Adam and his friend, Rachel, are having dinner at a restaurant. After finishing their meal, Adam tells Rachel that the waitress serving them was flirting with him all evening. Rachel disagrees with him and says that she was just being friendly. The difference in interpretation between Rachel and Adam can best be attributed to ____.
A)error management theory
B)the omission bias
C)the status quo bias
D)self-determination theory

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Error management theory explains the difference in interpretation between Adam and Rachel. It suggests that humans have evolved biases in judgment that lead them to err in specific ways that could have been advantageous in our evolutionary past. In this case, Adam might be overinterpreting signals as flirtation due to an evolved bias that favors making the less costly error of assuming interest where there might be none, rather than missing a potential mating opportunity.

Adam and His Friend, Rachel, Are Having Dinner at a Restaurant