Question 1

When the brain is selecting stimuli from all those that surround us, __________ are most likely to be selected.
A) stimuli that do not change
B) stimuli that are less intense
C) stimuli that are novel or unexpected
D) stimuli that do not move

Accepted Answer

The brain is more likely to select novel or unexpected stimuli because they grab our attention and are potentially more important for survival. This is known as the novelty preference or the novelty bias.

Question 2

Donna takes an exam and doesn't think she did well. When the teacher returns the exam, Donna mistakenly thinks the "A" at the top of the paper is an "F." Her misperception is due primarily to
A) selective distortion.
B) paying attention to two stimuli at once.
C) multi-tasking.
D) laws of organization.

Accepted Answer

Donna's misperception is an example of selective distortion, which occurs when an individual's preconceived beliefs or expectations influence their perception of incoming information. In this case, Donna's belief that she did poorly on the exam led her to selectively distort the "A" into an "F" because it aligned with her expectation of a low grade.

Question 3

The second step in the perceptual process is __________ data.
A) selecting
B) interpreting
C) gathering
D) organizing

Accepted Answer

D

Question 4

At a party where you don't know anybody, you meet a group of women who are standing together. Later, you meet one of these women, and you picture the group with whom she stood at the party. You are using which law of organization?
A) proximity
B) similarity
C) closure
D) ambiguity

Accepted Answer

Proximity refers to the idea that objects or people that are close together in space are perceived as belonging together. In this scenario, the group of women were physically close to each other, so our brain groups them together as a cohesive unit. When we meet one of the women later, we automatically associate her with the group due to this principle of proximity.

Question 5

As you drive, a car that passes you is going very fast and swerving between lanes. Suddenly, you hear another car's horn. You assume the horn was in response to the dangerous driving you witnessed. Your assumption is referred to as
A) selection of stimuli.
B) organization of data.
C) interpretation of data.
D) ambiguous figures.

Accepted Answer

The assumption made about the honking of the car's horn is an interpretation of the data observed.

Question 6

Some studies suggest that women have a more finely tuned sense of smell than men do. If this is true, then this would be which factor affecting perception?
A) organizational
B) selective distortion
C) psychological
D) physiological

Accepted Answer

Physiological factors refer to physical characteristics that affect perception, such as sensory abilities like smell. Thus, the fact that women may have a more finely tuned sense of smell than men would be a physiological factor affecting perception.

Question 7

After a stressful day at the office, Angela is annoyed when she walks into her house and finds her son playing loud music. He is surprised that she finds the music loud. Angela's perception of the music is affected by which factors?
A) psychological
B) physiological
C) co-culture
D) stereotyping

Accepted Answer

Angela's perception of the music being loud is affected by psychological factors, such as her stress level and emotional state.

Question 8

The degree to which you see yourself as valuable and worthwhile is self-________.
A) image
B) esteem
C) concept
D) stereotype

Accepted Answer

Self-esteem refers to the way individuals feel about themselves and their overall sense of self-worth. It is the degree to which one considers oneself to be valuable, worthy, and capable. Self-image refers to the mental picture individuals have of themselves, while self-concept refers to the way individuals perceive and interpret themselves, their traits, and their experiences. Stereotype refers to the generalized beliefs individuals hold about a particular group of people.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of Barnlund's theory of self-orientation?
A) When two people communicate, four entities are actually communicating.
B) Self-concept is irrelevant.
C) Each person communicates from within an understanding of who he or she is.
D) Reflected appraisal refers to our self-image.

Accepted Answer

Barnlund's theory of self-orientation suggests that each person communicates from within an understanding of who he or she is. This means that individuals bring their own self-concept, experiences, and perspectives to the communication process. Option A is incorrect because Barnlund's theory does not suggest that four entities are communicating. Option B is also incorrect because self-concept is very relevant in Barnlund's theory of self-orientation. Option D is partially correct because reflected appraisal does refer to our self-image, but it is not directly related to Barnlund's theory of self-orientation.

Question 10

What does the Plus-2 Concept add to Barnlund's theory?
A) Self-orientation
B) An "other" orientation
C) Reflected appraisal
D) Co-culture

Accepted Answer

The "other" orientation is added to Barnlund's theory by the Plus-2 Concept. This orientation focuses on the way that we perceive and interact with others, and it takes into account the cultural and social factors that influence our communication.

Question 11

Which of the following is true about forming an accurate self-concept?
A) Self-concepts change frequently.
B) Appraisals from others do not affect the self-concept.
C) Self-concepts cling to stagnant thinking.
D) People do not tend to hold irrational beliefs.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is true about...

Question 12

When Frank fails his math class in the fall semester, he blames it on his teacher. When he passes math the next semester, he prides himself on his hard work. His self-concept is affected by
A) self-serving bias.
B) self-fulfilling prophecy.
C) rational-emotive behavior.
D) impression management.

Accepted Answer

Frank's tendency to attribute his failure to external factors and his success to his own efforts is an example of self-serving bias.

Question 13

As you walk into a job interview, you think, "There's no way I will get this job." This thought makes you so nervous that the interview goes badly, and you don't get the job. The outcome is due to
A) angel effect.
B) devil effect.
C) self-fulfilling prophecy.
D) rational-emotive behavior.

Accepted Answer

The thought "there's no way I will get this job" is a negative self-fulfilling prophecy. This thought led to nervousness and a bad interview, ultimately resulting in not getting the job.

Question 14

Which of the following are true of first impressions?
A) We can easily avoid forming them.
B) They do not play a role in job interviewing.
C) They are the result of the self-serving bias.
D) We often fail to revise them even after we receive new information.

Accepted Answer

First impressions are often formed quickly and can be difficult to revise, even when we receive new information that may contradict them. This is known as the "halo effect." Options A and B are untrue, and C is not necessarily the result of first impressions.

Question 15

Because Reiko is Japanese, you assume she likes sushi. This is an example of
A) self-talk.
B) stereotyping.
C) impression management.
D) self-fulfilling prophecy.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of stereotyping, which is making assumptions about someone based on their perceived group membership rather than individual characteristics.

Question 16

Which of the following is true about stereotyping?
A) Stereotyping refers only to impressions of people from different races or ethnic backgrounds.
B) Stereotyping illustrates how our perceptions are reality.
C) Stereotyping shows that people are not unique but are essentially the same.
D) Stereotyping can be a benefit when we have limited time or limited information.

Accepted Answer

Stereotyping can sometimes be a benefit when we have limited time or limited information, as it allows us to quickly categorize and make judgments about others based on shared characteristics. However, it can also lead to inaccurate and unfair assumptions about individuals.

Question 17

Jillian is such a cute little girl that adults often assume that she is sweet and well-behaved. What phenomenon is occurring?
A) Devil effect
B) Angel effect
C) Halo effect
D) Attribution effect

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon that is occurring in this scenario is the Halo effect, where one positive trait (in this case, cuteness and sweetness) is assumed to be present in all aspects of the person's behavior, character, and personality.

Question 18

The desire for consistency between past and present experiences is known as
A) fundamental attribution error.
B) perceptual constancy.
C) rational-emotive behavior.
D) self-serving bias.

Accepted Answer

The desire for consistency between past and present experiences is known as perceptual constancy. This principle helps us to maintain a stable perception of objects in the world even as they change in appearance due to variations in lighting, occlusion, or other factors. The other options (fundamental attribution error, rational-emotive behavior, and self-serving bias) all refer to different psychological concepts that are not directly related to perceptual constancy.

Question 19

When Henry is late to work, his boss believes this is due to Henry's poor work ethic. The reason, however, is that Henry's commuter train sometimes runs slowly. The boss's belief is
A) fundamental attribution error.
B) perceptual constancy.
C) projection.
D) self-serving bias.

Accepted Answer

The boss's belief that Henry's lateness is due to his poor work ethic instead of considering external factors like train delays is an example of fundamental attribution error. This is the tendency to explain someone's behavior based on internal factors (such as their personality or disposition) rather than considering situational factors.

Question 20

Over-estimating the role of character traits while under-estimating the role of the situation is
A) perceptual constancy.
B) self-fulfilling prophecy.
C) first impression.
D) fundamental attribution error.

Accepted Answer

Fundamental attribution error is the tendency to overemphasize dispositional (internal) explanations for others' behavior, while underemphasizing situational (external) factors.

Quiz 2: Using Perception to Understand Self and Others

When the brain is selecting stimuli from all those that surround us, __________ are most likely to be selected.

Donna takes an exam and doesn't think she did well. When the teacher returns the exam, Donna mistakenly thinks the "A" at the top of the paper is an "F." Her misperception is due primarily to

The second step in the perceptual process is __________ data.

At a party where you don't know anybody, you meet a group of women who are standing together. Later, you meet one of these women, and you picture the group with whom she stood at the party. You are using which law of organization?

As you drive, a car that passes you is going very fast and swerving between lanes. Suddenly, you hear another car's horn. You assume the horn was in response to the dangerous driving you witnessed. Your assumption is referred to as

Some studies suggest that women have a more finely tuned sense of smell than men do. If this is true, then this would be which factor affecting perception?

After a stressful day at the office, Angela is annoyed when she walks into her house and finds her son playing loud music. He is surprised that she finds the music loud. Angela's perception of the music is affected by which factors?

The degree to which you see yourself as valuable and worthwhile is self-________.

Which of the following is true of Barnlund's theory of self-orientation?

What does the Plus-2 Concept add to Barnlund's theory?

Which of the following is true about forming an accurate self-concept?

When Frank fails his math class in the fall semester, he blames it on his teacher. When he passes math the next semester, he prides himself on his hard work. His self-concept is affected by

As you walk into a job interview, you think, "There's no way I will get this job." This thought makes you so nervous that the interview goes badly, and you don't get the job. The outcome is due to

Which of the following are true of first impressions?

Because Reiko is Japanese, you assume she likes sushi. This is an example of

Which of the following is true about stereotyping?

Jillian is such a cute little girl that adults often assume that she is sweet and well-behaved. What phenomenon is occurring?

The desire for consistency between past and present experiences is known as

When Henry is late to work, his boss believes this is due to Henry's poor work ethic. The reason, however, is that Henry's commuter train sometimes runs slowly. The boss's belief is

Over-estimating the role of character traits while under-estimating the role of the situation is