A young child enters a store by pushing a door open. Every time they come to a door after that, the child pushes the door expecting it to open, even though many doors only open by pulling. This is an example of
A)a mental set
B)an algorithm
C)distraction by irrelevant information
D)belief bias
E)deductive reasoning

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A mental set is a tendency to approach situations in a certain way because that method worked in the past. The child's expectation that all doors will open by pushing, based on their initial experience, exemplifies this cognitive pattern.

A Young Child Enters a Store by Pushing a Door