Question 1

Which of the following statements best expresses your text's conclusion regarding human decision making?

Accepted Answer

A)  Overall, human decision making conforms to the tenets of utility theory. 
B)  Human decision making is hopelessly fallible. 
C)  Human decision making is often erroneous, but we can usually rationalize poor choices anyway. 
D)  Human decision making results in reasonable decisions that we can usually defend. 
A)  Overall, human decision making conforms to the tenets of utility theory. 
B)  Human decision making is hopelessly fallible. 
C)  Human decision making is often erroneous, but we can usually rationalize poor choices anyway. 
D)  Human decision making results in reasonable decisions that we can usually defend.

Question 2

Your text suggests that the success of "I know a woman who . . ." arguments reflect the representativeness heuristic in action. Why does your text make this claim?

Accepted Answer

A)  These arguments capitalize on the listener's inability to reason deductively. 
B)  These arguments rely on the listener assuming that the "woman who" is typical of women in general. 
C)  These arguments depend on the listener bringing to mind a similar "woman who." 
D)  These arguments generally support the listener's preexisting beliefs. 
A)  These arguments capitalize on the listener's inability to reason deductively. 
B)  These arguments rely on the listener assuming that the "woman who" is typical of women in general. 
C)  These arguments depend on the listener bringing to mind a similar "woman who." 
D)  These arguments generally support the listener's preexisting beliefs.

Question 3

Research shows that we use two different systems of reasoning when trying to reach conclusions: System I is faster and more automatic, and System II is slower and more effortful. Which of the following statements CORRECTLY identifies another difference between the two systems?

Accepted Answer

A)  People are more likely to use System I when tired or pressured. 
B)  People rely on System I when asked to think about frequencies, and System II when asked to think about probabilities. 
C)  System II relies more on unconscious processing than does System I. 
D)  System II, on average, leads to more errors than does System I. 
A)  People are more likely to use System I when tired or pressured. 
B)  People rely on System I when asked to think about frequencies, and System II when asked to think about probabilities. 
C)  System II relies more on unconscious processing than does System I. 
D)  System II, on average, leads to more errors than does System I.

Question 4

Research participants are shown a videotape of a police officer from City X talking with relish about harassing people he dislikes and describing how he beats confessions out of his suspects. Half the participants (group 1) are told that this officer is a typical member of the department, and the other half (group 2) are told only that he is an officer in City X's police force. The participants are then asked to judge the brutality of City X's police force. What does research on the representativeness heuristic suggest?

Accepted Answer

A)  Group 1 will judge the force to be much more brutal than will group 2. 
B)  Group 2 will judge the force to be much more brutal than will group 1. 
C)  Both groups will judge the force to be quite brutal. 
D)  Neither group will judge the force to be very brutal. 
A)  Group 1 will judge the force to be much more brutal than will group 2. 
B)  Group 2 will judge the force to be much more brutal than will group 1. 
C)  Both groups will judge the force to be quite brutal. 
D)  Neither group will judge the force to be very brutal.

Question 5

A participant in an image-scanning task is asked to mentally "travel" on four different journeys from a single given location. Which journey would take the most time to make?

Accepted Answer

A)  a journey of 1 mile 
B)  a journey of 5 miles 
C)  a journey of a half-mile 
D)  a journey of 3 miles 
A)  a journey of 1 mile 
B)  a journey of 5 miles 
C)  a journey of a half-mile 
D)  a journey of 3 miles

Question 6

One can study reasoning by studying __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the processing of syllogisms 
B)  heuristics 
C)  mental sets 
D)  framing effects 
A)  the processing of syllogisms 
B)  heuristics 
C)  mental sets 
D)  framing effects

Question 7

Mr. and Mrs. Wong are considering a number of European vacation packages. Based on decision-making research, which of the following is probably NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A)  They will be more sensitive to the disadvantages than to the advantages of each package. 
B)  The more packages they look at, the happier they will be with the vacation they actually take. 
C)  They will probably have trouble accurately predicting just how much they might like each vacation. 
D)  They will enjoy having a good number of vacation packages to consider. 
A)  They will be more sensitive to the disadvantages than to the advantages of each package. 
B)  The more packages they look at, the happier they will be with the vacation they actually take. 
C)  They will probably have trouble accurately predicting just how much they might like each vacation. 
D)  They will enjoy having a good number of vacation packages to consider.

Question 8

Which finding indicates that mental images are picturelike but not actually mental pictures?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mental images cannot be rotated. 
B)  Mental images cannot be scanned. 
C)  Mental images are difficult to reinterpret. 
D)  Mental images are easily reinterpreted. 
A)  Mental images cannot be rotated. 
B)  Mental images cannot be scanned. 
C)  Mental images are difficult to reinterpret. 
D)  Mental images are easily reinterpreted.

Question 9

Which of the following could be called both a symbolic and an analogical representation?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Roman numeral III 
B)  the green light on a traffic signal 
C)  the words "Her Royal Highness," meaning Queen Elizabeth II 
D)  an aerial photograph of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens 
A)  the Roman numeral III 
B)  the green light on a traffic signal 
C)  the words "Her Royal Highness," meaning Queen Elizabeth II 
D)  an aerial photograph of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens

Question 10

According to your text, what is one reason that performance is so poor on logic problems?

Accepted Answer

A)  No System II strategies are available to boost performance on such problems. 
B)  No System I shortcuts are available to boost performance on such problems. 
C)  System I shortcuts lead people astray on such problems. 
D)  System II shortcuts lead people astray on such problems. 
A)  No System II strategies are available to boost performance on such problems. 
B)  No System I shortcuts are available to boost performance on such problems. 
C)  System I shortcuts lead people astray on such problems. 
D)  System II shortcuts lead people astray on such problems.

Question 11

The essence of mastership in typing, athletics, chess, and a variety of other skills is the ability to __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  memorize 
B)  use mnemonics 
C)  organize material from the area of expertise into larger chunks 
D)  attend to the relevant stimuli for sustained periods of time 
A)  memorize 
B)  use mnemonics 
C)  organize material from the area of expertise into larger chunks 
D)  attend to the relevant stimuli for sustained periods of time

Question 12

What is the key to using an analogy in problem solving?

Accepted Answer

A)  One must notice the surface similarity between a problem and a potential analogy. 
B)  One must be a novice in a field so that the analogy becomes readily apparent. 
C)  One must be able to hone in on a single potential analogy and not be distracted by previous problems that also might be similar to the present one. 
D)  One must notice the underlying structural similarity between a problem and a potential analogy. 
A)  One must notice the surface similarity between a problem and a potential analogy. 
B)  One must be a novice in a field so that the analogy becomes readily apparent. 
C)  One must be able to hone in on a single potential analogy and not be distracted by previous problems that also might be similar to the present one. 
D)  One must notice the underlying structural similarity between a problem and a potential analogy.

Question 13

Research shows that people are more likely to judge a conclusion as valid if that conclusion strikes them as __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  surprising 
B)  unlikely 
C)  plausible 
D)  personally relevant 
A)  surprising 
B)  unlikely 
C)  plausible 
D)  personally relevant

Question 14

A cellular phone carrier promotes the flexibility that its many calling plans offer customers. A competitor touts the simplicity afforded by its small number of plans. Which of the following statements is supported by research examining the influence of the number of options on decision making?

Accepted Answer

A)  The number of plans available will have little or no impact on customers' ability to choose an appropriate plan. 
B)  Customers will like the fact that a company offers a small number of plans to choose from. 
C)  Customers will select a more appropriate plan from the company offering fewer plans. 
D)  Customers will select a more appropriate plan from the company offering a greater number of plans. 
A)  The number of plans available will have little or no impact on customers' ability to choose an appropriate plan. 
B)  Customers will like the fact that a company offers a small number of plans to choose from. 
C)  Customers will select a more appropriate plan from the company offering fewer plans. 
D)  Customers will select a more appropriate plan from the company offering a greater number of plans.

Question 15

People will underestimate the country's economic problems if the government reports an employment rate at 80%, instead of reporting an unemployment rate of 20%. In this case, the public's relatively positive judgments have been manipulated most by __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the framing of the announcement 
B)  the statement ignoring base rates 
C)  representativeness of the statement 
D)  the government's belief that people will use a confirmation bias to judge political effectiveness 
A)  the framing of the announcement 
B)  the statement ignoring base rates 
C)  representativeness of the statement 
D)  the government's belief that people will use a confirmation bias to judge political effectiveness

Question 16

"All humans are mortal. All mortals are made of flesh and blood. Therefore all humans are made of flesh and blood." This is an example of a(n) __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  framing statement 
B)  heuristic 
C)  invalid statement 
D)  syllogism 
A)  framing statement 
B)  heuristic 
C)  invalid statement 
D)  syllogism

Question 17

Last week, Mike heard about five separate airplane crashes on the news. Even though, overall, motorcycle accidents account for more accidents than plane crashes do, Mike decides to ride his motorcycle from Washington to Atlanta instead of flying. What is Mike's reasoning error based on?

Accepted Answer

A)  the availability heuristic 
B)  a mental set 
C)  a syllogistic error 
D)  a problem of framing 
A)  the availability heuristic 
B)  a mental set 
C)  a syllogistic error 
D)  a problem of framing

Question 18

You check the time on your phone. Your friend should be out of class by now. You call her. She should answer if she's out of class. In this example, your thought processes are best seen as exemplifying __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  problem solving 
B)  judgment 
C)  reasoning 
D)  creativity 
A)  problem solving 
B)  judgment 
C)  reasoning 
D)  creativity

Question 19

Dr. Martinez received a grant to fund an enriched statistics education program for first-generation college freshmen. Which of the following is MOST LIKELY one of Dr. Martinez's goals?

Accepted Answer

A)  She aims to increase intuitive thinking skills among the freshmen. 
B)  She aims to increase the prevalence of System I thinking. 
C)  She aims to increase the prevalence of System II thinking. 
D)  She aims to decrease the prevalence of System II thinking. 
A)  She aims to increase intuitive thinking skills among the freshmen. 
B)  She aims to increase the prevalence of System I thinking. 
C)  She aims to increase the prevalence of System II thinking. 
D)  She aims to decrease the prevalence of System II thinking.

Question 20

Which problem-solving technique is often successful when one is stuck on a very difficult problem?

Accepted Answer

A)  mental set 
B)  finding an analogy 
C)  providing a large reward to intensify motivation 
D)  using automaticity to allow the problem to "solve itself" 
A)  mental set 
B)  finding an analogy 
C)  providing a large reward to intensify motivation 
D)  using automaticity to allow the problem to "solve itself"

Which of the following statements best expresses your text's conclusion regarding human decision making?

Your text suggests that the success of "I know a woman who . . ." arguments reflect the representativeness heuristic in action. Why does your text make this claim?

Research shows that we use two different systems of reasoning when trying to reach conclusions: System I is faster and more automatic, and System II is slower and more effortful. Which of the following statements CORRECTLY identifies another difference between the two systems?

A participant in an image-scanning task is asked to mentally "travel" on four different journeys from a single given location. Which journey would take the most time to make?

One can study reasoning by studying __________.

Mr. and Mrs. Wong are considering a number of European vacation packages. Based on decision-making research, which of the following is probably NOT true?

Which finding indicates that mental images are picturelike but not actually mental pictures?

Which of the following could be called both a symbolic and an analogical representation?

According to your text, what is one reason that performance is so poor on logic problems?

The essence of mastership in typing, athletics, chess, and a variety of other skills is the ability to __________.

What is the key to using an analogy in problem solving?

Research shows that people are more likely to judge a conclusion as valid if that conclusion strikes them as __________.

A cellular phone carrier promotes the flexibility that its many calling plans offer customers. A competitor touts the simplicity afforded by its small number of plans. Which of the following statements is supported by research examining the influence of the number of options on decision making?

People will underestimate the country's economic problems if the government reports an employment rate at 80%, instead of reporting an unemployment rate of 20%. In this case, the public's relatively positive judgments have been manipulated most by __________.

"All humans are mortal. All mortals are made of flesh and blood. Therefore all humans are made of flesh and blood." This is an example of a(n) __________.

Last week, Mike heard about five separate airplane crashes on the news. Even though, overall, motorcycle accidents account for more accidents than plane crashes do, Mike decides to ride his motorcycle from Washington to Atlanta instead of flying. What is Mike's reasoning error based on?

You check the time on your phone. Your friend should be out of class by now. You call her. She should answer if she's out of class. In this example, your thought processes are best seen as exemplifying __________.

Dr. Martinez received a grant to fund an enriched statistics education program for first-generation college freshmen. Which of the following is MOST LIKELY one of Dr. Martinez's goals?

Which problem-solving technique is often successful when one is stuck on a very difficult problem?

Research Methods

Evolutionary and Genetic Influences on Behavior

The Brain and the Nervous System

Sensation

Perception

Consciousness

Learning

Memory

Language

Intelligence

Motivation and Emotion

Social Psychology

Development

Personality

Psychopathology

Treatment of Mental Disorders

Filters

Exam 9: Thinking

Which of the following statements best expresses your text's conclusion regarding human decision making?

Your text suggests that the success of "I know a woman who . . ." arguments reflect the representativeness heuristic in action. Why does your text make this claim?

Research shows that we use two different systems of reasoning when trying to reach conclusions: System I is faster and more automatic, and System II is slower and more effortful. Which of the following statements CORRECTLY identifies another difference between the two systems?

A participant in an image-scanning task is asked to mentally "travel" on four different journeys from a single given location. Which journey would take the most time to make?

One can study reasoning by studying __________.

Mr. and Mrs. Wong are considering a number of European vacation packages. Based on decision-making research, which of the following is probably NOT true?

Which finding indicates that mental images are picturelike but not actually mental pictures?

Which of the following could be called both a symbolic and an analogical representation?

According to your text, what is one reason that performance is so poor on logic problems?

The essence of mastership in typing, athletics, chess, and a variety of other skills is the ability to __________.

What is the key to using an analogy in problem solving?

Research shows that people are more likely to judge a conclusion as valid if that conclusion strikes them as __________.

A cellular phone carrier promotes the flexibility that its many calling plans offer customers. A competitor touts the simplicity afforded by its small number of plans. Which of the following statements is supported by research examining the influence of the number of options on decision making?

People will underestimate the country's economic problems if the government reports an employment rate at 80%, instead of reporting an unemployment rate of 20%. In this case, the public's relatively positive judgments have been manipulated most by __________.

"All humans are mortal. All mortals are made of flesh and blood. Therefore all humans are made of flesh and blood." This is an example of a(n) __________.

Last week, Mike heard about five separate airplane crashes on the news. Even though, overall, motorcycle accidents account for more accidents than plane crashes do, Mike decides to ride his motorcycle from Washington to Atlanta instead of flying. What is Mike's reasoning error based on?

You check the time on your phone. Your friend should be out of class by now. You call her. She should answer if she's out of class. In this example, your thought processes are best seen as exemplifying __________.

Dr. Martinez received a grant to fund an enriched statistics education program for first-generation college freshmen. Which of the following is MOST LIKELY one of Dr. Martinez's goals?

Which problem-solving technique is often successful when one is stuck on a very difficult problem?

Research Methods

Evolutionary and Genetic Influences on Behavior

The Brain and the Nervous System

Sensation

Perception

Consciousness

Learning

Memory

Language

Intelligence

Motivation and Emotion

Social Psychology

Development

Personality

Psychopathology

Treatment of Mental Disorders

Filters