The so-called illusory correlation can most directly help explain:A. why people tend to think they are "better than average" in most traits and abilities. B. why people overestimate the extent to which minority group members participate in criminal behavior. C. why people continue to gamble despite experiencing an "unlucky streak." D. why people assume deaths from plane crashes are more common than deaths from lung cancer.

The so-called illusory correlation can most directly help explain B. why people overestimate the extent to which minority group members participate in criminal behavior.

•  An illusory correlation occurs when there is a perceived association between two variables that are either not truly correlated or are correlated to a much lesser degree than believed. This type of cognitive bias can lead to stereotyping, where people overgeneralize about certain behaviors or characteristics based on limited observations or culturally prevalent narratives.
• The concept of illusory correlation is a significant idea in social psychology that demonstrates how our perceptions can be flawed. This psychological phenomenon can make us believe there's a connection between two events just because they seem to happen simultaneously, even when there isn't any statistical evidence to support that belief.