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Based on the ease-of-retrieval theory, predict which group will rate themselves as more assertive, and explain the cognitive mechanism that leads to this difference in self-ratings.
Case context: Dr. Kim designs a psychology experiment where participants in Group 1 are asked to write down 2 times they acted assertively, while participants in Group 2 are asked to write down 12 times they acted assertively. Afterward, all participants rate their own level of assertiveness. In this setup, listing 2 examples is very easy, whereas listing 12 examples is a struggle and feels highly difficult.
Question: Based on the ease-of-retrieval theory, predict which group will rate themselves as more assertive, and explain the cognitive mechanism that leads to this difference in self-ratings.
Sample answer: Group 1 (who listed 2 examples) will rate themselves as more assertive than Group 2 (who listed 12 examples). Under the ease-of-retrieval theory, self-judgments are based on the ease of recall rather than the absolute number of examples. Group 1 participants find the recall task very easy and interpret this ease as meaning they are highly assertive. Group 2 participants struggle to recall 12 examples, and they interpret this difficulty as a sign that they must not be very assertive, even though they recalled more total examples than Group 1.
Key points:
- Group 1 (2 examples) rates themselves as more assertive than Group 2 (12 examples).
- Subjective ease of recall (experienced by Group 1) leads to higher self-ratings.
- Subjective difficulty of recall (experienced by Group 2) leads to lower self-ratings.
- Self-ratings are determined by ease of recall, not by the total quantity of examples recalled.
Rubric: To earn full points, the answer must: 1. Correctly predict that Group 1 will rate themselves as more assertive. 2. Explain that Group 1 experiences ease of recall, which leads to higher assertiveness self-ratings. 3. Explain that Group 2 experiences difficulty or struggle when retrieving 12 examples, leading to lower self-ratings. 4. Highlight that self-judgments depend on subjective ease of recall rather than the total number of examples.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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