Amira Notices a Lump in Her Breast but Convinces Herself

Multiple Choice

Amira notices a lump in her breast but convinces herself that it was always there. As she continues to examine her breasts monthly, the lump remains and seems larger, but each time Amira finds a way to explain it away-the lump is just a result of the uncomfortable bra she was wearing, the lump is connected to her menstrual cycle, and so forth. In fact, she never has the lump investigated because she interprets the lump in terms of her belief that she is "healthy." Which social psychological error has Amira succumbed to in her thinking?

A) Confirmation bias
B) Attribution
C) Self-fulfilling prophecy
D) Chronic negative affect