1. What is an example of a nonverbal behavior?

Explain briefly its role in person

perception.

- Examples of nonverbal behavior include facial expressions, body language, and interpersonal
distance. Its role in person perception is it helps us to size-up people. It gives us initial
information that might be helpful in trying to understand the person and the situation. For
example, someone tells us that they like us but their expression and actions show otherwise.
Action speaks louder than words, they say.

2.Which do you think is a more powerful factor of causal attribution: dispositional or

situational? Explain briefly.

- If we are to recall discussions from the previous chapters, the situation is a great determinant
in trying to decode or enforce the personality or behavior of a person. So, situational attribution
is a more powerful factor of causal attribution, at least in my own point of view. Social
situations influence people’s behaviors. If we know someone who acts tantamount to the
qualities of an ideal son— one who doesn’t smoke, drink, party, and excels in his studies, you
might think that his family really sees him as the ideal son. But, what his family is not aware of
is the fact that his son shows otherwise when he’s with his friends. He takes drugs, smoke
cigars, drink excessively, but he’s able to hide that well with his family. You see, social
situations drive people to their true nature.

3. Give one situation showing the application of covariation principle.

- During recess, Mikko has a habit of always buying Piattos as his snack. Despite all other
tastier snacks like French fries, burger, and pancit canton, Mikko always buys this snack
(consistency attribution). Jericho, his friend, had Piattos and French fries. He offered Mikko a
big tray of fries but Mikko wanted his Piattos more (distinctiveness attribution). Everyone in the
school likes Piattos (consensus attribution).

4. Give one negative impact of self-serving attributions.

- One negative impact is that it drives people to censure others for their failure but credit
themselves in their own success. For example, Mikko got a high grade in one subject and he
credits his good performance for his intelligence and hard work. But, he got a low grade to one
of his other subjects, he blames the teacher saying that his teacher has really that habit of
giving low grades despite students performing well and their intelligence.

5. Explain the relationship between attributional style and mental health. Elaborate
by giving situations or examples.

- If people engage in internal attribution styles, one would often experience negativity which in
turn, will affect one’s mental health negatively too. On the other hand, those people who use
external attribution styles experience positivity and impacts their mental health well. Let’s say
for example, I failed in an exam. For internal attribution style: I failed because I am stupid.
Whereas if we use external attribution style: I failed because the test was difficult. We see the
difference right there. When we attribute our failure internally, if often leads us to feel
negatively about ourselves. If we attribute our failure externally, we don’t blame ourselves for it
but other external factors. The kind of attribution will affect us whether positively or negatively
but that is up to us.