In the light of LaPiere’s study on prejudice against Chinese amongst Americans, arrange the following events in sequence to understand why attitude may not always predict behavior.
A. The hoteliers were asked if they would give accommodation to Chinese guests
B. A Chinese couple was asked to travel across United States and stay in different hotels
C. LaPiere sent out questionnaires to managers of hotels in areas where the Chinese couple had travelled
D. Only once were the Chinese couple refused service by a hotel
E. A very large percentage said that they would not do so which was inconsistent with the positive behavior actually shown to the couple
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → B, D, C, A, E
(B) A Chinese couple was asked to travel across United States and stay in different hotels — LaPiere’s study began with this journey, in the days when Americans were said to be prejudiced against the Chinese.
(D) Only once were the Chinese couple refused service by a hotel — during the journey, the couple were refused service only once, so the hotels’ actual behaviour was positive.
(C) LaPiere sent out questionnaires to managers of hotels in areas where the Chinese couple had travelled — sometime later, LaPiere sent questionnaires to managers of hotels and tourist homes in the same areas.
(A) The hoteliers were asked if they would give accommodation to Chinese guests — this was the question the questionnaires put to them.
(E) A very large percentage said that they would not do so — their answer showed a negative attitude, inconsistent with the positive behaviour actually shown to the couple. So attitudes may not always predict the actual pattern of one’s behaviour.
Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2023 on 30-05-2023 (Slot 2) and 23-06-2023 (Slot 3).
NCERT (2025-26): “Attitude-Behaviour Relationship … In the days when Americans were said to be prejudiced against the Chinese, Richard LaPiere, an American social psychologist, conducted the following study. He asked a Chinese couple to travel across the United States, and stay in different hotels. Only once during these occasions they were refused service by one of the hotels. Sometime later, LaPiere sent out questionnaires to managers of hotels and tourist homes in the same areas where the Chinese couple had travelled, asking them if they would give accommodation to Chinese guests. A very large percentage said that they would not do so. This response showed a negative attitude towards the Chinese, which was inconsistent with the positive behaviour that was actually shown towards the travelling Chinese couple. Thus, attitudes may not always predict actual pattern of one’s behaviour.…” |