Question

Haley thinks Keith's silence indicates that he's angry, so she avoids talking to him. Unfortunately, Keith thinks Haley's quietness signifies that she's angry and wants to be left alone. This situation best illustrates

a. superordinate goals.
b. the reciprocity norm.
c. scapegoating.
d. mirror-image perceptions.
e. deindividuation.

Answer 1

The scenario provided best illustrates mirror-image perceptions, where each person incorrectly assumes the other's silence indicates anger, resulting in a cycle of mutual misunderstanding and negative perceptions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The situation described illustrates mirror-image perceptions, where Haley and Keith each perceive the other as hostile due to their own silence, leading to a cycle of misunderstanding and reinforced negative perceptions of each other's intentions. This is similar to the transactional model of hostility, as mentioned in Vella et al. (2012), where a person's cynical attitude can lead to defensive behavior and antagonistic social interactions, further solidifying the person's hostile disposition.