One day, Ethan had "a feeling" that he was going to get a phone call from a long-lost friend. That evening, an old high school classmate called, inviting him to attend a class reunion. Now Ethan is telling everyone that he is psychic. According to your textbook, which cognitive bias provides the BEST explanation for Ethan's belief?
A)the overestimation effect
B)the belief-bias effect
C)confirmation bias
D)the fallacy of positive instances

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ethan's belief that he is psychic is best explained by the fallacy of positive instances, where he remembers the times his predictions were correct but likely forgets all the times they were not. This bias leads individuals to pay more attention to occurrences that confirm their beliefs and overlook those that do not.

One Day, Ethan Had "A Feeling" That He Was Going