Deck 7: Thinking, Language, and Intelligence

Question 1

Which of the following is true about mental images?

A) They refer only to visual representations.
B) They have only a few of the properties of the actual stimuli they represent.
C) They are representations in the mind of an object or event.
D) They cannot be rotated.

Answer 1

They are representations in the mind of an object or event.

Question 2

Which of the following 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 titled "How to Succeed in Science"
D) A computer program for keeping track of inventory at a department store

Answer 2

An article by a Nobel Prize winner titled "How to Succeed in Science"

Question 3

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) Image

Answer 3

Category

Question 4

Which of the following terms best captures the meaning of the term heuristic,as cognitive psychologists use it?

A) Principle
B) Formula
C) Strategy
D) Program

Question 5

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

A) heuristic.
B) algorithm.
C) premise.
D) syllogism.

Question 6

Mental groupings of objects,events,or people that share common features are called:

A) concepts.
B) ideas.
C) heuristics.
D) algorithms.

Question 7

_____ is the process by which information is used to draw conclusions and make decisions.

A) Reasoning
B) Negotiating
C) Predicting
D) Conceptualizing

Question 8

When you play tic-tac-toe using certain mental shortcuts,you are using cognitive strategies psychologists called:

A) algorithms.
B) mental sets.
C) heuristics.
D) syllogistic reasoning.

Question 9

Clint is mentally rehearsing his golf swing in his mind's eye.Based on mental imagery,which of the following statements is most accurate?

A) Clint's mental rehearsal should improve his golf swing.Performing the task involves the same network of brain cells as the network used in mentally rehearsing it.
B) Clint's mental rehearsal should do little to improve his golf swing.The brain areas active during Clint's mental rehearsal should be the same as those active when Clint actually swings the golf club.
C) Clint's mental rehearsal should improve his golf swing.The brain areas active during Clint's mental rehearsal should be different than those active when Clint actually swings the golf club.
D) Clint's mental rehearsal should do little to improve his golf swing.The brain areas active during Clint's mental rehearsal should be different than those active when Clint actually swings the golf club.

Question 10

Mental representations of objects are called _____;mental grouping of similar objects,events,or people are called _____.

A) images;concepts
B) images;images as well
C) concepts;concepts as well
D) concepts;images

Question 11

Which of the following statements best expresses the nature of mental images?

A) They are binary in format.
B) They are always auditory in format.
C) They may be produced by any sensory modality.
D) They are linguistic.

Question 12

Which of the following is most likely the prototype of the concept "fruit"?

A) Carrot
B) Apple
C) Tomato
D) Blueberry

Question 13

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 have reached the destination in their minds.Based on mental imagery,what do you think Dr.Randazza should find? What would such a result say about mental imagery?

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

Question 14

A prototype is:

A) the most typical or highly representative example of a concept.
B) the first example of a concept that one encounters.
C) the least frequent example of a concept.
D) the most unusual or distinctive example of a concept.

Question 15

Which of the following is TRUE of heuristics?

A) In cases where algorithms are not available,we may use heuristics.
B) If applied appropriately,a heuristic guarantees a solution to a problem.
C) Heuristics never lead to errors.
D) Heuristics decrease the likelihood of success in finding a solution.

Question 16

doesn't understand why it works.

A) heuristic.
B) algorithm.
C) premise.
D) syllogism.

Question 17

Which of the following is TRUE of algorithms?

A) In cases where heuristics are not available,we may use algorithms.
B) Even if it is applied appropriately,an algorithm cannot guarantee a solution to a problem.
C) Algorithms may sometimes lead to errors.
D) We can use an algorithm even if we cannot understand why it works.

Question 18

_____ psychology is the branch of psychology that focuses on the study of higher mental processes,including thinking,language,memory,problem solving,knowing,reasoning,and judging.

A) Clinical
B) Developmental
C) Cognitive
D) Evolutionary

Question 19

Which of the following is an advantage of the use of heuristics?

A) A heuristic will present a clearly defined solution to a problem.
B) A heuristic is often efficient.
C) A heuristic is guaranteed to result in a correct response.
D) A heuristic results in only one possible solution to a problem.

Question 20

Matt picks up a pamphlet at a counseling center titled How to Succeed at College Course Work.Which type of problem-solving strategies is most likely offered in this pamphlet?

A) Algorithms
B) Insights
C) Heuristics
D) Syllogisms

Question 21

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

A) the representativeness heuristic.
B) stereotypic bias.
C) confirmation bias.
D) the availability heuristic.

Question 22

In _____ problems,the nature of the problem and the information needed to solve it are clear.In _____ problems,either or both the nature of the problem and the information required to solve it are unclear.

A) well-defined;ill-defined
B) algorithmic;heuristic
C) arrangement;inducing structure
D) transformation;arrangement

Question 23

When you go to the supermarket,you see the brand of cookies you usually buy,and settle for it.Usually it is a good rule of thumb because it saves a lot of time.You do not ponder over every type of cookie available in the store.This is an example of a(n)_____.

A) representativeness heuristic
B) syllogistic reasoning
C) algorithm
D) familiarity heuristic

Question 24

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

A) The availability heuristic
B) Confirmation bias
C) Syllogistic error
D) The representativeness heuristic

Question 25

Which of the following is TRUE of heuristics?

A) Heuristics always lead to correct solutions 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 by computers but not by humans as problem-solving tools.

Question 26

Following the September 11,2001,Twin Towers attacks,many Americans opted to drive rather than fly.The media coverage of the hijackings caused Americans to overestimate the danger of flying.As it was an event they remember easily,they assumed it could occur frequently.This example illustrates:

A) the availability heuristic.
B) the representativeness heuristic.
C) confirmation bias.
D) stereotypic bias.

Question 27

"Convert to a mixed numeral: 18/5," states one problem in a fifth-grader's arithmetic text.This is a(n)_____ problem.It is best solved through the application of _____.

A) well-defined;algorithms
B) well-defined;heuristics
C) ill-defined;algorithms
D) ill-defined;heuristics

Question 28

The _____ heuristic involves judging the probability of an event on the basis of how easily the event can be recalled from memory.

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

Question 29

Which of the following sequences best reflects the order of the three broad phases of the problem-solving process,from first to last?

A) Preparation $\rarr$ judgment $\rarr$ production
B) Judgment $\rarr$ production $\rarr$ preparation
C) Preparation $\rarr$ production $\rarr$ judgment
D) Judgment $\rarr$ preparation $\rarr$ production

Question 30

When you use the availability heuristic,you are:

A) making frequency estimates based on the ease with which things come to mind.
B) overcoming mental set.
C) mistaking visual images and other forms of mental representations for reality.
D) assuming that something is typical of its class.

Question 31

According to the _____ heuristic,we assume that events we remember easily are likely to have occurred more frequently in the past-and are more likely to occur in the future-than events that are harder to remember.

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

Question 32

Joanne does 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.Joanne falling victim to:

A) the representativeness heuristic.
B) functional fixedness.
C) the availability heuristic.
D) confirmation bias.

Question 33

Suppose you meet a woman who killed her stepdaughter,and then later when you meet another woman who is having trouble with her stepdaughter,you are most likely to think that this woman too will kill her stepdaughter.You come to this conclusion as a result of:

A) functional fixedness.
B) the representativeness heuristic.
C) the availability heuristic.
D) confirmation bias.

Question 34

Which of the following is an ill-defined problem?

A) Navigating to a museum in a nearby city
B) Composing a good concerto
C) Finding out where several well-known authors were born
D) Playing Scrabble

Question 35

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 will be the better buy.Lori attempts to divide the price of each can by the number of ounces of coffee each can contains.Monica suggests that "the larger size is usually a better buy." Lori is using a(n)____,whereas Monica is using a(n)_____.

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

Question 36

_____ may sometimes lead to errors.

A) Theorems
B) Heuristics
C) Algorithms
D) Statements

Question 37

Carl is the only person from New Zealand that Craig has ever met.Carl strikes Craig as being quite friendly and funny.When Carl asks Craig what he would expect to find if he went to New Zealand,Craig says that he would expect the people to be quite friendly and funny.What might Craig have used to make this judgment?

A) The familiarity heuristic
B) Confirmation bias
C) Functional fixedness
D) The availability heuristic

Question 38

_____ intelligence is the field that examines how to use technology to imitate the outcome of human thinking,problem solving,and creative activities.

A) Artificial
B) Bodily-kinesthetic
C) Spatial
D) Existential

Question 39

In a(n)_____ heuristic,known items are seen as superior to those that are unknown.

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

Question 40

"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 would not tell her what was bothering him.Iris is using the _____ heuristic.

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

Question 41

Millie is stumped by a problem in her pre-calculus text.She furtively glances at the answer provided in the back of the text to get an idea of how the solution should look before she returns to the problem.Millie's strategy most closely resembles the problem-solving heuristic of:

A) forming subgoals.
B) trial and error.
C) working backward.
D) insight.

Question 42

In problems of _____,a person must identify the existing relationships among the elements presented and then construct a new relationship among them.

A) arrangement
B) inducing structure
C) transformation
D) prescription

Question 43

Kent and Kirsten are both trying to reduce their consumer debt.Kent isolates several more concrete problems he can solve to achieve his goal,such as paying the highest-interest debts first and freezing 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 _____,while Kirsten's method illustrates the strategy of _____.

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

Question 44

_____ problems consist of an initial state,a goal state,and a method for changing the initial state into the goal state.

A) Arrangement
B) Inducing structure
C) Transformation
D) Prescriptive

Question 45

_____ involves repeated tests for differences between the desired outcome and what currently exists.

A) Forming subgoals
B) Means-ends analysis
C) Insight
D) Trial and error

Question 46

The apparent suddenness of insightful problem solutions:

A) may rest in part on the foundation of trial and error.
B) may be based on the availability heuristic.
C) has been affirmed by empirical research.
D) requires the application of confirmation bias.

Question 47

_____ refers to the tendency of old patterns of problem solving to persist.

A) Mental set
B) Representativeness heuristic
C) Availability heuristic
D) Syllogistic frame

Question 48

Janelle is solving anagrams;Kamika is puzzling over verbal analogies;Lamar is playing chess with a friend.Which alternative below correctly matches each individual with the type of problem he or she is solving?

A) Janelle-arrangement;Kamika-transformation;Lamar-inducing structure
B) Janelle-transformation;Kamika-inducing structure;Lamar-arrangement
C) Janelle-arrangement;Kamika-inducing structure;Lamar-transformation
D) Janelle-transformation;Kamika-arrangement;Lamar-inducing structure

Question 49

Which problem-solving strategy or method is correctly matched with its definition?

A) Means-ends analysis: dividing a problem into intermediate steps
B) Forming subgoals: focusing on a problem's goal rather than its starting point
C) Working backward: reducing the apparent difference between the current state of the problem and the goal
D) Insight: experiencing a sudden awareness of the relationships among a problem's components

Question 50

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

A) forming subgoals.
B) working backward.
C) means-ends analysis.
D) trial and error.

Question 51

Dr.Ireland's class is attempting to find derivatives,whereas Dr.Jamison's class is developing campaign strategies for a local politician.Which of the following statements is MOST likely TRUE?

A) Dr.Ireland's class is solving a well-defined problem.
B) Dr.Jamison's class is solving a well-defined problem.
C) Dr.Ireland's class is using syllogistic reasoning.
D) Dr.Jamison's class is using familiarity heuristic.

Question 52

Which of the following problem types is correctly matched with its description?

A) Arrangement-moving from an initial to a goal state according to a specific method
B) Inducing structure-identifying relationships among problem elements and constructing new relationships
C) Transformation-rearranging or recombining elements to satisfy a particular criterion
D) Transformation-identifying relationships among problem elements and constructing new relationships

Question 53

Thomas Edison invented the light-bulb only because he experimented with thousands of different kinds of materials for a filament before he found one that worked (carbon).This shows that at the most basic level,we can solve problems through _____.

A) the availability heuristic
B) means-ends analysis
C) insight
D) trial and error

Question 54

_____ is defined as a sudden awareness of the relationship among problem elements;it is thought to lead rapidly to the problem's solution.

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

Question 55

In the context of problem solving,the most frequently used problem-solving heuristic is:

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

Question 56

For which of the following types of problems is the evaluation of solutions LEAST likely to prove difficult?

A) Well-defined problems
B) Ill-defined problems
C) Divergent thinking problems
D) Associative thinking problems

Question 57

_____ problems require the problem solver to rearrange or recombine elements in a way that will satisfy a certain criterion.

A) Arrangement
B) Inducing structure
C) Transformation
D) Prescriptive

Question 58

Which of the following impediments to effective problem solving is incorrectly matched with an illustrative problem?

A) Confirmation bias-problem of security in the Middle East
B) Functional fixedness-water jar problem
C) Mental set-water jar problem
D) Functional fixedness-candle problem

Question 59

Which of the following is a key characteristic of insight?

A) Brevity
B) Complexity
C) Uniqueness
D) Suddenness

Question 60

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

A) Kohler;chimpanzees
B) Kohler;humans
C) Wundt;cats
D) Wundt;humans

Question 61

Critical or creative thinking may be enhanced by each of the following strategies EXCEPT:

A) using analogies.
B) considering opposites.
C) avoiding heuristics.
D) experimenting with solutions.

Question 62

Which of the following statements accurately expresses one failing of cognitive psychologists' study of problem solving?

A) Cognitive psychologists have failed to identify the strategies people use in solving problems.
B) Cognitive psychologists have failed to explain why some people generate better solutions than others do.
C) Cognitive psychologists have failed to specify how people represent problems in their minds.
D) Cognitive psychologists have failed to identify the barriers to effective problem solving that people face.

Question 63

Someone relying on divergent thinking would answer _____ to the query "What can you do with a pencil?"

A) "You write with it"
B) "You use it for sketching"
C) "You use it when you can't find a pen"
D) "You use it for making toys"

Question 64

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

A) She is constrained by a powerful mental set.
B) She has been released from functional fixedness.
C) She is taking advantage of the representative heuristic.
D) She is forming subgoals.

Question 65

Sandy,a true believer in astrology,reads in her horoscope that today is her lucky day.She gets so excited that she spills coffee all over herself,necessitating a change of clothes.As a result,she is late for work and for a very important meeting,which in turn gets her into serious trouble with her boss.In the evening,her brother is taken to the emergency room.On her way to visit him,Sandy finds a dime in the hospital parking lot.What will Sandy do based on the research on confirmation bias?

A) Sandy will renounce astrology as completely wrong because of all the horrible things that happened on her "lucky day."
B) Sandy will begin to question her belief in astrology because of all the horrible things that happened on her "lucky day."
C) Sandy will seize on the dime she found as evidence of astrology's accuracy.
D) Confirmation bias has little or no relevance to how Sandy will think about astrology in the future.

Question 66

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 confirmation bias.
C) He suffered from mental set.
D) He employed representational thought.

Question 67

Which of the following statements best expresses the relationship between mental and functional fixedness?

A) Functional fixedness is an example of a broader phenomenon known as mental set.
B) Mental set is actually a specific instance of functional fixedness.
C) Mental set and functional fixedness are the same thing.
D) Functional fixedness and mental set are distinct problem-solving impediments.

Question 68

Which of the following impediments to effective problem solving is correctly matched with its definition?

A) Functional fixedness-the tendency for old patterns of problem solving to persist
B) Mental set-the tendency to think of an object only in terms of its customary use
C) Confirmation bias-the tendency to favor existing hypotheses and to ignore evidence favoring alternatives
D) Representative heuristic-involves judging the probability of an event on the basis of how easily the event can be recalled from memory

Question 69

Nigel often cites newspaper editorials favoring the presidential candidate he supports.He appears to ignore editorials' criticism of the candidate.Nigel appears to be prone to:

A) functional fixedness.
B) mental set.
C) the confirmation bias.
D) the representativeness heuristic.

Question 70

Linguists have identified more than _____ different phonemes among all the world's languages.

A) 26
B) 800
C) 52
D) an infinite number

Question 71

Compared to less creative individuals,creative persons:

A) prefer more complex stimuli.
B) are more dependent.
C) are more interested in concrete problems.
D) have a narrower range of interests.

Question 72

Which of the following is true of creativity?

A) One factor that is closely related to creativity is intelligence.
B) Traditional tests are a good way to gauge an individual's creativity.
C) Highly creative individuals show signs of convergent thinking.
D) Cognitive complexity is an important aspect of creativity.

Question 73

The ability to generate original ideas or develop novel solutions to problems is known as:

A) convergent thinking.
B) insight.
C) creativity.
D) syllogistic reasoning.

Question 74

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

A) syllogistic reasoning.
B) mental set.
C) the confirmation bias.
D) the representativeness heuristic.

Question 75

Phonology is the study of the _____ in a language.

A) combination of words
B) speech sounds
C) order of words
D) meaning of words

Question 76

Someone relying on convergent thinking would answer _____ to the query "What can you do with a toothbrush?"

A) "You brush your teeth with it"
B) "You use it for painting"
C) "You use it for cleaning tools"
D) "You use it to make toys"

Question 77

_____ is the tendency to seek out and give greater weight to information that supports one's initial hypothesis and to ignore contradictory information that supports alternative hypotheses or solutions.

A) Functional fixedness
B) A mental set
C) Confirmation bias
D) Representativeness heuristic

Question 78

Which of the following factors is NOT closely related to creativity?

A) Cognitive complexity
B) Abstract problems
C) Range of interests
D) Intelligence

Question 79

Traditional intelligence tests tend to assess _____ thinking;tests of creativity tap into _____.

A) divergent;convergent thinking
B) divergent;divergent thinking as well
C) convergent;divergent thinking
D) convergent;convergent thinking as well

Question 80

A jeweler is unable to fix a particular mounting in a ring because she can imagine only the conventional uses of her tools.Which of the following does this best demonstrate?

A) Syllogistic reasoning
B) Functional fixedness
C) Algorithmic thinking
D) Means-end analysis