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 to perceive objects that are higher in our visual field as being larger than objects that are lower in our visual field?

  1. Vertical size illusion

  2. Horizontal size illusion

  3. Oblique size illusion

  4. Radial size illusion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The vertical size illusion is the tendency to perceive objects that are higher in our visual field as being larger than objects that are lower in our visual field. This is because our brains tend to overestimate the size of objects that are farther away from us.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects that are moving towards us as being larger than objects that are moving away from us?

  1. Motion size illusion

  2. Looming effect

  3. Receding effect

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

The looming effect is the tendency to perceive objects that are moving towards us as being larger than objects that are moving away from us. This is because the retinal image of an object that is moving towards us is getting larger, while the retinal image of an object that is moving away from us is getting smaller.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects that are more familiar to us as being larger than objects that are less familiar?

  1. Familiarity size illusion

  2. Novelty size illusion

  3. Recognition size illusion

  4. Experience size illusion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The familiarity size illusion is the tendency to perceive objects that are more familiar to us as being larger than objects that are less familiar. This is because our brains have a tendency to associate familiar objects with larger sizes.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects that are surrounded by smaller objects as being larger than objects that are surrounded by larger objects?

  1. Contrast size illusion

  2. Surround size illusion

  3. Context size illusion

  4. Relative size illusion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The surround size illusion is the tendency to perceive objects that are surrounded by smaller objects as being larger than objects that are surrounded by larger objects. This is because our brains tend to compare the size of an object to the size of the objects that are around it.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects that are presented in an upright orientation as being larger than objects that are presented in an inverted orientation?

  1. Vertical size illusion

  2. Horizontal size illusion

  3. Oblique size illusion

  4. Upright-inverted size illusion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The upright-inverted size illusion is the tendency to perceive objects that are presented in an upright orientation as being larger than objects that are presented in an inverted orientation. This is because our brains have a tendency to associate upright objects with larger sizes.

Multiple choice

Which concept refers to the tendency to perceive older adults as less competent and capable than younger adults?

  1. Ageism

  2. Senescence

  3. Presbyopia

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

Ageism refers to the prejudice and discrimination against individuals based on their age, often resulting in negative attitudes and stereotypes towards older adults.

Multiple choice

Which concept refers to the tendency of older adults to focus on the past and reminisce about their younger years?

  1. Reminiscence

  2. Nostalgia

  3. Retrospection

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

Reminiscence is the process of recalling and sharing memories from one's past, often associated with older adults reflecting on their life experiences.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the tendency of media to focus on negative or sensational aspects of a particular group or issue?

  1. Negativity Bias

  2. Sensationalism

  3. Framing

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

Negativity Bias refers to the media's inclination to prioritize negative or alarming news over positive or neutral stories.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a common type of cognitive bias that can affect human decision-making in human-machine systems?

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Hindsight Bias

  3. Framing Effect

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

Hindsight Bias is the tendency to believe that an event was more predictable than it actually was, which is not typically considered a cognitive bias in Human Factors and Engineering Psychology.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the ability to perceive events or information about the future before they occur?

  1. Precognition

  2. Clairvoyance

  3. Psychokinesis

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

Precognition is the ability to perceive or know about future events or information before they happen.

Multiple choice

How do stereotypes influence our social cognition?

  1. They lead us to make errors in judgment.

  2. They make us more likely to conform to social norms.

  3. They make us more likely to discriminate against others.

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

Stereotypes can lead us to make errors in judgment, to conform to social norms, and to discriminate against others. They can also make us more likely to see what we expect to see, even when it is not there.

Multiple choice

What is attribution theory?

  1. A theory that explains how people explain the causes of their own and others' behavior.

  2. A theory that explains how people make decisions.

  3. A theory that explains how people remember information.

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

Attribution theory is a theory that explains how people explain the causes of their own and others' behavior. It proposes that people use a variety of cues to make attributions, including the person's behavior, the situation, and their own beliefs and expectations.

Multiple choice

What is the fundamental attribution error?

  1. The tendency to attribute others' behavior to internal factors, such as their personality or intentions.

  2. The tendency to attribute one's own behavior to external factors, such as the situation or other people.

  3. The tendency to attribute others' behavior to external factors, such as the situation or other people.

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

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to attribute others' behavior to internal factors, such as their personality or intentions, while attributing one's own behavior to external factors, such as the situation or other people.

Multiple choice

In cultures with low Uncertainty Avoidance, decisions are typically made:

  1. Quickly and impulsively

  2. Slowly and deliberately

  3. After consulting with others

  4. Based on intuition and gut feeling
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In cultures with low Uncertainty Avoidance, decisions are typically made quickly and impulsively. This is because there is a low tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty, and people are more comfortable making decisions without having all the information.

Multiple choice

Which economic concept refers to the idea that individuals are influenced by emotions and biases when making economic decisions?

  1. Rational Expectations

  2. Bounded Rationality

  3. Irrational Exuberance

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

Prospect theory suggests that individuals' decision-making is influenced by emotions, biases, and reference points, leading to deviations from rational economic behavior.