Question 1

Your best friend's young daughter has just started to speak using telegraphic speech. What would you expect to be in these communications?

Accepted Answer

Telegraphic speech typically consists of two-word phrases that communicate a complete idea, often including a noun and a verb, which is characteristic of early language development in children.

Question 2

Josh really wants to lose about 30 pounds. So he figures out that all he needs to do is lose a pound a day for a month and he'll be there. Josh has just engaged in

Accepted Answer

Josh is using a means-ends analysis by setting a specific goal (losing 30 pounds) and determining the means to achieve it (losing a pound a day).

Question 3

Your trip to Spain was great. When you think about it, you can clearly see the water and the beaches as if they were pictures. This type of thinking is known as

Accepted Answer

Imaginal thought involves thinking in images and visual scenes, much like visualizing the water and beaches from a trip to Spain. This contrasts with propositional thought, which is more abstract and verbal.

Question 4

Zhang is having trouble answering this question. So he decides to move onto the next question and come back to this one later. Zhang is most likely using the strategy of

Accepted Answer

Zhang is using the strategy of incubation, which involves setting a problem aside for a while and returning to it later, often leading to insights or solutions that were not initially apparent. This approach allows the subconscious mind to work on the problem, potentially leading to a breakthrough upon revisiting it.

Question 5

In a psych experiment, you are asked to do a mental rotation task. In order to accomplish this, you must use

Accepted Answer

Mental rotation tasks require the use of imaginal thought, as they involve visualizing an object rotating in space and then determining if it matches another object. This process relies on the ability to create and manipulate mental images, which is a key aspect of imaginal thought.

Question 6

Suzanne has been trying to come up with a solution to a problem for a few weeks now with no luck. So she decides to stop working on it for a while and come back to it in a few days. Suzanne is using the strategy of

Accepted Answer

Incubation refers to taking a break from conscious thought about a problem, allowing the subconscious mind to work on it. This strategy can often lead to insights or solutions when the problem is revisited later.

Question 7

Peter strongly believes that global warming is a hoax. So he tends to only hang out with friends who think the same, and refuses to read any "balanced" scientific reports. Peter is demonstrating the concept of

Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses, while giving disproportionately less consideration to alternative possibilities. Peter's behavior of surrounding himself with like-minded individuals and avoiding information that could challenge his beliefs is a classic example of confirmation bias.

Question 8

Let's say that you are selling lottery tickets at your friend's bachelor party. You will probably sell more if you tell people they have a 50 percent chance of winning than if you say they have a 50 percent chance of losing. Why?

Accepted Answer

Framing effects describe how people react differently to a choice depending on how it is presented, such as whether it is framed as a loss or a gain. In this scenario, framing the chance of winning positively (50% chance of winning) is more appealing than framing it negatively (50% chance of losing), thus likely increasing sales.

Question 9

Many customs officials will use a profile to stop people at the airport. That is, they predict that if you are a certain type of person, you may be carrying contraband. This strategy is an example of

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many customs officials will use a profile...

Question 10

Marcus heard on the radio that there is a 50% chance of rain today. Janis heard that there was 50% of clear skies. Who is more likely to believe that it will not rain today and why?

Accepted Answer

Janis is more likely to believe it will not rain due to the framing effect, which influences decisions based on how information is presented. Hearing "50% chance of clear skies" frames the weather positively, making Janis more inclined to believe it will not rain.

Question 11

Jody's parents were in a car accident and both suffered from a left hemisphere stroke. All things being equal, we would expect Jody's mom to have fewer language problems than her dad. Why?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that in women, language functions are more likely to be distributed across both hemispheres of the brain, rather than being highly localized in the left hemisphere as is more common in men. This bilateral distribution can provide some resilience against language deficits following a left hemisphere stroke.

Question 12

I want you to think about the last time you were dancing. You probably are thinking about moving in specific patterns in time to the music. This thinking pattern is best described as

Accepted Answer

Motoric thought involves mental representations of physical movements, such as dancing, where one thinks about moving in specific patterns in time to the music.

Question 13

Professor Lee has just conducted an observational study looking at the types of cars driven by students versus professors. He notes that professors tend to drive more expensive cars and concludes that they are more likely in a position to afford them. Professor Lee has come to this conclusion through

Accepted Answer

Inductive reasoning involves making generalizations based on specific observations, as Professor Lee did by observing car types and inferring about financial status.

Question 14

If I were to ask you what it means to do the laundry, you might say, "Gather the dirty clothes, sort them into piles, put the same colours in the washer, add detergent, and turn on the machine." Your understanding of this task can be referred to as

Accepted Answer

A script in cognitive psychology refers to a predetermined, stereotyped sequence of actions that defines a well-known situation, such as doing laundry. It's a type of schema for routine activities.

Question 15

Josh really wants to lose about 30 pounds. So he figures out that he needs to identify methods to lose weight, the best time of the day to work out, and how many pounds he will aim for in one week. Josh has just engaged in

Accepted Answer

Josh has engaged in a subgoal analysis by breaking down his main goal (losing 30 pounds) into smaller, more manageable goals or steps. This includes identifying methods to lose weight, determining the best time of the day to work out, and setting a weekly weight loss target.

Question 16

Many people "talk with their hands" when they speak. Why?

Accepted Answer

Broca's area, located in the frontal lobe of the brain, is involved in language processing, speech production, and also has connections to areas of the brain responsible for motor movements. This involvement explains why many people gesture with their hands while speaking, as the activation of Broca's area during speech also engages motor functions.

Question 17

As you get ready for your golf game, you imagine all the strokes and how you will put them together. You can see them in your mind. This type of thought is known as

Accepted Answer

The answer of As you get ready for your golf...

Question 18

Roger is a smoker. In talking to him one day, you present all of the logical arguments for not smoking. He suggests that your logic is wrong and plans to continue smoking. Roger's behaviour reflects

Accepted Answer

Roger's behavior reflects the operation of belief bias, which occurs when an individual's acceptance of a conclusion is influenced more by the believability of the conclusion than by the strength of the argument supporting it. In this case, Roger dismisses logical arguments against smoking because they conflict with his existing belief or desire to continue smoking.

Question 19

Let's say that I show you a picture of a car. Then I ask you to imagine a car. We would expect the neural response to be the same because of

Accepted Answer

Imagery neurons are responsible for both perceiving objects and imagining them. When you see a picture of a car and then imagine a car, the same neurons (imagery neurons) are activated in both scenarios, leading to similar neural responses. This is why the neural response to seeing a picture of a car and imagining a car would be expected to be the same.

Question 20

Jorge is thinking about all of the things he can do when solving a problem. He knows that he has a good memory, can use deductive reasoning, avoids functional fixedness, etc. For Jorge, his thoughts reflect his use of

Accepted Answer

Jorge's reflection on his own cognitive processes, such as his memory, reasoning abilities, and avoidance of functional fixedness, is an example of metacognition. Metacognition refers to the awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes.

Quiz 9: Language and Thinking