Your Textbook Talks About the Danger of Basing Personal Evaluations

question 9

Essay

Your textbook talks about the danger of basing personal evaluations on comparisons to unrealistic reference groups. The book focuses on the specific dangers dealing with issues regarding weight and body image. Besides weight, name at least three other issues for which people improperly use reference groups to unfairly compare themselves to others. Now, imagine that someone you care about is unfairly comparing him or herself to someone in an unrealistic reference group. How would you help and/or encourage that friend to develop a more realistic self-concept?

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Definitions:

Religion

A set of beliefs, practices, and moral codes related to the worship of or belief in a supernatural power or powers considered to be divine or sacred.

Cognitive Dissonance

The psychological unease felt when an individual simultaneously possesses conflicting beliefs, ideas, or values.

Dissonance

A state of conflict or inconsistency between one's beliefs, attitudes, or actions, often leading to discomfort and change.

Textbook

A published collection of scholarly written material covering particular subjects, often used for academic study.