Question 1

According to attribution theory, which of the following best describes the concept of 'consistency' as used by Harold Kelley?

Accepted Answer

The degree to which a person's behavior is the same over time in similar situations.

Question 2

A student consistently arrives late to class, regardless of the day or instructor. According to Kelley's attribution theory, which dimension is most relevant in determining whether this behavior is due to internal or external causes?

Accepted Answer

Consistency

Question 3

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the concept of 'cognitive dissonance'?

Accepted Answer

A person believes that exercise is important but rarely exercises, leading to discomfort.

Question 4

According to Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance, what is most likely to happen when a person experiences dissonance between their attitudes and behaviors?

Accepted Answer

They will seek to reduce the dissonance by changing either their attitudes or behaviors.

Question 5

If a person attributes their coworker's mistake to the coworker's laziness rather than to a difficult task, which type of attribution are they making?

Accepted Answer

Internal attribution

Question 6

Which of the following best describes the 'fundamental attribution error'?

Accepted Answer

The tendency to overemphasize internal causes for others' behavior while underestimating external causes.

Question 7

A manager observes that all employees are late on a snowy day. According to Kelley's attribution theory, which dimension is high in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

Consensus

Question 8

Suppose a person justifies cheating on a test by saying, 'Everyone else does it.' According to cognitive dissonance theory, this is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Reducing dissonance by changing the perception of the behavior

Question 9

Which of the following equations best represents the relationship between dissonant and consonant cognitions in cognitive dissonance theory?

Accepted Answer

$$ Dissonance = \frac{Number\ of\ Dissonant\ Cognitions}{Total\ Number\ of\ Cognitions} $$

Question 10

In a study, participants judged a partner's actions as more indicative of internal causes when the behavior was:

Accepted Answer

Stable, controllable, and intentional

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of high distinctiveness according to Kelley's attribution theory?

Accepted Answer

A student is only late to one particular class but on time to all others.

Question 12

If a person experiences cognitive dissonance after making a difficult decision, which of the following is a likely response according to Festinger?

Accepted Answer

They will seek information that supports the choice they made.

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the process of 'external attribution'?

Accepted Answer

Attributing behavior to situational or environmental factors.

Question 14

A person who blames their poor exam performance on the difficulty of the test rather than their own preparation is demonstrating which type of attribution?

Accepted Answer

External attribution

Question 15

According to the study by Kelley, which combination of high consensus, high distinctiveness, and high consistency would most likely lead to which type of attribution?

Accepted Answer

External attribution

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a method for reducing cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Increasing the number of dissonant cognitions

Question 17

A person who attributes their own failure to external causes but others' failures to internal causes is demonstrating which bias?

Accepted Answer

Self-serving bias

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the 'actor-observer effect'?

Accepted Answer

The tendency to attribute one's own actions to external causes and others' actions to internal causes.

Question 19

If a person is motivated to reduce cognitive dissonance, which of the following equations best represents the process of changing attitudes to match behavior?

Accepted Answer

$$ New\ Attitude = Old\ Attitude + Justification\ for\ Behavior $$

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of using 'addition of consonant cognitions' to reduce cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

A person who smokes adds the belief that smoking helps them relax to justify their behavior.

Cognitive Processing and Attribution in Communication: Key Theories and Applications

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