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The Psychological Factors Influencing Military Decision-Making

Description: This quiz assesses your understanding of the psychological factors that influence military decision-making. It covers topics such as stress, cognitive biases, group dynamics, and leadership.
Number of Questions: 14
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Tags: military psychology decision-making stress cognitive biases group dynamics leadership
Attempted 0/14 Correct 0 Score 0

Which of the following is NOT a common stressor for military personnel?

  1. Fear of combat

  2. Uncertainty about the future

  3. Financial problems

  4. Homesickness


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Financial problems are not typically a common stressor for military personnel, as they are provided with a stable income and benefits.

Which cognitive bias is characterized by the tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs?

  1. Confirmation bias

  2. Hindsight bias

  3. Framing bias

  4. Availability heuristic


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs, while ignoring information that contradicts them.

What is the term for the tendency for groups to make riskier decisions than individuals?

  1. Groupthink

  2. Social loafing

  3. Deindividuation

  4. Pluralistic ignorance


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Groupthink is the tendency for groups to make riskier decisions than individuals, due to a desire for conformity and a lack of critical thinking.

Which leadership style is characterized by a high degree of control and direction?

  1. Autocratic leadership

  2. Democratic leadership

  3. Laissez-faire leadership

  4. Transactional leadership


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Autocratic leadership is characterized by a high degree of control and direction, with the leader making all the decisions.

What is the term for the tendency to attribute our successes to internal factors and our failures to external factors?

  1. Self-serving bias

  2. Fundamental attribution error

  3. Illusion of control

  4. Optimism bias


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute our successes to internal factors (e.g., our skills and abilities) and our failures to external factors (e.g., bad luck or difficult circumstances).

Which of the following is NOT a common psychological factor that influences military decision-making?

  1. Stress

  2. Cognitive biases

  3. Group dynamics

  4. Personality traits


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Personality traits are not typically considered to be a major factor that influences military decision-making, as they are relatively stable and do not change significantly over time.

What is the term for the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of rare events?

  1. Availability heuristic

  2. Representativeness heuristic

  3. Illusion of control

  4. Optimism bias


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The availability heuristic is the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of rare events that are easily recalled from memory.

Which leadership style is characterized by a high degree of participation and involvement from team members?

  1. Autocratic leadership

  2. Democratic leadership

  3. Laissez-faire leadership

  4. Transactional leadership


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Democratic leadership is characterized by a high degree of participation and involvement from team members, with the leader encouraging input and feedback.

What is the term for the tendency to underestimate the risks associated with a particular course of action?

  1. Optimism bias

  2. Illusion of control

  3. Confirmation bias

  4. Framing bias


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Optimism bias is the tendency to underestimate the risks associated with a particular course of action, while overestimating the potential benefits.

Which of the following is NOT a common group dynamic that can influence military decision-making?

  1. Groupthink

  2. Social loafing

  3. Deindividuation

  4. Diffusion of responsibility


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Diffusion of responsibility is not typically considered to be a common group dynamic that influences military decision-making, as military personnel are typically held accountable for their actions.

What is the term for the tendency to make decisions based on emotions rather than logic?

  1. Affective heuristic

  2. Intuitive decision-making

  3. Cognitive dissonance

  4. Framing bias


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The affective heuristic is the tendency to make decisions based on emotions rather than logic, by relying on feelings and gut instincts.

Which leadership style is characterized by a focus on short-term rewards and punishments?

  1. Autocratic leadership

  2. Democratic leadership

  3. Laissez-faire leadership

  4. Transactional leadership


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Transactional leadership is characterized by a focus on short-term rewards and punishments, with the leader exchanging rewards for good performance and punishments for poor performance.

What is the term for the tendency to make decisions based on the way information is presented?

  1. Framing bias

  2. Availability heuristic

  3. Representativeness heuristic

  4. Illusion of control


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Framing bias is the tendency to make decisions based on the way information is presented, with the same information being perceived differently depending on how it is framed.

Which of the following is NOT a common psychological factor that influences military decision-making?

  1. Stress

  2. Cognitive biases

  3. Group dynamics

  4. Cultural factors


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Cultural factors are not typically considered to be a major factor that influences military decision-making, as they are relatively stable and do not change significantly over time.

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