Deck 7: Cognitive Processes

Question 1

Thinking is defined as the action of __________.

A) using one's mind to create unconscious connections between ideas
B) producing neural connections
C) using one's mind to produce thoughts
D) maintaining conscious awareness of ideas

Answer 1

using one's mind to produce thoughts

Question 2

__________ the stream of sight, sound, smell, and taste input allows you to understand new things you have never encountered before, as well as use old information to solve problems.

A) Organizing and processing
B) Processing and archiving
C) Storing and archiving
D) Organizing and storing

Answer 2

Organizing and storing

Question 3

Susan runs into a college friend, Sarah, whom she has not seen since graduation, ten years ago. When Sarah talks about Bob, a mutual friend from the "good old days," Susan immediately generates an image of Bob. Susan has generated a __________.

A) mental photo
B) mental representation
C) neural image
D) retrieved icon

Answer 3

mental representation

Question 4

Categories, concepts, schemas, and scripts are all forms of __________.

A) mental representations
B) mental photos
C) neural images
D) retrieved icons

Question 5

As a result of concepts being organized in a __________ fashion, a quarter horse would be in a __________ category, under the __________ category of horse, which would fall under the __________ category of animal.

A) categorical; subordinate; superordinate; advanced level
B) categorical; subordinate; advanced level; superordinate
C) hierarchical; basic level; subordinate; superordinate
D) hierarchical; subordinate; basic level; superordinate

Question 6

Marcie, a four-year-old, describes all vehicles-trucks, SUVs, sedans, vans, etc.-as cars, because children classify objects at the __________ level when they are learning about the world.

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

Question 7

Finding a highly rated restaurant close to a hotel in which you are staying is an example of a __________, whereas finding a solution to homelessness is an example of a __________.

A) well-defined problem; ill-defined problem
B) ill-defined problem; well-defined problem
C) minor problem; major problem
D) major problem; minor problem

Question 8

When solving a problem, individuals move through a series of steps to reach a solution, which is often then a starting point for a new problem. These steps form a __________.

A) problem-solving staircase
B) problem-solving process
C) problem regeneration
D) problem-solving cycle

Question 9

Incubation effects are powerful problem-solving tools. Segal (2010) suggests that the reason is that __________.

A) following a series of steps in approaching a solution keeps you on track to solve the problem
B) taking a break removes cognitive blocks and allows you to view the problem differently
C) past experiences provide a database of information, which gives you a shortcut to the solution
D) the answer will just come to you in a flash, a "eureka" moment

Question 10

Jaime is trying to solve a riddle when, all of a sudden, he has an "aha" moment and knows the answer. This is an example of the __________ problem-solving strategy.

A) brainstorming
B) algorithm
C) insight
D) incubation

Question 11

Maggie is trying to solve a problem, and her friend Miguel tells her to sleep on it; maybe the answer will come to her in the morning. Miguel's advice __________.

A) is not good, because sleeping will break Maggie's stream of ideas to solve the problem
B) is just a myth-sleeping will not aid Maggie's problem-solving skills
C) is good, because a good night's sleep can help Maggie see the problem with fresh eyes
D) may help if Maggie is sleep-deprived, but otherwise it is not a helpful suggestion

Question 12

When you fail to see that an object can be used in alternative ways, you are experiencing an inhibitor of problem solving known as __________.

A) nondivergent thinking
B) functional fixedness
C) a mental set
D) the representative heuristic

Question 13

Marcie is trying to fix a broken panel on her new fence using the same procedure she has used to fix fences in the past. Her approach does not work, and she is stumped about how to mend her fence. This is an example of __________interfering with problem solving.

A) a mental set
B) algorithmic thinking
C) nondivergent thinking
D) functional fixedness

Question 14

There are two forms of logical reasoning used in problem solving: __________.

A) algorithmic and heuristic reasoning
B) inductive and algorithmic reasoning
C) heuristic and deductive reasoning
D) inductive and deductive reasoning

Question 15

Forming a conclusion based on specific observations is __________.

A) algorithmic reasoning
B) inductive reasoning
C) heuristic reasoning
D) deductive reasoning

Question 16

Arianna believes that she needs to renew her driver's license soon. To confirm her premise, she opens her wallet and checks the expiration date on her license. This is an example of __________.

A) algorithmic reasoning
B) inductive reasoning
C) heuristic reasoning
D) deductive reasoning

Question 17

Which of the following individuals would have the best deductive reasoning?

A) Harold, a 70-year-old retiree
B) Martin, a 40-year-old accountant
C) Randy, a 25-year-old graduate student
D) Marsha, an 18-year-old high school graduate

Question 18

Errors in judgment often occur because of __________.

A) cognitive biases and algorithmic failures
B) mental sets and heuristics
C) cognitive biases and mental sets
D) heuristics and cognitive biases

Question 19

Frank believes that people are more likely to die from a dog attack than from being struck by lightning, but he is wrong. This is due to __________.

A) the representativeness heuristic
B) the availability heuristic
C) divergent thinking
D) confirmation bias

Question 20

The false belief that two things are related when in fact they are not is a(n) __________.

A) illusory correlation
B) confirmation bias
C) relationship fallacy
D) heuristic error

Question 21

Which three variables does Amabile's (1996) componential model of creativity suggest are required for creativity to occur?

A) Domain-relevant skills, task motivation, creativity-relevant skills
B) Creativity-relevant skills, insightfulness, self-discipline
C) Domain-relevant skills, technical skills, insightfulness
D) Task motivation, passion-driven performance, a mental set

Question 22

Mr. Tran has been given the job of creating the Future Scientist Club at the middle school where he teaches. To ensure that he promotes creative behavior and interest in the members of the club, Mr. Tran will need to address a combination of social, psychological, and physical elements. He is using the __________.

A) talent-driven model of creativity
B) componential model of creativity
C) flexible-thinking model of creativity
D) mental components model of creativity

Question 23

The case of Ildefonso-who was born deaf and was language-less until the age of 27, when a community college interpreter taught him to communicate-supports the idea that human language is inseparable from __________.

A) intelligence
B) creativity
C) thought
D) insight

Question 24

The sounds t, th, and sh are __________, whereas to, the, and she are __________.

A) morphemes; phonemes
B) phonemes; morphemes
C) semantics; pragmatics
D) pragmatics; semantics

Question 25

In talking about a friend on his football team, Marcus says, "Juan really knows how to throw a football." The surface structure tells us that __________, and the deep structure suggests that __________.

A) Juan has knowledge of how to throw a football; Juan can tell you how to throw a football
B) Juan can tell you how to throw a football; Juan is good at throwing a football
C) Juan has knowledge of how to throw a football; Juan is good at throwing a football
D) Juan is good at throwing a football; Juan has knowledge of how to throw a football

Question 26

American Sign Language (ASL) has basic grammatical structures that __________ those used in spoken language.

A) are different from
B) are similar to
C) have no relationship to
D) are more complex than

Question 27

Sarah, who is from the United States, is using sign language to communicate with Kira, who is from Japan. Which of the following scenarios is most likely?

A) They will have no problem communicating because sign language is a universal language.
B) They will not be able to communicate, because sign language is not used in Japan.
C) They will likely be able to communicate because most countries use American Sign Language (ASL).
D) They may have difficulty communicating because there are structural differences in sign language across cultures.

Question 28

Terrell tells you he wants to teach his infant daughter baby sign language. After reading your text, what feedback would you give Terrell?

A) "Exposing your daughter to baby sign language may result in earlier verbal language development versus children not exposed to baby sign language."
B) "Exposing your daughter to baby sign language can delay her development of verbal language."
C) "It is a great way to have meaningful interactions with your daughter, but there are no other benefits."
D) "Baby sign language may cause frustration in infants, which can affect the types of interactions you have with your daughter."

Question 29

Nine-month-old Dason is repeating the sounds made by adults around him. A behaviorist would explain this process of language acquisition as being consistent with the __________ viewpoint, because Dason is learning through __________.

A) nurture; reinforcement
B) nurture; imitation
C) nature; imitation
D) nature; association

Question 30

According to the nativist view of language acquisition, 12-month-old Anik is saying simple words because he has __________, which supports a __________ viewpoint.

A) an innate capacity for language; nurture
B) been exposed to the basic processes of learning; nurture
C) an innate capacity for language; nature
D) been exposed to the basic processes of learning; nature

Question 31

The ability of Tarzan to develop speech after growing up in the jungle without any exposure to humans would be criticized by someone with the __________ view of language acquisition, because a child not exposed to language early on may miss the biological opportunity for language development.

A) behaviorist
B) nativist
C) social interactionist
D) semantic

Question 32

The __________ view describes language acquisition as both a social process, in that adults engage infants to stimulate their language learning, and a biological process, in that children have a drive to communicate with others.

A) behaviorist
B) nativist
C) social interactionist
D) semantic

Question 33

__________ is the study of the relationship between language and the structure and function of the nervous system.

A) Acquisition linguistics
B) Language neuroscience
C) Neurolinguistics
D) Neuronalinguistics

Question 34

Brain imaging techniques are used by __________ to study language?

A) acquisition linguists
B) language neuroscientists
C) imaging specialists
D) neurolinguists

Question 35

The two important language centers of the brain are __________.

A) Broca's area and Chomsky's area
B) Chomsky's area and Wernicke's area
C) Geschwind's area and Chomsky's area
D) Broca's area and Wernicke's area

Question 36

With the advent of neuroimaging techniques, researchers know that __________.

A) the left hemisphere alone is responsible for our ability to produce, understand, hear, and master grammatical structure
B) the right hemisphere alone is responsible for our ability to produce, understand, hear, and master grammatical structure
C) both the left and right hemispheres are responsible for our ability to produce, understand, hear, and master grammatical structure
D) the left and right parietal lobes only are responsible for our ability to produce, understand, hear, and master grammatical structure

Question 37

The most common causes of aphasia are __________.

A) stroke and brain injury
B) developmental disorder and brain injury
C) developmental disorder and stroke
D) illness and stroke

Question 38

What is the prognosis for recovery for individuals who have had a stroke and suffer from aphasia when they are right-hand dominant versus ambidextrous?

A) Ambidextrous individuals have a better prognosis than right-hand dominant individuals.
B) Right-hand dominant individuals have a better prognosis than ambidextrous individuals.
C) The prognosis is the same for ambidextrous and right-hand dominant individuals.
D) Ambidextrous individuals do not suffer from aphasia when they have a stroke.

Question 39

Ivanna recently suffered a stroke and is experiencing aphasia. Her doctor recommends getting her into therapy right away, as the biggest improvements occur in the first __________.

A) two months
B) three months
C) six months
D) year

Question 40

Researchers (Meinzer et al., 2016) have found that __________ can help stroke patients with aphasia, as they were more accurate on naming tasks versus those who received a placebo.

A) brain growth stimulation
B) neurotransmitter tablets
C) electroencephalogram therapy
D) transcranial stimulation

Question 41

Annette speaks both English and French fluently, whereas Mary speaks only English. When tested on their information processing abilities when their working memory is overloaded, __________.

A) Annette processes information more rapidly than Mary.
B) Mary processes information more rapidly than Annette.
C) Annette has poorer performance on tasks requiring mental flexibility.
D) Mary performs better on tasks that involve controlled processes.

Question 42

As people age, the advantages of bilingualism __________.

A) become less noticeable as they struggle to use both languages
B) become less noticeable as more brain area is devoted to language centers and less to other functions
C) become more noticeable because the cognitive exercise delays the onset of degenerative brain disorders
D) become more noticeable because the enlarged language center of the brain decreases the other areas susceptible to degenerative brain disorders

Question 43

One-year-old Hannah wants her favorite stuffed animal and points to a location on the table where she last saw it. Which of the following correctly describes how the chimpanzee Washoe would be able to perform this task compared to Hannah?

A) Since Hannah is only one year old, Washoe would be able to perform this task at the same level as Hannah.
B) Since Hannah is only one year old, Washoe would be able to perform this task more quickly than Hannah.
C) Since Washoe is a chimpanzee, he would perform this task more slowly than Hannah.
D) Since Washoe is a chimpanzee, he would not be able to perform the task of asking for a desired object that is no longer in that location.

Question 44

Frankie scores high on the g factor for an intelligence test. What does this tell you about how Frankie will score on tests that measure specific abilities?

A) Frankie's scores will vary on the specific abilities, but some will probably be high.
B) Frankie's scores on the specific ability tests should also be high, because they are related to the g factor.
C) Frankie's scores on the specific abilities cannot be predicted because there is no relationship with the g factor.
D) Frankie's scores will be lower on the specific abilities because the g factor is being broken down into subcategories.

Question 45

According to the __________, different types of intelligence have evolved in humans so we can process different types of information. Furthermore, each person has a unique configuration and combination of these intelligences.

A) two-factor theory of intelligence
B) theory of multiple intelligences
C) generalized theory of intelligence
D) triarchic theory of intelligence

Question 46

Kevin has a great sense of direction; he rarely, if ever, gets lost. This is most likely due to his __________ intelligence.

A) spatial
B) interpersonal
C) kinesthetic
D) naturalistic

Question 47

Elijah suffered a brain injury that affected his ability to use numbers, logic, and reasoning, but he maintained his talent for playing and composing music. This provides support for the __________.

A) two-factor theory of intelligence
B) left brain-right brain theory of intelligence
C) theory of multiple intelligences
D) triarchic theory of intelligence

Question 48

Shalissa is described as being able to solve problems by "thinking outside of the box." She is probably high in __________ intelligence.

A) analytical
B) creative
C) naturalistic
D) practical

Question 49

Sternberg believes that successful people are able to __________ internal factors and the situation around them.

A) focus on
B) separate
C) adapt to
D) respond unemotionally to

Question 50

According to the P-FIT model, the brains of intelligent people work more __________ and with __________ activity in certain brain regions.

A) efficiently; less
B) efficiently; more
C) concisely; less
D) concisely; more

Question 51

Based on your text, the correlation between brain size and intelligence is better explained by __________ as opposed to __________.

A) the size of the cerebral cortex; brain volume
B) brain volume; the density of neurons in the brain
C) the density of neurons in the brain; brain volume
D) the size of the cerebral cortex; the density of gray brain matter

Question 52

The ability to solve problems and think abstractly, independent of past learning, education, or cultural experience, is the definition of __________.

A) analytical intelligence
B) creative intelligence
C) crystallized intelligence
D) fluid intelligence

Question 53

The knowledge you have accumulated over the years from prior learning and past experience is the definition of __________.

A) analytical intelligence
B) creative intelligence
C) crystallized intelligence
D) fluid intelligence

Question 54

A test that measures one's level of knowledge or mastery of a subject or skill is known as a(n) __________ test.

A) intelligence
B) standardized
C) aptitude
D) achievement

Question 55

The main criticism of the early Stanford-Binet was the scoring system, which was designed for __________.

A) men
B) women
C) children
D) adults

Question 56

If Jordan has a chronological age that is greater than his mental age, his IQ would be __________.

A) less than 100
B) greater than 100
C) equal to 100
D) IQ cannot be calculated with chronological and mental age information.

Question 57

Based on the method used to calculate scores on the WISC and the WAIS, 95 percent of the population has an IQ score between __________.

A) 60 and 140
B) 70 and 130
C) 85 and 115
D) 95 and 105

Question 58

An emotional quotient (EQ) score measures a person's ability to reason and solve problems based on __________.

A) general cognitive abilities
B) emotional-cognitive relationships
C) emotional information
D) general lability to solve emotional problems

Question 59

Which of the following IQ tests has been widely used to make cross-cultural comparisons of people's capacity to observe, solve problems, and learn?

A) Stanford-Binet
B) WISC
C) WAIS
D) Raven's SPM

Question 60

A person with the intellectual level of a four- to seven-year-old, with the ability to develop partial independence in self-care in a supportive, sheltered environment, would have IQ scores __________.

A) between 52 and 67
B) between 36 and 57
C) between 20 and 35
D) below 20

Question 61

Gifted children may be overlooked due to __________.

A) their daydreaming behavior and vivid imaginations
B) behavior that is interpreted as lazy or incompetent
C) their social awkwardness
D) their shy and withdrawn personalities

Question 62

Luis is originally from Cuba and has been in the United States for two years. He is taking an intelligence test in Miami. What is an important factor to consider in interpreting his score?

A) Luis may score higher because he has experienced different cultures.
B) Luis may score higher because of his Cuban genetics.
C) Luis may score lower because he lives in Miami.
D) Luis may score lower because of cultural bias in the test itself.

Question 63

Gardner changed the way people view intelligence. Instead of focusing on __________, he proposed __________.

A) multiple scores; using a measure of emotional intelligence
B) multiple scores; using a single score on a culturally unbiased IQ test
C) a single score; that there are multiple scores combined to give an IQ score
D) a single score; that individuals possess a unique combination of varying intellectual abilities

Question 64

Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences proposes that there are different types of intelligence/abilities. This theory was supported by __________.

A) research on regular people completing different types of cognitive tasks
B) a comparison of IQ scores from people in different professions
C) identifying abilities that were diminished or lost with damage to certain brain areas
D) statistically controlling for people's cultural and social experiences when calculating IQ scores

Question 65

Distinguish between concepts, schemas, and scripts. Provide an original example of each and explain how each of these types of mental representations contributes to efficient and effective thought and behavior.

Question 66

Contrast algorithms and heuristics using an original, real-life example of problem solving. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of both of these problem-solving methods.

Question 67

Define and distinguish between two of the following obstacles to reasoning and problem solving: availability heuristic, representativeness heuristic, and confirmation bias. Explain how the obstacles you selected are unconscious shortcuts in problem solving that can produce errors in judgment.

Question 68

Although creativity has been associated with both genetics and core aspects of personality (Liu et al., 2016; Zabelina et al., 2016), we can also look at creativity more broadly. Using Theresa Amabile's (1996) componential model of creativity, give an example of a setting where creative behavior can be promoted. Integrate the three components identified by Amabile to describe social, psychological, and physical elements that can be combined in the setting you chose.

Question 69

Distinguish between the three theories of language acquisition, including each theory's stance on the nature versus nurture debate, and explain how this relates to the development of semantics and syntax.

Question 70

Your daughter is starting first grade, and you are trying to decide if you want to enroll her in an English-only school or in one of the new bilingual charter schools. After you review the neurolinguistics literature, which school will you choose and why? Justify your decision based neurolinguistic research evidence.

Question 71

"Language is a uniquely human ability." Evaluate this statement with respect to existing animal communication systems and provide research evidence for why the statement may be incorrect and why it may be correct.

Question 72

Compare and contrast the theories that propose more than one type of intelligence. Describe how each theory might be used to inform and improve educational practice.

Question 73

Suppose you developed a new intelligence test. Distinguish between standardization, reliability, and validity, and describe how you would both standardize your test and establish its reliability and validity.