Cognition

Question 1

The tendency to see objects as only functioning in their usual way, like not realizing you can use a shoe as a hammer.

Answer 1

Functional Fixedness

Question 2

Judging the likelihood of something based on how well it matches a prototype, like assuming someone is a librarian because they are quiet and wear glasses.

Answer 2

Representativeness Heuristic

Question 3

The ability to produce novel and valuable ideas, like coming up with a new game to play with friends,

Answer 3

Creativity

Question 4

The age level at which an individual performs intellectually.

Answer 4

Mental Age

Question 5

Groups or classes of things that share common characteristics, like grouping animals into mammals, birds, and reptiles.

Answer 5

Categories

Question 6

The extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure.

Answer 6

Validity

Question 7

Generating multiple, unique solutions to a problem, like thinking of many uses for a paperclip.

Answer 7

Divergent Thinking

Question 8

The degree to which a test measures the theoretical construct it is intended to measure.

Answer 8

Construct Validity

Question 9

The actual age of an individual.

Answer 9

Chronological Age

Question 10

Mental structures that help us organize and interpret information. In a classroom it would include desks and a teacher.

Answer 10

Schemas

Question 11

Narrowing down multiple ideas to find a single, best solution, like finding the one correct answer to a math problem.

Answer 11

Convergent Thinking

Question 12

Establishing norms and uniform procedures for administering and scoring a test.

Answer 12

Standardization

Question 13

The consistency of a test’s results over time.

Answer 13

Reliability

Question 14

Performance improvement due to awareness of positive stereotypes about one’s group.

Answer 14

Stereotype Lift

Question 15

The belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and learning

Answer 15

Growth Mindset

Question 16

The belief that abilities and intelligence are static and unchangeable.

Answer 16

Fixed Mindset

Question 17

The observed rise in average IQ scores over time.

Answer 17

Flynn Effect

Question 18

AKA “G” A factor that underlies specific mental abilities and is measured by every task on an intelligence test.

Answer 18

General Intelligence

Question 19

The consistency of test results when the test is divided into two halves and both halves are compared.

Answer 19

Split-Half Reliability

Question 20

Step-by-step procedures that guarantee a solution, like a math formula.

Answer 20

Algorithms

Question 21

Simple, efficient rules used to make decisions, like guessing the answer on a test based on what seems most familiar.

Answer 21

Heuristics

Question 22

The risk of confirming negative stereotypes about one’s group.

Answer 22

Stereotype Threat

Question 23

The ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations.

Answer 23

Intelligence

Question 24

Systems of organization in which items are ranked according to levels of importance, like Animal-> Bird -> Sparrow.

Answer 24

Hierarchies

Question 25

Tests designed to assess what a person has learned.

Answer 25

Achievement Tests

Question 26

Cognitive processes that manage and regulate other cognitive processes, like planning, decision-making, and self-control.

Answer 26

Executive Functions

Question 27

Continuing an endeavor due to previously invested resources (time, money, effort), like continuing to watch a boring movie because you already paid for the ticket.

Answer 27

Sunk-Cost Fallacy

Question 28

Incorporating new information into existing schemas, like calling a zebra a horse because it fits the horse schema.

Answer 28

Assimilation

Question 29

The best or most typical example of a category, like a robin for birds.

Answer 29

Prototype

Question 30

A score derived from standardized tests designed to measure human intelligence.

Answer 30

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

Question 31

Changing existing schemas or creating new ones to fit new information, like learning that a zebra is different from a horse.

Answer 31

Accommodation

Question 32

Tests designed to predict a person’s future performance or capacity to learn.

Answer 32

Aptitude Tests

Question 33

Exposure to one stimulus influences the response to a subsequent, related stimulus, like seeing the word “yellow” makes you think of a banana.

Answer 33

Priming

Question 34

A tendency to approach problems using a mindset that has worked previously, like using the same method to solve a math problem because it worked before.

Answer 34

Mental Set

Question 35

Awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes, like thinking about how you study best.

Answer 35

Metacognition

Question 36

The way information is presented affects decision-making and judgments, like saying “90% fat-free” sounds better than “10% fat.”

Answer 36

Framing

Question 37

The belief that past random events affect the likelihood of future random events, like believing a coin flip will land heads after several tails.

Answer 37

Gambler's Fallacy

Question 38

Estimating the likelihood of events based on how easily examples come to mind, like thinking shark attacks are common because you saw one on the news.

Answer 38

Availability Heuristic

Question 39

The consistency of test results when the same test is administered on two different occasions.

Answer 39

Test-Retest Reliability

Question 40

The extent to which a test predicts future performance.

Answer 40

Predictive Validity