Question 1

Reorganizing the letters "OSHUE" to form an English word is an example of an anagram, which constitutes a problem of

Accepted Answer

A)  inducing structure. 
B)  lexical analysis. 
C)  transformation. 
D)  arrangement. 
A)  inducing structure. 
B)  lexical analysis. 
C)  transformation. 
D)  arrangement.

Question 2

The process by which a child learns a new word after only one exposure to the word is

Accepted Answer

A)  fast mapping. 
B)  logical reasoning. 
C)  underextension. 
D)  overextension. 
A)  fast mapping. 
B)  logical reasoning. 
C)  underextension. 
D)  overextension.

Question 3

Imagine that a race of extraterrestrials came to earth. These extraterrestrials quickly learned to use Earth words to convey meaningful messages, but they never created new combinations of words or learned how to use rules to create meaningful sentences. Their communications would

Accepted Answer

A)  not be generative or structured, but would be symbolic. 
B)  lack all the elements of language. 
C)  not be symbolic, but would be generative and structured. 
D)  have all the requirements for language. 
A)  not be generative or structured, but would be symbolic. 
B)  lack all the elements of language. 
C)  not be symbolic, but would be generative and structured. 
D)  have all the requirements for language.

Question 4

Esmeralda wants to use her roommate's computer to work on her term paper. However, the roommate has password protection on the computer's boot sequence. Rather than starting at "a" and systematically testing every possible word in the English language, Esmeralda makes some educated guesses about the passwords, based on what she knows about her roommate. In this case, Esmeralda is using

Accepted Answer

A)  a heuristic to get past the password protection. 
B)  an algorithm to get past the password protection. 
C)  reframing to get past the password protection. 
D)  representativeness to get past the password protection. 
A)  a heuristic to get past the password protection. 
B)  an algorithm to get past the password protection. 
C)  reframing to get past the password protection. 
D)  representativeness to get past the password protection.

Question 5

According to Skinner, children learn a language

Accepted Answer

A)  because they possess an innate language acquisition device. 
B)  through imitation, reinforcement, and shaping. 
C)  as the quality of their thought improves with age. 
D)  only when they have reached a certain level of brain maturation. 
A)  because they possess an innate language acquisition device. 
B)  through imitation, reinforcement, and shaping. 
C)  as the quality of their thought improves with age. 
D)  only when they have reached a certain level of brain maturation.

Question 6

Phonemes are

Accepted Answer

A)  the same across all languages. 
B)  the smallest units of sound in a spoken language. 
C)  the smallest units of meaning in a spoken language. 
D)  rules for combining sounds to form meaning. 
A)  the same across all languages. 
B)  the smallest units of sound in a spoken language. 
C)  the smallest units of meaning in a spoken language. 
D)  rules for combining sounds to form meaning.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a critical property of language?

Accepted Answer

A)  language is structured 
B)  language is orderly 
C)  language is symbolic 
D)  language is generative 
A)  language is structured 
B)  language is orderly 
C)  language is symbolic 
D)  language is generative

Question 8

The child's first words are generally spoken at about what age?

Accepted Answer

A)  3 to 5 months 
B)  6 to 8 months 
C)  10 to 13 months 
D)  18 to 21 months 
A)  3 to 5 months 
B)  6 to 8 months 
C)  10 to 13 months 
D)  18 to 21 months

Question 9

The series of water-jug problems described in the text illustrates which barrier to effective problem solving?

Accepted Answer

A)  mental set 
B)  unnecessary constraints 
C)  irrelevant information 
D)  functional fixedness 
A)  mental set 
B)  unnecessary constraints 
C)  irrelevant information 
D)  functional fixedness

Question 10

The English language uses

Accepted Answer

A)  26 phonemes, one for each letter of the alphabet. 
B)  approximately 450,000 phonemes, one for each word. 
C)  about 40 phonemes, corresponding to the letters of the alphabet plus several variations. 
D)  all of the 100 or so phonemes that humans are capable of producing. 
A)  26 phonemes, one for each letter of the alphabet. 
B)  approximately 450,000 phonemes, one for each word. 
C)  about 40 phonemes, corresponding to the letters of the alphabet plus several variations. 
D)  all of the 100 or so phonemes that humans are capable of producing.

Question 11

The tendency to think of a hammer as only a tool to hammer nails and not as a weapon, a lever, or a weight to prop open a door is the result of

Accepted Answer

A)  unnecessary constraints. 
B)  irrelevant information. 
C)  a mental set. 
D)  functional fixedness. 
A)  unnecessary constraints. 
B)  irrelevant information. 
C)  a mental set. 
D)  functional fixedness.

Question 12

The linguistic relativity hypothesis predicts that

Accepted Answer

A)  people should have difficulty thinking about things they cannot describe in words. 
B)  language and thought should develop independently. 
C)  people in all cultures should think alike, despite their language differences. 
D)  language development should consistently lag behind cognitive development. 
A)  people should have difficulty thinking about things they cannot describe in words. 
B)  language and thought should develop independently. 
C)  people in all cultures should think alike, despite their language differences. 
D)  language development should consistently lag behind cognitive development.

Question 13

When Alaina is working on her bicycle, she brings her entire tool kit out on the driveway and starts pulling wrenches from the tool kit at random, trying them until she finds one that fits. Alaina's approach when she is working on her bicycle could be best described as

Accepted Answer

A)  alternate outcomes analysis. 
B)  working backward. 
C)  trial and error. 
D)  forming subgoals. 
A)  alternate outcomes analysis. 
B)  working backward. 
C)  trial and error. 
D)  forming subgoals.

Question 14

The area of language concerned with understanding the meaning of words and word combinations is

Accepted Answer

A)  vocabulary. 
B)  syntax. 
C)  grammar. 
D)  semantics. 
A)  vocabulary. 
B)  syntax. 
C)  grammar. 
D)  semantics.

Question 15

Which aspect of human language suggests that language is an innate human characteristic?

Accepted Answer

A)  language is symbolic 
B)  language is structured 
C)  among all species, only humans use communication 
D)  language is universal in human societies 
A)  language is symbolic 
B)  language is structured 
C)  among all species, only humans use communication 
D)  language is universal in human societies

Question 16

Fast mapping in children's language skills has been suggested to be related to all of the following EXCEPT children's

Accepted Answer

A)  development of a mental representation of one's environment. 
B)  improve articulation skills. 
C)  improved understanding of syntax. 
D)  underlying cognitive development. 
A)  development of a mental representation of one's environment. 
B)  improve articulation skills. 
C)  improved understanding of syntax. 
D)  underlying cognitive development.

Question 17

Imagine that anthropologists found a culture that had over 80 different words for rice. If researchers also found that the people in this culture thought about rice in different and more elaborate ways than people who have only one word for rice, it would

Accepted Answer

A)  provide evidence that the linguistic relativity hypothesis is incorrect. 
B)  support social communication theory. 
C)  support the linguistic relativity hypothesis. 
D)  provide evidence that social communication theory is incorrect. 
A)  provide evidence that the linguistic relativity hypothesis is incorrect. 
B)  support social communication theory. 
C)  support the linguistic relativity hypothesis. 
D)  provide evidence that social communication theory is incorrect.

Question 18

Which of the following statements concerning functional fixedness is MOST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Compared to young children, older children and adults are less likely to show evidence of functional fixedness. 
B)  All age groups are likely to show evidence of functional fixedness, especially when solving problems using unfamiliar objects. 
C)  Compared to all other age groups, adolescents are most likely to show evidence of functional fixedness. 
D)  Compared to older children and adults, young children are less likely to show evidence of functional fixedness. 
A)  Compared to young children, older children and adults are less likely to show evidence of functional fixedness. 
B)  All age groups are likely to show evidence of functional fixedness, especially when solving problems using unfamiliar objects. 
C)  Compared to all other age groups, adolescents are most likely to show evidence of functional fixedness. 
D)  Compared to older children and adults, young children are less likely to show evidence of functional fixedness.

Question 19

A mental set exists when people

Accepted Answer

A)  persist in using problem-solving strategies that have worked in the past. 
B)  place an unnecessary constraint on the solution to a problem. 
C)  assume that all the information provided in a problem is necessary to solve the problem. 
D)  perceive an item only in terms of its most common use. 
A)  persist in using problem-solving strategies that have worked in the past. 
B)  place an unnecessary constraint on the solution to a problem. 
C)  assume that all the information provided in a problem is necessary to solve the problem. 
D)  perceive an item only in terms of its most common use.

Question 20

When solving problems containing numerical information,

Accepted Answer

A)  it is safe to assume that all of the information will be needed to solve the problem. 
B)  it is a good idea to start by trying to figure out how to use the numerical information. 
C)  you should start by figuring out which information is relevant to the problem. 
D)  insight will typically produce the fastest, most accurate solution to the problem. 
A)  it is safe to assume that all of the information will be needed to solve the problem. 
B)  it is a good idea to start by trying to figure out how to use the numerical information. 
C)  you should start by figuring out which information is relevant to the problem. 
D)  insight will typically produce the fastest, most accurate solution to the problem.

Exam 15: Language and Thought Part 1

Reorganizing the letters "OSHUE" to form an English word is an example of an anagram, which constitutes a problem of

The process by which a child learns a new word after only one exposure to the word is

Imagine that a race of extraterrestrials came to earth. These extraterrestrials quickly learned to use Earth words to convey meaningful messages, but they never created new combinations of words or learned how to use rules to create meaningful sentences. Their communications would

According to Skinner, children learn a language

Phonemes are

Which of the following is NOT a critical property of language?

The child's first words are generally spoken at about what age?

The series of water-jug problems described in the text illustrates which barrier to effective problem solving?

The English language uses

The tendency to think of a hammer as only a tool to hammer nails and not as a weapon, a lever, or a weight to prop open a door is the result of

The linguistic relativity hypothesis predicts that

When Alaina is working on her bicycle, she brings her entire tool kit out on the driveway and starts pulling wrenches from the tool kit at random, trying them until she finds one that fits. Alaina's approach when she is working on her bicycle could be best described as

The area of language concerned with understanding the meaning of words and word combinations is

Which aspect of human language suggests that language is an innate human characteristic?

Fast mapping in children's language skills has been suggested to be related to all of the following EXCEPT children's

Imagine that anthropologists found a culture that had over 80 different words for rice. If researchers also found that the people in this culture thought about rice in different and more elaborate ways than people who have only one word for rice, it would

Which of the following statements concerning functional fixedness is MOST accurate?

A mental set exists when people

When solving problems containing numerical information,

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