Question 1

A cell assembly is:

Accepted Answer

A cell assembly refers to a group of neurons that become connected through repeated activation, leading to increased efficiency and effectiveness in communication. This is often associated with learning and memory processes.

Question 2

A particular research lab uses advanced electrical recording and brain imagining tools to monitor brain functioning while people engage in various mental activities.Researchers in this lab are most likely doing investigations in which area of modern cognitive science?

Accepted Answer

The use of electrical recording and brain imaging tools to monitor brain functioning while people engage in mental activities is a characteristic of cognitive neuroscience, which investigates the biological basis of mental processes.

Question 3

research on the different perspectives of fans watching a football game between Dartmouth and Princeton was considered to be one of several significant studies that contributed to the "____________ revolution".

Accepted Answer

The study on fans' perspectives during a football game contributed to the "cognitive revolution," which focused on understanding mental processes and how they influence behavior.

Question 4

Hebb hypothesized that there is a structure within the brain that explains how repetition increases the ability to complete a particular response.He named the structure:

Accepted Answer

Hebb named the structure a cell assembly, which refers to a group of interconnected neurons that are activated together in response to a particular stimulus or experience. This concept is fundamental to understanding how neural networks are organized and how learning and memory are represented in the brain. The other answer choices (neural network, expert system, synaptic complex) do not accurately reflect Hebb's proposed structure.

Question 5

A psychological researcher states that we will greatly enhance our understanding of how humans think if we are able to simulate or duplicate human cognitive processes using computers.This researcher is most likely working in which of the following areas?

Accepted Answer

The researcher is specifically interested in simulating human cognitive processes using computers, which is a significant goal of artificial intelligence research. The other options do not directly relate to this topic.

Question 6

Sharon is constantly talking,whether it is face-to-face,on the phone,or even to herself.Sharon is unaware of her excessive talking,which according to Freud's psychodynamic perspective means:

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's psychodynamic perspective, behaviors that are unconscious or automatic are caused by underlying unconscious processes. Therefore, Sharon's excessive talking must be caused by unconscious factors that she is unaware of.

Question 7

Professor Jean Piaget is best known for his research in which area?

Accepted Answer

Piaget is most known for his theory of cognitive development in children, which focuses on the stages of intellectual growth and learning from infancy to adulthood.

Question 8

Sultan the chimpanzee once creatively joined two short sticks together in order to reach a banana that had been placed outside of his cage.According to Wolfgang Kohler,this was an example of:

Accepted Answer

Sultan's ability to creatively join two short sticks together to reach the banana suggests insight - the sudden realization of a solution to a problem that arises after a period of contemplation. This is a higher level of problem-solving that cannot be explained by trial-and-error or association alone, suggesting that Sultan had an understanding of the properties of the sticks and how they could be used to reach the banana. Therefore, option A (insight) is the best choice. Introspection (B) refers to self-reflection and is not applicable in this scenario, natural selection (C) refers to the process by which certain traits are passed down from generation to generation based on their fitness to survive and reproduce, and perception (D) refers to the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information from the environment.

Question 9

The viewpoint within the cognitive perspective which argues that "reality" is a mental creation is called:

Accepted Answer

The viewpoint within the cognitive perspective that argues "reality" is a mental creation is known as social constructivism, which emphasizes the role of cultural and social factors in shaping our perceptions and experiences of the world. Evolutionary psychology and sociobiology are both related to the study of human behavior from an evolutionary perspective, while cognitive neuroscience focuses on the biological basis of mental processes. None of these perspectives directly address the idea that reality is a mental creation.

Question 10

Researchers who are interested in developing complex computer models of human thought,reasoning,and problem solving would most likely be in which area of modern cognitive science?

Accepted Answer

Developing complex computer models of human thought, reasoning, and problem solving falls under the field of artificial intelligence, which focuses on creating intelligent agents and machines that can perform cognitive tasks typically associated with humans. Social constructivism emphasizes how social and cultural factors shape individuals' thinking, whereas cognitive neuroscience focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive processes. Behaviorism, on the other hand, emphasizes the role of environmental factors and learning experiences in shaping behavior, rather than internal mental processes.

Question 11

Sigmund Freud based much of his psychoanalytic theory on his investigation of which psychological disorder?

Accepted Answer

Freud's initial studies in psychoanalysis were based on his work with Anna O., a patient diagnosed with hysteria. Her symptoms, which included paralysis, speech problems, and hallucinations, led Freud to develop his theory of the unconscious mind and the role of childhood experiences in shaping behavior.

Question 12

The psychodynamic perspective emphasizes all of the following causal factors EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The psychodynamic perspective does not emphasize developmental stages as a causal factor, but rather places more emphasis on the other factors listed such as unconscious processes, unresolved conflicts, and early childhood experience.

Question 13

Based on his research on the cognitive development of children,Jean Piaget concluded that children:

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, children naturally progress through four distinct stages of cognitive development as they age: the sensorimotor stage, the preoperational stage, the concrete operational stage, and the formal operational stage. This progression is based on the child's ability to understand and reason about different concepts and experiences in the world around them. Therefore, the correct answer is B - that children naturally pass through specific stages of cognitive development as they age.

Question 14

A cognitive psychologist attempts to explain the long-term conflict between the Catholics and Protestants in Ireland in terms of the different "mental realities" that people in each group have created for themselves.This psychologist most likely follows which particular cognitive viewpoint?

Accepted Answer

Social constructivism focuses on how individuals and groups construct their own perceptions of reality through social and cultural contexts. Therefore, this cognitive psychologist's attempt to explain the conflict in Ireland through the different mental realities of Catholics and Protestants aligns with the social constructivist viewpoint.

Question 15

Which psychological perspective stresses the role of unconscious processes and unresolved conflicts from the past?

Accepted Answer

The psychodynamic perspective, developed by Sigmund Freud, stresses the role of unconscious processes and unresolved conflicts from the past in shaping human behavior and emotions. This perspective views human behavior as being motivated by repressed thoughts, feelings, and memories that reside in the unconscious mind.

Question 16

Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis both have made significant contributions to which area?

Accepted Answer

Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis are both known for their work in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a type of therapy used to treat psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They have developed various techniques and methods to challenge and modify negative thought patterns and beliefs that contribute to these disorders.

Question 17

The research area of cognitive neuroscience represents a combination of which two psychological perspectives?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive neuroscience represents a combination of biological and cognitive perspectives, as it seeks to understand the neural basis of cognitive processes and how they are related to behavior.

Question 18

Piaget's thinking on cognitive development may have been influenced by:

Accepted Answer

Jean Piaget was influenced by James Mark Baldwin, who identified stages in early development, which aligns with Piaget's stage theory of cognitive development.

Question 19

Jean Piaget,Albert Ellis,and Aaron Beck were all mentioned as theorists who have had a strong impact on which psychological perspective?

Accepted Answer

Jean Piaget, Albert Ellis, and Aaron Beck are all cognitive theorists who have had a strong impact on the cognitive perspective in psychology, which emphasizes how people perceive, think, and solve problems. The cognitive perspective focuses on mental processes, such as attention, perception, memory, and reasoning, and how they influence behavior.

Question 20

Which of the following was a main research technique used by developmental psychologist Jean Piaget?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's main research technique was carefully observing children while they solved problems in order to understand their cognitive development. He believed that children actively construct their understanding of the world through their experiences and interactions with it. Piaget's observations of children led him to develop his influential theory of cognitive development.

Quiz 1: Psychology: the Science of Behaviour