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T/F: People tend to ignore base rates when given both base rates and diagnostic info

User Plexer
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Final answer:

True, people often overlook base rates in favor of specific, vivid details when both types of information are provided. This bias can lead to incorrect inferences, as observed in studies like the quizmaster experiment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement "People tend to ignore base rates when given both base rates and diagnostic info" is true. This phenomenon is often discussed in the context of social psychology and decision-making processes. A well-known example of this tendency is found in the quizmaster study, where participants disregarded the situational influence and incorrectly inferred that a questioner's knowledge was superior. People frequently rely more on the diagnostic information – the specific, vivid details of a scenario – rather than statistical data or base rates, even when the latter are more significant for making a rational decision.

User Nbevans
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