Question 1

Which of the following is a benefit of using heuristics and mental shortcuts?

Accepted Answer

Heuristics and mental shortcuts help individuals make quick and efficient decisions without expending too much cognitive effort, making them a beneficial tool for decision-making. While they may not always lead to the best outcome, they are useful in situations where time is limited or when the decision is not critical.

Question 2

Which of the following best explains why errors and biases occur in our thinking processes?

Accepted Answer

The human brain is highly efficient at finding patterns between things. This efficiency can sometimes lead to errors and biases, as the brain may jump to conclusions based on incomplete information or past experiences.

Question 3

According to your text, the nature/nurture debate originated during the time period of the

Accepted Answer

The nature/nurture debate can be traced back to the works of ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, who discussed the relative importance of inheritance and environment in determining behavior and personality. Confucius and the ancient Egyptians did not contribute significantly to this debate, and while Descartes made significant contributions to philosophy, his work did not specifically focus on the nature/nurture question.

Question 4

The nature in the nature/nurture debate refers to factors affecting human psychological development.

Accepted Answer

The nature aspect of the nature/nurture debate refers to biological factors such as genetics, while the nurture aspect refers to environmental factors such as upbringing and experiences. Therefore, the answer is C because nature can either refer to biological or environmental factors.

Question 5

Which of the following is one of the major biases in thinking described in the text?

Accepted Answer

Seeing relationships that do not exist is one of the major biases in thinking described in the text. It refers to the tendency to perceive patterns or connections between events or variables that do not actually exist. This can lead to false conclusions and beliefs, and can skew decision-making processes. The other options (A, C, and D) are also examples of biases, but they are not the major bias described in the text.

Question 6

Juan is in the market for a new toaster.Which of the following is an example of confirmation bias?

Accepted Answer

Juan is only reading reviews of his favorite brand of toaster, indicating that he may be biased towards that brand and not considering other options. This is an example of confirmation bias.

Question 7

A recent survey found that 80 percent of high school students believed that they were above average on reading, writing, and math skills.Given that only 50 percent of any group can be above average on any dimension, this is an example of

Accepted Answer

The answer of A recent survey found that 80 percent...

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of the "seeing relationships that do not exist" bias in thinking described in the text?

Accepted Answer

Tim's belief that eating pizza right before class will improve his exam performance is an example of seeing a relationship (between eating pizza and exam success) that does not exist. There is no logical or evidence-based connection between these two events, illustrating the bias of perceiving connections or patterns where none actually exist.

Question 9

A patient begins taking a new heart medication.On the day of the first dose, the patient comes in contact with a sick coworker.The patient calls his doctor the next day to complain of flu-like symptoms as a side effect of the new medication.This is an example of

Accepted Answer

The patient is incorrectly associating the flu-like symptoms with the new medication, rather than considering other factors (like the sick coworker), which is an example of perceiving a relationship between two variables (the medication and the symptoms) when no such relationship exists.

Question 10

On his way to the basketball game, Tom says he cannot predict who will win.After his team wins the game, however, Tom says he knew they were going to win because their defense always plays well together.This is an example of

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the hindsight bias, as Tom is altering his previous prediction after knowing the outcome of the game.

Question 11

Kaley has a big presentation at work.Afterward, her boss tells her she did a terrible job and immediately fires her.Given what you know about how people tend to process their own failures, how will Kaley explain this situation?

Accepted Answer

This choice suggests that Kaley did not do poorly due to personal inadequacy, but rather external factors such as a confusing topic and insufficient time. This explanation is more conducive to learning from the situation and potentially improving in the future.

Question 12

Psychology developed into a discipline in

Accepted Answer

Psychology as a scientific discipline began to emerge in the late 19th century in Europe, particularly in Germany with the work of Wilhelm Wundt. While there were earlier philosophical and theological discussions about the nature of the mind and behavior throughout history, the establishment of psychology as a separate scientific field is a more recent development.

Question 13

According to the nature/nurture debate, the nature view states that individual psychological characteristics are a result of

Accepted Answer

The nature view states that individual psychological characteristics are a result of biological influences, such as genetics and heredity.

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of the hindsight bias as described in the text?

Accepted Answer

Hindsight bias refers to the tendency to believe, after an event has occurred, that one would have foreseen or predicted the outcome. Matt's explanation that he studied the wrong material after receiving a bad grade is an example of this, as he believes he could have predicted the outcome (his bad grade) if he had chosen differently, which is a classic example of hindsight bias.

Question 15

Which of the following is a correct explanation for why the hindsight bias exists?

Accepted Answer

The hindsight bias is the tendency to believe, after an event has occurred, that we would have predicted or expected the outcome beforehand. This bias exists because we reinterpret past events and evidence to make sense of the outcome we now know.

Question 16

According to the text, the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius emphasized which of the following psychological topics?

Accepted Answer

The ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius emphasized interpersonal relations, specifically the importance of maintaining proper relationships with others and the role of ethical behavior in these relationships.

Question 17

When Brent wins his track race, he says he won because of his athletic skills and hard work.When Brent loses his next race, however, he says he lost because the track was slippery and he lost his balance.This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Brent's behavior of attributing external factors to his failures is an example of blaming external forces for failures. He takes credit for his success, but when he fails, he puts blame on the environment.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of the "taking mental shortcuts" bias in thinking described in the text?

Accepted Answer

Rose's belief about the frequency of cruise ship sinkings is based on a single vivid example, rather than a larger body of statistical evidence. This is an example of the availability heuristic, which is a common mental shortcut. Choices A, C, and D are not examples of this bias.

Question 19

Yuko remarks that she is interested in child development and educational psychology.Based on your text's discussion, Yuko's interests echo the

Accepted Answer

The answer of Yuko remarks that she is interested in...

Question 20

Isaac is trying to decide how often shark attacks happen.He quickly remembers the many shows about shark attacks that he saw on television last week, so he decides that they must be common.Isaac's overestimation of the rate of shark attacks is an example of

Accepted Answer

Isaac is using the availability heuristic, which involves making judgments based on the ease with which examples come to mind. In this case, the examples of shark attacks that he saw on television were very memorable and easily accessible in his memory, leading him to overestimate their frequency. This is an example of taking mental shortcuts, which is what the availability heuristic is all about.

Quiz 1: The Science of Psychology