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

Which of the following is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy?

  1. A student who believes they will fail a test actually fails the test

  2. A job applicant who believes they will get the job actually gets the job

  3. A team that believes they will win a game actually wins the game

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

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a belief that leads to its own fulfillment. All of the examples provided are examples of self-fulfilling prophecies.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a type of cognitive bias?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Hindsight bias

  3. Framing bias

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

Hindsight bias is not a type of cognitive bias. It is a tendency to believe that an event was more predictable than it actually was, after the event has already occurred.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the phenomenon of voters being influenced by the opinions of their friends, family, and neighbors?

  1. The priming effect

  2. The framing effect

  3. The bandwagon effect

  4. The sleeper effect

  5. The halo effect
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The bandwagon effect is the term used to describe the phenomenon of voters being influenced by the opinions of their friends, family, and neighbors, as they may want to conform to the majority opinion.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to perceive patterns and structures in ambiguous or random stimuli?

  1. Illusory correlation

  2. Pareidolia

  3. Apophenia

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

Apophenia refers to the tendency to perceive meaningful patterns or connections in random or ambiguous data.

Multiple choice

Which cognitive bias is characterized by the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of events that are vivid or emotionally charged?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Availability heuristic

  3. Hindsight bias

  4. Framing effect
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The availability heuristic is a cognitive bias that leads individuals to overestimate the likelihood of events that are easily recalled or that are emotionally charged.

Multiple choice

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

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Availability heuristic

  3. Hindsight bias

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

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out and remember information that confirms our existing beliefs and expectations.

Multiple choice

In the context of relationships, what is the tendency to mirror or adopt the behaviors, attitudes, and emotions of others called?

  1. Empathy

  2. Projection

  3. Identification

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

Identification is the tendency to mirror or adopt the behaviors, attitudes, and emotions of others.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to attribute one's own thoughts, feelings, and motivations to others?

  1. Projection

  2. Transference

  3. Displacement

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

Projection is the tendency to attribute one's own thoughts, feelings, and motivations to others.

Multiple choice

The deliberate and strategic manipulation of information to create a desired impression or outcome is known as:

  1. Framing

  2. Agenda-setting

  3. Priming

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

Spin is a political communication strategy that involves the deliberate and strategic manipulation of information to create a desired impression or outcome.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to view oneself in a more positive light than others view them?

  1. Self-enhancement bias

  2. Self-serving bias

  3. Positivity bias

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

Self-enhancement bias is the tendency to view oneself in a more positive light than others view them. It is a common way for people to protect their self-esteem.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of self-enhancement bias?

  1. Increased self-esteem

  2. More positive self-perceptions

  3. More accurate self-assessments

  4. Better decision-making
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Self-enhancement bias can lead to more positive self-perceptions and increased self-esteem, but it can also lead to less accurate self-assessments and poorer decision-making.

Multiple choice

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

  1. Self-serving bias

  2. Fundamental attribution error

  3. Actor-observer bias

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

Self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute one's successes to internal factors and one's failures to external factors. It is a common way for people to protect their self-esteem.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of self-serving bias?

  1. Increased self-esteem

  2. More positive self-perceptions

  3. More accurate self-assessments

  4. Better decision-making
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Self-serving bias can lead to more positive self-perceptions and increased self-esteem, but it can also lead to less accurate self-assessments and poorer decision-making.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the tendency to see oneself as more consistent over time and across situations than one actually is?

  1. Illusion of consistency

  2. Illusion of control

  3. Illusion of invulnerability

  4. Illusion of superiority
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Illusion of consistency is the tendency to see oneself as more consistent over time and across situations than one actually is. It is a common way for people to maintain a stable sense of self.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of illusion of consistency?

  1. More positive self-perceptions

  2. More accurate self-assessments

  3. Better decision-making

  4. More stable sense of self
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Illusion of consistency can lead to more positive self-perceptions and a more stable sense of self, but it can also lead to less accurate self-assessments and poorer decision-making.