Psyc 341: Quiz 1

The fact that Sharon is able to hear her son call her, over all the other playground noises, illustrates the psychological concept of selective attention. This concept refers to the ability to focus on certain stimuli while filtering out others. In this case, Sharon is able to selectively attend to her son's voice amidst the background noise of the playground, demonstrating her ability to prioritize and allocate her attention to relevant information.

Cognitive models are based on observations that describe the structure and processes of cognition. This means that these models are developed by studying and analyzing how the mind works, including its organization and the various mental processes involved in cognition. By understanding the structure and processes of cognition, cognitive models aim to explain and predict human behavior, decision-making, problem-solving, and other cognitive functions.

The correct answer is "all of the above" because CT (Computed Tomography), EEG (Electroencephalography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and PET (Positron Emission Tomography) are all techniques used by scientists to study the human brain. CT scans use X-rays to create detailed images of the brain's structure, EEG measures electrical activity in the brain, MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the brain's structure and function, and PET scans use radioactive tracers to measure brain activity and metabolism. Therefore, all of these techniques are used to peer into the human brain.

The corpus callosum is a massive bundle of nerves that connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain. If it is cut, it can "trap" information on either side of the hemispheres, leading to a lack of communication between them. This procedure is sometimes done to reduce the symptoms of epilepsy. Therefore, the correct answer is "all of the above" as all the statements are true about the corpus callosum.

Iconic storage refers to the temporary visual memory system that holds a collection of snapshots of the visual world. It is a type of sensory memory that allows us to briefly retain and process visual information before it fades away. This form of memory is important for tasks such as recognizing objects, reading, and navigating our surroundings. Unlike long-term or short-term memory, iconic storage is limited in duration and capacity, lasting only for a fraction of a second.

Pattern perception is a result of higher order processing beginning with the identification of similar features. This means that when perceiving patterns, our brain first identifies similar features within the stimuli and then processes them in a higher order to recognize the pattern. This suggests that pattern perception involves cognitive processes that go beyond simple identification of individual components or relying solely on Gestalt analysis or examination of whole patterns. Instead, it involves analyzing and comparing similar features to perceive patterns accurately.

Template matching is the correct answer because it involves recognizing a visual pattern by comparing sensory stimuli to an internal template or construct. This process involves finding a match between the incoming sensory information and a pre-existing template or pattern in memory. It does not rely on featural similarity, 3-D matching, bottom-up processing, or top-down processing, which are different mechanisms for visual pattern recognition.

The thalamus is a part of the brain that acts as a relay station for sensory information. It receives sensory input from various parts of the body and then sends this information to the appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex for further processing. This allows us to perceive and interpret sensory stimuli such as touch, taste, smell, and vision. The thalamus does not control the limbic system or directly regulate eating, drinking, or sexual behavior, although it does play a role in relaying information to these areas. Additionally, the thalamus has been implicated in various motivational and emotional behaviors.

Roger Sperry studied commissurotomized patients. Commissurotomy is a surgical procedure in which the corpus callosum, the bundle of nerves that connects the two hemispheres of the brain, is severed. Sperry conducted research on these patients to understand the functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. His experiments showed that the two hemispheres have different functions and are specialized in processing certain types of information. This research contributed significantly to our understanding of brain lateralization and the specialization of brain functions.

Gestalt Theory is a theoretical position that theorizes that parts of the entire configuration derive their meaning from their membership as a whole. This theory suggests that the whole is different from the sum of its parts, and that perception is influenced by the organization and structure of stimuli. In other words, our perception of an object or situation is not solely based on its individual components, but also on how they are organized and perceived as a whole.

Priming is a technique in which a stimulus is briefly presented and then, after a delay, a second stimulus is presented. The purpose of this technique is to activate certain concepts or associations in the mind of the research participant, which can then influence their subsequent judgment or response. This process is often used in cognitive psychology research to study the effects of unconscious or automatic processes on behavior.

The filter model best fits with the idea that information processing is restricted by channel capacity. This model suggests that there is a limited capacity for processing information, and that a filter is used to select which information is attended to and processed further. This filter helps to prevent overload and allows for the prioritization of important information.

Cognitive psychology focuses on studying mental processes such as perception, memory, attention, and problem-solving. It draws upon various disciplines to understand these processes, including human intelligence, developmental psychology, and perception. However, psychoanalysis is not one of the principle areas that cognitive psychology draws upon. Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory and therapeutic approach developed by Sigmund Freud that focuses on the unconscious mind and the influence of early childhood experiences on behavior. While it may have some overlap with cognitive psychology in terms of studying mental processes, it is not considered one of the principle areas of study in this field.

Neurotransmission at the synapse occurs through the release of chemical neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron and bind to specific receptors on the postsynaptic neuron's dendrites. This binding causes a change in the polarity of the receiving dendrite, either depolarizing or hyperpolarizing it. This change in polarity determines whether an action potential will be generated in the postsynaptic neuron, thus transmitting the signal from one neuron to another.

Artificial intelligence is the correct answer because it is the specialty within computer science that focuses on creating intelligent machines that can simulate human cognitive processes. This field involves developing algorithms and models that enable computers to perform tasks that would typically require human intelligence, such as problem-solving, decision-making, and learning. Artificial intelligence encompasses various subfields, including machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision, and is used in numerous applications, such as virtual assistants, autonomous vehicles, and medical diagnosis systems.

The given question asks about the cognitive process that is not involved in the left side of the brain according to studies on commissurotomized patients. The correct answer is "spatial tasks." This means that spatial tasks are not primarily controlled by the left side of the brain.

The "failure" of behaviorism was among the most important forces accounting for a cognitive neuroscience revolution during the years following the late 1950s. Behaviorism, which focused solely on observable behavior and ignored internal mental processes, was unable to fully explain complex cognitive phenomena. This limitation led to the development of cognitive neuroscience, which seeks to understand the relationship between the brain, behavior, and mental processes. The failure of behaviorism paved the way for a new approach that integrated neuroscience and psychology, leading to significant advancements in our understanding of cognition.

The assumption that cognition can be analyzed into a series of hypothetical stages and that at each stage a unique function is carried out on incoming information is central to an information processing model. This model suggests that the mind operates like a computer, processing information in a step-by-step manner. It emphasizes the sequential nature of cognitive processes and how information is encoded, stored, and retrieved. This assumption forms the foundation of the information processing model and distinguishes it from other models such as a dichotomous model, stage theory of cognition, and language processing model.

The Attenuation model suggests that we listen to the meaning of what we hear instead of the physical characteristics. This model proposes that our attention is selectively focused on certain stimuli while other stimuli are attenuated or filtered out. In other words, we prioritize and pay attention to the information that is most relevant or meaningful to us, rather than solely relying on the physical characteristics of the stimuli.

In a dichotic listening experiment, participants are typically asked to listen to different auditory stimuli presented simultaneously to both ears. The purpose is to investigate selective attention and the ability to focus on one channel while ignoring the other. Since the question asks about the unattended channel, the correct answer would be "the name of the street on which the research participant lives." This is because the participant would be more likely to hear personally relevant information, such as their own address, even when they are not consciously attending to that particular channel.

Most cognitive models are based on a sequence of events. This means that they are designed to understand and explain how information is processed and organized in the mind, typically in a step-by-step manner. By examining the sequence of events, cognitive models aim to provide insights into various cognitive processes such as perception, attention, memory, and problem-solving. This approach allows researchers to study and analyze the flow of information through different stages of cognitive processing, providing a framework for understanding human cognition and behavior.

In Treisman's attenuation model, the selective filter acts as a volume control making the stimulus softer. This means that the filter reduces the intensity or strength of certain stimuli, allowing them to be processed at a lower level of attention. This helps to explain how we are able to focus on specific stimuli while filtering out irrelevant or less important information.

The "failure" of behaviorism was one of the most important forces accounting for a cognitive neuroscience revolution during the years following the late 1950s. Behaviorism, which focused solely on observable behavior and ignored internal mental processes, was unable to fully explain complex cognitive phenomena. This limitation led to a shift towards studying the mind and brain directly, giving rise to cognitive neuroscience. By recognizing the importance of internal mental processes and their neural basis, cognitive neuroscience has made significant advancements in understanding cognition and behavior.

The left hemisphere of the brain is more efficient at pattern recognition, while the right hemisphere is more efficient with the analysis of spatial information. This means that the left hemisphere is better at identifying and interpreting patterns, such as recognizing faces or solving puzzles, while the right hemisphere excels at understanding and processing spatial information, such as mentally rotating objects or navigating through a physical environment.

Visual information connected to the right hemisphere is received from the right side of the retina.

The correct answer is "bottom-up processing, template matching, and feature analysis". This is because the question asks for the theoretical positions that have NOT been offered to explain pattern recognition. The other options listed in the question are all theoretical positions that have been offered to explain pattern recognition.