Prac Exam

Question 1

Why can we consider Tolman one of the early cognitive psychologists?
Question 1Answer

a.
Because he used behavior to infer mental processes

b.
Because of his focus on measuring behavior

c.
Because he focused on the stimulus-response connections in the rat’s mind during his maze experiment

d.
Because of his interest in operant conditioning

Answer 1

a.
Because he used behavior to infer mental processes

Question 2

Wundt’s procedure in which trained participants describe their experiences and thought processes in response to stimuli presented under controlled conditions is known as
Question 2Answer

a.
information processing.

b.
analytic introspection.

c.
functional analysis.

d.
behavioral analysis.

Answer 2

b.
analytic introspection.

Question 3

Who introduced the flow diagram to represent what is happening in the mind?
Question 3Answer

a.
Donald Broadbent

b.
Colin Cherry

c.
Newell and Simon

d.
Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 3

a.
Donald Broadbent

Question 4

The main point of the Donders’s reaction time experiments was to
Question 4Answer

a.
show that reaction times can be measured accurately.

b.
measure the amount of time it takes to make a decision.

c.
determine differences in the way people react to stimuli.

d.
show that our cognitions are often based on unconscious inferences.

Answer 4

b.
measure the amount of time it takes to make a decision.

Question 5

Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin’s (1968) model of memory, which was introduced a year after the publication of Neisser’s book, described the flow of information in the memory system as progressing through three stages. Which memory holds incoming information for a fraction of a second and then passes most of this information to short-term memory?
Question 5Answer

a.
Long-term memory

b.
Sensory memory

c.
Episodic memory

d.
Semantic memory

Answer 5

b.
Sensory memory

Question 6

The “cognitive revolution”
Question 6Answer

a.
occurred rapidly, within a period of a few years, in response to the attacks on Skinner and the development of computers.

b.
extended over a long period of time, beginning in the early part of the century, in reaction to Wundt’s introspection experiments.

c.
was a gradual process that occurred over a few decades.

d.
was not really necessary because the study of the mind has been a constant part of experimental psychology since the founding of the first psychology laboratory.

Answer 6

c.
was a gradual process that occurred over a few decades.

Question 7

If a Gestalt psychologist was baking a cake for an event, what would they be most focused on?
Question 7Answer

a.
the oven

b.
the cake

c.
the flour

d.
the flavor

Answer 7

b.
the cake

Question 8

Maria took a drink from a container marked “milk.” Surprised, she quickly spit out the liquid because it turned out that the container was filled with orange juice instead. Maria likes orange juice, so why did she have such a negative reaction to it? Her response was most affected by
Question 8Answer

a.
reception of the stimulus.

b.
bottom-up processing.

c.
top-down processing.

d.
focused attention.

Answer 8

c.
top-down processing.

Question 9

What is the process of unconscious inference?
Question 9Answer

a.
When our subconscious mind interferes with our conscience

b.
When our unconscious perceptions align with our conscious perceptions

c.
When our perceptions are the result of inferences that we make about the environment

d.
When our subconscious interferes with what we perceive from our retinas

Answer 9

c.
When our perceptions are the result of inferences that we make about the environment

Question 10

What is a key difference between dendrites and axons?
Question 10Answer

a.
One is internally activated and the other is externally activated.

b.
One has physical form and the other lacks physical form.

c.
One sends information and the other receives information.

d.
One has a positive charge and the other has a negative charge.

Answer 10

c.
One sends information and the other receives information.

Question 11

Which of the following is consistent with the idea of localization of function?
Question 11Answer

a.
Specific areas of the brain serve different functions.

b.
Neurons in different areas of the brain respond best to different stimuli.

c.
Brain areas are specialized for specific functions.

d.
All of these are correct.

Answer 11

d.
All of these are correct

Question 12

Groups of interconnected neurons are referred to as
Question 12Answer

a.
myelin sheaths.

b.
potentiated somas.

c.
neural circuits.

d.
spreading activations.

Answer 12

c.
neural circuits.

Question 13

When recording from a single neuron, stimulus intensity is represented by the
Question 13Answer

a.
size of the action potentials.

b.
size of the synapse.

c.
firing rate of the neurotransmitters.

d.
firing rate of the action potentials.

Answer 13

d.
firing rate of the action potentials.

Question 14

The saying, “If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all” best reflects which of the following?
Question 14Answer

a.
principle of similarity

b.
law of pragnanz

c.
semantic regularities

d.
likelihood principle

Answer 14

d.
likelihood principle

Question 15

Collins and Quillian explained the results of priming experiments by introducing the concept of ___________ into their network model.
Question 15Answer

a.
spreading activation

b.
cognitive economy

c.
typicality

d.
back propagation

Answer 15

a.
spreading activation

Question 16

For the category “fruit,” people give a higher typicality rating to “banana” than to “kiwi.” Knowing that, we can also reason that
Question 16Answer

a.
the word “fruit” will lead to a larger priming effect for banana than for kiwi.

b.
when people are asked to list all the fruits they can think of, kiwi will usually appear on their list before banana.

c.
neither kiwi nor banana is likely to be the fruit “closest” to the prototype of the fruit category.

d.
people will have a similar number of exemplars for kiwi and banana.

Answer 16

a.
the word “fruit” will lead to a larger priming effect for banana than for kiwi.

Question 17

Which of the following is a connectionist model proposing that concepts are represented by activity that is spread across a network?
Question 17Answer

a.
Semantic network theory

b.
The prototype approach

c.
Parallel distributed processing theory

d.
Enhancement due to priming

Answer 17

c.
Parallel distributed processing theory

Question 18

Which of the following terms is most closely associated with semantic networks?
Question 18Answer

a.
Distributed processing

b.
Cognitive economy

c.
Prototype formation

d.
Serial processing

Answer 18

b.
Cognitive economy

Question 19

Priming occurs when presentation of one stimulus
Question 19Answer

a.
disrupts the processing of another stimulus.

b.
acts as a cue that tells the participant when his or her response was correct.

c.
facilitates the response to another stimulus that usually follows closely in time.

d.
relates to a prototype in a way that is unrelated to associated exemplars.

Answer 19

c.
facilitates the response to another stimulus that usually follows closely in time.

Question 20

___________is a “typical” member of a category.
Question 20Answer

a.
A prototype

b.
An exemplar

c.
A unit

d.
A component

Answer 20

a.
A prototype

Question 21

Broadbent’s model is called an early selection model because
Question 21Answer

a.
the filter eliminates unattended information at the beginning of the information flow.

b.
the filtering step occurs before the information enters the sensory memory.

c.
only a select set of environmental information enters the system.

d.
incoming information is selected by the detector.

Answer 21

a.
the filter eliminates unattended information at the beginning of the information flow

Question 22

How does perceptual load differ from processing capacity?
Question 22Answer

a.
Perceptual load is static and processing capacity is variable.

b.
Perceptual load is genetic and processing capacity is learned.

c.
Perceptual load is sensory and processing capacity is cognitive.

d.
Perceptual load is individual and processing capacity is universal.

Answer 22

d.
Perceptual load is individual and processing capacity is universal.

Question 23

Funahashi’s work on monkeys doing a delayed response task examined the role of neurons in the
Question 24Answer

a.
nucleus accumbens.

b.
prefrontal cortex.

c.
diencephalon.

d.
cingulate gyrus.

Answer 23

b.
prefrontal cortex.

Question 24

Research suggests that the capacity of short-term memory is

a.
somewhat small, holding only about seven items at one time.

b.
quite large, holding a large number of items simultaneously.

c.
equivalent to sensory memory, holding about a hundred items at one time.

d.
larger than the capacity of long-term memory among young people.

Answer 24

a.
somewhat small, holding only about seven items at one time.

Question 25

Digit span is one measure of capacity of

a.
short-term memory.

b.
long-term memory.

c.
sensory memory.

d.
long-term semantic memory.

Answer 25

a.
short-term memory.

Question 26

The idea that we remember life events better because we encounter the information over and over in what we read, see on TV, and talk about with other people is called the

a.
narrative rehearsal hypothesis.

b.
cognitive hypothesis.

c.
life-narrative hypothesis.

d.
reminiscence hypothesis.

Answer 26

a.
narrative rehearsal hypothesis.

Question 27

Your book discusses the memory functioning of patient H.M. who underwent brain surgery to relieve severe epileptic seizures. H.M.’s case has been extremely informative to psychologists by demonstrating that

a.
long-term memory can operate normally while short-term memory is impaired.

b.
impairment of one memory system (long-term or short-term) necessarily leads to deficits in the functioning of the other.

c.
a double dissociation exists for short-term and long-term memory.

d.
short-term memory can operate normally while long-term memory is impaired.

Answer 27

d.
short-term memory can operate normally while long-term memory is impaired.

Question 28

A script is a type of schema that also includes knowledge of

a.
a sequence of actions.

b.
what is involved in a particular experience.

c.
information stored in both semantic and episodic memory.

d.
items appropriate to a particular setting.

Answer 28

a. a sequence of actions.

Question 29

The propaganda effect demonstrates that we evaluate familiar statements as being true
Question 30Answer

a.
only when we are aware we’ve seen them before.

b.
simply because we have been exposed to them before.

c.
only when we agree with them.

d.
unless we are told explicitly that the statements are false.

Answer 29

b.
simply because we have been exposed to them before.

Question 30

Semantic memory is to ________ as episodic memory is to ________.
Question 31Answer

a.
images; sounds

b.
implicit; explicit

c.
knowing; remembering

d.
fragile; permanent

Answer 30

c. knowing; remembering

Question 31

The recency effect occurs when participants are asked to recall a list of words. One way to eliminate the recency effect is to

a.
have participants say “la, la, la” while studying the list.

b.
present the list more slowly.

c.
have participants count backwards for 30 seconds after hearing the last word of the list.

d.
have participants see the words on a screen, rather than hear them.

Answer 31

c.
have participants count backwards for 30 seconds after hearing the last word of the list.

Question 32

According to the levels of processing theory, which of the following tasks will produce the best long-term memory for a set of words?

a.
Making a connection between each word and something you’ve previously learned

b.
Deciding how many vowels each word has

c.
Generating a rhyming word for each word to be remembered

d.
Repeating the words over and over in your mind

Answer 32

a.
Making a connection between each word and something you’ve previously learned

Question 33

How would you describe the relationship between elaborative rehearsal and maintenance rehearsal in terms of establishing long-term memories?
Question 34Answer

a.
Elaborative is more effective than maintenance.

b.
Maintenance is more effective than elaborative.

c.
Both are equally effective in all learning circumstances.

d.
Each one is sometimes more effective, depending on the learning circumstances.

Answer 33

a.
Elaborative is more effective than maintenance.

Question 34

Lucille is teaching Kendra how to play racquetball. She explains how to hold the racquet, how to stand, and how to make effective shots. These learned skills that Lucille has acquired are an example of ___________ memory.
Question 35Answer

a.
working

b.
semantic

c.
procedural

d.
autobiographical

Answer 34

c.
procedural

Question 35

ccording to your text, imagery enhances memory because

a.
research shows people like pictures better than words, so there is an enhanced emotional response.

b.
the brain processes images more easily than the meanings of words.

c.
imagery can be used to create connections between items to be remembered.

d.
pictures fit better with our basic instincts because children learn pictures before reading words.

Answer 35

c.
imagery can be used to create connections between items to be remembered.

Question 36

Pacinian corpuscles are ________ that respond to _________ and ____________.

a.
tactile receptors; deep pressure; vibration

b.
baroreceptors; deep pressure; vibration

c.
proprioceptors; touch; vibration

d.
tactile receptors; touch; vibration

Answer 36

a.
tactile receptors; deep pressure; vibration

Question 37

Which of the following best describes nociceptive pain?

Question 38Answer

a.
Pain resulting from actual or potential tissue damage, which causes the release of chemical mediators that stimulate nerve fibres to initiate pain signals to the brain.

b.
Pain resulting from pressure upon a nerve or group of nerves.

c.
A disorder of a specific nerve or group of nerves resulting in the release of abnormal pain signals.

d.
Pain resulting from a disorder of the central nervous system, i.e. following brain trauma

Answer 37

a.
Pain resulting from actual or potential tissue damage, which causes the release of chemical mediators that stimulate nerve fibres to initiate pain signals to the brain.

Question 38

The brain begins to dissociate real words from “pseudowords” how many milliseconds after the stimulus uniqueness point?

a.
800ms

b.
50ms

c.
250ms

d.
400ms

Answer 38

b.
50ms

Question 39

Which is not a cue the brain uses to determine where one word ends and the next begins?

Question 40Answer

a.
sound combinations

b.
word predictability

c.
contrasting

d.
speech rhythm

Answer 39

c.
contrasting

Question 40

Anne Treismans attenuator analyzes the incoming message in terms of all of the following EXCEPT:

A) how sequences of words create meaningful phases

B) how the message groups into syllables or words

C) whether the message is fast or slow

D) whether the perceptions is low or high

Answer 40

D) whether the perceptions is low or high