This question is incomplete; here is the complete question:
Fourteen-year-old Jean-Claude, an avid video game player, reads a flawed study showing that video game players are smarter than most people. Then he reads a second study with similar flaws proposing that video game players are poor leaders. What would you predict will happen:
A. He would dismiss the findings of the first study and overlook the flaws in the second study.
B. He would now believe that video game players are poor leaders.
C. He would overlook the flaws in the first study and dismiss the findings of the second study.
D. He would now believe that video game players are both smarter and poor leaders.
The correct answer to this question is C. He would overlook the flaws in the first study and dismiss the findings of the second study.
Explanation:
In general, individuals tend to favor information that supports their points of view or preferences, this is a type of cognitive bias known as confirmation bias. Additionally, this is a type of bias because individuals do not consider objectively whether the information is accurate or reliable. This is likely to occur in the case of Jean-Claude because even when the studies are flawed it is likely he supports the first study that shows video game players are smarter. After all, this supports his beliefs and preferences. Moreover, he might dismiss the findings of the second study that is opposite to his preferences.
