A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

Which of the following was NOT a rating scale used in Dixon et al's study?

1. Superiority

2. Empathy

3. Attractiveness

4. Dynamism

The correct answer is: Empathy

In the context of Dixon et al.'s study, the primary focus was on examining perceptions of various traits in relation to individuals in a certain setting. The rating scales developed for this study were designed to measure how participants viewed others based on specific characteristics relevant to the experimental context. The correct answer, which indicates that empathy was not one of the scales used in the study, is accurate because Dixon et al. specifically utilized scales such as attractiveness, dynamism, and superiority to analyze participants' perceptions. Those traits were integral to understanding the interactions and biases in the context of the research question the study aimed to address. By recognizing that empathy was not included as a scale, it highlights the particular focus of the study on traits that could have more direct implications for the interactions being measured, rather than on emotional competencies or feelings toward others, which empathy encapsulates. Therefore, the absence of empathy in the rating scales underscores the study's targeted approach in investigating specific evaluative dimensions rather than a broader emotional assessment.