Thinking, Problem-Solving, Judgments, and Decision-Making

Thinking, Problem-Solving, Judgments, and Decision-Making is topic 2.2 of AP Psychology, inside Cognition. This page works through three real practice questions on it, with the full reasoning behind each credited answer.

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58 questionsConcept Application100% with a figure
Worked examples

Three real thinking, problem-solving, judgments, and decision-making questions

From the practice pool, not the mock papers — each with the reasoning that produces the answer.

100% of them come with a figure. Reading the graph or diagram correctly is most of the work here before any content knowledge applies.

81% test a single AP skill: Concept Application. That makes this topic unusually predictable to prepare for.

Concept Application · with figure

After seeing news coverage of a plane crash, a traveler overestimates the danger of flying even though she has read that severe car accidents are more common. Which cognitive shortcut best explains the judgment?

  1. AConfirmation bias, because she is searching only for evidence supporting a prior belief.
  2. BThe availability heuristic, because a vivid example is easier to bring to mind.correct
  3. CFunctional fixedness, because she cannot imagine a new use for an object.
  4. DAlgorithmic reasoning, because she is following a guaranteed step-by-step rule.
Why B is correct

The traveler relies on mental availability rather than base-rate information.

"After seeing news coverage of a plane crash, a traveler overestimates the danger of flying even though she has..." details toward availability heuristic, not just a familiar Cognition label. The credited option, "The availability heuristic, because a vivid example is easier to bring to mind", is supported because The vivid crash example is mentally available and distorts probability judgment. "Confirmation bias, because she is searching only for evidence supporting a prior..." is a real-looking alternative, but The scenario does not describe selectively searching for supporting evidence; "Functional fixedness, because she cannot imagine a new use for an object" also fails because No object-use problem is involved. The aim is to connect the concrete evidence to the psychological mechanism, then reject choices that shift the process, time frame, or research logic away from the scenario pattern.

Concept Application · with figure

After seeing several news stories about shark attacks, a vacationer overestimates the chance of being harmed while swimming. Which judgment shortcut is shown?

  1. ARepresentativeness heuristic
  2. BAvailability heuristiccorrect
  3. CMental rotation
  4. DSecure attachment
Why B is correct

The estimate is influenced by easy-to-recall examples.

"After seeing several news stories about shark attacks, a vacationer overestimates the chance of being harmed..." details toward availability heuristic, not just a familiar Cognition label. The credited option, "Availability heuristic", is supported because Vivid or easily recalled examples can distort frequency or risk judgments. "Secure attachment" is a real-looking alternative, but No caregiver relationship is involved; "Representativeness heuristic" also fails because No judgment is based on similarity to a prototype. The aim is to connect the concrete evidence to the psychological mechanism, then reject choices that shift the process, time frame, or research logic away from the scenario pattern.

Concept Application · with figure

A doctor assumes a quiet patient must be depressed because the patient matches a familiar image, even though many other explanations are possible. Which shortcut is shown?

  1. AAnchoring effect
  2. BRepresentativeness heuristiccorrect
  3. CSpacing effect
  4. DBystander effect
Why B is correct

The judgment relies on resemblance to a familiar category image.

Thinking, Problem-Solving, Judgments, and Decision-Making reasoning here starts with "A doctor assumes a quiet patient must be depressed because the patient matches a familiar image, even..." and asks what mechanism fits. The credited option, "Representativeness heuristic", is supported because A judgment is based on similarity to a mental prototype. "Spacing effect" is a real-looking alternative, but No distributed practice is described; "Bystander effect" also fails because No helping situation is described. The aim is to connect the concrete evidence to the psychological mechanism, then reject choices that shift the process, time frame, or research logic away from the scenario pattern.

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Last reviewed 2026-08-28. Topic and unit names follow the College Board course framework. Question counts describe the PrepScore practice bank, not the exam.
Same unit
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Work thinking, problem-solving, judgments, and decision-making until the reasoning is automatic.

Real AP questions with a full explanation on every answer, and a mistake bank that only clears when you get it right.

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