fail.Fujita is exhibiting ___.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Fujita is exhibiting defensive pessimism, which involves setting low expectations and then taking steps to prepare for the worst possible outcome. This can actually help individuals perform better by reducing anxiety and increasing motivation. This is different from an optimistic explanatory style or a pessimistic explanatory style, which refer to how one explains the causes of events (optimistic style sees negative events as situational and temporary while pessimistic style sees them as stable and internal). Fujita's behavior is also not an example of optimistic pessimism, which involves expecting the worst but hoping for the best.

Fujita Has Been a Straight "A" Student Since High School