Question 1

Students are more likely to choose a condom that is said to be effective when informed that it has a 95 percent success rate than when told it has a 5 percent failure rate. This best illustrates the impact of

Accepted Answer

This question is describing the framing effect, which is the idea that the way information is presented (or "framed") can influence how people interpret and respond to it. In this case, framing the effectiveness of the condom in terms of its success rate (95%) rather than its failure rate (5%) seems to make it more appealing to students.

Question 2

The basic units of cognition are

Accepted Answer

Concepts are the basic units of cognition, as they represent mental categories that allow us to organize and understand our experiences. Algorithms, prototypes, and heuristics are all related to cognitive processes, but do not represent the basic units of cognition.

Question 3

You are the commissioner of a state lottery system that sponsors daily and weekly drawings. Lottery tickets have not been selling well over the past few months. Describe four ways you could take advantage of people's use of the availability heuristic to boost sales. Explain why you would judge your tactics to be fair or unfair to your customers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are the commissioner of a state...

Question 4

When her professor failed to recognize that Judy had her hand raised for a question,Judy began to think her professor was unfriendly. Although she subsequently learned that the professor's limited vision kept him from seeing her raised hand,she continued thinking the professor was unfriendly. Judy's reaction best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Judy's belief that her professor was unfriendly persisted despite receiving new information that contradicted it. This is an example of belief perseverance, the tendency to cling to beliefs even in the face of contradictory evidence.

Question 5

To find Tabasco sauce in a large grocery store,you could systematically search every shelf in every store aisle. This best illustrates problem solving by means of

Accepted Answer

Searching every shelf in every store aisle is a systematic and step-by-step approach, which is characteristic of an algorithm. The other options, such as the availability heuristic or the representativeness heuristic, rely on mental shortcuts or intuition rather than a systematic approach. Factor analysis is a statistical technique used in research to identify underlying variables influencing observed data and is not related to problem-solving in a grocery store.

Question 6

When forming a concept,people often develop a best example,or ________,of a category.

Accepted Answer

A prototype is a mental representation of the best or most typical example of a particular category or concept. This prototype provides a basis for making judgments about other members of that category.

Question 7

Prompt feedback regarding your performance on psychology practice tests is most likely to inhibit

Accepted Answer

Prompt feedback can help individuals avoid overconfidence by correcting any misconceptions or errors in their understanding of the material. The framing effect, representativeness heuristic, and linguistic determinism are not directly related to the effects of feedback on performance.

Question 8

In attempting to find and purchase high-quality cosmetics,Megan reminds herself that the most expensive brands are the best. Megan's self-reminder illustrates the use of

Accepted Answer

Megan is using a heuristic, which is a simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently; in this case, equating high cost with high quality to make a quick decision.

Question 9

The text defines cognition as

Accepted Answer

The text defines cognition as "the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating information." This definition encompasses a wide range of mental processes related to acquiring, processing, and using information, which includes thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, attention, perception, memory, language, and communication. Therefore, the best choice is C.

Question 10

Heike's older brother has suffered from chronic depression for several years. Unfortunately,Heike has been ly informed by her parents that there is a 40 percent chance she will also suffer from depression. Explain how the availability heuristic,framing,the confirmation bias,and belief perseverance might lead Heike to conclude that she will definitely be a victim of a severe depressive disorder.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Heike's older brother has suffered from chronic...

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of the use of heuristics?

Accepted Answer

Heuristics are mental shortcuts or strategies that simplify problem-solving by reducing the number of possible solutions. In this case, using a defensive strategy in chess that has worked in the past is an example of heuristics, as it reduces the number of possible moves to consider and simplifies decision making. The other options do not involve the use of heuristics. Option A involves trial and error, option B involves considering all possibilities, and option C involves using a formula.

Question 12

A dessert recipe that gives you the ingredients,their amounts,and the steps to follow is an example of a(n)

Accepted Answer

A recipe with clear ingredients and steps to follow is an example of an algorithm, which is a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem. Prototypes and heuristics are more general problem-solving strategies and mental sets are fixed ways of approaching problems.

Question 13

A defense attorney emphasizes to a jury that her client works full-time,supports his family,and enjoys leisure-time hobbies. Although none of this information is relevant to the trial,it is designed to make the defendant appear to be a typical member of the local community. The lawyer is most clearly seeking to take advantage of

Accepted Answer

The lawyer is attempting to use the representativeness heuristic, which is the tendency to judge the likelihood of an event by how well it matches our stereotype or prototype of the event. By emphasizing that her client is a typical member of the community, she is hoping to influence the jury's perception of him and improve his chances of being acquitted.

Question 14

Dr. Mendoza is studying the mental strategies people use when solving problems. Dr. Mendoza is clearly a(n)

Accepted Answer

Dr. Mendoza's focus on mental strategies suggests a focus on cognitive processes, indicating that they are a cognitive psychologist.

Question 15

The easier it is for people to remember an instance in which they were betrayed by a friend,the more they expect such an event to recur. This best illustrates the impact of

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is the tendency to estimate the likelihood of an event based on how easily it comes to mind. In this case, the easier it is for people to remember being betrayed by a friend, the more readily they will expect it to happen again, leading to an overestimation of the likelihood of future betrayals.

Question 16

Complete the following analogy: Rose is to flower as

Accepted Answer

A rose is a type of flower, similarly, a prototype is a type of concept.

Question 17

A mental grouping of similar things,events,ideas,or people is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

A mental grouping of similar things, events, ideas, or people is called a concept. A prototype refers to a specific example of a concept, while an algorithm and heuristic are problem-solving strategies.

Question 18

We more quickly recognize that a blue jay is a bird than that a penguin is a bird because a blue jay more closely resembles our ________ of a bird.

Accepted Answer

Our prototype of a bird is typically a small, feathered creature with a beak, wings, and the ability to fly. A blue jay fits this prototype more closely than a penguin, which is larger, has flipper-like wings, and cannot fly.

Question 19

Professor Chadwick evaluated a graduate student's research proposal negatively simply because he had heard a rumor about the student's incompetence. When later informed that the rumor had been patently false,the professor's assessment of the student's research proposal remained almost as negative as it was originally. This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

This scenario illustrates belief perseverance, which is the tendency to cling to our initial beliefs even when presented with contradictory evidence. Professor Chadwick's negative evaluation of the student's research proposal continued despite being informed that the basis for his negative belief was false. This is a common cognitive bias that can be difficult to overcome, as people often search for information that supports their beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them. The other options, such as representativeness heuristic and framing, do not accurately describe the situation being presented.

Question 20

Because he erroneously believes that older workers are not as motivated as younger workers to work hard,a factory foreman is especially vigilant for any signs of laziness among his senior workers. His supervision strategy best illustrates

Accepted Answer

The factory foreman's focus and interpretation of his senior workers' behavior in a way that confirms his preexisting belief that they are not as motivated is an example of confirmation bias. He is selectively searching for evidence to support his belief while ignoring or discounting any evidence to the contrary.

Quiz 18: Many Hands Make Diminished Responsibility