AP Psychology 2.2: Thinking, Problem-Solving, Judgments, & Decision-Making

Question 1

Cognition

Answer 1

All forms of knowing and awareness, including perceiving, conceiving, remembering, reasoning, judging, imagining, and problem-solving.

Question 2

Concepts

Answer 2

Mental categories used to group similar objects, events, ideas, or people; foundational to thought processes.

Question 3

Prototype

Answer 3

The most typical or basic example of a concept (e.g., basketball for the concept “ball”).

Question 4

Schema

Answer 4

Complex mental frameworks built from experience and knowledge that help interpret and organize information.

Question 5

Assimilation

Answer 5

Fitting new information into existing schemas without changing them.

Question 6

Accommodation

Answer 6

Changing an existing schema to incorporate new information.

Question 7

Executive Functions

Answer 7

Cognitive processes that help plan, organize, and carry out goal-directed behaviors; linked to the frontal/prefrontal cortex.

Question 8

Algorithm

Answer 8

A step-by-step problem-solving method that guarantees a solution.

Question 9

Heuristic

Answer 9

Mental shortcut based on experience; faster than algorithms but may lead to errors.

Question 10

Representative Heuristic

Answer 10

Judging based on how closely something matches a stereotype or prototype.

Question 11

Availability Heuristic

Answer 11

Judging based on how easily examples come to mind; often influenced by recent or vivid events.

Question 12

Mental Set

Answer 12

A tendency to approach problems using past successful strategies; can limit creativity.

Question 13

Schema vs. Mental Set

Answer 13

Schema organizes information broadly; mental set is specifically for problem-solving strategies.

Question 14

Priming

Answer 14

Prior exposure to a stimulus affects how we respond to a later one.

Question 15

Repetition Priming

Answer 15

Easier recognition of a stimulus after repeated exposure to it.

Question 16

Semantic Priming

Answer 16

Processing of one word is influenced by a related word (e.g., doctor → nurse).

Question 17

Framing

Answer 17

How information is presented influences interpretation, judgment, and decision-making.

Question 18

Creativity

Answer 18

The ability to generate new and original ideas or solutions.

Question 19

Divergent Thinking

Answer 19

Exploring many possible solutions or ideas.

Question 20

Convergent Thinking

Answer 20

Narrowing down options to find the best single solution.

Question 21

Sternberg’s 5 Components of Creativity

Answer 21

1) Expertise 2) Imaginative Thinking Skills 3) Venturesome Personality 4) Intrinsic Motivation 5) Creative Environment

Question 22

Functional Fixedness

Answer 22

Inability to see an object as being used for something other than its traditional purpose.

Question 23

Gambler’s Fallacy

Answer 23

False belief that past random events affect the probabilities of future ones.

Question 24

Sunk Cost Fallacy

Answer 24

Continuing a poor decision because of already invested resources, even if it’s unwise.