Deck 6: The Key Self-Motives: Consistency, Esteem, Presentation, and Growth

Question 1

Uri has always believed that cheating is wrong.After he cheats on a biology quiz,his attitude becomes much less critical.The _____ theory best accounts for his attitudinal shift.

A)cognitive dissonance
B)self-presentation
C)self-perception
D)self-affirmation

Answer 1

cognitive dissonance

Question 2

All of the following are factors affecting the magnitude of dissonance EXCEPT:

A)the extent to which the action is reversible
B)a person's level of self-esteem
C)the amount of external justification a person has for a behavior
D)the extent to which aversive consequences can be foreseen

Answer 2

a person's level of self-esteem

Question 3

In Festinger and Carlsmith's (1959)classic study on cognitive dissonance,subjects came to believe that a boring task was interesting when they:

A)did not have to tell someone that they enjoyed the task.
B)were paid $1 to tell someone that they enjoyed the task.
C)were paid $20 to tell someone that they enjoyed the task.
D)were predisposed to make a good impression on others.

Answer 3

were paid $1 to tell someone that they enjoyed the task.

Question 4

The theory of _____ states,among other things,that to reduce discomfort we may find a way to justify our actions to ourselves.

A)symbolic self-completion
B)self-affirmation
C)cognitive dissonance
D)self-presentation

Question 5

In the induced hypocrisy paradigm,participants:

A)advocate an opinion they already believe in,and then are reminded of a time when their actions contradicted that opinion.
B)are assigned tasks of varying unpleasantness in order to gain entrance to a group,and their opinions about the group are assessed.
C)are made to feel that they have freely chosen to undertake a counterattitudinal behavior.
D)are given the smallest external justification necessary to prevent them from engaging in an undesirable behavior.

Question 6

Spreading of alternatives is a strategy that gets used in:

A)the free choice paradigm.
B)all instances of dissonance reduction.
C)the induced compliance paradigm.
D)the trivialization strategy.

Question 7

Santiago eats a lot of candy.He is also a nutrition expert who is aware that candy is bad for his health.According to cognitive dissonance theory,what is the MOST likely way that he will try to resolve his dissonance?

A)deciding that if he didn't eat candy,he would probably become unhappy and that would be just as bad for his health
B)refusing to believe that candy is bad for his health
C)stopping all consumption of candy
D)convincing himself that candy is actually healthy

Question 8

After a choice is made,people typically reduce dissonance by _____ the chosen alternative and _____the alternative not chosen.

A)focusing on;ignoring
B)ignoring;downgrading
C)focusing on the positive aspects of;focusing on the negative aspects of
D)focusing on the negative aspects of;focusing on the positive aspects of

Question 9

A person is most likely to exaggerate the differences between two alternatives when they have been forced to choose between:

A)two relatively undesirable alternatives.
B)two equally desirable alternatives.
C)their most desired and least desired alternatives.
D)an alternative they already possess,and one they do not yet possess.

Question 10

People from individualist cultures are more likely to experience dissonance _____,while people from collectivist cultures are more likely to experience dissonance _____.

A)in private settings;in public settings
B)in public settings;in private settings
C)during young adulthood;during older adulthood
D)during older adulthood;during young adulthood

Question 11

In an induced compliance paradigm:

A)individuals are given the opportunity to reduce dissonance in a number of different possible ways.
B)individuals choose between alternatives and,subsequently,their attraction to the alternatives is assesse
C)individuals are allowed to choose between several undesirable tasks.
D)individuals are manipulated into engaging in a behavior that goes against their attitudes.

Question 12

The induced hypocrisy paradigm is used to activate a sense of:

A)cynical performance.
B)ostracism.
C)cognitive dissonance.
D)self-esteem threat.

Question 13

Dissonance will be _____ if a person acts in a counterattitudinal fashion with a _____ justification.

A)highest;high
B)high;moderate
C)moderate;low
D)high;weak

Question 14

The key concept behind cognitive dissonance theory is that people:

A)base their self-esteem on cognitive assessments of their ability.
B)are willing to distort reality in order to maintain a sense of themselves as inconsistent and flexible.
C)experience an uncomfortable tension over inconsistencies in their beliefs,attitudes,and behavior.
D)are highly sensitive to unexpected information coming from the environment.

Question 15

In a study on induced hypocrisy and condom use,which participants were most likely to purchase a condom at the end of the study?

A)those who had made a public speech advocating condom use
B)those who had not made a public speech advocating condom use
C)those who had not made a public speech advocating condom use,before being reminded of a time when they did not use condoms
D)those who had made a public speech advocating condom use,before being reminded of a time when they did not use condoms

Question 16

All of the following are potential ways to reduce dissonance EXCEPT:

A)trivialize the inconsistent cognitions.
B)change one of the inconsistent cognitions.
C)reflect deeply on the inconsistency between the two cognitions.
D)add a third cognition that makes the original cognitions seem less inconsistent.

Question 17

Ataui is asked by her niece to explain the benefits of exercise.Then,a few minutes later,Ataui reflects on the fact that she has not exercised in quite some time.According to research on cognitive dissonance processes,what is Ataui now likely to do?

A)engage in exercise
B)not engage in exercise,and come up with an excuse for not doing so
C)exercise,but only if she feels there is a strong external incentive to do so
D)exercise,but only if she can see no external reason why she should

Question 18

Petra has decided on a graduate school to attend,one of several at which she was accepted.After she made her choice,she finds herself reducing any dissonance by:

A)focusing on the chosen school and ignoring the other choices of schools.
B)ignoring all new information about any of the schools.
C)focusing on the positive aspects of the chosen school and focusing on the negative aspects of the schools not chosen.
D)focusing on the negative aspects of the chosen school and focusing on the positive aspects of the schools not chosen.

Question 19

An example of using the strategy of trivialization to reduce dissonance is:

A)a smoker who keeps smoking after telling herself that without smoking,she would gain weight.
B)a person who litters instead of finding a trash can,because lots of people litter in that area already.
C)an animal rights activist who decides to become a vegetarian.
D)a person with high cholesterol who cuts back on red meat.

Question 20

Linder and colleagues had participants write a counterattitudinal essay on banning controversial speakers from campus.In one condition participants were told the essay was mandatory,and in a second condition participants were told it would be helpful but was not required.Which participants experienced the most dissonance?

A)The participants in the high choice condition experienced the most dissonance.
B)The participants in the low choice condition experienced the most dissonance.
C)The participants experienced the same amount of dissonance.
D)None of the participants experienced dissonance.

Question 21

Francis experienced early success as a musician.He was well liked when he performed in local clubs and bars,and a representative from a record company expressed interest in signing him to a label.However,before he achieved national recognition,his partner died,which caused Francis to fall into a deep depression,and he gave up his dream of being a musician.Now Francis spends his time alone and working in a local coffee shop.Francis's story is an example of:

A)self-verification.
B)a redemption story.
C)a contamination story.
D)self-complexity.

Question 22

Using the least possible amount of external justification required to prevent undesirable behavior is referred to as:

A)minimal deterrence.
B)cognitive dissonance.
C)induced compliance.
D)initiation severity.

Question 23

Aronson and Mills (1959)conducted a classic study in which female college students were recruited for a discussion group.In one condition participants were put through a difficult initiation into the group.In a second condition participants were put through a mild initiation into the group.Finally,in the control condition they were simply admitted to the group.The discussion that they actually listened to was quite boring.Which group stated they liked to group and were committed to the group?

A)those who did not have an initiation prior to listening to the discussion
B)those who had a mild initiation
C)those who had a difficult initiation
D)those who were already committed to being in the discussion group

Question 24

The desire for others to perceive us in the same way that we see ourselves is called:

A)self-verification.
B)self-affirmation.
C)self-complexity.
D)self-handicapping.

Question 25

According to research on self-verification,people who have positive views of themselves seek out others who _____,and people who have negative views of themselves seek out others who _____.

A)have negative views of them;have negative views of them
B)have positive views of them;have positive views of them
C)have positive views of them;have negative views of them
D)have negative views of them;have positive views of them

Question 26

The experimental paradigm that has been used to demonstrate that cognitive dissonance processes are driven by a negative,affective state of tension is:

A)induced hypocrisy.
B)misattribution of arousal.
C)the implicit attitudes test.
D)excitation transfer.

Question 27

Self-concept clarity refers to _____,while self-complexity refers to _____.

A)multiple aspects of the self-concept;a clearly defined and consistent self-concept
B)one point in time;multiple points in time
C)multiple points in time;one point in time
D)a clearly defined and consistent self-concept;multiple aspects of the self-concept

Question 28

A coherent life story connecting one's past,present,and possible future is referred to as:

A)self-concept clarity.
B)self-verification.
C)self-complexity.
D)a self-narrative.

Question 29

A life story in which a set of obstacles are overcome and ultimately lead to positive experiences is referred to as a _____,while a life story in which a state of good fortune is transformed into a state of failure or tragedy is referred to as a _____.

A)contamination story;redemption story
B)redemption story;contamination story
C)positive self-view;negative self-view
D)negative self-view;positive self-view

Question 30

In Aronson and Carlsmith's (1963)study conducted with preschoolers,under what experimental condition were children the most likely to change their attitudes toward an initially desirable toy at the end of the study?

A)those who were not given an opportunity to play with the toy
B)those who had been told that the experimenter would be mildly annoyed if they played with the toy
C)those who had been told that the experimenter would be very angry if they played with the toy
D)those who played with the toy during the study

Question 31

People high in self-concept clarity are _____ others' feedback,while those low in self-concept clarity are _____ others' feedback.

A)less sensitive to;more sensitive to
B)more sensitive to;less sensitive to
C)less likely to encounter;more likely to encounter
D)more likely to encounter;less likely to encounter

Question 32

In social psychological research,self-verification refers primarily to:

A)trying out multiple different self-concepts across one's lifespan.
B)seeking out others who support the way one views oneself.
C)storing autobiographical information about the self.
D)focusing more on the needs of the self than the needs of others.

Question 33

When people reduce dissonance by convincing themselves that what they suffered for is actually quite valuable,this phenomenon is referred to as:

A)overjustification.
B)effort justification.
C)minimal deterrence.
D)self-verification.

Question 34

A clearly defined,internally consistent,and temporally stable sense of self is referred to as:

A)self-verification.
B)self-esteem.
C)self-concept clarity.
D)self-schema.

Question 35

All of the following are true about individuals with high self-concept clarity EXCEPT:

A)they may be happier.
B)they may be better able to cope with stress.
C)they are more sensitive to feedback.
D)their attitudes about themselves are stable.

Question 36

N'Faly and Iarla are both undergoing therapy to cure their agoraphobia.N'Faly's therapist is using a traditional exposure method,through which N'Faly will gradually get farther and farther from his house.Iarla is being treated using a controversial new method,which requires him to stand outside his house and scream for minutes on end.What does research suggest will be the outcome of these therapies?

A)N'Faly will have more success.
B)Iarla will have more success.
C)Neither N'Faly's nor Iarla's therapy will be very successful.
D)If N'Faly and Iarla both believe they chose the therapy,they will experience some success.

Question 37

A professor says to her class "If you have to work hard for your grade,then you will appreciate it more!" This BEST illustrates:

A)overjustification.
B)effort justification.
C)minimal deterrence.
D)self-verification.

Question 38

Hira is seeing a therapist.According to research,the best outcome is MOST likely if:

A)Hira is attending a court-ordered therapy session.
B)Hira's parents are making her see a therapist.
C)Hira chose to seek therapy herself.
D)Hira is trying to please her partner by seeking therapy.

Question 39

What is the implication for parenting based on research on the minimal deterrence phenomenon?

A)Children are happiest if their parents allow them to explore the environment,without providing a strict set of rules and norms.
B)The more difficult it is for children to feel included in a particular activity,the more they will ultimately justify engaging in that activity by seeing it as good.
C)Minimal deterrence is the most effective way to provide a child with maximal external reason to avoid undesired behavior.
D)Minimal deterrence makes a child more likely to internalize the idea that he or she doesn't want to engage in the undesired behavior.

Question 40

Arvind is depressed and does not really like himself.At his new school,there are two people who seem interested in being friends with him.Amanda seems to enjoy his company and gives him compliments.Lucas seems to enjoy hanging out with Arvind but also is critical of him.Research suggests that Arvind will:

A)prefer to associate with Amanda.
B)prefer to associate with Lucas.
C)want to equally associate with both Amanda and Lucas.
D)not really want to associate with either of these people.

Question 41

The self-serving attributional bias is the tendency to make:

A)internal attributions for one's own behavior and external attributions for the behavior of others
B)external attributions for one's own behavior and internal attributions for the behavior of others
C)external attributions for bad things one does and internal attributions for good things one does
D)internal attributions for bad things one does and external attributions for good things one does

Question 42

If you assign to other people the traits that you fear you possess,then you are engaging in:

A)symbolic self-completion.
B)self-serving attributional bias.
C)identification.
D)projection.

Question 43

Self-handicapping refers to:

A)substituting state self-esteem for trait self-esteem in a situation.
B)placing obstacles in the way of one's success to protect self-esteem.
C)deliberately punishing oneself to compensate for a self-esteem-threatening failure.
D)associating with others who have negative views of oneself,in order to maintain a negative self-view.

Question 44

Manute has often done well on math tests in the past.However,the latest concepts in his math course have been very difficult for him,and he is uncertain whether he will be able to do well on the upcoming exam.The night before the test,a friend invites Manute to go to a party.What does research on self-handicapping suggest Manute will do?

A)go with the friend to the party only if the friend has a negative view of Manute
B)go with the friend to the party only if the friend has a positive view of Manute
C)go to the party,stay up late,and drink
D)decline to go to the party,study hard for the test,and put forward his best effort

Question 45

Images of what the future self may look like are referred to as:

A)self-presentations.
B)self-projections.
C)imagined ideals.
D)possible selves.

Question 46

Trait self-esteem refers specifically to:

A)the level of positive feeling one has about oneself.
B)a feeling about the self that can temporarily increase or decrease in positivity in response to changing circumstances.
C)a general attitude toward the self,ranging from very positive to very negative.
D)an implicit attitude toward the self.

Question 47

All of the following are mechanisms that people use routinely to maintain their self-esteem EXCEPT:

A)self-verification
B)projection
C)self-handicapping
D)compensation

Question 48

Salina is nervous about her upcoming tennis match with her new team.Instead of getting a good night's sleep prior to the match,she goes to a party and stays out late.Salina is engaging in:

A)self-verification
B)self-handicapping
C)self-serving bias
D)contamination narrative

Question 49

All of the following factors are known to exert a strong influence on a person's level and sources of self-esteem EXCEPT:

A)culture
B)genetics
C)the extent to which people value self-complexity
D)reflected appraisals and social comparisons experienced in childhood

Question 50

Taylor did not do well on her social psychology exam.If Taylor exhibits the self-serving attributional bias,she will:

A)study harder for the next exam.
B)blame herself for not studying hard.
C)blame the professor for not testing fairly.
D)give up trying.

Question 51

All of the following are true about self-handicapping EXCEPT:

A)men are more likely to self-handicap than women.
B)self-handicapping helps protect self-esteem.
C)self-handicapping often arises from uncertainty about one's skills.
D)self-handicapping occurs at varying levels among people.

Question 52

Your text cites all of the following variables as a primary contingency on which people base their self-esteem EXCEPT:

A)academic accomplishments
B)physical attractiveness
C)deference to authority figures
D)God's love

Question 53

Manal has decided she would like to lose some weight in the coming month.She posts online that this is her goal for the month.What does research based on symbolic self-completion theory suggest will happen?

A)Manal will successfully self-complete by losing weight.
B)Because she has self-completed through her online post,Manal may actually be less likely to lose much weight.
C)Manal will only successfully lose weight if she receives overwhelming support from her friends.
D)Manal will only successfully lose weight if she is generally ignored by her friends.

Question 54

The theory of symbolic self-completion suggests that:

A)individuals associate with others who support their self-views.
B)people tend to be insensitive to feedback from the environment suggesting that their behavior could improve.
C)if people feel threatened in one self-relevant domain,they will compensate by shifting their focus on their abilities in a different domain.
D)when people feel a self-defining aspect of themselves is threatened,they compensate by displaying symbols which support their self-definition.

Question 55

State self-esteem refers specifically to:

A)the level of positive feeling one has about oneself.
B)a feeling about the self that can temporarily increase or decrease in positivity in response to changing circumstances.
C)a general attitude toward the self,ranging from very positive to very negative.
D)an implicit attitude toward the self.

Question 56

Which of the following statements accurately summarizes findings from research on possible selves?

A)People's possible selves are primarily positive.
B)People's possible selves are primarily negative.
C)While possible selves play an important role in self-verification,they have little influence on motivation and actual behavior.
D)Possible selves serve as an important motivator for goal-setting and achievement.

Question 57

Which of the following statements accurately summarizes findings from research on the narration of personally experienced traumatic events?

A)Narration of trauma does not help the individual cope.
B)Narration of trauma improves coping,but it is unclear when this happens.
C)Narration of trauma mostly improves coping in individuals who have high levels of self-complexity.
D)Narration of trauma primarily improves coping in those individuals who seek out cause-and-effect connections.

Question 58

_____ has been identified by research as a technique that helps individuals preserve a sense of self-continuity and meaning,even in the face of reminders of mortality.

A)Self-evaluation maintenance
B)Self-compassion
C)Nostalgia
D)Self-monitoring

Question 59

Self-esteem is defined as the:

A)individual's level of life satisfaction.
B)extent to which the person has a stable,coherent self-concept.
C)level of positive feeling one has about oneself.
D)extent to which one likes oneself.

Question 60

If you think your shortcomings are pretty common,but you think your strengths are unique,you have provided an example of:

A)self-verification.
B)self-handicapping.
C)the better than average effect.
D)projection.

Question 61

The idea that people respond less defensively to threats to one aspect of themselves if they think about another valued aspect of themselves is referred to as:

A)self-affirmation.
B)self-verification.
C)symbolic self-completion.
D)projection.

Question 62

Which of the following finding has emerged from research on social comparison?

A)People prefer to compare themselves to those who perform far better than they in a domain.
B)People prefer to compare themselves to those who perform far worse than they in a domain.
C)People generally think of themselves as worse in most respects now than they used to be.
D)People generally think of themselves as better in most respects now than they used to be.

Question 63

According to the sociometer model:

A)a basic function of self-esteem is protecting the individual from troubling thoughts.
B)self-esteem primarily serves to maximize a person's sense of social status.
C)a basic function of self-esteem is indicating one's level of acceptance by others.
D)extraverted people are more concerned with self-esteem than introverted people.

Question 64

People in individualist cultures tend to declare themselves better than average on _____,while people in collectivist cultures tend to declare themselves better than average on _____.

A)almost all traits;almost no traits
B)almost no traits;almost all traits
C)traits like self-reliance;traits like loyalty
D)traits like loyalty;traits like self-reliance

Question 65

Ostracism evokes a brain response that is similar to that triggered by:

A)pressure.
B)pain.
C)anger.
D)depression.

Question 66

In a typical game of what Williams and colleagues called cyberball,participants:

A)begin playing an electronic game of "catch" with two avatars,and the avatars gradually increase the extent to which they include the participant.
B)begin playing an electronic game of "catch" with two avatars,and the avatars eventually stop including the participant in the game.
C)engage in a dialogue with a computerized avatar that they believe is a participant in another room on a different computer.
D)engage in a dialogue with a participant in another room,whom they believe to be only a computerized avatar.

Question 67

Research suggest that if people have unstable self-esteem,they:

A)behave no differently than those with stable self-esteem.
B)are equally sensitive to potential self-esteem threats than those with stable self-esteem.
C)are less sensitive to potential self-esteem threats than those with stable self-esteem.
D)are more sensitive to potential self-esteem threats than those with stable self-esteem.

Question 68

A study by Cialdini (1976)and colleagues on people's reactions to their college sports team showed that:

A)students were less likely to wear school apparel when the football team had won a game.
B)students were more likely to wear school apparel when the football team had won a game.
C)students were equally likely to wear school apparel whether the football team had won or lost.
D)students connected to the football team (e.g. ,either on the team or best friends with a team member)were more likely to wear school apparel on game days.

Question 69

The sociometer model emphasizes:

A)self-verification.
B)social comparison.
C)the desire to fit in with others.
D)the desire to stand out from others.

Question 70

Research suggests that feeling ostracized in a social activity such as a game increases activation in the:

A)amygdala.
B)brain stem.
C)ventromedial prefrontal cortex.
D)anterior cingulate cortex.

Question 71

Janella is highly successful in a domain that is not very important to her self-esteem,so she is motivated to:

A)see her competitor as dissimilar to her
B)see her competitor as similar to her
C)evaluate her ability in comparison to her competitor
D)not evaluate her ability in comparison her competitor

Question 72

Research on culture and self-esteem suggests that:

A)only individuals in individualist cultures care about self-esteem.
B)only individuals in collectivist cultures care about self-esteem.
C)only individuals in individualist cultures engage in self-serving biases.
D)people in different cultures pursue self-esteem equally but using different criteria.

Question 73

In one study,participants received personality feedback before watching either a disturbingly graphic video or a video with neutral content.The findings of this study indicated that participants who received:

A)neutral feedback were not differentially affected by the two videos.
B)positive,esteem-enhancing feedback were not differentially affected by the two videos.
C)neutral feedback expressed greater liking for the graphic video.
D)positive,esteem-enhancing feedback were more disturbed by the graphic video.

Question 74

Intrinsic self-esteem is based on _____,while extrinsic self-esteem is based on _____.

A)factors like physical appearance;enduring inner qualities
B)enduring inner qualities;factors like physical appearance
C)unconscious,stable factors;conscious,unstable factors
D)unconscious,stable factors;unconscious,stable factors

Question 75

Research finds that when individuals face a threat to their self-esteem,they prefer to:

A)minimize it directly by self-enhancement.
B)minimize it directly by self-handicapping.
C)compensate for their shortcoming directly.
D)engage in self-comparison.

Question 76

Wong has just received feedback in his gym class that he is not as good of an athlete as he thought he was.If he pursues the defensive strategy of compensation,what is Wong now likely to do?

A)try harder to become a good athlete
B)stay out partying before the next athletic competition
C)brag about his academic accomplishments
D)think about another individual who is worse at athletics than he is

Question 77

Ibn prides himself on his ability to carry out risky feats like sky-diving.Recently,Ibn has experienced the unfortunate death of his father,which made him think about his own eventual death.The anxiety-buffer conception of self-esteem suggests that:

A)Ibn will no longer want to carry out risky feats.
B)Ibn is now strongly motivated to carry out risky feats.
C)Ibn's self-esteem will be decreased by his father's death.
D)Ibn's self-concept will be transformed by his father's death.

Question 78

Basking in reflected glory refers to people's tendency to:

A)associate themselves with successful others.
B)compare themselves to those who perform far better than they in a domain.
C)acquire and display symbols which reinforce a self-relevant aspect.
D)reflect on past successes in a nostalgic way.

Question 79

According to the _____ model,self-esteem primarily serves as a defense against existential threats.

A)self-evaluation maintenance
B)anxiety-buffer
C)sociometer
D)cognitive-dissonance

Question 80

Wen is highly successful in a domain that is important to her self-esteem.According the self-evaluation maintenance model,she is motivated to:

A)see her competitor as dissimilar to her
B)see her competitor as similar to her
C)evaluate her ability in comparison to her competitor
D)not evaluate her ability in comparison her competitor