B.L.A.; occasionally A.L.B. Bachelor of Liberal Arts Bachelor of Liberal Arts General 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes the tendency for individuals in a group to conform and not voice dissenting opinions?
- Cognitive dissonance
- Groupthink (Correct answer)
- Confirmation bias
- Social loafing
Correct answer: Groupthink
Groupthink occurs when the desire for group harmony overrides realistic appraisal of alternatives, suppressing dissent.
Question 2: Which of the following best defines a 'primary source' in historical research?
- A textbook summarizing historical events
- An original document or artifact from the period being studied (Correct answer)
- A peer-reviewed article analyzing a historical period
- A documentary film about a historical event
Correct answer: An original document or artifact from the period being studied
Primary sources are original, firsthand materials created at the time of study, such as diaries, speeches, and photographs.
Question 3: In formal logic, a 'deductive argument' is one that claims its conclusion is what?
- Probably true given the premises
- Necessarily true if the premises are true (Correct answer)
- Supported by empirical evidence
- Persuasive to the intended audience
Correct answer: Necessarily true if the premises are true
Deductive arguments guarantee the conclusion's truth if the premises are true; the conclusion follows necessarily.
Question 4: Which economic system is characterized by private ownership and market-based allocation of resources?
- Command economy
- Capitalism (Correct answer)
- Socialism
- Mixed economy
Correct answer: Capitalism
Capitalism features private ownership of means of production and prices determined by supply and demand in free markets.
Question 5: Which psychological concept describes the mental discomfort felt when holding two conflicting beliefs simultaneously?
- Projection
- Cognitive dissonance (Correct answer)
- Repression
- Rationalization
Correct answer: Cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance, coined by Leon Festinger, is the discomfort experienced when one's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors are inconsistent.
Question 6: The term 'Renaissance' literally means which of the following?
- Reformation
- Rebirth (Correct answer)
- Enlightenment
- Revolution
Correct answer: Rebirth
Renaissance is a French word meaning 'rebirth,' referring to the 14th–17th century European revival of classical art and learning.
Question 7: In biology, which process describes how traits that improve survival are passed to future generations over time?
- Genetic drift
- Natural selection (Correct answer)
- Artificial selection
- Mutation
Correct answer: Natural selection
Natural selection is the mechanism by which heritable traits that increase survival and reproduction become more common over generations.
B.L.A.; occasionally A.L.B. Bachelor of Liberal Arts Bachelor of Liberal Arts General 4
Which term describes the tendency for individuals in a group to conform and not voice dissenting opinions?