Cognition Trivia Quiz For Psychology Students!
- 1.
One study found that if participants were told a new fact about robins they would also believe that the new fact was true of ducks. However, if told a new fact about ducks, participants would not extrapolate this information to robins. This suggests that ________.
- A.
Participants treat each category member independently (on a case-by-case basis) when applying new beliefs
- B.
Participants are willing to make inferences from a typical case within a category to the whole category but not vice versa
- C.
New knowledge about a member of a category is unstable, leading to a change in a person’s belief system only on rare occasions
- D.
Beliefs within a theory are less likely to affect typical category members than atypical ones
Correct Answer
B. Participants are willing to make inferences from a typical case within a category to the whole category but not vice versaExplanation
The study suggests that participants are willing to make inferences from a typical case within a category to the whole category but not vice versa. This means that when participants are given new information about robins, they are more likely to apply it to all robins, whereas when given new information about ducks, they do not generalize it to all ducks. This indicates that participants treat each category member independently and make inferences based on individual cases rather than applying new beliefs universally across the entire category.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Categorization is of great importance to cognitive tasks. Which of the following is LEAST likely to benefit from the ability to categorize?
- A.
Learning new information
- B.
Expanding current knowledge
- C.
Generalizing to new situations
- D.
Improving IQ
Correct Answer
D. Improving IQExplanation
Improving IQ is least likely to benefit from the ability to categorize. Categorization helps in organizing and structuring information, making it easier to understand and remember. It aids in learning new information by grouping similar concepts together. It also helps in expanding current knowledge by identifying patterns and relationships. Categorization is useful for generalizing to new situations by applying previous knowledge to novel contexts. However, improving IQ is a complex cognitive process that involves various factors such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and reasoning abilities, which may not be directly influenced by categorization skills.Rate this question:
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- 3.
Studies of moment-by-moment brain activity indicate that ________.
- A.
The activity of visualization produces widespread activation of the brain, particularly in the left hemisphere
- B.
The brain regions needed for visualization are distinct from the brain regions needed for actual vision
- C.
When participants are visualizing, activity levels are high in brain regions also crucial for visual perception
- D.
Different people employ different brain areas to support their visualizing
Correct Answer
C. When participants are visualizing, activity levels are high in brain regions also crucial for visual perceptionExplanation
When participants are visualizing, activity levels are high in brain regions also crucial for visual perception. This suggests that the brain uses similar areas for both processes, indicating a strong connection between visualization and actual vision. This finding supports the idea that visualization is not a separate process from vision, but rather an internal representation of visual information. Additionally, the widespread activation of the brain during visualization, particularly in the left hemisphere, suggests that it is a complex cognitive process involving multiple brain regions.Rate this question:
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- 4.
“Coarticulation” refers to the fact that, in producing speech ________.
- A.
The movement of the tongue and lips must be carefully coordinated with the output of air from the lungs
- B.
Phonemes overlap, both in their production and in their sound pattern
- C.
A single position of the tongue is used for several different speech sounds
- D.
The tongue must be moved into its appropriate position simultaneously with the positioning of the teeth and lips
Correct Answer
B. Phonemes overlap, both in their production and in their sound patternExplanation
Coarticulation refers to the phenomenon where phonemes in speech production overlap, both in their production and in their sound pattern. This means that when we speak, the articulatory movements of our tongue, lips, teeth, and other speech organs are not neatly separated for each individual phoneme. Instead, they blend together, influencing the production of neighboring phonemes. This overlapping of articulatory gestures helps to make speech production more efficient and fluent. It allows us to produce speech rapidly without having to make separate, distinct movements for each phoneme.Rate this question:
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- 5.
The term “categorical perception” refers to the fact that we are ________.
- A.
Better at hearing some categories of sounds than we are at hearing other categories
- B.
Skillful both in identifying categories of sounds and in categorizing the physical characteristics of those sounds
- C.
Better at hearing the difference between sounds from different categories than we are at distinguishing sounds from the same category
- D.
Highly sensitive to variations within a category but are less sensitive to the contrast between categories
Correct Answer
C. Better at hearing the difference between sounds from different categories than we are at distinguishing sounds from the same categoryExplanation
The term "categorical perception" refers to our ability to be better at hearing the difference between sounds from different categories than we are at distinguishing sounds from the same category. This means that we are more skilled in perceiving and differentiating sounds that belong to different categories, such as different vowels or consonants, rather than being able to distinguish subtle differences within the same category. This phenomenon highlights our tendency to categorize and perceive sounds based on their distinctiveness rather than their subtle variations within a category.Rate this question:
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- 6.
The principle of minimal attachment refers to a ________.
- A.
Rule of conversation governing how successive statements within a conversation are related to each other
- B.
Principle of speech perception determining the connection between adjacent phonemes
- C.
Heuristic used to determine the referent of pronouns within a sentence
- D.
Processing strategy in which the listener seeks the simplest possible phrase structure that will accommodate the words heard to that point
Correct Answer
D. Processing strategy in which the listener seeks the simplest possible phrase structure that will accommodate the words heard to that pointExplanation
The principle of minimal attachment refers to a processing strategy in which the listener seeks the simplest possible phrase structure that will accommodate the words heard to that point. This means that when processing language, individuals tend to form sentences that require the least amount of mental effort and complexity. They prefer to create a sentence structure that is straightforward and easy to understand based on the words they have heard so far. This principle helps in reducing cognitive load and facilitating efficient comprehension of language.Rate this question:
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- 7.
Stephen and Stephanie both have problems with speech. Stephen’s disorder is characterized with speech such as “Um . . . the . . . ahhh . . . I want . . . green . . . it’s green . . . .” Stephanie’s disorder is characterized with speech such as “It is easy because . . . boys are looking but they look . . . see the cat is with the boys and machines and purple.” Stephen is most likely suffering from ________ while Stephanie is suffering from ________.
- A.
Wernicke’s aphasia; Broca’s aphasia
- B.
Wernicke’s aphasia; specific language impairment
- C.
Broca’s aphasia; Wernicke’s aphasia
- D.
Broca’s aphasia; anomia
Correct Answer
C. Broca’s aphasia; Wernicke’s aphasiaExplanation
Stephen's speech pattern, characterized by hesitations and difficulty finding the right words, is indicative of Broca's aphasia. This type of aphasia is associated with damage to the frontal lobe of the brain, specifically the Broca's area, which is responsible for speech production. On the other hand, Stephanie's speech pattern, characterized by nonsensical and jumbled sentences, is indicative of Wernicke's aphasia. This type of aphasia is associated with damage to the temporal lobe of the brain, specifically the Wernicke's area, which is responsible for language comprehension.Rate this question:
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- 8.
A researcher asks a participant to memorize a city map. On the map, the library and the school are 2 inches apart; the school and the hospital are 4 inches apart. The researcher now instructs the participant to form an image of the map and to scan from the library to the school. The researcher then asks the participant to scan from the school to the hospital. Which of the following is MOST likely to be true?
- A.
The scanning time from the school to the hospital is half the scanning time between the library and the school.
- B.
The scanning time from the school to the hospital is triple the scanning time between the library and the school.
- C.
The scanning time from the school to the hospital is the same as the scanning time between the library and the school.
- D.
The scanning time from the school to the hospital is double the scanning time between the library and the school.
Correct Answer
D. The scanning time from the school to the hospital is double the scanning time between the library and the school.Explanation
The scanning time from the school to the hospital is double the scanning time between the library and the school because the distance between the school and the hospital is twice the distance between the library and the school. Since scanning time is typically proportional to the distance traveled, it is reasonable to assume that the scanning time would also be doubled.Rate this question:
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- 9.
To produce some sounds, the flow of air out of the lungs is interrupted by the lips; for other sounds, the flow is disrupted by the placement of the tongue and teeth. This feature of sound production is referred to as ________.
- A.
Place of articulation
- B.
Manner of production
- C.
Voicing
- D.
Speech locus
Correct Answer
A. Place of articulationExplanation
The correct answer is "place of articulation." This refers to the specific location in the vocal tract where the flow of air is disrupted to produce different sounds. It can involve the lips, tongue, teeth, or other parts of the mouth. The term "place of articulation" is used to describe the physical position and movement of these articulatory organs during speech production.Rate this question:
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- 10.
People tend to be more alert and responsive to evidence that supports their preexisting notions and beliefs than to evidence that challenges them. This effect is called ________.
- A.
Confirmation bias
- B.
Stereotypy
- C.
Base-rate error
- D.
The covariation law
Correct Answer
A. Confirmation biasExplanation
Confirmation bias refers to the tendency of individuals to seek out and interpret information in a way that confirms their preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. This bias can lead people to ignore or dismiss evidence that contradicts their beliefs, while actively seeking out and giving more weight to evidence that supports their beliefs. It can hinder critical thinking and objective analysis, as individuals may selectively focus on information that confirms their existing views, leading to a skewed perception of reality.Rate this question:
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- 11.
When asked to determine which city is farther south, Seattle or Montreal, people are likely to mistakenly say Seattle. This is probably because ________.
- A.
People depend on their “gut feelings” when they don’t know an answer
- B.
Some spatial information is stored in memory in a propositional form rather than an image form
- C.
People are great at reading visual images and can discover surprising facts in them
- D.
People are miserably bad at reading visual images, and so images are no help in this type of problem
Correct Answer
B. Some spatial information is stored in memory in a propositional form rather than an image formExplanation
People are likely to mistakenly say Seattle is farther south than Montreal because some spatial information is stored in memory in a propositional form rather than an image form. This means that people rely on their knowledge or understanding of the geographical location rather than visualizing or recalling an image of the map. In this case, people may know that Seattle is located more south than Montreal based on their propositional knowledge, even though the actual map may show otherwise.Rate this question:
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- 12.
The term “illusory covariation” refers to an error in which ________.
- A.
Participants perceive an event as occurring far more often than it actually does
- B.
Participants perceive two variables as being somehow linked to each other when in fact they are not
- C.
Participants draw a conclusion on the basis of a biased or small sample of evidence
- D.
Participants refuse to change their minds even though the available evidence clearly challenges their belief
Correct Answer
B. Participants perceive two variables as being somehow linked to each other when in fact they are notExplanation
The term "illusory covariation" refers to an error in which participants perceive two variables as being somehow linked to each other when in fact they are not. This means that participants mistakenly believe that there is a relationship or correlation between two variables, even though there is no actual connection between them. This error can occur due to cognitive biases, such as the tendency to see patterns or connections where none exist, or the failure to consider alternative explanations for observed events.Rate this question:
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- 13.
In a memory experiment, participants were shown a form that could be interpreted in more than one way. Half the participants were told, “Here is a picture of the sun.” Other participants were told, “Here is a picture of a ship’s steering wheel.” Some time later, participants were asked to draw the exact form they had seen earlier. The data indicate that ________.
- A.
Participants’ visual memories were distinct from their verbal memories, so participants were uninfluenced by the labels
- B.
Participants’ drawings were biased in a fashion that reflected the labels that the participants had been given earlier
- C.
The labels had called attention to the ambiguity of the figures, leading to improved memory accuracy
- D.
Participants were able to remember only the labels, not the drawings
Correct Answer
B. Participants’ drawings were biased in a fashion that reflected the labels that the participants had been given earlierExplanation
The participants' drawings were biased in a fashion that reflected the labels they had been given earlier. This means that the participants' interpretation of the form was influenced by the labels they were provided. Their memory of the form was not accurate, but rather biased towards the interpretation suggested by the labels. This suggests that the labels had a significant impact on the participants' memory and perception of the form.Rate this question:
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- 14.
The process of “slicing” the stream of speech into successive syllables or words is called ________.
- A.
Sound segregation
- B.
Speech segmentation
- C.
Categorical perception
- D.
Articulation
Correct Answer
B. Speech segmentationExplanation
Speech segmentation refers to the process of breaking down a continuous stream of speech into individual syllables or words. This allows us to understand and interpret the speech more easily. Sound segregation, on the other hand, refers to the process of separating different sounds or sources in a complex auditory scene. Categorical perception is the ability to perceive speech sounds as belonging to distinct categories. Articulation refers to the physical production of speech sounds. Therefore, speech segmentation is the most appropriate term to describe the process of dividing speech into syllables or words.Rate this question:
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- 15.
The concept of boundary extension illustrates that ________.
- A.
People understand a picture by means of a perceptual schema
- B.
Schemas influence memory for images, but not as much as they influence memory for verbal information
- C.
People remember pictures in a “zoomed-in” manner
- D.
Semantic knowledge has no influence on memory for images
Correct Answer
A. People understand a picture by means of a perceptual schemaExplanation
The concept of boundary extension illustrates that people understand a picture by means of a perceptual schema. This means that when people view a picture, they tend to mentally extend the boundaries of the scene beyond what is actually shown. This suggests that our perception of images is influenced by our pre-existing knowledge and expectations, which are organized into schemas. These schemas help us make sense of the visual information and fill in missing details based on our prior experiences and understanding of the world.Rate this question:
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- 16.
An inductive judgment is one in which a person ________.
- A.
Tries to make predictions about upcoming events on the basis of evidence already available
- B.
Tries to make a cause-and-effect judgment about an observed state of affairs
- C.
Begins with a general statement and asks what other specific claims follow from this
- D.
Begins with specific facts or observations and seeks to draw a general conclusion from them
Correct Answer
D. Begins with specific facts or observations and seeks to draw a general conclusion from themExplanation
An inductive judgment is a type of reasoning in which specific facts or observations are used to draw a general conclusion. It involves starting with specific evidence and then making a broader, general statement based on that evidence. This type of judgment is commonly used in scientific research and everyday life to make generalizations or predictions based on observed patterns or trends.Rate this question:
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- 17.
A normative account is one that ________.
- A.
Describes how things typically proceed
- B.
Describes the data with no evaluation or judgment
- C.
Indicates how things are supposed to proceed
- D.
Indicates the pattern of the data, averaging across minor case-by-case variations
Correct Answer
C. Indicates how things are supposed to proceedExplanation
A normative account is an explanation or description that indicates how things are supposed to proceed. It provides a standard or ideal for how events or behaviors should unfold. Unlike a descriptive account that simply describes how things typically proceed, a normative account includes an evaluation or judgment about what is considered correct or expected. It outlines the expected or desired pattern of events, disregarding minor variations on a case-by-case basis.Rate this question:
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- 18.
Heuristics are strategies that ________.
- A.
Sometimes risk error in order to gain efficiency
- B.
Are underused, despite their advantages
- C.
Protect us from overestimating the frequency of real-life events
- D.
Ensure step-by-step procedures for finding correct conclusions
Correct Answer
A. Sometimes risk error in order to gain efficiencyExplanation
Heuristics are strategies that sometimes risk error in order to gain efficiency. This means that heuristics are shortcuts or rules of thumb that individuals use to make decisions or solve problems. While they can be efficient in many cases, they may also lead to errors or biases. By taking shortcuts, individuals may overlook important information or make incorrect assumptions. However, the trade-off is that heuristics save time and cognitive effort, allowing individuals to make decisions quickly and efficiently in many situations.Rate this question:
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- 19.
When we encounter a highly unusual event, we are particularly likely to notice and consider the event. As a consequence ________.
- A.
We are likely to think about how distinctive the event really is, leading us to underestimate the likelihood of this type of event
- B.
We are likely to think about the event as being in its own special category, and so the event will have little impact on our estimates of frequency
- C.
The event will be easy to recall, leading us to overestimate the likelihood of this type of event
- D.
The event will be difficult to recall, leading us to underestimate the likelihood of this type of event
Correct Answer
C. The event will be easy to recall, leading us to overestimate the likelihood of this type of eventExplanation
When we encounter a highly unusual event, our brains tend to pay more attention to it and store it in our memory more easily. This ease of recall leads us to overestimate the likelihood of similar events occurring in the future. Our tendency to remember and focus on the unusual event makes it seem more common than it actually is, causing us to overestimate its likelihood.Rate this question:
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- 20.
Which of the following is an example of the gambler’s fallacy?
- A.
“I know the chances of winning the lottery are small, but someone has to win it, and I could be the one!”
- B.
“I’ve gotten a low number the last eight times I’ve rolled the dice, so a high number is coming up soon!”
- C.
“There’s an equal chance for any team to win the league’s championship.”
- D.
“The best strategy at the horse races is to bet in the same way as the crowd is betting.”
Correct Answer
B. “I’ve gotten a low number the last eight times I’ve rolled the dice, so a high number is coming up soon!”Explanation
The correct answer is "I’ve gotten a low number the last eight times I’ve rolled the dice, so a high number is coming up soon!" This is an example of the gambler's fallacy because it assumes that past outcomes of rolling the dice will influence future outcomes, when in reality each roll is independent and has no connection to previous rolls. The belief that a high number is "due" after a series of low numbers is a misconception based on the false assumption that probabilities will even out over time.Rate this question:
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- 21.
The smallest units of language that carry meaning are called ________.
- A.
Morphemes
- B.
phonemes
- C.
Phonetic elements
- D.
Words
Correct Answer
A. MorphemesExplanation
Morphemes are the smallest units of language that carry meaning. They can be individual words or parts of words, such as prefixes or suffixes. Phonemes, on the other hand, are the smallest units of sound in a language. Phonetic elements refer to the specific sounds or symbols used to represent those sounds. While words are also units of language, they are not necessarily the smallest units that carry meaning.Rate this question:
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- 22.
Linguistic rules seem to be the source of children’s overregularization errors. This sort of error is visible, for example, whenever a child ________.
- A.
Uses a regular sequence of words to express an idea even though a different sequence would be more effective
- B.
Sees a squirrel and says, “There’s a cat!”
- C.
Says “I goed” or “He runned”
- D.
Fails to distinguish between similar speech sounds
Correct Answer
C. Says “I goed” or “He runned”Explanation
Linguistic rules seem to be the source of children's overregularization errors. This is evident in the given answer where the child says "I goed" or "He runned". This error occurs when children apply regular grammatical patterns to irregular verbs, resulting in incorrect verb forms. Instead of using the appropriate past tense forms of "went" and "ran", the child uses the regular verb form "goed" and "runned". This demonstrates the influence of linguistic rules on children's language development.Rate this question:
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- 23.
Chronometric studies ________.
- A.
Are time-measuring techniques used to record how long it takes to fulfill a mental process
- B.
Have been relatively uninformative for the study of complex mental events
- C.
Have documented the descriptive (languagelike) properties of mental imagery
- D.
Require an understanding of the brain events underlying a particular mental function
Correct Answer
A. Are time-measuring techniques used to record how long it takes to fulfill a mental processExplanation
Chronometric studies are time-measuring techniques used to record how long it takes to fulfill a mental process. These studies are valuable in understanding the temporal aspects of mental processes and can provide insights into the speed and efficiency of cognitive functions. By measuring the time it takes to complete a task or process, researchers can gather quantitative data that helps in understanding the underlying mechanisms of mental functions. Chronometric studies are particularly useful in studying the timing and sequencing of cognitive processes and can contribute to our understanding of complex mental events.Rate this question:
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Mar 10, 2023Quiz Edited by
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Jun 27, 2010Quiz Created by
Rdowney
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