Question 1

A single, memorable case of welfare fraud can have a greater impact on people's estimates of welfare abuse than do statistics showing that this case is actually the exception to the rule. This illustrates that judgments are influenced by

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is known as the availability heuristic, where people rely on the most readily available, memorable instances (such as a high-profile welfare fraud case) to make judgments and estimates, rather than statistical data that may contradict those instances.

Question 2

An unwillingness to give up our beliefs even when the evidence proves us wrong is called

Accepted Answer

Belief perseverance is the cognitive bias where people tend to hold onto their beliefs even when there is evidence to the contrary. It occurs when people refuse to modify or abandon their existing beliefs despite new information that contradicts or disconfirms their beliefs. It is different from confirmation bias as in belief perseverance, people are persisting in their beliefs even after the information that they have initially interpreted has been refuted, whereas in confirmation bias, people look for information that confirms their existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts it.

Question 3

We fear too little those events that will claim lives

Accepted Answer

We tend to fear events that are dramatic or cause immediate harm, but often ignore risks that may claim lives over time or without much fanfare. Therefore, option B - undramatically - is the best choice.

Question 4

The value of making a good first impression when you begin work for a new employer is best underscored by the research on

Accepted Answer

The answer of The value of making a good first...

Question 5

Stockbrokers who market their services with confidence that they can outperform the market average in picking stocks are especially likely to

Accepted Answer

Stockbrokers who market their ability to outperform the market average are likely to appear credible to their customers as they are confident in their skills and expertise in stock picking.

Question 6

People with opposing views of capital punishment reviewed mixed evidence regarding its effectiveness as a crime deterrent. As a result, their opposing views differed more strongly than ever. This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Belief perseverance is the tendency for people to cling to their initial beliefs even when presented with contradictory evidence. In this scenario, even when presented with mixed evidence regarding the effectiveness of capital punishment as a crime deterrent, people with opposing views of the topic still maintained their original beliefs, which differed more strongly than ever. This is an example of belief perseverance. The other answer choices, framing effect, linguistic determinism, and availability heuristic, do not fit the scenario described.

Question 7

Which of the following best accounts for people's greater fear of commercial air flights than of driving an automobile?

Accepted Answer

People have a greater fear of commercial air flights than driving an automobile due to their perceived lack of control while flying, compared to the sense of control they feel while driving a car. In a car, people are in direct control of the vehicle, while in an airplane, they have to rely on the competence of the pilots and the safety systems in place. This sense of control affects people's perceptions of safety in these two modes of transportation.

Question 8

A televised image of a starving child had a greater impact on Mr. White's perception of the extensiveness of world hunger than did a statistical chart summarizing the tremendous scope of the problem. This suggests that his assessment of the world hunger problem is influenced by

Accepted Answer

The fact that the televised image had a greater impact than the statistical chart suggests that Mr. White's assessment of world hunger is influenced by the availability heuristic, which is the tendency to judge the likelihood or importance of an event based on its ease of recall or availability in memory. The vivid image of the starving child is more readily available in his memory and therefore has a greater impact on his perception of the problem.

Question 9

A $100 coat marked down from $150 can seem like a better deal than the same coat priced regularly at $100. This best illustrates the importance of

Accepted Answer

This scenario illustrates the framing effect, which is the idea that how we frame or present information can influence our decision-making. In this case, the $100 coat marked down from $150 is framed as a better deal even though it is the same price as the regular $100 coat. By presenting the discount, it creates a perception that the coat is more valuable and therefore a better buy.

Question 10

The overconfidence phenomenon refers to the tendency to

Accepted Answer

The overconfidence phenomenon refers to the tendency to underestimate the extent to which our beliefs and judgments are inaccurate. This can lead to overestimation of our abilities and decision-making skills, which can have negative consequences in both personal and professional settings.

Question 11

Wording a question or presenting an issue in such a way that it evokes a desired judgment is called

Accepted Answer

Framing is the act of presenting information or a question in a certain way that influences the way people think about it. It can evoke a particular judgment or bias in the person who is receiving the information.

Question 12

Research findings suggest that the best advice to give people who want to avoid belief perseverance is

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that considering the opposite viewpoint is the most effective way to avoid belief perseverance, as it encourages people to engage in critical thinking and examine evidence from all sides. Justifying our positions can lead to confirmation bias and drawing hasty conclusions, while being objective is easier said than done and requires a lot of effort.

Question 13

In writing survey questions, political pollsters who want to gather evidence of people's support for particular viewpoints are especially likely to understand the impact of

Accepted Answer

Framing refers to how a question is worded or presented, which can influence the response given. Political pollsters need to be aware of how they frame their survey questions in order to gather accurate evidence of people's support for particular viewpoints.

Question 14

The indelible memories of the 9/11 terrorist tragedy unduly inflated many people's estimates of the risks associated with air travel. This best illustrates the importance of

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic refers to our tendency to estimate the likelihood of an event based on how easily examples come to mind. In this case, the vivid and memorable 9/11 tragedy may have made air travel seem riskier than it actually is, leading to an overestimation of the associated risks.

Question 15

On Monday, the meteorologist forecast a 20 percent chance of rain, so Sheryl took her umbrella to work. On Friday, he reported an 80 percent chance that it would not rain, so Sheryl left her umbrella at home. Sheryl's behavior illustrates the effect of

Accepted Answer

Sheryl's behavior is an example of framing, which is when the way information is presented or framed can influence people's decisions or behavior. In this case, the meteorologist's forecast of a 20 percent chance of rain framed the situation in a way that made Sheryl think bringing an umbrella was a good idea. On Friday, the forecast of an 80 percent chance of no rain framed the situation in a way that made Sheryl think leaving her umbrella at home was a good idea.

Question 16

Stockbrokers often believe that their own expertise will enable them to select stocks that will outperform the market average. This belief best illustrates

Accepted Answer

The belief that one's own expertise can lead to better outcomes than the average is a characteristic of overconfidence bias. Stockbrokers may overestimate their ability to predict the market and make investment decisions that outperform the average.

Question 17

Weather forecasters typically avoid overconfidence when making weather predictions because they

Accepted Answer

Weather forecasters receive clear feedback on the accuracy of their predictions in a timely manner, which helps them to avoid overconfidence. This feedback allows them to adjust their methods and improve their accuracy in future predictions.

Question 18

When Quang couldn't find his wallet, he began to wonder about his roommate's honesty. Although Quang later recalled that he had left his wallet in the glove compartment of his own car, he continued to doubt his roommate's honesty. Quang's irrational thinking best illustrates

Accepted Answer

The answer of When Quang couldn't find his wallet, he...

Question 19

By encouraging people to imagine their homes being destroyed by winds from a hurricane, insurance salespeople are especially successful at selling large homeowners' policies. They are most clearly exploiting the influence of

Accepted Answer

The salespeople are exploiting the availability heuristic, which is the tendency to judge the likelihood of an event based on how easily relevant examples come to mind. By prompting people to imagine their homes being destroyed by a hurricane, they make the event more salient and likely in the person's mind, thereby increasing the perceived need for insurance coverage.

Question 20

When Larina started college, she was certain that she would never smoke marijuana. By the end of her freshman year, however, Larina had used this drug on three different occasions. Larina's experience best illustrates

Accepted Answer

The answer of When Larina started college, she was certain...

Quiz 9: Thinking, Language, and Intelligence