The Public Might Think the Economic Situation Is Not as Bad

question 242

Multiple Choice

The public might think the economic situation is not as bad as it really is if the government reported employment at 88%,rather than saying that the unemployment rate is 12%.Which phenomenon is influencing the public's judgment in this situation?

• A) a confirmation bias
• B) a framing effect
• C) a mental set
• D) the availability heuristic

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Definitions:

Reinforcement

In organizational behavior, the use of consequences to modify the occurrence and form of behavior through rewards or punishments.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process through which the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.

Law of Effect

A psychological principle suggesting that behaviors followed by positive outcomes are likely to be repeated, whereas behaviors followed by negative outcomes are less likely to be repeated.

Operant Conditioning

A method of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behavior, encouraging the reinforcement of desired behaviors and the discontinuation of undesired ones.