Psych Chapter 9: Thinking and Language – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
algorithm
answer
a methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem. Contrasts with the usually speedier- but also more error-prone-use of heuristics.
question
insight
answer
a sudden realization of a problem's solution; contrasts with strategy-based solutions.
question
availability heuristic
answer
estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we presume such events are common.
question
intuition
answer
an effortless, immediate, automatic feeling or thought, as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning.
question
belief perseverance
answer
clinging to one's initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited.
question
language
answer
our spoken, written, or signed words and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning.
question
cognition
answer
all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.
question
linguistic determinism
answer
Whorf's hypothesis that language determines the way we think.
question
confirmation bias
answer
a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence.
question
mental set
answer
a tendency to approach a problem in one particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past.
question
grammar
answer
in a language, a system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others. In a given language, semantics is the set of rules for deriving meaning from sounds, and syntax is the set of rules for combining words into grammatically sensible sentences.
question
Students were asked to figure out the rule used to devise the three-number sequence 2-4-6. After generating sets of three numbers to learn whether their sets met the rule, they typically convinced themselves of the wrong rule. Their errors best illustrate the impact of
answer
Confirmation Bias
question
In testing thousands of different materials for use as light bulb filaments, Thomas Edison best illustrated a problem-solving approach known as
answer
Trial and Error
question
Most people take less time to identify a cow as a mammal than a mouse as a mammal because a cow more closely resembles their mammal
answer
Prototype
question
Which linguistic theorist was most impressed by the underlying similarities of all human language systems?
answer
Noam Chomsky
question
The English language has ________ letters than phonemes, and the consonant phonemes generally carry ________ information than the vowel phonemes.
answer
Fewer letters than phonemes Carry more information than the vowel phonemes
question
Many people overestimate how long they actually remain awake during restless nights because their moments of wakefulness are easier to recall than their moments of sleep. This best illustrates the impact of
answer
the availability heuristic
question
People who demonstrate overconfidence are especially likely to
answer
make difficult decisions more easily
question
The tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions is called
answer
confirmation bias
question
Jahmal cites his cousin Luana's many car accidents as evidence that women are worse drivers than men. He overlooks the fact that his wife and three daughters have had far fewer car accidents than he and his two sons. Jahmal's prejudicial conclusion about women's driving skills best illustrates the effects of
answer
confirmation bias
question
Noam Chomsky argues that children's readiness to learn language is a
answer
biological predisposition
question
The fact that all human languages have nouns, verbs, and adjectives led Noam Chomsky to refer to
answer
universal grammar.
question
A European visitor to the United States asked a taxi driver, "Can you please a ride to the airport me give?" This visitor has apparently not yet mastered the ________ of the English language.
answer
syntax
question
A mental set is a
answer
tendency to approach a problem in a way that has been successful in the past
question
Spoken, written, or signed words and the ways they are combined to communicate meaning constitute
answer
language
question
Many people perceive carjackings as more serious threats to their lives than failing to use seat belts because carjackings are so much more memorable. This best illustrates the importance of
answer
the availability heuristic
question
Phonemes are
answer
the smallest distinctive sound units of a language.
question
Professor Thompson's research focuses on the impact of prototypes on the speed of object recognition and identification. Which specialty area does this research best represent?
answer
cognitive psychology
question
In suggesting that our ancestral history has prepared us to fear snakes, psychologists are emphasizing that what we fear is influenced by
answer
genetic factors.
question
Bilingual people have a somewhat ________ vocabulary in each language than do people who speak a single language, and bilingual people are ________ able to inhibit their attention to irrelevant information than are monolingual people.
answer
Smaller vocabulary in each language Better able to inhibit their attention to irrelevant information
question
Ojinska sold many more raffle tickets when she told people they had a 10 percent chance of winning a prize than when she told them they had a 90 percent chance of not winning. This best illustrates the importance of
answer
framing
question
Steve was sure he answered at least 70 questions correctly on his biology test. In fact, he was right on only 55 items. Steve's misjudgment of his test performance illustrates
answer
overconfidence
question
Brainstorming sessions that encourage people to spontaneously suggest new and unusual solutions to a problem are designed to avoid
answer
fixations
question
U.S. employees who formerly wanted to defer part of their compensation to a 401(k) retirement plan typically had to lower their take-home pay as they "opted in" to the plan. Now companies are being encouraged to enroll their employees in the 401(k) plan automatically while allowing them to choose to raise their take-home pay by "opting-out" of the 401(k) plan. Under the "opting out" rather than "opt-in" system, enrollments in 401(k) plans soared. This best illustrates the impact of
answer
Framing
question
Which of the following was cited by Whorf as evidence in support of the linguistic determinism hypothesis?
answer
The Hopi cannot readily think about the past because their language has no past tense for verbs.
question
Cognitive psychologists are most directly concerned with the study of
answer
thinking.
question
The auditory cortex is especially likely to become responsive to visual input for those who
answer
have been deaf from birth
question
The smallest speech units that carry meaning are called
answer
morphemes
question
Sophie has an unrealistically negative self-image, which no one seems able to change. This best illustrates the importance of
answer
belief perseverance
question
An effort to "consider the opposite" would be most likely to inhibit
answer
belief perseverance
question
The beginning of babies' receptive language development is best illustrated by their capacity to
answer
match another person's distinctive mouth movements with the appropriate sou
question
Chimpanzees are capable of learning to
answer
a. understand spoken words. b. communicate with gestures. c. string signs together into a meaningful sequence. ALL
question
Myra has such low self-esteem that she is often on the lookout for critical comments about her appearance and personality. Myra's behavior best illustrates the dangers of
answer
confirmation bias.
question
Broca's area is typically located in the left ________ lobe.
answer
frontal
question
When we use the term Hispanic to refer to a category of people, we are using this word as a
answer
Concept
question
Two-year-old Dirk's sentences—"Dad come," "Mom laugh," and "Truck gone"—are examples of
answer
telegraphic speech
question
Mental Set
answer
A tendency to approach a problem in one particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past
question
Intuition
answer
An effortless, immediate, automatic feeling or thought, as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning
question
Confirmation Bias
answer
A tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence
question
Availability Heuristic
answer
Estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory If instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness, we presume such events are common
question
Belief Perseverance
answer
Clinging to one's initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited "consider the opposite" "biased"
question
Framing
answer
The way an issue is posed, how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgements "10% will die during this, or 90% will live"
question
Language
answer
Our spoken, written, or signed words and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning
question
After two minutes of exposure to an unbroken monotone string of nonsense syllables, infants could recognize three-syllable sequences that appeared repeatedly. This best illustrates the importance of ________ in language development.
answer
Statistical Learning
question
Babies' first demonstration of productive language occurs
answer
During the one word stage
question
Christmas is to holiday as ________ is to ________.
answer
prototype; category
question
In the words "lightly," "neatly," and "shortly," the "ly" ending is a
answer
Morpheme
question
Kevin succeeds in getting his children to do chores by using threats. He fails to recognize that kindness would be even more effective in gaining their cooperation. Kevin's shortsightedness best illustrates a consequence of
answer
Mental Set
question
Introductory psychology students were more likely to achieve a good midterm exam grade if prior to the exam they repeatedly practiced visual imagery that involved
answer
A process simulation
question
A system of rules for deriving meaning from sounds and for ordering words into sentences is called
answer
Grammar
question
Suddenly understanding the double meaning of a joke best illustrates
answer
Insight *Key word = suddenly
question
Despite overwhelming and highly publicized evidence that Senator McEwan was guilty of serious political corruption and misconduct, many who had supported her in past elections remained convinced of her political integrity. Their reaction best illustrates
answer
belief perseverance *clinging to ones initial conception
question
A European visitor to the United States asked a taxi driver, "Can you please a ride to the airport me give?" This visitor has apparently not yet mastered the ________ of the English language.
answer
Syntax
question
Syntax
answer
the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.
question
The ability to comprehend the meaning of speech is called
answer
receptive language
question
Anika resisted changing her answer to a test question after reminding herself that "it's always best to stick with your first answer." Anika's decision best illustrates the use of
answer
a heuristic
question
The availability heuristic refers to our tendency to
answer
estimate the likelihood of an event based on how easily we remember instances of its occurrence.
question
Which of the following was cited by Whorf as evidence in support of the linguistic determinism hypothesis?
answer
The Hopi cannot readily think about the past because their language has no past tense for verbs
question
An effort to "consider the opposite" would be most likely to inhibit
answer
belief perseverance
question
Many people are less supportive of paying a "carbon tax" than of paying an equivalent cost in the form of a "carbon offset" fee. This best illustrates the impact of
answer
Framing
question
Our intuitions are feelings and thoughts that are best described as
answer
explicit
question
Professor Thompson's research focuses on the impact of prototypes on the speed of object recognition and identification. Which specialty area does this research best represent?
answer
cognitive psychology
question
If our capacity to form concepts depends on our verbal memory, this would best illustrate
answer
linguistic determinism.
question
Many people are less supportive of paying a "carbon tax" than of paying an equivalent cost in the form of a "carbon offset" fee. This best illustrates the impact of
answer
framing.
question
Damage to different cortical areas results in different forms of aphasia. This best illustrates that language processing involves multiple
answer
neural networks.
question
Logical, methodical step-by-step procedures for solving problems are called
answer
algorithms
question
Jamilla systematically tried each successive key on her dad's key ring until she found the one that unlocked his office door. This best illustrates problem solving by means of
answer
an algorithm
question
The tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions is called
answer
Confirmation Bias
question
At 17 months of age, Julie says "wada" whenever she wants a drink of water. Julie is most likely in the ________ stage of language development.
answer
one-word
question
Many people overestimate how long they actually remain awake during restless nights because their moments of wakefulness are easier to recall than their moments of sleep. This best illustrates the impact of
answer
the availability heuristic. *Availability in memory
question
Psychologist Wolfgang Köhler placed a piece of fruit and a long stick outside chimpanzee Sultan's cage. Inside the cage he placed a short stick. Prior to gaining insight into the solution of the problem Sultan used
answer
a. the short stick to try reaching the long stick. b. the fruit to try retrieving the long stick. c. the long stick to try retrieving the fruit. showed evidence that there is more to learning than simply conditioning
question
People more easily detect male discrimination against women than female discrimination against men because the former more closely resembles their discrimination
answer
Prototype- mental image that best describes a category
question
A best example of a category of objects, events, ideas, or people is called a
answer
Prototype
question
Which of the following terms refers to a person's ability to reason speedily and abstractly?
answer
Fluid Intelligence
question
Aptitude tests are specifically designed to
answer
predict ability to learn a new skill.
question
Self-fulfilling expectations are most likely to be triggered by
answer
stereotype threat.
question
Leland's language does not distinguish between "family love" and "romantic love," so he has difficulty realizing that he deeply loves his sister. Which of the following is most relevant to Leland's difficulty?
answer
linguistic
question
Failing to recognize our potential for error is best demonstrated by
answer
overconfidence
