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 of the following is an example of a bias that can affect students' educational experiences?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Implicit bias

  3. Stereotyping

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

Confirmation bias, implicit bias, and stereotyping are all examples of biases that can affect students' educational experiences by influencing teachers' expectations, interactions, and decision-making.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the phenomenon in which people from different linguistic backgrounds perceive colors differently?

  1. Linguistic relativity

  2. Color constancy

  3. Color perception

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

Linguistic relativity encompasses the idea that language can influence our perception, including our perception of colors.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive the world in a positive light, even in challenging circumstances?

  1. Optimism Bias

  2. Pollyanna Principle

  3. Positive Illusion

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

The Pollyanna Principle refers to the tendency to focus on positive aspects and minimize negative ones, often associated with Humanistic Psychology.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to view oneself and others in a positive light, regardless of their actual qualities?

  1. Unconditional Positive Regard

  2. Self-Serving Bias

  3. Confirmation Bias

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

Unconditional Positive Regard refers to the acceptance and appreciation of individuals for who they are, without judgment, a key principle in Humanistic Psychology.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to attribute one's successes to internal factors and failures to external factors?

  1. Self-Serving Bias

  2. Confirmation Bias

  3. Optimism Bias

  4. Unconditional Positive Regard
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Self-Serving Bias refers to the tendency to take credit for positive outcomes while blaming external factors for negative ones, a common cognitive bias in human psychology.

Multiple choice

Which cognitive bias is characterized by the tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Hindsight bias

  3. Framing bias

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

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs, while ignoring information that contradicts them.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency for groups to make riskier decisions than individuals?

  1. Groupthink

  2. Social loafing

  3. Deindividuation

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

Groupthink is the tendency for groups to make riskier decisions than individuals, due to a desire for conformity and a lack of critical thinking.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to attribute our successes to internal factors and our 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 attribute our successes to internal factors (e.g., our skills and abilities) and our failures to external factors (e.g., bad luck or difficult circumstances).

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of rare events?

  1. Availability heuristic

  2. Representativeness heuristic

  3. Illusion of control

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

The availability heuristic is the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of rare events that are easily recalled from memory.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to underestimate the risks associated with a particular course of action?

  1. Optimism bias

  2. Illusion of control

  3. Confirmation bias

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

Optimism bias is the tendency to underestimate the risks associated with a particular course of action, while overestimating the potential benefits.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a common group dynamic that can influence military decision-making?

  1. Groupthink

  2. Social loafing

  3. Deindividuation

  4. Diffusion of responsibility
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Diffusion of responsibility is not typically considered to be a common group dynamic that influences military decision-making, as military personnel are typically held accountable for their actions.

Multiple choice

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

  1. Affective heuristic

  2. Intuitive decision-making

  3. Cognitive dissonance

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

The affective heuristic is the tendency to make decisions based on emotions rather than logic, by relying on feelings and gut instincts.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to make decisions based on the way information is presented?

  1. Framing bias

  2. Availability heuristic

  3. Representativeness heuristic

  4. Illusion of control
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Framing bias is the tendency to make decisions based on the way information is presented, with the same information being perceived differently depending on how it is framed.

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. Confirmation Bias.

  4. Illusion of Control.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Self-Serving Bias refers to the tendency to take credit for positive outcomes while blaming external factors for negative outcomes.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of individuals to conform to the opinions and behaviors of the majority, even if they disagree?

  1. Groupthink.

  2. Social Loafing.

  3. Diffusion of Responsibility.

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

Groupthink refers to the phenomenon where group members strive for consensus and suppress dissenting opinions, leading to flawed decision-making.