Question 1

Which of the following are examples of concrete concepts?
A) reading and writing
B) pride and prejudice
C) orange and blue
D) books and tools

Accepted Answer

Concrete concepts are those that can be perceived directly through the senses. Books and tools are tangible items that can be seen and touched, making them concrete concepts.

Question 2

Which of these are essential to thinking and communication because they simplify and organize information?
A) maps
B) images
C) concepts
D) ideas

Accepted Answer

Concepts are essential to thinking and communication because they help in simplifying and organizing information, allowing us to understand and categorize our experiences and observations.

Question 3

When shown a picture of a poodle we will most likely first classify it in the middle of the conceptual hierarchy, as a(n) ________.
A) animal
B) dog
C) mammal
D) highbred

Accepted Answer

When shown a picture of a poodle, we are most likely to first classify it as a dog, which is a more specific category than animal or mammal and more general than highbred. This is because our cognitive processes tend to categorize objects at a basic level of specificity that is neither too broad nor too specific.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a higher-order concept?
A) animal
B) bird
C) fish
D) parakeet

Accepted Answer

Higher-order concepts are more general and encompass a broader category of items or ideas. "Animal" is a higher-order concept because it includes all animals, making it more general than the other options listed, which are more specific categories or examples within the broader animal kingdom.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a basic-level concept?
A) mammal
B) cat
C) tabby
D) whiskers

Accepted Answer

Basic-level concepts are general categories that are neither too specific nor too general. "Cat" fits this description perfectly, as it is more specific than "mammal" but more general than "tabby" or a specific feature like "whiskers."

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a lower-order concept?
A) animal
B) fish
C) water
D) salmon

Accepted Answer

Lower-order concepts are more specific instances within a broader category. "Salmon" is a specific type of fish, making it a lower-order concept compared to the more general categories like "animal" or "fish."

Question 7

If you are designing a complex and novel experiment and are coming up with possible ways to control for extraneous variables, you are engaging in the process of ________.
A) hierarchies
B) problem solving
C) artificial concepts
D) mental set

Accepted Answer

Problem solving involves identifying and taking action to resolve difficulties or achieve a goal. Designing an experiment and figuring out how to control for extraneous variables is a form of problem solving, as it requires developing strategies to address potential issues that could affect the outcome of the experiment.

Question 8

When you are defining an ultimate goal, outlining your limits and/or desires, and separating the negotiable from non-negotiable, you are in which stage of problem solving?
A) production
B) preparation
C) distributed practice
D) attribution

Accepted Answer

This describes the preparation stage of problem solving, where you define your goals, understand your constraints, and distinguish between what you are willing to compromise on and what you are not.

Question 9

In figuring out all the ways that you can come up with the money you need to buy the used car you saw advertised in the newspaper, you are working in which stage of problem-solving?
A) algorithm
B) evaluation
C) preparation
D) production

Accepted Answer

In the production stage of problem-solving, you generate possible solutions or strategies to solve the problem, such as figuring out different ways to come up with the money needed for the car.

Question 10

The correct sequences of the steps to problem solving are ________.
A) evaluation, preparation, production
B) preparation, production, evaluation
C) production, evaluation. preparation
D) evaluation, production, preparation

Accepted Answer

The correct sequence for problem-solving typically involves preparation (understanding and framing the problem), production (generating solutions), and evaluation (assessing the solutions).

Question 11

Dr. Stewart is a foot surgeon who has a regular procedure for critiquing the results of his surgeries. He reviews the case of his patient and asks himself if the surgical outcome matches the goal that was set before the operation. What stage of problem-solving is this?
A) brainstorming
B) preparation
C) production
D) evaluation

Accepted Answer

Dr. Stewart is in the evaluation stage of problem-solving, where he assesses the outcomes of his surgeries against the pre-set goals to determine their success or identify areas for improvement.

Question 12

Algorithm is to problem solving as ________.
A) recipe is to cake
B) shoes are to feet
C) inductive is to deductive
D) syntax is to grammar

Accepted Answer

An algorithm is a set of instructions or steps designed to solve a problem, similar to how a recipe is a set of instructions to make a cake.

Question 13

When trying to solve a math problem, Anna realizes that the rule "add 2 to each side of the equation, then multiply by 3" is what is needed. Anna has discovered which of the following to solve this problem?
A) an algorithm
B) a heuristic
C) a goal
D) a subgoal

Accepted Answer

Anna has discovered an algorithm, which is a step-by-step procedure or formula for solving a problem.

Question 14

Working backwards is an example of a(n) ________.
A) mnemonic device
B) algorithmic solution
C) heuristic
D) problem-solving set

Accepted Answer

Working backwards is an example of a heuristic, which is a strategy or technique that guides problem-solving but doesn't guarantee an optimal solution. It's a practical approach when an exhaustive search is impractical.

Question 15

A fixed thinking approach to problem solving that only sees solutions that have previously proven to be successful is called ________.
A) mental rigidity
B) a mental set
C) functional rigidity
D) a functional set

Accepted Answer

A mental set refers to the tendency to approach situations in a certain way because that method worked in the past. It is a type of cognitive bias that can prevent seeing alternative solutions or strategies.

Question 16

Elise wants to get an apple off of a tree but she only has a baseball bat with her, rather than a ladder or stepstool. She does not think to use the bat to gently knock a few apples off of the tree. The fact that Elise believes that the baseball bat can be used only to play baseball is an example of ________.
A) functional rigidity
B) problem-solving fixedness
C) functional fixedness
D) preparedness

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is the cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used, which is demonstrated by Elise's inability to consider using the baseball bat as a tool to knock apples off the tree.

Question 17

During naturalistic observation research, you focused only on information that supported your hypothesis; later research proved that your hypothesis was incorrect. What type of bias did you exhibit?
A) availability
B) functional fixedness
C) confirmation
D) representativeness heuristic

Accepted Answer

This is an example of confirmation bias, where the researcher focused only on information that supported their pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses, ignoring or undervaluing evidence that contradicted it.

Question 18

Judging the likelihood or probability of events based on the information that is readily accessible in our memories is known as the ________.
A) representativeness heuristic
B) availability heuristic
C) prototype heuristic
D) functional heuristic

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a person's mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision. It operates on the notion that if something can be recalled, it must be important, or at least more important than alternative solutions which are not as readily recalled.

Question 19

James was walking near a dog park when he saw what he thought was a rather large, short, oddly colored dog being walked on a leash. It took him a moment to realize that he was not looking at a dog but at a pot-bellied pig. James has fallen prey to the ________.
A) probability heuristic
B) representativeness heuristic
C) confirmation heuristic
D) convergence heuristic

Accepted Answer

James has fallen prey to the representativeness heuristic, which is a mental shortcut that involves making a probability judgment by comparing an object or event to a prototype of the object or event. He mistook the pot-bellied pig for a dog because it shared some superficial characteristics with his mental representation of a dog.

Question 20

Elise sees an older woman setting on the ground outside a building and assumes that she must be begging for money as many others do in that area. As it happens, the woman had become dizzy and was sitting until she safely regained her balance. Elise likely used which of the following in making her judgment?
A) a mental set
B) acalculia
C) the availability heuristic
D) the representativeness heuristic

Accepted Answer

Elise likely used the representativeness heuristic, which involves judging the likelihood of something based on how closely it matches a prototype or stereotype. She assumed the woman was begging because that matched her mental stereotype of people sitting on the ground in that area.

Quiz 8: Thinking, Language, and Intelligence

Which of the following are examples of concrete concepts?

Which of these are essential to thinking and communication because they simplify and organize information?

When shown a picture of a poodle we will most likely first classify it in the middle of the conceptual hierarchy, as a(n) ________.

Which of the following is an example of a higher-order concept?

Which of the following is an example of a basic-level concept?

Which of the following is an example of a lower-order concept?

If you are designing a complex and novel experiment and are coming up with possible ways to control for extraneous variables, you are engaging in the process of ________.

When you are defining an ultimate goal, outlining your limits and/or desires, and separating the negotiable from non-negotiable, you are in which stage of problem solving?

In figuring out all the ways that you can come up with the money you need to buy the used car you saw advertised in the newspaper, you are working in which stage of problem-solving?

The correct sequences of the steps to problem solving are ________.

Dr. Stewart is a foot surgeon who has a regular procedure for critiquing the results of his surgeries. He reviews the case of his patient and asks himself if the surgical outcome matches the goal that was set before the operation. What stage of problem-solving is this?

Algorithm is to problem solving as ________.

When trying to solve a math problem, Anna realizes that the rule "add 2 to each side of the equation, then multiply by 3" is what is needed. Anna has discovered which of the following to solve this problem?

Working backwards is an example of a(n) ________.

A fixed thinking approach to problem solving that only sees solutions that have previously proven to be successful is called ________.

During naturalistic observation research, you focused only on information that supported your hypothesis; later research proved that your hypothesis was incorrect. What type of bias did you exhibit?

Judging the likelihood or probability of events based on the information that is readily accessible in our memories is known as the ________.

James was walking near a dog park when he saw what he thought was a rather large, short, oddly colored dog being walked on a leash. It took him a moment to realize that he was not looking at a dog but at a pot-bellied pig. James has fallen prey to the ________.