Hidden Assuptions

1. How did you react to your results? Were you surprised? Angry or hurt? Pleased? Discuss what you felt and why you think you felt what you did.


I took the weight test. I wasn't suprised that my result was skinny over overweight people. I was rather annoyed with the test because it was based off memory for instance skinny would be on one side and fat would be on the other and then it would switch so I would confuse the sides.

2. Do you believe that your test results say something about you that you should pay attention to? Why or why not?

I dont think my test results say anything about me or what I should pay attention to because I don't have a problem with thin or over weight people.

3. Do you think that these tests are valid? When you first saw your results, did you question or accept the tests' validity?

I dont think these tests are valid because I think its a test based off of memory rather than valid questions and answers. This test was based off of saying if the photo was skinny or fat and then there was determining whether the word was good or bad.

4. Give examples of the cultural messages that many support attitudes linking a dominant group in your nation or culture with "good" or "superior" attributes and a subordinate group with "bad" or "inferior" ones. Are these attitudes generalizations that can be called stereotypes? How can generalizations be distinguished from stereotypes?

5. These attitudes generalizations can be stereotypes because  a person could take a generalization as an offensive stereotype. Generalizations can be distinguished from stereotypes because generelizations have less wording and there is no negative words rather stereotypes may have positive or negative words.
If some of our consciously held beliefs, attitudes, and values are undermined by what Gladwell calls rapid cognition (others call this intuitive thinking or even gut feelings), what do you suggest we can do to combat jumping to (false) conclusions?

One thing we could do is to observe our surroundings rather than assume with our minds, for instance on the test you had to determine if the picture of the person was skinny or fat and depending on that person they may think when they observe the body that the person may not be fat or could think it may not be skinny depending on their opinion.