Question 1

Thaler and Sunstein (2008)found that student's estimations of the year Attila the Hun sacked Europe was influenced by the unrelated request to add 200 to part of their phone number.This study best illustrates the effect of which heuristic?

Accepted Answer

A)  The framing heuristic 
B)  The anchoring and adjustment heuristic 
C)  The availability heuristic 
D)  The representativeness heuristic

Question 2

Which heuristic involves deciding the probability that object A belongs to category B or that event A is a result of process B?

Accepted Answer

A)  The anchoring and adjustment heuristic 
B)  The representativeness heuristic 
C)  The availability heuristic 
D)  Both the availability heuristic and the representative heuristic

Question 3

Using research by Tversky and Kahneman,describe how providing participants with descriptive information affects their use of base rate information.Why can failing to use the base rate result in errors in judgment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using research by Tversky and Kahneman,describe how...

Question 4

Tversky and Kahneman (1973)asked participants to estimate whether the letter 'R' more often held the first position of words or the third position of words.Most participants incorrectly estimated that the letter 'R' held the first position of words rather than the third position.What is the most plausible explanation for this finding?

Accepted Answer

A)  Participants did not think hard enough. 
B)  Participants were able to recall words that started with 'R' more easily. 
C)  Participants utilized the framing heuristic. 
D)  Participants utilized selective filtering which biased their answers.

Question 5

Define 'schema' and provide an example.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define 'schema' and provide an example....

Question 6

Schemas are automatically created cognitive frameworks that help guide the way we think about and understand the world.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

You have developed a new medical device that can diagnose a deadly disease with 80% accuracy.According to information on the framing heuristic,which of the following would be the best way to present this new device to doctors?

Accepted Answer

A)  "This is a great device!" 
B)  "This device is 80% accurate in diagnosing this disease." 
C)  "This device is 20% inaccurate in diagnosing this disease." 
D)  "This is the most accurate device for diagnosing this disease!"

Question 8

Automatic processing is considered ____________ while controlled processing is considered ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  tiring; easy 
B)  hard; easy 
C)  effortless; effortful 
D)  effortful; effortless

Question 9

Last year Joseph was in a serious car accident.He often thinks to himself "If only I hadn't been driving so fast,maybe the accident would never have happened." This example best illustrates the concept known as _____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  biased thinking 
B)  counterfactual thinking 
C)  maladaptive thinking 
D)  overconfidence barrier

Question 10

Work by Tversky and Kahneman suggests that providing descriptive information about people results in a greater use of base rate information.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Your textbook indicates that patients who have damage to the prefrontal cortex show difficulty with ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  automatic processing 
B)  controlled processing 
C)  walking 
D)  everything

Question 12

Rosenthal and Jacobson conducted a study in an elementary school where they misinformed teachers about the intellectual potential of randomly selected students.They found that students identified as 'growth spurters' actually performed significantly better on an intellectual test at the end of the school year even though the selection of these students was random.Which of the following is the best possible explanation for this finding?

Accepted Answer

A)  The randomly selected students were actually smarter. 
B)  The randomly selected students had smarter parents. 
C)  The teacher's expectations of the 'growth spurters' potential served as a self-fulfilling prophecy. 
D)  Either the randomly selected students were actually smarter or they had smarter parents.

Question 13

People with damage to what part of the brain show problems with automatic responses in fear conditioning but not problems with controlled processing?

Accepted Answer

A)  The amygdala 
B)  The prefrontal cortex 
C)  The frontal cortex 
D)  The hippocampus

Question 14

Even though Christopher has lost a great deal of money gambling,he continues to place bets at the roulette table because he believes that he can predict the winning number.Christopher's perception that he can control events that are uncontrollable is known as:

Accepted Answer

A)  A self-fulfilling prophecy 
B)  The negativity bias 
C)  The illusion of control 
D)  The framing heuristic

Question 15

You are up for a job performance review and are disappointed to learn that your boss has given you poor reviews.In order to feel better you think to yourself,"at least I did not get fired." This is an example of _____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  downward counterfactual thinking 
B)  upward counterfactual thinking 
C)  biased thinking 
D)  the availability heuristic

Question 16

The teacher assigns you to work with the star football player for a group project.Because most athletes you know are not very smart and not interested in school,you expect to do all the work.You are pleasantly surprised to discover that your partner is extremely intelligent and very diligent.You believe that you got lucky and suspect that your partner is unlike most other athletes.The fact that your schema for the academic competence of athletes has not changed even in the face of disconfirming evidence illustrates what effect?

Accepted Answer

A)  A self-fulfilling prophecy 
B)  The priming effect 
C)  The perseverance effect 
D)  Anchoring and adjustment

Question 17

Natalia arrives at a birthday party and her schema for how one behaves during birthday celebrations is activated.In this example,arriving at the birthday party could be considered ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  controlled processing 
B)  sensory filtering 
C)  a prime 
D)  a self-fulfilling prophecy

Question 18

Pick two of the four heuristics described in your textbook and discuss how they can bias our thinking.What are the advantages or benefits to using heuristics?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Pick two of the four heuristics described...

Question 19

According to your textbook,which of the following statements represents a potential benefit of counterfactual thinking?

Accepted Answer

A)  Counterfactual thinking is often used to assign blame in a situation. 
B)  Counterfactual thinking leads to the overconfidence barrier. 
C)  Counterfactual thinking increases use of the base rate. 
D)  Counterfactual thinking about an event may lead to better preparation for a future event.

Question 20

Heather,who has sustained brain damage from a car accident,appears to have trouble making decisions and solving problems that require careful thought.Based on information presented in your textbook,Heather most likely has damage to what part of the brain?

Accepted Answer

A)  The occipital lobe 
B)  The limbic system 
C)  The amygdala 
D)  The prefrontal cortex

Exam 3: Social Cognition: Thinking About the Social World

Thaler and Sunstein (2008) found that student's estimations of the year Attila the Hun sacked Europe was influenced by the unrelated request to add 200 to part of their phone number.This study best illustrates the effect of which heuristic?