Re: Although we tend to think of our judgments of others as (i) observatio
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23 Oct 2024, 03:13
OE
In the first sentence, we are looking for a word that describes observations in a way that contrasts with judgments based on unconscious beliefs and biases - that is, a word that means something like unbiased. Chary means cautious or wary and is often followed by of. It is not the best choice, but if you are unsure, set it aside and see if there is a more likely answer. Momentous (of great importance) won't work; if we truly believed our judgments were momentous, this in and of itself would be a self-serving bias. The best choice is dispassionate, which means impartial or calm. As for the second blank, the fact that attractive people appear to be given preferential treatment suggests that we see physical appearance as an indication of overall intelligence and morality. The word we choose needs to reflect this. To ascribe to means to credit or attribute. It is a good description of our actions - we unconsciously ascribe a person's looks to his overall character - but it does not work in this particular sentence. Purport to is also slightly off the mark; it means to profess or to present the appearance of being, but it is generally followed by a verb rather than by a noun (something purports to do or be something). The correct answer is jibe with, which means to be in harmony with or to agree with.