Social Science

Cognitive Biases and Decision Making

1,880 Questions

Explore a curated set of questions on cognitive biases, decision making, and behavioral economics. These concepts evaluate how social norms, emotions, and heuristics influence human judgment and group behavior. Master these topics to build a strong foundation for psychology and social science exams.

Behavioral economicsSocial group influencesEmotional decision makingConfirmation bias

Cognitive Biases and Decision Making Questions

Multiple choice

The tendency to attribute our own successes to internal factors and our failures to external factors is known as:

  1. Self-serving bias

  2. Fundamental attribution error

  3. Actor-observer bias

  4. Illusory correlation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute our own successes to internal factors such as our abilities and efforts, and our failures to external factors such as bad luck or other people's actions.

Multiple choice

The tendency to attribute the behavior of others to internal factors, while attributing our own behavior to external factors, is known as:

  1. Fundamental attribution error

  2. Self-serving bias

  3. Actor-observer bias

  4. Illusory correlation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Actor-observer bias is the tendency to attribute the behavior of others to internal factors such as their personality or intentions, while attributing our own behavior to external factors such as the situation or other people's actions.

Multiple choice

The tendency to overestimate the importance of personal factors and underestimate the importance of situational factors in explaining behavior is known as:

  1. Fundamental attribution error

  2. Self-serving bias

  3. Actor-observer bias

  4. Illusory correlation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Fundamental attribution error is the tendency to overestimate the importance of personal factors and underestimate the importance of situational factors in explaining behavior.

Multiple choice

The tendency to attribute the behavior of others to stable, internal factors, even when the behavior is clearly due to situational factors, is known as:

  1. Dispositional attribution

  2. Situational attribution

  3. Internal attribution

  4. External attribution
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Dispositional attribution is the tendency to attribute the behavior of others to stable, internal factors, even when the behavior is clearly due to situational factors.

Multiple choice

The tendency to attribute the behavior of others to unstable, external factors, even when the behavior is clearly due to internal factors, is known as:

  1. Dispositional attribution

  2. Situational attribution

  3. Internal attribution

  4. External attribution
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Situational attribution is the tendency to attribute the behavior of others to unstable, external factors, even when the behavior is clearly due to internal factors.

Multiple choice

People with an external attribution style are more likely to:

  1. Blame themselves for their failures

  2. Take credit for their successes

  3. Give up easily

  4. Perceive themselves as being in control of their lives
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

People with an external attribution style are more likely to blame themselves for their failures, as they believe that their failures are due to external factors such as bad luck or other people's actions.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of attribution theory?

  1. Self-fulfilling prophecies

  2. Stereotyping

  3. Prejudice

  4. Discrimination
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Discrimination is not a consequence of attribution theory. Self-fulfilling prophecies, stereotyping, and prejudice are all consequences of attribution theory.

Multiple choice

Self-fulfilling prophecies are more likely to occur when:

  1. People have strong expectations about the future

  2. People are motivated to confirm their expectations

  3. People receive feedback that is consistent with their expectations

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Self-fulfilling prophecies are more likely to occur when people have strong expectations about the future, are motivated to confirm their expectations, and receive feedback that is consistent with their expectations.

Multiple choice

Stereotyping is more likely to occur when:

  1. People have limited information about a group

  2. People are motivated to categorize others

  3. People are exposed to negative information about a group

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Stereotyping is more likely to occur when people have limited information about a group, are motivated to categorize others, and are exposed to negative information about a group.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to rely on familiar patterns and solutions, which can hinder creativity?

  1. Cognitive rigidity

  2. Mental blocks

  3. Fixed mindset

  4. Groupthink
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Cognitive rigidity is the inability to change one's thinking or perspective, which can prevent the generation of new ideas.

Multiple choice

The tendency to organize and interpret information in a way that confirms existing beliefs and expectations is known as:

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Cognitive Dissonance

  3. Selective Attention

  4. Mental Set
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out and interpret information in a way that confirms existing beliefs and expectations, often leading to selective attention and ignoring contradictory evidence.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects as being closer to the viewer than they actually are?

  1. Size constancy

  2. Shape constancy

  3. Color constancy

  4. Perceptual shrinkage
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Perceptual shrinkage is the tendency to perceive objects as being closer to the viewer than they actually are, which is often caused by the brain's attempt to compensate for the effects of perspective.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects as being farther away than they actually are?

  1. Size constancy

  2. Shape constancy

  3. Color constancy

  4. Perceptual expansion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Perceptual expansion is the tendency to perceive objects as being farther away than they actually are, which is often caused by the brain's attempt to compensate for the effects of perspective.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects as being the same size, regardless of their distance from the viewer?

  1. Size constancy

  2. Shape constancy

  3. Color constancy

  4. Perceptual shrinkage
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Size constancy is the tendency to perceive objects as being the same size, regardless of their distance from the viewer, which is often caused by the brain's attempt to compensate for the effects of perspective.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects as having the same shape, regardless of their orientation?

  1. Size constancy

  2. Shape constancy

  3. Color constancy

  4. Perceptual expansion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Shape constancy is the tendency to perceive objects as having the same shape, regardless of their orientation, which is often caused by the brain's attempt to compensate for the effects of perspective.