Daniel is headed out on a blind date. The friend who set him up told him that his date was valedictorian of her graduating class. As Daniel is talking with his date, he begins to question his own understanding of math when she tells him that 1+1=3. His perception that she is right, even though it goes against what he understands, is due to __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Priming is the psychological phenomenon where exposure to a stimulus influences a response to a later stimulus. In this case, Daniel's friend telling him that his date was valedictorian primes him to believe that she is highly intelligent. Therefore, when she makes an unconventional statement about math, Daniel is more inclined to question his own understanding rather than doubt her intelligence.

Daniel Is Headed Out on a Blind Date