Understanding Schemas and Heuristics

What role do schemas play in social interactions?

• They eliminate all biases and lead to objective judgments

• They provide scripts for how to behave in different social situations

• They help in the precise recall of others' behavior

• They hinder the ability to form new relationships

How do schemas influence memory?

• By ensuring that all details of an event are accurately recalled

• By filling in gaps in our memory based on our expectations and prior knowledge

• By preventing the recall of irrelevant information

• By enhancing the vividness of traumatic memories

Despite numerous new studies debunking the effectiveness of a popular health supplement, a significant number of people continue to buy it due to initial, widely-publicized positive findings. This persistence is an example of:

• Cognitive dissonance

• Commitment bias

• Anchoring bias

• Conjunction fallacy

Alex often buys lottery tickets because he vividly remembers a story about someone winning the jackpot, even though the actual odds are very low. This behavior is influenced by:

• Anchoring bias

• Representativeness heuristic

• Availability heuristic

• Sunk cost fallacy

Jane always assumed that successful people are more likely to be extroverts. She meets Mark, a quiet and reserved individual, and immediately discounts the possibility that he could be a successful entrepreneur. Jane’s judgment is influenced by:

• Representativeness heuristic

• Availability heuristic

• Anchoring bias

• Sunk cost fallacy

After watching several news reports about burglaries in his neighborhood, Tom installs a costly security system, believing the risk is much higher than it actually is. This decision is influenced by:

• Availability heuristic

• Anchoring bias

• Sunk cost fallacy

• Conjunction fallacy

A marketing team sets a very high initial price for a product and then offers a discount, making the reduced price seem like a great deal. This strategy is based on:

• Representativeness heuristic

• Sunk cost fallacy

• Commitment bias

• Anchoring bias

After hearing about a few high-profile plane crashes, John becomes convinced that flying is extremely dangerous and decides to drive everywhere instead. This decision is influenced by:

• Commitment bias

• Availability heuristic

• Conjunction fallacy

• Anchoring bias

Mary has invested $10,000 in a business venture that is consistently losing money. Despite all the evidence suggesting it’s a lost cause, she continues to invest more money hoping it will eventually turn profitable. This behavior exemplifies:

• Sunk Cost fallacy

• Anchoring bias

• Representativeness heuristic

• Availability heuristic

In an experiment, participants are asked to remember a list of words, including the word 'sleep.' Later, when asked to recall the words, many falsely remember the word 'bed' as being part of the list. This phenomenon is an example of:

• Cognitive dissonance

• Availability heuristic

• Priming

• Commitment bias