The Self in a Social World

Question 1

What concept suggests that we may think we know ourselves best due to access to our inner thoughts, yet others can sometimes predict our behavior more accurately by observing our actions?

Answer 1

Self–Other Accuracy in Predicting Our Behavior

Question 2

TRUE OR FALSE: We are both the “experiencer” (we know our own intentions) of our inner thoughts and the “predictor” (we anticipate how we’ll behave) of our future actions.

Answer 2

TRUE

Question 3

TRUE OR FALSE: people who observe us may actually be better at predicting our actions, as they rely solely on what they can see—our behavior patterns—without the distraction of unobservable intentions.

Answer 3

TRUE

Question 4

True or False: People generally believe others know them better than themselves.

Answer 4

FALSE

because people generally believe that they know themselves better than anyone else. This belief stems from individuals having unique access to their own inner thoughts, feelings, intentions, and personal aspirations—mental states that others cannot directly observe. Since we experience our own mental and emotional processes firsthand, we often assume this gives us deeper insight into our behavior and motivations than others might perceive. However, this self-perception can sometimes lead us to overlook how our actions appear to others, who may be able to predict our behavior more objectively based solely on observable actions.

Question 5

It refers to the strategies we use to influence how others perceive us. These methods help shape people’s impressions of us, whether we’re trying to appear confident, friendly, or knowledgeable.

Answer 5

Self-presentation tactics

Question 6

Imagine you’re a new student at a university, meeting different people in various settings, such as classmates, professors, and new friends. You start to think about who you are, how you view yourself, and what you want others to see in you. What concepts are involved in shaping your identity, evaluating your self-worth, understanding yourself, and presenting yourself in these new social situations?

Answer 6

Self-concept, self-esteem, self-knowledge, and social self

Question 7

Imagine you’re part of a new sports team and notice that some teammates are faster or more skilled than you. You start reflecting on your own abilities and how you measure up. What psychological concept explains this tendency to evaluate yourself by observing others?

Answer 7

Social Comparison

Question 8

This concept refers to placing greater importance on personal goals rather than group objectives, and shaping one’s identity based on individual traits rather than group affiliations.

Answer 8

Individualism

Question 9

This concept involves prioritizing the goals of one’s group (such as family or work team) over personal goals, and shaping one’s identity based on group affiliations and responsibilities rather than individual characteristics.

Answer 9

Collectivism

Question 10

Describe the independent self and interdependent self

Answer 10

interdependent self-construal highlights the importance of relationships in shaping one’s identity, while independent self-construal emphasizes self-reliance and personal identity, regardless of one’s social ties.

Question 11

The most common error in behavior prediction when a cognitive bias where people consistently underestimate the time required to complete tasks. It happens even when they’ve had prior experience with similar tasks that took longer than expected

Answer 11

Planning fallacy

Question 12

What kind of bias is
Overestimating how long the emotional impact of certain events will last. For instance, people often assume that losing a job will leave someone devastated, though this isn’t always the case.

Answer 12

Impact bias

Question 13

One of the common methods of
measuring personal self-esteem as an
overall assessment of self-evaluation is

Answer 13

10-item Rosenberg Self-
Esteem (RSE) Scale.

Question 14

A sense that one is competent and effective
in a certain task.

Answer 14

Self-Efficacy

Question 15

It refers to the degree to which people believe that they have control over the outcomes of their lives.

Answer 15

Locus of control

Question 16

Describe Internal Locus of Control & External Locus of Control

Answer 16

Internal Locus of Control: People with an internal locus of control believe that their own actions, decisions, and efforts primarily determine outcomes. They feel empowered to influence their life events and are more likely to take responsibility for successes and failures.

External Locus of Control: Those with an external locus of control view outcomes as largely influenced by external factors, such as luck, chance, or other people’s actions. They may feel that they have limited personal influence over what happens in their lives.

Question 17

Who proposed Learned helplessness

Answer 17

Martin Seligman and Steven Maier

Question 18

a state of hopelessness and resignation that develops when a person or animal believes they have no control over repeated negative or adverse events. After experiencing situations where efforts to change the outcome are unsuccessful, they may stop trying to improve their circumstances altogether, even if opportunities to regain control arise. This concept is often linked to depression and a lack of motivation, as it can lead individuals to feel powerless and passive in the face of challenges.

Answer 18

Learned helplessness

Question 19

This bias leads individuals to attribute their successes to their own abilities or efforts, while blaming external factors for their failures. For example, a person might say, “I have great ideas,” “I’m excellent at volleyball,” or “I’m a good dancer, try me,” to emphasize their strengths and achievements. This bias helps boost self-esteem, but it can also distort reality and prevent individuals from acknowledging areas where improvement is needed.

Answer 19

Self-serving bias

Question 20

One form of self-serving bias and describe it

Answer 20

self-
serving attributions.

the tendency
to attribute positive outcomes to oneself
and negative outcomes to other factors.
Example: When corporate profits are up,
the CEOs welcome big bonuses for their
managerial skill. When profits turn to losses,
the blame is on the lower employees.

Question 21

Defensive pessimism

Answer 21

anticipating
problems and harnessing one’s
anxiety to motivate effective action.

Question 22

This effect helps people feel justified in their actions by assuming that others behave in the same way, thus making their behavior seem more acceptable or less abnormal.

Answer 22

False Consensus Effect

For example:

“I lie, but doesn’t everyone?”
“I cheated on her, all men do that.”

Question 23

. People tend to see their own talents, accomplishments, or moral actions as rare or unique, which can serve to enhance their self-image and self-esteem.

Answer 23

False Uniqueness Effect

For example:

Someone who uses marijuana but also consistently wears seat belts might believe that fewer people engage in both behaviors: they might overestimate how rare their seat belt use is (false uniqueness) while underestimating how common marijuana use is (false consensus

Question 24

protecting one’s
self-image with behaviors that
create a handy excuse for later
failure.
Sometimes people sabotage their
chances for success by creating
impediments that make success less
likely.
Example:

A student who got the highest
score in the quiz bee contest, he
then told the host that he was
not feeling well even though it
was not true.

Answer 24

Self-Handicapping