Tom Saw a Weight-Loss Program Advertised on Late-Night Television

Multiple Choice

Tom saw a weight-loss program advertised on late-night television. The ad claimed that deep breathing exercises would speed up metabolism, causing people to lose weight. He mailed a check for $99.95. When the plan arrived, Tom rearranged his day so that he could complete the breathing exercises as scheduled. They made him nauseated and dizzy, and before long, Tom's friends began to think that he was going overboard with the program, and they began to avoid him. After the end of the ten-week program, Tom got on the scale and saw that he hadn't lost an ounce! Still, he remained enthusiastic and thought, "I may not have lost any weight, but I feel so much healthier!" This situation is best explained by __________.

A) the justification of suffering
B) the self-fulfilling prophecy
C) delusional thinking
D) accurate self-perceptions