Question 1

You go to the new ice cream parlor that has 48 different flavors of ice cream and 20 different toppings.According to behavioral economist Dilip Soman, having all these choices
A) tends to facilitate one's decision-making.
B) tends to decrease one's decision-making ability.
C) prevents one from experiencing functional fixedness.
D) often leads to one using algorithmic thinking.

Accepted Answer

According to Dilip Soman, having too many choices tends to decrease one's decision-making ability. This is because having too many options can lead to analysis paralysis and decision fatigue, making it harder for individuals to make a decision.

Question 2

According to your textbook, which of the following questions would be the LEAST likely to lead to a creative solution?
A) How would other people, such as a child, psychologist, or artist look at this problem?
B) What is the one best answer for solving this problem?
C) What are the parts of the problem and how are they related?
D) If the problem were alive, what would it look like?

Accepted Answer

Option B limits the solution to only one answer, whereas the other options allow for more creativity and exploration of different perspectives and elements of the problem.

Question 3

Defining the problem broadly, allowing time for incubation, seeking varied input, and looking for analogies are ways to
A) aid mechanical problem-solving.
B) enhance creativity.
C) dig deeper with logic.
D) create mental sets.

Accepted Answer

Defining the problem broadly, allowing time for incubation, seeking varied input, and looking for analogies are all strategies for enhancing creativity. These approaches can help individuals break out of their usual thought patterns and generate new ideas.

Question 4

Fixations and functional fixedness are specific types of
A) insight learning.
B) divergent thinking.
C) prototypes.
D) mental sets.

Accepted Answer

Fixations and functional fixedness both relate to mental sets, or the tendency to approach problems in a specific way based on previous experiences or knowledge. Fixations refer to getting stuck on a particular aspect of a problem or solution, while functional fixedness refers to the inability to see an object or concept as having a function beyond its usual one. Both of these can impede problem-solving and creative thinking.

Question 5

The tendency to perceive a problem in a way that blinds us to possible solutions is called
A) a mental set.
B) divergent thought.
C) a prototype.
D) brainstorming.

Accepted Answer

A mental set is a tendency to approach a problem in a particular way that has worked in the past but may not be the best solution for the current problem. This limits our ability to see alternative solutions. The other options are not specific to this type of cognitive barrier.

Question 6

Which of the following is a major barrier to creative thinking and can lead us to see a problem in preconceived terms that impede our problem-solving attempts?
A) forming a mental set
B) divergent thought
C) using analogies
D) brainstorming

Accepted Answer

Forming a mental set refers to the tendency to approach a problem with a fixed mindset or preconceived notions, which can limit our ability to think creatively and generate innovative solutions. It can cause us to overlook alternative approaches and solutions to problems. Divergent thought, using analogies, and brainstorming are actually strategies that can help to overcome mental sets and facilitate creative thinking.

Question 7

Restaurants whose menus feature a broader variety of choices often find that
A) their patrons will be more likely to try a different entree each time they come to the restaurant.
B) this change will guarantee significantly increased business.
C) this change will guarantee significantly decreased business.
D) their patrons will be more likely to order from a smaller number of familiar choices.

Accepted Answer

Offering a broader variety of choices on a menu does not necessarily guarantee increased business. In fact, it may overwhelm some customers and lead to decision fatigue. In such cases, customers may actually be more likely to stick with familiar choices that they know they enjoy. Therefore, the best answer is D- their patrons will be more likely to order from a smaller number of familiar choices.

Question 8

In order to arrive at a creative solution to a problem, it is often useful to
A) get to the specifics of the problem quickly.
B) define the problem as narrowly as possible.
C) break mental sets and challenge assumptions.
D) discard as many impractical suggestions as quickly as possible.

Accepted Answer

Breaking mental sets and challenging assumptions can help to stimulate new and innovative ideas, leading to a more creative solution to the problem. Getting to the specifics too quickly or defining the problem too narrowly might limit potential solutions. Discarding ideas too quickly can also limit creativity by shutting down potentially valuable ideas before they are fully explored.

Question 9

Which of the following would NOT encourage creativity?
A) breaking mental sets and challenging assumptions
B) defining the problem broadly
C) looking for analogies and delaying evaluation
D) utilizing convergent thinking under time pressure

Accepted Answer

Utilizing convergent thinking under time pressure typically does not encourage creativity as it involves finding the single best solution to a problem quickly, rather than exploring multiple options and generating new ideas.

Question 10

A problem is presented in the textbook that involves connecting nine dots arranged in a square using four continuous lines drawn without lifting the pencil.Most people are initially unable to solve this problem because they assume incorrectly that they are not allowed to extend the lines beyond the square formed by the dots.This incorrect assumption illustrates how which of the following can be major barrier to creative thinking?
A) incubation
B) divergent thinking
C) a prototype
D) a mental set

Accepted Answer

A mental set is a tendency to approach a problem in a particular way, often based on past experiences or assumptions about how things should be done. In this case, the incorrect assumption about not extending the lines beyond the square formed by the dots is an example of a mental set that can limit creative thinking and problem-solving.

Question 11

According to Soman and other researchers, increased stress, cognitive overload, and confusion about the possibilities are some of the reasons that people
A) exhibit functional fixedness.
B) are able to think divergently.
C) have difficulty making complex choices.
D) resort to algorithmic thinking.

Accepted Answer

According to the researchers mentioned, increased stress, cognitive overload, and confusion about possibilities can lead to difficulty in making complex choices.

Question 12

Regarding the effects of choice on decision-making, which of the following statements is FALSE?
A) Businesses that increase the variety of their product offerings are guaranteed increased sales.
B) Restaurants whose menus feature a broader variety of choices often find that patrons are more likely to order from a smaller number of familiar choices.
C) In one study, consumers with more flavors of jams to choose from did express more interest, but were actually 10 times less likely to purchase any jam.
D) Complex choices are difficult to make due to increased stress, cognitive overload, difficulty remembering all of the choices, and confusion about the possibilities.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. While adding variety to product offerings may increase sales, it is not a guaranteed outcome. Other factors such as pricing, quality, and marketing also play a significant role in consumer decision-making.

Question 13

In order to find new ways to open a can, a group leader asks his team of inventors to think of "opening," in general, rather than asking them to come up with a better way to open a can.In doing so, this group leader will
A) encourage creativity since he broadly defined the problem.
B) discourage creativity because he defined the problem too broadly.
C) encourage the use of mental sets, thus, encouraging creativity.
D) prevent incubation of the problem, thus, discouraging creativity.

Accepted Answer

By defining the problem broadly, the group leader is allowing his team to think creatively and come up with new and innovative solutions. This approach encourages the exploration of ideas beyond the traditional way of thinking, leading to potentially more innovative ideas.

Question 14

In one study, a group of consumers were given an option to purchase jam with half of them choosing from six different flavors and the other half choosing from 24 flavors.The researchers found that the consumers with more choice expressed
A) more interest and were more likely to purchase a jam.
B) more interest, but were less likely to purchase any jam.
C) less interest, but were more likely to purchase a jam.
D) less interest and were less likely to purchase any jam.

Accepted Answer

The study showed that consumers with more choice expressed more interest, but were less likely to make a purchase. This is known as the "paradox of choice," where too many options can lead to decision paralysis and decreased satisfaction with the final choice.

Question 15

You are asked the following tricky question, "A farmer had 19 sheep.All but 9 died.How many sheep did the farmer have left?" To answer this question, you must
A) utilize a mental set.
B) define the problem narrowly.
C) actively challenge your assumptions.
D) look for analogies within the problem.

Accepted Answer

The question is tricky because it plays on assumptions. By actively challenging the assumption that "all but 9 died" means more than 9 sheep died, you realize that it actually means 9 sheep are still alive.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about enhancing creativity is TRUE?
A) It helps creativity to be evaluated on your solutions or ideas as soon as possible.
B) Restating the problem in different ways tends to produce more creative solutions.
C) Trying to hurry or forcing a solution tends to encourage creative thought.
D) Following an algorithmic approach will lead to more idea generation.

Accepted Answer

Restating the problem in different ways can help people see it from new angles, potentially leading to more creative solutions. It is recommended to allow time for divergent thinking and exploration rather than rushing and forcing a solution. Evaluating solutions too soon can also inhibit creativity by limiting the exploration of new ideas. Following an algorithmic approach may help with efficiency but is unlikely to generate truly novel or creative ideas.

Question 17

A problem is presented in the textbook that involves arranging six matches to make four triangles.The triangles must be the same size, and each side must be equal to the length of one match.Most people are initially unable to solve this problem because they assume incorrectly that the matches must be arranged on a flat surface rather in a three-dimensional pyramid shape.This incorrect assumption illustrates how which of the following can be a major barrier to creative thinking?
A) a mental set
B) divergent thinking
C) a prototype
D) incubation

Accepted Answer

A mental set is a tendency to approach a problem in a particular way based on past experiences or assumptions. In this case, the assumption that the matches must be arranged on a flat surface is a mental set that prevents people from thinking about alternative solutions, such as arranging the matches in a three-dimensional pyramid shape.

Question 18

A supervisor is given the problem to design a better doorway and presents this task to his employees by asking them to "devise ways to define separate areas for living and working." The supervisor's revised task for his employees will
A) encourage creativity by broadly defining the problem.
B) discourage creativity because the problem has been defined too broadly.
C) encourage creativity by quickly creating mental sets.
D) prevent incubation of the problem and discourage creativity.

Accepted Answer

By broadly defining the problem, the supervisor is giving his employees the freedom to think creatively and come up with unique solutions to the problem. This encourages creativity as there are no preconceived notions of what the solution should look like, leaving more room for creative and innovative ideas.

Question 19

Regarding how creativity can be encouraged, which of the following statements is FALSE?
A) Many studies of creativity show that "genius" and "eminence" owe as much to persistence and dedication as they do to inspiration.
B) Encouraging mental sets can lead you to see the world from a more creative perspective.
C) To encourage creativity, seek varied input by randomly looking up words in the dictionary and relating them to the problem.
D) If you are feeling hurried by a sense of time pressure, you are almost always less likely to think creatively.

Accepted Answer

Encouraging mental sets, which are habits or patterns of problem-solving, can actually hinder creativity by limiting the ability to see alternative solutions or novel approaches.

Question 20

You are asked the following tricky question, "If there are 12 one-cent candies in a dozen, how many two-cent candies are there in a dozen?" To answer this question correctly, you must
A) utilize a mental set.
B) define the problem narrowly.
C) actively challenge your assumptions.
D) look for analogies within the problem.

Accepted Answer

The question presents a common mental trap by assuming the same logic applies to both the one-cent and two-cent candies. However, actively challenging this assumption leads to the realization that there are no two-cent candies in a dozen. Therefore, the correct answer is C, actively challenging your assumptions.

Quiz 8: Cognition, Language, and Creativity.

You go to the new ice cream parlor that has 48 different flavors of ice cream and 20 different toppings.According to behavioral economist Dilip Soman, having all these choices

According to your textbook, which of the following questions would be the LEAST likely to lead to a creative solution?

Defining the problem broadly, allowing time for incubation, seeking varied input, and looking for analogies are ways to

Fixations and functional fixedness are specific types of

The tendency to perceive a problem in a way that blinds us to possible solutions is called

Which of the following is a major barrier to creative thinking and can lead us to see a problem in preconceived terms that impede our problem-solving attempts?

Restaurants whose menus feature a broader variety of choices often find that

In order to arrive at a creative solution to a problem, it is often useful to

Which of the following would NOT encourage creativity?

According to Soman and other researchers, increased stress, cognitive overload, and confusion about the possibilities are some of the reasons that people

Regarding the effects of choice on decision-making, which of the following statements is FALSE?

In order to find new ways to open a can, a group leader asks his team of inventors to think of "opening," in general, rather than asking them to come up with a better way to open a can.In doing so, this group leader will

In one study, a group of consumers were given an option to purchase jam with half of them choosing from six different flavors and the other half choosing from 24 flavors.The researchers found that the consumers with more choice expressed

You are asked the following tricky question, "A farmer had 19 sheep.All but 9 died.How many sheep did the farmer have left?" To answer this question, you must

Which of the following statements about enhancing creativity is TRUE?

A supervisor is given the problem to design a better doorway and presents this task to his employees by asking them to "devise ways to define separate areas for living and working." The supervisor's revised task for his employees will

Regarding how creativity can be encouraged, which of the following statements is FALSE?

You are asked the following tricky question, "If there are 12 one-cent candies in a dozen, how many two-cent candies are there in a dozen?" To answer this question correctly, you must