Which of the following statements about social referencing is true?

• A. Social referencing is the process of forming long-term relationships with peers.
• B. Social referencing refers to the tendency to conform to group norms regardless of personal beliefs.
• C. Social referencing occurs when individuals look to others to guide their emotional reactions in ambiguous situations.
• D. Social referencing is the act of attributing others' behaviors to their personality traits rather than situational factors.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of social referencing. Social referencing is a psychological process where individuals look to others to gather information about how to react emotionally in uncertain or ambiguous situations.
2. Step 2: Analyze each statement by comparing it to the definition of social referencing. For example, forming long-term relationships with peers is related to social bonding, not social referencing.
3. Step 3: Recognize that conforming to group norms regardless of personal beliefs describes conformity, which is different from social referencing.
4. Step 4: Identify that attributing others' behaviors to personality traits rather than situational factors refers to the fundamental attribution error, not social referencing.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the statement 'Social referencing occurs when individuals look to others to guide their emotional reactions in ambiguous situations' correctly describes social referencing.