Question 1

Estimating the probability of something based on how well the circumstances match your existing prototype for that event or object is called _________.
A)functional fixedness
B)the availability heuristic
C)the representative heuristic
D)a mental set

Accepted Answer

The representative heuristic is a mental shortcut that involves judging the likelihood of an event by comparing it to an existing prototype that already exists in our minds. This heuristic can lead to errors in judgment and decision-making because it can cause people to ignore other relevant information.

Question 2

When you use a knife as a screwdriver, you have _________.
A)overcome functional fixedness
B)used a prototype of the screwdriver
C)used a subcategory of a screwdriver
D)created a new concept of screwdriver

Accepted Answer

Overcoming functional fixedness means using an object in a way other than its intended purpose or seeing it in a new light beyond its traditional use, which is what happens when you use a knife as a screwdriver.

Question 3

Regarding creativity, the word "flexibility" means being able to ________.
A)discuss your ideas openly and easily
B)shifting with ease between problem solving strategies
C)successfully avoid functional fixedness
D)generate a large number of solutions

Accepted Answer

Flexibility in creativity refers to the ability to shift between different problem-solving strategies easily, adapting to new situations and perspectives.

Question 4

Of the following choices, which is NOT one of the barriers to problem solving discussed in your text?
A)a means-end analysis
B)the mental set
C)cognitive offloading
D)the availability heuristic

Accepted Answer

Cognitive offloading is not a barrier to problem solving. It is a strategy that can be used to improve problem solving.

Question 5

Judging the likelihood or probability of events based on how easily other such events can be recalled is known as the ________ heuristic.
A)representative
B)availability
C)prototype
D)functional

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a given person's mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method or decision. It operates on the notion that if something can be recalled, it must be important, or at least more important than alternative solutions which are not as readily recalled.

Question 6

A cognitive process that produces many alternative solutions to the same problem is called ________ thinking.
A)flexible
B)divergent
C)convergent
D)individual

Accepted Answer

Divergent thinking is a cognitive process that aims to generate multiple solutions to a given problem, emphasizing creativity and the exploration of many possible answers.

Question 7

Misjudging your risk of dying in an airplane crash because you just watched 24-hour coverage of one is MOST related to the ________ heuristic.
A)availability
B)representative
C)confirmation
D)convergence

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a person's mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision. Watching 24-hour coverage of an airplane crash makes the event more memorable and easily recalled, leading to an overestimation of the risk of dying in an airplane crash.

Question 8

Which of the following items would MOST likely appear on a test measuring creativity?
A)How long is the Ohio River?
B)What are the primary colors?
C)List all the uses for a pot.
D)Who was the first governor of New York?

Accepted Answer

Option C, "List all the uses for a pot," is the correct answer because it requires divergent thinking, a key aspect of creativity. This question asks for multiple possible answers and encourages thinking beyond conventional uses, which is a hallmark of creative thinking.

Question 9

Which saying best summarizes the concept of belief perseverance?
A)I'm going to solve this problem the way I solved it last time.
B)I can't think outside of the box.
C)I know I'm wrong, but I still think I'm right.
D)I only care about issues that directly affect my own life.

Accepted Answer

Belief perseverance is the phenomenon where people hold onto their beliefs even when faced with evidence that contradicts those beliefs. Choice C, "I know I'm wrong, but I still think I'm right," directly reflects this concept by indicating a persistence in belief despite acknowledgment of being wrong.

Question 10

When confronted with a problem, persistence in using strategies that have worked in the past rather than new ones is called _________.
A)mental rigidity
B)a mental set
C)functional rigidity
D)a functional set

Accepted Answer

A mental set refers to the tendency to approach situations in a certain way because that method worked in the past. This can lead to persistence in using familiar strategies rather than adapting to new situations with potentially more effective solutions.

Question 11

The tendency to seek out and pay attention only to information that supports preexisting beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence is called _________.
A)the confirmation bias
B)fundamental fixation
C)a mental set
D)a conceptual bias

Accepted Answer

The 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.

Question 12

Regarding creativity, the word "fluency" means being able to ________.
A)discuss your ideas openly and easily
B)avoid a mental set
C)successfully avoid functional fixedness
D)generate a large number of solutions

Accepted Answer

Fluency, in the context of creativity, refers to the ability to generate a large number of ideas or solutions to a given problem.

Question 13

The ability to produce original, appropriate, and valued outcomes in a novel way is called _________.
A)problem-solving
B)incubation
C)functional flexibility
D)creativity

Accepted Answer

Creativity is defined as the ability to produce work that is both novel (original, unexpected) and appropriate (useful, adaptive concerning task constraints). It involves generating new and valuable ideas or solutions.

Question 14

An interior designer on the TV show "Trading Spaces" used the frame of a car to create a child's bed.This is an example of _________.
A)the problem with reality TV shows
B)a mental set
C)overcoming functional fixedness
D)the successful use of an algorithm

Accepted Answer

This is an example of overcoming functional fixedness, which is the inability to see an object being used for something other than what it was designed for. By using a car frame as a bed, the designer demonstrates the ability to think beyond the conventional use of the car frame.

Question 15

Narrowing a list of alternatives down to a single correct answer is called ________ thinking.
A)original
B)convergent
C)divergent
D)group

Accepted Answer

Convergent thinking is the process of focusing on a finite number of solutions or approaches to solve a problem, effectively narrowing down the list of alternatives to find a single, correct answer.

Question 16

Creative thinking is related to _________.
A)fluency, flexibility, and originality
B)genetics, environmental reinforcement, and lack of punishment
C)convergent, divergent, and nonfunctional thinking
D)personality, motivation, and intellectual ability

Accepted Answer

Creative thinking involves fluency (the ability to produce numerous ideas), flexibility (the ability to see different perspectives), and originality (the ability to produce unique ideas).

Question 17

Regarding creativity, the word "originality" means being able to ________.
A)coming up with unique or different solutions to a problem
B)shifting with ease between problem solving strategies
C)successfully avoid functional fixedness
D)generate a large number of solutions

Accepted Answer

Originality in the context of creativity specifically refers to the ability to come up with unique or novel solutions to problems, distinguishing it from other aspects of creativity such as fluency (generating a large number of solutions) or flexibility (shifting between different problem-solving strategies).

Question 18

Mrs.Jones tells her calculus students that each problem has "one and only one" answer, and that the point of the exam is to solve for that one answer.She is promoting the use of ________ thinking in her classroom.
A)convergent
B)individual
C)divergent
D)numerical

Accepted Answer

Convergent thinking is focused on finding a single, correct solution to a problem, which aligns with Mrs. Jones's instruction to her students to solve for "one and only one" answer.

Question 19

To develop an idea for a research paper in his English class, Shaleke is told to brainstorm and write down several different topics that would interest him.He should probably use ________ thinking.
A)convergent
B)semantic
C)divergent
D)group

Accepted Answer

Divergent thinking is the process of thinking that explores multiple possible solutions in order to generate creative ideas. It's appropriate for brainstorming different topics, as it encourages thinking in various directions.

Question 20

The tendency to think of an object operating only in its usual or customary way is called _________.
A)functional rigidity
B)problem-solving fixedness
C)functional fixedness
D)a mental set

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used, which can hinder problem-solving and creativity.

Quiz 8: Thinking, Language, and Intelligence

Estimating the probability of something based on how well the circumstances match your existing prototype for that event or object is called _________.

When you use a knife as a screwdriver, you have _________.

Regarding creativity, the word "flexibility" means being able to ________.

Of the following choices, which is NOT one of the barriers to problem solving discussed in your text?

Judging the likelihood or probability of events based on how easily other such events can be recalled is known as the ________ heuristic.

A cognitive process that produces many alternative solutions to the same problem is called ________ thinking.

Misjudging your risk of dying in an airplane crash because you just watched 24-hour coverage of one is MOST related to the ________ heuristic.

Which of the following items would MOST likely appear on a test measuring creativity?

Which saying best summarizes the concept of belief perseverance?

When confronted with a problem, persistence in using strategies that have worked in the past rather than new ones is called _________.

The tendency to seek out and pay attention only to information that supports preexisting beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence is called _________.

Regarding creativity, the word "fluency" means being able to ________.

The ability to produce original, appropriate, and valued outcomes in a novel way is called _________.

An interior designer on the TV show "Trading Spaces" used the frame of a car to create a child's bed.This is an example of _________.

Narrowing a list of alternatives down to a single correct answer is called ________ thinking.

Creative thinking is related to _________.

Regarding creativity, the word "originality" means being able to ________.

Mrs.Jones tells her calculus students that each problem has "one and only one" answer, and that the point of the exam is to solve for that one answer.She is promoting the use of ________ thinking in her classroom.

To develop an idea for a research paper in his English class, Shaleke is told to brainstorm and write down several different topics that would interest him.He should probably use ________ thinking.

The tendency to think of an object operating only in its usual or customary way is called _________.