Question 1

Research studies on the effect of emotion on risk-taking found that participants induced to be:
A) happy are less likely to bet on a "long shot" that involves risk.
B) angry tend to be less pessimistic in their estimation of risk than people experiencing other emotions.
C) sad tend to be more pessimistic in their estimation of risk than people experiencing other emotions.
D) in any intense negative emotional state tend to be more pessimistic in their estimation of risk than people experiencing neutral emotion.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that anger, unlike other negative emotions, can lead to less pessimistic risk estimations, possibly due to its association with feelings of control and certainty.

Question 2

Which kind of evidence is the citation related to the writings of Plato, the influential Greek philosopher who wrote that reason should subdue and master emotion?
A) Anecdote
B) Commonsense belief
C) Statement of nonscientific authority
D) Empirical study

Accepted Answer

The citation refers to the writings of Plato, an influential Greek philosopher, and his philosophical belief that reason should control emotions. This is a statement of nonscientific authority as it is referencing the philosophy of an individual rather than empirical evidence or scientific research.

Question 3

Westen and his colleagues used fMRI to examine the activation of brain areas of committed Democrats and Republicans when confronted with statements by their favored candidates that were inconsistent with their party's positions. The researchers found that participants used motivated reasoning as a strategy to regulate emotion, maximizing positive affect and minimizing negative affect. The study also showed the brain experienced:
A) no increase in activation of the amygdala.
B) no changes in the cingulate cortex, an area often activated when a person confronts a discrepancy.
C) activation in the amygdala in the first half of the study and also in the prefrontal cortex and cingulate cortex.
D) activation throughout the prefrontal region of the cortex.

Accepted Answer

The study found activation in the amygdala in the first half of the study and also in the prefrontal cortex and cingulate cortex, indicating that participants were experiencing negative affect initially but then regulating their emotions through motivated reasoning. There were changes in the cingulate cortex, contrary to choice B. There is no evidence to suggest there was no increase in amygdala activation (choice A) or activation throughout the prefrontal region of the cortex (choice D).

Question 4

Westen and his colleagues used fMRI to examine the activation of brain areas of committed Democrats and Republicans when confronted with statements by their favored candidates that were inconsistent with their party's positions. Initially, participants showed an increase in activation of the amygdala. This effect may have occurred because the amygdala is:
A) a limbic system structure associated with processing of fear and anxiety in response to threats.
B) the area in the back of the brain that is activated when the brain must resolve a conflict or discrepancy.
C) a part of the prefrontal cortex responsible for the cognitive aspects of decision making.
D) a part of the temporal part of the brain responsible for remembering decisions.

Accepted Answer

The amygdala is a limbic system structure associated with the processing of fear and anxiety in response to threats. In this study, the amygdala was activated when participants were confronted with statements by their favored candidates that were inconsistent with their party's positions, indicating that this discrepancy caused an emotional response.

Question 5

Physiological markers measured on a polygraph (lie detector) indicate changes in stress or anxiety and, therefore, may also indicate lying. People show great differences in their physiological responses measured on polygraphs, and some people beat the machine. Taken together, this evidence suggests that:
A) the polygraph should still be used in criminal investigations despite its problems.
B) using physiological measures to detect lying is basically a good idea.
C) investigators are often right to administer a polygraph test to suspects.
D) the polygraph may not be a good way to accurately detect lying.

Accepted Answer

The fact that people show great differences in their physiological responses to the polygraph and that some people can beat the machine suggest that it may not be a good way to accurately detect lying. Therefore, choice D is the best option. The other options (A, B, and C) are not supported by the evidence presented.

Question 6

Which statement is the BEST conclusion to draw from the literature review on the question of whether emotion makes people be irrational?
A) Generally, emotions make a person think and behave irrationally, regardless of the task and situation.
B) Only negative emotions make a person think and behave irrationally.
C) Researchers have not been able to conduct studies that show emotions make a person think and behave irrationally.
D) Both positive and negative emotions may impair or improve a person's reasoning and decision making, depending on the situation and task.

Accepted Answer

The literature review suggests that both positive and negative emotions can affect reasoning and decision-making, with the outcome depending on the situation and task. Therefore, the best conclusion is that emotions can impair or improve rational thinking, depending on the circumstances. Option A is too general and absolute, option B is too specific and limited, and option C is incorrect since studies have been conducted on this topic.

Question 7

A student received a phone call in which he learned that his father had unexpectedly died of a heart attack at the age of 45. Instead of crying or showing a sad facial expression, the student's face took on an angry expression and he slammed down the phone. The MOST plausible reason for this reaction is that the student:
A) appraised the situation as shocking and showed the emotion of surprise.
B) remembered that the last time he talked to his father they had an argument.
C) did not like being told this bad news over the phone.
D) appraised the situation as unfair that he lost his father at such an early age.

Accepted Answer

The fact that the student's facial expression turned angry and he slammed down the phone suggest that he may have appraised the situation as unfair, as if he felt it was unjust for his father to pass away at a young age due to a heart attack. This interpretation is supported by the fact that the student did not cry or show a sad expression, but rather an angry one. Option A is unlikely because surprise would not explain the angry reaction. Option B is possible, but not the most plausible reason since the student's father had just passed away and the argument was likely not at the forefront of his mind. Option C is also possible, but there is no evidence to suggest that the student was upset about the phone call itself rather than the news he received.

Question 8

The critical reading section in this chapter discusses the researchers Isabelle Blanchette (2014) and Roy Baumeister and his colleagues (2007), who conducted literature reviews on whether emotion makes people irrational. The researchers' reviews present _____ as evidence that provides _____.
A) summaries of case studies of people who were negatively impacted by emotion; fairly weak support
B) statements of authority; weak support because of biased studies that supported only one side
C) statements of authority; weak support based on many low-quality studies
D) statements of scientific authority; strong support based on many high-quality research studies.

Accepted Answer

The critical reading section discusses the literature reviews conducted by Blanchette (2014) and Baumeister et al. (2007) on whether emotion makes people irrational. The researchers' reviews provide statements of scientific authority and strong support based on many high-quality research studies. Therefore, option D is the correct answer. Option A is incorrect because the researchers did not summarize case studies but rather conducted literature reviews. Option B and C are incorrect because the researchers' reviews were not based on biased or low-quality studies.

Question 9

Both Phineas Gage and Elliot had damage to the prefrontal region of the brain. The prefrontal region is important to rational decision making, and people tend to think that good decision making takes "cold" cognition-that is, rational thinking unaffected by emotion. After Damasio took into account the specific prefrontal area damaged in each man, the two cases indicated that:
A) rational decision making could be regained by Gage and Elliot.
B) normal emotional processing is needed for rational decision making.
C) the connection between decision making and emotion cannot be determined by only two unique cases.
D) damage to brain areas related to language impairs the ability to make rational decisions.

Accepted Answer

Damasio's study suggested that the prefrontal region plays a crucial role in connecting emotion to decision making, and that normal emotional processing is needed for rational decision making. Therefore, the damage to this region affected the ability of Gage and Elliot to make rational decisions despite having intact cognitive abilities.

Question 10

The introduction of mood induction procedures was a major advance in the scientific study of emotion and mood states because it:
A) gave researchers a way to directly study actual states of clinical depression and other real affective states.
B) provided a way to test participants who had actual mood disorders.
C) allowed researchers to compare induced emotions to neutral emotional states as control conditions in which participants experience no emotion.
D) allowed researchers to experimentally manipulate emotion and mood states and to potentially show cause and effect.

Accepted Answer

The introduction of mood induction procedures allowed researchers to experimentally manipulate emotion and mood states, which potentially showed cause and effect relationships between emotions and behaviors. This allowed for a more rigorous scientific study of emotions and mood states. Option A and B are partially correct, but do not fully capture the benefits of mood induction procedures. Option C is incorrect, as neutral emotional states are not control conditions for induced emotions, but rather a baseline comparison for all emotional states.

Question 11

A study by Moons and Mackie (2007) found that when compared to participants induced to be in a neutral mood, participants induced to be in an angry mood performed:
A) better on measures of creative thinking.
B) worse on measures of creative thinking.
C) worse on measures of reasoning ability.
D) better on measures of reasoning ability.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A study by Moons and Mackie (2007)...

Question 12

The process of experiencing an emotion often begins with interpretation of the situation, which is called a(n):
A) appraisal.
B) attitude.
C) revelation.
D) rational analysis.

Accepted Answer

The process of experiencing an emotion begins with the interpretation of the situation, which is called appraisal. This involves evaluating whether the situation is good or bad, whether it is important, and whether it aligns with our goals and values. Appraisal is a critical step in determining the emotional response to a particular situation.

Question 13

An informal survey by Parrott (1995) claimed that emotion is associated with a disruption in thinking. The type of evidence and level of support provided by Parrot's survey is BEST considered:
A) a fairly low-quality, nonscientific survey documenting a commonsense belief and, therefore, providing weak support.
B) a commonsense belief, providing fairly weak support for the claim because it was based on the opinions of students.
C) a statement of nonscientific authority, providing weak support.
D) based on a literature review of nonscientific studies, providing weak support.

Accepted Answer

Parrott's survey is informal and non-scientific, as it was not conducted using rigorous methodology or a representative sample. Furthermore, the claim that emotion disrupts thinking is a common belief and not an established scientific fact. Therefore, the level of support provided by Parrott's survey can be considered weak, and the evidence is of fairly low-quality.

Question 14

Damasio (1994) studied a man named Elliot who had damage to the orbital prefrontal region of his brain; Elliot experienced dramatic changes in his behavior after much of this area was removed. Which interpretation of Elliot's case reflects Damasio's findings?
A) Elliot showed angry outbursts, suggesting that this part of the prefrontal cortex regulates emotional response.
B) Elliot's decision making was impaired the most when he lost his temper.
C) Elliot's case suggests that normal emotion is needed for rational decision making.
D) Elliot had to relearn how to succeed in business and family life, suggesting the brain shows great plasticity.

Accepted Answer

Damasio's findings suggest that the orbital prefrontal region plays a crucial role in the integration of emotions with decision making, and Elliot's case supports the idea that normal emotion is needed for rational decision making.

Question 15

Which of the following is true about the use of polygraphs (lie detectors)?
A) The polygraph is worth using because it does not often misidentify innocent people as liars.
B) It is a psychological misconception to conclude that the polygraph is a reliable technique for identifying people who are lying.
C) It is not possible to beat a polygraph test that is conducted by a qualified polygraph operator.
D) Results from polygraph tests are commonly used as evidence in courts of law.

Accepted Answer

There is evidence that suggests that polygraphs are not reliable in detecting lies and can often misidentify innocent people as liars. This is why many psychologists and legal experts do not consider polygraphs to be a trustworthy form of evidence.

Question 16

Which statement is true about depression according to the research reviewed in the critical reading exercise on whether emotion makes people less rational?
A) Depression impairs a person's ability to think rationally and has been identified as leading to increases in negative emotions, such as anger and anxiety.
B) Depression can impair the ability to think rationally, but depressed participants have been shown to perform significantly faster on a deductive reasoning task.
C) Depression almost always impairs reasoning, while happiness improves reasoning.
D) Depression is the best example of how an emotion impairs reasoning because among the various negative emotions, it is the one that shows the most negative effects.

Accepted Answer

Depression can affect rational thinking, but research has shown that depressed individuals may perform faster on certain cognitive tasks, such as deductive reasoning, indicating a more complex relationship between mood and cognitive function than simply impairment.

Question 17

The critical reading section in this chapter discusses the researchers Isabelle Blanchette (2014) and Roy Baumeister and his colleagues (2007), who conducted literature reviews on whether emotion makes people irrational. These researchers concluded that:
A) almost always, emotions make a person think and behave irrationally.
B) only negative emotions make a person think and behave irrationally.
C) emotions sometimes hinder and sometimes help people's reasoning and decision making.
D) often positive emotions make a person think and behave irrationally, and they never facilitate thinking.

Accepted Answer

The researchers concluded that emotions can both hinder and help people's reasoning and decision making, meaning that emotions have both positive and negative effects on rational thinking. Option A is incorrect because the researchers did not conclude that emotions almost always make people irrational. Option B is incorrect because the researchers did not conclude that only negative emotions make people irrational. Option D is incorrect because the researchers did not conclude that positive emotions never facilitate thinking.

Question 18

In the legal arena, the fact that people often view emotion as involuntary and reason as voluntary and deliberate is MOST related to:
A) the legal argument that "his brain made him do it."
B) the difference in the legal penalty for murder as a crime of passion versus a premeditated murder.
C) the insanity defense as it is used in legal proceedings in many states.
D) the way courts treat women versus men in legal proceedings, because women are assumed to be more emotional and less rational.

Accepted Answer

The distinction between crimes of passion and premeditated murder is based on the assumption that the former is more impulsive and emotional, while the latter is more deliberate and rational. This reflects the common belief that emotion is involuntary and reason is voluntary and deliberate.

Question 19

Which finding BEST summarizes the influence of negative emotion on thinking?
A) Positive emotion can have beneficial effects, as when people put into a positive mood improve their creative thinking.
B) In all cases, positive affect improves the quality of thinking.
C) Positive affect often impairs reasoning, but the result also depends on the task and individual differences in participants.
D) In many cases, positive affect impairs learning.

Accepted Answer

The finding states that positive emotion can have beneficial effects on creative thinking, which implies that negative emotion has a detrimental effect on thinking. The other options either suggest that positive emotion always improves thinking or that it depends on the task and individual differences, but do not directly address the influence of negative emotion.

Question 20

One sense of the word rational is that a person is following the rules and norms for good reasoning, such as reasoning logically. Another sense of the word discussed in the critical reading discussion concerns:
A) whether thinking helps create or maintain bias.
B) whether thinking helps maintain a person's beliefs.
C) how well thinking helps a person reach his or her goals.
D) how well thinking helps a person avoid thinking errors.

Accepted Answer

The second sense of the word "rational" discussed in the context of critical reading refers to how effectively thinking assists an individual in achieving their goals. This perspective focuses on the outcome of thinking processes rather than strictly adhering to formal rules of logic or reasoning.

Quiz 9: Emotion, Motivated Reasoning, and Critical Thinking

Research studies on the effect of emotion on risk-taking found that participants induced to be:

Which kind of evidence is the citation related to the writings of Plato, the influential Greek philosopher who wrote that reason should subdue and master emotion?

Which statement is the BEST conclusion to draw from the literature review on the question of whether emotion makes people be irrational?

The critical reading section in this chapter discusses the researchers Isabelle Blanchette (2014) and Roy Baumeister and his colleagues (2007) , who conducted literature reviews on whether emotion makes people irrational. The researchers' reviews present _ as evidence that provides _.

The introduction of mood induction procedures was a major advance in the scientific study of emotion and mood states because it:

A study by Moons and Mackie (2007) found that when compared to participants induced to be in a neutral mood, participants induced to be in an angry mood performed:

The process of experiencing an emotion often begins with interpretation of the situation, which is called a(n) :

An informal survey by Parrott (1995) claimed that emotion is associated with a disruption in thinking. The type of evidence and level of support provided by Parrot's survey is BEST considered:

Damasio (1994) studied a man named Elliot who had damage to the orbital prefrontal region of his brain; Elliot experienced dramatic changes in his behavior after much of this area was removed. Which interpretation of Elliot's case reflects Damasio's findings?

Which of the following is true about the use of polygraphs (lie detectors) ?

Which statement is true about depression according to the research reviewed in the critical reading exercise on whether emotion makes people less rational?

The critical reading section in this chapter discusses the researchers Isabelle Blanchette (2014) and Roy Baumeister and his colleagues (2007) , who conducted literature reviews on whether emotion makes people irrational. These researchers concluded that:

In the legal arena, the fact that people often view emotion as involuntary and reason as voluntary and deliberate is MOST related to:

Which finding BEST summarizes the influence of negative emotion on thinking?

One sense of the word rational is that a person is following the rules and norms for good reasoning, such as reasoning logically. Another sense of the word discussed in the critical reading discussion concerns: