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 used to describe the belief that one can control and influence their own life circumstances?

  1. Self-efficacy

  2. Locus of control

  3. Internal locus of control

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

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their ability to perform specific tasks and achieve desired outcomes. It is a key factor in motivation and personal achievement.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of people to distort or deny their true feelings and experiences?

  1. Self-actualization

  2. Self-transcendence

  3. Congruence

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

Incongruence is the tendency of people to distort or deny their true feelings and experiences. It is the opposite of congruence, which is the state of being genuine and authentic.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency of people to transcend their own self-interests and work for the benefit of others?

  1. Self-actualization

  2. Self-transcendence

  3. Peak experience

  4. Existential anxiety
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Self-transcendence is the tendency of people to transcend their own self-interests and work for the benefit of others. It is a key concept in humanistic psychology and is associated with feelings of love, compassion, and altruism.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the tendency to purchase items impulsively without considering their long-term value?

  1. Compulsive buying

  2. Emotional shopping

  3. Retail therapy

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

Impulse buying refers to unplanned and emotionally driven purchases.

Multiple choice

According to prospect theory, individuals tend to be more sensitive to:

  1. Gains

  2. Losses

  3. Both gains and losses equally

  4. Neither gains nor losses
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Prospect theory suggests that individuals experience losses more intensely than gains, leading to a phenomenon known as loss aversion.

Multiple choice

Which psychological factor has been found to significantly influence consumer behavior?

  1. Cognitive dissonance

  2. Framing effects

  3. Anchoring bias

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

Cognitive dissonance, framing effects, and anchoring bias are all psychological factors that have been shown to impact consumer behavior.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a psychological factor that can affect economic decision-making?

  1. Emotions

  2. Cognitive biases

  3. Social norms

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

Emotions, cognitive biases, and social norms are all psychological factors that can influence economic decision-making.

Multiple choice

Which psychological concept suggests that individuals tend to overvalue items they already possess?

  1. Sunk cost fallacy

  2. Framing effects

  3. Endowment effect

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

The endowment effect refers to the tendency for individuals to place a higher value on items they own compared to identical items they do not own.

Multiple choice

The concept of framing effects highlights the influence of:

  1. Emotions on economic decision-making

  2. Cognitive biases on economic behavior

  3. Social norms on economic choices

  4. The way information is presented on economic decisions
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Framing effects demonstrate how the way information is presented can influence economic decision-making.

Multiple choice

Which psychological factor has been found to affect individuals' willingness to pay for goods and services?

  1. Loss aversion

  2. Cognitive dissonance

  3. Framing effects

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

Loss aversion suggests that individuals are more sensitive to losses compared to gains, which can influence their willingness to pay.

Multiple choice

Which psychological concept suggests that individuals tend to rely on a single piece of information when making economic decisions?

  1. Cognitive dissonance

  2. Framing effects

  3. Anchoring bias

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

Anchoring bias refers to the tendency for individuals to rely heavily on the first piece of information they receive when making economic decisions.

Multiple choice

The concept of cognitive dissonance suggests that individuals:

  1. Are always consistent in their beliefs and behaviors

  2. Are always inconsistent in their beliefs and behaviors

  3. Experience psychological discomfort when their beliefs and behaviors are inconsistent

  4. Are indifferent to inconsistencies between their beliefs and behaviors
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Cognitive dissonance theory proposes that individuals experience psychological discomfort when their beliefs and behaviors are inconsistent, motivating them to reduce this discomfort.

Multiple choice

Which psychological factor has been found to influence individuals' perception of risk and uncertainty?

  1. Emotions

  2. Cognitive biases

  3. Social norms

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

Emotions, cognitive biases, and social norms can all influence individuals' perception of risk and uncertainty.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the tendency of the media to focus on negative or sensational news, often at the expense of more positive or balanced reporting?

  1. Negativity bias

  2. Sensationalism

  3. Yellow journalism

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

Negativity bias refers to the media's tendency to prioritize negative or sensational news stories, which can have a significant impact on public perception and attitudes.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to focus on information that is consistent with our existing beliefs and expectations?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Disconfirmation bias

  3. Attentional bias

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

Confirmation bias is the tendency to focus on information that is consistent with our existing beliefs and expectations.