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

The anchoring effect refers to the phenomenon where:

  1. Individuals are influenced by the first piece of information they receive when making a decision.

  2. Individuals are influenced by the last piece of information they receive when making a decision.

  3. Individuals are influenced by the most salient piece of information they receive when making a decision.

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

The anchoring effect is a cognitive bias that leads individuals to be influenced by the first, last, or most salient piece of information they receive when making a decision. This can lead to biased judgments and decisions.

Multiple choice

The status quo bias refers to the phenomenon where:

  1. Individuals prefer to maintain the current state of affairs.

  2. Individuals are more likely to choose options that are familiar to them.

  3. Individuals are more likely to choose options that are presented as the default.

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

The status quo bias is a cognitive bias that leads individuals to prefer to maintain the current state of affairs, choose options that are familiar to them, and choose options that are presented as the default. This bias can lead to inertia and resistance to change.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the ability to make choices in the absence of complete information?

  1. Heuristics

  2. Biases

  3. Intuition

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

Heuristics are mental shortcuts that allow us to make choices in the absence of complete information.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a type of heuristic?

  1. Availability heuristic

  2. Representativeness heuristic

  3. Anchoring heuristic

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

Confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias, not a type of heuristic.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Availability heuristic

  3. Representativeness heuristic

  4. Anchoring 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.

Multiple choice

The tendency to remember information that is consistent with our existing beliefs or expectations is known as:

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Hindsight bias

  3. Availability heuristic

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

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

Multiple choice

The tendency to forget information over time is known as:

  1. Decay

  2. Interference

  3. Amnesia

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

Decay is the gradual loss of memory over time due to the natural weakening of memory traces.

Multiple choice

The tendency to remember information that is presented at the beginning or end of a list is known as:

  1. Primacy effect

  2. Recency effect

  3. Serial position effect

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

The serial position effect refers to the tendency to remember information that is presented at the beginning or end of a list, while information in the middle is more likely to be forgotten.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is a characteristic of subjective values?

  1. They depend on individual preferences or opinions.

  2. They are determined by the individual.

  3. They are relative.

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

Subjective values are those that depend on individual preferences or opinions, are determined by the individual, and are relative.

Multiple choice

The concept of 'criterion validity' in personality testing refers to:

  1. The extent to which a test is related to an external criterion

  2. The extent to which different items on a test measure the same construct

  3. The extent to which a test is reliable over time

  4. The extent to which a test is free from bias
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Criterion validity refers to the extent to which a test is related to an external criterion.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the phenomenon that occurs when we perceive an object as being larger or smaller than it actually is due to its context?

  1. Size constancy

  2. Shape constancy

  3. Contextual illusion

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

Contextual illusion is the phenomenon that occurs when we perceive an object as being larger or smaller than it actually is due to its context.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the phenomenon that occurs when we perceive a shape as being different from what it actually is due to its orientation?

  1. Orientation illusion

  2. Perspective illusion

  3. Contextual illusion

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

Orientation illusion is the phenomenon that occurs when we perceive a shape as being different from what it actually is due to its orientation.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the tendency to perceive threats and dangers that are not actually present?

  1. Hypervigilance

  2. Catastrophizing

  3. Delusional disorder

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

Hypervigilance refers to a heightened state of alertness and attention to potential threats, often associated with anxiety disorders.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the tendency to attribute negative events or outcomes to internal factors, such as personal flaws or inadequacies?

  1. Self-blame

  2. Self-criticism

  3. Internal locus of control

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

Self-blame refers to the tendency to hold oneself responsible for negative events, often associated with anxiety and depression.

Multiple choice

Which cognitive bias leads individuals to overestimate the likelihood of events that are vivid and emotionally charged?

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Availability Heuristic

  3. Hindsight Bias

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

The availability heuristic is a cognitive bias that occurs when individuals judge the likelihood of an event based on how easily they can recall instances of that event, leading to overestimation of vivid and emotionally charged events.