Deck 8: B: Cognition,language,and Creativity

Question 1

A student who takes a multiple-choice test by reading the stem of each item,looking for key words,and generating a tentative response before looking at the responses.This helps the student narrow down the possible answers.This student is using

A) a heuristic.
B) a random search strategy.
C) vicarious problem-solving.
D) an algorithmic search strategy.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Regarding effective problem-solving,which of the following is NOT a heuristic strategy?

A) Represent the problem in other ways, with a graph or an analogy.
B) Generate a possible solution and test it.
C) Use a learned set of rules, step by step.
D) Try working backward from the desired goal to the starting point.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

According to Psychologist Janet Davidson,the three abilities involved in insight are

A) selective attention, convergent thinking, divergent thinking.
B) cognitive assimilation, selective attention, selective encoding.
C) selective attention, selective comparison, convergent thinking.
D) selective encoding, selective combination, selective comparison.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A sudden mental reorganization of a problem that makes the solution obvious is called

A) inductive thought.
B) deductive thought.
C) insight.
D) intelligence.

Question 5

Which of the following differentiates insightful solutions from other forms of problem-solving?

A) Insightful solutions focus on a reduction of alternatives in order to reach understanding.
B) The gaining of insight is a rapid process.
C) Insightful solutions revolve around habitual modes of thought applied to new and interesting situations.
D) Several detailed and workable solutions are derived from a tentative general solution.

Question 6

As you are driving to your friend's new apartment,you realize that you forgot the address of the apartment building.You know that the apartment is north of his old apartment.As you drive down the street where his old apartment is,you begin looking at the signs: Azalea Drive,Oak Circle,Peach Tree Street,and Sycamore Drive.You remember that the apartment is on a Drive,not a street or circle,which narrows down the possibilities and illustrates your use of a(n)

A) heuristic.
B) algorithm.
C) intuition.
D) random search strategy.

Question 7

Although Gabe knows the answer to the algebra problem,he cannot seem to work out the steps and reach his desired goal.So,Gabe tries working backward from the answer to the starting point.This strategy describes a

A) syllogism.
B) heuristic.
C) prototype.
D) dimension of the semantic differential.

Question 8

"Try working backward from the desired goal to the starting point or current state." This advice describes a

A) syllogism.
B) heuristic.
C) prototype.
D) dimension of the semantic differential.

Question 9

Jan asks her friend Whitney to run to her new apartment near campus and get her report that she left on the table by the door so she will not miss the test.She hands Whitney her key ring that has eight keys on it.Whitney runs to the apartment and then realizes that she does not know which key will open the door; so she just starts trying one key and then another,hoping by chance to find the right one.Finally,the fifth key she tries opens the door.To solve the "key" problem,Whitney was using

A) insight.
B) pragmatics.
C) a general solution.
D) a random search strategy.

Question 10

According to Davidson,a person who is able to ignore distractions and focus on information necessary to solve a problem is good at

A) selective attention.
B) selective encoding.
C) selective combination.
D) selective comparison.

Question 11

Problem-solving strategies that reduce the number of steps necessary to solve a problem are called

A) semantic differentials.
B) mechanical solutions.
C) heuristics.
D) trial-and-error strategies.

Question 12

Selective combination,selective comparison,and selective encoding are all related to

A) algorithmic solutions.
B) finding solutions by insight.
C) cognitive assimilation.
D) convergent thinking.

Question 13

After working to solve a problem for three hours,Larry has just about "given up" until he suddenly realizes the "perfect" solution and wonders why he did not think of it sooner.Larry has just experienced

A) inductive thought.
B) deductive thought.
C) functional fixedness.
D) insight.

Question 14

Heuristics are problem-solving strategies which

A) use a trial and error approach.
B) use random search strategies.
C) guarantee success in solving a problem.
D) reduce the number of alternatives.

Question 15

Selective encoding is the

A) ability to compare new problems with old information or with problems already solved.
B) ability to choose information that is relevant to a problem while ignoring distractions.
C) ability to bring together seemingly unrelated bits of useful information.
D) tendency to get "hung up" on wrong solutions or to become blind to alternatives.

Question 16

Which of the following represents an insightful problem solution?

A) A child uses his or her shoe lace to tie two sticks together to knock an apple from a tree.
B) A poker player discards his lowest card and draws an ace.
C) A geometry student applies a formula to figure the area of a triangle.
D) A physician decides to perform surgery even though the odds are against its success.

Question 17

A "rule of thumb" that reduces the number of alternatives thinkers must consider is called a(n)

A) semantic differential.
B) algorithm.
C) heuristic.
D) insight solution.

Question 18

Insight tends to be based on

A) algorithms.
B) heuristics.
C) a random search strategy.
D) reorganizing the problem.

Question 19

Whitney tells her friend Jan that she can wear the extra jacket that she keeps in her car.Whitney hands Jan her keys and heads off to class.Jan heads to Whitney's car with the set of eight keys.She looks at the keys,noting that two are too small to be car keys; and then she looks for any key that might have a symbol associated with a particular car.She finds two keys that have a shape on them like the hood ornament on Whitney's car.So,these will be the only two keys of the eight that she will try.To solve this "key" problem,Jan used

A) functional fixedness
B) an algorithm
C) a heuristic
D) a random search strategy

Question 20

"Try to identify how the current state of affairs differs from the desired goal,and then find steps that will reduce the difference." This advice describes a

A) syllogism.
B) heuristic.
C) prototype.
D) dimension of the semantic differential.

Question 21

One of the most important barriers to problem-solving and involves the tendency to get "hung up" on wrong solutions or become blind to alternatives is called

A) inhibition.
B) fixation.
C) conditional thinking.
D) incubation.

Question 22

Nikki is in the second grade and is given the following problem to solve: John has 15 apples,Amy has 10 apples,and Chris has 5 apples.How many apples do John and Chris have altogether? Nikki adds the apples for all three people,using the irrelevant information about Amy's number of apples.Thus,according to Davidson,Nikki is displaying a lack of

A) selective attention.
B) selective comparison.
C) selective encoding.
D) selective combination.

Question 23

While reading a book about Sigmund Freud,you come upon the term psychosomatic.You cannot quite figure out the meaning of the word from the context in which it is used,and so you bring to mind your rudimentary knowledge of the parts of the word.You know that psycho has to do with the mind or with thinking,and you also know that somatic has to do with the body.Looking back at the book,you come to the conclusion that psychosomatic has to do with the mind's influence on one's physical state.You have just relied on

A) selective attention.
B) selective encoding.
C) selective comparison.
D) selective search strategies.

Question 24

You are trying to determine which of two terms is related to identical twins.You see "monozygotic" and "dizygotic." You remember that a zygote is formed from one egg and one sperm and that "mono" means one and "di" means two.Identical twins would have to result from the same egg and the same sperm,thus one zygote.Using old information to derive the meaning of "monozygotic" and "dizygotic" illustrates the use of

A) selective comparison.
B) selective attention.
C) selective combination.
D) selective encoding.

Question 25

According to Psychologist Janet Davidson,a person who is able to evaluate new problems by contrasting them with old information or with problems already solved is good at

A) selective attention.
B) selective encoding.
C) selective combination.
D) selective comparison.

Question 26

Unnecessary restrictions to thinking tend to result in

A) fixation.
B) selective comparison.
C) disjunctive concepts.
D) connotative meanings.

Question 27

When a person uses fables and stories from their particular culture to solve new problems,such as using the Hansel and Gretel story to solve the problem of not getting lost in a cave,the person is using

A) selective intuition.
B) selective comparison.
C) selective combination.
D) selective encoding.

Question 28

The problem-solving ability known as "selective comparison" involves comparing new problems with

A) old information or with problems already solved.
B) novel possibilities for uses of objects used in problem-solving.
C) mental images of projected solutions.
D) seemingly unrelated bits of information.

Question 29

Selective combination is the

A) ability to evaluate new problems by associating them with old information or with problems already solved.
B) ability to choose information that is relevant to a problem while ignoring distractions.
C) ability to bring together seemingly unrelated bits of useful information.
D) tendency to get "hung up" on wrong solutions or to become blind to alternatives.

Question 30

Mae was asked to solve the following problem: Pretend that you are a bus driver.You begin the day with an empty bus.At your first stop,you let on 10 passengers.At your second stop,4 people get off the bus,and 12 people get on.At your third stop,8 people get off the bus,and 2 people get on.At your fourth stop,nobody gets off the bus,and 1 person gets on.How old is the bus driver? According to Davidson,if Mae just adds the numbers without focusing on the relevant part of this problem,he or she is showing a lack of

A) selective attention.
B) selective encoding.
C) selective comparison.
D) selective combination.

Question 31

You want exactly nine gallons of water,but you have only a seven-gallon bucket and a five-gallon bucket.Although you,at first,do not see how these two buckets can help,you realize that you can use them in the following way: fill the seven-gallon bucket,then pour it in the five-gallon bucket,leaving two gallons in the seven-gallon bucket.Pour out the five-gallon,pour the two gallons of water in the five-gallon and refill the seven-gallon bucket and you have a total of nine gallons of water.To solve this problem,you had to use

A) selective comparison.
B) selective attention.
C) selective encoding.
D) selective combination.

Question 32

Using a Chinese fable about how villagers were able to weigh an elephant,a student was able to solve a problem regarding how much gold would match a statue's weight without using a balance scale.The student is using

A) selective intuition.
B) selective comparison.
C) selective combination.
D) selective encoding.

Question 33

The textbook problem of how many socks to take out of a drawer to get a matched pair when the drawer contains a four to five mixture of white and black socks requires the reader to realize that the four to five mixture is irrelevant information and that the only relevant information is that there are two colors of socks.Getting the correct answer of three socks requires the reader to first use which of Davidson's insight abilities?

A) selective combination
B) selective attention
C) selective comparison
D) selective encoding

Question 34

According to Psychologist Janet Davidson,a person who is able to bring together seemingly unrelated bits of information to solve a problem is good at

A) selective attention.
B) selective encoding.
C) selective combination.
D) selective comparison.

Question 35

More American college students than Chinese students were able to solve the cave problem by recalling the "Hansel and Gretel story," while more Chinese students than American students solved the statue's weight problem by recalling the "weighing of the elephant" fable.These differing percentages illustrate all of the following EXCEPT that

A) every culture prepares its members to solve some types of problems more easily than others.
B) both groups of students exhibited functional fixedness regarding the stories they had heard in childhood.
C) the culture we grow up in affects our ability to use selective comparison to solve problems.
D) being exposed to a similar problem in the past helps the students' problem solving.

Question 36

Which of the following could enhance your selective comparison ability and aid you in becoming a more flexible and resourceful thinker?

A) increasing one's ability to utilize functional fixedness
B) increasing one's use of algorithms
C) increasing one's knowledge about other cultures
D) all of these

Question 37

You want to boil an egg for 15 minutes,and all you have is a 7-minute hourglass and an 11-minute hourglass.Using these two hourglasses in your solution requires you to use

A) selective combination.
B) selective attention.
C) selective encoding.
D) selective comparison.

Question 38

Selective comparison is the

A) ability to evaluate new problems by associating them with old information or with problems already solved.
B) ability to select information that is relevant to a problem while ignoring distractions.
C) ability to bring together seemingly unrelated bits of useful information.
D) tendency to get "hung up" on wrong solutions or to become blind to alternatives.

Question 39

You are given the problem of building a structure that can support an overcoat in the middle of a room and are given only two long sticks and a clamp to work with.You are more likely to solve this problem if you first thought of how pole lamps are wedged between floor and ceiling.Using your previous knowledge of pole lamps to solve the coat rack problem is an example of

A) selective comparison.
B) selective attention.
C) selective combination.
D) selective encoding.

Question 40

You are locked in a windowless room with only a candle,a quarter,and a slab of processed cheese food.If you are able to use all of these items successfully to escape from the room,you would most likely have used

A) selective attention.
B) selective inhibition.
C) selective encoding.
D) selective combination.

Question 41

Seeing the world without preconceptions tends to lead to

A) fixation and an inability to find new solutions.
B) more creativity and better solutions.
C) functional fixedness in the use of objects.
D) an inflexible and dogmatic approach to dealing with the world.

Question 42

When you made a poor grade on history in high school,you made sure you read the chapters twice before taking the next test.Although this strategy has NOT worked in college,you continue this INEFFECTIVE strategy,disregarding the instructor's study advice.Your continued poor performance on tests is due to

A) disjunctive thinking.
B) fixation.
C) consolidation.
D) functional incubation.

Question 43

A truck gets stuck under a bridge.Several tow trucks are unable to pull it out.At last a little boy walks up and asks the red-faced adults trying to free the truck why they haven't let the air out of the truck's tires.Their oversight was due to

A) divergent thinking.
B) functional incubation.
C) synesthesia.
D) fixation.

Question 44

Beliefs,such as "fantasy and playfulness are only for children",can interfere with problem-solving and are called __________ barriers.

A) cultural
B) learned
C) perceptual
D) emotional

Question 45

In attempting to solve a problem,a subject fails to see that the old doorknob in the box could be used as a weight to hang on the balance scale.This subject is exhibiting

A) inductive thought.
B) functional fixedness.
C) a failure of short-term memory.
D) disjunctive thinking.

Question 46

A mental block to problem solving that is due to excessive self-criticism or involves an inablity to tolerate ambiguity is called

A) perceptual consolidation.
B) an emotional barrier.
C) a conceptual block.
D) functional fixedness.

Question 47

Regarding fixation,which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) Fixation is also known as conditional thinking.
B) Fixation is a way of using insight to solve a problem.
C) Fixation is a type of mnemonic device.
D) Fixation is a barrier to problem solving.

Question 48

You are working on a group project with three other students,who appear to already be friends.You have some suggestions you would like to make,but decide to just follow the other members' ideas,because you do not believe your ideas would be accepted.This illustrates which type of barrier to problem solving?

A) emotional
B) cultural
C) learned
D) perceptual

Question 49

You are asked to plant four small trees so that each is an equal distance from all the others.If you believe that the trees all have to be planted on level ground,you will be unable to correctly answer this problem because you are exhibiting

A) disjunctive thinking.
B) fixation.
C) consolidation.
D) functional incubation.

Question 50

A person who gets "hung up" on using a familiar object only in one certain way is exhibiting

A) a cultural barrier to problem solving.
B) functional fixedness.
C) an emotional barrier to problem solving.
D) tacit myopia.

Question 51

The inability to see new uses for familiar objects is termed

A) disjunctive thinking.
B) functional fixedness.
C) proactive inhibition.
D) retroactive interference.

Question 52

An architect is afraid to try an unconventional design because she fears that other architects will think her design is impractical and unattractive.This architect's problem-solving is being blocked by which type of barrier?

A) learned
B) emotional
C) perceptual
D) pragmatic

Question 53

As a barrier to problem-solving,the fear of making a fool of yourself or of making a mistake is called a(n)__________ barrier.

A) cultural
B) learned
C) perceptual
D) emotional

Question 54

The professor asks a general question of the class,and although you think you might know the answer,you don't raise your hand to answer because you're afraid that if you're wrong,the other students might laugh at you.You are experiencing which barrier to problem-solving?

A) cultural
B) learned
C) perceptual
D) emotional

Question 55

When tested with the candle problem presented in your textbook,five-year-old children showed no signs of functional fixedness because compared to adults,the children

A) could visualize the problem better.
B) could physically manipulate the objects with more dexterity.
C) had less experience with the uses of the various objects.
D) had more experience with the uses of the various objects.

Question 56

Claudia's failure to see that a trash bag would make an excellent makeshift raincoat is an example of

A) mental consolidation.
B) retroactive interference.
C) functional fixedness.
D) cognitive dissonance.

Question 57

If you have ever been without a screwdriver and took a dime out of your pocket and used it to loosen a screw,then you did not let which of the following be a barrier to your thinking?

A) animism
B) functional fixedness
C) inhibition
D) disjunctive thinking

Question 58

Concerning the candle problem presented in your textbook,students who saw the box in which the materials were presented as only a container rather than as a part of the solution were exhibiting

A) mental consolidation.
B) functional fixedness.
C) retroactive interference.
D) cognitive dissonance.

Question 59

One of the ways we can avoid fixations in problem-solving would be to

A) visualize the solution rather than physically moving items around.
B) physically interact with aspects of the problem rather than deal with them intellectually.
C) focus on the first solution that comes to mind.
D) take a more flexible approach in categorizing the world.

Question 60

Common mental blocks that can hinder problem-solving include all of the following types EXCEPT for __________ barriers.

A) cultural
B) emotional
C) implicit
D) perceptual

Question 61

Experts base their skills on all of the following EXCEPT

A) specific organized knowledge.
B) acquired strategies.
C) learned heuristics.
D) representativeness algorithms.

Question 62

Research has shown that expert skills are based on

A) learned heuristics and systematic information.
B) rote memory and random search strategies.
C) algorithms and insight.
D) a general strengthening of the mind and exceptional memories.

Question 63

An example of a cultural barrier to creative problem-solving would be

A) fear of making a fool of oneself.
B) when values or norms prevent a new approach.
C) the inability to see new uses for familiar objects.
D) habits that prevent looking at another aspect of the problem.

Question 64

Habits that lead to a failure to identify important elements of a problem are referred to as which type of barrier to problem-solving?

A) emotional
B) cultural
C) perceptual
D) learned

Question 65

World class chess experts are especially good at

A) pattern recognition.
B) algorithmic knowledge.
C) rote strategies.
D) trial-and-error strategies.

Question 66

In an example from your textbook,subjects were exposed to the following problem: A $5 bill is placed on a table and a stack of objects is balanced precariously on top of the bill.The problem is to remove the $5 bill without touching or moving any of the objects on top of it.The best solution to this problem involves tearing the money.People who fail to solve this problem because they were taught that it is "taboo" to destroy "things of value" are probably experiencing which barrier to problem-solving?

A) pragmatic
B) learned
C) perceptual
D) emotional

Question 67

Developing expertise in an area allows for fast,fairly effortless thinking based on experience with similar problems.This type of thinking is known as

A) automatic processing.
B) algorithmic problem-solving.
C) mnemonic strategies.
D) trial-and-error strategies.

Question 68

A corporate manager wants to solve a business problem but becomes stern and angry when members of his marketing team joke playfully about possible solutions.This manager is exhibiting which barrier to problem solving?

A) cultural
B) learned
C) perceptual
D) emotional

Question 69

Sometimes students are so intent on meeting the page minimum requirement on a term paper that they fail to include the other important requirements for this paper.These students are exhibiting which barrier to problem-solving?

A) pragmatic
B) learned
C) perceptual
D) emotional

Question 70

A cook does not have any clean mixing bowls and has no way to wash them.If this cook fails to see that he could use a frying pan or part of his double boiler as a mixing bowl,he is exhibiting which barrier to problem-solving?

A) emotional
B) cultural
C) learned
D) perceptual

Question 71

One barrier to the use of group learning in the American classrooms is the view by some parents and teachers that students should strive for independence and self-sufficiency in their learning.Thus,the barrier to the use of group learning would be classified as a(n)__________ barrier.

A) emotional
B) learned
C) cultural
D) perceptual

Question 72

Learned barriers to problem-solving would include

A) excessive self-criticism.
B) taboos.
C) inability to tolerate ambiguity.
D) an active fantasy life.

Question 73

Often when children are first introduced to mathematical word problems,they begin adding the two numbers listed within the problem rather than paying attention to the most important part of the problem,which asks "How many will you have LEFT?" This illustrates which barrier to problem solving?

A) perceptual
B) cultural
C) learned
D) emotional

Question 74

As compared to novices,experts tend to

A) see the true nature of problems and relate them to general principles.
B) have strengthened their minds through extensive training.
C) to use algorithms rather than heuristics.
D) do all of these.

Question 75

A beginning artist concentrates on drawing a vase of flowers without seeing that the "empty" spaces around the vase are part of the composition,too.This illustrates which barrier to problem-solving?

A) emotional
B) cultural
C) learned
D) perceptual

Question 76

Functional fixedness,or conventions about uses or meanings,fall under the category of which barriers to problem solving?

A) cultural
B) learned
C) perceptual
D) emotional

Question 77

The MAIN difference between an expert and a novice chess player is that the expert

A) exhibits an exceptional memory.
B) explore more moves ahead of the novice player.
C) recognizes the best patterns of play.
D) has strengthened his or her mind through extensive practice.

Question 78

You tell your parents about the "funny stories" that your psychology teacher uses to explain various concepts and theories.Your parents respond that they are not sending you to college to hear "funny stories" and that the teacher should lecture on the subject like when they went to college.Which barrier to problem solving is illustrated by your parents' comment?

A) emotional barrier
B) cultural barrier
C) learned barrier
D) perceptual barrier

Question 79

Because psychology students tend to define "negative" as "bad," students often incorrectly define "negative reinforcement" as a punishment.This illustrates which barrier to problem-solving?

A) emotional
B) cultural
C) learned
D) perceptual

Question 80

An instructor concentrates so much on the information to be put on her powerpoint slide that she fails to note the need to use contrast for easy visibility of the text.In attempting to solve the problem of creating effective slides for her students,this instructor is exhibiting which type of barrier to problem solving?

A) emotional
B) cultural
C) learned
D) perceptual