25. Western culture recognizes multiple sexes/genders, while many countries, such as New
Zealand and Nepal, recognize only two.
a. True
b. False
26. We internalize the generalized other‘s perspective.
a. True
b. False
27. As soon as we are born, we begin interacting with others and developing our sense of self.
a. True
b. False
28. Direct definition usually occurs first in families.
a. True
b. False
29. Social comparisons are the most important influence on self-concept.
a. True
b. False
30. People with dismissive attachment styles have a negative view of themselves and a high
regard for others and relationships.
a. True
b. False
31. Upward comparison is the tendency to compare ourselves to people who exceed us in what
they have or can do.
a. True
b. False
32. Developing ego boundaries that help define where the self stops and the rest of the world
begins is the beginning of the self-concept.
a. True
b. False
33. Those who belong in the particular other group are people most significant to us.
a. True
b. False
34. Positive responses to desirable behaviors are a form of direct definition.
a. True
b. False
Fill-in-the-Blank Items
35. The ____________________ is a process that involves internalizing and acting from social
perspectives that we learn in the process of communication.
36. ____________________ is communication that explicitly tells us who we are by specifically
labeling us and reacting to our behaviors.
37. A ____________________ is when we act in ways that bring about expectations or
judgments of ourselves.
38. ____________________ are rules for how we are supposed to live and who we are supposed
to be.
39. ____________________ are a person’s internal sense of where he or she stops and the rest of
the world begins.
40. ____________________ develop from patterns of parenting that teach us who we and others
are and how to relate to others.
41. The most positive attachment style is the ____________________ attachment style.
42. People with a(n) ____________________ attachment style may see themselves as unlovable.
43. ____________________ is the revelation of information about ourselves that others are
unlikely to discover on their own.
44. The “looking-glass self” is also known as ____________________.
45. When we judge our talents, attractiveness, abilities, and leadership skills against those of our
peers, we are engaging in ____________________.
46. People in our lives, such as mothers, fathers, and siblings, whose perspectives we value are
known as ____________________.
Essay Items
47. Discuss ways that social media are relevant to personal identity.
48. Family members rely on three kinds of communication that influence our sense of self. List,
define, and give an example of each.
49. What advice would you give to a classmate who is engaging in self-sabotage?
TEST ITEMS ANSWER KEY
Multiple Choice Items
1. “You are an excellent athlete,” Kevin tells his daughter. Kevin’s statement is an example of
2. Rules for how we are supposed to live and who we are supposed to be are known as
3. Secure attachment styles tend to develop in children whose caregivers
4. Edmund is very attentive and supportive to his son Mylan when he is sober, but when
Edmund drinks, he often ignores his son and sometimes verbally abuses him. Mylan never
knows which way his father will act. If Edmund is Mylan’s primary caregiver, Mylan is
likely to develop which attachment style?
5. The beginning of the self-concept, or the recognition that individuals are separate entities, is
also known as
6. The generalized other is comprised of the views of
7. Marjorie plays soccer. She is a first-year student on her high school team, and after the first
practice, she feels pretty awful about herself because the seniors are much better players than
she is. She tells her friend, “I look like a five-year-old compared to them! How will I ever get
that good? I’m embarrassed to even practice.” By judging her ability based on the skills of her
teammates, Marjorie is engaging in
8. Family members use direct definitions to
9. Since Sam was a baby, her parents have always told her, “Treat others how you want to be
treated.” This is an example of a(n)
10. When we engage in social comparisons, what might we be doing?
11. Which of the following refers to the attachment style that develops when a caregiver is
disinterested, rejecting, or abusive?
12. All of the following are values of self-disclosing EXCEPT
13. All of the following are examples of influential particular others EXCEPT
14. The first step to accepting yourself as being “in process” is
15. Which of the following is a guideline for encouraging personal growth as a communicator?
16. After failing the exam, Jim told himself that he would never learn calculus. Jim’s statement is
an example of
17. Maria tried to learn to swim at a young age but gave up before succeeding. She carried the
belief that she could not learn to swim into adulthood and labeled herself a nonswimmer.
This is an example of
True-False Items
18. Reflected appraisal is the process of seeing ourselves through others’ eyes.
19. The self has multiple dimensions.
20. The perspectives of the generalized other are unchangeable because they are constructed by
members of society.
21. Adults with anxious/ambivalent attachment styles are often inconsistent in giving/accepting
affection and closeness.
22. The most basic insight into the self isn’t something we are born with but rather it develops as
we communicate with others and participate in the social world.
23. We learn our attachment styles in our relationships with our first caregivers.
24. The media is not a primary agent in teaching social perspectives.
25. Western culture recognizes multiple sexes/genders, while many countries, such as New
Zealand and Nepal, recognize only two.
26. We internalize the generalized other’s perspective.
27. As soon as we are born, we begin interacting with others and developing our sense of self.
28. Direct definition usually occurs first in families.
29. Social comparisons are the most important influence on self-concept.
30. People with dismissive attachment styles have a negative view of themselves and a high
regard for others and relationships.
31. Upward comparison is the tendency to compare ourselves to people who exceed us in what
they have or can do.
32. Developing ego boundaries that help define where the self stops and the rest of the world
begins is the beginning of the self-concept.
33. Those who belong in the particular other group are people most significant to us.
34. Positive responses to desirable behaviors are a form of direct definition.
Fill-in-the-Blank Items
35. The ____________________ is a process that involves internalizing and acting from social
perspectives that we learn in the process of communication.
36. ____________________ is communication that explicitly tells us who we are by specifically
labeling us and reacting to our behaviors.
37. A ____________________ is when we act in ways that bring about expectations or
judgments of ourselves.
38. ____________________ are rules for how we are supposed to live and who we are supposed
to be.
39. ____________________ are a person’s internal sense of where he or she stops and the rest of
the world begins.
40. ____________________ develop from patterns of parenting that teach us who we and others
are and how to relate to others.
41. The most positive attachment style is the ____________________ attachment style.
42. People with a(n) ____________________ attachment style may see themselves as unlovable.
43. ____________________ is the revelation of information about ourselves that others are
unlikely to discover on their own.
44. The “looking-glass self” is also known as ____________________.
45. When we judge our talents, attractiveness, abilities, and leadership skills against those of our
peers, we are engaging in ____________________.
46. People in our lives, such as mothers, fathers, and siblings, whose perspectives we value are
known as ____________________.
Essay Items
47. Discuss ways that social media are relevant to personal identity.
48. Family members rely on three kinds of communication that influence our sense of self. List,
define, and give an example of each.
49. What advice would you give to a classmate who is engaging in self-sabotage?