Deck 15: Thinking and Reasoning

Question 1

Thinking is the name for:

A) making decisions.
B) problem solving.
C) making judgements.
D) All of the above.

Answer 1

All of the above.

Question 2

A reproductive strategy in problem solving is one which:

A) depends on good decision making.
B) uses previously successful solutions.
C) is only used by experts.
D) involves restructuring of the problem.

Answer 2

uses previously successful solutions.

Question 3

The tendency to continue to apply a previously successful problem solving strategy even when it is inappropriate is called:

A) functional fixedness.
B) the availability heuristic.
C) mental set.
D) expected utility.

Answer 3

mental set.

Question 4

A problem with the Gestalt concept of insight is that:

A) it is another way of saying that the problem is solved.
B) it does not explain how the problem is solved.
C) prior experiences can affect the chances of having an insight.
D) All of the above.

Question 5

An algorithm in the context of problem solving is:

A) a set of rules to solve a problem.
B) a plausible but incorrect solution.
C) a rule of thumb to solve a problem.
D) a hypothesis about the answer to the problem.

Question 6

The trial and error method of problem solving is illustrated by:

A) Glick and Holyoak's experiments with removing tumours.
B) Luchin's experiments with water jugs.
C) Thorndike's experiments with cats.
D) Kohler's experiments with apes.

Question 7

A heuristic in which the problem solver breaks the problem down into a series of sub-goals is called:

A) the availability heuristic.
B) the representativeness heuristic.
C) an algorithm.
D) means-end analysis.

Question 8

Problem solving by analogy is:

A) a trial and error strategy.
B) a reproductive strategy.
C) an example of confirmation bias.
D) a focus gambling strategy.

Question 9

The associative learning of concepts:

A) occurs slowly over a period of time.
B) requires no awareness of what is being learnt.
C) is an example of trial and error learning.
D) All of the above.

Question 10

Learning a concept by hypothesis formation:

A) may involve several hypotheses before the concept is identified.
B) involves the building up of associations.
C) requires no awareness of what is being learnt.
D) applies only to logical concepts.

Question 11

The reception paradigm of concept acquisition leads to:

A) a conservative focusing strategy of concept learning.
B) a wholist strategy of concept learning.
C) a focus gambling strategy of concept learning.
D) All of the above.

Question 12

Judgements involve:

A) arriving at an end-state after passing through intermediate stages.
B) drawing a conclusion from a combination of knowledge and observation.
C) learning to identify the members of a category.
D) making a choice between two alternatives.

Question 13

Kahneman & Tversky (1973) found that when making judgements about the probable occupation of a person, participants tend to judge on the basis of:

A) the objective probability of the person's occupation.
B) the participant's own occupation.
C) a description of the person's characteristics and lifestyle.
D) All of the above.

Question 14

Casinos love people who believe:

A) that there is no such thing as the law of averages.
B) that the odds are always in favour of the house.
C) that there are 'runs' of black and red that even out in the long term.
D) that each spin of the roulette wheel is an independent event.

Question 15

The expected utility of a decision outcome depends on:

A) the value multiplied by the probability.
B) the value plus the probability.
C) the value of the outcome.
D) the probability of the outcome.

Question 16

'Throwing good money after bad' is a popular description of:

A) the availability heuristic.
B) the sunk cost effect.
C) confirmation bias.
D) loss aversion.

Question 17

According to Anderson, the cognitive stage of skill acquisition involves:

A) schemata.
B) production rules.
C) automatic actions.
D) declarative knowledge.

Question 18

The procedural stage of skills acquisition involves:

A) becoming an expert.
B) learning the operation or actions needed to solve the problem.
C) automatizing the sequence of actions.
D) applying production rules.

Question 19

The differences between experts and novices include:

A) the degree to which they use algorithms rather than heuristics.
B) how they represent the problem to be solved.
C) how they organize and store relevant knowledge.
D) All of the above.