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

What is the best way to avoid decision-making biases?

  1. Be aware of your own biases

  2. Gather information from a variety of sources

  3. Consider the opinions of others

  4. Use decision-making tools and models
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The best way to avoid decision-making biases is to be aware of your own biases and to take steps to mitigate them.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs while avoiding information that contradicts them?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Disconfirmation bias

  3. Cognitive dissonance

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

Confirmation bias is the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs while avoiding information that contradicts them. This bias can lead to distorted perceptions of reality and difficulty in changing one's beliefs.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to attribute their successes to internal factors (e.g., skill, effort) and their failures to external factors (e.g., luck, circumstances)?

  1. Self-serving bias

  2. Fundamental attribution error

  3. Illusion of control

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

Self-serving bias is the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to attribute their successes to internal factors (e.g., skill, effort) and their failures to external factors (e.g., luck, circumstances). This bias helps maintain a positive self-image and protect self-esteem.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to overestimate the likelihood of rare events and underestimate the likelihood of common events?

  1. Availability heuristic

  2. Representative heuristic

  3. Anchoring bias

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

Availability heuristic is the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to overestimate the likelihood of rare events and underestimate the likelihood of common events. This bias is based on the ease with which information comes to mind.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to make judgments and decisions based on their initial impressions of a person or situation?

  1. Halo effect

  2. Primacy effect

  3. Recency effect

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

Halo effect is the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to make judgments and decisions based on their initial impressions of a person or situation. This bias can lead to inaccurate and unfair evaluations.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to remember information that is presented at the beginning and end of a list more easily than information presented in the middle?

  1. Serial position effect

  2. Primacy effect

  3. Recency effect

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

Serial position effect is the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to remember information that is presented at the beginning and end of a list more easily than information presented in the middle. This effect is due to the fact that information presented at the beginning and end of a list is more likely to be rehearsed and consolidated in memory.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the level of confidence and reliance that humans place in autonomous systems?

  1. System reliability

  2. Human-machine trust

  3. User satisfaction

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

Human-machine trust refers to the extent to which humans believe that autonomous systems are reliable, competent, and predictable, influencing their willingness to interact with and rely on these systems.

Multiple choice

In Attribution Theory, what is the term used to describe the tendency to attribute success or failure to internal factors such as ability or effort?

  1. Internal Attribution

  2. External Attribution

  3. Stable Attribution

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

Internal Attribution refers to the belief that outcomes are a result of one's own abilities or efforts.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the ability to understand that others have different beliefs, desires, and intentions than oneself?

  1. Theory of mind

  2. Empathy

  3. Perspective-taking

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

Theory of mind is the ability to understand that others have different mental states than oneself.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is a cognitive bias that can affect human-computer interaction?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Hindsight bias

  3. Framing bias

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

All of the above are cognitive biases that can affect human-computer interaction.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of individuals to conform to the opinions and behaviors of those around them?

  1. Social Proof

  2. Groupthink

  3. Confirmation Bias

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

Social proof suggests that people are more likely to adopt a behavior or belief if they see others doing the same.

Multiple choice

Which psychological principle explains why individuals tend to remember information that confirms their existing beliefs?

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Selective Perception

  3. Mere Exposure Effect

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

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out information that supports one's existing beliefs and disregard information that contradicts them.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of individuals to attribute their successes to internal factors and their failures to external factors?

  1. Self-Serving Bias

  2. Fundamental Attribution Error

  3. Illusion of Control

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

Self-serving bias is the tendency to take credit for positive outcomes while blaming external factors for negative outcomes.

Multiple choice

Which psychological principle explains why individuals are more likely to be persuaded by messages that are presented in a familiar or easy-to-understand manner?

  1. Mere Exposure Effect

  2. Framing Effect

  3. Primacy Effect

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

Mere exposure effect suggests that individuals tend to develop a preference for things that they are repeatedly exposed to, even if they are initially neutral or negative.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of individuals to form a positive or negative opinion about a candidate based on their physical appearance or demeanor?

  1. Halo Effect

  2. Primacy Effect

  3. Recency Effect

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

Halo effect refers to the tendency to form a general impression of an individual based on a single trait or characteristic.