A college professor found that students were much more likely to use proper grammar and spelling on homework assignments if he gave them "extra credit" for doing so instead of taking away points for not using proper grammar and spelling. The professor had adjusted the extra credit points to have the same effect as taking off points. The students' behavior might be explained in terms of
A) altruism.
B) a framing bias.
C) a sunk cost fallacy.
D) overconfidence.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This behavior can be explained by a framing bias, where the way information is presented (as a gain in this case, through extra credit) affects decision-making and judgment. Framing the grammar and spelling incentive as a positive reward (extra credit) rather than a penalty (taking off points) led to better outcomes, even though the net effect on grades was designed to be the same.

A College Professor Found That Students Were Much More Likely