You believe that short men have a tendency to be insecure. The concept of illusory correlation implies that you will: A. overestimate how often short men are insecure. B. underestimate how often short men are insecure. C. overestimate the frequency of short men in the population. D. falsely assume that shortness in men causes insecurity.

Short Answer

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Answer: A. overestimate how often short men are insecure.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the concept of illusory correlation.

Illusory correlation is the phenomenon where people perceive a relationship between two variables even when there is no actual relationship. This often occurs when individuals focus on instances that support their beliefs and ignore instances that contradict them.
02

Apply the concept of illusory correlation to the given scenario.

We are given a belief that short men have a tendency to be insecure. Illusory correlation would occur if you pay more attention to situations where short men are indeed insecure, while ignoring those short men who are not insecure, and forming a false connection between shortness and insecurity.
03

Identify the statement that reflects illusory correlation.

Based on the definition of illusory correlation, let's check which statement best describes this phenomenon in the context of the given scenario: A. overestimate how often short men are insecure. (This aligns with the perception of a relationship between shortness and insecurity, even when there might not be a strong connection) B. underestimate how often short men are insecure. (This goes against the concept of illusory correlation, as it talks about underestimating the relationship) C. overestimate the frequency of short men in the population. (This statement is not directly related to the belief about short men and insecurity) D. falsely assume that shortness in men causes insecurity. (Though this statement talks about a false assumption, it focuses on causality rather than the perception of a relationship between the variables) Based on the analysis, the correct answer is A. overestimate how often short men are insecure, as this statement accurately reflects the concept of illusory correlation.

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