Cognitive Biases

Mia, Olivia, and Michael are chatting about their upcoming road trip. Zoe insists she's less likely to get into an accident than other drivers, even though she knows accidents can happen to anyone. What is this an example of?

• The tendency to believe that we are less likely to experience negative events than others.

• The belief that negative outcomes are more likely to happen to us than to others.

• A cognitive bias where we always expect the worst outcome.

• The tendency to remember negative experiences more vividly than positive ones.

James and Lily are shopping for a new gadget. The first salesperson tells James, "This gadget has a 90% success rate!" Later, Lily hears another salesperson say, "This gadget fails 10% of the time." Even though both statements mean the same thing, James and Lily feel more positive about the first option. What is this an example of?

• The way choices are influenced by how they are presented

• A psychological disorder involving memory loss

• A method of organizing information in frames

• A technique used in photography to highlight subjects

Mia and Ava are chatting after reading an article that claims modern society is on a downward spiral, with values and quality of life getting worse. Mia starts to believe that everything is going downhill. What is this belief called?

• the belief that a society or institution is in decline

• the process of economic growth

• a theory about technological advancement

• a movement for social equality

After winning a tennis match, Daniel proudly says it was all thanks to his hard work and skill. But when he loses, he blames the weather and bad luck. Meanwhile, Avery and James are watching and giggling at his excuses. What is this an example of?

• The tendency to attribute successes to oneself and failures to external factors.

• The tendency to attribute all outcomes to luck.

• The belief that others are always responsible for one’s failures.

• The tendency to ignore one’s own achievements.

Elijah, Harper, and Arjun are working together on a cool physics project about electrical circuits. As they experiment, they discover that some circuit elements make it tougher for alternating current to pass through. What is this type of opposition called?

• the opposition offered by a circuit element to the flow of alternating current

• the ability of a material to conduct electricity

• the resistance of a material to direct current

• the measure of voltage in a circuit

Aria is trying to decide if she should bring an umbrella to school. She remembers that it poured last week, so she figures it will probably rain again today. What kind of thinking is Aria using?

• A mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a topic or decision.

• A method of solving problems by trial and error.

• A process of making decisions based on statistical analysis.

• A technique for improving memory retention.

At a team meeting, Mason, Jackson, and Ethan all nod in agreement with their manager’s idea—even though some of them secretly have doubts. No one speaks up! What psychological phenomenon is happening here?

• A psychological phenomenon where the desire for harmony in a group leads to poor decision-making.

• A method of brainstorming used to generate creative ideas in a group.

• A leadership style that encourages individual opinions and dissent.

• A process of dividing tasks among group members for efficiency.

David, Aria, and Mason are walking down a busy street when they see someone suddenly collapse. David looks at Aria and Mason, thinking, "There are so many people here—someone else will help!" So, none of them step forward. What psychological phenomenon is this an example of?

• A phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a victim when other people are present.

• A situation where people always help others in need regardless of the presence of others.

• A psychological effect that makes people more aggressive in groups.

• A tendency for people to remember events more clearly when witnessed by others.

Priya and Mia are chatting about their horoscopes. Priya reads hers aloud: "You have a great need for others to like and admire you, but you also tend to be critical of yourself." Both girls laugh and say, "Wow, that sounds just like me!" What is this an example of?

• The tendency to believe vague, general statements about oneself as being accurate

• A psychological disorder involving memory loss

• A phenomenon where people remember dreams vividly

• A method of conducting scientific experiments

Lily is convinced that her favorite diet is the healthiest of all. When Olivia shows her scientific studies that say otherwise, Lily becomes even more certain that her diet is the best! What is this interesting phenomenon called?

• A phenomenon where people strengthen their beliefs when presented with contradictory evidence.

• A situation where people immediately accept new information that challenges their beliefs.

• A psychological effect where people forget their original beliefs when shown new evidence.

• A process where people become indifferent to evidence that contradicts their beliefs.