Question 1

The television character MacGyver was famous for using everyday objects to get out of trouble.In one episode,for example,MacGyver used the aluminum foil wrapper from a stick of gum to replace a blown electrical fuse.The MacGyver character clearly did NOT suffer from what cognitive obstacle to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

A) the anchoring effect 
B) confirmation bias 
C) functional fixedness 
D) the representative heuristic

Question 2

Why do young children appear to acquire language more easily than adults?

Accepted Answer

A) There is a sensitive period during childhood during which children's brains are primed to develop language. 
B) Until around 12-16 years of age,children can hear sounds associated with languages of many different cultures,not just their own. 
C) Children are typically exposed to a greater variety of vocabulary words than adults. 
D) This is a common myth;children do not have an easier time learning language than adults do.

Question 3

A loose screw on the glove compartment causes it to drop down while Ben drives,but he keeps forgetting to take a screwdriver out to the car to fix it.When the compartment falls open again,he reaches into his pocket for a dime to use to tighten the screw.What problem-solving difficulty did Ben overcome?

Accepted Answer

A) belief perseverance 
B) functional fixedness 
C) conjunction fallacy 
D) the representative heuristic

Question 4

Which of the following is a heuristic-based approach to determining how many brownies to make for a party?

Accepted Answer

A) Make the same number as you did for your last party because you recall that number being about right. 
B) Multiply the number of people invited by the number of brownies you want each person to have. 
C) Determine the number of brownies in each batch and then determine which multiple of that number is closest the estimated number of brownies needed. 
D) Estimate the number of brownies each invitee will eat and then sum the estimates.

Question 5

Asha was involved in a skiing accident that damaged her left frontal lobe.What symptoms is she likely experiencing?

Accepted Answer

A) difficulty remember previously learned words 
B) difficulty producing words that others can understand 
C) difficulty comprehending what others are saying 
D) difficulty forming understandable sentences but the ability to produce clear words

Question 6

A group of interrelated concepts is a called a ____________.

Accepted Answer

A) category 
B) super-concept 
C) mental set 
D) prototype

Question 7

One way to investigate the way language is processed in the brain is to study patients with ________________,language disorders caused by damage to the brain structures that support using and understanding language.

Accepted Answer

A) agnosias 
B) apraxias 
C) aphasias 
D) ataxias

Question 8

The sounds /t/,/th/,and /sh/ are examples of ___________.

Accepted Answer

A) morphemes 
B) pragmatics 
C) syntax 
D) phonemes

Question 9

Lex is in the second grade.As part of a homework assignment,he is asked to write a sentence to describe a picture of a dog playing fetch.Lex writes the sentence,"Ball the dog has." Lex is clearly having trouble with ___________.

Accepted Answer

A) phonemes 
B) morphemes 
C) pragmatics 
D) syntax

Question 10

When reading information that challenges one's beliefs,one tends to minimize the strengths of such claims.__________ accounts for this barrier to reasoning rationally.

Accepted Answer

A) Belief perseverance 
B) The availability heuristic 
C) The framing effect 
D) The conjunction fallacy

Question 11

On his way to work,Charlie sees a sign for an upcoming concert for the band Cake.Without even realizing it,the word cake has made Charlie think of baked sweets,which makes him think of getting a donut.This is an example of ______________.

Accepted Answer

A) classical categorization 
B) priming 
C) the linguistic relativity hypothesis 
D) an availability heuristic

Question 12

A formula is an example of a(n)______________.

Accepted Answer

A) mental set 
B) algorithm 
C) fallacy 
D) heuristic

Question 13

The use of specific rules to categorize objects is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A) graded membership. 
B) linguistic relativity. 
C) functional fixedness. 
D) classical categorization.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT true of basic level categories?

Accepted Answer

A) They are the most general category in a semantic network. 
B) They are the level at which most thinking occurs in a semantic network. 
C) They are the level at which most prototypes exist in a semantic network. 
D) They are the most specific category in a semantic network.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of a morpheme?

Accepted Answer

A) /th/ 
B) it's 
C) /-s/ 
D) cats

Question 16

You are learning Russian in preparation for a trip next summer.You have gotten to the point where you can sound out the words written in the Cyrillic alphabet,but you do not understand what any of the words mean.It appears as though you have mastered the _______ but still need to work on the _________?

Accepted Answer

A) syntax;morphemes 
B) phonemes;morphemes 
C) morphemes;phonemes 
D) morphemes;syntax

Question 17

Which of the following is true regarding cognitive obstacles?

Accepted Answer

A) Cognitive obstacles are often self-imposed. 
B) Cognitive obstacles can be overcome by using a mental set. 
C) Cognitive obstacles can be overcome by using an algorithm. 
D) Cognitive obstacles can be overcome by using functional fixedness.

Question 18

When people attempt to solve a problem involving numbers,they may find themselves using another number called a(n)____________ to keep their response within a limited range.

Accepted Answer

A) anchor 
B) mental set 
C) frame 
D) ground

Question 19

Because semantic networks are arranged ________________,they show which categories are more specific than others.

Accepted Answer

A) algorithmically 
B) hierarchically 
C) categorically 
D) congruently

Question 20

Which of the following interpretations is consistent with results of many studies to teach human language to animals?

Accepted Answer

A) Animals cannot learn to associate words,signs,and symbols with specific meanings. 
B) Animals are capable of learning human language,but are resistant to training. 
C) Animals do not appear to use syntax or create new words or phrases 
D) When trained from birth,animals can learn language just as easily as a human child.

Exam 8: C: Thought and Language