Question 1

Which decision-making strategy involves making judgments of likelihood based on how well an example represents a specific category?

Accepted Answer

The representativeness heuristic involves making judgments of likelihood based on how well an example represents a specific category. It is a mental shortcut people use when making judgments and is often used when we make decisions based on patterns, stereotypes, or prototype matching.

Question 2

Which of the following is a heuristic approach to determining how many brownies to make for a party?

Accepted Answer

A heuristic approach is a mental shortcut or rule of thumb that simplifies decision-making. Choosing the same number of brownies as a previous party is a heuristic approach because it relies on past experience as a guide. The other options involve more calculations and may not be as efficient or practical for determining the number of brownies to make for a party.

Question 3

When Howie's old girlfriend used to get upset with him, he could smooth things over by buying flowers or chocolates for her. He keeps trying this strategy with his current girlfriend, but she gets angry with him each time. It appears that Howie has developed _______________which is interfering with the development of a new relationship strategy.

Accepted Answer

Howie has developed a mental set, which means he has become accustomed to using a particular approach to solve a problem. In this case, that approach is buying gifts to smooth things over with his girlfriend. However, this mental set is no longer effective with his current girlfriend, and it is interfering with his ability to develop a new relationship strategy.

Question 4

Riley has figured out how to unlock his bedroom door with a paper clip. What has he most likely overcome in his new use of the paper clip?

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is the tendency to think of an object only in terms of its typical use, so if Riley has figured out a new, non-typical use for a paper clip, he has overcome functional fixedness. The other options (B) the representational problem, (C) the representative heuristic, and (D) the confirmation bias do not apply in this scenario.

Question 5

Suppose 40% of all of the books in a library are fiction and 2% of all of the books are on the Roman Empire. Wanda is a big fan of historical fiction novels. Which of the following is she LEAST likely to leave the library with?

Accepted Answer

The probability of finding a fictional book that takes place in the Roman Empire is lower than finding just a fiction book or a book about the Roman Empire, as it requires the book to meet both criteria simultaneously.

Question 6

Computers are particularly suited for using ________________ to solve problems.

Accepted Answer

Computers are programmed to follow specific algorithms to solve problems. They are not capable of creative problem-solving using prototypes, functional fixedness, or heuristics.

Question 7

When someone does not see that a tool can be used for something other than its intended purpose, then ________________ can be said to have occurred.

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is the cognitive bias that occurs when someone is unable to see a tool or object as anything other than its intended purpose. This can lead to difficulty in problem-solving and creativity. The other options (anchoring effect, confirmation bias, and representative heuristic) are all cognitive biases but do not specifically relate to the inability to think of alternative uses for a tool.

Question 8

The tendency to solve problems using procedures or strategies that worked in the past on similar problems is called:

Accepted Answer

A mental set is the tendency to solve problems using strategies that have worked in the past. This can be helpful in some situations but can also lead to difficulty in solving problems that require thinking outside of the box. The other answer options are different cognitive biases that can also affect problem-solving.

Question 9

Seventy percent of the students in a classroom are women and 30 percent are men. One student is described as ambitious, athletic, and assertive. Why are most people likely to think this description refers to a male student?

Accepted Answer

The representativeness heuristic is a cognitive bias where people categorize individuals based on how closely they match a stereotype or a representative model. In this case, the traits "ambitious, athletic, and assertive" might stereotypically be associated with men, leading people to assume the description refers to a male student despite the gender distribution in the classroom.

Question 10

Which of the following is true regarding cognitive obstacles?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive obstacles are often caused by our own thought patterns or assumptions that we make. By recognizing these self-imposed obstacles, we can work to overcome them and find more effective solutions. Mental set and functional fixedness are both strategies for overcoming cognitive obstacles, but they are not always the most effective or appropriate solutions.

Question 11

Which of the following is true about the use of the representativeness heuristic to make judgments?

Accepted Answer

The representativeness heuristic can lead to correct judgments in many cases, but it can also lead to biased judgments in other situations. It is a mental shortcut that relies on stereotypical or prototypical expectations in order to quickly make judgments or decisions. While this can be helpful in some instances, it can also lead to errors and biases if the judgments or decisions are based solely on surface-level similarities to a stereotype or prototype, rather than a careful consideration of all relevant information.

Question 12

The _______________ occurs when an individual believes the probability of finding a specific member in two overlapping categories is more likely than finding any member of one of the larger, general categories.

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of the conjunction fallacy, in which people incorrectly believe that the probability of two events occurring together is higher than the probability of one event occurring on its own.

Question 13

The television character MacGyver was famous for using everyday objects to get out of trouble. In one episode, for example, MacGyver used the aluminum foil wrapper from a stick of gum to replace a blown electrical fuse. The MacGyver character clearly did NOT suffer from what cognitive obstacle to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is the cognitive obstacle where one's mindset is fixated on the typical use of an object and does not consider alternative uses. MacGyver's ability to use everyday objects in creative ways suggests that he did not suffer from functional fixedness. The other options listed (anchoring effect, confirmation bias, and representative heuristic) are unrelated to the cognitive obstacle of functional fixedness.

Question 14

Compared to a heuristic, an algorithm is more likely to:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compared to a heuristic, an algorithm is...

Question 15

A loose screw on the visor causes it to drop down while Ben drives; however, he keeps forgetting to take a screwdriver out to the car to fix it. When he notices the visor drop again, he reaches into his pocket for a dime he then uses to tighten the screw holding the visor. What problem-solving difficulty did Ben overcome?

Accepted Answer

Ben overcame functional fixedness, which is the tendency to think of an object only in terms of its typical use. He was able to think creatively and use a dime to tighten the screw instead of a screwdriver, which is the typical tool for the task.

Question 16

Johannes has been a car mechanic for many years and is very good at diagnosing problems with cars. However, when an electric car comes into the garage, his approach to diagnosing the problem is unsuccessful. Johannes failure is likely the result of:

Accepted Answer

Johannes failure to diagnose the problem with an electric car is likely due to a mental set, which is his preconceived notions and learned problem-solving strategies based on his experience with traditional combustion engine cars. He may not have the necessary knowledge and skills to diagnose issues with electric cars.

Question 17

Kendra has been a professional chef for 20 years. Instead of following recipes step-by-step, she uses her experience to guide her cooking, adding a pinch of salt here, or a little extra oil there. Kendra's approach to cooking is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Kendra's approach to cooking is an example of a heuristic, which is a mental shortcut or rule of thumb that allows us to make decisions quickly and efficiently based on past experiences or knowledge. She is not following a strict set of rules, but rather relying on her intuition and expertise to make adjustments to the recipe as needed.

Question 18

When people make the conjunction fallacy, it is most likely because:

Accepted Answer

The conjunction fallacy is a cognitive bias in which people assume that specific conditions are more probable than general ones. This is often because they are using the representativeness heuristic, which involves making judgments based on how well the given information matches a particular prototype or stereotype. In this case, people may be more likely to choose a specific scenario that seems more representative of a complex event, even if it is less likely than an overall event that includes the specific scenario.

Question 19

In the nine-dot problem discussed in your textbook, the rules do not specify that the lines cannot extend beyond the dots, however most people try to find a solution that follows this non-existent rule anyway. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The fact that people try to find a solution that follows a non-existent rule shows that they have created a self-imposed cognitive obstacle. The other options such as the anchoring effect, belief perseverance, and goal state do not accurately describe this phenomenon.

Question 20

In a research study, participants are told that Louis has lived in Boston his whole life. They are then asked which is more likely:
A. Louis is a baseball fan, or
B. Louis is a baseball fan who roots for the Boston Red Sox. Which of the following is true?
A) Participants who answer 'A' are correct.
B) Participants who answer 'A' have committed the conjunction fallacy.
C) Participants who answer 'B' are demonstrating belief perseverance.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a research study, participants are told...

Quiz 8: Thought and Language