Heuristic thinking is the tendency, which is at times quite useful, of relying on highly efficient and generally reliable ________.
(a) cognitive shortcuts when reaching a decision
(b) experts to provide reliable guidance
(c) arguments to demonstrate which option is superior
(d) sets of written rules to describe the correct approach
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Which of the following statements is true about college students age 18 to 24?
a) They are advertisers favorite consumer group.
b) They represent one of the smallest U.S. demographics.
c) They traditionally have not been included in TV ratings studies.
d) All of the choices
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Chris gives you two reasons to support an implausible claim. One reason turns out to be irrelevant. As a strong critical thinker, what should you do?
(a) Help Chris by making up another reason to support that claim.
(b) Dismiss the second reason because the first was false.
(c) Stop trusting anything Chris says.
(d) Test the second reason.
(e) Take Chris' claim on faith.
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A claim that is consistent with the facts as we know them should be regarded as __________.
(a) necessarily false
(b) necessarily true
(c) probably true but not necessarily true
(d) probably false but not necessarily false
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A successful comparative inference will satisfy five criteria, the one called simplicity refers to is the ________.
(a) measure of the relative absence of complexity of the comparison
(b) extent to which a comparison captures a greater number of central or essential features
(c) degree of knowledge the listener has about the object to which the unknown is being compared
(d) is the capacity to project consequences that have the potential to be shown to be false, inapplicable, or unacceptable
(e) is the capacity to suggest consequences that go beyond those mentioned in the initial comparison
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Copernicus demonstrated that the earth was not the center of the solar system
We now know that our solar system is not the center of our galaxy, and that our galaxy is not the center of the universe. So let me suggest that in all probability none of us should take ourselves so seriously that we think we are the center of everything. The previous passage is best described as __________.
(a) a way of reminding people not to take themselves too seriously
(b) a valid inference
(c) a fallacious argument masquerading as valid
(d) a blatant misinterpretation of Copernicus
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Called a power analysis, the calculations social scientists make begin with a projection of the number of cases expected to fall randomly into each possible category
As a rough rule of thumb, social scientists would want at least __________ cases per possible response category.
(a) 5
(b) 10
(c) 25
(d) 50
(e) 100
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After one scientist publishes the findings of an empirical investigation, other investigators may be expected to ________.
(a) vote on whether they agree or disagree with the findings
(b) attempt to replicate the scientific findings independently
(c) use metaphors and analogies to describe how they feel about the work
(d) cite authoritative sources to argue that the findings cannot possibly be correct
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Ethical imperatives express behavioral ideals and moral principles by pointing out ________.
(a) what we ought to do or ought to refrain from doing
(b) what we actually do and do not do
(c) what other people are expected to do or not to do
(d) what is practical and what is impractical
(e) rights and obligations under the law
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Applying our critical thinking skills to learn about an author's background, attitudes, and purpose can help us explain the decisions that the author made in constructing the piece
When we are doing this we are identifying the author's ____________.
(a) tools
(b) anonymity
(c) reason
(d) voice
(e) grammar
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