In a demonstration, a teacher asked a group of students to rate the accuracy of their horoscopes for the day. Though the teacher said the horoscopes were matched to astrological signs, she secretly gave everyone a horoscope reading, "Some tasks will take longer than expected today, but you will feel supported by friends." Which of the following would explain why most students rated this horoscope as accurate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out information that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or expectations. In this case, the students were likely to rate the horoscope as accurate because it contained vague and general statements that could apply to anyone's day, leading them to interpret the statements to match their own experiences.

In a Demonstration, a Teacher Asked a Group of Students