Social Psychology Chapter 4

Algorithm

A systematic, logical, but sometimes slow method of searching for a solution to a problem or question.

Anchoring and adjustment heuristic

Our tendency to be influenced by a starting point when making numerical guesses about something, even if the starting point is unreliable.

Availability heuristic

Our tendency to overestimate the frequency of something based on how easily it comes to mind.

Cognitive load

The amount of information that an individual’s thinking systems can handle at one time.

Cognitive load shifting

When we can smoothly shift back and forth between intuition and logic, as needed.

Cognitive miser

The tendency for humans to take mental shortcuts to minimize cognitive load.

Confirmation bias

Our tendency to notice and remember only evidence that confirms our beliefs and expectations.

Counterfactual thinking

The tendency to imagine alternative facts or events that would have led to a different future; imagining “what might have been.”

Downward counterfactuals

Imagined outcomes that are worse than reality; they can be comforting after things go wrong.

Dual processing

The ability to process information using both intuition and logic.

Heuristic

Any mental shortcut that makes it easier to solve difficult problems. While fast, these shortcuts can sometimes lead to mistakes.

Hindsight bias

Our tendency to believe we could have predicted the outcome of a past event, but only after we already know what happened; the false belief that we “knew it all along.”

Intuition

The ability to know something quickly and automatically; a “gut feeling” that takes little mental effort.

Logic

The ability to use reason, think systematically, and carefully consider evidence when making a decision.

Magical thinking

Beliefs or perceptions that do not hold up to reality, such as counterfactual thinking, optimistic bias, and the planning fallacy.

Maximizer

Engaging in high cognitive load when making decisions by exhaustively examining every option

Memory structures

Cognitive frameworks that help us organize and interpret social information. They include schemas, scripts, and stereotypes.

Mental accessibility or Mental structures

The ease with which an idea comes to mind.

Negativity bias

Our tendency to notice and remember negative information better than positive information.

Optimistic bias

The unrealistic expectation that things will turn out well.

Planning fallacy

The unjustified confidence that one’s own project, unlike similar projects, will proceed as planned.

Priming

Initial activation of a concept within a semantic network that allows related ideas to come more easily to mind.

Principle of parsimony

The tendency for individuals, especially scientists, to prefer the simplest answer that explains the most evidence.

Representativeness heuristic

Our tendency to make decisions based on what appears to be “typical,” even when that goes against statistical likelihood.

Satisficing

Making “good enough” decisions to avoid cognitive overload.

Script

A memory structure that shapes expectations for how particular social events will occur.

Semantic network

A collection of mental concepts that are connected by common characteristics.

Social cognition

The study of how we process social information using a combination of logic and intuition.

Stereotype

An oversimplified belief describing all members of a certain group.

Upward counterfactuals

Imagined outcomes that are better than reality; they can help us learn from mistakes.

find a person in a red shirt with a name tag and ask if they have your brand of laundry detergent in stock

You often shop at a particular store for your basic home goods needs, such as paper towels and cleaning products. The clerks in this store tend to wear red shirts and blue nametags. One day, you are unable to find your brand of laundry detergent. If you are using the representativeness heuristic, how do you go about purchasing laundry detergent in the least amount of time?

False (1)

Logic requires less cognitive effort than intuition. (1)

True (2)

The Benevolent Hiding Hand occurs when a talented and creative team member comes up with a solution that "saves the day" of an otherwise failing plan. (2)

confirmation bias

You decide upon first meeting someone whether or not you will like them. Each interaction after you notice reasons to support this initial assumption. This is an example of ______.

lower levels of happiness

If you consider yourself a maximizer rather than a satisficer, you are more likely to have ______.

False (3)

Social thinking is largely the same from culture to culture. (3)

the availability heuristic

One of your friends from high school always posts pictures of themselves smiling and photos of their travels. When speaking about them to another friend from high school, you say "They have such a happy and adventurous life." You most likely made this estimate using ______.

If I had been on time, I would have gotten into a terrible car accident.

Which is an example of a downward counterfactual?

a script

When you meet someone new in the United States, it is common to reach out to shake their hand and say "It's nice to meet you." This is an example of ______.

be polite and reluctant to disagree

If someone uses the anchoring and adjustment heuristic and comes up with a wild estimate on a topic you know nothing about, you are most likely to ______.

What is an example of the planning fallacy?

You believe it will take you two hours to study, but it actually takes you five hours.

Your friend has gone against a script.

You are attending a funeral in the United States with your friend. Traditionally, it is acceptable to approach the bereaved and say "I am so sorry for your loss." However, your friend approaches the bereaved and asks, "Will you be moving into the deceased's home?" Why are you and the bereaved likely to respond with shock?

True (4)

The principle of parsimony refers to preferring simple explanations for a large set of events or ideas. (4)

True (5)

The idea that most people believe they are above average is an example of the optimistic bias.

a schema

Your 4-year-old niece is learning about words for animals. She has learned that ducks have webbed feet and wings. When she sees a goose, she points and says "Duck!" This is an example of your niece using ______.