Psychology: Chapter 9A Learning Curve

If someone estimates the likelihood of events based on the ease with which they retrieve them from memory, they presume such events are common. This is called the _____.

Availability heuristic

To foster creativity, one's environment should:

Be supportive of the individual and his or her ideas

Matching new items to a(n) _____ provides a quick and easy method for sorting items into existing mental categories.

Prototype

A few days before flying to San Francisco, Jim watched a documentary about the 1906 earthquake that devastated the city. Even though the chance of getting caught in an earthquake while in San Francisco was relatively minor, Jim decided to cancel his trip. This BEST illustrates:

The availability heuristic

In the last few months of 2001, many Americans believed flying was more dangerous than driving. This led to a major increase in traffic fatalities. This flaw in reasoning is known as:

The availability heuristic

Most adults are more likely to choose a birth control method that is said to have a 95 percent success rate than one that is said to have a 5 percent failure rate. This BEST illustrates the impact of:

Framing

Presenting an issue in a specific way that affects one's judgment and decision-making is known as:

Framing

A simple thinking strategy that often allows one to make judgments and solve problems efficiently is known as a(n):

Heuristic

A simple thinking strategy that often allows people to make judgments and solve problems efficiently is known as a(n)_____.

Heuristic

Rajesh is vacationing in a new city. He isn't quite sure where his hotel is. He knows that it's near the beach. Rajesh also realizes that the streets generally go from north to south, while avenues generally go east to west. Instead of driving around randomly, he is able to use this information to quickly find his hotel. This is an example of using:

Heuristic

The tendency to approach a problem in one particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past, is known as a(n) _____.

Mental set

Immediate and easily understandable feedback regarding one's performance on a physics practice test is MOST likely to inhibit:

Overconfidence

Forming concepts is useful because concepts:

Simplify thinking

Creativity is characterized by expertise, imagination, intrinsic motivation, and a(n) _____ in a creative environment.

Venturesome personality

A potential source of irrationality is _____, the tendency to cling to beliefs in the face of contradictory evidence.

Belief perseverance

There is a small group of people who still think that the Earth is flat despite the fact that they are often otherwise normal members of modern society. They are exhibiting:

Belief perseverance

When Hannah's professor failed to recognize that Hannah had her hand raised to answer a question, Hannah began to think that her professor was unfriendly. Hannah later learned that the professor's limited vision kept him from seeing her raised hand, but she continued to think he was unfriendly. Hannah's reaction BEST illustrates:

Belief perseverance

When Nick's professor failed to recognize that Nick had his hand raised to answer a question, Nick began to think that his professor was unfriendly. Nick later learned that the professor's limited vision kept her from seeing his raised hand, but he continued to think that she was unfriendly. Nick's reaction BEST illustrates _____.

Belief perseverance

Psychologists refer to the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating as _____.

Cognition

_____ is/are the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

Cognition

Apples, oranges, and pears all belong to the same _____ of FRUIT.

Concept

Events, ideas, objects, or people that are grouped together form a(n):

Concept

Kyf is an alien, new to Earth. She is most fascinated by Earth's tremendous variety of animals. Whenever she encounters an animal, she looks it up in her Earth catalogue. Eventually she is able to differentiate among the various species. Her experiences help to shape her _____ of animals.

Concept

Divergent thinking is to multiple correct answers as _____ thinking is to a single correct answer.

Convergent

Expertise, imaginative thinking skills, intrinsic motivation, a creative environment, and a venturesome personality may combine to make a person:

Creative

Convergent thinking is to a single correct answer as _____ is to multiple correct answers.

Divergent thinking

Connor is a young engineer who just started work at a company that has several seasoned engineers on staff. During a regular meeting several of these seasoned engineers are discussing how to solve a problem. After about 15 minutes of listening to this, Scott jumps up and yells "Eureka, I've got it." This is an example of:

Insight

The sudden realization that one has solved a problem is called:

Insight

While working on a problem, one may think about it for a long time until, all of a sudden, the solution comes. This is an example of:

Insight

Managers who wish to foster creativity in the workplace should try to increase the _____ motivation of their employees

Intrinsic

Shadrah, a manager at a call center, is trying to foster creativity in the workplace. In her efforts, she should try to increase the _____ of her employees.

Intrinsic motivation

Instead of taking the time to rationally think about every decision one faces on a daily basis, one often resorts to:

Intuition

Kara sees a stranger who looks like someone who harmed her in the past. She immediately crosses the street. Kara is using her _____ in avoiding the stranger.

Intuition