Question 1

Hierarchical knowledge structures that include beliefs about relationships CANNOT explain how:

Accepted Answer

A)  individuals connect observable behaviors with more general or abstract beliefs about their partners and the relationship. 
B)  the same person can reach different conclusions about the same behavior at different times. 
C)  qualities that are initially attractive in partners become undesirable over time. 
D)  individuals have a positive bias about partners' attributes. 
A)  individuals connect observable behaviors with more general or abstract beliefs about their partners and the relationship. 
B)  the same person can reach different conclusions about the same behavior at different times. 
C)  qualities that are initially attractive in partners become undesirable over time. 
D)  individuals have a positive bias about partners' attributes. D

Question 2

6.Long-term married partners tend to retrospectively report a U-shaped change in their marital satisfaction (that is, looking back they believe their relationships started out great, worsened somewhat over time, and then improved more recently). On the other hand, research demonstrates that marital satisfaction generally shows a linear decline over time. How can we explain this apparent discrepancy?

Accepted Answer

Retrospective memories are inaccurate and systematically biased. Because the memory process is flexible, it allows people to remember the past in ways that justify current feelings about the relationship and to forget information that might threaten those feelings. Thus, most people fail to remember that their relationship satisfaction has declined over time and instead view their relationships as having improved recently, which fits with their views that their relationships are growing and improving and likely to do so in the future. These biases help people maintain their existing positive feelings about being in their relationships and prevent threatening information (e.g., our relationship is deteriorating) from entering awareness.

Question 3

According to the commitment calibration hypothesis, who should rate photos of the attractiveness of attractive members of the other sex the highest (assuming the raters are heterosexual)? People in:

Accepted Answer

A)  unhappy dating relationships and people in unhappy married relationships. 
B)  happy dating relationships and people in unhappy married relationships. 
C)  happy married relationships who think the person in the photo is interested in them. 
D)  unhappy married relationships who think the person in the photo is interested in them. 
A)  unhappy dating relationships and people in unhappy married relationships. 
B)  happy dating relationships and people in unhappy married relationships. 
C)  happy married relationships who think the person in the photo is interested in them. 
D)  unhappy married relationships who think the person in the photo is interested in them. D

Question 4

12.A group of men is having a stag party at a bar. The men have been admiring a couple of attractive women sitting across the room. The exception is Keith, who is in a committed relationship. Keith says that he doesn't find the women attractive at all. One of his friends replies, ÒAre you crazy? Those women are hot!Ó How can you explain Keith's response?

Accepted Answer

Keith is derogating alternative partners

Question 5

The text describes several mechanisms of motivated reasoning in relationships. Something that all of these techniques have in common is that they:

Accepted Answer

A)  require direct communication between partners to be effective. 
B)  allow partners' initially positive views of their relationships to accommodate new information and experiences. 
C)  require partners to fool themselves into believing things that are not true. 
D)  help prevent specific negative experiences from activating more general negative beliefs about the relationship. 
A)  require direct communication between partners to be effective. 
B)  allow partners' initially positive views of their relationships to accommodate new information and experiences. 
C)  require partners to fool themselves into believing things that are not true. 
D)  help prevent specific negative experiences from activating more general negative beliefs about the relationship.

Question 6

Jose and Savannah have just had a huge argument about finances, but now they feel closer to each other than before. How would you explain this using the empathy accuracy model?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jose and Savannah were able to accurately detect each other's nonthreatening and threatening thoughts. 
B)  Jose and Savannah were able to accurately detect each other's nonthreatening thoughts but inaccurately detect each other's threatening thoughts. 
C)  Jose and Savannah were able to accurately detect each other's threatening thoughts but inaccurately detect each other's nonthreatening thoughts. 
D)  Jose and Savannah were able to inaccurately detect each other's nonthreatening and threatening thoughts. 
A)  Jose and Savannah were able to accurately detect each other's nonthreatening and threatening thoughts. 
B)  Jose and Savannah were able to accurately detect each other's nonthreatening thoughts but inaccurately detect each other's threatening thoughts. 
C)  Jose and Savannah were able to accurately detect each other's threatening thoughts but inaccurately detect each other's nonthreatening thoughts. 
D)  Jose and Savannah were able to inaccurately detect each other's nonthreatening and threatening thoughts.

Question 7

Jack and Kate are unhappy in their relationship. Robbie and Sawyer are happy in their relationship. One night, Jack and Robbie find themselves sitting at a restaurant waiting for their very late partners to arrive for dinner. According to research on attributions in relationships, Jack is likely to think ________, and Robbie is likely to think ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  Òshe is unorganized and lost track of timeÓ; Òshe is rather inconsiderateÓ 
B)  Òshe likely got tied up at the officeÓ; Òshe must have gotten lost on the way hereÓ 
C)  Òshe doesn't care about our familyÓ; Òshe is probably having trouble finding parkingÓ 
D)  Òshe must have hit heavy trafficÓ; Òshe always was a little forgetfulÓ 
A)  Òshe is unorganized and lost track of timeÓ; Òshe is rather inconsiderateÓ 
B)  Òshe likely got tied up at the officeÓ; Òshe must have gotten lost on the way hereÓ 
C)  Òshe doesn't care about our familyÓ; Òshe is probably having trouble finding parkingÓ 
D)  Òshe must have hit heavy trafficÓ; Òshe always was a little forgetfulÓ

Question 8

Selective attention and memory bias serve to ________, whereas adaptive attributions and flexible standards serve to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  create distress; promote satisfaction 
B)  keep negative information out of awareness; minimize the impact of negative information 
C)  promote accuracy; interfere with enhancement 
D)  make information processing implicit; make information processing explicit 
A)  create distress; promote satisfaction 
B)  keep negative information out of awareness; minimize the impact of negative information 
C)  promote accuracy; interfere with enhancement 
D)  make information processing implicit; make information processing explicit

Question 9

8.What is the empathy accuracy model?

Accepted Answer

The accuracy of an individual's understa

Question 10

Even after Bill Clinton had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, Hillary Clinton did not seek to divorce him. What kind of information processing may have led to her decision to stay?

Accepted Answer

A)  attributions that discounted the undesirable aspects of his actions and emphasized his positive qualities 
B)  selective attention, which overlooked his negative behavior 
C)  attributions that put Monica Lewinsky in a favorable light and thus allowed Hillary Clinton to preserve a positive view of her husband 
D)  attributions that assumed that Bill's behavior was motivated by malicious intent, thus allowing Hillary to forgive him 
A)  attributions that discounted the undesirable aspects of his actions and emphasized his positive qualities 
B)  selective attention, which overlooked his negative behavior 
C)  attributions that put Monica Lewinsky in a favorable light and thus allowed Hillary Clinton to preserve a positive view of her husband 
D)  attributions that assumed that Bill's behavior was motivated by malicious intent, thus allowing Hillary to forgive him

Question 11

Unhappy spouses tend to make attributions that are ________ and ________, which may maintain their distress.

Accepted Answer

A)  internal; stable 
B)  external; temporary 
C)  nonblaming; temporary 
D)  blaming; external 
A)  internal; stable 
B)  external; temporary 
C)  nonblaming; temporary 
D)  blaming; external

Question 12

In a study by MacDonald and Ross (1999), friends, parents, and students were asked to predict how long the student's romantic relationship would last. Who was the LEAST accurate about the likelihood of the student's relationship lasting, and why?

Accepted Answer

A)  Parents were the least accurate about the likelihood of the student's relationship lasting because they knew the least about the relationship. 
B)  Friends were the least accurate because they tend to see their own relationships as superior to the student's relationship. 
C)  Students were least accurate because they were in a deliberative mind-set. 
D)  Students were the least accurate because they may have an enhancement bias. 
A)  Parents were the least accurate about the likelihood of the student's relationship lasting because they knew the least about the relationship. 
B)  Friends were the least accurate because they tend to see their own relationships as superior to the student's relationship. 
C)  Students were least accurate because they were in a deliberative mind-set. 
D)  Students were the least accurate because they may have an enhancement bias.

Question 13

Your friend Hugo recently met Jimena in his social psychology class and would like to ask her out on a date. Hugo spends a lot of time describing to you in great detail the latest interactions he has had with Jimena, trying to analyze whether she would be receptive to an overture. Which of the following best describes Hugo's behavior?

Accepted Answer

A)  enhancement bias 
B)  accuracy bias 
C)  diagnosticity bias 
D)  self-serving bias 
A)  enhancement bias 
B)  accuracy bias 
C)  diagnosticity bias 
D)  self-serving bias

Question 14

13.Your friend Tianda argues that it is always important to understand and to have empathy for a partner's thoughts and feelings about the relationship. In what way is she right, and in what way is she wrong?

Accepted Answer

It is important to have an accurate unde

Question 15

In terms of cognitive processing in relationships, what is a Òfatal attractionÓ?

Accepted Answer

A)  Glenn Close's character in the movie of the same name 
B)  a tendency to always pick the wrong relationship partners 
C)  an attraction to partners who are abusive and physically violent 
D)  an attraction to qualities that later become a source of irritation 
A)  Glenn Close's character in the movie of the same name 
B)  a tendency to always pick the wrong relationship partners 
C)  an attraction to partners who are abusive and physically violent 
D)  an attraction to qualities that later become a source of irritation

Question 16

John has been married 10 years but is very unhappy with his relationship. There is an attractive female co-worker, Leila, at his office. According to the commitment calibration hypothesis, in which of the following situations is John most likely to DOWNPLAY his perception of Leila's attractiveness?

Accepted Answer

A)  John's wife decides she can no longer be married to him and files for a divorce. 
B)  John decides he can no longer be married to his wife and files for a divorce. 
C)  John frequently needs to consult with Leila on various business projects. 
D)  John learns that Leila finds him attractive, and that she wants to have an affair with him. 
A)  John's wife decides she can no longer be married to him and files for a divorce. 
B)  John decides he can no longer be married to his wife and files for a divorce. 
C)  John frequently needs to consult with Leila on various business projects. 
D)  John learns that Leila finds him attractive, and that she wants to have an affair with him.

Question 17

Bjorn perceives his partner's intentions in a conflict discussion very differently than they are perceived by outside observers. These differing perceptions can best be explained by:

Accepted Answer

A)  motivated reasoning. 
B)  motivated inaccuracy. 
C)  diagnosticity bias. 
D)  self-serving bias. 
A)  motivated reasoning. 
B)  motivated inaccuracy. 
C)  diagnosticity bias. 
D)  self-serving bias.

Question 18

11.What are downward social comparisons, and under what conditions are people particularly likely to engage in downward social comparisons, and why?

Accepted Answer

Downward social comparisons compare one'

Question 19

5.Explain assimilation and accommodation, and provide a relationship example of each.

Accepted Answer

Assimilation occurs when new information

Question 20

1.Early in her relationship with Sean, Barbara loved his spontaneity: on a moment's notice, he would make plans for them to go on a week-long canoe trip or to Mexico on holidays. Now that they have been married 15 years and have two sons, Barbara finds Sean's unpredictability frustrating and feels he is being irresponsible when he makes spur-of-the-moment plans. Based on the chapter about cognitive processing in relationships, what would you say has happened in Barbara and Sean's relationship?

Accepted Answer

Barbara is experiencing a fata

Hierarchical knowledge structures that include beliefs about relationships CANNOT explain how:

According to the commitment calibration hypothesis, who should rate photos of the attractiveness of attractive members of the other sex the highest (assuming the raters are heterosexual)? People in:

The text describes several mechanisms of motivated reasoning in relationships. Something that all of these techniques have in common is that they:

Jose and Savannah have just had a huge argument about finances, but now they feel closer to each other than before. How would you explain this using the empathy accuracy model?

Selective attention and memory bias serve to , whereas adaptive attributions and flexible standards serve to .

8.What is the empathy accuracy model?

Even after Bill Clinton had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, Hillary Clinton did not seek to divorce him. What kind of information processing may have led to her decision to stay?

Unhappy spouses tend to make attributions that are and , which may maintain their distress.

In a study by MacDonald and Ross (1999), friends, parents, and students were asked to predict how long the student's romantic relationship would last. Who was the LEAST accurate about the likelihood of the student's relationship lasting, and why?

13.Your friend Tianda argues that it is always important to understand and to have empathy for a partner's thoughts and feelings about the relationship. In what way is she right, and in what way is she wrong?

In terms of cognitive processing in relationships, what is a Òfatal attractionÓ?

John has been married 10 years but is very unhappy with his relationship. There is an attractive female co-worker, Leila, at his office. According to the commitment calibration hypothesis, in which of the following situations is John most likely to DOWNPLAY his perception of Leila's attractiveness?

Bjorn perceives his partner's intentions in a conflict discussion very differently than they are perceived by outside observers. These differing perceptions can best be explained by:

11.What are downward social comparisons, and under what conditions are people particularly likely to engage in downward social comparisons, and why?

5.Explain assimilation and accommodation, and provide a relationship example of each.

Why Study Intimate Relationships?

Tools of Relationship Science

Theoretical Frameworks

Men and Women, Gay and Straight

Attraction and Mate Selection

Personality and Personal History

Communicating Closeness

Managing Differences

Beliefs and Values

Relationships in Context

Improving Relationships

Relationships Across the Lifespan

Filters

Exam 10: Understanding Each Other

Hierarchical knowledge structures that include beliefs about relationships CANNOT explain how:

According to the commitment calibration hypothesis, who should rate photos of the attractiveness of attractive members of the other sex the highest (assuming the raters are heterosexual)? People in:

The text describes several mechanisms of motivated reasoning in relationships. Something that all of these techniques have in common is that they:

Jose and Savannah have just had a huge argument about finances, but now they feel closer to each other than before. How would you explain this using the empathy accuracy model?

Selective attention and memory bias serve to ________, whereas adaptive attributions and flexible standards serve to ________.

8.What is the empathy accuracy model?

Even after Bill Clinton had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, Hillary Clinton did not seek to divorce him. What kind of information processing may have led to her decision to stay?

Unhappy spouses tend to make attributions that are ________ and ________, which may maintain their distress.

In a study by MacDonald and Ross (1999), friends, parents, and students were asked to predict how long the student's romantic relationship would last. Who was the LEAST accurate about the likelihood of the student's relationship lasting, and why?

13.Your friend Tianda argues that it is always important to understand and to have empathy for a partner's thoughts and feelings about the relationship. In what way is she right, and in what way is she wrong?

In terms of cognitive processing in relationships, what is a Òfatal attractionÓ?

John has been married 10 years but is very unhappy with his relationship. There is an attractive female co-worker, Leila, at his office. According to the commitment calibration hypothesis, in which of the following situations is John most likely to DOWNPLAY his perception of Leila's attractiveness?

Bjorn perceives his partner's intentions in a conflict discussion very differently than they are perceived by outside observers. These differing perceptions can best be explained by:

11.What are downward social comparisons, and under what conditions are people particularly likely to engage in downward social comparisons, and why?

5.Explain assimilation and accommodation, and provide a relationship example of each.

Why Study Intimate Relationships?

Tools of Relationship Science

Theoretical Frameworks

Men and Women, Gay and Straight

Attraction and Mate Selection

Personality and Personal History

Communicating Closeness

Managing Differences

Beliefs and Values

Relationships in Context

Improving Relationships

Relationships Across the Lifespan

Filters

Selective attention and memory bias serve to , whereas adaptive attributions and flexible standards serve to .

Unhappy spouses tend to make attributions that are and , which may maintain their distress.