Question 1

Holding on to the belief in an immunity from thinking errors and biases is known as the

Accepted Answer

The belief in an immunity from thinking errors and biases is known as the "not me fallacy," which assumes that other people's thought processes are biased, but one's own are not. This is a type of cognitive bias that can prevent individuals from recognizing and addressing their own cognitive biases.

Question 2

Jerry puts his child in daycare while he works,whereas Janine stays home from work to look after her child.When told about research that suggests that daycare has negative effects on children,Jerry is angry and refuses to believe the study is accurate,whereas Janine wholeheartedly agrees with the outcome of the study.This example reflects what type of logical fallacy?

Accepted Answer

Jerry's anger and refusal to believe the study is accurate is an emotional response rather than a logical one, which indicates an emotional reasoning fallacy. Janine's agreement with the study reflects a logical response based on evidence.

Question 3

"My parents and even grandparents believe that Freud was a quack! Don't believe anything he says!" This is a logical fallacy known as

Accepted Answer

Appeal to authority is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone assumes that a claim is true because it is made by an authority figure. In this case, the parents and grandparents are the authority figures, and they are making the claim that Freud is a quack. However, just because they are authority figures does not mean that their claim is true.

Question 4

Drawing conclusions based on insufficient evidence represents the __________ fallacy.

Accepted Answer

Hasty generalisation, also known as the fallacy of insufficient sample, occurs when a conclusion is drawn from a sample size that is too small, unrepresentative, or biased. This type of reasoning can lead to inaccurate and unfair generalisations that are not supported by sufficient evidence.

Question 5

Research shows that male experimenters smile more at female participants,which can influence the results.Although researchers know this effect is possible,some may doubt that it happens in their research,a fallacy known as the

Accepted Answer

The "not me" fallacy is the belief that even though a phenomenon may occur in general, it doesn't apply to oneself. In this case, some researchers may doubt that they are affected by the bias of smiling more at female participants, despite research showing that it is a common phenomenon.

Question 6

Suppose the vast majority of the general population believed that it was harmful to children when women worked outside the home.Without supportive evidence,the majority of believers could be wrong,illustrating the

Accepted Answer

The given scenario illustrates the bandwagon fallacy, where the belief or opinion of the majority is considered true without proper evidence or logical reasoning. The bandwagon fallacy assumes that because a belief is popular, it is therefore true or reasonable.

Question 7

Michael says that he is not racist,yet he avoids certain areas of his city because they are very ethnic neighbourhoods and he says he does not feel safe.In this example,Michael is demonstrating a phenomenon called __________.

Accepted Answer

Michael's behavior is an example of bias blind spot, which refers to the tendency of individuals to acknowledge the influence of biases on others while failing to see their own biases. Michael claims not to be racist, but his avoidance of certain neighborhoods suggests a bias against certain ethnicities. His rationalization that he feels unsafe in such areas further highlights his bias blindness, as it allows him to justify his discriminatory behavior while denying that it stems from prejudice.

Question 8

Which of the following logical fallacies is like a self-serving bias because we assume they apply to other people's information processing more often than our own?

Accepted Answer

The "not me fallacy" is similar to a self-serving bias because we tend to assume that cognitive biases and errors apply to other people more often than to ourselves. This allows us to maintain a positive self-image and avoid acknowledging our own potential for error.

Question 9

Talk show experts often take extreme positions and use language that is designed to anger and upset persons who agree with the pundit's position.These strong,negative feelings are likely to encourage the

Accepted Answer

The use of strong and inflammatory language designed to provoke strong emotions is often used to support emotional reasoning fallacy. In this fallacy, individuals base their beliefs and conclusions purely on their own emotions, rather than on logical reasoning or empirical evidence. This can lead to incorrect and irrational decision-making, which can be damaging both to the individuals who hold these beliefs and to society at large.

Question 10

"The contents of the Bible must be true because it's been around for thousands of years." This is an example of the __________ fallacy.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the argument from antiquity fallacy, which assumes that something is true simply because it has been believed or accepted for a long time. However, the truth of a claim should be based on evidence and reason, rather than how long the belief has existed.

Question 11

"If you want to blame anyone for sex differences,it would be Mother Nature.If men were supposed to look after children,then they would feel inclined to do so.But since women are more inclined to do so,then they simply should do it.It's just like they say it is." This example highlights the __________ fallacy.

Accepted Answer

This statement is using the naturalistic fallacy by assuming that because something is a certain way in nature, it is therefore morally or socially the correct way. It also contains a hint of genetic fallacy by suggesting that because men are not naturally inclined to care for children, they should not be expected to do so.

Question 12

Our investment of time,energy,and effort in a questionable treatment that can lead people to forfeit the chance to obtain an effective treatment is called

Accepted Answer

The concept being described in this statement is opportunity cost, which refers to the benefits that are forfeited when a choice is made. In this case, choosing to invest time, energy, and effort in a questionable treatment means that people may miss out on the chance to obtain a more effective treatment. The other options are not applicable to this concept.

Question 13

What logical fallacy involves confusing the correctness of a belief with its origins?

Accepted Answer

The genetic fallacy involves dismissing the truth or validity of an idea based solely on its origin or history. It confuses the correctness of a belief with its origins or history.

Question 14

Juan just learned about the bystander effect in his psychology class and is telling his friends that he would never ignore someone who needs help in an emergency regardless of how many other people also witness the emergency.This example reflects what type of logical fallacy?

Accepted Answer

The statement "I would never ignore someone who needs help in an emergency regardless of how many other people also witness the emergency" reflects the "not me fallacy," which is the belief that an individual is exempt from a particular problem or flaw. In this case, Juan believes that he would not fall prey to the bystander effect, which is a common pattern of behavior in emergency situations where individuals may be less likely to offer help when other people are present.

Question 15

Our lack of awareness of our own biases,coupled with an acute awareness of others' biases,is called

Accepted Answer

The lack of awareness of our own biases while being aware of others' biases is known as the bias blind spot. This is because individuals tend to believe that they are objective and rational, while others are influenced by biases.

Question 16

"Scientists have never been able to show that extraterrestrials visitors did not create crop circles so that's the likely reason." This example highlights the __________ fallacy.

Accepted Answer

This statement uses the appeal to ignorance fallacy by claiming that since scientists have never been able to disprove something, it must be true. This does not provide any evidence to support the claim that extraterrestrial visitors created crop circles, but rather relies on the lack of evidence to the contrary.

Question 17

Darlene has depression and she has been pursuing holistic therapies,organic creams and diets,and herbal supplements from a homeopathic practitioner for months,but she is not feeling any better.When asked why she does not take antidepressant medications to help alleviate her symptoms,Darlene defends her choice by saying she does not want to put chemicals of any kind in her body.This example relates to what danger of pseudoscience?

Accepted Answer

Darlene's refusal to take antidepressant medications in favor of ineffective holistic therapies represents an opportunity cost, as she is missing out on potentially effective treatment options.

Question 18

Confusing an idea's real world consequences with its validity is a fallacy known as

Accepted Answer

Confusing an idea's real world consequences with its validity is the argument from adverse consequences fallacy. This fallacy occurs when someone argues against an idea solely based on its negative consequences, rather than considering its actual validity or truthfulness.

Question 19

The dramatic increase in the number of claims of repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse and satanic ritual abuse in the late 1980s and 1990s are most closely linked to which logical fallacy?

Accepted Answer

The bandwagon fallacy involves adopting beliefs or behaviors because they are popular or widely accepted. The surge in claims of repressed memories during this period was influenced by widespread media coverage and societal attention, leading many to accept these claims without sufficient evidence.

Question 20

Assuming a claim is correct because many people believe it is called the

Accepted Answer

The bandwagon fallacy is when someone assumes that something is true or correct simply because many people believe it or do it. This is not a valid way to determine the truth of a claim as popularity does not necessarily equate to accuracy or truthfulness.

Quiz 1: D: Psychology and Scientific Thinking