Self Test for the The Self in a Social World
Note: These questions are part of a larger data base of questions on Chapter 2 The
Questions are selected to represent the type of question you should expect on unit exam one. You
can, in fact, expect to see many of these very same questions on that exam. Exam questions, however,
may deal with topics not covered in the self tests or in lectures but are discussed in your textbook. You
are responsible for the content of your text book plus the content of lectures, interactive activities,
& material on the web site.
1. The tendency to believe that other people are paying closer attention to one's appearance & behavior than they really are.
self-reference
spotlight effect
false uniqueness
self-handicapping
2. The tendency for people to overestimate the degree to which their personal mental state is known by others.
self-reference
spotlight effect
false uniqueness
illusion of transparency
3. The beliefs about the self that organize & guide the processing of self-relevant information are called
self-schemas.
possible selves.
self-references.
social comparisons.
4. Which of the following are conceptualized as psychological resources that are instrumental in motivating & defending
the self over the lifespan?
self-schemas.
possible selves.
self-references.
social comparisons
5. For someone with a collectivistic, interdependent sense of self, happiness comes with
feeling competent.
positive social engagement.
feeling good about our own abilities & accomplishments.
all of these.
6. Western cultures are to _________ as Asian cultures are to __________.
self-forgetfulness; self-esteem
self-denial; self-acceptance
the actual self; the possible self
the independent self; the interdependent self
7. Re: Self knowledge;
self-schemas are self-deceptions.
we know little about ourselves.
self reports are often untrustworthy.
others know us better than we do.
8. An intuitively obvious & scientifically well-measured tendency of people to assume projects will take less time than they do &
that the outcome will be better than is justified by past data or experience is called
the planning fallacy.
impact bias.
durability bias.
all of the these. The terms are used interchangeably.
9. Research on affective forecasting, shows that people regularly overestimate the emotional intensity of events. Particularly for
negative events, people fail to consider how coping resources will ameliorate negative affect, a phenomenon termed
impact bias.
immune neglect.
ameliorating bias.
Self-handicapping.
10. That we often have implicit attitudes that differ from our explicit attitudes defines the concept of
dual attitudes.
cognitive dissonance.
the self-reference effect.
an independent self-construct.
11. The disposition to experience oneself as being competent to cope with the basic challenges of life and of being worthy of
happiness is refferd to as
Self Esteem.
Self Efficacy.
Self-Serving Bias.
Perceived Self Control.
12. The optimum type of self esteem is
Low.
High.
Secure.
All are equally adaptive.
13. Which of the following in particular requires sufficient glucose levels in the brain?
Self Esteem
Self Control
Self Efficacy
Self Presehtation
14. Which of the following is a term for how competent you feel to do a task?
Self Esteem
Self Control
Self Efficacy
Self Presehtation
15. Whish of the following orientations is a belief about whether the outcomes of our actions are contingent on what we do
(internal control orientation) or on events outside our personal control (external control orientation)?
self-agency
personal control
self-determination
locus of control
16. External locus of control is related to Seligman's studies of _________ __________ which found that animals & people will learn to
simply give up trying when they experience loss of control over what happens to them.
Excess Choice
Learned Helplessness
Defensive pessimism
Group-serving bias
17. The "Tyranny of Freedom" refers to
Excess Choice.
Learned Helplessness.
Defensive pessimism.
Group-serving bias.
18. Explanations for one's own successes that credit internal, dispositional factors and explanations for one's failures that blame
external, situational factors are called
Self-handicapping.
Self-Serving Attributions
Defensive pessimism.
Group-serving bias.
19. A form of defensive attribution in which people think that positive events are more likely to happen to them than to their peers, and
that negative events are less likely to happen to them than to their peers is called
Self-handicapping.
Self-Serving Attributions
Defensive pessimism.
Unrealistic optimism
20. A motivated cognitive strategy that helps people manage their anxiety and pursue their goals. Individuals who use this technique
set low expectations, and play through extensive mental simulations of possible negative outcomes as they prepare for goal-relevant
situations is called
Self-handicapping.
Self-Serving Attributions
Defensive pessimism.
Unrealistic optimism
21. For qualities that are both subjective & socially desirable, most people consider themselves to be
about average.
better than average.
worse than average.
too unique for comparison.
22. The tendency to overestimate the commonality of ones opinions & undesirable behaviors is known as the
self-reference effect.
false consensus effect.
false uniqueness effect.
self-handicapping syndrome.
23. The tendency to underestimate the commonality of ones abilities & desirable behaviors is known as
self-reference effect.
false consensus effect.
false uniqueness effect.
self-handicapping syndrome.
24. Identical to self-serving bias except that it takes place between groups rather than individuals.
Self-handicapping.
Self-Serving Attributions
Defensive pessimism.
Group-serving bias.
25. Projecting one's self-image with behaviors that create a handy excuse for later failure is called
Self-handicapping.
Self-Serving Attributions
Defensive pessimism.
Group-serving bias.
26. Which of the following refers to our wanting to present a favorable image both to an external audience (others) & to an internal
audience (ourselves)?
Self-handicapping.
Self-Serving Attributions
Self-presentation.
Group-serving bias.
27. Which of the following is a goal-directed conscious or unconscious process in which people attempt to influence the perceptions of
other people about a person, object or event; and they do so by regulating & controlling information in social interaction?
Self-handicapping.
Impression Management.
Self-presentation.
Group-serving bias.
28. Normal self-serving bias is
adaptive.
maladaptive.
evolutionary neutral.
has no place in human discourse.
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Social Psychology
Robert C. Gates