Cognitive Reflection Test Metacognitive Self-Correction 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the 'illusion of knowing'?
- Believing you understand material better than you actually do (Correct answer)
- Forgetting facts under pressure
- Knowing something without evidence
- Studying too much
Correct answer: Believing you understand material better than you actually do
The illusion of knowing is overestimating one's comprehension, a metacognitive error.
Question 2: Which strategy best improves metacognitive self-correction during problem solving?
- Asking 'Could my answer be wrong, and why?' (Correct answer)
- Answering as fast as possible
- Avoiding difficult questions
- Copying others' answers
Correct answer: Asking 'Could my answer be wrong, and why?'
Actively questioning your own answer forces error-checking and correction.
Question 3: In a lily-pad-doubling problem, an intuitive solver halves the total days. What error type is this?
- A substitution of an easier calculation for the correct one (Correct answer)
- A memory lapse
- A vision problem
- A random guess
Correct answer: A substitution of an easier calculation for the correct one
The mind substitutes simple halving for the harder exponential reasoning required.
Question 4: What is 'cognitive reflection' as measured by the CRT?
- The tendency to suppress an intuitive wrong answer and reason further (Correct answer)
- The ability to reflect light
- Fast recall of facts
- Emotional self-awareness
Correct answer: The tendency to suppress an intuitive wrong answer and reason further
Cognitive reflection is the disposition to override intuition with deliberate thought.
Question 5: A test-taker changes an answer after re-reading the question. Under what condition is changing answers usually beneficial?
- When re-reading reveals a genuine misread or error (Correct answer)
- Whenever they feel anxious
- Always, regardless of reason
- Never, first answers are sacred
Correct answer: When re-reading reveals a genuine misread or error
Answer changes help when driven by a real detected error, not by mere anxiety.
Question 6: Which best describes 'metacognitive control'?
- Adjusting strategy based on how monitoring shows you are doing (Correct answer)
- Controlling your emotions
- Managing your schedule
- Remembering more facts
Correct answer: Adjusting strategy based on how monitoring shows you are doing
Control uses monitoring feedback to change effort, strategy, or approach.
Question 7: Why is high confidence sometimes a warning sign on the CRT?
- Intuitive wrong answers often feel highly confident (Correct answer)
- Confidence guarantees correctness
- Confident people never make errors
- Confidence slows you down
Correct answer: Intuitive wrong answers often feel highly confident
The lures on the CRT feel obviously right, producing misplaced confidence.
Cognitive Reflection Test Metacognitive Self-Correction 3
What is the 'illusion of knowing'?