When Paul's friend offered to set him up on a date with Edie, he agreed until he found out she was a psychologist. He told his friend "No way, I don't want to date a crazy person; all psychologists are crazy." Paul's statement about Edie reflects all of the following EXCEPT
A)all-or-nothing thinking.
B)a connotative meaning of "psychologist."
C)a denotative meaning of "psychologist."
D)a social stereotype.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Paul's statement reflects a stereotype (D) about psychologists being crazy, uses all-or-nothing thinking (A) by generalizing that all psychologists are the same, and implies a negative connotation (B) associated with the term "psychologist." However, it does not reflect the denotative (literal) meaning of "psychologist," which is simply a professional in the study of the mind and behavior (C).

When Paul's Friend Offered to Set Him Up on a Date