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
What is the term for the tendency to perceive objects as complete and whole, even when they are partially hidden or incomplete?
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Gestalt perception
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Figure-ground segregation
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Depth perception
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Motion perception
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Gestalt perception is the tendency to perceive objects as complete and whole, even when they are partially hidden or incomplete. This is based on the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Which of the following is a common cognitive bias that can influence voter behavior?
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Confirmation bias
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Framing effect
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Availability heuristic
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All of the above
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Confirmation bias, framing effect, and availability heuristic are all common cognitive biases that can influence voter behavior.
What is the term used to describe the phenomenon where individuals feel pressure to conform to the beauty standards portrayed in the media?
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Beauty pressure
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Beauty conformity
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Beauty anxiety
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Beauty stress
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Beauty pressure is the term used to describe the phenomenon where individuals feel pressure to conform to the beauty standards portrayed in the media. This pressure can come from a variety of sources, including peers, family, and the media itself.
What is the term for the emotional response that arises when we perceive a discrepancy between our current state and our desired state?
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Dissonance
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Frustration
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Anxiety
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Regret
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort that arises when we perceive a discrepancy between our current state and our desired state, motivating us to take action to reduce this discrepancy.
Which of the following is NOT a common type of bias?
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Gender bias
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Racial bias
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Cultural bias
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Economic bias
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Economic bias is not a common type of bias in the context of anti-bias education. The other options are all common types of bias that are addressed in anti-bias education programs.
Which cognitive bias is often exploited by marketers to influence consumer behavior?
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Confirmation bias
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Framing effect
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Availability heuristic
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All of the above
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Marketers frequently use cognitive biases such as confirmation bias, framing effect, and availability heuristic to shape consumer perceptions and decisions.
Which cognitive principle suggests that consumers tend to prefer products that are presented in a positive light?
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Framing effect
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Anchoring effect
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Availability heuristic
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Mere exposure effect
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The framing effect is a cognitive principle that demonstrates how the way information is presented can influence consumer preferences and decisions.
Which cognitive bias leads consumers to rely on easily accessible information when making decisions?
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Confirmation bias
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Availability heuristic
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Framing effect
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Anchoring effect
B
Correct answer
Explanation
The availability heuristic is a cognitive bias that causes consumers to rely on information that is easily accessible or readily available when making decisions.
Which cognitive principle suggests that consumers tend to stick with their initial beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them?
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Confirmation bias
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Framing effect
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Availability heuristic
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Anchoring effect
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Confirmation bias is a cognitive principle that describes the tendency of consumers to seek out information that supports their existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them.
Which cognitive bias leads consumers to rely on a single piece of information as a reference point when making decisions?
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Confirmation bias
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Availability heuristic
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Framing effect
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Anchoring effect
D
Correct answer
Explanation
The anchoring effect is a cognitive bias that causes consumers to rely on a single piece of information as a reference point when making decisions, even if that information is irrelevant or misleading.
Which cognitive principle suggests that consumers tend to prefer products that are familiar to them?
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Mere exposure effect
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Framing effect
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Availability heuristic
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Anchoring effect
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The mere exposure effect is a cognitive principle that describes the tendency of consumers to prefer products that are familiar to them, even if they have no other reason to prefer them.
What are some of the challenges of mental state attribution?
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The fact that mental states are not directly observable.
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The fact that people can be deceptive.
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The fact that people's behavior can be ambiguous.
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All of the above.
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Mental state attribution is a challenging task because mental states are not directly observable, people can be deceptive, and people's behavior can be ambiguous. This means that we often have to rely on indirect evidence to infer the mental states of others.
What is the impact of bias on the results of a study?
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Bias can lead to incorrect conclusions about the relationship between the exposure and the outcome.
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Bias can make it difficult to generalize the results of a study to other populations.
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Bias can reduce the precision of the study results.
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All of the above.
Correct answer
Explanation
Bias can have a significant impact on the results of a study. It can lead to incorrect conclusions about the relationship between the exposure and the outcome, making it difficult to draw valid inferences from the study. Bias can also make it difficult to generalize the results of a study to other populations, as the findings may not be applicable to populations with different characteristics. Additionally, bias can reduce the precision of the study results, making it more difficult to detect a true association between the exposure and the outcome.
What is the term for the tendency of people to perceive the world in a way that is consistent with their own beliefs and expectations?
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Confirmation bias
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Selective perception
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Perceptual distortion
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All of the above
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Confirmation bias, selective perception, and perceptual distortion are all terms used to describe the tendency of people to perceive the world in a way that is consistent with their own beliefs and expectations.
Which of the following is NOT a type of cognitive bias?
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Confirmation bias
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Hindsight bias
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Framing effect
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Availability heuristic
D
Correct answer
Explanation
The availability heuristic is a cognitive bias that occurs when people make judgments based on information that is easily accessible in their memory, rather than on the actual probability of an event.