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 avoid information that challenges their existing beliefs?

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Selective Perception

  3. Selective Exposure

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

Selective Exposure is the tendency of individuals to avoid information that challenges their existing beliefs.

Multiple choice

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

  1. Confirmation Bias

  2. Selective Perception

  3. Selective Exposure

  4. Spiral of Silence Theory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Spiral of Silence Theory suggests that individuals tend to conform to the opinions of others, even if they disagree.

Multiple choice

Which psychological concept refers to the tendency for individuals to favor outcomes that benefit themselves or their group, even at the expense of others?

  1. Self-interest

  2. Altruism

  3. Social Identity Theory

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

Self-interest is the psychological tendency for individuals to prioritize their own well-being and interests over those of others.

Multiple choice

Which psychological principle suggests that individuals tend to perceive outcomes as fairer when they are determined by procedures that are seen as fair, regardless of the actual distribution of outcomes?

  1. Procedural Justice

  2. Distributive Justice

  3. Equity Theory

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

Procedural Justice emphasizes the importance of fair and transparent procedures in determining the fairness of outcomes.

Multiple choice

According to Equity Theory, individuals strive to maintain a sense of fairness in their relationships by comparing their inputs (e.g., effort, resources) and outcomes (e.g., rewards, recognition) with those of others. What is the psychological state that results when individuals perceive an imbalance between their inputs and outcomes?

  1. Cognitive Dissonance

  2. Social Identity Threat

  3. Equity Imbalance

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

Equity Imbalance refers to the psychological state that arises when individuals perceive a discrepancy between their inputs and outcomes compared to others, leading to feelings of unfairness.

Multiple choice

What is the psychological phenomenon that occurs when 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)?

  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

Self-Serving Bias is the tendency for individuals to attribute their successes to internal factors and their failures to external factors, maintaining a positive self-image.

Multiple choice

Which psychological principle suggests that individuals tend to perceive outcomes as fairer when they are seen as the result of individual effort and merit, rather than luck or arbitrary factors?

  1. Equity Theory

  2. Procedural Justice

  3. Distributive Justice

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

Desert Theory emphasizes the importance of individual effort and merit in determining the fairness of outcomes.

Multiple choice

What is the psychological phenomenon that occurs when individuals tend to favor outcomes that benefit their in-group (e.g., their family, friends, or social group) over outcomes that benefit out-group members?

  1. Social Identity Theory

  2. Self-Interest

  3. Altruism

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

Social Identity Theory suggests that individuals tend to favor outcomes that benefit their in-group, as it enhances their social identity and sense of belonging.

Multiple choice

What is the psychological phenomenon that occurs when individuals tend to perceive outcomes as fairer when they are seen as the result of a fair process, even if the actual distribution of outcomes is unequal?

  1. Procedural Justice

  2. Distributive Justice

  3. Equity Theory

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

Procedural Justice emphasizes the importance of fair and transparent procedures in determining the fairness of outcomes.

Multiple choice

Which psychological principle suggests that individuals tend to perceive outcomes as fairer when they are seen as the result of individual effort and merit, rather than luck or arbitrary factors?

  1. Equity Theory

  2. Procedural Justice

  3. Distributive Justice

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

Desert Theory emphasizes the importance of individual effort and merit in determining the fairness of outcomes.

Multiple choice

What is the psychological phenomenon that occurs when individuals tend to favor outcomes that benefit their in-group (e.g., their family, friends, or social group) over outcomes that benefit out-group members?

  1. Social Identity Theory

  2. Self-Interest

  3. Altruism

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

Social Identity Theory suggests that individuals tend to favor outcomes that benefit their in-group, as it enhances their social identity and sense of belonging.

Multiple choice

Which psychological principle suggests that individuals tend to perceive outcomes as fairer when they are seen as the result of a fair process, even if the actual distribution of outcomes is unequal?

  1. Procedural Justice

  2. Distributive Justice

  3. Equity Theory

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

Procedural Justice emphasizes the importance of fair and transparent procedures in determining the fairness of outcomes.

Multiple choice

The tendency for individuals to perceive political information in a way that confirms their existing beliefs is known as:

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Selective perception

  3. Attitude polarization

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

Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that occurs when individuals seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them. This can lead to a distorted view of reality and make it difficult for individuals to change their minds about political issues.

Multiple choice

The tendency for individuals to conform to the opinions of the majority is known as:

  1. Groupthink

  2. The bandwagon effect

  3. Pluralistic ignorance

  4. Social desirability bias
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The bandwagon effect is a cognitive bias that occurs when individuals adopt the opinions or behaviors of the majority, even if they do not necessarily agree with them. This can be due to a desire to conform to social norms or to avoid being seen as different.

Multiple choice

The tendency for individuals to overestimate the likelihood of rare events is known as:

  1. The availability heuristic

  2. The representativeness heuristic

  3. The anchoring bias

  4. The framing effect
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A 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 examples of that event. This can lead to overestimating the likelihood of rare events and underestimating the likelihood of common events.