Deck 8: Cognition

Question 1

In the information-processing approach,mental processing is

A) usually broken down into several components or levels of activity.
B) likened to operant conditioning models of learning.
C) conceptualized in terms of connectionist models.
D) simultaneously processed in time across several areas of the brain.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Scaffolding involves a situation where

A) children learn by imitating a large number of people in their immediate sociocultural environment.
B) children are gradually reinforced for displaying behaviors appropriate to their culture.
C) parents or teachers provide direct instruction.
D) children learn with the occasional assistance and guidance of experts,usually parents.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the Piagetian stages is defined as the time in development during which thought is logical when physical stimuli are present?

A) Sensorimotor
B) Preoperational
C) Concrete operational
D) Formal operational

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The correct order of stages in Piaget's theory is

A) sensorimotor,concrete operational,preoperational,formal operational.
B) sensorimotor,preoperational,concrete operational,formal operational.
C) preoperational,concrete operational,formal operational,sensorimotor.
D) sensorimotor,preoperational,formal operational,concrete operational.

Question 5

Piaget's theory of cognitive development maintains that early schemes are

A) not at all similar to schemes that appear in later stages of development.
B) similar to schemes that appear later in development.
C) identical in structure to later schemes.
D) quantitatively different from schemes that appear in later stages of development.

Question 6

The realization that objects exist even when they are not within view is called

A) object concept.
B) objectification.
C) deferred permanence.
D) semiotic function.

Question 7

Gwendolyn has expressed many idealistic thoughts recently.Gwendolyn has probably attained

A) concrete operational thought.
B) formal operational thought.
C) cardinality.
D) metacognition.

Question 8

When caregivers carefully monitor the support they provide in helping a child complete an activity that the child is eventually able to do on his or her own,they are demonstrating the concept of ________,according to Lev Vygotsky.

A) modeling
B) zone of proximal development
C) concrete operations
D) perspective taking

Question 9

The child's inability to separate his or her own perspective from another person's viewpoint is called

A) horizontal decalage.
B) pretend play.
C) the semiotic function.
D) egocentrism.

Question 10

One of Piaget's major contributions to developmental psychology has been to

A) demonstrate the critical role language plays in cognitive development.
B) stimulate research and debates about the best ways to explain cognitive development.
C) study cognitive development in a wide range of cultures around the world.
D) establish learning as the central mechanism by which development proceeds from one stage to the next.

Question 11

________ is defined as the processes involved in thinking and mental activity,such as attention,memory,and problem solving.

A) Learning
B) Cognition
C) Perception
D) Development

Question 12

Which of the Piagetian stages is defined as the time in development during which thought becomes symbolic in form?

A) Sensorimotor
B) Preoperational
C) Concrete operational
D) Formal operational

Question 13

Dr.Mitchell has been exploring how the ability to solve mathematics problems develops in young children.Her area of developmental research is primarily concerned with

A) cogitation.
B) calibration.
C) cognition.
D) centration.

Question 14

Jocelyn was playing with her sister.She picked up a broom and said,"Look,I'm riding on a horse." Jocelyn's use of the broom as a pretend horse indicates that she has acquired

A) the object concept.
B) the egocentric function.
C) the semiotic function.
D) deferred imitation.

Question 15

According to Piaget,the child who first begins to think operationally is initially limited to doing so with

A) simple motor actions.
B) semantic language.
C) concrete objects and events.
D) abstract images.

Question 16

Joan has difficulty tying the knots for the sails on her sailboat.According to Vygotsky's sociocultural theory,Joan could benefit most from

A) the assistance of her mother,an expert sailor,to help in tying knots.
B) a technical manual that illustrates the various ways to tie knots.
C) exercises to improve finger dexterity that would help Joan to tie knots more efficiently.
D) a programmed learning course that models the procedures for tying knots.

Question 17

Thinking in the formal operational stage is

A) logical and abstract.
B) abstract and irreversible.
C) logical and concrete.
D) reversible and concrete.

Question 18

Operations are

A) limitations in cognitive thought.
B) hypothetical reasoning abilities.
C) mental actions.
D) sensorimotor actions.

Question 19

________ theorists believe that human cognition is best understood as the management of information through a system with limited space and resources.

A) Cognitive
B) Information-processing
C) Piagetian
D) Vygotskyan

Question 20

The key feature of the young child's thought in the preoperational stage is

A) the semiotic function.
B) the object concept.
C) object constancy.
D) deferred imitation.

Question 21

________ proposes that many simultaneous forces influence a child's cognitive development at any given time.

A) Core knowledge theory
B) Dynamic systems theory
C) Information-processing theory
D) Piaget's theory

Question 22

Carla was testing the "A,not B" error with her son,Alex.Carla put a ball under a blue blanket several times,and Alex searched for the ball under the blue blanket.Then Carla put the ball under the yellow blanket,and Alex looked at the yellow blanket but again reached under the blue blanket.This suggests that Alex

A) does not have object permanence.
B) did not know the correct location of the ball.
C) simply ignored the yellow blanket and reached under the blue blanket out of preference.
D) knew the correct location but could not stop himself from reaching under the blue blanket.

Question 23

The major point of disagreement between Piaget and other researchers concerning development of the object concept concerns whether

A) children have such a concept by the time they reach two years of age.
B) cultural influences affect the age at which the object concept is achieved.
C) the object concept is acquired as early as three or four months of age or later in the first year of life.
D) individual differences account for the finding that some infants show the object concept early in infancy,whereas others show evidence for it much later.

Question 24

The "A,not B" error refers to the

A) confusion preschoolers experience in identifying letters of the alphabet.
B) tendency to search for an object where it has been found previously,even though it was seen being hidden in a different location.
C) difficulty of reasoning about relationships that involve hypothetical examples,such as A and B.
D) observation that infants are unable to keep information about more than one item in memory so that the first (A)is lost when the second (B)is introduced.

Question 25

________ proposes that young infants possess innate knowledge concerning many important aspects of the world.

A) Vgotsky's theory
B) Information-processing theory
C) Core knowledge theory
D) Dynamic systems theory

Question 26

In a multistore model of memory,rehearsal is considered to be a

A) central processor.
B) psychological structure.
C) response system.
D) control process.

Question 27

A thematic relation describes a classification scheme based on

A) the clustering of objects into common higher-order groups.
B) the degree of familiarity with objects.
C) similar perceptual qualities of objects.
D) similar functional properties of objects.

Question 28

A ________ holds new information for very brief periods of time in a form that closely resembles the initial input.

A) long-term memory
B) working memory
C) short-term memory
D) sensory register

Question 29

The information-processing model that emphasizes the allocation of finite energy within the cognitive system is called the

A) limited-resource model.
B) cognitive-load model.
C) working-memory model.
D) the multistore model.

Question 30

Kristen has a difficult time retrieving the answers to simple multiplication problems from memory,causing her to spend a great deal of time on each word problem she encounters on tests.According to the limited-resource model,Kristen has trouble on math exams because

A) her poor math fact retrieval taxes her cognitive resources to the point of usurping energy from other processes.
B) she has limited knowledge of and experience with solving mathematical word problems.
C) she has limited knowledge of and experience with problem solving that requires memory resources.
D) numerical information does not flow through the proper memory sequence for Kristen to successfully solve math problems.

Question 31

Limited-resource models suggest that what changes during development is

A) the size of the psychological structures.
B) the proficiency in employing control processes.
C) the capacity of working memory.
D) the efficiency of information processing.

Question 32

How do multistore models account for cognitive development?

A) An increase in the size of the psychological structure and/or an increase in the employment proficiency of control processes
B) A decrease in the amount of energy expended on the psychological structures,which allowis more energy for the finite resources
C) A change from the limited,finite structures that a person is born with to the multidimensional system characteristic of adulthood
D) A fluid and gradual shift from the use of the central executive to a heavy reliance on the functions of long-term memory

Question 33

Although Nguyen had never seen a porcupine,when his mother told him it was an animal,Nguyen knew that a porcupine must be alive,breathe,eat,and move about.Nguyen knew this because he has

A) a concept for animals.
B) object permanence.
C) reversibility.
D) a memory of porcupines.

Question 34

In multistore models,the executive decision maker,called the ________,oversees the communications among the structures of the information-processing system.After a decision is made,the ________ functions to help the person answer.

A) psychological executive;central processor
B) resource processor;central processor
C) central processor;response system
D) resource processor;response center

Question 35

In multistore models,the ________ are analogous to the hardware of the computer,and the ________ are analogous to the software functions of the computer.

A) psychological functions;response systems
B) psychological structures;control processes
C) short-term stores;sensory registers
D) long-term stores;response systems

Question 36

The earliest form of classification that emerges in the first year of life is based on

A) thematic relationships.
B) shared perceptual characteristics.
C) common taxonomic groups.
D) functional relationships.

Question 37

A ________ is the definition of a set of information on the basis of some general or abstract principle.

A) concept
B) class
C) category
D) theory

Question 38

Memory that holds information for extended periods of time is called

A) the sensory register.
B) the memory register.
C) long-term memory.
D) functional memory.

Question 39

According to limited-resource models of cognition,if a substantial amount of mental effort is expended on ________,then less space is available for storage or retention.

A) responses
B) operations
C) reactions
D) all of these

Question 40

The information-processing model that describes a sequence of mental structures through which information flows is called a ________ model.

A) limited-resource
B) mental route
C) multistore
D) cognitive limits

Question 41

Which of the following is not a procedure used to measure recognition memory in young children?

A) Paired-comparison procedure
B) Memory span tasks
C) Habituation procedure
D) Operant conditioning

Question 42

________ is a process that allows the person to focus on a selected aspect of the environment.

A) Selectivity
B) Metacognition
C) Attention
D) Hyperactivity

Question 43

Preschoolers are able to count but may not be able to

A) count into double digits.
B) add multiple numbers.
C) subtract multiple numbers.
D) understand what numbers represent.

Question 44

Marquis is sorting animals into their "ideal" homes.Marquis puts a bird with a nest,a cow with a barn,and a chicken with an egg.Marquis's classifications are based on

A) taxonomic criteria.
B) superordinate relationships.
C) thematic relations.
D) perceptual similarity.

Question 45

Jolene's teacher asked the class who the first president of the United States was.Jolene knew the answer and raised her hand.Jolene's type of memory is called ________ memory.

A) episodic
B) semantic
C) historical
D) selective

Question 46

Selena grew up in America and has had much more formal schooling than Alessandro,who grew up in Mexico.Alessandro is more likely than Selena to group together

A) a chicken and a pig.
B) a cow and milk.
C) hay and corn.
D) a pitchfork and a shovel.

Question 47

Kara's mother showed her a stack of pictures yesterday.Today,Kara's mother asked her to tell her what some of those pictures were,and Kara was able to name most of them.This type of memory is called

A) episodic.
B) recall.
C) recognition.
D) autobiographical.

Question 48

As children grow older,they

A) become more systematic but less efficient in their attentional strategies.
B) become less systematic but more efficient in their attentional strategies.
C) become more systematic and more efficient in their attentional strategies.
D) trade systematic attentional strategies for more efficient ones.

Question 49

Greg and Stanley are both five years old.Greg has a greater attention span than Stanley,and he is able to persist in tasks much better than Stanley.According to some research on attention,

A) Greg is likely to have higher intelligence scores than Stanley,but not outperform Stanley in school achievement.
B) Greg is likely to have higher intelligence scores than Stanley as well as display greater achievement in school.
C) Stanley is likely to show catch-up growth and will have intelligence scores similar to Greg's once they enter school.
D) Stanley will probably have lower intelligence test scores than Greg,but he will achieve about the same level of academic achievement and have better social skills.

Question 50

Janelle remembers the time her parents brought her to see The Lion King.Janelle's memory is a(n)________ memory.

A) episodic
B) semantic
C) recognition
D) spontaneous

Question 51

Memories of events that took place at specific times and places are called ________ memories.

A) episodic
B) recall
C) recognition
D) autobiographical

Question 52

A task that requires an individual to state whether a picture or word was previously encountered is designed to measure ________ memory.

A) episodic
B) semantic
C) recognition
D) recall

Question 53

To see what her infant son could remember,Soleil showed him the same toy over and over again.After he had habituated,Soleil began to hold up the old toy with a new one next to it,and her son looked longer at the new toy.Soleil can conclude that her son

A) had a memory for the old toy.
B) had a preference for the old toy.
C) had no memory for the old toy.
D) probably just preferred the color of the new toy.

Question 54

The knowledge a child has about attention may be gleaned from _________ emphasized in his or her culture.

A) attitudes
B) rules
C) behaviors
D) ideals

Question 55

Children seem to have a good grasp of more advanced numerical concepts,such as fractions,by age

A) one.
B) four.
C) six.
D) eight.

Question 56

Older children are much more likely than younger children to ignore irrelevant information that may distract them from some central activity or problem.This suggests that children get better at the process of ________ as they develop.

A) working attention
B) selective attention
C) selective memory
D) attentional inertia

Question 57

Recent research on numerical concepts in infants has found that young children

A) cannot tell the difference between smaller and larger numbers.
B) cannot make a one-to-one correspondence between two small sets of objects.
C) do not show any evidence of manipulating and understanding numbers.
D) show some evidence for simple manipulations and relative relationships among smaller and larger numbers.

Question 58

Tia is two years old.In the next four years,Tia will show

A) dramatic increases in the effectiveness of memory strategies on recall.
B) little change in her ability to focus attention on stimuli and activities.
C) dramatic increases in her ability to focus attention on stimuli and activities.
D) little change in memory.

Question 59

Cathy knows that to get from her house to the grocery store,she must make a left at the red house on the corner and then a right at the stop sign.Cathy is using the red house as a ________ to help her find her way to the grocery store.

A) map
B) landmark
C) concept
D) stimulus

Question 60

Infants lacking environmental cues understand spatial locations by using

A) geometric cues to represent locations.
B) their bodies as the frame of reference.
C) a symbolic frame of reference.
D) an external frame of reference.

Question 61

The ________ is the number of stimulus items that can be remembered after a brief period of time.

A) rehearsal set
B) memory span
C) recognition set
D) recall set

Question 62

________ is a term that describes what people know about their own memory processes.

A) Explicit memory
B) Mental network
C) Metamemory
D) Domain-specific knowledge

Question 63

If a child knows that she has not studied enough to do well on tomorrow's spelling test,what cognitive ability does this knowledge reflect?

A) Attention
B) Metamemory
C) Conceptual knowledge
D) Domain-specific knowledge

Question 64

During a memory exercise,Jamie's teacher told her to try grouping the words on the list into categories.This instruction is likely to

A) inhibit Jamie's ability to remember the items.
B) facilitate recognition but not recall.
C) significantly enhance recall.
D) have no effect on Jamie's performance.

Question 65

________ is the rapidity with which cognitive activities are carried out.

A) Memory span
B) Cognitive span
C) Processing capacity
D) Processing speed

Question 66

Problem solving that involves a number of steps with complex relationships between them is said to involve

A) analogical transfer.
B) transitive inference.
C) higher-order thinking.
D) componential reasoning.

Question 67

Experiments on developmental changes in recall indicate that the memory span

A) shows a sudden qualitative change at adolescence.
B) shows a sudden qualitative change just prior to the school years.
C) gradually increases with age.
D) does not change much with age.

Question 68

Research on developmental changes in memory span suggests that

A) developmental growth in memory span result from enhancements in the ability to employ memory strategies.
B) developmental growth in memory span result from the child's discovery of reversibility.
C) the short-term storage capacity,or "hardware," of memory increases with age.
D) the short-term storage capacity of memory decreases with age to allow for increases in long-term storage.

Question 69

Cheryl is given the series 3-6-9-12-15 to remember.She notices that the numbers are multiples of three.Cheryl is using a memory strategy described as

A) rehearsal.
B) elaboration.
C) organization
D) rehearsal set.

Question 70

To retrieve a toy,Samara had to remove a barrier,displace a cloth,and pull a string.Samara's success on this task suggests that

A) she can coordinate several subgoals to accomplish an end.
B) she does not yet have object constancy.
C) she can solve fairly simple means-end tasks.
D) she does not understand the consequences of deliberate actions.

Question 71

Which of the following is the most basic ability needed for problem solving?

A) Transferring skills
B) Mathematical skills
C) Representation
D) Reading ability

Question 72

Which part of the brain seems to be very important in producing the novelty preferences that infants demonstrate in recognition memory tasks?

A) The hippocampus
B) The reticular activating system
C) The visual cortex
D) The frontal lobes

Question 73

In an attempt to remember a phone number,Jamie repeated the number over and over to himself during the time it took to walk from the phone book to the phone.Jamie is using which memory strategy?

A) Elaboration
B) Organization
C) Rehearsal
D) Practice

Question 74

Early memories are easily disrupted by

A) changes in context.
B) auditory stimuli.
C) disruptive sleeping patterns.
D) observer involvement.

Question 75

Organization is

A) a memory strategy involving the reordering of a set of items to fit some category.
B) a memory strategy that involves repeating items to be remembered.
C) the set of items that are actually repeated by a participant in a memory experiment.
D) a memory strategy that involves creating a sentence or an image that links a set of items to be remembered.

Question 76

It seems that the ability to perform more demanding memory tasks coincides with the development of the

A) cerebellum.
B) hippocampus.
C) brain stem.
D) reticular activating system.

Question 77

As infants mature they store information

A) more slowly and in greater quantities.
B) more rapidly and in greater quantities
C) more rapidly and in smaller quantities.
D) more slowly and in smaller quantities.

Question 78

Problem-solving skills

A) appear suddenly in one stage.
B) should show few fundamental changes with age because they are primarily innate.
C) develop in a continuous,gradual manner as various strategies are acquired and refined.
D) should improve with age as children shift from one stage of development to the next.

Question 79

Emir's mother read a list of words to him that he was supposed to remember.After a short pause,Emir's mother asked him to name as many of the words from the list as he could remember.This type of memory task is called

A) recognition.
B) free recall.
C) the primacy effect.
D) the recency effect.

Question 80

In a research study,it was observed that older students engaged in more spontaneous rehearsal than younger students,and when asked to identify pictures that had been shown to them fifteen seconds earlier,the older students showed significantly greater accuracy.This suggests that

A) performance on memory tasks is determined by age.
B) performance on memory tasks is determined by genetics.
C) there is a direct link between strategy use and performance on memory tasks.
D) there is an indirect link between strategy use and performance on memory tasks.