Question

Taliba is a teenager with a pimple on her nose. Feeling self-conscious, she is sure everyone is staring at her, when in fact no one has noticed. Out of embarrassment, she pretends she is sick and calls her mom to pick her up from school. Which of the following best describes Taliba's cognitive experience?

Answer 1

Taliba's cognitive experience is an example of the spotlight effect, where she feels overly self-conscious about a pimple, thinking everyone is noticing though they are not. This leads her to faux illness to escape perceived judgement.

Step-by-step explanation:

Taliba's cognitive experience reflects a phenomenon known as the spotlight effect, which is the belief that others are paying more attention to one's appearance and behavior than they really are. This perception can lead to increase self-consciousness and may cause individuals to behave differently due to their heightened insecurity. For instance, in Taliba’s case, a single pimple has led her to feel so self-conscious that she perceives everyone is staring at her, despite no one actually noticing.

This subjective belief results in her pretending to be sick to avoid the perceived scrutiny, demonstrating how powerful and persuasive these cognitive distortions can be. Taliba's experience is not just about the pimple, it's an example of how teenagers often navigate through social anxiety and personal insecurities during adolescence.