Exam 8: Learning and Decision Making

Define the term heuristics, discuss the relationship between heuristics and biases, and explain at least two of the associated biases with examples. Why do people fall prey to these biases, and what is faulty about them?

Discuss the relationships among learning, experience, and decision making.

________ is the process of selecting, organizing, storing, and retrieving information about the environment.

Wes's employer has established a course of learning for him. From the standpoint of organizational behavior, this is particularly important because learning will help him to

Escalation of commitment refers to the decision to continue to follow a failing course of action.

Denise is a freelance writer who works with a number of clients. She used to charge by the hour, but she has now switched to charging by the page. In other words, she has moved from a ________ schedule.

Research shows that the differences between experts and novices are almost always a function of

At Sound & Light, a store that sells computers, stereos, and accessories, the sales team has monthly evaluations, and the top five performers receive bonuses. This is an example of

Elaine is now a division manager, but for more than a decade she was the sales manager, and she tends to view all organizational problems based on the effect they will have on the sales department. Her decisions are flawed due to projection bias.

As a soldier in the U.S. Army, Lexi underwent an extensive course of training as a combat field medic. During that time, she learned from manuals and performed exercises involving dummies and other simulation aids. A few months later, she found herself in a combat situation overseas, treating real soldiers with actual wounds. She would later tell her family that what she learned in a day on the battlefield was worth many weeks of training in school. In terms of organizational behavior, this example illustrates the difference between ________ knowledge.

The first step in rational decision-making is to

________ is the tendency for people to base their judgments on information that is easier to recall.

Research shows that the difference between experts and novices is almost always a function of intelligence as opposed to the more popular view that learning makes the difference.

The concept of bounded rationality suggests that we are likely to

The belief that others think, feel, and act the same way as you do is called ________ bias.