Question 1

Recall the words of Dr.Robert Marion, who was the first physician to correctly diagnose a nine-year-old girl with a rare disease: "Doctors are just like everyone else.We go to the movies, watch TV, read newspapers and novels.If we happen to see a patient who has symptoms of a rare disease that was featured on the previous night's 'Movie of the Week,' we're more likely to consider that condition when making a diagnosis." In essence, Dr.Marion is describing the ________ heuristic.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Marion is describing the availability heuristic, which refers to the tendency to rely on easily accessible information (such as information found in the media or personal experiences) when making judgments or decisions.

Question 2

If the research on priming and metaphors is correct, which of the following is true? You are more likely to meet your true love on vacation somewhere

Accepted Answer

The research on priming suggests that certain words, emotions, or situations can prime our minds to think or act in a certain way. Sunny and warm environments are often associated with positive emotions and feelings of relaxation and happiness, which may prime individuals to be more open to meeting new people and to be more receptive to romantic advances. Therefore, based on this research, individuals may be more likely to meet their true love on vacation somewhere sunny and warm.

Question 3

Our use of mental shortcuts usually leads to

Accepted Answer

Mental shortcuts, or heuristics, allow us to make decisions efficiently by simplifying the process of assessing complex information. While not always perfect, these shortcuts generally lead to satisfactory decisions within a reasonable timeframe, balancing speed and accuracy.

Question 4

Research has demonstrated that metaphors about the body and social judgments influence how we think and the decisions we make.If that is true, the next time you are feeling lonely and as if the world is a cold, heartless place, what should you do and why?

Accepted Answer

Holding a warm beverage is associated with friendliness and warmth, which can counteract feelings of loneliness and coldness in the world. Cleaning your room, carrying something heavy, and taking a nap do not have the same social associations and would not be as effective in changing feelings of loneliness and social isolation.

Question 5

The shortcuts that people use to make judgments and decisions quickly and efficiently are called

Accepted Answer

Judgmental heuristics are mental shortcuts used to simplify decision-making and quickly make judgments. These heuristics can be useful in many situations, but they can also lead to errors in judgment and biases. Cultural truisms and rationalizations are not the same as judgmental heuristics, and structural equations are a statistical tool used in mathematical modeling.

Question 6

Instead of considering every single brand and variety of pasta sauce at the grocery store, most people make quick decisions about which one to purchase.This is an example of how people use

Accepted Answer

This situation demonstrates how people use judgmental heuristics, which are mental shortcuts that allow us to make quick decisions without considering every possible option. In this case, the person might rely on factors like brand familiarity or packaging design to choose a pasta sauce without carefully evaluating all available options.

Question 7

Research demonstrated that physical sensation can activate metaphors that influence our judgments about unrelated topics.If you wanted students to take your petition seriously, you should present the information about it

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that presenting information on a heavy tablet can metaphorically convey seriousness and importance, influencing judgments about the petition.

Question 8

The available heuristic is used when making judgments about

Accepted Answer

The available heuristic refers to making judgments based on easily accessible information, which can be about ourselves or other people. Therefore, the answer is C, as it includes both options.

Question 9

According to the authors of your text, what is the primary reason that people often rely on a variety of mental shortcuts? We're

Accepted Answer

The authors of the text suggest that people often rely on mental shortcuts (or heuristics) because they are confronted with an overwhelming amount of social information. Heuristics allow individuals to process and make sense of this information quickly, without having to engage in more time-consuming and effortful cognitive processing.

Question 10

The mental shortcuts that people use to make judgments quickly and efficiently are called

Accepted Answer

Mental shortcuts are called judgmental heuristics. These heuristics are used to make quick judgments and decisions based on limited information, which can be efficient but may also result in errors or biases.

Question 11

Why does the availability heuristic sometimes lead to incorrect inferences?

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic can lead to incorrect inferences because people tend to rely on information that is easily accessible in their memory. However, what is easily brought to mind may not be typical of the big picture, and therefore the inference based on this information may not be accurate.

Question 12

Your roommate is interested in dating Chris, whom you know from a history class.Your roommate asks if you think Chris is generally a considerate person.You remember how Chris lent you notes when you missed class last week, and tell your roommate you think Chris is very considerate.In making your judgment, you have relied upon the ________ heuristic.

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic involves making judgments based on how easily examples come to mind. In this case, the example that comes to mind is the helpful behavior that Chris exhibited towards the speaker. Therefore, the speaker has relied on the availability heuristic in making their judgment.

Question 13

The availability heuristic is based on the principle of using ________ as a cue to probability.

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is based on the principle of using accessibility as a cue to probability. This means that people tend to judge the likelihood of an event based on how easily they can recall or retrieve examples of that event from memory. The more accessible or available an event is in memory, the more likely people are to judge it as probable.

Question 14

If the research on priming and metaphors is correct, what should your organization do if it wants to raise money for its service project?

Accepted Answer

Offering candy can create a positive and welcoming atmosphere, which may encourage people to donate. This aligns with the idea of priming, where positive stimuli can influence behavior.

Question 15

Reasoning based on the ease with which we can bring something to mind involves the use of the ________ heuristic.

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is based on the idea that we often make judgments and decisions based on how easily information is brought to mind. This means that if we can easily recall something, we are more likely to believe it to be true, and this can influence our decisions and judgments.

Question 16

The availability heuristic is associated with which of the following characteristics of schemas?

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is the tendency to rely on easily accessible information in making judgments. This is associated with the characteristic of accessibility in schemas, which refers to the ease with which information can be retrieved from memory.

Question 17

What is easily brought to mind may not be typical of the big picture.This is the problem with the

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is easily brought to mind may...

Question 18

In trying to decide which of two classmates is smarter, you use the rule, "the faster people talk, the smarter they are," so you choose the classmate who talks faster.You have applied a ________ to decide who is smarter.

Accepted Answer

The rule "the faster people talk, the smarter they are" is a judgmental heuristic, which is a mental shortcut or rule of thumb used to make quick judgments or assessments. It may not necessarily be accurate or based on evidence, but it helps simplify the decision-making process.

Question 19

Imagine it is the end of a long day and you are hot and ready to head home.If the research on the connection between physical sensations and the judgments they affect is correct, which of the following about social influence is most likely to occur?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Imagine it is the end of a...

Question 20

When is conscious thought superior to letting distraction influence a decision?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When is conscious thought superior to letting...

Quiz 3: Social Cognition: How We Think About the Social World