Question 1

The difference between the representativeness heuristic and the availability heuristic is that the representativeness heuristic assumes that ___,and the availability heuristic assumes that ___.
A) we tend to look for information that supports our current beliefs; all members of a category are like the average of that category
B) all members of a category share similar characteristics; events that are easy to bring to mind are more common
C) our ability to make rational decisions is limited by things beyond our control; we use whatever information is available to evaluate our options
D) we tend to view objects as having only one purpose or use; we tend to use whatever strategies have worked in the past

Accepted Answer

The representativeness heuristic assumes that all members of a category share similar characteristics, while the availability heuristic assumes that events that are easy to bring to mind are more common. Option A is incorrect because it refers to confirmation bias, not the representativeness heuristic. Option C is incorrect because it refers to external constraints on decision-making, not heuristics. Option D is incorrect because it does not accurately describe either heuristic.

Question 2

Inkar is at the drive-thru to pick up lunch for her and a friend with a budget of $20.She quickly scans the menu and performs a rough tally of her total to make sure that they're good to order the items they wanted.What kind of strategy is Inkar using?
A) heuristic
B) working backward
C) algorithm
D) mental set

Accepted Answer

Inkar is using a heuristic strategy, which involves making quick and efficient decisions based on limited information. She is scanning the menu and doing a quick mental calculation to ensure that her order fits within her budget. This is a common approach to decision-making, especially in situations where time is limited or a quick decision is needed. Working backward involves starting with the goal and working backward to figure out the steps needed to achieve it, while an algorithm is a step-by-step process for solving a problem. Mental set refers to the tendency to approach a problem in a fixed way, even if there is a better or more efficient solution available.

Question 3

We take evidence that is consistent with our beliefs more seriously than evidence that is inconsistent with our beliefs.This is known as the
A) confirmation bias.
B) availability heuristic.
C) representativeness heuristic.
D) selection bias.

Accepted Answer

The confirmation bias refers to our tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms our preexisting beliefs or ideas. This bias can lead us to take evidence that is consistent with our beliefs more seriously than evidence that conflicts with our beliefs, as we are more likely to selectively attend to and remember information that supports our beliefs.

Question 4

The tendency to judge events that are easily recalled as more common is called
A) mental set.
B) representativeness heuristic.
C) availability heuristic.
D) confirmation bias.

Accepted Answer

The tendency to judge events that are easily recalled as more common is known as the availability heuristic. This heuristic involves relying on information that is easily accessible and readily available in our memory, rather than considering all relevant information. The representativeness heuristic involves making judgments based on how well something matches our prototype or stereotype of a particular category, while mental set refers to the tendency to approach a problem in a certain way based on past experience. Confirmation bias involves seeking out information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs while ignoring information that goes against them.

Question 5

Which of the following statements best expresses the relationship between mental set and functional fixedness?
A) Functional fixedness is really a specific instance of mental set.
B) Mental set is a specific instance of functional fixedness.
C) Functional fixedness and mental set are the same thing.
D) Functional fixedness and mental set are distinct problem-solving impediments.

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is a type of cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used, which is actually a specific example of a mental set. A mental set is a broader concept that refers to our tendency to approach situations in a certain way because that method worked in the past. Therefore, functional fixedness can be seen as a specific manifestation of mental set, where the mental set is specifically about the functions of objects.

Question 6

When Leilana told her new friend Saundra about her father,she described how he was always reading,loved Shakespeare,and often went to the symphony.Saundra was very surprised to learn that Leilana's father was a construction worker as she had assumed he must be a professor or some other professional.Which heuristic led Saundra to make this wrong assumption?
A) availability heuristic
B) representative heuristic
C) probability heuristic
D) bounded rationality heuristic

Accepted Answer

Saundra made assumptions about Leilana's father based on the information presented, specifically his love of books and the symphony, which seemed to fit the stereotype of a professor or professional. This is an example of the representative heuristic, where people make judgments based on how closely something fits a prototype or stereotype.

Question 7

The bounded rationality model of decision making suggests that
A) we compute the probability and utility of each option when we make decisions.
B) we use heuristics to arrive at satisfactory decisions.
C) we use algorithms to make the best possible decisions.
D) the decisions we make are often irrational.

Accepted Answer

The bounded rationality model of decision making suggests that due to limitations in our cognitive abilities and available information, we often use heuristics to arrive at satisfactory decisions that are "good enough" rather than applying an algorithm to make the best possible decision. Therefore, the best choice is B.

Question 8

Which of the following impediments to effective problem solving is correctly matched with an illustrative problem?
A) mental set - 9-dot problem
B) functional fixedness - Wason's 2-4-6 task
C) mental set - string problem
D) confirmation bias - 9-dot problem

Accepted Answer

The 9-dot problem is a classic example of a mental set, where individuals are constrained by their previous experiences and fail to think outside the box, literally and figuratively, to solve the problem.

Question 9

Making several minor household repairs,Alyssa uses a shoe as a hammer and a butter knife as a screwdriver.Which of the following statements best characterizes Alyssa's problem solving?
A) She is constrained by a powerful mental set.
B) She has been released from functional fixedness.
C) She is in a period of incubation.
D) She is forming subgoals.

Accepted Answer

Alyssa has overcome functional fixedness, which is the tendency to think of objects only in terms of their typical uses. By using a shoe as a hammer and a butter knife as a screwdriver, she is thinking creatively and using objects in non-traditional ways to solve a problem.

Question 10

We are often prone to judge an individual by the extent to which they resemble our representation of a group or category of people; that is,we are prone to the ___ when forming impressions or making decisions about others.
A) availability heuristic
B) representativeness heuristic
C) confirmation bias
D) stereotypic bias

Accepted Answer

The representativeness heuristic refers to our tendency to judge an individual based on how closely they resemble our mental representation of a group or category. This can lead to stereotyping and biased decision making. The availability heuristic relates to making judgments based on how easily examples or instances come to mind. Confirmation bias refers to the tendency to seek out information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them. Stereotypic bias is a term often used interchangeably with the representativeness heuristic to describe our tendency to rely on stereotypes or generalizations when forming impressions or making decisions. However, the term stereotypic bias is less commonly used in academic literature.

Question 11

Farley is asked to guess as to whether more people are killed by drowning or by plane crash.He estimates that there are far more people killed by plane crashes than drowning,even though the opposite is true.What is the likely reason for Farley's error?
A) representativeness heuristic
B) mental set
C) confirmation bias
D) availability heuristic

Accepted Answer

Farley is likely using the availability heuristic, where he estimates the likelihood of an event based on how easily he can bring examples of it to mind. Plane crashes are often highly publicized and receive more media coverage, making them more memorable and available in Farley's mind, leading to his overestimation of their frequency of occurrence.

Question 12

Stereotypes spring to mind easily.Therefore,we sometimes use them to judge the frequency of certain events,such as crimes in a specific neighbourhood.This example best describes the use of the ___ heuristic.
A) frequency
B) representativeness
C) confirmation
D) availability

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is used when people estimate the probability of an event based on how easily examples come to mind, which is the case when stereotypes influence judgments about the frequency of certain events.

Question 13

Nigel often cites newspaper editorials favouring the presidential candidate he supports; he appears to ignore editorials critical of the candidate.Nigel appears prone to
A) functional fixedness.
B) mental set.
C) confirmation bias.
D) the representativeness heuristic.

Accepted Answer

Nigel's behavior suggests that he is biased towards information that confirms his existing beliefs, which is known as confirmation bias. He is selectively seeking out and accepting information that supports his preferred candidate, while ignoring opposing viewpoints.

Question 14

"You always clam up when I ask you what's wrong," Iris tells her boyfriend.Iris is probably making this frequency judgment because she can remember a few times when her boyfriend wouldn't tell her what was bothering him.Iris is using the ___ heuristic.
A) representativeness
B) availability
C) frequency
D) confirmation

Accepted Answer

Iris is using the availability heuristic, which involves estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind, we presume such events are common.

Question 15

Felicity is rolling a die and incredibly,she ends up rolling a six 8 times in a row.When asked about the likelihood that her 9?? throw will also be a six,she says that she has likely run out of those by now,and so she thinks it is very unlikely that she will throw another six (of course,Felicity is wrong; all tosses have a 1 in 6 chance of being a six).What obstacle to problem solving is Felicity facing?
A) representativeness heuristic
B) availability heuristic
C) mental set
D) confirmation bias

Accepted Answer

Felicity is facing the representativeness heuristic obstacle to problem solving. This is because she incorrectly believes that her previous outcomes (rolling a six 8 times in a row) affect the likelihood of her next roll, which is a misunderstanding of how probability works. The representativeness heuristic leads individuals to judge the probability of an event by how much it resembles what they consider to be a typical example of that event, rather than understanding each roll is an independent event with an equal chance of occurring.

Question 16

Which of the following impediments to effective problem solving is correctly matched with its definition?
A) functional fixedness - the tendency for old patterns of problem solving to persist
B) mental set - the tendency to think of an object only in terms of its customary use
C) confirmation bias - the tendency to favour existing hypotheses and to ignore evidence favouring alternatives
D) confirmation bias - the tendency for old patterns of problem solving to persist

Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias is the tendency to favour pre-existing beliefs and to ignore evidence that contradicts those beliefs. Functional fixedness refers to the difficulty in seeing alternative uses for an object beyond its customary use, while mental set describes the tendency to approach new problems with old solutions. Option D incorrectly matches confirmation bias with the definition of functional fixedness.

Question 17

Following the September 11,2001,Twin Towers attacks in the United States,many Canadians and Americans elected to drive rather than fly: The media coverage of the hijackings caused people to overestimate the danger of flying.This example illustrates the ___.
A) availability heuristic
B) representativeness heuristic
C) confirmation bias
D) stereotype bias

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a given person's mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision. In this case, the media coverage of the hijackings made the incident more available to people's minds, causing them to overestimate the danger of flying and choose to drive instead.

Question 18

We often make decisions based on the ease with which information "comes to mind." Which heuristic does this refer to?
A) availability
B) representativeness
C) decision making
D) functional fixedness

Accepted Answer

The heuristic that refers to making decisions based on how easily information comes to mind is availability heuristic. This means that we rely on the information that is readily available in our minds, rather than taking the time to gather and analyze all available information before making a decision.

Question 19

You decide which course to take at 11:00 on Mondays,Wednesdays,and Fridays the following semester by multiplying,for each course option,the priority level of the course (e.g.,required course = 3; elective in major = 2; free elective = 1)and your estimated likelihood of getting into the course.You attempt to enrol in the course with the highest product.You are following the ___ model of decision making.
A) metacognitive
B) utility
C) bounded rationality
D) rational

Accepted Answer

The answer of You decide which course to take at...

Question 20

In the context of rational decision-making theory,an option's utility reflects its
A) desirability.
B) likelihood.
C) practicality.
D) sensibleness.

Accepted Answer

Utility refers to the level of desirability or satisfaction that an individual derives from a particular option. Therefore, option A is the best choice because it reflects the desirability of an option in rational decision-making theory.

Quiz 9: Language and Thought

The difference between the representativeness heuristic and the availability heuristic is that the representativeness heuristic assumes that _,and the availability heuristic assumes that _.

Inkar is at the drive-thru to pick up lunch for her and a friend with a budget of $20.She quickly scans the menu and performs a rough tally of her total to make sure that they're good to order the items they wanted.What kind of strategy is Inkar using?

We take evidence that is consistent with our beliefs more seriously than evidence that is inconsistent with our beliefs.This is known as the

The tendency to judge events that are easily recalled as more common is called

Which of the following statements best expresses the relationship between mental set and functional fixedness?

The bounded rationality model of decision making suggests that

Which of the following impediments to effective problem solving is correctly matched with an illustrative problem?

Making several minor household repairs,Alyssa uses a shoe as a hammer and a butter knife as a screwdriver.Which of the following statements best characterizes Alyssa's problem solving?

We are often prone to judge an individual by the extent to which they resemble our representation of a group or category of people; that is,we are prone to the ___ when forming impressions or making decisions about others.

Farley is asked to guess as to whether more people are killed by drowning or by plane crash.He estimates that there are far more people killed by plane crashes than drowning,even though the opposite is true.What is the likely reason for Farley's error?

Stereotypes spring to mind easily.Therefore,we sometimes use them to judge the frequency of certain events,such as crimes in a specific neighbourhood.This example best describes the use of the ___ heuristic.

Nigel often cites newspaper editorials favouring the presidential candidate he supports; he appears to ignore editorials critical of the candidate.Nigel appears prone to

"You always clam up when I ask you what's wrong," Iris tells her boyfriend.Iris is probably making this frequency judgment because she can remember a few times when her boyfriend wouldn't tell her what was bothering him.Iris is using the ___ heuristic.

Which of the following impediments to effective problem solving is correctly matched with its definition?

Following the September 11,2001,Twin Towers attacks in the United States,many Canadians and Americans elected to drive rather than fly: The media coverage of the hijackings caused people to overestimate the danger of flying.This example illustrates the ___.

We often make decisions based on the ease with which information "comes to mind." Which heuristic does this refer to?

In the context of rational decision-making theory,an option's utility reflects its