Meaning: 'Estimate' means to make an approximate calculation or judgment about a quantity or value.

Wrong options:

• eminence: Eminence refers to fame or recognized superiority, which does not relate to guessing quantities.
• insolence: Insolence means disrespectful or rude behavior, which is irrelevant in the context of making guesses.
• imminence: Imminence refers to something that is about to happen, which does not fit the context of making a guess.

Correct answer: incorrect

Explanation: The word 'incorrect' is an adjective that describes the crowd's guesses as not being right. It fits grammatically and contextually, as the sentence discusses the potential inaccuracy of group guesses influenced by social factors.

Meaning: 'Incorrect' means not correct or wrong, indicating that the crowd's guesses may not be accurate due to social influence.

Wrong options:

• correct: 'Correct' would imply that the crowd's guesses are accurate, which contradicts the context of the sentence.
• entrenched: Entrenched means firmly established and unlikely to change, which does not fit the context of guessing accuracy.
• divided: Divided suggests a split opinion among the group, which does not directly relate to the accuracy of their guesses.

Correct answer: mix

Explanation: The word 'mix' fits grammatically as a verb indicating that psychology and statistics do not combine effectively in this context. It aligns with the idea that social influence can disrupt accurate guessing.

Meaning: 'Mix' means to combine or blend, suggesting that psychology and statistics do not work together harmoniously in this scenario.

Wrong options:

• differ: Differ means to be unlike or distinct, which does not convey the idea of interaction between psychology and statistics.
• agree: Agree implies a consensus, which contradicts the notion that these fields do not align in this context.
• tell: Tell means to inform or communicate, which does not fit the context of how psychology and statistics interact.

Correct answer: narrowed

Explanation: The word 'narrowed' is the past tense of the verb narrow, indicating a reduction in the range of responses. It fits grammatically and contextually, as it describes the effect of second guessing on the group's responses.

Meaning: 'Narrowed' means to make something smaller or more limited, indicating that the range of guesses became less diverse due to social influence.

Wrong options:

• added: Added implies an increase, which contradicts the context of reducing the range of responses.
• weakened: Weakened suggests a loss of strength, which does not accurately describe the effect on the range of responses.
• widened: Widened means to make broader, which is the opposite of what happened to the group's responses.

Correct answer: direction

Explanation: The word 'direction' fits grammatically as a noun that refers to the course along which something moves. It aligns with the context of pointing guesses towards an incorrect outcome.

Meaning: 'Direction' refers to the path or course that something takes, indicating that the group's guesses were misled.

Wrong options:

• exception: Exception refers to something that is not included, which does not fit the context of guiding guesses.
• recollection: Recollection means the act of remembering, which is irrelevant to the context of guessing accuracy.
• inception: Inception refers to the beginning of something, which does not relate to the outcome of the group's guesses.

Correct answer: worse

Explanation: The word 'worse' is a comparative adjective that indicates a lower quality or standard. It fits grammatically and contextually, as it describes the paradox of increased confidence leading to poorer accuracy in guesses.

Meaning: 'Worse' means of poorer quality or less good, suggesting that increased confidence did not improve the accuracy of the guesses.

Wrong options:

• better: Better implies an improvement, which contradicts the context of confidence leading to incorrect guesses.
• though: Though is a conjunction used to introduce a contrast, which does not fit as a standalone answer in this context.
• than: Than is a conjunction used in comparisons, which does not fit grammatically or contextually as a standalone answer.