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

Which phenomenon occurs when individuals seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Self-perception theory

  3. Attribution theory

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

Confirmation bias is the phenomenon that occurs when individuals seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them. This bias can lead to distorted perceptions of reality and make it difficult for individuals to change their minds.

Multiple choice

Which psychological defense mechanism involves unconsciously distorting reality to make it more palatable?

  1. Projection

  2. Rationalization

  3. Displacement

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

Rationalization is a psychological defense mechanism in which an individual unconsciously creates false or self-serving explanations to justify their actions or beliefs, often to avoid facing the true underlying reasons.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the phenomenon in which people tend to attribute their own beliefs and attitudes to others?

  1. Projection Bias

  2. Confirmation Bias

  3. Hindsight Bias

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

Projection Bias is the name of the phenomenon in which people tend to attribute their own beliefs and attitudes to others.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to believe that others are more similar to us than they actually are?

  1. Common Ingroup Identity

  2. False Consensus Effect

  3. Illusory Correlation

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

False Consensus Effect is the term for the tendency to believe that others are more similar to us than they actually are.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the phenomenon in which people tend to see patterns and connections where there are none?

  1. Illusory Correlation

  2. Confirmation Bias

  3. Hindsight Bias

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

Illusory Correlation is the name of the phenomenon in which people tend to see patterns and connections where there are none.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs and to avoid information that contradicts them?

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Hindsight Bias

  3. Projection Bias

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

Confirmation Bias is the term for the tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs and to avoid information that contradicts them.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the phenomenon in which people tend to remember events in a way that is consistent with their current beliefs and attitudes?

  1. Hindsight Bias

  2. Confirmation Bias

  3. Illusory Correlation

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

Hindsight Bias is the name of the phenomenon in which people tend to remember events in a way that is consistent with their current beliefs and attitudes.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the ability to understand that other people have different beliefs, desires, and intentions than we do?

  1. Perspective Taking

  2. Empathy

  3. Theory of Mind

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

Perspective Taking is the ability to understand that other people have different beliefs, desires, and intentions than we do.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a cognitive bias that can affect our understanding of other minds?

  1. Projection Bias

  2. Confirmation Bias

  3. Hindsight Bias

  4. Illusory Correlation

  5. Salience Bias
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Salience Bias is not a cognitive bias that can affect our understanding of other minds.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the phenomenon where certain colors are perceived as more aesthetically pleasing than others?

  1. Color Aesthetics

  2. Chromatic Beauty

  3. Perceptual Color

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

Color Aesthetics studies the aesthetic qualities of colors and their combinations.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the phenomenon where certain shapes are perceived as more aesthetically pleasing than others?

  1. Shape Aesthetics

  2. Geometric Beauty

  3. Perceptual Shape

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

Shape Aesthetics studies the aesthetic qualities of shapes and their impact on perception.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a factor that influences decision-making?

  1. Personal values

  2. Emotions

  3. Logic

  4. Cultural norms
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Logic is not a factor that influences decision-making. Personal values, emotions, and cultural norms are all factors that can influence the decision-making process.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a common decision-making bias?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Hindsight bias

  3. Framing bias

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

Hindsight bias is not a common decision-making bias. Confirmation bias, framing bias, and availability bias are all common biases that can influence decision-making.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of individuals to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Negativity bias

  3. Framing effect

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

Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that leads individuals to seek out information that supports their existing beliefs, while ignoring or discounting information that contradicts those beliefs.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of individuals to rely on the opinions of others when making judgments?

  1. Social proof

  2. Groupthink

  3. Conformity bias

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

Social proof, groupthink, and conformity bias are all terms that describe the tendency of individuals to rely on the opinions of others when making judgments. These biases can lead individuals to make judgments that they would not make if they were relying solely on their own information and analysis.