Sanam has just finished a long exhausting 6-mile run. She and her friend Jamal are gazing at a hill they need a climb to get back to their car Jamal asks Sanam, "Gee how steep do you think that hill is?" Based on research by Proffitt and his colleagues Sanam is likely to:

Correct answer: D. Overestimate the hill's slant to an even greater degree than she would have before her exhausting run

  • A. make a reasonably accurate estimate of the hill's slant, as most people do
  • B. underestimate the hill's slant, as most people do
  • C. Ooverestimate the hill's slant, but to a lesser degree than she would have before her exhausting run
  • D. Overestimate the hill's slant to an even greater degree than she would have before her exhausting run

Explanation

Proffitt's research found that effort and fatigue make hills appear steeper than they otherwise would, so Sanam would overestimate the slant more after the exhausting run. This is a perception-for-action effect rather than a more accurate visual estimate.

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