Deck 5: Section 2: Consciousness

Question 1

To illustrate the problem of other minds, philosophers imagine hypothetical zombies that:

A)are themselves fully conscious.
B)have a mind but must eat brains because they are lacking this critical organ.
C)are themselves unconscious but are indistinguishable from persons who are conscious.
D)are programmed to act in certain ways but cannot modify their actions based on experiences.

Answer 1

are themselves unconscious but are indistinguishable from persons who are conscious.

Question 2

Which statement about the problem of other minds is true?

A)The "consciousness meter" of anesthesiologists has produced tremendous insight into the conscious experiences of other minds.
B)You can quickly assess if your roommate is or is not an unconscious zombie by asking her how she feels.
C)By studying another person in tremendous detail, psychologists ultimately will be able to truly know that it is like to be that person.
D)It cannot be proven if anyone else besides you even experiences consciousness.

Answer 2

It cannot be proven if anyone else besides you even experiences consciousness.

Question 3

René Descartes, a French philosopher and mathematician, believed that the mind had its effects on the brain and body through the:

A)ventricular system.
B)parasympathetic nervous system.
C)hippocampus.
D)pineal gland.

Answer 3

pineal gland.

Question 4

Recent research has indicated that two dimensions of mind perception are:

A)feeling and experience.
B)experience and agency.
C)agency and self-control.
D)planning and memory.

Question 5

The _____ is the fundamental problem we have in knowing whether the mental experiences of another person are anything like our own.

A)problem of other minds
B)mind-body problem
C)levels of consciousness issue
D)"unknown observer" issue

Question 6

Which of these do people perceive as having experience but not agency?

A)a baby
B)God
C)a robot
D)an adult human

Question 7

_____ refers to how things seem to the _____ person.

A)Phrenology; unconscious
B)Phenomenology; unconscious
C)Phrenology; conscious
D)Phenomenology; conscious

Question 8

Which of these do people perceive as having agency but lacking experience?

A)a baby
B)a person in a persistent vegetative state
C)a robot
D)a chimpanzee

Question 9

A psychologist studying consciousness is analogous to a(n):

A)botanist pondering what it is like to be a daffodil.
B)theoretical physicist attempting to determine what happens to objects that enter a black hole.
C)meteorologist trying to predict the weather.
D)alchemist trying to turn lead into gold.

Question 10

The defining feature of consciousness which separates it from unconsciousness is:

A)experience.
B)activation-synthesis.
C)forebrain activity.
D)wakefulness.

Question 11

From Benjamin Libet's experiments on timing conscious will, it appears that:

A)the feeling of conscious will exists because the mind directs brain and behavioral processes.
B)the feeling of conscious will is the result of brain activity and not the cause of it.
C)within 300 milliseconds after willing an action to occur, brain activity has begun to direct behavior.
D)conscious will is the result of the mind justifying a behavioral action after the fact.

Question 12

In Benjamin Libet's experiments, the timing of conscious will was shown to follow which pattern?

A)brain activity begins, a conscious wish to act is experienced, then behavioral action occurs
B)a conscious wish to act is experienced, brain activity begins, then behavioral action occurs
C)behavioral action occurs, brain activity begins, then a conscious wish to act is experienced
D)a conscious wish to act is experienced, behavioral action occurs, then brain activity begins

Question 13

Which statement about the theater of the mind is NOT true?

A)It is difficult to share what we view in the theater with other people.
B)The movie projected onto our mental screen can be viewed repeatedly if we so choose.
C)Some things presently occurring are not projected onto our mental screen.
D)There is only a single seat in the theater.

Question 14

Phenomenology refers to:

A)how things seem to the conscious person.
B)how things seem to a person during a dream.
C)the comparison of a single phenomenon to a transcendental state.
D)the practice of determining traits by examining bumps on the skull.

Question 15

The psychological approach known as _____ was proposed as a way to make the problem of other minds a nonissue.

A)structuralism
B)phrenology
C)mentalism
D)behaviorism

Question 16

The issue of how the mind is related to the brain and body is known as the:

A)cocktail-party phenomenon.
B)problem of other minds.
C)mind-body problem.
D)split-brain problem.

Question 17

From Benjamin Libet's experiments on timing conscious will, it appears that the:

A)mind directs the brain and behavior.
B)mind and brain simultaneously direct behavior.
C)brain directs behavior but is not associated with mental processes.
D)brain directs the mind and behavior.

Question 18

Our subjective experience of the external world and our mind is called:

A)self-perception.
B)objective reality.
C)consciousness.
D)unconscious processing.

Question 19

_____ believed that the human body was a physical machine but that the human mind was made of an immaterial "thinking substance."

A)Benjamin Libet
B)Sigmund Freud
C)William James
D)René Descartes

Question 20

Which belief is NOT expressed by René Descartes?

A)the mind is not composed of physical matter
B)the mind is what the brain does
C)the mind is a separate entity from the body
D)the human body functions as a machine

Question 21

Amanda is trying to focus on what her psychology professor is saying, but her mind keeps wandering to other things, like the fact that the lecture hall is cold, her seat is hard, there is a message on her cell phone to check, and whether or not Kevin is going to be at the party tonight. This illustrates the _____ of consciousness.

A)intentionality
B)unity
C)transience
D)selectivity

Question 22

A state in which conscious experience can be reported to others is said to be:

A)minimal consciousness.
B)full consciousness.
C)self-consciousness.
D)verbal consciousness.

Question 23

Betsy and Jasmine are arguing about the intellectual abilities of their dog, Amos. Betsy claims that Amos knows that he is supposed to bark upon the command "speak." Jasmine agrees that Amos speaks upon command, but contends that Amos is not aware that he has learned this stimulus-response relation. Betsy and Jasmine are debating whether Amos is _____ of his clever abilities.

A)preconscious
B)fully conscious
C)self-conscious
D)transient

Question 24

The fact that our consciousness can wander like a stream is taken as evidence of the _____ of consciousness.

A)intentionality
B)unity
C)transience
D)selectivity

Question 25

Upon arriving at work, Bailey suddenly becomes aware that she must have zoned out, because she doesn't remember her 20-minute drive. Bailey was _____ during the drive.

A)preconscious
B)unconscious
C)self-conscious
D)minimally conscious

Question 26

Although Alek is clearly sleeping, when Katrina pokes him in the ribs, Alek rolls over. This demonstrates that Alek is:

A)minimally conscious.
B)fully conscious.
C)self-conscious.
D)REM conscious.

Question 27

The Necker Cube illusion illustrates the _____ of consciousness.

A)transience
B)unity
C)intentionality
D)selectivity

Question 28

The capacity to include some objects in consciousness and not others is called the _____ of consciousness.

A)selectivity
B)intentionality
C)inclusivity
D)nature

Question 29

William James has suggested that self-consciousness occurs when:

A)we focus all of our attention on an object.
B)our attention is drawn to ourselves as an object.
C)we can respond to stimuli in our environments.
D)we simplify our lives and stop being fully conscious.

Question 30

The dichotic listening technique illustrates which property of consciousness?

A)intentionality
B)selectivity
C)transience
D)unity

Question 31

Katie is in the school gym talking to a group of her friends. All of a sudden, her attention is diverted to another group of people talking in the opposite corner of the gym when someone mentions her name in their conversation. This is an example of:

A)inattentional blindness.
B)minimal consciousness.
C)self-consciousness.
D)the cocktail-party phenomenon.

Question 32

Jenny, the pitcher for her softball team, adjusts her grip on the ball, squints to block the glare of the hot sun, receives a signal from the catcher, and begins her windup as teammates chant in nervous anticipation. If asked, Jenny would report she is experiencing all the sights and sounds of a softball game as a whole scene rather than experiencing each perception individually. This illustrates the _____ of consciousness.

A)unity
B)selectivity
C)transience
D)intentionality

Question 33

The psychologist who famously described consciousness as flowing like a stream was:

A)Sigmund Freud.
B)William James.
C)John Watson.
D)Wilhelm Wundt.

Question 34

The four basic properties of consciousness are:

A)selectivity, unity, intentionality, and self-consciousness.
B)selectivity, transience, phenomenology, and dichotomy.
C)intentionality, unity, selectivity, and transience.
D)intentionality, dichotomy, selectivity, and transience.

Question 35

While repeating information given to them through headphones in their left ear, participants are also receiving a second message in their right ear. Which of the following aspects of the second message would MOST likely be noticed?

A)the speaker changes languages
B)the voice of the speaker changes sexes
C)the subject of the message switches from the weather to current events
D)the voice of the speaker is slow and monotone throughout

Question 36

While Theresa is asleep, her roommate places Theresa's hand in bowl of cold water. Theresa removes her hand from the bowl but remains asleep. Theresa is at which level of consciousness?

A)minimal consciousness
B)full consciousness
C)unconsciousness
D)REM consciousness

Question 37

Consciousness is always directed toward an object, a property of consciousness termed:

A)selectivity.
B)transience.
C)unity.
D)intentionality.

Question 38

Participants in a research study wear headphones through which different voices are presented in each ear. They are told to repeat all of the information coming into their left ear. Later, they are asked to recall information about what was presented in the right ear. This is an example of the:

A)dichotic listening technique.
B)unity of consciousness.
C)split-brain research methodology.
D)cocktail-party effect.

Question 39

No matter how engaged in conversation parents may be, they probably will quickly notice if their children start crying. This is an example of the:

A)unity of consciousness.
B)division of attention.
C)dual attention phenomenon.
D)cocktail-party effect.

Question 40

The levels of consciousness that psychologists distinguish are defined in terms of:

A)objective behavioral observations made by an unbiased observer.
B)score on a wakefulness meter initially developed for surgery patients.
C)awareness of the world and self.
D)different patterns of brain activity.

Question 41

Self-recognition in a mirror is limited to:

A)humans over 3 years old, cats, and gorillas.
B)humans, dogs, and apes.
C)a few animals and children over 18 months old.
D)humans over 3 years old.

Question 42

Research has demonstrated that looking in the mirror can briefly make people all of these EXCEPT:

A)more self-critical.
B)more aggressive.
C)more helpful.
D)more cooperative.

Question 43

Which thought is probably NOT part of a college student's default network?

A)What am I going to do with my life?
B)Do others find me physically attractive?
C)Why did my last relationship not work out?
D)Do I turn right or left to get out of this cold and into this house party?

Question 44

The rebound effect of thought suppression is the tendency of a thought to:

A)bounce in and out of consciousness during thought suppression.
B)return to consciousness with greater frequency following thought suppression.
C)become distorted into a false belief following thought suppression.
D)become less likely following prolonged periods of thought suppression.

Question 45

Using fMRI, the widespread pattern of brain activity observed when people have nothing specific to which to attend is termed the:

A)current concerns.
B)conscious will.
C)default network.
D)rebound effect.

Question 46

If asked not to think about a snowman, a person will MOST likely:

A)think about a snowman much more.
B)think about a snowman much less.
C)think about a snowman only when engaged in a boring task.
D)dream about a snowman.

Question 47

One advantage associated with mind wandering is:

A)a decrease in blood pressure among persons with hypertension.
B)heightened levels of creativity.
C)a temporary increase in happiness.
D)a lowered propensity to abuse drugs and alcohol.

Question 48

One disadvantage associated with mind wandering is:

A)greater levels of anxiety.
B)lowered levels of creativity.
C)feelings of unhappiness.
D)a greater propensity to abuse drugs and alcohol.

Question 49

Which process most accurately describes the experience-sampling technique of determining the contents of consciousness?

A)participants keep a dream diary at bedside to record their dreams upon awakening
B)participants keep detailed thought journals and update these journals at least twice a day
C)participants report what is on their mind when prompted at random times throughout the day
D)participants talk out loud when something is on their mind and this is recorded

Question 50

Excluding orientation to the immediate environment, studies using the experience-sampling technique suggest that our consciousness tends to be dominated by:

A)current concerns.
B)unconscious motives.
C)mate selection.
D)long-term planning.

Question 51

The mental technique of thought suppression is:

A)the same thing as repression.
B)an unconscious technique.
C)best for negative emotional thoughts.
D)the conscious avoidance of a thought.

Question 52

A golfer consciously tries not to pull his drive, but a camera goes off during his backswing and he ends up pulling his drive into the trees. This BEST illustrates:

A)thought suppression.
B)ironic processes of mental control.
C)the Freudian unconscious.
D)self-consciousness.

Question 53

The capacity to recognize one's own mirror image is evident in humans:

A)at birth.
B)by age 6 months.
C)by age 18 months.
D)by age 3 years.

Question 54

Which of these is LEAST likely to produce a state of self-consciousness?

A)staring in the mirror
B)thinking about career and personal goals
C)being embarrassed by classmates
D)cheering at a football game with 80,000 other people

Question 55

The state of consciousness in which a seemingly purposeless flow of thoughts comes to mind is termed:

A)daydreaming.
B)hypnosis.
C)introspection.
D)minimal consciousness.

Question 56

When fear of scoring badly on a math exam dominated his thoughts, David intentionally used _____ to attempt to change his conscious state of mind.

A)self-consciousness
B)mental control
C)repression
D)sensory stimuli

Question 57

Mind wandering is MOST likely to occur when a person:

A)experiences an overload of sensory stimulation.
B)is trying to escape from an unpleasant situation.
C)is tired.
D)engages in repetitive undemanding tasks.

Question 58

Alex occasionally has self-doubts about his ability as a baseball player. His sports psychologist advised him that it is extremely important to banish these doubts from consciousness during games. Alex has found, however, that his self-doubts intensify following games. This is an example of:

A)the rebound effect of thought suppression.
B)mental control.
C)the overcompensation effect.
D)the dynamic unconscious.

Question 59

Studies using the experience-sampling technique suggest that our consciousness tends to be dominated by:

A)our own personal feelings.
B)unconscious motives.
C)feelings of self-consciousness.
D)the sensory inputs of our immediate environment.

Question 60

Mind wandering is the experience of stimulus-_____ thoughts.

A)independent
B)dependent
C)triggered
D)repetitive

Question 61

Sometimes people experience sensations of falling _____, a phenomenon termed _____.

A)while dreaming; REM rebound
B)while dreaming; hypnopompic levitation
C)while falling asleep; hypnotic drop
D)while falling asleep; hypnic jerk

Question 62

A criticism of Freud's interpretations of Freudian slips is that:

A)recent research suggests that slips say nothing about the contents of consciousness.
B)in the real world, these types of slips are extremely rare.
C)they reflect the after-the-fact interpretation of the listener, instead of the thoughts of the speaker.
D)the interpretations do not meet modern standards of statistical significance.

Question 63

Jeremy has no clue he has unconscious hostile urges to act aggressively against his boss. This is an example of:

A)a Freudian slip.
B)mental control.
C)subliminal perception.
D)repression.

Question 64

When the phrase "enemy loses" was presented subliminally to participants, these people:

A)began to feel positive emotions.
B)began to think of negative things.
C)were more likely to donate to their preferred political party.
D)subsequently overestimated their likelihood of winning an arm-wrestling match.

Question 65

Dreaming is considered:

A)a form of unconsciousness.
B)an altered state of consciousness.
C)a normal state of consciousness.
D)a period during which our brain is turned off.

Question 66

A key difference between the dynamic unconscious and the cognitive unconscious is that:

A)repression is the major function of the cognitive unconscious.
B)the cognitive unconscious does not emphasize animal urges and repressed thoughts.
C)the dynamic unconscious is more susceptible to subliminal perception.
D)slips of speech are important for understanding the cognitive unconscious.

Question 67

A form of experience that departs significantly from the normal subjective experience of the world and the mind is called:

A)an altered state of consciousness.
B)a hypnogogic state of consciousness.
C)subliminal consciousness.
D)the collective unconscious.

Question 68

Disapproving of her friend Amy's fiancé, Mindy told her boyfriend that she dreaded going to Amy's funeral when she meant to say "Amy's wedding." This speech error is an example of:

A)a lapse of consciousness.
B)repression.
C)a rebound effect of thought suppression.
D)a Freudian slip.

Question 69

Freud described _____ as a mental process that removes unacceptable thoughts and memories from consciousness.

A)thought suppression
B)speech errors, or slips
C)the dynamic unconscious
D)repression

Question 70

Participants in a research study are told that they must try not to think about a clown riding a unicycle. According to the theory of ironic processes of mental control:

A)participants will devote way too much of our time and energy trying to accomplish this rather simple task.
B)participants will successfully repress memories of clowns into their unconscious.
C)part of the participants' minds will actively search for this clown.
D)in suppressing this thought, participants will do poorly on simple cognitive tests such as addition and subtraction.

Question 71

Freud described the _____ as an active system encompassing a lifetime of hidden memories, a person's deepest instincts and desires, and that person's inner struggle to control these forces.

A)subconscious
B)superego
C)dynamic unconscious
D)ego

Question 72

The _____ includes all the mental processes that are not experienced by a person but that give rise to the person's thoughts, choices, emotions, and behaviors.

A)cognitive unconscious
B)dynamic unconscious
C)Freudian unconscious
D)repressed conscious

Question 73

A circadian rhythm is a naturally occurring _____ cycle.

A)8-hour
B)24-hour
C)28-day
D)365-day

Question 74

The cognitive unconscious can best be described as a:

A)mediator between animal urges and societal norms.
B)warehouse stored with repressed thoughts and memories.
C)repository filled with the collective experiences of our ancestors.
D)factory that builds the products of conscious thought.

Question 75

People who had to choose which of three hypothetical candidates would make the best roommate made the best decision when:

A)they were allowed to deliberate over the pros and cons of each person.
B)they were forced to make a snap decision immediately after hearing the description of the three people.
C)they were given time to unconsciously deliberate on the potential roommates while they were actively engaged in an unrelated problem-solving task.
D)the descriptions of the potential roommates were presented subliminally instead of consciously.

Question 76

The hypnagogic state of consciousness occurs:

A)as we begin to fall asleep.
B)while we are dreaming.
C)in the deepest stages of sleep.
D)as we are waking up.

Question 77

In 1957, a marketer James Vicary claimed that he flashed the phrases "Eat Popcorn" and "Drink Coke" briefly on-screen during movies. Which statement regarding this event is true?

A)Concession sales for popcorn and Coke increased.
B)Concession sales for popcorn but not Coke increased.
C)Concession sales for both products increased, but only if the messages were presented right before the movie started.
D)Vicary's claim turned out to be a hoax.

Question 78

Which statement about ironic monitoring processes is NOT true?

A)They operate outside of consciousness.
B)They allow us to recognize when unwanted thoughts occur.
C)They contribute to our ability to exert mental control over our consciousness.
D)They decrease our sensitivity to the thoughts that are unwanted.

Question 79

As manager of a new movie theater, Ralph arranged to have messages about popcorn and candy flashed on the screen during the movie so quickly that they were outside of conscious awareness. Messages like this are called:

A)subliminal stimuli.
B)ironic processes of mental control.
C)preconscious stimuli.
D)flashbulb stimulation.

Question 80

In a study on the effects of subliminal persuasion, Bargh and colleagues (1996) found that students exposed to words commonly associated with aging (for example, Florida, gray, wrinkled) _____ than those not exposed to the "aging" words.

A)talked more about their grandparents in the debriefing session following the study
B)walked more slowly down the hall as they were leaving the study
C)were more likely to agree to volunteer at a senior citizen center when asked immediately following the study
D)rated saving for retirement as more important immediately following the study