Social Science

Cognitive Biases and Decision Making

1,902 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

Which of the following is NOT a type of historical bias?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Hindsight bias

  3. Presentism

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

Objectivity is not a type of historical bias. It is the goal of historical research to be objective and to avoid bias.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to help others in need, even at a personal cost?

  1. Self-sacrifice

  2. Prosocial behavior

  3. Altruism

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

Self-sacrifice is a form of altruism that involves giving up something of value to oneself in order to benefit another person.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to help others who are similar to oneself?

  1. In-group favoritism

  2. Out-group favoritism

  3. Altruism

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

In-group favoritism is a tendency to favor and help people who are similar to oneself, such as members of the same family, friends, or social group.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to help others who are different from oneself?

  1. In-group favoritism

  2. Out-group favoritism

  3. Altruism

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

Out-group favoritism is a tendency to favor and help people who are different from oneself, such as members of different social groups or cultures.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to help others who are in need, regardless of their social status or group affiliation?

  1. Universal altruism

  2. Selective altruism

  3. In-group favoritism

  4. Out-group favoritism
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Universal altruism is a form of altruism in which individuals help others who are in need, regardless of their social status or group affiliation.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the idea that our choices are influenced by our emotions?

  1. Emotional determinism

  2. Affective determinism

  3. Passion determinism

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

Emotional determinism, affective determinism, and passion determinism are all terms used to describe the idea that our choices are influenced by our emotions.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the idea that our choices are influenced by our beliefs and values?

  1. Cognitive determinism

  2. Rational determinism

  3. Intellectual determinism

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

Cognitive determinism, rational determinism, and intellectual determinism are all terms used to describe the idea that our choices are influenced by our beliefs and values.

Multiple choice

How do norms influence our judgments?

  1. By providing us with a framework for understanding the world

  2. By shaping our values and beliefs

  3. By influencing our emotions and desires

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

Norms influence our judgments by providing us with a framework for understanding the world, shaping our values and beliefs, and influencing our emotions and desires.

Multiple choice

The spiral of silence theory suggests that:

  1. People are less likely to express their opinions if they believe that they are in the minority.

  2. People are more likely to express their opinions if they believe that they are in the majority.

  3. People are more likely to change their opinions if they are exposed to new information.

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

The spiral of silence theory suggests that people are less likely to express their opinions if they believe that they are in the minority. This is because they fear social isolation or negative consequences.

Multiple choice

The third-person effect refers to:

  1. The belief that media effects are more likely to occur to other people than to oneself.

  2. The belief that media effects are more likely to occur to oneself than to other people.

  3. The belief that media effects are equally likely to occur to oneself and to other people.

  4. None of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The third-person effect refers to the belief that media effects are more likely to occur to other people than to oneself.

Multiple choice

What is bias?

  1. A tendency to favor one thing over another.

  2. A prejudice or inclination for or against something.

  3. A preconceived opinion or attitude.

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

Bias is a tendency to favor one thing over another. This can be based on personal experiences, beliefs, or values. Bias can lead to unfair or inaccurate judgments.

Multiple choice

Can bias be positive?

  1. Yes, if it leads to better outcomes.

  2. No, bias is always negative.

  3. It depends on the context.

  4. None of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Bias can be positive if it leads to better outcomes. For example, a doctor who is biased towards prescribing a particular medication may be more likely to prescribe that medication to patients who would benefit from it.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the tendency for individuals to conform to the norms and expectations of their social group?

  1. Social conformity

  2. Social influence

  3. Social pressure

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

Social conformity refers to the tendency for individuals to conform to the norms and expectations of their social group in order to gain acceptance and avoid rejection.

Multiple choice

What is the illusion of control?

  1. The belief that we have more control over events than we actually do.

  2. The belief that we have no control over events.

  3. The belief that we have complete control over events.

  4. The belief that we have some control over events.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The illusion of control is the belief that we have more control over events than we actually do. This illusion can lead us to overestimate our abilities and take risks that we would not otherwise take.

Multiple choice

What are some examples of the illusion of control?

  1. Feeling like we can control the outcome of a coin toss.

  2. Feeling like we can control the weather.

  3. Feeling like we can control the stock market.

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

The illusion of control can manifest itself in many different ways. Some common examples include feeling like we can control the outcome of a coin toss, feeling like we can control the weather, and feeling like we can control the stock market.