Do people usually think in optimistic or overly ambitious ways when they are setting goals and/or striving to achieve goals?

Do people usually think in optimistic or overly ambitious ways when they are setting goals and/or striving to achieve goals?

a. Yes, they tend to be overly optimistic in both cases.
b. No, they tend to think in realistic ways in both cases.
c. They tend to be overly optimistic when goal setting, but more or less realistic when pursuing goals.
d. They tend to be more or less realistic when goal setting, but optimistic when pursuing goals.

Answer: D

Research indicates that when people are setting goals, they tend to think in a(n) ____ way, and when they are pursuing or striving for goals, they to think in a(n) ____ way.

Research indicates that when people are setting goals, they tend to think in a(n) ____ way, and when they are pursuing or striving for goals, they to think in a(n) ____ way.

a. realistic; realistic
b. realistic; optimistic
c. optimistic; realistic
d. optimistic; optimistic

Answer: B

When people are setting goals, the core question is, ____. When people are pursuing goals, the core question is, ____.

When people are setting goals, the core question is, ____. When people are pursuing goals, the core question is, ____.

a. "Why should I do it?"; "Is it culturally desirable?"
b. "Why should I do it?"; "How do I do it?"
c. "Is it culturally desirable?"; "Why should I do it?"
d. "Is it culturally desirable?"; "How do I do it?"

Answer: B

Research on positive illusions and goal-setting indicates that ____.

Research on positive illusions and goal-setting indicates that ____.

a. when setting goals, most people set aside positive illusions, and are (at least temporarily) realistic
b. most people are overly optimistic and ambitious when setting goals
c. because most people have positive illusions about themselves and their lives, they usually fail to set goals at all (and just assume that things will turn out well)
d. because most people have positive illusions about themselves and their lives, they tend to set goals for the distant future, but not goals for the present or immediate future

Answer: A

When people are asked to list their current goals and personal projects, the average list contains ____.

When people are asked to list their current goals and personal projects, the average list contains ____.

a. no items (most people do not have well-formulated goals at any given time)
b. one to two items
c. roughly four to seven items
d. about 15 items

Answer: D

Personal projects, or personal strivings, are also known as ____.

Personal projects, or personal strivings, are also known as ____.

a. levels of meaning
b. monitoring
c. goals
d. forms of self-reference

Answer: C

Suppose that an annoying co-worker is always making passes at you and trying to ask you out on dates. Research on the panic button effect suggests that you would be less troubled by this person if ____.

Suppose that an annoying co-worker is always making passes at you and trying to ask you out on dates. Research on the panic button effect suggests that you would be less troubled by this person if ____.

a. you thought about how much worse the situation could be
b. you thought about the fact that other people would be flattered by this
c. you felt that you could simply tell the person to stop if you wanted to
d. you felt that this person could be a good "backup" if you ever needed a last-minute date

Answer: C

Suppose that Peter hates his job as a medical assistant. Research on the panic button effect would suggest that Peter would hate his job less if ____.

Suppose that Peter hates his job as a medical assistant. Research on the panic button effect would suggest that Peter would hate his job less if ____.

a. he felt that could quit at any time and get a different job
b. he thought about how much unhappier he would be if he lost his job and became homeless
c. he considered how much his job helped to relieve people's stress and discomfort
d. he thought about how he would feel if he were rushed to the hospital and there was no one there to help him

Answer: A

The so-called panic button effect refers to the tendency for people ____.

The so-called panic button effect refers to the tendency for people ____.

a. to experience automatic, intrusive thoughts about a goal when pursuit of that goal has been interrupted
b. to perceive negative things that happen to them as more stressful or painful than negative things that happen to other people
c. to feel relatively less stress or suffering when they think that they have the option of escaping from a situation (compared to when they think they do not have the option of escaping)
d. to give greater weight to potential losses than to potential gains when making decisions

Answer: C

Research indicates that people who believe that they are acting autonomously, based on intrinsic motivations, are ____ compared people who believe that their behavior is guided by external forces and extrinsic motivations.

Research indicates that people who believe that they are acting autonomously, based on intrinsic motivations, are ____ compared people who believe that their behavior is guided by external forces and extrinsic motivations.

a. happier and often perform better
b. happier but often perform worse
c. no happier but often perform better
d. no happier and no more (or less) likely to perform well

Answer: A

According to self-determination theory, people who act based on _____ are more free than others.

According to self-determination theory, people who act based on _____ are more free than others.

a. intrinsic motivations
b. extrinsic motivations
c. low levels of meaning
d. high levels of meaning

Answer: A

The idea that at least some of our activities must be motivated by their inner drives and choices, rather than by external factors, reflects ____.

The idea that at least some of our activities must be motivated by their inner drives and choices, rather than by external factors, reflects ____.

a. entity theory
b. self-determination theory
c. action identification theory
d. the status quo bias

Answer: B

Self-determination theory states that people have an innate need ____.

Self-determination theory states that people have an innate need ____.

a. to set life goals
b. to achieve their goals
c. to feel that they are better than other people
d. to feel at least some degree of autonomy and internal motivation

Answer: D

Research findings suggesting that people become less prosocial when induced to reject their belief in free will most likely indicate that ____.

Research findings suggesting that people become less prosocial when induced to reject their belief in free will most likely indicate that ____.

a. free will really does exist
b. absolute free will does exist, but relative free will does not
c. relative free will does exist, but absolute free will does not
d. the belief in free will affects people's willingness to behave prosocially

Answer: D

Which of the following statements about free will is BEST supported by your text?

Which of the following statements about free will is BEST supported by your text?

a. Absolute free will is important to social behavior.
b. Relative free will is important to social behavior.
c. Absolute free will is not important to social behavior.
d. Relative free will is not important to social behavior.

Answer: B

When human animals rely on meaning to make their choices, they are able to look at meaning ____.

When human animals rely on meaning to make their choices, they are able to look at meaning ____.

a. with clarity, leading to one decision path
b. as multiple ways of understanding a situation
c. in purely contractual terms
d. based purely on moral principles

Answer: B

Among humans, greater freedom is associated with ____.

Among humans, greater freedom is associated with ____.

a. simple decision-making
b. greater behavioral flexibility
c. automatic processing
d. lower self-regulation

Answer: B

When experimental manipulations have induced people to reject their free will, they tend to ____.

When experimental manipulations have induced people to reject their free will, they tend to ____.

a. behave in a prosocial manner
b. become more cooperative and helpful
c. behave as if they are mentally ill
d. be more willing to cheat on a test or steal money

Answer: D

According to the text, do most psychologists today believe that people have free will?

According to the text, do most psychologists today believe that people have free will?

a. Yes.
b. No.
c. Psychologists are currently divided on the issue.
d. In the past, most psychologists believed that people had free will. At present, however, virtually all psychologists agree that people do not truly have free will.

Answer: C

Maureen thinks that her abilities are fluid and capable of changing and developing over time. She decides to try to learn to garden. Her first year of planting is a complete failure--nearly every plant dies. She only harvests a few tomatoes. Given what you know about Maureen, what can you predict about her interest in gardening?

Maureen thinks that her abilities are fluid and capable of changing and developing over time. She decides to try to learn to garden. Her first year of planting is a complete failure--nearly every plant dies. She only harvests a few tomatoes. Given what you know about Maureen, what can you predict about her interest in gardening?

a. She will try again the next year and plan to learn from her mistakes.
b. She will probably experience learned helplessness and lose interest in gardening.
c. She will probably be risk averse and not want to garden next year.
d. She will probably plant only the tomatoes because those are what she had success with this year.

Answer: A