Psychology: Cognitive Biases and Scientific Skepticism

Cognitive Biases

• Leon and his friends experienced confirmation bias when they interpreted the continued existence of the world as proof of a virtual simulation, reinforcing their initial belief.

### Levels of Analysis

• An article that examines the relationship between phone usage before bed, shared sleeping arrangements, and sleep delay is analyzing sleep delay at the behavioral and social levels. 

Pseudoscience

• Pseudoscience can lead to opportunity costs, psychological and physical harm, and interference with critical thinking. 

Scientific Skepticism

• Alyssa’s acceptance of a dietary supplement based on peer popularity demonstrates the bandwagon fallacy, while Jordan’s approach of waiting for scientific research exemplifies scientific skepticism.

Correlation

• A correlation coefficient of .68 represents a strong positive correlation between two variables.

Reliability and Validity

• The RENPHO Smart Scale is reliable but not valid because it consistently gives the same incorrect measurement.
• The Etekcity Digital Scale is neither reliable nor valid because it gives different readings each time, which don't reflect the true weight.

Independent and Dependent Variables

• In Talon's study on grief, number of familial deaths is the independent variable (IV) and psychological growth is the dependent variable (DV).

Standard Deviation

• A small standard deviation indicates that data points are more tightly clustered around the mean.

Pseudosymmetry

• The Fair and Balanced Sunday Newspaper’s equal coverage of both sides of the climate change debate creates the appearance of pseudosymmetry, although scientific consensus supports one side.

Neuroimaging

• Dr. Acuña should utilize Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify differences in brain composition between young and older adults.

Brain Development

• Older children performing better on learning tasks despite having less grey matter suggests that pruning of synapses is taking place.

Brain Lateralization

• Mitchell, studying brain lateralization, would likely be interested in speech comprehension, reading, and facial perception. Breathing regulation is not typically associated with brain lateralization. 

Nervous System

• The sympathetic nervous system is activated when Johann experiences rapid heart rate and sweating due to a perceived threat.

Hormones

• Cortisol is the least helpful hormone for escaping an angry alligator because its primary role is stress management, not quick physical responses.

Genetics and Environment

• Adoption studies are the best approach for investigating the relative contributions of genetics and environment on political orientation.

Gestalt Principles

• Jean's perception of the giant green X as one line over another highlights the Gestalt principle of simplicity (pragnanz).
• Tabatha's perception of a bottle of fragrance from small dots illustrates the Gestalt principle of closure.
• Mathias' experience of perceiving both the old and young woman in the drawing demonstrates the Gestalt principle of figure/ground.

Hypnosis

• The sociocognitive theory suggests that Abram, who believes in the legitimacy of hypnosis, would be more susceptible to its effects.

Sleep Stages

• Myoclonic jerks are common in Stage 1 sleep and are associated with theta waves.

Sleep Disorders

• Claire’s husband may have sleep apnea, while her son may have night terrors. 

Dream Theories

• The neurocognitive theory of dreaming best explains Jordan’s dream about being laid off, as it suggests that dreams reflect ongoing thoughts and concerns.

Amnesia

• Alejandra's inability to form new memories indicates anterograde amnesia.

Memory Development

• Suggestive memory techniques are not a reason why children's memory becomes more advanced over the course of development.

Long-Term Potentiation

• Takumi’s ability to easily switch between guitar chords demonstrates long-term potentiation in the neurons related to this task.

Implicit Memory

• Hector’s spelling of “hurricane” is an example of explicit memory, not implicit memory.

Cognitive Economy

• Sofia's careful listening and deliberate thinking does not exemplify cognitive economy because it goes against the principle of minimizing cognitive effort.

Subway Accident

• Javier's decision to never ride the subway after watching a documentary is an example of availability heuristic, as he overestimates the likelihood of a subway accident based on recent exposure.

This quiz explores key concepts in psychology, including cognitive biases, pseudoscience, and scientific skepticism. It also delves into the analysis of sleep behavior and the interpretation of correlation coefficients. Gain a deeper understanding of these psychological principles and their implications.