Deck 7: Cognition,language,and Intelligence

Question 1

The _____ level is the broadest or topmost level of the concept hierarchy.

A) subordinate
B) superordinate
C) ordinate
D) basic

Answer 1

superordinate

Question 2

The "cognitive revolution" in psychology began in the:

A) 1890s.
B) 1930s.
C) 1950s.
D) 1980s.

Answer 2

1950s.

Question 3

_____ concepts are defined by precise rules.

A) Formal
B) Natural
C) Prototypical
D) Superordinate

Answer 3

Formal

Question 4

Which of the following is MOST nearly synonymous with the term "concept" as it is used by cognitive psychologists?

A) idea
B) relationship
C) category
D) discovery

Question 5

Formal concepts are:

A) defined by a prototype.
B) more common than natural concepts.
C) defined by specific rules.
D) learned through everyday experience.

Question 6

Cognition was relatively neglected in psychology:

A) before 1930.
B) between 1930 and 1950.
C) until 1950.
D) from 1950 until the 1970s.

Question 7

Specific instances of a category are represented at the _____ level of the concept hierarchy.

A) subordinate
B) basic
C) ordinate
D) superordinate

Question 8

Which sequence correctly arranges the levels of the concept hierarchy from the broadest to the most specific?

A) superordinate> subordinate > basic
B) basic> subordinate > superordinate
C) basic> superordinate > subordinate
D) superordinate> basic > subordinate

Question 9

Which statement BEST expresses the relationship between cognition and thinking?

A) Cognition is the same thing as thinking.
B) Cognition is a type of thinking.
C) Thinking is a type of cognition.
D) Cognition and thinking are distinct processes.

Question 10

With respect to the concept hierarchy,children generally learn to name the _____ level first.

A) subordinate
B) superordinate
C) ordinate
D) basic

Question 11

"Kitty sleep," 2-year-old Isabella remarks.Isabella is referring to her pet at the _____ level of the concept hierarchy.

A) ordinate
B) basic
C) subordinate
D) superordinate

Question 12

The words "beverage," "tea" and "Earl Grey" are examples of the _____,_____,and _____ levels of the concept hierarchy,respectively.

A) subordinate; superordinate; basic
B) superordinate; subordinate; basic
C) subordinate: basic; superordinate
D) superordinate; basic; subordinate

Question 13

The textbook states that early psychologists often used introspection to study cognition.These psychologists probably reflected the _____ perspective.

A) psychodynamic
B) behaviorist
C) humanist
D) structuralist

Question 14

"Gin rummy,games,cards." With reference to the concept hierarchy,this phrase denotes the _____,_____,and _____ levels,respectively.

A) subordinate; superordinate; basic
B) basic; subordinate; superordinate
C) basic; superordinate; subordinate
D) subordinate; basic; superordinate

Question 15

With respect to the concept hierarchy,the _____ level is used MOST often to identify objects in everyday life.

A) superordinate
B) ordinate
C) basic
D) subordinate

Question 16

Obtaining,converting,and using knowledge is called:

A) cognition.
B) thinking.
C) introspection.
D) rumination.

Question 17

Consider nonalcoholic beverages.Which alternative correctly matches a level of the concept hierarchy with an example?

A) subordinate - beverage
B) basic - ginger ale
C) superordinate - soft drink
D) subordinate - cola

Question 18

Mental representations of categories of objects,situations,or ideas that share common features are called:

A) prototypes.
B) concepts.
C) heuristics.
D) images.

Question 19

"I adopted a third cat," Leonie reports."Is it another Siamese?" Salvatore asks.With respect to the concept hierarchy,Leonie made reference to the _____,whereas Salvatore referred to the _____ level.

A) basic; subordinate
B) basic; superordinate
C) superordinate; basic
D) superordinate; subordinate

Question 20

"I need some Palmolive," Loretta remarks upon entering a large,unfamiliar discount store."Excuse me.Could you point me to the dish liquid?" her friend asks a nearby sales associate."Aisle 9,household cleaners," the associate responds.Loretta referred to the _____ level in the concept hierarchy.Her friend referenced the _____ level.The associate identified the _____ level.

A) subordinate; superordinate; basic
B) superordinate; subordinate; basic
C) subordinate; basic; superordinate
D) superordinate; basic; subordinate

Question 21

Thinking in order to reach a specific goal is called:

A) creativity.
B) cognition.
C) problem solving.
D) mental representation.

Question 22

Suppose a researcher uses strong magnets to track changes in blood oxygen levels across the brain when participants are viewing a scene and also when they are imagining the scene.Which device is the researcher MOST likely using?

A) EEG
B) PET
C) fMRI
D) CAT

Question 23

Which is MOST likely the prototype for the concept "fruit"?

A) persimmon
B) apple
C) blueberry
D) coconut

Question 24

Triangles are three-sided polygons with interior angles that sum to 180 degrees.Based on this definition,"triangle" is a _____ concept.

A) natural
B) superordinate
C) formal
D) prototypical

Question 25

Suppose a researcher uses strong magnets to track changes in blood oxygen levels across the brain when participants are viewing a scene and also when they are imagining the scene.The ______ variable in this study is ______.

A) independent; changes in blood oxygen levels
B) experimental; whether participants imagined or viewed a scene
C) control; whether participants imagined or viewed a scene
D) dependent; changes in blood oxygen levels

Question 26

Consider the concepts "game" and "rational number." Which of these is a formal concept?

A) "Game" is a formal concept.
B) "Rational number" is a formal concept.
C) "Rational number" is a natural concept.
D) Both "game" and "rational number" are formal concepts.

Question 27

The textbook relates the story of Dr.Jill Bolte Taylor,a Harvard neuroscientist who suffered a stroke.After the stroke,the healing of Jill's brain began with changes to neurons.The general term for these kinds of changes is:

A) neuroadaptation.
B) neuroplasticity.
C) synaptogenesis.
D) neurogenesis.

Question 28

The textbook relates the story of Dr.Jill Bolte Taylor,a Harvard neuroscientist who suffered a stroke.The stroke affected her _____ lobe,a brain region associated with processing emotions,making plans,and controlling impulses.

A) frontal
B) parietal
C) temporal
D) occipital

Question 29

Trial and error is MOST useful as a problem solving tactic when:

A) the stakes are high.
B) the solution is relatively obvious.
C) there are a large number of possible solutions.
D) the stakes are relatively low.

Question 30

When one tries to solve a problem by using a variety of strategies and eliminating those that do not work,one is using:

A) an algorithm.
B) insight.
C) trial and error.
D) a heuristic.

Question 31

Which concept is correctly classified?

A) prime number - natural
B) pentagon - natural
C) vegetable - natural
D) appliance - formal

Question 32

Psychologists use the term _____ to refer to this increase in the efficiency of neural connections.

A) consolidation
B) neurogenesis
C) elaboration
D) long-term potentiation

Question 33

A prototype is the:

A) most representative example of a concept.
B) most distinctive example of a concept.
C) first example of a concept that one encounters.
D) example that best fits the rules defining a concept.

Question 34

CT scans are used:

A) only to detect abnormalities,such as tumors.
B) only to provide information about normal cognitive functioning.
C) to treat psychological disorders.
D) to detect abnormalities and provide information about normal functioning.

Question 35

Research by _____ supports the idea that mental imagery preserves the perceptual and physical operations people perform on actual objects.

A) Rosch and Mervin (1975)
B) Shepard and Metzler (1971)
C) Kosslyn,Ball,and Reiser (1978)
D) Shepard and Metzler (1971)and by Kosslyn,Ball,and Reiser (1978)

Question 36

Which of these is a natural concept?

A) octagon
B) identical twin
C) prime number
D) sport

Question 37

Dr.Randazza shows participants a stylized map of a fictitious city.The map includes landmarks,such as a post office,a library,a shopping mall,a bus depot,and an airport.Some of the landmarks are close together,such as the library and the post office.Others are far apart,such as the airport and the shopping mall.Dr.Randazza removes the map.Participants are asked to imagine walking from one landmark to another,either a nearby one or a more distant one.Participants press a key when they've reached the destination in their minds.What should Dr.Randazza find? What would such a result say about mental imagery?

A) Participants should take the same amount of time to travel mentally between distant landmarks as between close landmarks.This result would suggest that mental imagery reflects the actual actions people perform with respect to real objects.
B) Participants should take the same amount of time to travel mentally between distant landmarks as between close landmarks.This result would suggest that mental imagery does not reflect the actual actions people perform with respect to real objects.
C) Participants should take longer to travel mentally between distant landmarks than between close landmarks.This result would suggest that mental imagery reflects the actual actions people perform with respect to real objects.
D) Participants should take longer to travel mentally between distant landmarks than between close landmarks.This result would suggest that mental imagery does not reflect the actual actions people perform with respect to real objects.

Question 38

Which should be identified more quickly as a fruit,an orange or an olive? Why?

A) An orange should be identified as a fruit more quickly because an orange is more prototypical.
B) An olive should be identified as a fruit more quickly because an olive is more distinctive.
C) An orange should be identified as a fruit more quickly because an orange is more distinctive.
D) An olive should be identified as a fruit more quickly because an olive is more prototypical.

Question 39

_____ concepts are defined by general characteristics.

A) Formal
B) Natural
C) Artificial
D) Basic

Question 40

The classic study of mental rotation was conducted by:

A) Rosch and Mervin (1975).
B) Shepard and Metzler (1971).
C) Kosslyn,Ball,and Reiser (1978).
D) Kahneman and Tversky (1973).

Question 41

"Express as an improper fraction: 4 7/8" is a problem found in a fifth-grade arithmetic text.This problem is BEST solved through:

A) trial and error.
B) insight.
C) an algorithm.
D) a heuristic.

Question 42

"Solve: 2² + 5 = x -9," states a problem in an eighth-grade algebra text.This problem's _____ state is 2² + 5 = x -9; it is BEST solved through _____.

A) goal; an algorithm
B) goal; trial and error
C) initial; an algorithm
D) initial; trial and error

Question 43

A political science professor attempts to facilitate her students' completion of a term paper assignment by requiring them to first submit a topic statement,then a list of references,then a draft of the introduction,and then,finally,the completed paper.The professor is encouraging her students to use the problem-solving strategy of:

A) trial and error.
B) means-end analysis.
C) subgoals.
D) insight.

Question 44

Which statement about heuristics is TRUE?

A) Heuristics always lead to the correct solution of a problem.
B) Heuristics are a slower way to solve problems than are other strategies.
C) Heuristics represent commonly used approaches to the solution of a problem.
D) Heuristics are used as problem-solving strategies by computers,but not by humans.

Question 45

Broad rules of thumb for solving problems are called:

A) heuristics.
B) algorithms.
C) insights.
D) subgoals.

Question 46

Which item MOST likely makes use of heuristics?

A) a chemical equation for the synthesis of sulfuric acid
B) a recipe for making cookies on the back of a box of cornflakes
C) an article by a Nobel Prize-winner entitled "How to Succeed in Science"
D) a computer program for keeping track of inventory at a department store

Question 47

Lori and Monica are looking at the cans of coffee on display at a local supermarket.They are trying to decide which of two different-sized cans is a better buy.Lori attempts to divide the price of each can by the number of ounces of coffee each contains.Monica suggests that "the larger size is usually a better buy." Lori is using a(n)_____; Monica is using a(n)______.

A) heuristic; algorithm
B) algorithm; heuristic
C) prototype; algorithm
D) heuristic; prototype

Question 48

"Convert to a mixed numeral: 6/5" is a problem found in a fifth-grade arithmetic text.This problem's _____ state is 1 1/5; it may be solved through a(n)_____.

A) goal; algorithm
B) goal; heuristic
C) initial; algorithm
D) initial; heuristic

Question 49

One advantage of using heuristics is that heuristics:

A) present a clearly defined solution to a problem.
B) are usually efficient.
C) are guaranteed to result in a correct solution.
D) result in a single solution to a problem.

Question 50

When you solve a crossword puzzle using certain mental shortcuts,you are using cognitive strategies psychologists call:

A) algorithms.
B) mental sets.
C) heuristics.
D) insights.

Question 51

Renee has an idea of how she wants her living room to look.She's moving furniture,paintings,and accessories to get closer and closer to that picture in her head.Renee is using _____ to reach her goal.

A) trial and error
B) means-end analysis
C) subgoals
D) insight

Question 52

Common heuristics include:

A) means-end analysis.
B) subgoals.
C) both means-end analysis and subgoals.
D) neither means-end analysis nor subgoals.

Question 53

"When you have trouble in a class,try outlining the book in your own words." What is this general "rule of thumb" for solving a common academic problem called?

A) a heuristic
B) a hierarchy
C) a mental set
D) an algorithm

Question 54

Kent and Kirsten are both trying to reduce their consumer debt.Kent decides to pay the highest-interest debts first and freeze credit-card spending.Kirsten simply pays her largest debt first,because this would seem to be the fastest way to move her debt as close to zero as possible.Kent's plan reflects the problem-solving strategy of _____.Kirsten's method illustrates the strategy of _____.

A) forming subgoals; trial and error
B) means-end analysis; forming subgoals
C) trial and error; means-end analysis
D) forming subgoals; means-end analysis

Question 55

Matt picks up a pamphlet at the university counseling center titled How to Succeed at College Course Work.What kinds of problem-solving strategies are MOST likely offered in this pamphlet?

A) algorithms
B) insights
C) mental sets
D) heuristics

Question 56

If algorithms guarantee problem solutions,why do people ever use heuristics,which do not guarantee solutions?

A) Sometimes no algorithm is available to solve a particular problem.
B) Heuristics often require less time and effort to apply than do algorithms.
C) Heuristics produce successful problem solutions with sufficient frequency to justify their use.
D) People use heuristics for all these reasons.

Question 57

Which word BEST captures the meaning of the term "heuristic," as cognitive psychologists use it?

A) recipe
B) formula
C) strategy
D) program

Question 58

A high school physics teacher reassures his class that no matter how confusing this week's word problems appear,they all may be solved quite handily through the use of the formula F = MA.The teacher has offered his students a(n):

A) algorithm.
B) heuristic.
C) insight.
D) analogy.

Question 59

Frank lost a contact lens in his kitchen; he searches for it by examining each linoleum tile in turn to see if the lens is contained within the square.Gemma lost a lens in her kitchen; she looks for it near the base of the fridge and around the stove because these are the two appliances she remembers using when she was last in the kitchen.

A) Frank is using a heuristic,Gemma is using an algorithm.
B) Gemma is using a heuristic,Frank is using an algorithm.
C) Both Frank and Gemma are using heuristics.
D) Both Frank and Gemma are using algorithms.

Question 60

A rule that guarantees the solution to a problem when it is correctly applied is called a(n):

A) concept.
B) heuristic.
C) algorithm.
D) morpheme.

Question 61

The study of insight is associated with the German psychologist ____; he studied problem solving among _____.

A) Kohler; chimpanzees
B) Ebbinghaus; humans
C) Fechner; cats
D) Wundt; dogs

Question 62

A decision-making strategy in which one uses the ease with which examples come to mind as the basis for judging how common events really are is called the _____ heuristic.

A) frequency
B) availability
C) representativeness
D) familiarity

Question 63

When one tries to solve a problem,one brings to the situation all sorts of assumptions,habits of mind,and pre-existing knowledge and expectations.All these elements together make up one's usual problem-solving strategy,which is called a(n):

A) confirmation bias.
B) mental set.
C) solution frame.
D) algorithm.

Question 64

The text's discussion of insight suggests that its key characteristic is its:

A) suddenness.
B) uniqueness.
C) brevity.
D) complexity.

Question 65

An event's availability in memory is NOT based on its:

A) frequency.
B) vividness.
C) familiarity.
D) complexity.

Question 66

Following the September 11,2001,attacks in New York City,many Americans elected to drive rather than fly.The media coverage of the hijackings caused Americans to overestimate the danger of flying.This example illustrates:

A) the availability heuristic.
B) the representativeness heuristic.
C) a mental set.
D) the confirmation bias.

Question 67

Making several minor household repairs,Alyssa uses a shoe as a hammer and a butter knife as a screwdriver.Which of the following statements BEST characterizes Alyssa's problem solving?

A) She is constrained by a powerful mental set.
B) She is taking advantage of the availability heuristic.
C) She is not constrained by functional fixedness.
D) She is forming subgoals.

Question 68

A jeweler is unable to fix a particular mounting in a ring because she can imagine only the conventional uses for her tools.This situation demonstrates:

A) insight.
B) trial and error.
C) algorithmic thinking.
D) functional fixedness.

Question 69

Henry's dog,Sparky,has been rolling in the mud.Henry must bathe Sparky before the dog gets mud all over the carpet.However,Henry is unable to find the plug for the tub.Sitting on the counter right beside the tub is a fifty-cent piece.In his frustration,Henry fails to see that the coin could be used as an emergency plug for the tub.What happened to Henry?

A) He took a heuristic approach.
B) He fell prey to the confirmation bias.
C) He suffered from functional fixedness.
D) He employed representational thought.

Question 70

Joanne will not go out at night because she hears from her local news station about the large number of muggings and robberies that occur in her city.However,crime in Joanne's city has actually gone down in the past few years.To which bias is Joanne falling victim?

A) the representativeness heuristic
B) functional fixedness
C) the availability heuristic
D) a mental set

Question 71

_____ is defined as a sudden understanding of a problem's solution.

A) Convergent thinking
B) Divergent thinking
C) Creativity
D) Insight

Question 72

"You always clam up when I ask you what's wrong," Iris tells her boyfriend.Iris is probably making this frequency judgment because she can remember a few times that her boyfriend wouldn't tell her what was bothering him.Iris is using the _______ heuristic.

A) representativeness
B) framing
C) means-end
D) availability

Question 73

Which problem-solving approach is correctly matched with its definition?

A) means-end analysis - dividing a problem into smaller,more manageable tasks
B) using subgoals - discovering a problem's solution in a sudden moment of clarity
C) trial and error - solving a problem by making a series of attempts and eliminating unsuccessful ones
D) insight - progressively reducing the discrepancy between a problem's current state and the goal state

Question 74

Zelma is asked to think of all the words she can,beginning with the letters "squ," as in "squeak." Later she is given a fill-in-the-blank task on which one of the items is "s _ _ o n g." Zelma keeps trying to make "squong" a word,and has trouble thinking of the common word "strong." Zelma's ability to solve this problem has been hampered by:

A) a mental set.
B) confirmation bias.
C) functional fixedness.
D) an algorithm.

Question 75

Stereotypes spring to mind easily.Therefore,people sometimes use them to judge the frequency of certain events,such as crimes in a given neighborhood.This example BEST describes the use of the _____ heuristic.

A) framing
B) representativeness
C) availability
D) familiarity

Question 76

"Eureka! I've got it!" That sudden awareness of the path toward a problem's solution is called:

A) creativity.
B) cognition.
C) insight.
D) fluency.

Question 77

Katie is weighing several job offers.She gives each job a score on several criteria then sums the scores.Katie is using the _____ approach to make her decision.

A) additive model
B) single feature
C) framing
D) representativeness

Question 78

When people are asked which is more common,death by homicide or death by stroke,they often choose homicide because they hear about more murders than they do about strokes.In this instance,people are led astray in their judgments by:

A) the representativeness heuristic.
B) the framing effect.
C) a mental set.
D) the availability heuristic.

Question 79

Which impediment to effective problem solving is correctly matched with its definition?

A) functional fixedness - the tendency to look for novel solutions to each new problem
B) mental set - the tendency to think of an object only in terms of its customary use
C) mental set - the tendency for old patterns of problem solving to persist
D) functional fixedness - the tendency to use objects in novel ways

Question 80

Last week,Mike heard about five separate airplane crashes on the news.Even though,overall,motorcycle accidents account for more accidents than plane crashes do,Mike decides to ride his motorcycle from Philadelphia to Atlanta instead of flying.Which bias is reflected in Mike's decision?

A) the confirmation bias
B) the availability heuristic
C) the representativeness heuristic
D) the framing effect