LearningCurve 14c. Social-Cognitive Theories and the Self

Walter always seems to make judgmental comments about others, whether he is judging their clothing, the way they walk, the way they talk, and so forth. What might be a reason why Walter acts this way?

He has low self-esteem.

According to social-cognitive psychologists, the BEST place to assess behavior is in:

realistic situations.

James attributes his failing grade in chemistry to an unfair final exam. His attitude illustrates:

the self-serving bias.

Juanita is a young doctor preparing to take her surgical skills exam. In order to avoid being overconfident and failing, many researchers would recommend that she:

ask other doctors to score her abilities.

If the self-serving bias is evident in the way that an athlete explains her success or failure, she might:

blame her failure on bad officiating.

Krista had a really hard day at work. She is feeling worthless and unlovable. She is overheard making disparaging comments about herself, such as "No one likes me." Psychologists indicate that she might be doing this to:

elicit reassuring comments.

Aerial's history of romantic relationships influences her attitudes toward romantic relationships, which changes how she now responds to her current boyfriend. This is an example of:

reciprocal determinism.

Joshua's history of romantic relationships influences his attitudes toward romantic relationships, which changes how he now responds to his current girlfriend. This is an example of:

reciprocal determinism.

After eating onions at lunch, Sheryl became very aware of her breath, and she worried that everyone else at the meeting would notice. Her reaction BEST illustrates:

the spotlight effect.

Brenda's past experiences in college classes influence her attitude toward academic achievement, which then influence how she prepares for her current classes. This is an example of:

reciprocal determinism.

Sarah's optimism is both a contributor to and a product of her successful career accomplishments. This BEST illustrates the concept of:

reciprocal determinism.

Elaine just received her grade for the final exam in her psychology course. She was absolutely sure she knew the material but received a 67 on the exam. Elaine is likely to:

blame the exam for her grade.

Lin enjoys roller skating with her friends. Which choice exemplifies an environmental factor associated with roller skating for Lin?

having friends that also roller skate

Rebecca is applying to graduate school and has several items she must turn in with her application, including letters of recommendation, GRE scores, transcripts, and a personal statement. Which of these is likely the BEST indicator of her potential for success in graduate school?

her academic transcripts

Lin enjoys roller skating with her friends. Which choice exemplifies an internal personal factor associated with roller skating for Lin?

her own thoughts and feelings about roller skating

Juan loves horseback riding. Which choice exemplifies a behavioral factor associated with horseback riding for Juan?

learning how to ride horses

Katrina is a worrier. She worries about her family, her friends, and herself. She is particularly aware of potential hazards in the environment, and she sees the world as a dangerous place. Her personality is shaped by how she interprets and reacts to events. Bandura called this process:

reciprocal determinism.

Lately, Harold and Grant cannot get along. Harold often expects the worst of people, and yesterday he thought Grant was angry at him. As a result, Harold ignored Grant's phone calls and other attempts at conversation, angering Grant. But in truth, Harold created the situation to which he was reacting. This is an example of:

reciprocal determinism.

Tamara has always approached her job with a can-do attitude, assuming that, even if she had never done something before, she would be able to figure it out. This attitude suggests that she has a high degree of:

self-efficacy.

When Sylvie noticed that she had spilled coffee on her new shirt, she overestimated the likelihood that other people at the meeting would notice. Sylvie's reaction BEST illustrates:

the spotlight effect.