Cognition Final Material Flashcards
(285 cards)
1
Q
Q: What defines a “problem” from a cognitive psychology perspective?
A
A: A problem exists when there is a mismatch between the current state and the goal state.
2
Q
Q: What is problem-solving?
A
A: It’s the cognitive process of moving from a current state to a goal state, involving multiple steps.
3
Q
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael wants to escape surveillance and leave Miami, but every move he makes is tracked. Identify the current and goal states and explain how this reflects a problem.
A
A: Current state: Constant surveillance. Goal state: Freedom from tracking. This mismatch defines the problem Michael needs to solve.
4
Q
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Rory realizes she’s unhappy at Yale but doesn’t want to disappoint Lorelai. What makes this situation a “problem”?
A
A: There’s a discrepancy between her current emotional state and her goal of personal satisfaction. It requires multiple cognitive steps to resolve.
5
Q
Q: What are the three major steps in problem solving?
A
A: 1) Recognizing & representing the problem, 2) Analyzing & solving the problem, 3) Assessing the solution.
6
Q
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane often dismisses irrelevant crime scene details to focus on subtle psychological cues. Which problem-solving step is he demonstrating?
A
A: Recognizing and representing the problem—he filters noise to extract key information.
7
Q
Q: In Community, Abed devises a complex plan to win a paintball tournament. What step is he performing when he considers multiple tactics and selects the best?
A
A: Analyzing & solving the problem.
8
Q
Q: In Psych, Shawn pretends to be psychic and guesses incorrectly. What step is he in when he realizes his approach didn’t work and starts over with new clues?
A
A: Assessing the solution—and recursively returning to earlier steps.
9
Q
Q: What does recursion mean in the problem-solving cycle?
A
A: It refers to repeating the steps of problem-solving as needed until the goal is reached.
10
Q
Q: What is generalization in problem-solving?
A
A: The ability to store and adapt a solution for new, similar problems.
11
Q
Q: In Suits, Harvey loses a case using one strategy. He tries a different legal approach and wins. What principle is this?
A
A: Recursion—he re-enters the problem-solving cycle with a new strategy.
12
Q
Q: Rory successfully plans a dorm party and uses similar strategies to plan a Yale newspaper event. What characteristic is she applying?
A
A: Generalization—adapting past solutions to new contexts.
13
Q
Q: What role does episodic memory play in ill-defined problem-solving?
A
A: It helps construct imagined future scenarios and generate effective solution steps.
14
Q
Q: What kind of memory impairment did participants with fewer effective solutions have in the professor’s study?
A
A: Damage to the hippocampus affecting episodic memory.
15
Q
Q: Lorelai has to plan a fundraiser for the Dragonfly Inn without clear instructions or constraints. How does episodic memory help her?
A
A: She draws on past experiences to simulate possible solutions—a hallmark of using episodic memory in ill-defined problems.
16
Q
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona creates a plan for an ambiguous social mission with no clear rules. What cognitive challenge is she facing?
A
A: Solving an ill-defined problem using episodic memory to imagine various outcomes.
17
Q
Q: What is the main difference between well-defined and ill-defined problems?
A
A: Well-defined problems have clear rules and solutions; ill-defined problems do not.
18
Q
Q: How does cognitive load differ between ill- and well-defined problems?
A
A: Ill-defined problems carry higher cognitive load due to real-time reasoning needs.
19
Q
Q: In Psych, solving a straightforward crossword puzzle with clues is a well-defined problem. What would make it ill-defined?
A
A: Removing all clues, requiring him to guess the theme and solve with no guidance.
20
Q
Q: Jeff in Community tries to win over a study group with charm, but there’s no clear strategy that works for everyone. What kind of problem is this?
A
A: Ill-defined—no rules, and he must improvise in real time.
21
Q
Q: Why do AIs excel at well-defined problems?
A
A: They follow algorithms and pre-set rules efficiently.
22
Q
Q: What does the “Easy is hard, hard is easy” paradox refer to?
A
A: AI finds human-easy tasks (like choosing a restaurant) hard, and rule-based problems easy.
23
Q
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Lorelai decides which inn renovations to prioritize with unclear criteria. Why would AI struggle with this?
A
A: It’s an ill-defined problem—AI lacks flexible reasoning without rules.
24
Q
Q: Michael from Burn Notice builds a bomb with specific instructions—what kind of problem is this, and why is AI good at it?
A
A: Well-defined—it has fixed steps and rules.
25
Q: What are the components of a problem space?
A: Initial state, goal state, intermediate states, operators, task constraints.
26
Q: What is an operator in problem space theory?
A: An action that transforms one state into another.
27
Q: In Suits, Mike wants to become a real lawyer. His initial state is “fraudulent associate,” and goal state is “licensed lawyer.” What might be some intermediate states and operators?
A: Studying for LSAT, finding a law loophole, legal action. Operators: studying, networking, legal maneuvers.
28
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane uses psychological tricks (operators) to uncover a murderer’s identity. What’s the problem space he’s working through?
A: Initial state: Unknown killer. Goal state: Killer identified. Operators: Interviewing, observing, provoking.
29
Q: What is trial and error in problem-solving?
A: A strategy involving random attempts until a solution is found, without planning or systematic thinking.
30
Q: What is the hill climbing strategy?
A: A method that always chooses the next step that seems to bring one closer to the goal.
31
Q: What is means-end analysis?
A: A flexible strategy that uses subgoals to reduce the difference between current and goal states, allowing temporary setbacks.
32
Q: In Community, Troy tries random keys to open a janitor's closet. What strategy is he using?
A: Trial and error—no planning, just random attempts.
33
Q: In Suits, Donna tries to get Harvey to apologize to Louis by suggesting increasingly conciliatory steps, each getting a little closer to resolving the issue. What strategy is this?
A: Hill climbing—each step moves closer to the goal but may miss broader strategy.
34
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael wants to get into a guarded facility. Instead of rushing the gate (hill climbing), he disables the power, then sneaks in through the vents. What strategy is this?
A: Means-end analysis—he sets and solves subgoals that temporarily move him away from the final goal but lead to a better solution.
35
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane needs to expose a killer in front of an audience. He creates several diversions and setups rather than confronting the suspect directly. What strategy is he using?
A: Means-end analysis—he’s breaking the larger problem into subgoals and using indirect methods.
36
Q: What is one major way experts differ from novices in problem-solving?
A: Experts spend more time defining and understanding the problem before trying to solve it.
37
Q: What is chunking and how do experts use it?
A: Chunking is recognizing meaningful patterns to group information; experts use prior knowledge to see structure in complex information.
38
Q: Does expertise rely on innate ability or practice?
A: Practice. There are no fundamental brain differences; expertise comes from experience and training.
39
Q: In Suits, Harvey studies a case for a long time before speaking in court, while a junior associate rushes to argue without prep. Who is behaving like an expert, and why?
A: Harvey—he spends time defining the problem, just like an expert.
40
Q: In Psych, Shawn sees a crime scene and quickly identifies a key detail due to past experience, while Gus is still scanning everything. What expert principle does this reflect?
A: Holistic processing—Shawn sees broad patterns instead of isolated details.
41
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Rory remembers her class notes more effectively than Paris because she organizes the information based on themes. What cognitive advantage is this?
A: Chunking—Rory recognizes and recalls structured, meaningful information.
42
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane is great at solving mysteries, but would probably struggle at coding a website. What principle does this demonstrate?
A: Limited transfer of expertise—skills in one domain don’t necessarily apply to another.
43
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona excels at tactical planning but has no advantage when learning to bake a soufflé. Why?
A: Expertise is domain-specific and doesn’t transfer across unrelated areas.
44
Q: Abed in Community is a TV trope expert, but struggles with practical social skills. What does this illustrate about expertise?
A: It’s developed through practice and experience in a specific area—not universally applicable.
45
Q: Why is generalization important in problem solving?
A: It allows past solutions to be applied to new situations.
46
Q: What is a heuristic?
A: A mental shortcut or strategy that simplifies problem solving by reducing cognitive load.
47
Q: What is a well-defined problem?
A: A problem with a clear goal and specific constraints (rules for how it can be solved).
48
Q: What is an ill-defined problem?
A: A problem with no clear goal, multiple possible outcomes, and vague constraints.
49
Q: Why are heuristics useful in problem solving?
A: They reduce the number of potential solutions, preventing combinatorial explosion.
50
Q: In Psych, Gus tries to pick the best route to a stakeout using maps and traffic apps. Shawn says, “Let’s just drive toward the suspect’s vibe.” Whose approach is more heuristic?
A: Shawn’s—he’s using intuition (a heuristic), while Gus is being analytical.
51
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Lorelai tries to open a stubborn jar by banging it, heating it, and using a rubber grip. Is this a well-defined or ill-defined problem?
A: Well-defined—the goal (open the jar) is clear, and there are common methods to attempt.
52
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane is figuring out how to cheer up Lisbon after a tough case, with no clear method. Is this a well-defined or ill-defined problem?
A: Ill-defined—no single correct method or goal.
53
Q: How does episodic memory help with ill-defined problems?
A: It lets you simulate possible solutions using past experiences.
54
Q: What brain region supports episodic memory and mental simulations?
A: The hippocampus.
55
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael needs to convince a neighbor he's not suspicious. He remembers a time he posed as a delivery guy in another mission. What process is he using?
A: Episodic memory—he’s drawing from past experience to imagine a solution.
56
Q: In Community, Annie remembers how a past apology worked with Shirley and tries a similar method with Britta. What mental process is this?
A: Analogical problem solving using episodic memory.
57
Q: What is analogical problem solving?
A: Solving a new problem using a past solution that shares an underlying structure.
58
Q: What is surface similarity vs. structural similarity?
A: Surface: Similar details (e.g., both problems involve doctors). Structural: Same underlying logic (e.g., divide and conquer).
59
Q: Why is analogical transfer difficult without hints?
A: People focus on surface features and struggle to notice deeper structural similarities.
60
Q: In Suits, Mike applies a legal strategy he learned in a property dispute to a custody case. Why is this effective analogical reasoning?
A: He focused on the structural similarity of both arguments—transfer of a past solution to a new domain.
61
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane realizes a suspect acts like someone he once knew from a con job. He uses that memory to manipulate the suspect. What kind of reasoning is this?
A: Analogical problem solving.
62
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Rory wraps a fussy baby like a burrito after recalling a Chipotle run. What is this an example of?
A: Analogical reasoning—structural similarity between swaddling and burrito-wrapping.
63
Q: What effect does sleep have on analogical problem solving?
A: It improves problem solving and creativity by aiding memory consolidation and pattern recognition.
64
Q: What is functional fixedness?
A: The tendency to see objects as only usable in their usual way, which limits creative problem solving.
65
Q: In Burn Notice, Sam wants to tie a wire but only has a paint can. Michael rigs the can as a counterweight. What cognitive barrier did he overcome?
A: Functional fixedness—he saw a new use for an object.
66
Q: In Community, Abed can’t think of a way to make an apology until Troy compares it to a sitcom resolution. Abed then creates the perfect moment. What helped him solve the problem?
A: Analogical reasoning—and a hint from pop culture.
67
Q: How might young children perform better in the Candle Problem?
A: They are less affected by functional fixedness due to limited knowledge of object functions.
68
Q: What was the key finding from the pre-utilization vs. non-utilization groups?
A: Children unfamiliar with object functions solved the problem faster.
69
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Rory gives a newspaper to a child who turns it into a pirate hat. What cognitive advantage might explain this?
A: Children’s flexibility and lack of fixed object use—they aren’t limited by functional fixedness.
70
Q: What is a mental set (rigid mental set)?
A: A habitual strategy or pattern of solving a problem that may block better solutions.
71
Q: What is negative transfer in problem solving?
A: When an old solution is inappropriately applied to a new problem.
72
Q: What does the Water Jug Problem demonstrate?
A: Mental set—people stick to a learned method even when a simpler one is available.
73
Q: In Suits, Harvey keeps using an aggressive negotiation tactic even when a softer approach would work better. What cognitive barrier is this?
A: Rigid mental set.
74
Q: In The Mentalist, Lisbon keeps interrogating suspects the same way. Jane, instead, uses a new, more effective strategy. Who overcame negative transfer?
A: Jane—he adapted to the new situation.
75
Q: What is insight problem solving?
A: A sudden realization of a solution after a period of impasse, often requiring a change in perspective.
76
Q: What are common feelings associated with insight?
A: Sadness during the impasse, followed by ease, pleasure, and confidence when the solution is found.
77
Q: What was the solution to the Cheap Necklace Problem?
A: Open all links of one chain and use them to connect the others, staying within the budget.
78
Q: In Psych, Gus is stuck on a case until Shawn has a sudden realization while eating a pineapple. What kind of problem-solving did Shawn experience?
A: Insight.
79
Q: In Community, Abed has an “aha” moment in the study room and suddenly knows how to fix a film project. What does this illustrate?
A: Insight problem solving.
80
Q: How do non-insight problems feel during solving?
A: You feel closer to the solution over time (increasing warmth ratings).
81
Q: How do insight problems feel during solving?
A: You often don’t feel close to the solution until it suddenly appears.
82
Q: What does the “feeling of knowing” (metacognition) help with?
A: Predicting success in non-insight problems, but not insight ones.
83
Q: What brain region is linked to improved insight with stimulation?
A: Right anterior temporal lobe.
84
Q: What is the Remote Associates Task (RAT)?
A: A creativity task where people find a common word linking three unrelated words—used to study insight.
85
Q: How does walking affect problem solving?
A: It improves divergent thinking (creative insight), but not convergent thinking (logical, step-by-step tasks).
86
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Lorelai takes a walk and suddenly figures out how to fix an inn scheduling mess. What problem-solving effect is this?
A: Walking-induced insight.
87
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael’s insight into how to turn a trap against the enemy comes after pacing. What does this suggest about movement?
A: Movement (like walking) may enhance insight-based problem solving.
88
Q: What is reasoning?
A: A thought process that uses information to reach a conclusion, which informs decision making.
89
Q: What is decision making?
A: The act of choosing between options, often guided by reasoning.
90
Q: Why does decision fatigue happen?
A: Because humans make thousands of decisions daily, which can deplete mental resources.
91
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Rory chooses between Yale and Harvard, weighing pros and cons. What kind of cognitive process is this?
A: Decision making guided by reasoning.
92
Q: In Community, Troy picks a new major without thinking it through, just because Abed said it was “cool.” What cognitive bias might this reflect?
A: Decision fatigue or impulsive reasoning.
93
Q: What is neuroeconomics?
A: A field combining psychology, neuroscience, and economics to study how people make decisions.
94
Q: Which brain region is linked to planning and control during decision making?
A: The prefrontal cortex.
95
Q: What does the amygdala contribute to in decision making?
A: Emotional processing.
96
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael hesitates before pulling a con when emotions are involved. Which brain region might be in conflict with his usual strategic thinking?
A: The amygdala.
97
Q: What internal and external factors influence decision making?
A: Mood, hunger (internal); environment and framing (external).
98
Q: What’s an example of how hunger influences decision making?
A: Choosing a small immediate reward (like a candy bar) over a larger delayed reward.
99
Q: In Suits, Harvey decides to settle a case quickly after skipping lunch. What’s likely influencing his decision?
A: Hunger-induced impulsivity.
100
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane bets on a risky hunch after a sunny day picnic. What factor might be increasing his risk-taking?
A: Positive mood from the sunny weather.
101
Q: What is inductive reasoning?
A: Drawing a general conclusion from specific observations—data to hypothesis.
102
Q: Is inductive reasoning always correct?
A: No, it can be fallible even if it's useful.
103
Q: What can overuse of inductive reasoning lead to?
A: Heuristics and sometimes stereotyping.
104
Q: In Psych, Gus sees crumbs, empty wrappers, and sticky fingerprints and says “Shawn was here.” What type of reasoning is that?
A: Inductive reasoning.
105
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Lorelai assumes all town events will have punch because the last five did. What reasoning is she using?
A: Inductive reasoning.
106
Q: What is a syllogism?
A: A form of deductive reasoning with two premises and one conclusion.
107
Q: What does it mean when a syllogism is valid?
A: The conclusion logically follows from the premises, regardless of real-world truth.
108
Q: What makes “All birds are animals. All animals have four legs. Therefore, all birds have four legs” a valid but false syllogism?
A: The logic is structurally valid, but the content is factually incorrect.
109
Q: In Community, Abed says, “All shows have scripts. This show has a script. Therefore, this show is real.” What kind of reasoning is that?
A: Deductive reasoning via syllogism, but it may involve flawed content.
110
Q: What are universal affirmatives?
A: “All A are B” statements, meaning all members of A are in B, but not all B are A.
111
Q: What are universal negatives?
A: “No A are B” statements, meaning A and B don’t overlap at all.
112
Q: What’s the challenge with “Some A are B” statements?
A: They're ambiguous and lead to reasoning errors.
113
Q: What is the atmosphere effect?
A: Drawing conclusions based on the tone or mood of premises rather than their logic.
114
Q: In Suits, Donna says, “Some lawyers are brilliant. Some brilliant people are arrogant. Therefore, some lawyers are arrogant.” What error is this?
A: Atmosphere effect or misstep in reasoning with “some” statements.
115
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona hears, “All explosives are dangerous. All dangerous things are to be avoided. Therefore, all explosives must be avoided.” What kind of syllogism is that?
A: Universal affirmative with a logically valid (and factually true) conclusion.
116
Q: What is the Theory of Mental Models?
A: The idea that we reason by simulating scenarios in our mind using mental images.
117
Q: Why are negative statements harder to reason about?
A: Because it’s harder to simulate the absence of something in a mental model.
118
Q: What is confirmation bias?
A: The tendency to seek out evidence that supports our beliefs, rather than test when they're false.
119
Q: What is the falsification principle?
A: The idea that you should test when a rule or belief could be proven false.
120
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane insists a suspect is guilty and only looks for clues that confirm it. What bias is this?
A: Confirmation bias.
121
Q: In Community, Annie says, “If Troy is studying, he must be in the library.” She checks the library and sees him. Is this good reasoning?
A: No—it confirms the rule, but doesn’t test if the rule is always true. (Confirmation bias)
122
Q: In Suits, Donna imagines how a court case will play out to prep for trial. What theory explains this?
A: Mental models theory—simulating the scenario in her mind.
123
Q: What is omission bias?
A: Judging inaction as less bad than action, even if outcomes are equally harmful.
124
Q: What’s the difference between the lever and push versions of the Trolley Problem?
A: The push version triggers more emotional response, leading fewer people to choose the utilitarian outcome.
125
Q: Who tends to make more utilitarian decisions?
A: People with ventromedial prefrontal cortex damage, autism, or elevated mood.
126
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona hesitates to blow up a building even though it would save more people. What bias might she be experiencing?
A: Omission bias—preferring not to act rather than cause harm directly.
127
Q: In Psych, Shawn refuses to lie in court even if it helps a case. What kind of reasoning is influencing him?
A: Moral reasoning influenced by emotional response.
128
Q: What is the Wason four-card task used to study?
A: Conditional reasoning and confirmation bias.
129
Q: Why do people perform better on Wason tasks when the content is familiar?
A: Because prior knowledge helps them reason more effectively.
130
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Lorelai checks a rule “If Rory studies late, she drinks coffee.” She only looks at nights Rory had coffee. What's the error?
A: Confirmation bias—not testing if the rule fails.
131
Q: What is the return trip effect?
A: The feeling that returning from a trip takes less time than going, due to familiarity.
132
Q: What does the return trip effect suggest about time perception?
A: Familiarity compresses our perception of time.
133
Q: In Psych, Gus says “The drive home felt faster.” Why might this happen?
A: Return trip effect—familiarity shortens time perception.
134
Q: What are heuristics?
A: Mental shortcuts used to make quick decisions.
135
Q: What is the representativeness heuristic?
A: Judging probability based on similarity to a prototype, often ignoring base rates.
136
Q: What is the conjunction fallacy?
A: Thinking two events together are more likely than one alone.
137
Q: What is the availability heuristic?
A: Judging how common something is based on how easily examples come to mind.
138
Q: In Suits, someone assumes a quiet, nerdy guy is a paralegal—not a client—based on stereotypes. What heuristic is this?
A: Representativeness heuristic.
139
Q: In Community, Britta says, “There’s no way Troy can just be a football player—he must also secretly be artistic.” What fallacy is this?
A: Conjunction fallacy—believing a combo is more likely than a single trait.
140
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Emily thinks plane crashes are frequent because of the news. What heuristic is that?
A: Availability heuristic—judging likelihood based on vivid media examples.
141
Q: In Psych, Shawn says “Crime is worse than ever” after a crime spree episode. What's going on cognitively?
A: Availability heuristic—judging frequency from vivid, recent events.
142
Q: What is the bat and ball problem, and what does it reveal?
A: It’s a math problem ($1.10 total, bat $1 more), where most say the ball is $0.10—wrong. Shows how System 1 leads to reasoning errors.
143
Q: What are Kahneman’s two systems of thinking?
A: System 1 = fast, intuitive, heuristic-based; System 2 = slow, analytical, deliberate.
144
Q: In Suits, Mike answers a case question too fast without checking the fine print. What system is he using?
A: System 1—intuitive but potentially error-prone.
145
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Paris rereads a contract slowly before signing. What kind of reasoning is this?
A: System 2—deliberate, analytical thinking.
146
Q: What is the availability heuristic?
A: Judging likelihood based on how easily examples come to mind.
147
Q: Why do people often think tornadoes are deadlier than asthma?
A: Tornadoes are more vivid in memory/media, even though asthma is more dangerous.
148
Q: In Community, Abed thinks crime is spiking after binge-watching true crime. What bias is this?
A: Availability heuristic.
149
Q: What is the affect heuristic?
A: Judging risk/severity based on emotional reactions.
150
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona overestimates the threat of an enemy because they killed someone she cared about. What heuristic is at work?
A: Affect heuristic—emotional intensity increases perceived risk.
151
Q: What is anchoring?
A: Relying too heavily on the first piece of information when making judgments.
152
Q: In The Mentalist, Lisbon guesses a suspect's age is 30 after Jane says “He must be around 35,” even without more info. What is this?
A: Anchoring bias—initial number skewed her estimate.
153
Q: What is the representativeness heuristic?
A: Judging likelihood based on similarity to a stereotype, ignoring base rates.
154
Q: In Psych, someone assumes a calm person can’t be the killer because they don’t “look” like one. What bias is that?
A: Representativeness heuristic.
155
Q: What is the conjunction fallacy?
A: Believing a specific combination of events is more likely than one event alone.
156
Q: In Community, Britta says, “Troy is definitely a football player and a secret dance prodigy.” What fallacy is this?
A: Conjunction fallacy—two conditions can’t be more likely than one.
157
Q: What is regression to the mean?
A: The tendency for extreme performances to return closer to average over time.
158
Q: Why might top-performing students do worse later, even without changes in effort?
A: Due to natural regression to the mean—not always performance-related.
159
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Emily praises Rory after a big win but criticizes her after a dip. What mistake might she be making?
A: Misattributing normal regression to the mean to praise/punishment effects.
160
Q: What is bounded rationality?
A: The idea that we make rational decisions within limits of time, knowledge, and resources.
161
Q: What is ecological rationality?
A: The idea that heuristics can be the best solution in real-world environments due to constraints.
162
Q: In investing, why might a simple heuristic beat a complex strategy?
A: Because heuristics can be more practical and adaptive under real-world limitations.
163
Q: In Suits, Harvey flips a coin when two choices are equally good. How could this be rational?
A: It’s a heuristic—under bounded rationality, it's efficient when decisions are time-constrained.
164
Q: In Psych, Gus uses a “gut feeling” to choose a case quickly. Is this always irrational?
A: No—under ecological rationality, it can be efficient given time pressure.
165
Q: What are the two types of decision-making under risk?
A: Choosing a guaranteed outcome vs. a probabilistic one.
166
Q: What is the framing effect?
A: People's choices change depending on whether options are framed as gains or losses.
167
Q: What does prospect theory suggest about how we evaluate outcomes?
A: We weigh losses more heavily than gains—loss aversion.
168
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane offers a suspect a deal: “You’ll lose $1,000 or maybe lose nothing.” They avoid the sure loss. What does this show?
A: Prospect theory—people take risks to avoid losses.
169
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Rory is offered “a 90% chance of passing or a 10% chance of failing.” She panics. What effect is this?
A: Framing effect—same info, but framed negatively triggers fear.
170
Q: What does it mean to be risk averse?
A: Prefers certainty; needs higher expected value to consider a risky option.
171
Q: What is a risk neutral decision-maker?
A: Indifferent between a sure thing and a gamble with the same expected value.
172
Q: What does it mean to be risk seeking?
A: Prefers taking risks—even when the potential gain is smaller or uncertain.
173
Q: What is the risk premium?
A: The difference between a certain option’s value and a risky option's value that a person requires to choose the risky one.
174
Q: In Suits, Harvey takes a risky legal strategy even when the safer route would likely win. What kind of risk attitude does he show?
A: Risk seeking.
175
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Richard chooses a conservative investment despite a potentially higher return elsewhere. What does this show?
A: Risk aversion.
176
Q: How is expected value calculated?
A: Multiply the probability of each outcome by its reward, then add them up.
177
Q: What does classical economics suggest about expected value?
A: People should always choose the option with the highest expected value.
178
Q: How does behavioral economics differ?
A: It focuses on how people actually make decisions—not how they should.
179
Q: In Psych, Shawn picks a case that sounds exciting, even if the payout is uncertain. What kind of decision-making is that?
A: It goes against expected value—emotional preference overrides logic.
180
Q: What is the framing effect?
A: People's decisions change depending on whether information is presented as gains or losses—even if the outcomes are the same.
181
Q: What kind of framing makes people risk averse?
A: Gain framing (they prefer certainty).
182
Q: What kind of framing makes people risk seeking?
A: Loss framing (they gamble to avoid loss).
183
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael is offered “a guaranteed 3 months of safety” vs. “a risky plan that could keep him safe forever—or fail.” He chooses the first. What effect is this?
A: Framing effect with gain framing → risk averse behavior.
184
Q: In Community, Jeff avoids a sure punishment by taking a risky deal that could backfire. What framing is at play?
A: Loss framing → risk seeking behavior.
185
Q: What is the core insight of Prospect Theory?
A: Losses loom larger than gains—people feel losses more intensely than equivalent gains.
186
Q: What is the endowment effect?
A: People value what they own more than identical things they don’t.
187
Q: How does subjective utility relate to objective value?
A: Utility increases slower for gains and decreases faster for losses.
188
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane loses a clue and is more upset than he was happy to find the first one. What concept is this?
A: Loss aversion.
189
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Lorelai refuses to sell an old couch, even though it's worth little. Why?
A: Endowment effect—she values it more because she owns it.
190
Q: In Psych, Gus feels worse about losing $10 than he felt good about finding $10 earlier. What theory explains this?
A: Prospect Theory—losses loom larger than gains.
191
Q: What is probability weighting?
A: People overestimate rare events and underestimate common ones.
192
Q: What is the fourfold pattern of risk-taking?
A:
High probability gain: risk averse
Low probability gain: risk seeking
High probability loss: risk seeking
Low probability loss: risk averse
193
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona buys lottery tickets even though the odds are terrible. What explains this?
A: Low probability gain → risk seeking.
194
Q: In Suits, Louis buys insurance for a rare event. What kind of decision is that?
A: Low probability loss → risk averse.
195
Q: How does emotion affect decision-making?
A: Emotional states (like fear or happiness) can bias risk perception and choices.
196
Q: Which system does emotional decision-making link to in Dual Process Theory?
A: System 1—fast, automatic, emotionally driven.
197
Q: In The Mentalist, a grieving witness overestimates the chance of future danger. Why?
A: Negative emotion influenced risk perception—affecting judgment.
198
Q: In Community, Annie estimates death risks higher after watching a scary movie. What’s happening?
A: Emotion is skewing her probability estimates—availability and affect heuristics.
199
Q: What is the framing effect?
A: It’s when the way information is presented influences how people assess risk and make decisions.
200
Q: What does prospect theory explain?
A: How people make decisions under risk, influenced by the perceived value of gains and losses rather than final outcomes.
201
Q: What is a prediction error?
A: The difference between what was expected and what actually happens.
202
Q: In Psych, Shawn bets the police department that he can solve a case in one day. He wins and becomes more confident in risky bets. What kind of prediction error is this?
A: Positive prediction error – his success exceeded expectations, increasing risk-taking.
203
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael knows there's a slim chance a mission will work, but the reward is huge. He takes the risk. Which concept applies here?
A: Probability effect – people overweight unlikely but highly desirable outcomes.
204
Q: In Suits, Louis is guaranteed a small bonus or can gamble for a bigger one. He takes the bonus. What does this show?
A: Certainty effect – people are risk-averse when there's a high probability of a gain.
205
Q: In Community, Annie studies hard but gets a worse grade than expected and spirals. What kind of prediction error did she experience?
A: Negative prediction error – outcome was worse than expected.
206
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Rory finds out her pop quiz got canceled. She's relieved and decides to skip studying more often. Is this exploration or anxiety response?
A: Exploration – she updates her behavior based on unexpected outcomes.
207
Q: How is intelligence generally defined?
A: As the ability to apply knowledge creatively and flexibly to new situations.
208
Q: What is test-retest reliability in IQ testing?
A: A measure of whether the test yields similar results over multiple attempts.
209
Q: What does it mean if an IQ test is valid?
A: It accurately measures intelligence and can predict real-world outcomes like job performance.
210
Q: In The Mentalist, Patrick Jane outsmarts others using deduction, not formal education. How does this relate to Binet’s view of intelligence?
A: Binet believed intelligence was about practical reasoning, not academic performance.
211
Q: In Suits, Mike takes an online IQ quiz that says his IQ is 180. Why might this not be a valid measure?
A: The test source matters; online quizzes often lack validity and scientific backing.
212
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona scores 150 on an IQ test one day, but 110 later in the week. What does this suggest about the test?
A: It may lack test-retest reliability.
213
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Paris references her IQ and being in a "genius society." What should we question?
A: The reliability and validity of the test used and whether it's from a credible source.
214
Q: In Community, Abed solves a Raven’s Progressive Matrix puzzle quickly. What kind of intelligence is this testing?
A: Non-verbal, culturally unbiased reasoning ability.
215
Q: What is the Flynn Effect?
A: The observed rise in average IQ scores over time, increasing about 3 points per decade since the early 1900s.
216
Q: What percentage of IQ variability is attributed to genetics, based on twin studies?
A: Between 50–70%, even among identical twins raised apart.
217
Q: What is test anxiety and how does it relate to IQ testing?
A: It's nervousness during testing that can negatively affect performance and lower scores.
218
Q: What is Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences?
A: The idea that intelligence is not a single factor but includes various forms like spatial, bodily, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligence.
219
Q: What are Sternberg’s three types of intelligence?
A: Analytic, practical, and creative intelligence.
220
Q: In Suits, Donna quickly reads people and handles emotional situations at work with finesse. Which type of intelligence is this?
A: Interpersonal intelligence (and high emotional intelligence/EQ).
221
Q: In Psych, Gus shows amazing memory for pharmaceutical details but freezes during tests. Which two concepts explain this contrast?
A: High knowledge acquisition ability + test anxiety.
222
Q: In Burn Notice, Sam Axe navigates tricky social situations and solves problems creatively under pressure. Which Sternberg intelligences does he display?
A: Practical and creative intelligence.
223
Q: In Community, Troy becomes a great dancer. Which of Gardner’s intelligences does this best represent?
A: Bodily intelligence.
224
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane thinks flexibly, comes up with novel tricks, and solves cases with insight. Which Sternberg intelligence is this?
A: Creative intelligence.
225
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Lorelai juggles business ownership, motherhood, and social situations gracefully. Which two types of intelligence does this show?
A: Practical and emotional intelligence.
226
Q: In Suits, Harvey's strategic planning before trials aligns with which of Sternberg's intelligence components?
A: Meta-components – planning, monitoring, and decision-making.
227
Q: A character in Psych was struck on the head and afterward developed perfect pitch and photographic memory. What phenomenon might this represent?
A: Acquired savant syndrome.
228
Q: In Community, Abed uses abstract reasoning to understand social patterns through movies. Which intelligence and test would best capture his skills?
A: Spatial intelligence; Ravens Progressive Matrices.
229
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona grew up in poverty but scored high on an IQ test. What factor did she overcome, and which one might have helped her succeed?
A: Overcame socioeconomic barriers; possibly benefited from high practical intelligence.
230
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane consistently scores high on IQ tests taken weeks apart. What does this say about the test?
A: It has high test-retest reliability.
231
Q: What are executive functions (EFs)?
A: Cognitive processes involved in goal-oriented behavior like planning, problem-solving, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility.
232
Q: What are the three core components of executive functions?
A: Inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility.
233
Q: Define inhibitory control.
A: The ability to suppress distractions or impulsive actions in order to achieve a goal.
234
Q: What is cognitive flexibility?
A: The ability to switch perspectives or tasks and adapt to change; related to creativity and empathy.
235
Q: Define working memory.
A: The capacity to hold and manipulate information temporarily while completing tasks.
236
Q: What does the “double empathy theory” suggest?
A: Communication difficulties in autism result from a mismatch between autistic and neurotypical communication styles—not solely from autism.
237
Q: What’s the difference between “cold” and “hot” executive functions?
A: Cold EFs involve abstract problem-solving, while hot EFs involve emotional or motivational regulation.
238
Q: What is the “marshmallow test” used to assess?
A: Inhibitory control and delayed gratification.
239
Q: How does the autism community prefer the condition to be described?
A: Simply as “autism,” not “autism spectrum disorder.”
240
Q: Why is executive function development important in childhood?
A: It predicts life success better than IQ, impacting education, health, relationships, and even legal behavior.
241
Q: In Suits, Louis Litt struggles with switching gears and reacting calmly when things don’t go as planned. What executive function is likely a challenge for him?
A: Cognitive flexibility and emotional regulation (hot EFs).
242
Q: In Community, Abed thrives in predictable environments but struggles in emotionally charged or chaotic social settings. How might this reflect differences in hot vs. cold executive function?
A: He likely has strong cold EFs but weaker hot EFs, which require emotional regulation.
243
Q: In Psych, Shawn’s impulsive blurting during investigations reflects issues with which executive function?
A: Inhibitory control.
244
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Paris Geller has excellent memory for facts but struggles with empathy and adjusting to group dynamics. Which EF might be strong and which weak?
A: Strong working memory; limited cognitive flexibility.
245
Q: In The Mentalist, Patrick Jane maintains focus and adapts to unpredictable interrogations. What does this suggest about his executive function?
A: High inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility.
246
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona Glenanne can handle physical and tactical changes but reacts intensely to emotional betrayal. What does this say about her executive functioning?
A: Strong cold EFs; potentially weaker hot EFs involving emotion regulation.
247
Q: A character avoids parties because they’re overwhelmed by lights and sounds. What does this tell us about autism-related traits?
A: It suggests sensory processing differences, common in autism.
248
Q: In Community, Annie follows instructions well but struggles when tasks aren’t clearly structured. Which EF might be less developed?
A: Cognitive flexibility.
249
Q: If two autistic characters communicate with ease but struggle in groups with neurotypicals, which theory supports this?
A: Double empathy theory.
250
Q: A CIA psychologist tests for delayed responses in a Stroop task under pressure. Which executive function is being tested?
A: Inhibitory control, possibly in a hot EF context.
251
Q: What is the spacing effect, and why is it effective for studying?
A: The spacing effect is the principle that studying is more effective when spread out over time rather than crammed into a single session. It helps improve long-term retention.
252
Q: What is the method of loci?
A: A mnemonic strategy that involves placing information in imagined locations within a familiar space, helping with memory retrieval.
253
Q: Why is context-dependent learning discouraged for this exam?
A: Because the exam won’t be in your usual study space, relying on context cues may hurt performance. Studying in varied environments helps generalize memory cues.
254
Q: What does active learning involve?
A: Engaging directly with material through activities like self-quizzing or explaining concepts, which promotes deep processing and better memory.
255
Q: In Suits, Mike Ross is great at recalling legal facts but starts studying in different places around the firm instead of just his apartment. Why might this help him for a big exam-style deposition?
A: Studying in multiple locations helps generalize memory cues and prevents context-dependent learning, improving recall in unfamiliar settings.
256
Q: In Community, Annie makes themed study sessions for the group in the library, cafeteria, and parking lot. What cognitive principle is she using?
A: She's helping the group avoid context-dependent learning by studying in varied environments.
257
Q: Shawn Spencer from Psych is trying to memorize a list of suspects. He imagines them each in a different room of his dad's house. What mnemonic is he using?
A: The method of loci—placing information in a familiar spatial context to improve recall.
258
Q: Rory from Gilmore Girls pulls an all-nighter before a big test, thinking it’s better to study everything at once. What’s the problem with her strategy?
A: She’s ignoring the spacing effect; cramming is less effective for long-term retention compared to spaced study sessions.
259
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael explains spy tactics to Fiona to make sure he remembers them. What studying strategy is he using, and why is it effective?
A: He's using active learning—explaining concepts aloud helps identify gaps and reinforces understanding.
260
Q: Patrick Jane from The Mentalist creates a story around how a suspect was caught to help Lisbon remember the case details. What memory technique is this?
A: Storytelling as a mnemonic strategy—framing facts as a narrative improves retention.
261
Q: Jeff from Community studies for his law exam by skimming his notes for hours. Meanwhile, Abed quizzes himself with flashcards and past quizzes. Who’s more likely to remember the material well, and why?
A: Abed, because he’s engaging in active learning and deep processing, while Jeff is likely using passive study methods.
262
Q: What is Broca’s aphasia?
A: A condition characterized by difficulty in speech production due to damage in the left frontal lobe (Broca’s area).
263
Q: What does the innateness hypothesis in language acquisition propose?
A: That humans are born with innate principles for grammar and syntax.
264
Q: What is phonological ambiguity?
A: When a word or phrase sounds like more than one possible interpretation due to similar phonemes.
265
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Emily Gilmore sharply corrects a waiter’s pronunciation of "foie gras." If he hears her correction but can’t mimic it properly due to damage in his Broca’s area, what type of aphasia does he likely have?
A: Broca’s aphasia.
266
Q: In Psych, if Gus hears the phrase “Let’s stalk the killer” and thinks Shawn said “Let’s talk to the killer,” what kind of ambiguity is at play?
A: Phonological ambiguity.
267
Q: When Abed from Community effortlessly mimics characters and tones from other shows, what does this suggest about his right hemisphere language processing?
A: It’s likely engaged in prosody, managing tone and emotional intonation.
268
Q: What are the three stages of memory processing?
A: Encoding, storage, and retrieval.
269
Q: What is the difference between semantic and episodic memory?
A: Semantic memory involves general knowledge, while episodic memory is tied to specific personal experiences.
270
Q: What is the misinformation effect?
A: When post-event information distorts a person’s memory of the original event.
271
Q: In Suits, Mike memorizes legal texts after one read. This ability mainly uses which type of memory?
A: Semantic memory (for general knowledge) and possibly exceptional working memory.
272
Q: In The Mentalist, if Jane remembers the smell of the room during a murder and it helps him recall a clue later, what concept is this an example of?
A: Encoding specificity principle.
273
Q: Rory Gilmore misremembers a conversation with Paris after Paris aggressively recaps it using leading language. What memory issue is this?
A: Misinformation effect.
274
Q: What’s the difference between well-defined and ill-defined problems?
A: Well-defined problems have clear goals and constraints; ill-defined ones do not.
275
Q: What is means-ends analysis?
A: A problem-solving strategy where one sets sub-goals to bridge the gap between current and goal states.
276
Q: What is functional fixedness?
A: A cognitive block where one sees an object as having only its typical use.
277
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael needs to create a surveillance camera using only junkyard parts. Overcoming functional fixedness lets him use a coffee maker motor. What cognitive process is this?
A: Productive thinking and overcoming functional fixedness.
278
Q: In Psych, Shawn jumps to conclusions based on superficial traits of suspects. What type of reasoning strategy is he likely using?
A: Heuristics (especially representativeness).
279
Q: When Jeff from Community keeps using persuasion for every group conflict despite it failing, what type of cognitive block is he showing?
A: Mental set.
280
Q: What is inductive reasoning?
A: Drawing general conclusions from specific observations.
281
Q: What does the Wason Card Task show about reasoning?
A: That people often use real-world knowledge instead of strict logic.
282
Q: What is belief bias?
A: The tendency to accept arguments whose conclusions are believable, regardless of logic.
283
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane sees someone wearing gloves in summer and infers they’re hiding fingerprints. What type of reasoning is he using?
A: Inductive reasoning.
284
Q: When Logan in Gilmore Girls supports an argument Rory makes just because he agrees with her conclusion, regardless of logic, what bias is this?
A: Belief bias.
285
Q: When Harvey in Suits insists on an unorthodox solution because it worked in a past case, even if the current one is different, what reasoning problem might he be experiencing?
A: Over-reliance on surface similarity in analogical reasoning.
