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 tendency for individuals to perceive political information in a way that is consistent with their own self-interest is known as:

  1. Self-serving bias

  2. Confirmation bias

  3. Selective perception

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

Motivated reasoning is a cognitive bias that occurs when individuals seek out information that supports 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 perceive political information in a way that is consistent with their own group's beliefs is known as:

  1. Groupthink

  2. The bandwagon effect

  3. Pluralistic ignorance

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

Groupthink is a cognitive bias that occurs when individuals in a group suppress their own doubts and opinions in order to conform to the group's consensus. This can lead to poor decision-making and a lack of creativity.

Multiple choice

The tendency for individuals to perceive political information in a way that is consistent with their own personality traits is known as:

  1. Personality-based perception

  2. Selective perception

  3. Motivated reasoning

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

Personality-based perception is a cognitive bias that occurs when individuals perceive political information in a way that is consistent with their own personality traits. This can lead to a distorted view of reality and make it difficult for individuals to change their minds about political issues.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed in the media than people without mental illness?

  1. Media bias

  2. Media overrepresentation

  3. Media sensationalism

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

Media overrepresentation is the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed in the media than people without mental illness.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed as incompetent or unable to work than people without mental illness?

  1. Media bias

  2. Media overrepresentation

  3. Media sensationalism

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

Media framing is the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed as incompetent or unable to work than people without mental illness.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed as unpredictable or irrational than people without mental illness?

  1. Media bias

  2. Media overrepresentation

  3. Media sensationalism

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

Media framing is the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed as unpredictable or irrational than people without mental illness.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed as a burden on society than people without mental illness?

  1. Media bias

  2. Media overrepresentation

  3. Media sensationalism

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

Media framing is the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed as a burden on society than people without mental illness.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed as criminals or deviants than people without mental illness?

  1. Media bias

  2. Media overrepresentation

  3. Media sensationalism

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

Media framing is the phenomenon in which people with mental illness are more likely to be portrayed as criminals or deviants than people without mental illness.

Multiple choice

The tendency to attribute our own successes to internal factors and our failures to external factors is known as:

  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 to attribute our own successes to internal factors (e.g., skill, effort) and our failures to external factors (e.g., bad luck, difficult circumstances).

Multiple choice

The tendency to perceive our romantic partners as more positive and desirable than they actually are is known as:

  1. Love goggles

  2. Confirmation bias

  3. Illusory correlation

  4. Self-serving bias
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Love goggles is the tendency to perceive our romantic partners as more positive and desirable than they actually are. This phenomenon is often attributed to the influence of romantic love and the desire to maintain a positive view of our partners.

Multiple choice

The tendency to attribute our own behavior to internal factors and the behavior of others to external factors is known as:

  1. Fundamental attribution error

  2. Self-serving bias

  3. Illusory correlation

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

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to attribute our own behavior to internal factors (e.g., personality, intentions) and the behavior of others to external factors (e.g., circumstances, luck).

Multiple choice

The process of forming a mental representation of someone based on their appearance, behavior, and other observable characteristics is known as:

  1. Impression formation

  2. Stereotyping

  3. Prejudice

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

Impression formation is the process of forming a mental representation of someone based on their appearance, behavior, and other observable characteristics. This process is influenced by a variety of factors, including our own beliefs, values, and expectations.

Multiple choice

The tendency to perceive patterns and connections between events, even when they are not actually related, is known as:

  1. Illusory correlation

  2. Confirmation bias

  3. Self-serving bias

  4. Fundamental attribution error
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Illusory correlation is the tendency to perceive patterns and connections between events, even when they are not actually related. This phenomenon is often attributed to our desire to make sense of the world and to find order in random events.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to attribute our own successes to internal factors and our failures to external factors?

  1. Self-serving bias

  2. Confirmation bias

  3. Fundamental attribution error

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

The self-serving bias is a cognitive bias that leads us to attribute our successes to our own abilities and efforts, while attributing our failures to external factors, such as bad luck or the actions of others.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs and to ignore information that contradicts them?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Self-serving bias

  3. Fundamental attribution error

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

Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that leads us to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs and to ignore information that contradicts them. This can lead us to make poor decisions and to be less open to new ideas.