Agatha Harkness-Smythe is determined to ban guns in the United States. This is a controversial topic and social scientists have debated whether the ownership of guns by citizens increases or decreases crime. Agatha could go to the library and look up studies on the linkage between guns and crime rates. Instead, she just reads the local newspaper and only cuts out articles about robberies in which the "bad guy" used a firearm. Agatha is demonstrating __________.
A) mental set
B) confirmation bias
C) stereotype threat
D) mindlessness

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Agatha is demonstrating confirmation bias, which is the tendency to search for, interpret, and prioritize information in a way that confirms one's pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses. She is only seeking out information that supports her stance on banning guns and ignoring information that may contradict it.

Agatha Harkness-Smythe Is Determined to Ban Guns in the United