Deck 7: Memory

Question 1

You check the time on your phone.Your friend should be out of class by now.You call her.She should answer if she's out of class.In this example,your thought processes are best seen as exemplifying:

A) problem solving.
B) conceptualization.
C) reasoning.
D) creativity.

Answer 1

reasoning.

Question 2

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 coming to a solution.

Answer 2

In cases where algorithms are not available,we may use heuristics.

Question 3

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

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

Answer 3

concepts.

Question 4

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 5

_____ 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 6

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 7

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.

Question 8

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 9

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 10

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 11

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

Question 12

Dr.Randazza shows participants a stylized map of a fictitious city.The map includes landmarks,such as a post office,a library,a shopping mall,a bus depot,and an airport.Some of the landmarks are close together,such as the library and the post office.Others are far apart,such as the airport and the shopping mall.Dr.Randazza removes the map.Participants are asked to imagine walking from one landmark to another,either a nearby one or a more distant one.Participants press a key when they've reached the destination in their minds.Based on your text's discussion of 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 we 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 we 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 we 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 we perform with respect to real objects.

Question 13

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 14

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

Question 15

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

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

Question 16

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 most frequent or common example of a concept.
D) the most unusual or distinctive example of a concept.

Question 17

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

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

Question 18

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 19

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

A) Clint's mental rehearsal should improve his golf swing.Carrying out 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 20

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 21

When you go to the supermarket,you see the brand of cookies you usually buy,and settle for it.Usually it's 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 22

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

A) The availability heuristic
B) The confirmation bias
C) The syllogistic error
D) The representativeness heuristic

Question 23

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

A) The representativeness heuristic
B) Functional fixedness
C) The availability heuristic
D) The confirmation bias

Question 24

Following the September 11,2001,Twin Towers attacks,many Americans elected 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 more frequently.This example illustrates the:

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

Question 25

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 26

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

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

Question 27

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

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

Question 28

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 → judgment → production
B) Judgment → production → preparation
C) Preparation → production → judgment
D) Judgment → preparation → production

Question 29

"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 30

Carl is the one person Craig has ever met from New Zealand.Carl strikes Craig as being quite friendly and funny.When asked 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 he have used to make this judgment?

A) The representativeness heuristic
B) The confirmation bias
C) Functional fixedness
D) The availability heuristic

Question 31

The _____ is a rule we apply when we judge people by the degree to which they depict a certain category or group of people.

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

Question 32

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 33

Suppose you meet a woman who opposes the death penalty.You then decide that,generally,women are more likely to oppose the death penalty than are men.That is,you assume that the individual case is depictive of its category.Here you have fallen prey to:

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

Question 34

When people are asked which is more common,death by homicide or death by stroke,they often choose homicide because they simply 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) the stereotypic bias.
C) the confirmation bias.
D) the availability heuristic.

Question 35

When you use the representativeness heuristic,you are:

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

Question 36

_____ 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 37

Dr.Ireland's class is attempting to find derivatives;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 38

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 39

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 40

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

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

Question 41

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) Functional fixedness and mental set are the same thing.
D) Functional fixedness and mental set are distinct problem-solving impediments.

Question 42

_____ 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 43

_____ 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 44

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 45

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

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

Question 46

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

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

Question 47

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 48

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 _____.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 49

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) prescriptive

Question 50

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 51

Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb 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 52

According to the text,the most frequently used problem-solving heuristic is:

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

Question 53

_____ 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 54

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 55

According to the text,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 56

Janelle is solving anagrams;Kamika is puzzling over verbal analogies;Lamar is playing chess with a friend.Which alternative below CORRRECTLY 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 57

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 58

_____ 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 59

Which of the following problem types is CORRECTLY matched with a 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 60

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

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

Question 61

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 62

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 63

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

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

Question 64

Approximately how many phonemes are found in English?

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

Question 65

A jeweler is unable to fix a particular mounting in a ring because she can imagine only the conventional uses for her tools.This best demonstrates which of the following?

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

Question 66

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

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

Question 67

Nigel often cites newspaper editorials favoring the presidential candidate he supports;he appears to ignore editorials critical of the candidate.Nigel appears prone to:

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

Question 68

As 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 69

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 70

According to the text,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 71

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 to make toys"

Question 72

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

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

Question 73

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 74

_____ is the tendency to seek out and weight more heavily 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 75

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 76

Dr.Salim is a linguist,studying the rules guiding the order of words and phrases in several of the world's languages.Dr.Salim is a(n):

A) syntactician.
B) semanticist.
C) phonologist.
D) translator.

Question 77

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 78

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

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

Question 79

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.That 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 does research on the confirmation bias suggest that Sandy will do?

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 80

Phonology is the study of:

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