Question 1

The tendency to select wrong answers because they seem to match pre-existing mental categories is referred to as the
A)representativeness heuristic
B)base rate
C)framing heuristic
D)relational heuristic

Accepted Answer

The representativeness heuristic is a mental shortcut where people make judgments based on the degree to which an event or object resembles a typical case. This can lead to incorrect assumptions and choices because people rely too heavily on their pre-existing mental categories rather than considering all available information.

Question 2

Regarding a custody matter,two judges are each given profiles of the two parents.One judge is asked,"Which parent should be awarded custody?" while the other judge is asked,"Which parent should be denied custody?" The judges are most likely to see this custody situation differently because of the
A)underlying base rates.
B)framing of the questions.
C)representative heuristics within this situation.
D)differing emotionalities of the two judges.

Accepted Answer

The judges are likely to see the custody situation differently because of the framing of the questions. One judge is asked which parent should be awarded custody, while the other judge is asked which parent should be denied custody. This difference in phrasing creates different perspectives and biases for the judges, potentially leading to different decisions.

Question 3

Which of the following can channel us down a narrow path so we attend to only part of the information provided,rather than weighing all the pros and cons?
A)the framing of the question
B)focusing on the base rate
C)divergent thinking
D)algorithmic thinking

Accepted Answer

The framing of a question can influence the way we interpret information and cause us to focus on a narrow aspect rather than considering all the information and weighing the pros and cons of a situation. This is known as framing bias.

Question 4

The error in intuitive thinking in which a choice is given greater weight if it seems to relate to what we already know is called the
A)framing heuristic.
B)base rate.
C)representativeness heuristic.
D)relational heuristic.

Accepted Answer

The representativeness heuristic refers to the tendency to judge the likelihood or category membership of an event based on how stereotypical or representative it seems to be of its category or schema. This can lead to errors when we rely too heavily on prior knowledge and assumptions rather than accurate statistical information (base rate) or objective data (framing heuristic). The relational heuristic is not a recognized term in the context of intuitive thinking biases.

Question 5

One doctor tells you that you have a 10 percent chance of dying during the surgery,while another doctor tells you that you have a 90 percent chance of survival if you have the surgery.Understanding that you have the same survival odds means that you have not succumbed to
A)framing.
B)the underlying base rate.
C)the representative heuristic.
D)functional fixedness.

Accepted Answer

Framing refers to the way information is presented to influence decision-making. In this scenario, the survival odds are the same, but the information is framed differently (10% chance of dying vs. 90% chance of surviving). Not succumbing to framing means you understand that despite the different presentations, the odds of survival are the same.

Question 6

Ignoring the base rate
A)involves paying careful attention to the underlying probability of an event occurring.
B)encourages a person to be mentally flexible in making decisions.
C)is similar to thinking that you or a situation is an exception to the rule.
D)consists of using inductive thinking rather than deductive thinking.

Accepted Answer

Ignoring the base rate means not taking into account the general probability or frequency of an event happening in a given population or context. Choosing to ignore the base rate can lead to an overestimation of the likelihood of a specific event occurring, and may stem from the belief that one is an exception to the rule or that the situation is unique.

Question 7

Although there is a high rate of failure for starting new businesses,people still readily open new businesses every year.These decisions probably would not occur if people did not
A)ignore the base rate.
B)use the representative heuristic.
C)frame this event very broadly.
D)use a random search strategy for making decisions.

Accepted Answer

Ignoring the base rate involves overlooking statistical information (like the high failure rate of new businesses) in favor of anecdotal or more specific information, which can lead to overly optimistic expectations about starting a new business.

Question 8

When people are given reports to review regarding a custody decision,and then asked the question,"Which parent should be awarded custody?" most people tend to
A)focus on the base rate of custody.
B)ignore the base rate of custody.
C)look for positive qualities in the parents.
D)look for negative qualities in the parents.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When people are given reports to review...

Question 9

Which way of framing or stating a problem usually produces the best decision?
A)framing that is narrow and specific
B)framing that is broad
C)framing that is more convergent
D)framing that is simple and concise

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which way of framing or stating a...

Question 10

If one ignores the base rate when making a decision,it usually leads to
A)a valid syllogism.
B)mental flexibility.
C)a correct intuition.
D)an error in judgment.

Accepted Answer

Ignoring the base rate when making a decision is a common cognitive bias known as the base rate fallacy. This can lead to an error in judgment as it involves overemphasizing specific information and underemphasizing general information (the base rate). It can lead to poor decision making and incorrect conclusions.

Question 11

When people are given reports to review regarding a custody decision,and then asked the question,"Which parent should be denied custody?" most people tend to
A)focus on the base rate of custody.
B)ignore the base rate of custody.
C)look for positive qualities in the parents.
D)look for negative qualities in the parents.

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon occurs because when making decisions about custody, individuals are more likely to focus on negative qualities to identify which parent might be less suitable for custody, rather than focusing on positive qualities or statistical norms (base rates). This is due to the negativity bias, where negative information tends to influence judgments more strongly than positive information.

Question 12

You are on a jury.The defendant is a well-dressed middle-aged father.He just does not fit your idea of a murderer.It will be important for you to listen to the evidence presented rather than succumb to
A)the framing effect.
B)the underlying base rate.
C)the representativeness heuristic.
D)divergent thinking.

Accepted Answer

The scenario describes a situation where the defendant's appearance and personal characteristics (middle-aged father, well-dressed) may influence the jurors to apply the representativeness heuristic - in this case, to assume that the defendant is unlikely to be a murderer based on their stereotype of what a murderer looks like. To make an informed decision, it is important for the jurors to focus on the evidence presented rather than relying on their initial impressions or gut feelings.

Question 13

Meg rarely wears her seat belt and often texts on her phone while she drives.However,she does not believe she will have an accident.Meg is exhibiting which intuitive thinking error?
A)allowing too much time for incubation of the problem
B)framing a problem broadly
C)ignoring the base rate
D)the representativeness heuristic

Accepted Answer

Meg is ignoring the base rate, which refers to the general prevalence of an outcome (in this case, the likelihood of having an accident when not wearing a seat belt and texting while driving).

Question 14

A person who is concerned about his health but continues to smoke cigarettes is making an error in judgment called
A)divergent thinking.
B)ignoring the base rate.
C)"thin­slicing."
D)framing.

Accepted Answer

Ignoring the base rate refers to the tendency to overlook the true frequency of an event or behavior when making judgments or decisions. In this case, the person is ignoring the fact that smoking is a major risk factor for many health problems and is therefore not taking into account the base rate of smoking-related health issues.

Question 15

Decision-making often can be influenced by the way that a problem is stated or structured,which is referred to as
A)the base rate.
B)framing.
C)the denotative meaning.
D)transformation.

Accepted Answer

Framing refers to how a problem or decision is presented or structured, which can influence how people make decisions. The way information is presented can emphasize certain aspects and lead people to different conclusions or choices.

Question 16

When the intuitive error of the representativeness heuristic is used in making decisions,this means that
A)the underlying odds of an event occurring are emphasized.
B)incorrect syllogisms are used.
C)the problem was incorrectly framed.
D)one selects wrong answers because they seem to match pre-existing mental categories.

Accepted Answer

The representativeness heuristic is when one selects an option based on how well it matches pre-existing mental categories or prototypes. This often leads to intuitive errors in decision-making because the selected option may not accurately represent the true underlying probability or odds of the event occurring.

Question 17

A college student who starts using crystal meth but states that he will be able to stop at any time is probably making the intuitive error in judgment specifically called
A)the framing effect.
B)the representativeness heuristic.
C)ignoring the base rate.
D)convergent thinking.

Accepted Answer

Ignoring the base rate refers to the tendency to focus only on specific information and ignore general, statistical information that may be relevant. In this case, the student is ignoring the base rate that addiction to crystal meth is extremely difficult to overcome and is assuming they will be able to stop without taking into account the statistical likelihood of addiction.

Question 18

If one does not pay attention to the underlying probability of an event occurring,faulty decisions are made due to
A)ignoring the base rate.
B)the framing effect.
C)the representativeness heuristic.
D)"thin­slicing."

Accepted Answer

Ignoring the underlying probability of an event occurring means ignoring the base rate. Not considering the base rate can lead to faulty decisions as it provides important information about the likelihood of an event occurring.

Question 19

The way a question is stated before problem-solving begins can affect decision making and is known as
A)the representativeness heuristic.
B)framing.
C)incubation.
D)defining the base rate.

Accepted Answer

Framing refers to how a question or problem is presented or phrased, and can influence how people approach and make decisions about the problem. The way a problem or decision is framed can affect the perceived risks and benefits, as well as the potential outcomes and solutions.

Question 20

Although there is a 50 percent divorce rate,people still readily get married every year.These decisions probably would not occur if people did not
A)ignore the base rate.
B)use the representative heuristic.
C)frame this event very broadly.
D)use a random search strategy for making decisions.

Accepted Answer

Ignoring the base rate refers to overlooking statistical information (like the 50 percent divorce rate) in favor of personal judgments or anecdotal evidence when making decisions, such as the decision to get married.

Quiz 39: Cognition and Intelligence: Creative Thinking and Intuition

The tendency to select wrong answers because they seem to match pre-existing mental categories is referred to as the

Regarding a custody matter,two judges are each given profiles of the two parents.One judge is asked,"Which parent should be awarded custody?" while the other judge is asked,"Which parent should be denied custody?" The judges are most likely to see this custody situation differently because of the

Which of the following can channel us down a narrow path so we attend to only part of the information provided,rather than weighing all the pros and cons?

The error in intuitive thinking in which a choice is given greater weight if it seems to relate to what we already know is called the

One doctor tells you that you have a 10 percent chance of dying during the surgery,while another doctor tells you that you have a 90 percent chance of survival if you have the surgery.Understanding that you have the same survival odds means that you have not succumbed to

Ignoring the base rate

Although there is a high rate of failure for starting new businesses,people still readily open new businesses every year.These decisions probably would not occur if people did not

When people are given reports to review regarding a custody decision,and then asked the question,"Which parent should be awarded custody?" most people tend to

Which way of framing or stating a problem usually produces the best decision?

If one ignores the base rate when making a decision,it usually leads to

When people are given reports to review regarding a custody decision,and then asked the question,"Which parent should be denied custody?" most people tend to

You are on a jury.The defendant is a well-dressed middle-aged father.He just does not fit your idea of a murderer.It will be important for you to listen to the evidence presented rather than succumb to

Meg rarely wears her seat belt and often texts on her phone while she drives.However,she does not believe she will have an accident.Meg is exhibiting which intuitive thinking error?

A person who is concerned about his health but continues to smoke cigarettes is making an error in judgment called

Decision-making often can be influenced by the way that a problem is stated or structured,which is referred to as

When the intuitive error of the representativeness heuristic is used in making decisions,this means that

A college student who starts using crystal meth but states that he will be able to stop at any time is probably making the intuitive error in judgment specifically called

If one does not pay attention to the underlying probability of an event occurring,faulty decisions are made due to

The way a question is stated before problem-solving begins can affect decision making and is known as

Although there is a 50 percent divorce rate,people still readily get married every year.These decisions probably would not occur if people did not