Social Science

Cognitive Biases and Decision Making

1,902 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

In the context of self-esteem, what is the term for the tendency to compare oneself to others?

  1. Self-comparison

  2. Social comparison

  3. Competitive comparison

  4. Comparative evaluation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Social comparison refers to the tendency to evaluate oneself in relation to others, which can impact self-esteem.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to focus on one's negative qualities and shortcomings?

  1. Self-criticism

  2. Self-deprecation

  3. Self-blame

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

Self-criticism refers to the tendency to dwell on and magnify one's flaws and weaknesses, which can negatively impact self-esteem.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to set unrealistic and unattainable goals for oneself?

  1. Perfectionism

  2. High expectations

  3. Ambitious goals

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

Perfectionism refers to the tendency to strive for flawlessness and set excessively high standards for oneself, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to attribute one's successes to external factors and one's failures to internal factors?

  1. Self-serving bias

  2. Attribution bias

  3. Confirmation bias

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

Self-serving bias refers to the tendency to attribute one's successes to internal factors (e.g., skill, effort) and one's failures to external factors (e.g., bad luck, circumstances), which can impact self-esteem.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is a potential consequence of self-serving bias?

  1. Increased self-awareness and self-reflection

  2. Enhanced resilience and coping skills

  3. Lowered self-esteem and confidence

  4. Improved decision-making and problem-solving
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Self-serving bias can lead to lowered self-esteem and confidence when individuals fail to recognize their own contributions to their successes.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to focus on and remember negative information more easily than positive information?

  1. Negativity bias

  2. Positivity bias

  3. Confirmation bias

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

Negativity bias refers to the tendency to give more weight to negative information and experiences compared to positive ones, which can impact self-esteem and emotional well-being.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is a potential consequence of negativity bias?

  1. Increased self-awareness and self-reflection

  2. Enhanced resilience and coping skills

  3. Lowered self-esteem and confidence

  4. Improved decision-making and problem-solving
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Negativity bias can lead to lowered self-esteem and confidence when individuals focus excessively on their flaws and shortcomings.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to compare oneself to an idealized or unrealistic standard?

  1. Social comparison

  2. Upward comparison

  3. Downward comparison

  4. Self-evaluation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Upward comparison refers to the tendency to compare oneself to individuals who are perceived to be superior, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to focus on one's positive qualities and accomplishments?

  1. Self-enhancement

  2. Self-promotion

  3. Self-esteem

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

Self-enhancement refers to the tendency to focus on and emphasize one's positive qualities and accomplishments, which can boost self-esteem.

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.