Deck 14: Thought and Language

Question 1

Module 14 starts off by describing a 14-month-old boy's use of ____ to illustrate the complexity of language.

A) surface structure
B) definitions
C) exclamations
D) single-word sentences

Answer 1

single-word sentences

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the background of Jay-Z (Shawn Carter)?

A) Jay-Z was born to an affluent family and attended the best schools.
B) He was born into a modest family and showed amazing creativity at a very young age.
C) He showed no signs of creativity at an earlier age, dropped out of high school, and shot his brother.
D) Despite showing remarkable creativity as a child, he never succeeded academically and dropped out of high school.

Answer 2

He showed no signs of creativity at an earlier age, dropped out of high school, and shot his brother.

Question 3

Bill likes to invent.Today he is inventing a new car.He says to himself,"I can visualize what this new car should look like.An average car has an engine,wheels,and so on." His approach to inventing uses the ____ theory of forming concepts.

A) surface
B) heuristic
C) prototype
D) set

Answer 3

prototype

Question 4

An average bird has feathers,a bill,and wings.This is consistent with the:

A) set theory
B) heuristic theory
C) exemplar theory
D) prototype theory

Question 5

Which of the following is a problem of the exemplar theory of forming concepts?

A) allows us to better store information in memory
B) allows us to identify things without relearning
C) exceptions never occur
D) listing all the defining properties of a concept is very difficult

Question 6

When we use rules to form and manipulate symbols in order to communicate,we are using:

A) analogies
B) prototypes
C) language
D) concepts

Question 7

A way we group or classify objects and events based on some shared characteristics is called a(n)____.

A) concept
B) cognition
C) heuristic
D) algorithm

Question 8

Professor Synder studies how beliefs are changed when information that contradicts the belief is presented.Professor Synder uses the:

A) humanistic approach
B) behavioral approach
C) cognitive approach
D) psychoanalytic approach

Question 9

The term ____ refers to mental processes that we use to be creative,to form concepts,and to solve problems.

A) information processing
B) remembering
C) cognitive
D) linguistic

Question 10

You overhear Brent talking with David.But the only thing you hear is David saying,"They all have wings." You ask Brent for a clarification and he says,"A bird,a plane,and a butterfly." Then you realize that they're:

A) talking about transformational rules
B) grouping objects using some common property they all share
C) referring to telegraphic speech
D) overgeneralizing

Question 11

According to the exemplar theory of concept formation,we list all of the essential properties that define an object,event,or characteristic.When we encounter an event and need to conceptualize it,we proceed to:

A) find the concept that fits all of the essential characteristics of that event
B) compare the selected concept to the prototype
C) use algorithms
D) use heuristics

Question 12

A "concept" can best be defined as a(n):

A) object that fits a series of prescribed rules
B) idea regarding the solution to a problem
C) novel use for an object or tool
D) way to group items based upon common characteristics

Question 13

A prototype for a car would include:

A) all the defining properties of a car
B) the average characteristics of all cars
C) a list of essential features
D) algorithms and heuristics

Question 14

A problem of the exemplar theory of concept formation is that:

A) our memory systems do not function in the way that exemplar theory predicts
B) our prototypes are based upon average features
C) we would have to list all the exceptions to the definition of an object
D) it takes longer to evaluate events that do not match the prototype

Question 15

The case of Jay-Z (Shawn Carter)illustrates:

A) how creativity is dependent on formal schooling
B) how creativity can occur independent of formal schooling
C) language development
D) how problem solving is tied to language development

Question 16

When you are asked to indicate what Sigmund Freud,Albert Bandura,Abraham Maslow,and Lewis Terman all have in common,you're really being asked to form a(n):

A) concept
B) object rule
C) hierarchy
D) analogy

Question 17

When someone says "bear," you think of a grizzly rather than a koala.This is probably because the grizzly bear:

A) has the most memorable teeth
B) is often the largest
C) often rears on its hind legs, reminiscent of humans
D) is a prototype for most North American bears

Question 18

The areas of thinking and language are important topics to study in the ____ approach.

A) cognitive
B) psychoanalytic
C) humanistic
D) behavioral

Question 19

A mental image that is based on the average characteristics of an object is called a(n):

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

Question 20

You are playing a guessing game with a child and you want the child to guess "cat." You give clues that the animal has four legs,fur,and whiskers,but the child guesses wrong each time.Then you give the hint that the animal purrs and the child correctly guesses "cat." In terms of concept formation,you supplied the child with a(n):

A) leading clue
B) essential characteristic
C) exemplar
D) prototype

Question 21

You are watching your two-year-old nephew and are amazed how quickly he can learn concepts and objects.According to Module 14,what accounts for this?

A) The brains of children have built-in exemplars of concepts and objects.
B) Children have brains that are already set up to quickly store things into categories.
C) Children use heuristics to learn concepts and objects.
D) The brains of children tend to ignore algorithms that can slow down learning, as is seen in adults.

Question 22

The three states of initial,operations,and goal are involved in ____.

A) heuristics
B) concept and prototype formation
C) functional fixedness
D) problem solving

Question 23

According to the textbook,concepts are easily developed by children because:

A) the attention span for interesting things is much larger in children than in adults
B) parents provide much stimulation to children
C) the brain is innately wired to process different concepts in different locations
D) parents are so willing to name objects and events

Question 24

One function of concepts is that they allow us to:

A) form heuristics
B) relearn new things
C) more accurately predict how other people will behave
D) group things into categories and then effectively organize them in memory

Question 25

Research has found that the processes of forming prototypes and matching things to prototypes:

A) go on at a conscious level
B) go on at an unconscious level
C) are influenced by grades in school
D) are influenced by the proficiency of one's memory system

Question 26

Which of the following is characteristic of prototype theory?

A) exceptions are not included in the list of defining properties
B) listing all of the essential features of an object or event
C) constructing a mental image and seeing if a new object matches this image
D) defining the concept through the use of language and heuristics

Question 27

Searching for some rule,plan,or strategy that leads to achieving a currently unavailable goal is called:

A) problem solving
B) mental setting
C) an availability heuristic
D) divergent thinking

Question 28

Once we have formed the concept for a car and encounter the car on another occasion,we:

A) do not have to relearn what a car is or what it does
B) can then form new heuristics
C) can refine the defining properties of car
D) do have to relearn what a car is and what it does

Question 29

According to the textbook,which of the following is the correct order of the states of problem solving?

A) realization state, operations state, culmination state
B) operations state, review state, decision state, goal state
C) goal state, operations state, review state, decision state
D) initial state, operations state, goal state

Question 30

An advantage of the prototype theory is that it:

A) allows for quick recognition
B) allows for exceptions
C) explains babbling in infants
D) allows deductive reasoning

Question 31

Which definition of a problem-solving state is incorrect?

A) initial state-contemplating the unsolved problem
B) operations state-trying various operations or strategies to solve the problem
C) initial state-formulating alternative methods to perceive the problem
D) goal state-solving the problem

Question 32

"Which job offer should I take? I need to select a city that has good health care,inexpensive housing,and a low crime rate.These are my reasons for selecting a city." This person is in what state of problem solving?

A) preparation state
B) initial state
C) operations state
D) goal state

Question 33

"Which job offer should I take? Do I go to New York,Cincinnati,Minneapolis,Chicago,or Dallas? I need to collect some information about each city with regard to health care,recreation,crime,and housing." This person is in what state of problem solving?

A) preparation state
B) initial state
C) operations state
D) goal state

Question 34

What would you see if you could "climb" inside a child's brain as she learns about different objects?

A) Objects are processed and stored according to the child's exemplar of the object.
B) There is no pattern as to where different objects are stored.
C) All objects, regardless of type, are processed and stored in the same part of the brain, which is the hippocampus.
D) Different objects are processed and stored in different parts of the brain.

Question 35

Does the brain have built-in categories for sorting and filing information?

A) No-the brain does not sort and file information based on categories
B) Yes-but the categories are developed through experience
C) Yes-but the brain doesn't have specific parts for categories
D) Yes-the brain has different areas for different categories

Question 36

Little 15-month-old Jeanie has already developed several concepts.Researchers have found that Jeanie has formed concepts as a result of:

A) parental competence
B) genetic makeup
C) personality disposition
D) experience with objects and her growing ability to use language

Question 37

Exemplar theory is to ____ as prototype theory is to ____.

A) biological; psychological
B) primary; secondary
C) deep characteristics; surface characteristics
D) essential characteristics; average characteristics

Question 38

You're watching your four-year-old niece trying to solve some problem she has encountered in an art project.She tries a number of different techniques and methods to solve the problem.Your niece is in the:

A) realization state
B) operations state
C) goal state
D) initial state

Question 39

Tim is developing a concept of an "office." According to ____ theory,Tim should list all the essential features of an office.According to ____ theory,however,Tim should construct an ideal office which is an average of all offices.

A) heuristic; semantic
B) exemplar; prototype
C) Chomsky's; transformational
D) deep structure; surface structure

Question 40

In problem solving,there are three states.Which of the following is not among the three states?

A) preparation state
B) initial state
C) operations state
D) goal state

Question 41

Functional fixedness is defined as:

A) the ability to transfer old learning to new situations
B) a rule that can be used to solve new problems
C) the inability to see an object as having a use different from its usual one.
D) the inability to use heuristics or algorithms

Question 42

Algorithm is to ____ as heuristic is to ____.

A) language; thinking
B) rule; mental shortcut
C) mental shortcut; rule
D) general; specific

Question 43

Steve is playing a chess game online against an expert.Even though he is a novice at chess,he is doing well until he's put in a difficult situation.Since Steve is a novice,according to Module 14 his most likely strategy is to:

A) spend lots of time examining strategies and many future moves
B) focus on just a few strategies that are the most effective
C) use the wrong algorithm to analyze the situation
D) focus on a few strategies, but be indecisive about which one to take

Question 44

Kal thinks that if a person colors their hair pink,they must be strange and maladjusted.This illustrates that Kal is using a(n):

A) heuristic
B) definition
C) algorithm
D) psychometric

Question 45

When asked to think about the movie he saw last night,Mel reports that he remembers the car chases because he liked those the most,yet he has forgotten about the poor dialogue and plot.For Mel,the car chases represent a(n):

A) availability heuristic
B) algorithm
C) representative prototype
D) analogy

Question 46

One difference research has revealed between expert and novice computer programmers is that the expert:

A) uses less insight
B) has more functional fixedness
C) starts with the specifics and works up to the big picture; the novice starts with the big picture
D) starts with the broad picture and works down to specific solutions; the novice starts with specifics

Question 47

The inability to see atypical and uncommon uses for an object is:

A) functional fixedness
B) interference
C) divergent thinking
D) braindrumming

Question 48

A computer program in 2006 beat chess master Vladimir Kramnik in four out of six games (and tied the other two)by using:

A) algorithms
B) availability heuristics
C) representative heuristics
D) brainstorming

Question 49

"Rules of thumb" or mental shortcuts are known as:

A) framings
B) heuristics
C) brainstorming
D) prototypes

Question 50

Travis has developed shortcuts to solving algebraic equations.These shortcuts allow Travis to identify a limited number of calculations and examine them in great depth.Travis is utilizing:

A) algorithms
B) semantics
C) heuristics
D) insight

Question 51

You are an intern at a giant computer software company.Today you are sitting in a meeting with novice and expert computer programmers discussing the latest project.The project is on writing a program to allow easier Internet surfing.Which of the following are you most likely to hear?

A) Tom (expert)-"Let's start with the overall goal and work backwards."
B) Jan (expert)-"We should discuss how the program will look."
C) Stuart (expert)-"A good starting point is to brainstorm marketing strategies."
D) Modine (novice)-"Let's be clear on the objective of the program first."

Question 52

Grandma Grace is terrified of flying in an airplane.On her first flight,she kept talking about crashing.Grandma said that the same thing that happened to those 150 victims of that airplane crash was going to happen to her.She demands that next time,she'll drive a car.Grandma Grace's decision making is influenced by:

A) the availability heuristic
B) the algorithms of flying
C) overregularization
D) morphemes

Question 53

Why are we more likely to remember the airplane crash that killed 143 people,but tend to forget the hundreds of people killed in car accidents last month in the United States?

A) representative heuristic
B) framing
C) algorithm bias
D) availability heuristic

Question 54

The ____ heuristic says that we have a tendency to assume that an object or event belongs in a particular category based on how similar it is to the typical prototype of that category.

A) algorithm
B) availability
C) exemplar
D) representative

Question 55

Rules that will eventually lead to a solution if followed correctly are called:

A) algorithms
B) availability heuristics
C) representative heuristics
D) brainstorming

Question 56

Tom and Allison want to build a play fort.Unfortunately,there is no available lumber to build with.The two think about their problem.Suddenly Tom says,"Let's use the large box that the new refrigerator came in." Allison (who appears confused)argues,"You can't do that! A box isn't a fort." Tom demonstrates ____ while Allison shows ____.

A) convergent thinking; divergent thinking
B) functional fixedness; analogical thinking
C) insight; functional fixedness
D) anterograde problem-solving; divergent thinking

Question 57

Algorithm is to ____ as heuristic is to ____.

A) language; thinking
B) rule; mental shortcut
C) mental shortcut; rule
D) general; specific

Question 58

You must calculate your income tax.You carefully follow the instructions to ultimately determine the amount.The instructions act as a(n):

A) representative heuristic
B) artificial rule
C) algorithm
D) availability heuristic

Question 59

As you review the recipe for chocolate chip cookies,you realize that the recipe is a(n):

A) representative heuristic
B) artificial rule
C) algorithm
D) availability heuristic

Question 60

Every night Donna asks Larry how his day went.She figures he must hate his job because he does nothing but complain about terrible things that happened during the day.When she attends an office party with him,Donna is surprised to find that Larry's coworkers are pleasant and fun and that Larry seems to enjoy what he does.The fact that Larry remembers the negative aspects of his job more than the positive ones is an example of:

A) framing
B) the representativeness heuristic
C) the availability heuristic
D) brainstorming

Question 61

If you study creativity using the psychometric approach,you focus on:

A) relative linguistics
B) functional fixedness and insight
C) convergent and divergent thinking
D) divergent thinking and overgeneralization

Question 62

On the first day of a business class,the professor talked about how there might be more than one way to create a business organization.This illustrates what kind of thinking?

A) convergent thinking
B) semantic problem solving
C) divergent thinking
D) operations

Question 63

Which is not an approach to measuring creativity?

A) linguistic
B) case study
C) psychometric
D) cognitive

Question 64

Frank claims that when he is confronted with a problem,he likes to come up with one correct solution.Frank practices:

A) convergent thinking
B) semantic problem solving
C) divergent thinking
D) creative thinking

Question 65

"There is only one right answer to this exercise," the professor says as the class is reviewing a problem.What type of thinking is the professor describing?

A) divergent thinking
B) convergent thinking
C) heuristics
D) brainstorming

Question 66

When doing a research paper,you break up the assignment into the steps of doing library research,taking notes,making a detailed outline,and writing the paper.This strategy uses:

A) functional fixedness
B) transformational rules
C) an analogy
D) subgoals

Question 67

The professor wrote on Quan's paper,"I am impressed with your creative thinking on this issue." Quan was most likely demonstrating:

A) functional fixedness
B) the creation of average characteristics of an object
C) flexibility in thinking and reorganization in understanding
D) the use of rules called algorithms

Question 68

The definition of creativity involving divergent thinking differs from other definitions in that it:

A) defines creativity in terms of the extent to which a person's thoughts differ from the norm
B) defines creativity in terms of the extent to which a person's thoughts produce socially valued products
C) measures creativity in terms of the speed at which problems are solved
D) measures creativity by the number of possible answers a person can come up with to a single question

Question 69

You've accepted a new job that will start in two months,but you have to move to a new city.The idea of moving doesn't appeal to you,since it is a very big task.A useful strategy is to break up the task into:

A) general problems
B) subgoals
C) secondary problems
D) phonemes

Question 70

This individual you know solves problems on a regular basis in very innovative ways that influence other people.This person is:

A) divergent
B) convergent
C) creative
D) transformational

Question 71

"A toothpick is a toothpick.It can't be used for anything except to pick your teeth." This person is experiencing:

A) interference
B) convergent thinking
C) functional fixedness
D) an availability heuristic

Question 72

A combination of flexibility in thinking and reorganization in understanding to produce innovative ideas is important in:

A) creative thinking
B) semantics
C) definitional theory
D) concept formation

Question 73

After spending hours trying to fix a bug in his computer program,Chris suddenly realizes the solution by remembering steps his mother took to can beets.This is an example of:

A) functional fixedness
B) convergent thinking
C) using an analogy
D) overgeneralization

Question 74

A person who solves problems by finding a similarity between a new situation and an old situation is utilizing:

A) insight
B) an analogy
C) a deep structure
D) transformational rules

Question 75

One reason why businesses like to hire people with experience is that these individuals are more likely to draw ____ to solve problems.

A) insight
B) transformational rules
C) functional fixedness
D) analogies

Question 76

What's the problem-solving strategy that breaks down the overall problem into separate parts?

A) forming ill-defined goals
B) forming subgoals
C) forming secondary problems
D) forming heuristics

Question 77

In your philosophy class one day,the professor asks,"What is the best-tasting food?" You think to yourself that the answer depends on the person.You suddenly realize that the question requires:

A) convergent thinking
B) semantic problem solving
C) divergent thinking
D) operations

Question 78

When you begin with a problem and devise many solutions,it is called ____,but if you come up with the one correct solution,it is called ____.

A) semantics; insight
B) phonology; morphology
C) brainstorming; analogous
D) divergent thinking; convergent thinking

Question 79

The kids have messed up the living room.There are toys and paper all over the floor.The father tells the kids to clean up.When realizing the large mess they made,the kids start to complain.Then the father suggests breaking down the task into smaller parts,and the kids agree.The father has used the strategy of forming:

A) subgoals
B) an analogy
C) insight
D) functional fixedness

Question 80

Stan does not realize that his stapler can be used as a paper weight.This is an example of:

A) interference
B) convergent thinking
C) linguistic relativity
D) functional fixedness