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 attribute internal causes to negative events and external causes to positive events?

  1. Self-serving bias

  2. Fundamental attribution error

  3. Confirmation bias

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

The self-serving bias refers to the tendency to attribute positive outcomes to internal factors and negative outcomes to external factors, maintaining a positive self-image.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to catastrophize or exaggerate the negative aspects of a situation?

  1. Negative thinking

  2. Catastrophizing

  3. All-or-nothing thinking

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

Catastrophizing is the tendency to exaggerate the negative aspects of a situation and assume the worst possible outcome.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to blame oneself for negative events, even when there is no clear evidence of personal responsibility?

  1. Self-blame

  2. Self-criticism

  3. Negative self-talk

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

Self-blame, self-criticism, and negative self-talk are all forms of self-judgment that can contribute to stress and low self-esteem.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to focus on the negative aspects of a situation and ignore the positive ones?

  1. Negative thinking

  2. Catastrophizing

  3. All-or-nothing thinking

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

Negative thinking is the tendency to focus on the negative aspects of a situation and ignore the positive ones, which can lead to stress and low mood.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a common challenge in measuring public opinion?

  1. Sampling error

  2. Non-response bias

  3. Social desirability bias

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

Framing effects are not typically considered a challenge in measuring public opinion, as they are more related to how questions are asked and presented.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the tendency for public opinion to change over time?

  1. Opinion volatility

  2. Public opinion dynamics

  3. Agenda-setting

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

Opinion volatility refers to the tendency for public opinion to fluctuate over time, often in response to changing circumstances or events.

Multiple choice

Which concept refers to the tendency of individuals to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs while avoiding information that challenges them?

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Selective Perception

  3. Agenda-Setting

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

Confirmation Bias describes the tendency of individuals to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs while avoiding information that challenges them, leading to a reinforcement of their views.

Multiple choice

The tendency to favor one's own group over other groups is known as:

  1. Social identity

  2. In-group bias

  3. Out-group homogeneity

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

In-group bias refers to the tendency to favor one's own group over other groups, often leading to positive evaluations of the in-group and negative evaluations of the out-group.

Multiple choice

The tendency to conform to the norms and expectations of a group is known as:

  1. Social influence

  2. Groupthink

  3. Social facilitation

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

Social influence refers to the process by which individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are affected by others, leading to conformity, obedience, or other forms of influence.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a type of social cognition?

  1. Stereotyping

  2. Attribution

  3. Self-perception

  4. Cognitive dissonance
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Self-perception is not a type of social cognition, as it refers to the process by which individuals infer their own attitudes and beliefs based on their own behavior.

Multiple choice

The tendency to attribute one's successes to internal factors and one's failures to external factors is known as:

  1. Self-serving bias

  2. Fundamental attribution error

  3. Illusory correlation

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

Self-serving bias refers to the tendency to attribute one's successes to internal factors (e.g., skill, effort) and one's failures to external factors (e.g., bad luck, difficult circumstances).

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of services to be consumed by people who are similar to the people who produce them?

  1. Intangibility

  2. Perishability

  3. Heterogeneity

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

Homophily is the tendency of services to be consumed by people who are similar to the people who produce them.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects as being whole and complete, even when they are incomplete?

  1. Closure

  2. Proximity

  3. Similarity

  4. Continuity

  5. Figure-ground
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Closure is the tendency to perceive objects as being whole and complete, even when they are incomplete.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects that are close together as being related?

  1. Closure

  2. Proximity

  3. Similarity

  4. Continuity

  5. Figure-ground
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Proximity is the tendency to perceive objects that are close together as being related.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects that are similar to each other as being related?

  1. Closure

  2. Proximity

  3. Similarity

  4. Continuity

  5. Figure-ground
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Similarity is the tendency to perceive objects that are similar to each other as being related.