Interactive Reading — Psychology

The bystander effect is a social psychology phenomenon in which individuals are less likely to help a person in distress when other people are present. The more bystanders there are, the less likely any one of them is to intervene, because each person assumes someone else will act. The bystander effect occurs because people ___. A) do not care about others B) assume someone else will help C) are afraid of being punished D) cannot see the person in distress

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that confirms one's existing beliefs. People affected by this bias may ignore or dismiss evidence that contradicts their views, making it difficult to change their minds even when presented with new facts. Confirmation bias makes it difficult for people to ___. A) form any opinions at all B) change their minds when presented with new evidence C) remember important information D) communicate with others effectively

Studies on multitasking show that the human brain does not actually perform two complex tasks simultaneously. Instead, it rapidly switches between tasks, which reduces efficiency and increases the likelihood of errors. People who frequently multitask often overestimate their ability to do so effectively. According to the passage, multitasking ___. A) improves efficiency and accuracy B) is impossible for the human brain C) reduces efficiency and increases errors D) only affects people with low intelligence

Positive reinforcement involves rewarding a desired behaviour to increase the likelihood that it will occur again. For example, praising a child for completing their homework encourages them to repeat the behaviour. Research shows that positive reinforcement is generally more effective than punishment in shaping long-term behaviour change. Positive reinforcement works by ___. A) punishing unwanted behaviour B) rewarding desired behaviour to encourage repetition C) ignoring all behaviour equally D) removing rewards after each correct action

The placebo effect occurs when patients experience real improvement in their symptoms after receiving a treatment that has no active medical ingredient. Studies have shown that the effect is stronger when patients believe the treatment is real and when the doctor-patient relationship is positive. The placebo effect is stronger when ___. A) the treatment contains strong medication B) patients know they are receiving a placebo C) patients believe the treatment is real D) the treatment is administered without a doctor

Growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and practice. Students with a growth mindset tend to embrace challenges and view mistakes as learning opportunities, whereas those with a fixed mindset may avoid difficult tasks for fear of failure. Students with a growth mindset ___. A) avoid challenges to protect their reputation B) believe intelligence cannot be changed C) view mistakes as opportunities to learn D) prefer easy tasks over difficult ones