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

What is the term for the tendency of individuals to overestimate their own abilities and skills?

  1. Self-Serving Bias.

  2. Fundamental Attribution Error.

  3. Confirmation Bias.

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

Illusion of Control refers to the tendency to overestimate one's ability to control events or outcomes, even when there is little or no control.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the unconscious and often unintentional biases that can influence decision-making, including in the criminal justice system?

  1. Implicit Bias

  2. Explicit Bias

  3. Racial Profiling

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

Implicit bias refers to the unconscious and often unintentional biases that can influence decision-making, including in the criminal justice system. These biases can lead to unfair or discriminatory outcomes, even when individuals are not consciously aware of them.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of older adults to focus on positive emotions and minimize negative emotions?

  1. Emotion Regulation

  2. Selective Optimization with Compensation

  3. Positivity Effect

  4. Emotion-Focused Coping
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Positivity Effect refers to the tendency of older adults to experience more positive emotions and fewer negative emotions compared to younger adults.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of older adults to adapt to the challenges of aging by optimizing their resources and compensating for losses?

  1. Socioemotional Selectivity Theory

  2. Emotion Regulation Theory

  3. Disengagement Theory

  4. Selective Optimization with Compensation Theory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Selective Optimization with Compensation Theory suggests that older adults can maintain a sense of well-being by optimizing their resources and compensating for age-related losses.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of older adults to focus on the positive aspects of life and minimize the negative aspects?

  1. Positivity Effect

  2. Optimism Bias

  3. Rose-Colored Glasses Effect

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

The Positivity Effect refers to the tendency of older adults to experience more positive emotions and fewer negative emotions compared to younger adults.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a type of cognitive bias?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Hindsight bias

  3. Framing bias

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

Availability heuristic is not a type of cognitive bias, but rather a mental shortcut that uses the ease with which information comes to mind to estimate its frequency or probability.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the alleged ability to perceive future events before they occur?

  1. Telepathy

  2. Clairvoyance

  3. Precognition

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

Precognition refers to the purported ability to gain knowledge about future events through extrasensory means, independent of sensory cues or logical reasoning.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the alleged ability to perceive information about past events?

  1. Telepathy

  2. Clairvoyance

  3. Precognition

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

Retrocognition refers to the purported ability to gain knowledge about past events through extrasensory means, independent of sensory cues or historical records.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the tendency for individuals to unconsciously hold stereotypes and biases about certain groups, including racial and ethnic groups?

  1. Implicit Bias

  2. Unconscious Bias

  3. Stereotyping

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

Implicit Bias is the term used to describe the tendency for individuals to unconsciously hold stereotypes and biases about certain groups, including racial and ethnic groups.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the mental shortcuts that people use to make quick judgments about others?

  1. Heuristics

  2. Schemas

  3. Stereotypes

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

Heuristics, schemas, and stereotypes are all mental shortcuts that people use to make quick judgments about others.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to favor one's own group over other groups?

  1. In-group bias

  2. Out-group bias

  3. Ethnocentrism

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

In-group bias, out-group bias, and ethnocentrism are all terms for the tendency to favor one's own group over other groups.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to conform to the beliefs and behaviors of the majority?

  1. Groupthink

  2. Social Loafing

  3. Diffusion of Responsibility

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

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon where individuals in a group suppress their own opinions and conform to the majority view, even if they believe it is incorrect.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to overestimate the likelihood of negative events occurring?

  1. Optimism Bias

  2. Pessimism Bias

  3. Confirmation Bias

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

Pessimism bias is a psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to overestimate the likelihood of negative events occurring, which may influence decision-making in combat situations.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend 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. Hindsight Bias
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Self-serving bias is a psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to attribute their successes to internal factors (e.g., skill, effort) and their failures to external factors (e.g., bad luck, unfair circumstances).

Multiple choice

What is the term for the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to remember information that confirms their existing beliefs and disregard information that contradicts them?

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Hindsight Bias

  3. Framing Effect

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

Confirmation bias is a psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to remember information that confirms their existing beliefs and disregard information that contradicts them.