Thinking and Learning

What cognitive bias is demonstrated in Englich & Mussweiler (2001)?

Anchoring bias is best illustrated when:

• A choice is framed in terms of losses

• People seek evidence that confirms what they already believe

• A decision is influenced by the first piece of information given

• A person avoids risk when outcomes are described as gains

What was the main experimental manipulation in Englich & Mussweiler (2001)?

• Framing the crime as more or less severe

• Telling judges the crime occurred in a different jurisdiction

• Varying the sentence demanded by the prosecutor (anchor)

• Changing the guilt verdict

What was the main finding of Englich & Mussweiler (2001)?

• Judges’ sentences shifted toward the sentencing demand, even when it was extreme

• Judges’ sentences were unaffected by the prosecutor’s request

• Judges consistently gave lower sentences than both anchors suggested

• Judges always gave harsher sentences when the crime description was more emotional

Why is the anchoring effect in this study particularly concerning?

• Because it proves that prosecutors always exaggerate sentence demands

• Because it shows that judges are deliberately biased toward prosecutors

• Because it shows that expert decision-makers can be unconsciously swayed by irrelevant numbers

• Because it suggests that sentencing laws are fundamentally inconsistent

The way information is presented can influence decisions. For example, people are more likely to agree to a medical treatment when it is described as having a 90% survival rate rather than a 10% mortality rate. This illustrates the __________.

When a teacher believes that girls are better at languages, they may pay closer attention when female students excel in English but overlook male students who perform equally well. This is an example of __________.

What does confirmation bias refer to in the context of psychology?

• The tendency to favor information that supports existing expectations

• The tendency to change one’s belief when confronted with new evidence

• The tendency to recall neutral evidence more than extreme evidence

• The tendency to make decisions based only on first impressions

Why is confirmation bias considered problematic in decision-making?

• It leads to more accurate predictions in uncertain situations

• It increases objectivity in evaluating opposing viewpoints

• It prevents individuals from fairly considering contradictory evidence

• It ensures that experts apply legal guidelines consistently

After watching several news stories about airplane crashes, a traveler decides to drive long distances instead of flying because the crashes come easily to mind. This decision is influenced by the __________.