Question 1

Contemporary cognitive learning theories share a number of common underlying assumptions. Describe four of these assumptions.

Accepted Answer

Contemporary cognitive learning theories share several common underlying assumptions. Four of these assumptions include:

1. Information processing: Cognitive learning theories assume that learning involves the processing of information, similar to how a computer processes data. This includes encoding, storing, retrieving, and using information to make decisions and solve problems.

2. Constructivism: Cognitive learning theories emphasize the role of the learner in actively constructing their own understanding of the world. This means that learners are not passive recipients of knowledge, but rather actively engage with and interpret information based on their prior knowledge and experiences.

3. Schemas and mental models: Cognitive learning theories propose that individuals organize and interpret information using mental structures called schemas or mental models. These structures help individuals make sense of new information by relating it to existing knowledge and experiences.

4. Metacognition: Cognitive learning theories emphasize the importance of metacognition, or thinking about one's own thinking. This includes being aware of one's own cognitive processes, monitoring one's understanding and learning, and making adjustments to improve learning and problem-solving strategies.

These assumptions provide a framework for understanding how individuals learn and process information, and they have implications for how educators can design effective learning experiences.

Question 2

People are more likely to perceive this configuration of shapes: ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
$ $ $ $
• • • •
As four rows rather than as four columns. Which one of the following Gestaltist concepts best accounts for this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

A)  Closure 
B)  Prägnanz 
C)  Proximity 
D)  Similarity 
A)  Closure 
B)  Prägnanz 
C)  Proximity 
D)  Similarity D

Question 3

Three of the following are assumptions that underlie contemporary cognitive theories of learning. Which one is not such an assumption?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mental events can be studied indirectly by observing behavior. 
B)  Humans often learn by relating new information to what they already know. 
C)  Researchers can study mental events only by abandoning objectivity. 
D)  Humans sometimes learn differently than other species do. 
A)  Mental events can be studied indirectly by observing behavior. 
B)  Humans often learn by relating new information to what they already know. 
C)  Researchers can study mental events only by abandoning objectivity. 
D)  Humans sometimes learn differently than other species do. C

Question 4

Which one of the following is the best example of serial learning?

Accepted Answer

A)  Learning how to fly a kite 
B)  Learning the months of the year in order 
C)  Learning French grammar 
D)  Learning the capitals of European countries 
A)  Learning how to fly a kite 
B)  Learning the months of the year in order 
C)  Learning French grammar 
D)  Learning the capitals of European countries

Question 5

Which one of the following statements reflects Tolman's notion of purposive behaviorism?

Accepted Answer

A)  Organisms sometimes reinforce themselves (e.g., by feeling proud). 
B)  Organisms behave in order to attain particular goals. 
C)  Behavior can be altered by reinforcement, but not by punishment. 
D)  When organisms discover that a particular response is no longer reinforced as it has previously been, they increase the frequency of that response for a short time. 
A)  Organisms sometimes reinforce themselves (e.g., by feeling proud). 
B)  Organisms behave in order to attain particular goals. 
C)  Behavior can be altered by reinforcement, but not by punishment. 
D)  When organisms discover that a particular response is no longer reinforced as it has previously been, they increase the frequency of that response for a short time.

Question 6

Which one of the following is the best example of paired associate learning?

Accepted Answer

A)  Learning how to fly a kite 
B)  Learning the months of the year in order 
C)  Learning French grammar 
D)  Learning the capitals of European countries 
A)  Learning how to fly a kite 
B)  Learning the months of the year in order 
C)  Learning French grammar 
D)  Learning the capitals of European countries

Question 7

Contemporary information processing theories of learning can best be described as theories that:

Accepted Answer

A)  Focus on how people solve problems 
B)  Propose that people learn in distinctly computer-like ways 
C)  Deal primarily with how people develop the ability to think abstractly 
D)  Explain how people interpret and remember the events they experience 
A)  Focus on how people solve problems 
B)  Propose that people learn in distinctly computer-like ways 
C)  Deal primarily with how people develop the ability to think abstractly 
D)  Explain how people interpret and remember the events they experience

Question 8

Explain what Gestalt psychologists meant by the phrase, "The whole is more than the sum of its parts." Give two examples-one related to perception and one related to learning-to illustrate your explanation.

Accepted Answer

Gestalt psychologists believed that the

Question 9

Which one of the following scenarios best reflects the basic idea of individual constructivism?

Accepted Answer

A)  A student tries to make sense of a poorly written and confusing magazine article. 
B)  A teacher assigns a laboratory activity using cumbersome equipment that students can only use successfully by working in pairs. 
C)  A student practices playing the F major scale on his violin until he can play it perfectly. 
D)  Four students in a study group divide the day's reading assignment into four sections. Each student reads a section and then teaches the material to the other group members. 
A)  A student tries to make sense of a poorly written and confusing magazine article. 
B)  A teacher assigns a laboratory activity using cumbersome equipment that students can only use successfully by working in pairs. 
C)  A student practices playing the F major scale on his violin until he can play it perfectly. 
D)  Four students in a study group divide the day's reading assignment into four sections. Each student reads a section and then teaches the material to the other group members.

Question 10

A number of learning principles emerged from early verbal learning research. Which one of the following statements contradicts what verbal learning theorists found?

Accepted Answer

A)  People tend to organize unorganized information. 
B)  People are more likely to remember general ideas than word-for-word information. 
C)  Practicing for a long time all at once is more effective than practicing for short periods on different occasions. 
D)  People sometimes change information into a form they can learn and remember more easily. 
A)  People tend to organize unorganized information. 
B)  People are more likely to remember general ideas than word-for-word information. 
C)  Practicing for a long time all at once is more effective than practicing for short periods on different occasions. 
D)  People sometimes change information into a form they can learn and remember more easily.

Question 11

Early behaviorists argued that because thinking cannot be observed, it cannot be studied objectively and scientifically. How would a cognitive psychologist be most likely to respond to this argument?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Modern technology allows us to study thought processes very precisely." 
B)  "By studying people's responses to various stimuli, we can draw inferences about thought processes that may underlie those responses." 
C)  "We study mental events, which aren't the same thing as thinking." 
D)  "We can determine what people are thinking simply by asking them to describe their thoughts. The things they say are observable behaviors that we can measure objectively." 
A)  "Modern technology allows us to study thought processes very precisely." 
B)  "By studying people's responses to various stimuli, we can draw inferences about thought processes that may underlie those responses." 
C)  "We study mental events, which aren't the same thing as thinking." 
D)  "We can determine what people are thinking simply by asking them to describe their thoughts. The things they say are observable behaviors that we can measure objectively."

Question 12

These four teachers claim to be practicing principles from cognitive psychology. Based on the following information, which one is not?

Accepted Answer

A)  Ms. Anthony, a high school biology teacher, draws a hierarchy on the board showing how mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians are all vertebrates, and how vertebrates and invertebrates are both animals. 
B)  Mr. Bottenberg, a fourth grade teacher, suggests that his students try to learn their spelling words by thinking about similarly spelled words that they already know. 
C)  Mr. Conrad, a junior high school soccer coach, asks his players to practice passing the ball to one another as they run down the field, then openly praises those players who are passing skillfully. 
D)  Ms. Danforth, a third grade teacher, introduces her class to the topic of multiplication by showing them how it relates to addition. 
A)  Ms. Anthony, a high school biology teacher, draws a hierarchy on the board showing how mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians are all vertebrates, and how vertebrates and invertebrates are both animals. 
B)  Mr. Bottenberg, a fourth grade teacher, suggests that his students try to learn their spelling words by thinking about similarly spelled words that they already know. 
C)  Mr. Conrad, a junior high school soccer coach, asks his players to practice passing the ball to one another as they run down the field, then openly praises those players who are passing skillfully. 
D)  Ms. Danforth, a third grade teacher, introduces her class to the topic of multiplication by showing them how it relates to addition.

Question 13

In a series of experiments, Tolman investigated the role of reinforcement in learning. Which one of the following conclusions emerged from his research?

Accepted Answer

A)  Reinforcement is essential for learning, but not for performance. 
B)  Reinforcement is distracting, so interferes with learning. 
C)  Responses can be learned even when they are not reinforced. 
D)  Reinforcement is important only if the organism is unmotivated. 
A)  Reinforcement is essential for learning, but not for performance. 
B)  Reinforcement is distracting, so interferes with learning. 
C)  Responses can be learned even when they are not reinforced. 
D)  Reinforcement is important only if the organism is unmotivated.

Question 14

Over the course of history, science has continued to evolve as new data emerge and scientists offer new ideas to explain those data. This continuing process of change in scientific thinking over the years best reflects the idea of:

Accepted Answer

A)  information processing theory 
B)  individual constructivism 
C)  social constructivism 
D)  Prägnanz 
A)  information processing theory 
B)  individual constructivism 
C)  social constructivism 
D)  Prägnanz

Question 15

Which one of the following statements best describes the history of contemporary cognitive theory?

Accepted Answer

A)  It has been a major force guiding learning research ever since the work of Tolman and the Gestaltists in the 1930s. 
B)  It has been the dominant perspective in learning research only in the past five or six decades. 
C)  Its roots can be traced to the work of verbal learning theory, which in turn evolved from Jean Piaget's research in Switzerland. 
D)  It gained prominence only when psychologists began to cast aside the need for objectivity in psychological research. 
A)  It has been a major force guiding learning research ever since the work of Tolman and the Gestaltists in the 1930s. 
B)  It has been the dominant perspective in learning research only in the past five or six decades. 
C)  Its roots can be traced to the work of verbal learning theory, which in turn evolved from Jean Piaget's research in Switzerland. 
D)  It gained prominence only when psychologists began to cast aside the need for objectivity in psychological research.

Question 16

Which one of the following teaching strategies best reflects the perspective of cognitive psychology?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mr. Atherton plans classroom activities that are likely to elicit desirable student behaviors. 
B)  Mr. Birleffi makes sure that he performs classroom tasks in exactly the same way he wants his students to perform them. 
C)  Mr. Camacho tells his students both what they should do and what they should not do as they use the equipment in his chemistry lab. 
D)  Mr. Darwin has students recall personal experiences related to new concepts they are studying. 
A)  Mr. Atherton plans classroom activities that are likely to elicit desirable student behaviors. 
B)  Mr. Birleffi makes sure that he performs classroom tasks in exactly the same way he wants his students to perform them. 
C)  Mr. Camacho tells his students both what they should do and what they should not do as they use the equipment in his chemistry lab. 
D)  Mr. Darwin has students recall personal experiences related to new concepts they are studying.

Question 17

Describe what is meant by serial learning and paired associate learning and give a real-life example of each.

Accepted Answer

Serial learning refers to the process of

Question 18

Tolman was interested in examining the role of expectations in behavior. Which one of the following statements most accurately describes the method he used to study expectations?

Accepted Answer

A)  He never reinforced any given response in the same way twice. 
B)  He reinforced a response the same way for several trials, then abruptly changed the type or amount of reinforcement. 
C)  He asked subjects what they were expecting a particular response to accomplish. 
D)  He gave his subjects a lengthy survey that included two or three questions concerning their expectations about the experiment. 
A)  He never reinforced any given response in the same way twice. 
B)  He reinforced a response the same way for several trials, then abruptly changed the type or amount of reinforcement. 
C)  He asked subjects what they were expecting a particular response to accomplish. 
D)  He gave his subjects a lengthy survey that included two or three questions concerning their expectations about the experiment.

Question 19

Harry and Sam are both taking French; Harry is also taking German, but Sam is not. Harry and Sam learn these French vocabulary words in their French class: head - la tête
Eye - l'œil
Mouth - la bouche
The following day, Harry learns these German vocabulary words in his German class:
Head - der Kopf
Eye - das Auge
Mouth - der Mund
A week later the two boys are given a French vocabulary quiz in which they are asked to give the French words for head, eye, and mouth. Other things being equal, findings from verbal learning research would lead us to predict that:

Accepted Answer

A)  Due to retroactive inhibition, Harry will get a lower grade on the quiz than Sam. 
B)  Due to proactive inhibition, Harry will get a higher grade on the quiz than Sam. 
C)  Due to retroactive facilitation, Harry will get a lower grade on the quiz than Sam. 
D)  Due to proactive facilitation, Harry will get a higher grade on the quiz than Sam. 
A)  Due to retroactive inhibition, Harry will get a lower grade on the quiz than Sam. 
B)  Due to proactive inhibition, Harry will get a higher grade on the quiz than Sam. 
C)  Due to retroactive facilitation, Harry will get a lower grade on the quiz than Sam. 
D)  Due to proactive facilitation, Harry will get a higher grade on the quiz than Sam.

Question 20

Identify two contributions that each of the following made to contemporary cognitive learning theory:

Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner made two significant contri

Contemporary cognitive learning theories share a number of common underlying assumptions. Describe four of these assumptions.

People are more likely to perceive this configuration of shapes: ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ $ $ $ $ • • • • As four rows rather than as four columns. Which one of the following Gestaltist concepts best accounts for this phenomenon?

Three of the following are assumptions that underlie contemporary cognitive theories of learning. Which one is not such an assumption?

Which one of the following is the best example of serial learning?

Which one of the following statements reflects Tolman's notion of purposive behaviorism?

Which one of the following is the best example of paired associate learning?

Contemporary information processing theories of learning can best be described as theories that:

Explain what Gestalt psychologists meant by the phrase, "The whole is more than the sum of its parts." Give two examples-one related to perception and one related to learning-to illustrate your explanation.

Which one of the following scenarios best reflects the basic idea of individual constructivism?

A number of learning principles emerged from early verbal learning research. Which one of the following statements contradicts what verbal learning theorists found?

Early behaviorists argued that because thinking cannot be observed, it cannot be studied objectively and scientifically. How would a cognitive psychologist be most likely to respond to this argument?

These four teachers claim to be practicing principles from cognitive psychology. Based on the following information, which one is not?

In a series of experiments, Tolman investigated the role of reinforcement in learning. Which one of the following conclusions emerged from his research?

Over the course of history, science has continued to evolve as new data emerge and scientists offer new ideas to explain those data. This continuing process of change in scientific thinking over the years best reflects the idea of:

Which one of the following statements best describes the history of contemporary cognitive theory?

Which one of the following teaching strategies best reflects the perspective of cognitive psychology?

Describe what is meant by serial learning and paired associate learning and give a real-life example of each.

Tolman was interested in examining the role of expectations in behavior. Which one of the following statements most accurately describes the method he used to study expectations?

Identify two contributions that each of the following made to contemporary cognitive learning theory:

Perspectives on Learning

Learning and the Brain

Behaviorism and Classical Conditioning

Instrumental Conditioning

Applications of Instrumental Conditioning

Social Cognitive Theory

Basic Components of Memory

Long-Term Memory I: Storage and Encoding

Long-Term Memory Iii: Retrieval and Forgetting

Long-Term Memory Iii: Retrieval and Forgetting

Cognitive-Developmental Perspectives

Sociocultural Theory and Other Contextual Perspectives

Metacognition, Self-Regulated Learning, and Study Strategies

Transfer, Problem Solving, and Critical Thinking

Motivation and Affect

Cognitive Factors in Motivation

Filters

Exam 7: Introduction to Cognitivism

Contemporary cognitive learning theories share a number of common underlying assumptions. Describe four of these assumptions.

People are more likely to perceive this configuration of shapes: ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ $ $ $ $ • • • • As four rows rather than as four columns. Which one of the following Gestaltist concepts best accounts for this phenomenon?

Three of the following are assumptions that underlie contemporary cognitive theories of learning. Which one is not such an assumption?

Which one of the following is the best example of serial learning?

Which one of the following statements reflects Tolman's notion of purposive behaviorism?

Which one of the following is the best example of paired associate learning?

Contemporary information processing theories of learning can best be described as theories that:

Explain what Gestalt psychologists meant by the phrase, "The whole is more than the sum of its parts." Give two examples-one related to perception and one related to learning-to illustrate your explanation.

Which one of the following scenarios best reflects the basic idea of individual constructivism?

A number of learning principles emerged from early verbal learning research. Which one of the following statements contradicts what verbal learning theorists found?

Early behaviorists argued that because thinking cannot be observed, it cannot be studied objectively and scientifically. How would a cognitive psychologist be most likely to respond to this argument?

These four teachers claim to be practicing principles from cognitive psychology. Based on the following information, which one is not?

In a series of experiments, Tolman investigated the role of reinforcement in learning. Which one of the following conclusions emerged from his research?

Over the course of history, science has continued to evolve as new data emerge and scientists offer new ideas to explain those data. This continuing process of change in scientific thinking over the years best reflects the idea of:

Which one of the following statements best describes the history of contemporary cognitive theory?

Which one of the following teaching strategies best reflects the perspective of cognitive psychology?

Describe what is meant by serial learning and paired associate learning and give a real-life example of each.

Tolman was interested in examining the role of expectations in behavior. Which one of the following statements most accurately describes the method he used to study expectations?

Identify two contributions that each of the following made to contemporary cognitive learning theory:

Perspectives on Learning

Learning and the Brain

Behaviorism and Classical Conditioning

Instrumental Conditioning

Applications of Instrumental Conditioning

Social Cognitive Theory

Basic Components of Memory

Long-Term Memory I: Storage and Encoding

Long-Term Memory Iii: Retrieval and Forgetting

Long-Term Memory Iii: Retrieval and Forgetting

Cognitive-Developmental Perspectives

Sociocultural Theory and Other Contextual Perspectives

Metacognition, Self-Regulated Learning, and Study Strategies

Transfer, Problem Solving, and Critical Thinking

Motivation and Affect

Cognitive Factors in Motivation

Filters