UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Selective perception is the tendency to notice and remember information that confirms pre-existing beliefs while disregarding contradictory messages. The student in the stem listens only to supporting comments and ignores opposing arguments,which is exactly this phenomenon.

Option A:
Redundancy involves repetition of messages,not biased listening.

Option B:
Selective perception can distort communication because the receiver is not processing the full message,making option A correct.

Option C:
Decoding accuracy would mean careful and fair interpretation,which is not happening here.

Option D:
Mass effect relates to influence of mass media,not personal filtering in a classroom.

The halo effect occurs when an overall positive impression of a person leads us to evaluate specific behaviours more favourably than they deserve. In the stem,the teacher lets one impressive answer influence judgement of later responses. This is a textbook case of the halo effect.

Option A:
Pygmalion effect relates to self fulfilling prophecies based on expectations,which is related but distinct.

Option B:
Halo effect shows how initial impressions bias later communication and evaluation,making option A correct.

Option C:
Hawthorne effect involves behaviour change because people know they are being observed,not because of prior impressions.

Option D:
Contrast effect means judging a person relative to another,not simply carrying over one positive impression.