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 term for the tendency of a test to measure what it is intended to measure?

  1. Reliability

  2. Validity

  3. Generalizability

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

Validity refers to the extent to which a test measures what it is intended to measure.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a type of decision-making error that athletes can make?

  1. Framing error

  2. Confirmation bias

  3. Hindsight bias

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

Hindsight bias is the tendency to believe that an event was more predictable than it actually was.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the belief in one's ability to succeed in a task?

  1. Self-confidence

  2. Self-efficacy

  3. Self-esteem

  4. Self-worth
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Self-efficacy is the belief in one's ability to succeed in a task.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to make decisions based on emotions rather than rational analysis?

  1. Emotional reasoning

  2. Intuitive decision-making

  3. Heuristic processing

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

Emotional reasoning refers to the tendency to make decisions based on emotions rather than rational analysis. This can lead to biased and impulsive decisions.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to attribute emotions to inanimate objects or abstract concepts?

  1. Anthropomorphism

  2. Personification

  3. Prosopagnosia

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

Anthropomorphism is the tendency to attribute human emotions, thoughts, or behaviors to inanimate objects or abstract concepts.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to focus on one's own subjective experience and to ignore the objective world?

  1. Solipsism

  2. Egocentrism

  3. Narcissism

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

Solipsism is the term for the tendency to focus on one's own subjective experience and to ignore the objective world.

Multiple choice

Which psychological principle asserts that people tend to conform to the actions and beliefs of those around them?

  1. Social Proof

  2. Cognitive Dissonance

  3. Scarcity

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

Social proof refers to the tendency of individuals to adopt behaviors or beliefs that are endorsed by others, especially those they perceive as knowledgeable or trustworthy.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the cognitive bias that leads people to overvalue items they already possess?

  1. The Endowment Effect

  2. The Sunk Cost Fallacy

  3. Loss Aversion

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

The endowment effect is a cognitive bias that causes individuals to place a higher value on items they own compared to identical items they do not own.

Multiple choice

Which persuasion technique involves creating a sense of urgency or limited availability to encourage immediate action?

  1. Scarcity

  2. Reciprocity

  3. Liking

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

Scarcity is a persuasion technique that emphasizes the limited availability of a product or service to create a sense of urgency and encourage immediate purchase.

Multiple choice

What is the psychological principle that describes the tendency of people to seek consistency between their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors?

  1. Cognitive Dissonance

  2. Social Proof

  3. Reciprocity

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

Cognitive dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort experienced when an individual holds conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors, motivating them to reduce this dissonance by changing their beliefs or behaviors.

Multiple choice

Which persuasion technique involves offering a small favor or gift to create a sense of obligation and increase the likelihood of a desired action?

  1. Reciprocity

  2. Liking

  3. Authority

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

Reciprocity is a persuasion technique that relies on the human tendency to feel obligated to return favors or gifts, increasing the likelihood that they will comply with a request or purchase a product.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the cognitive bias that leads people to be more persuaded by information that confirms their existing beliefs?

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Framing Effect

  3. Anchoring Bias

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

Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that causes individuals to seek out information that supports their existing beliefs and disregard information that contradicts them.

Multiple choice

What is the psychological principle that describes the tendency of people to be more persuaded by information that is presented in a vivid and memorable manner?

  1. Framing Effect

  2. Availability Heuristic

  3. Anchoring Bias

  4. Peak-End Rule
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Availability heuristic is a cognitive bias that leads individuals to rely on information that is easily recalled or comes to mind, even if it is not necessarily representative or accurate.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the cognitive bias that leads people to place more weight on information that is presented first or last in a sequence?

  1. Peak-End Rule

  2. Framing Effect

  3. Anchoring Bias

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

Peak-End Rule is a cognitive bias that causes individuals to place more weight on the peak (most intense) and end experiences of an event, rather than the overall average experience.

Multiple choice

What is the psychological principle that describes the tendency of people to be more persuaded by information that is presented in a logical and structured manner?

  1. Cognitive Dissonance

  2. Framing Effect

  3. Anchoring Bias

  4. Central Route Persuasion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Central Route Persuasion is a persuasion technique that involves presenting information in a logical and structured manner, appealing to the rational and analytical thinking of individuals.