Question 1

Many smokers like to associate themselves to the late George Burns,a famous actor who smoked cigars continuously for many years and lived to be nearly a hundred,as evidence that smoking is relatively harmless.These individuals tend to ignore the thousands of people who die every year from lung cancer.They are illustrating:
A)the availability heuristic.
B)confirmation bias.
C)the representativeness heuristic.
D)hindsight bias.

Accepted Answer

This scenario demonstrates confirmation bias, as the individuals are selectively focusing on and accepting information that confirms their existing beliefs about smoking. They are ignoring evidence that contradicts their beliefs, such as the fact that thousands of people die from lung cancer every year. The other options (availability heuristic, representativeness heuristic, and hindsight bias) are not particularly relevant to this scenario.

Question 2

Gwyneth views the exceptional ratings of a pair of jeans on an online shopping website and decides to purchase it over the weekend.However,her friend who has a similar pair of jeans complains about the poor quality of the material which prevents Gwyneth from making the online purchase.According to the biases and heuristics in decision making,it can be concluded that Gwyneth mirrors _____ in this scenario.
A)confirmation bias
B)hindsight bias
C)the base rate neglect
D)the hemispatial neglect

Accepted Answer

Gwyneth's decision is influenced by the base rate neglect, a cognitive bias where individuals ignore or undervalue the base rate information (general information or statistical data) and focus on specific information or personal accounts. In this scenario, she disregards the overall positive reviews (base rate information) of the jeans on the website and instead is swayed by her friend's negative experience (specific information).

Question 3

Akira is attempting to solve Sudoku for the first time.According to the systems of reasoning and decision making,it can be concluded that Akira is employing the _____ system of reasoning and decision making.
A)deductive
B)inductive
C)controlled
D)automatic

Accepted Answer

Controlled system of reasoning and decision making involves conscious and deliberate evaluation of information and choices, as opposed to automatic processing. Since Akira is attempting Sudoku for the first time, it is likely that they are consciously evaluating their choices and using controlled reasoning to solve the puzzle. Deductive and inductive reasoning are types of logical reasoning whereas automatic system of reasoning and decision making involves processing information unconsciously and automatically, without conscious effort.

Question 4

Naomi intends to become a pilot.However,her father refuses to comply with her intention.He states that the women in his family have always been in the academic field and persuades her to pursue teaching as her future career.According to the biases and heuristics in decision making,it can be concluded that Naomi's father has employed _____ in this scenario.
A)the representativeness heuristic
B)the availability heuristic
C)confirmation bias
D)hindsight bias

Accepted Answer

The answer of Naomi intends to become a pilot.However,her father...

Question 5

If Professor Wagner were to build a robot that functions using only automatic processes,we would expect it to make decisions using _____.
A)algorithms
B)functional fixedness
C)heuristics
D)conscious reflection

Accepted Answer

The answer of If Professor Wagner were to build a...

Question 6

Carlos believes that all of the people from another part of his town are snobs.He is scheduled to perform with some students from that part of the town in an all-county musical presentation.If he assumes that these students are also rich and snobby,he is using _____ reasoning.
A)inductive
B)functional
C)critical
D)deductive

Accepted Answer

Deductive reasoning involves using a general premise to draw a specific conclusion. In this case, Carlos has a general belief that all people from another part of town are snobs, and he is using that to draw a specific conclusion about the students he will perform with.

Question 7

Jennifer,a senior HR recruiter,perceives students from Edinkyo University to be industrious employees.As a result,she concludes that Carol,a fresher from the same university,will be an asset for the company.According to the types of reasoning,it can be concluded that Jennifer has employed _____ reasoning.
A)automatic
B)controlled
C)deductive
D)inductive

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jennifer,a senior HR recruiter,perceives students from Edinkyo...

Question 8

Which of the following statements is true of inductive reasoning?
A)It involves drawing conclusions based on facts.
B)It refers to reasoning from a general principle that individuals know to be true to a specific instance.
C)It is illustrated when psychologists and other scientists use theories to make predictions and then evaluate their predictions by making further observations.
D)It involves bottom-up processing.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements is true...

Question 9

Alex intends to board a flight this evening to another country for an official visit.However,his wife prevents him from boarding the flight stating that there is a likelihood of danger to his life owing to several plane crashes that occurred this month.According to the biases and heuristics in decision making,it can be concluded that Alex's wife mirrors the _____ in this scenario.
A)base rate neglect
B)hemispatial neglect
C)representativeness heuristic
D)availability heuristic

Accepted Answer

Alex's wife is using the availability heuristic by focusing on recent, easily available information about plane crashes to make a decision about the safety of air travel. This is a cognitive bias where people estimate the likelihood of an event based on how easily they can recall or access information about it.

Question 10

Joel and Zeus watch a soccer game between team A and team B on T.V.Team A wins the match and Zeus exclaims,"I knew team A would win this match!" According to the biases and heuristics in decision making,it can be concluded that Zeus is employing _____ in this scenario.
A)confirmation bias
B)hindsight bias
C)the availability heuristic
D)the representativeness heuristic

Accepted Answer

Zeus is exhibiting the hindsight bias, as he believes that he knew the outcome of the match all along after learning the result. This bias involves people believing that they predicted an event's outcome after it has happened, even if they did not actually make an accurate prediction beforehand.

Question 11

Maria is extremely active in politics.She has strong conservative beliefs about what is correct and what is not.Each day when she reads the newspaper,she pays close attention to the editorial section in particular.According to the confirmation bias,what will she do when she reads them?
A)She will read all of the editorials to get a balanced view of issues.
B)She will only read the editorials that she agrees with.
C)She will read the editorials that she disagrees with to get another perspective on issues.
D)She will only read the editorials that are devoid of political issues.

Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias refers to the tendency of people to seek out and selectively interpret information in a way that confirms their existing beliefs, while ignoring or downplaying information that contradicts their beliefs. In this case, Maria has strong conservative beliefs, so she is likely to selectively read the editorials that align with her beliefs and ignore those that do not. Therefore, she will only read the editorials that she agrees with.

Question 12

Bonnie and Clyde have decided to purchase a new entertainment center.As this will be a major financial investment,they spend a lot of time researching their options.Helen,a psychology student,advises them to distract themselves with an alternate activity before they come to any purchase decisions.Is this a good advice?
A)No, research has shown that people who approach complex decisions in a consciously deliberate fashion and then act immediately make better choices.
B)No, research has shown that people make better decisions when they study their options and act decisively before additional information causes them to change their minds.
C)Yes, research has shown that people who approach complex decisions after being distracted are more likely to make better decisions.
D)Yes, research has shown that a few hours of sleep is necessary before making a smart decision.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that briefly distracting oneself before making a decision can reduce the effect of biases and increase the likelihood of making a more rational decision. This is because taking a break can allow the mind to reset and consider the decision from a fresh perspective.

Question 13

Greta was confused about choosing medicine or law as options for her undergraduate studies.However,she followed her intuition and chose to pursue her undergraduate studies in law.According to the systems of reasoning and decision making,it can be concluded that Greta employed the _____ system of reasoning and decision making.
A)controlled
B)automatic
C)inductive
D)deductive

Accepted Answer

Greta followed her intuition, which is an automatic system of reasoning and decision making. Automatic system works without conscious awareness or effort, and it is based on intuition or gut feelings.

Question 14

Based on his observation of a group of patients who suffer from a psychological disorder and display immense creativity,Collin develops a theory of creativity among patients with that disorder.According to the types of reasoning,it can be concluded that Collin has employed _____ reasoning.
A)deductive
B)inductive
C)automatic
D)controlled

Accepted Answer

Collin observed a group of patients with a psychological disorder who displayed creativity to develop a theory about creativity among patients with that disorder. This process involves collecting observations and data from a specific group and making generalizations or predictions based on those observations, which is characteristic of inductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning, on the other hand, involves starting with general principles or theories and predicting specific outcomes based on those principles. Automatic and controlled reasoning are not relevant to this scenario.

Question 15

Harry intends to pursue his career in the armed forces.However,his mother prevents him from applying for a position in the armed forces.She fears that she will lose her son just like she lost her husband who died during his regime in the armed forces.Hence,it can be concluded that Harry's mother has used _____.
A)confirmation bias
B)the availability heuristic
C)hindsight bias
D)the representativeness heuristic

Accepted Answer

Harry's mother is relying on the availability heuristic, which is a mental shortcut that involves making a decision based on the information that is most readily available in one's memory. In this case, her personal experience with her husband's death while serving in the armed forces is influencing her decision to prevent her son from pursuing a career in the same field.

Question 16

Whenever scientists use theories and intuitions to make specific predictions and then evaluate their predictions by making further observations,_____ is at work.
A)inductive reasoning
B)reflective disclosure
C)deductive reasoning
D)functional fixedness

Accepted Answer

Deductive reasoning involves using a general theory or hypothesis to make specific predictions, which can then be tested through observation or experimentation. This process of predicting, evaluating, and refining theories is often used in scientific inquiry. Inductive reasoning involves using observations or data to develop general theories or hypotheses, while reflective disclosure and functional fixedness are not related to the scientific method.

Question 17

The fact that Jordan hears about airplane crashes on the news more often than he hears about automobile crashes may lead him to believe that he is more likely to die in a plane than in a car.This scenario exemplifies:
A)confirmation bias.
B)hindsight bias.
C)availability heuristic.
D)representativeness heuristic.

Accepted Answer

The scenario is an example of the availability heuristic, where Jordan's estimate of the likelihood of an event is based on the ease with which he can think of examples. Since airplane crashes are more likely to be reported in the news and thus more readily available in his memory, he may overestimate the likelihood of dying in a plane crash compared to a car crash.

Question 18

Every week during football season,Fred and his friends have fun following the local high school teams.Before the games,Fred never really talks too much about how the games will turn out.On Monday,however,it is a different scenario altogether.Fred is more than happy to share with his friends that the results of the games turned out exactly as he thought they would.Thus,it can be concluded that Fred is demonstrating:
A)overconfidence bias.
B)hindsight bias.
C)inductive reasoning.
D)deductive reasoning.

Accepted Answer

Fred's behavior of retroactively perceiving his predictions as more accurate than they were shows hindsight bias. The other options do not accurately describe his behavior.

Question 19

Cathy has long believed that all her supervisors are cranky and disagreeable individuals.According to the confirmation bias,after being transferred to a new department,which of the following will Cathy most likely do on her first day in the new supervisor's department?
A)She will forget about the things she has thought about her previous supervisors.
B)She will look for positive behaviors on the part of her supervisor.
C)She will share her feelings with the new supervisor.
D)She will look for negative behaviors on the part of the supervisor.

Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias suggests that Cathy is likely to seek out information that confirms her existing beliefs about her supervisors. Therefore, she is more likely to look for negative behaviors on the part of her new supervisor that will support her preconceptions.

Question 20

After the outcome of an election is announced,George states that he knew all along what the outcome would be.This is a form of:
A)confirmation bias.
B)hindsight bias.
C)availability heuristic.
D)representativeness heuristic.

Accepted Answer

Hindsight bias is the tendency for people to overestimate their ability to have predicted an event after the event has occurred. George's statement implies he had a preexisting belief about the election outcome and is now falsely claiming to have accurately predicted it all along. This is a classic example of hindsight bias. The other options do not fit the scenario as well as hindsight bias.

Quiz 8: Thinking, Intelligence, and Language

Akira is attempting to solve Sudoku for the first time.According to the systems of reasoning and decision making,it can be concluded that Akira is employing the _____ system of reasoning and decision making.

If Professor Wagner were to build a robot that functions using only automatic processes,we would expect it to make decisions using _____.

Carlos believes that all of the people from another part of his town are snobs.He is scheduled to perform with some students from that part of the town in an all-county musical presentation.If he assumes that these students are also rich and snobby,he is using _____ reasoning.

Which of the following statements is true of inductive reasoning?

Joel and Zeus watch a soccer game between team A and team B on T.V.Team A wins the match and Zeus exclaims,"I knew team A would win this match!" According to the biases and heuristics in decision making,it can be concluded that Zeus is employing _____ in this scenario.

Maria is extremely active in politics.She has strong conservative beliefs about what is correct and what is not.Each day when she reads the newspaper,she pays close attention to the editorial section in particular.According to the confirmation bias,what will she do when she reads them?

Based on his observation of a group of patients who suffer from a psychological disorder and display immense creativity,Collin develops a theory of creativity among patients with that disorder.According to the types of reasoning,it can be concluded that Collin has employed _____ reasoning.

Whenever scientists use theories and intuitions to make specific predictions and then evaluate their predictions by making further observations,_____ is at work.

The fact that Jordan hears about airplane crashes on the news more often than he hears about automobile crashes may lead him to believe that he is more likely to die in a plane than in a car.This scenario exemplifies:

Cathy has long believed that all her supervisors are cranky and disagreeable individuals.According to the confirmation bias,after being transferred to a new department,which of the following will Cathy most likely do on her first day in the new supervisor's department?

After the outcome of an election is announced,George states that he knew all along what the outcome would be.This is a form of: