Question 1

The mental categories we have formed to group objects, events, or situations that share similar features or characteristics are called:

Accepted Answer

Concepts are mental categories that allow us to group objects, events, or situations that share similar features or characteristics. Mental images refer to the mental representations we have of specific objects or events. Algorithms are problem-solving strategies that involve following a specific procedure to arrive at a solution. Heuristics are problem-solving strategies that use shortcuts or rules of thumb to arrive at a solution. Therefore, the best choice is A, concepts.

Question 2

A mental representation of objects or events that are not physically present is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

The mental representation of objects or events that are not physically present is known as a mental image. Algorithms, stereotypes, and heuristics do not refer to mental representations of objects or events.

Question 3

Mental images:

Accepted Answer

Mental images can involve any of the senses, including sounds, smells, and textures.

Answer: B
 Although rare, some exceptional people can form auditory mental images in addition to visual ones.

Answer: C 
 This statement is incorrect as mental images can involve any of the senses, not just visual stimuli.

Answer: D 
 This statement is incorrect as mental images can be studied scientifically through techniques such as brain imaging and behavioral experiments.

Question 4

While Mary was reading a story about the Australian outback adventures of Billy and his dog, she had no problem visualizing the arid countryside, the unusual animals that lived there, and the various people that Billy and his dog met in their journeys. Mary was using:

Accepted Answer

Mary was able to create mental images of the Australian outback and its surroundings as she read the story. This suggests that Mary was using mental imagery, which involves creating a sensory experience in one's mind.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT true about concepts?

Accepted Answer

This statement is not true. Natural concepts are typically acquired through experiences, while formal concepts are typically learned through education or instruction.

Question 6

The word school describes the place where teachers teach and students learn. It can also be used to describe a college, a kindergarten, and a place in which people learn to cut hair or play a musical instrument. School in this example is a:

Accepted Answer

The word school is a natural concept because it refers to a real-world phenomenon that exists independently of language or human categorization. It is not a formal concept because it is not defined by a specific set of rules or criteria. It is also not a prototype because it is not a representative example of a broader category, and it is not a heuristic because it is not a mental shortcut or problem-solving strategy.

Question 7

Formal concept is to _____ as natural concept is to _____.

Accepted Answer

A formal concept is based on defining rules and features, while a natural concept is based on everyday experience. Therefore, the best choice is B, which pairs the two concepts with their respective defining characteristics.

Question 8

The Focus on Neuroscience box, "Seeing Faces and Places in the Mind's Eye," reports on an fMRI study of mental imagery. From simply looking at the brain scan images, the researchers were able to determine whether the research participants were:

Accepted Answer

The Focus on Neuroscience box specifically reports on an fMRI study where the researchers were able to determine whether the research participants were imagining a face or a place. While the other options may also be possible to determine through fMRI studies, they are not mentioned in this particular study.

Question 9

The Focus on Neuroscience box, "Seeing Faces and Places in the Mind's Eye," reports on an fMRI study of mental imagery. What was the central question being investigated in the fMRI study?

Accepted Answer

The central question being investigated in the fMRI study was whether a mental image of a scene or object activates the same brain areas that are involved in the perception of the actual scene or object.

Question 10

We form a(n) _____ concept by learning the rules or features that define it.

Accepted Answer

The term "formal" is used when we learn the rules and features that define a concept.

Question 11

The Focus on Neuroscience box, "Seeing Faces and Places in the Mind's Eye," reports on an fMRI study of mental imagery. One of the findings of the study was that:

Accepted Answer

The study found that imagining a scene and perceiving that scene activated the same brain areas, indicating that mental imagery and perception share neural mechanisms.

Question 12

The Focus on Neuroscience box, "Seeing Faces and Places in the Mind's Eye," reports on an fMRI study of mental imagery. In comparing perception and imagery, the researchers found that:

Accepted Answer

The researchers found that perceiving a face or place evoked a stronger brain response compared to imagining a face or place.

Question 13

Joseph is trying to select a new couch for his living room. As he looks at each couch at the furniture store, he tries to visualize how it would look in his living room at home. Joseph is using _____ to help him determine which couch to buy.

Accepted Answer

Joseph is using mental imagery to visualize how the couch would look in his living room. This is a mental representation of the couch in his mind that helps him make a decision about which one to buy.

Question 14

The Focus on Neuroscience box, "Seeing Faces and Places in the Mind's Eye," reports on an fMRI study of mental imagery. In the study, the researchers compared brain scans of volunteers who were:

Accepted Answer

The study compared brain scans of volunteers who were looking at an actual scene versus imagining the same scene, specifically focusing on mental imagery. The other options (A, C, and D) are not mentioned in the article as being part of the study.

Question 15

In his chemistry class, Milton learned the rules and features used for classifying certain chemical compounds. Milton has learned a(n) _____ concept.

Accepted Answer

Milton learned a concept that has structured rules and features, which is characteristic of a formal concept.

Question 16

Which of the following BEST defines a formal concept?

Accepted Answer

A formal concept is a mental category formed by learning the rules or features that define it. It is a concept that is defined by a set of necessary and sufficient conditions or features that are shared by all members of the category. It is typically used in formal logic and mathematics.

Question 17

As part of his homework assignment, Kenny memorized the names of all the planets in the solar system, learned the distance between the Earth and the Sun, decided what items he still needed to research in the library, and spent some time daydreaming about space travel. In the most general sense, Kenny was engaged in:

Accepted Answer

Kenny was engaged in thinking, which refers to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. The other options do not accurately describe what Kenny was doing. Functional fixedness refers to a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used. Constructing an algorithm refers to creating a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem. Developing a heuristic refers to using a mental shortcut or rule of thumb to make decisions or solve problems. None of these options accurately describe what Kenny was doing.

Question 18

Research on the cognitive ability to manipulate mental images indicates that:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that the greater the distance between two points on a mental image, the more time it will take to scan. This is because mentally scanning a larger distance on the image requires more cognitive effort and processing time.

Question 19

A problem in your textbook asks you to look at five representations of the number 3 displayed at different orientations and then identify which of the five are backward. The point of the demonstration is that:

Accepted Answer

The point of the demonstration is to show that rotating a mental image is similar to rotating a physical object, and just as it takes time to rotate a physical object, it takes time to rotate a mental image.

Question 20

Your text describes a classic study in which participants memorized a simple map, and then researchers measured how long it took participants to mentally scan from one location to another across a mental image of that map. What was the main conclusion of the research study?

Accepted Answer

The main conclusion of the research study was that people tend to scan a mental image in much the same way that they scan an actual visual image, as demonstrated by the results of the mental scanning task.

Quiz 7: Thinking, Language, and Intelligence