Understanding Objectivity and Subjectivity

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Questions and Answers

What characterizes objective information?

Fact-based, measurable, and observable (correct)

Based on personal emotions and judgments

Dependent on individual interpretations

Primarily used in personal blogs

Which of the following scenarios is an example of subjective information?

A personal blog discussing life experiences (correct)

A textbook explaining scientific theories

An article analyzing unemployment rates

A news report describing a political event

What does skepticism entail in the context of knowledge?

Avoiding any form of doubt or uncertainty

Complete acceptance of all scientific claims

The dogmatic assertion of one ideology

A questioning attitude towards accepted beliefs (correct)

Which of the following statements best represents a paradigm shift?

A sudden breakthrough in scientific understanding Signup and view all the answers

In which context is subjective writing generally considered unsuitable?

Clinical research papers Signup and view all the answers

How should skepticism be viewed in the context of critical thinking?

As an essential part of questioning accepted knowledge Signup and view all the answers

What is a principal characteristic of subjective information?

It encompasses personal perspectives and feelings Signup and view all the answers

Why is objectivity important in news reporting?

It ensures coverage is based on measurable and observable facts Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of attribution theory in psychology?

To interpret the causes behind actions and behaviors Signup and view all the answers

Which factor does NOT influence whether a behavior is attributed to internal or external causes?

Reputation Signup and view all the answers

In a situation where a regular worker is late only once, what type of attribution is likely to occur?

External Attribution Signup and view all the answers

What does high consensus among individuals in a situation typically lead to in terms of attribution?

External Attribution Signup and view all the answers

If a teacher notices that two students out of thirty complete an assignment on time despite a tight deadline, what attribution is most likely to be made?

Internal Attribution for the two students Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the tendency to attribute one's own successes to internal factors while blaming failures on external factors?

Self Serving Bias Signup and view all the answers

How does distinctiveness affect the interpretation of someone's behavior?

It assesses whether the person behaves similarly towards everyone or only a select few. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Fundamental Attribution Error refer to in social psychology?

Overestimating the influences of internal factors while underestimating external factors in others' behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the Actor/Observer Difference, how do people typically perceive their own actions?

As a reflection of situational demands. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor would lead to a different explanation if a classmate fails to greet you?

Consistency in their behavior towards you over time. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Objectivity and Subjectivity

Objective information is based on facts, measurements, and observations
Objective information is commonly found in encyclopaedias, textbooks, and news reports
Objective information is suitable for decision making and news reporting
Subjective information is based on opinions, interpretations, perspectives, emotions and judgements
Subjective information is commonly found in newspaper editorials, blogs, biographies and comments on the internet
Subjective information is not advisable for decision making or news reporting

Skepticism

Scepticism is a questioning attitude towards knowledge, belief or dogma
It can be directed at supernatural, morality, theism or knowledge
Scepticism is doubt, which can be based on lack of evidence or religious beliefs
Philosophically, scepticism suggests that certain knowledge is impossible

Paradigm Shift

A paradigm shift is a change in the previous understanding of a subject
It's a transformation of an earlier concept
The concept of paradigm shift was identified by Thomas Kuhn, an American physicist and philosopher

Attribution Theory

In social psychology, attribution is the process by which individuals explain the reasons behind behaviour and events.
This theory attempts to explain how people make judgments about other people’s behavior
According to this theory, we attempt to determine whether an individual’s behavior is caused internally or externally.
It depends on three factors: Distinctiveness, Consensus, Consistency.

Types of Attribution

Internal and External Attributions
Internal Attribution - This occurs when we believe that a person's behavior is caused by their own personality, character, or ability, i.e., Dispositional Attribution.
External Attribution - This occurs when we believe that a person's behavior is caused by the situation or circumstances, i.e., Situational Attribution.

Determining Factors

Distinctiveness - Whether an individual displays different behavior in different situations.
- UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR is EXTERNALLY ATTRIBUTED. For example, a regular worker that always comes on time is late one day, we are likely to make an external attribution.
- If a person is late every day and is someone who blows off commitments, we are likely to make an internal attribution.
Consensus - People facing a similar situation respond in the same way.
- If consensus is high, we give it an external attribution.
- If consensus is low, we give it an internal attribution. For example, a whole batch is given an assignment with a short time limit, but all the students except two completed the assignment. The teacher is most likely to go for internal attribution and scold the two.
- In the same situation, if 28 students could not do it, the teacher is most likely to go for an external attribution and give more time for assignment completion.
Consistency - How consistent are a person’s actions?
- If the behavior is consistent, we assume the causes are Internal.
- If the behavior is inconsistent, we attribute to external causes.

Attribution Errors

Fundamental Attribution Error - This is a bias in judgment, where we tend to overestimate the influence of internal factors and underestimate the influence of external factors.
Self Serving Bias - The tendency for individuals to attribute their own success to internal factors and put the blame for failures on external factors.
Actor/Observer Difference - People tend to attribute other people's behaviors to dispositional (internal) factors, while attributing their own actions to situational (external) factors.

Dispositional Bias

Dispositional attribution is a tendency to attribute people's behaviors to their dispositions; that is, to their personality, character, and ability.

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Description

This quiz explores the concepts of objectivity and subjectivity, shedding light on their definitions and applications. It also delves into the nature of skepticism and the phenomenon of paradigm shifts in knowledge. Test your understanding of these philosophical and informational concepts.