Question 1

_____ is the tendency to make judgments about group membership based on physical appearances or the match between a person and one's stereotype of a group rather than on available base rate information.

Accepted Answer

The representativeness heuristic involves making judgments based on how well an individual fits with a stereotype or prototype of a group, rather than considering base rate information. This can lead to stereotyping and prejudice based on physical appearances, rather than individual characteristics.

Question 2

Open-mindedness involves _____.

Accepted Answer

Open-mindedness involves being receptive to other ways of looking at things, which means being willing to consider different perspectives and ideas. It is not related to being alert and mentally present (option A), nor is it about ignoring general principles (options C and D).

Question 3

Which of the following characteristics is essential to the process of critical thinking?

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness and open-mindedness are essential to critical thinking because they allow an individual to approach a problem or situation with a clear and unbiased mindset. This allows for a more objective evaluation of facts, consideration of multiple perspectives, and the ability to recognize assumptions and biases. Fixedness, heuristics, and narrow thinking can hinder critical thinking. Inductive and deductive reasoning are important tools for critical thinking, but they are not the sole essential characteristic.

Question 4

_____ occurs when a group of people openly throw out a range of possible solutions to a problem,even some that might seem crazy.

Accepted Answer

Brainstorming is a method where individuals are encouraged to generate a large number of ideas, irrespective of their feasibility or practicality, in a short period of time. This often involves suspending judgment and allowing even seemingly crazy ideas to be shared without criticism.

Question 5

Which of the following is true of individuals who think creatively?

Accepted Answer

Creative thinkers are known for being flexible and open-minded, willing to play with ideas and approaches to find new solutions. They often see problems as opportunities for creativity and innovation rather than as obstacles to be avoided.

Question 6

When the scores on a measure relate to important outcomes,we say the test has high _____.

Accepted Answer

Criterion validity refers to the extent to which a measure is related to an important outcome, such as job performance or academic success. Reliability refers to the consistency of the measure, standardization refers to the uniform administration of the measure, and distribution refers to the pattern of scores on the measure. While these concepts are all important in assessment, criterion validity is the most applicable to the situation described in the question.

Question 7

_____ produces many solutions to the same problem.

Accepted Answer

Divergent thinking is a thought process that generates multiple ideas or solutions to a given problem. It involves exploring a wide range of possible options and considering different perspectives. Deductive reasoning involves drawing conclusions based on logical reasoning, while inductive reasoning involves drawing generalizations from specific observations. Convergent thinking, on the other hand, involves narrowing down options to find the single best solution to a problem.

Question 8

Creative people engage in _____.

Accepted Answer

Creative people engage in both convergent thinking, which is linear and logical thinking used to solve problems with one correct answer, and divergent thinking, which is nonlinear and free-flowing thinking used to generate multiple ideas and possibilities.

Question 9

_____ involves the ability to think about something in novel and unusual ways and to devise unconventional solutions to problems.

Accepted Answer

Creativity involves the ability to generate new and innovative ideas, perspectives, or solutions. An algorithm is a set of instructions or steps used to solve a problem, while a heuristic is a mental shortcut or rule of thumb used to solve a problem. Fixedness refers to the tendency to view objects and problems in a fixed and traditional way, without considering alternative perspectives or solutions.

Question 10

Jessica has been searching for a new apartment.She has looked at several different possibilities and now must select which apartment best suits her needs.Choosing which apartment is best is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

Convergent thinking involves analyzing and evaluating different options to choose the best solution to a problem, which is exactly what Jessica is doing when she selects the best apartment for her needs. Divergent thinking is about generating multiple solutions to a problem, which is not relevant in this scenario. Inductive reasoning is the process of making generalizations based on specific observations, which is not applicable in this situation. Functional fixedness is the tendency to only see objects or ideas based on their typical use or function, which is not relevant in this scenario.

Question 11

In the U.S.,intelligence is defined as _____.

Accepted Answer

In the U.S., intelligence is most commonly defined as an all-purpose ability to do well on cognitive tasks, to solve problems, and to learn from experience, rather than being solely determined by genetics or focused on social skills.

Question 12

_____ is a characteristic of good critical thinkers.

Accepted Answer

Humility is a characteristic of good critical thinkers because it involves recognizing one's own limitations and being open to learning from others. Pessimism, egocentrism, and rigidity can all hinder critical thinking by closing off possibilities and limiting consideration of alternative perspectives.

Question 13

Lionel is a CEO of a company that is in financial crisis.He asks his employees to brainstorm and create a list of all possible solutions to keeping the company in business.Lionel is asking his employees to engage in _____.

Accepted Answer

Lionel is asking his employees to engage in divergent thinking, which involves generating multiple solutions to a problem and exploring different perspectives and options. This is in contrast to convergent thinking, which involves finding a single correct answer or solution. Heuristic thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves using shortcuts or rules of thumb, and functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that makes it difficult to see objects or concepts in new ways.

Question 14

_____ produces the single best solution to a problem.

Accepted Answer

Convergent thinking is a type of thinking that is focused on finding the single best solution to a problem. It involves generating and evaluating ideas in a systematic manner and is often used in problem-solving and decision-making. Deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning are types of logical thinking, but they involve drawing conclusions and making generalizations rather than finding the best solution. Divergent thinking is a type of thinking that involves generating multiple ideas and solutions, which does not necessarily result in the single best solution.

Question 15

Flexibility,inner motivation,willingness to face risk,and objective evaluation of work are characteristics of people who _____.

Accepted Answer

Flexibility, inner motivation, willingness to face risk, and objective evaluation of work are all important characteristics of creative thinkers who engage in divergent thinking to generate a variety of ideas and solutions. Using algorithms, preferring convergent thinking, and being mindful are not directly related to these characteristics of creative thinkers.

Question 16

The tendency to ignore information about general principles in favor of very specific but vivid information is known as _____.

Accepted Answer

The tendency described in the question refers to the base rate fallacy, which is the misuse of probability by ignoring general information in favor of more specific and vivid information. Option A refers to a statistical concept that is not relevant to the question, while option B refers to a different statistical error. Option C refers to a mathematical principle that is not related to the topic at hand.

Question 17

If an intelligence test produces the same score over multiple administrations but it doesn't accurately measure intelligence,then the test is _____ but not _____.

Accepted Answer

The test is reliable because it produces consistent scores over multiple administrations. However, it is not valid because it does not accurately measure intelligence. Reliability refers to consistency, while validity refers to accuracy.

Question 18

Which of the following is true of creative thinkers?

Accepted Answer

Creative thinkers may use established criteria to make judgments, but they are also able to approach problems with a unique perspective and think outside the box. Making fewer mistakes or evaluating their work subjectively are not necessarily true characteristics of all creative thinkers. Being motivated more externally than internally also does not necessarily apply to all creative thinkers.

Question 19

Brainstorming is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

Brainstorming is a technique used to generate multiple ideas or solutions to a problem. It involves encouraging participants to think freely and creatively, without censoring their thoughts. This is an example of divergent thinking, where the goal is to expand possibilities and generate many different options, rather than narrowing down to a single correct answer (convergent thinking). Deductive reasoning involves using general principles to draw specific conclusions, which is not the focus of brainstorming. Functional fixedness refers to the tendency to only consider familiar uses for an object, which is also not relevant to brainstorming.

Question 20

Mindfulness involves _____.

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness involves being alert and mentally present for one's everyday activities, paying attention to the present moment with acceptance and non-judgment. It is a state of mind characterized by awareness and attention to the present moment. Options B, C, and D do not accurately describe mindfulness.

Quiz 7: Thinking, intelligence, and Language