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6. How much do you think Tom would have changed anyway?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Completely changed

John meets a woman at a friend’s party and asks her on a date for the next evening. At the end of their date, John says that he wants to have sex with the woman. When she refuses, he presses her against a wall and starts taking off her clothes.

What accounts for John taking off the woman’s clothes?

Your opinion:

1. How much is John’s behavior influenced by the immediate situation?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very much

2. How much is John’s behavior influenced by more removed situations (e.g., childhood, race, the system)?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very much

3. How much is John’s behavior influenced by the kind of person he is? Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very much

4. How much is John’s behavior influenced by his own decision to act that way?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very much

Now suppose that you explained to John that what he had done was wrong. You suggested that he change. He agreed that he should change and that he wants to change.

5. How completely could John change?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Completely change

Now suppose that you had never approached John on the issue of his behavior.

6. How much do you think John would have changed anyway?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Completely changed

Dave is on his way home from class when he sees a brand-new automobile on the street. Taking his keys from his pocket, Dave deliberately carves three long lines across the hood of the car.

What accounts for Dave defacing the automobile?

Your opinion:

1. How much is Dave’s behavior influenced by the immediate situation?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very much

2. How much is Dave’s behavior influenced by more removed situations (e.g., childhood, race, the system)?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very much

3. How much is Dave’s behavior influenced by the kind of person he is?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very much

4. How much is Dave’s behavior influenced by his own decision to act that way?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very much

Now suppose that you explained to Dave that what he had done was wrong. You suggested that he change. He agreed that he should change and that he wants to change.

5. How completely could Dave change?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Completely change

Now suppose that you had never approached Dave on the issue of his behavior.

6. How much do you think Dave would have changed anyway?

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Completely changed

To score your test, simply add up your numbers for each one of the six questions and fill in the total score below. Each of your totals should be between 3 and 21.

Question 1 (Immediate situation) _______

Question 2 (Removed situation) _______

Question 3 (Character) _______

Question 4 (Choice) _______

Question 5 (Change) _______

Question 6 (Change by himself) _______

What do these scores mean?

Question 1 taps your belief that people are pushed around by the immediate situation. If you scored 18 or above, you are in the quarter that believes most in the potency of the immediate situation; 15 is average; if you scored 9 or below, you are in the quarter of Americans who believe least in the power of immediate circumstances. Democrats tend to score 16 and above, whereas Republicans and independents usually score below 15.

Question 2 is about the importance of a person’s life history, and the higher you score, the more you endorse its significance. People who score 19 or more are in the quarter that most believes in life history; above 16 is in the top half; and 12 or below is the most skeptical quarter. The higher you score, the more you endorse welfare, affirmative action, and foreign aid; also, the more depressed you tend to be. The lower you score, the more you are for the death penalty, abortion, and military intervention.

Question 3 is about character. People who score 21 or more are in the quarter that most believes in character; 18 or more is in the upper half;