Topic: Where Construals Come From: Basic Human Motives
Skill: Conceptual
134. One potential problem of justifying past behavior in order to protect our self-esteem is that
a. people tend to become narcissistic.
b. people distort reality and deny any negative information about themselves.
c. it hinders people from learning from their past mistakes.
d. it leads people to present themselves as being better than they really are.
Answer: C
Difficulty: 2
Page(s) in Text: 13
Topic: Where Construals Come From: Basic Human Motives
Skill: Conceptual
135. Josh and his friends have just started up a new fraternity on campus, and want to recruit men who will be loyal and love it. Based on the self-esteem approach, which initiation strategy would you recommend to Josh?
a. Make it easy: let any pledge in who can pay for good parties throughout the year.
b. Make it very easy: let in the most desperate pledges.
c. Make them suffer a little: ride backwards in elevators all week.
d. Make it fun: let in the pledges who like to hang out and party.
Answer: C
Difficulty: 3
Page(s) in Text: 13-14
Topic: Where Construals Come From: Basic Human Motives
Skill: Application
136. 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.
Answer: A
Difficulty: 2
Page(s) in Text: 13-14
Topic: Where Construals Come From: Basic Human Motives
Skill: Application
137. Many fraternities, sororities, and sports teams have initiation rituals. For example, at one school, all the members of the soccer team must wear unusual clothing everywhere on campus for an entire day and then have embarrassing haircuts. These rituals try to capitalize on the role of ________ in increasing commitment via self-justification.