09 – Thinking and language

What can stop you from thinking correctly?

Class presentation video:Thinking

What topics do you need help with?

What topics do you need help with?

• A. Heuristics – Representativeness– Availability

• B. Confirmation bias• C. Functional fixedness• D. Overconfidence• E. I understand

Thinking problems

What topics do you need help with?

• A. Framing• B. Belief perseverance• C. I understand

To find Tabasco sauce in a large grocery store, you could systematically search

every shelf in every store aisle. This best illustrates problem solving by means of:

A. the availability heuristic.B. functional fixedness.C. an algorithm.D. the representativeness heuristic.

To find Tabasco sauce in a large grocery store, you could systematically search

every shelf in every store aisle. This best illustrates problem solving by means of:

A. the availability heuristic.B. functional fixedness.C. an algorithm.D. the representativeness heuristic.

Pablo vainly searches for a screwdriver while failing to recognize that a readily

available coin in his pocket would turn the screw. His oversight best illustrates:

A. functional fixedness.B. the availability heuristic.C. belief perseverance.D. the representativeness heuristic.

Pablo vainly searches for a screwdriver while failing to recognize that a readily

available coin in his pocket would turn the screw. His oversight best illustrates:

A. functional fixedness.B. the availability heuristic.C. belief perseverance.D. the representativeness heuristic.

A defense attorney emphasizes to a jury that her client works full-time, supports his family, and

enjoys leisure-time hobbies. Although none of this information is relevant to the trial, it is designed to make the defendant appear to be a typical member of the local community. The lawyer is most clearly

attempting to take advantage of: A. confirmation bias.B. functional fixedness.C. belief perseverance.D. the representativeness heuristic.

A defense attorney emphasizes to a jury that her client works full-time, supports his family, and

enjoys leisure-time hobbies. Although none of this information is relevant to the trial, it is designed to make the defendant appear to be a typical member of the local community. The lawyer is most clearly

attempting to take advantage of: A. confirmation bias.B. functional fixedness.C. belief perseverance.D. the representativeness heuristic.

Which of the following is TRUE?A. People underestimate the accuracy of their

judgments.B. People pay closest attention to information

that disconfirms what they believe.C. It is difficult for most people to explain

away their failures.D. People are overconfident about how they

will perform on various tasks.

Which of the following is TRUE?A. People underestimate the accuracy of their

judgments.B. People pay closest attention to information

that disconfirms what they believe.C. It is difficult for most people to explain

away their failures.D. People are overconfident about how they

will perform on various tasks.

Advertisers know that a thirty-three percent discount sounds like a better deal than a

discount of one third. This best illustrates:

A. framing.B. belief bias.C. representativeness heuristics.D. confirmation bias.

Advertisers know that a thirty-three percent discount sounds like a better deal than a

discount of one third. This best illustrates:

A. framing.B. belief bias.C. representativeness heuristics.D. confirmation bias.

Maintaining one's conceptions even after the basis on which they were formed has

been discredited is known as:

A. the representativeness heuristic.B. belief perseverance.C. confirmation bias.D. functional fixedness.

Maintaining one's conceptions even after the basis on which they were formed has

been discredited is known as:

A. the representativeness heuristic.B. belief perseverance.C. confirmation bias.D. functional fixedness.

Problem solving is one type of cognitive activity in which we all engage. Which of the following cognitive tendencies is seen

to be an obstacle to problem solving?

A. availability heuristicB. insightC. prototype confusionD. confirmation bias

Problem solving is one type of cognitive activity in which we all engage. Which of the following cognitive tendencies is seen

to be an obstacle to problem solving?

A. availability heuristicB. insightC. prototype confusionD. confirmation bias

Discussion Question

• Have you ever seen an example of one of the obstacles (below) to clear thinking in your own life? Can you tell us about it?

• Confirmation bias – People only look at information in a way that confirms their ideas.

• Fixation – Inability to see a problem from a new viewpoint.

• Mental set – Have you ever been expecting to see someone and it turned out to be a stranger?

• Representativeness – How can this be a positive or negative factor in race relations and stereotyping?

• Availability – What we clearly remember weighs more heavily in our thinking than the statistical reality.

• Overconfidence – Have you ever overestimated your ability to do something? “It’s harder than it looks”

• Framing – Have you seen an example of framing a situation or argument in a particular way (e.g. putting a positive “spin” on information)?

• Hindsight bias – Have you ever heard someone say, “That’s obvious”, or “I knew that all along” – after they knew the result?Illusory Correlation – Thinking two things are related when they are not.

• Self-serving Bias – Have you ever heard people take credit for everything good that happens to them, and always blame someone (or something) else for problems?

• Fundamental Attribution Error – Have you ever seen someone attribute a bad or lazy personality to a homeless person, and give no consideration to their environment and social forces?