Psychology Exam #1

Jay knows what a "smart phone" (such as an iPhone) is and knows how to send a text message. The difference between these two kinds of knowledge can best be characterized as a difference between: A) Declarative knowledge vs. procedural knowledge. B) Visual imagery vs. elaboration. C) Rehearsal vs. organization. D) Long-term memory vs. working memory.

A) Declarative knowledge vs. procedural knowledge.

Which one of the following statements best describes the sensory register? A) It holds everything that is sensed in a relatively unencoded fashion. B) It encodes information largely in terms of underlying meanings. C) It holds only a small amount of information, selecting things that will probably be important to know. D) It holds only a small amount of information, selecting things more or less at random.

A) It holds everything that is sensed in a relatively unencoded fashion.

Imagine you are an educational researcher who wants to learn about the type of psychological environment in which middle school students feel most comfortable and best able to concentrate on their studies. You plan to examine a wide variety of factors that might contribute to such an environment, including physical factors (e.g., cleanliness and colorfulness of the school building) and social factors (e.g., teacher-student relationships, general tolerance for diverse behaviors and beliefs). You realize that students might identify important factors that you yourself haven't even thought of. In this situation, your best choice would probably be: A.) A qualitative study. B.) An experimental study with one treatment group and one control group. C.) An experimental study with at least three treatment groups. D.) A descriptive, quantitative study.

A.) A qualitative study.

Which one of the following is the best example of encoding while learning state capitals? A.) Abe tries to learn that Richmond is the capital of Virginia by visualizing rich men (because it sounds like "Richmond") standing on a map of Virginia. B.) Bernice tries to learn that St. Paul is the capital of Minnesota by repeating "St. Paul, Minnesota" many times in rapid succession. C.) Darcy tries to learn that Sacramento is the capital of California by having a tape recorder play "Sacramento, California," over and over while she sleeps. D.) Corey tries to learn that Austin is the capital of Texas by making sure he is relaxed before he studies this information.

A.) Abe tries to learn that Richmond is the capital of Virginia by visualizing rich men (because it sounds like "Richmond") standing on a map of Virginia.

Behaviorists view learning differently than information processing theorists and constructivists do. Which one of the following statements best describes the difference? A.) Behaviorism focuses on observable behaviors; information processing theory and constructivism focus on mental phenomena B.) Behaviorism focuses on long-term changes; information processing theory and constructivism focus on temporary changes C.) Behaviorism focuses on mental phenomena; information processing theory and constructivism focus on observable behaviors D.) Behaviorism focuses on temporary changes, information processing theory and constructivism focus on long-term changes

A.) Behaviorism focuses on observable behaviors; information processing theory and constructivism focus on mental phenomena

Which one of the following is the best illustration of metacognition? A.) Connie is studying for a history test. She knows that she has trouble with dates, so she checks herself by giving herself a short quiz after each chapter. B.) Betsy stays up late studying for a geography test. The following morning in school, she is too tired to think straight during the test. C.) Andrea is studying for a spelling test. She writes each spelling word five times in her nicest handwriting. D.) Dolly gives her friend Evonne an SAT preparation book because Dolly is preparing to take the SAT exam for college.

A.) Connie is studying for a history test. She knows that she has trouble with dates, so she checks herself by giving herself a short quiz after each chapter.

A student who has an illusion of knowing is most likely to: A.) Express surprise about a low test score B.) Accurately summarize what he or she has just read C.) Understand the general gist of a reading assignment but be unable to repeat it verbatim D.) Engage in considerable elaboration of classroom material

A.) Express surprise about a low test score

Three of the following teaching strategies should promote critical thinking. Which strategy, although beneficial in other ways, will not necessarily promote critical thinking skills? A.) Have students relate new material to things they have already learned. B.) Ask students to evaluate the quality of a variety of scientific research studies. C.) Have students debate a controversial issue by taking a perspective in direct opposition to what they actually believe. D.) Ask students to read a persuasive essay and look for possible flaws in the author's line of reasoning.

A.) Have students relate new material to things they have already learned.

Which one of the following is the best example of a teacher's pedagogical content knowledge? A.) Knowing several effective ways to teach students about negative numbers B.) Making a reasonable guess as to why a particular student misbehaves just before lunch time every day C.) Knowing what researchers have discovered about the effectiveness of discovery-learning approaches to instruction D.) Understanding why water expands when it freezes

A.) Knowing several effective ways to teach students about negative numbers

Which one of the following statements is most accurate regarding psychological principles? A.) Principles tell teachers what factors are important in affecting other factors. B.) Principles are comprised of many different theories. C.) Principles are more helpful for teaching than for learning. D.) Principles are fairly unstable, and thus change over time.

A.) Principles tell teachers what factors are important in affecting other factors.

Three of the following are aspects of self-regulated behavior as social cognitive theorists define the term. Which one is not necessarily an aspect of self-regulated behavior? A.) Reading an assigned textbook chapter B.) Keeping angry feelings in check C.) Deciding whether one's own behavior is within an acceptable range D.) Reinforcing oneself for successful performance

A.) Reading an assigned textbook chapter

Successful retrieval of information from long-term memory depends on three of the following factors. On which one does retrieval not depend? A.) The duration of a learner's working memory B.) The presence of relevant retrieval cues C.) The part of long-term memory being searched D.) How the information was stored in the first place

A.) The duration of a learner's working memory

Mr. Jacobs wants to find out whether a new program for teaching physical education promotes students' physical development. So he gives his students a number of tests before they begin the program (pretests) and the same tests again after they have been in the program for eight months (posttests). He finds that the students' posttest scores are higher than their pretest scores and so concludes that the program is effective. What is definitely wrong with Mr. Jacobs' conclusion? A.) There are other possible explanations for his results. B.) Eight months is too short a time for such a program to have a long-term effect. C.) Tests are not a good measure of physical development. D.) The posttests should always be different from the pretests.

A.) There are other possible explanations for his results.

Which one of the following conclusions could be drawn from a descriptive study?

Approximately 80% of the students at Southside High School are planning to go to college.

Three of the following strategies are consistent with the textbook's recommendations for helping students learn to engage in self-evaluation. Which strategy, although possibly beneficial for other reasons, is least likely to promote self-evaluation? A.) Give students a checklist to things to look for as they read the first draft of their research papers. B.) Give students detailed feedback about their biology lab reports. C.) Have students reflect on the strengths and weakness of their performance in a daily journal. D.) Have students compile portfolios of their best work.

B. ) Give students details feedback about their biology lab reports

Which one of the following statements about educational research is true? A.) Experimental research can only be conducted in the laboratory under somewhat artificial conditions. B.) Experimental research allows us to draw cause-and-effect conclusions. C.) Correlational research is more difficult and time-consuming than experimental research. D.) Descriptive research gives us the most information for making decisions about teaching practice.

B.) Experimental research allows us to draw cause-and-effect conclusions.

Three of the following strategies should help students acquire effective study strategies. Which one is least likely to do so? A.) Have students work in pairs to ask one another thought-provoking questions about a topic. B.) Express confidence that with time and effective strategies, students can learn everything there is to know about a topic. C.) Give students a general structure to guide their early note-taking efforts. D.) Have students experiment with different methods of trying to remember information and then reflect on each method's effectiveness.

B.) Express confidence that with time and effective strategies, students can learn everything there is to know about a topic.

Imagine you are a high school principal who wants students to develop effective study strategies before they graduate. If you follow the textbook's recommendations for teaching study skills and other complex cognitive processes, which one of the following approaches should you use? A.) Purchase textbooks that are about two years below students' present reading levels. B.) Have teachers incorporate study skills training into the specific academic courses they teach. C.) Have a one-semester study skills course that all students take in their first year of high school. D.) Have a one-semester study skills course that all students take in their final year of high school.

B.) Have teachers incorporate study skills training into the specific academic courses they teach.

Three of the following teachers are using strategies that should help students learn information effectively. Which one is not necessarily promoting effective cognitive processing? A.) Mr. Ayotte helps students identify important ideas in their textbooks. B.) Ms. Bertinelli has students repeat definitions of new vocabulary words out loud. C.) Ms. Darwin talks about how famous battles in history are in some ways similar to the conflicts students sometimes have on the playground. D.) Mr. Canton makes sure that students are paying attention before he begins class.

B.) Ms. Bertinelli has students repeat definitions of new vocabulary words out loud.

Natalie is sometimes too impulsive when she answers multiple-choice questions on standardized achievement tests: She picks an answer before she has even read all the alternatives. Natalie knows she has a problem and would really like to change her behavior. The concept we can best use to help Natalie is: A.) Problem-based learning. B.) Self-instructions. C.) Mental set. D.) Divergent thinking.

B.) Self-instructions.

When educators use the expression "Less is more" in their discussions of promoting complex cognitive processes, they mean that: A.) Students are more likely to engage in complex processes if they spend very little time per day listening to lectures. B.) Students are more likely to engage in complex processes when they focus on learning a few topics very well. C.) Students can only store so much in working memory at any one time. D.) Students will more successfully transfer what they've learned to new problems and situations when those problems are simple rather than complex.

B.) Students are more likely to engage in complex processes when they focus on learning a few topics very well.

To remember that the capital of the state of Washington is Olympia, Bart forms a mental image of George Washington running a race in the Olympics. Bart's technique illustrates: A.) A superimposed meaningful structure. B.) The keyword method. C.) Reconstructive retrieval. D.) Verbal mediation.

B.) The keyword method.

Three of the following are examples of mnemonics. Which one is not a mnemonic? A.) To learn the letters identifying the spaces on the treble clef in written music (F A C E), Annabelle simply remembers the word face. B.) To learn how to drive a car with a standard transmission, Bart practices the various parts of the task (e.g., steering, shifting, and braking) separately. C.) To learn that the Spanish word pájaro means "bird," Corey pictures a bird wearing pajamas. D.) To learn that the Spanish word navidad means "Christmas," Dorene thinks of the word "nativity."

B.) To learn how to drive a car with a standard transmission, Bart practices the various parts of the task (e.g., steering, shifting, and braking) separately.

Self-efficacy

Belief that one is capable of executing certain behaviors or reaching certain goals

Which of the following is the best example of action research? A. All of the school districts in a particular state are instructed to give the same mathematics achievement test to all eleventh graders. The average test scores for each district will be presented in a report that will be released to the general public.  B. A graduate student quietly observes adolescents' behaviors in the school cafeteria. He plans to describe his observations in his master's thesis. C. A teacher gives her students a questionnaire that asks them to describe how often they study and what kinds of strategies they use when they study. She will use the results to develop several lessons on effective study skills.  D. A college professor recruits sixth graders to come to his lab, where she assesses their responses and reaction times in a variety of challenging problem-solving tasks. Her results will help her refine her theory about the development of children's problem-solving skills. 

C. A teacher gives her students a questionnaire that asks them to describe how often they study and what kinds of strategies they use when they study. She will use the results to develop several lessons on effective study skills. 

Weston is working on a science project and wants to make his papier-mâché volcano "erupt." He remembers that when his mother combined vinegar and baking soda while following a recipe, the batter foamed up as she added the vinegar. So he tries mixing vinegar and baking soda in his volcano, and the mixture bubbles. Weston is showing: A. General transfer B. Intuitive transfer C. Specific transfer D. Negative transfer

C. Specific transfer

Dr. Kenney conducts a study in which she gives some students (chosen randomly) logically organized learning material; she gives other students the same material presented in a haphazard, unpredictable sequence. She finds that students with the organized material remember more. This study can best be described as: A.) A qualitative study. B.) A correlational study. C.) An experimental study. D.) A descriptive quantitative study.

C.) An experimental study.

Students with special needs are students who: A.) Have inherited conditions (e.g., Down syndrome, some instances of dyslexia) that adversely affect their ability to achieve at appropriate levels in the classroom. B.) Have physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, epilepsy, or AIDS. C.) Are different enough from their peers that specially adapted instruction or materials are necessary to promote their success at school. D.) Have cognitive and emotional deficits that impair their classroom performance.

C.) Are different enough from their peers that specially adapted instruction or materials are necessary to promote their success at school.

In which of these situations is information most likely to be stored effectively in long-term memory? A.) Abby looks up the correct spelling of independence and immediately writes it down. B.) Bob repeats "Comment allez vous?" after his teacher five times in a row. C.) Corinne realizes that the word receive follows the "I before E except after C" rule. D.) David stares at a page in his textbook trying to form a visual snapshot of the page in his mind.

C.) Corinne realizes that the word receive follows the "I before E except after C" rule.

Which strategy is not consistent with the study strategies presented in the textbook? A.) Erika plans specific times in her schedule to review what she has already studied. B.) At the beginning of a study session, Erika quickly reviews what she had studied in her prior study session. C.) Erika studies one day a week for 4 hours instead of 4 days a week for one hour during each study session. D.) Erika uses visual images to help her remember information.

C.) Erika studies one day a week for 4 hours instead of 4 days a week for one hour during each study session.

Experimental research requires which one of the following? A.) Describing each variable in considerable detail B.) Studying behavior in an actual classroom environment C.) Manipulating an aspect of the environment D.) Being able to predict two or more variables

C.) Manipulating an aspect of the environment

Which one of the following high school teachers clearly has high self-efficacy about his or her teaching? A.) Ms. Bouthot has a hypothesis about why some students in her English class rarely turn in their assignments. B.) Ms. Crosby insists that students complete their math homework using a particular format. C.) Mr. Driver is confident that he can get even seemingly "unmotivated" students excited about science. D.) Mr. Abbot thinks that teaching is simply a matter of reading textbook passages aloud to his history class.

C.) Mr. Driver is confident that he can get even seemingly "unmotivated" students excited about science.

Many educational psychologists believe that learning and understanding are often constructive in nature. Three of the following scenarios illustrate such construction. Which scenario does not necessarily involve construction in learning? A.) Although no one has ever told her so, Peggy thinks that the night sky is a big black blanket covering the earth and that the blanket has tiny holes through which the stars shine. B.) Because the word photosynthesis begins with photo, Jeremy guesses that it must have something to do with taking photographs. C.) Mr. McFarland asks his third graders to practice their multiplication tables every day. After a month of such practice, Misty can retrieve all the basic multiplication facts quickly and easily. D.) When George reads about the Vietnam War in his history book, he comes to the conclusion that the United States should never have gotten involved in Southeast Asia.

C.) Mr. McFarland asks his third graders to practice their multiplication tables every day. After a month of such practice, Misty can retrieve all the basic multiplication facts quickly and easily.

Adolescents who learn a second language often apply patterns of speech production used in their native tongue, and therefore, they speak the second language with an accent. This phenomenon is an example of: A.) Situated cognition. B.) General transfer. C.) Negative transfer. D.) Positive transfer.

C.) Negative transfer.

Three of the following statements are consistent with general principles of learning presented in the textbook. Which one is not consistent with these principles? A.) Different people may learn different things from the same experience if they process it differently. B.) People's existing beliefs about a topic influence the new things they learn about the topic. C.) People learn in ways that are very similar to how most other animal species learn. D.) People don't just passively absorb knowledge like a sponge; instead, they actively construct it.

C.) People learn in ways that are very similar to how most other animal species learn.

Which of the following three sentences (numbered for clarity in this question) is consistent with APA style? (#1) Students who are motivated tend to learn more than students who are not motivated (Beamer, 2010; Fuente, 2016). (#2) However, some researchers have found that unmotivated students can learn too (Paterno; Franklin). (#3) In fact, one unmotivated student received a higher grade than any of the motivated students (2010; 2016). A.) The third sentence B.) All three sentences are consistent with APA style C.) The first sentence D.) The second sentence

C.) The first sentence

Which one of the following is an example of elaboration? A.) Darren repeats the detailed excuses his friend Logan suggests he use to explain why he didn't do his homework. B.) Rosie repeats the spelling of each word several times the night before her spelling test. C.) When Melissa first learns about inertia, she thinks of examples of it in her own life to expand on the idea. D.) Sharon automatically knows how she can best study for an upcoming history test.

C.) When Melissa first learns about inertia, she thinks of examples of it in her own life to expand on the idea.

Problem-based learning

Classroom activity in which students acquire new knowledge and skills while working in a complex, multifaceted project that yields a concrete end product

Rehearsal

Cognitive process in which information is repeated over and over within a short time frame (typically a few minutes or less) as a possible way of learning and remembering it

Elaboration

Cognitive process in which learners embellish on new information based on what they already know or believe

Which one of the following is located primarily in the upper and outer parts (the cortex) of the brain?

Complex thinking (e.g., reasoning, decision making)

Sensory memory (register)

Component of memory that hold incoming information in an unanalyzed form for a brief period of time (2 to 3 seconds at most, depending on the modality) Capacity=huge, duration=1-4 seconds

Working memory

Component of memory that holds and actively thinks about and processes a limited amount of information for a short time. Capacity=7 plus or minus 2, duration=18-30 seconds

Long-term memory

Component of memory that holds knowledge and skills for a relatively long time. Capacity=huge, duration=long

A study that tells us whether two variables are associated, but does not tell us if one variable causes or influences the other, is: A.) An experimental study without a control group. B.) An experimental study with one or more control groups. C.) A descriptive study. D.) A correlational study.

D.) A correlational study.

Which one of the following statements best describes the three-component model of memory presented in the textbook? A.)The three components of memory are used to store different kinds of information: visual images are stored in the sensory register, most numerical information is stored in working memory, and verbal information is stored in long-term memory. B.) Information that must be remembered for a long time goes directly from the sensory register to long-term memory; less important information is stored in working memory. C.) All information that reaches the sensory register also reaches working memory, but only a small percentage of this information is stored in long-term memory. D.) All information that enters long-term memory must first pass through the sensory register and working memory.

D.) All information that enters long-term memory must first pass through the sensory register and working memory.

In psychology, a theory can best be characterized as: A.) A description of the results of a particular research study. B.) A statement that describes how a particular variable affects learning or development. C.) An objective measure of how a person behaves in a particular situation. D.) An integrated set of concepts and principles that explain a phenomenon.

D.) An integrated set of concepts and principles that explain a phenomenon.

Three of the following children have been diagnosed as having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Which one is least likely to have ADHD? A) Eva daydreams in class a lot. She tends to stare at books without reading them, and her teacher often needs to repeat the same instructions several times. B) Martin rarely stays in his seat for more than 10 minutes, and his hands are always fidgeting with something. He needs frequent reminders to get back on task, and transitions are challenging for him. C) Caroline turns her head toward every sound she hears. The sound of a pencil dropping catches her attention as easily as a fire alarm. Often she is so engrossed in listening to happenings in the hall or across the room that she doesn't hear someone who is speaking directly to her. D) Ben is consistently on the honor roll at school. His favorite times of day are recess and gym because he enjoys physical activity. It's hard for him to sit still on rainy afternoons when he hasn't had a chance to burn off some energy.

D.) Ben is consistently on the honor roll at school. His favorite times of day are recess and gym because he enjoys physical activity. It's hard for him to sit still on rainy afternoons when he hasn't had a chance to burn off some energy.

Ms. Villanueva has her students engage in a variety of activities in her middle school geography class. Three of the activities described below are authentic activities. Which one is not an authentic activity as educational psychologists define the term? A.) Constructing a map of the neighborhood around the school B.) Using library resources to identify a good place to take a vacation C.) Finding the most direct route to Chicago on a road map D.) Describing the difference between latitude and longitude clearly and concretely

D.) Describing the difference between latitude and longitude clearly and concretely

Experimental research requires which one of the following? A.) Being able to predict two or more variables B.) Studying behavior in an actual classroom environment C.) Describing each variable in considerable detail D.) Manipulating an aspect of the environment

D.) Manipulating an aspect of the environment

Three of the following math teachers are using techniques that should help their students remember information. Which one is using a relatively ineffective technique? A.) Mr. Allen uses wooden blocks to help students understand how the volume of a cube is calculated. B.) Ms. Batchelder asks students to think of real-life problems requiring the use of multiplication. C.) Mr. Constanza shows his students how division is simply the reverse of multiplication. D.) Ms. Davenport asks her students to memorize definitions of eight geometric figures.

D.) Ms. Davenport asks her students to memorize definitions of eight geometric figures.

Dr. Lesgold finds that students in private schools perform better on achievement tests than do students in public schools. He can conclude that: A.) The difference is probably due to the fact that private schools have smaller classes. B.) The difference is probably due to the fact that private schools are more likely to "teach to the test." C.) The difference is probably due to differences in family income. D.) Students' achievement test scores can be predicted to some extent by the kind of school they attend.

D.) Students' achievement test scores can be predicted to some extent by the kind of school they attend.

Which of the following is inconsistent with the recommendations provided in the textbook about studying? A.) Determine when you are most mentally alert and study at those times. B.) You can study in a coffee shop as long as the noise and activity doesn't distract you from concentrating. C.) It is important to determine what you want to accomplish during a study session and plan the session accordingly. D.) Study for several hours at a time without a break to ensure that you don't lose your thought process related to the information.

D.) Study for several hours at a time without a break to ensure that you don't lose your thought process related to the information.

In contemporary psychology, a schema can best be described as: A.) A basic piece of information upon which most other knowledge must build. B.) A set of reasons why a student would want to learn something. C.) A plan of action regarding how to learn something. D.) Tightly organized sets of facts about a certain concept or phenomenon.

D.) Tightly organized sets of facts about a certain concept or phenomenon.

Which one of the following statements best describes wait time and its typical effects? A.) When teachers give students about five minutes of "thinking time" at the beginning of class, students are more likely to learn class information meaningfully. B.) When teachers allow students more time to learn something, students are more likely to learn effectively. C.) When teachers wait until students are ready to pay attention, students are more likely to learn effectively. D.) When teachers allow students more time to respond to a question, students are more likely to answer the question and explain their reasoning.

D.) When teachers allow students more time to respond to a question, students are more likely to answer the question and explain their reasoning.

Which one of the following conclusions can be drawn only from an experimental study?

Drugs administered during childbirth affect a child's early development

The practice of inclusion involves which one of the following?

Educating students with special needs in general education settings alongside their nondisabled peers

The textbook recommends a number of strategies for increasing students' attention in the classroom. Which one of the following alternatives, while possibly beneficial for other reasons, is not necessarily recommended as a strategy for increasing attention?

Follow a predictable routine every day.

General tranfer

Instance of transfer in which the original learning task and the transfer task are different in content

Specific transfer

Instance of transfer in which the original learning task and the transfer task overlap in content

Which one of the following alternatives best describes learner-centered instruction?

Instruction that is tailored to individual students' characteristics and needs

Self-instructions

Instructions that one gives oneself while performing a complex behavior

Theory

Integrated set of concepts and principles developed to explain a particular phenomenon; may be constructed jointly by researchers over time or individually by a single learner

Metacognition

Knowledge and beliefs about one's own cognitive processes, as well as conscious attempts to engage in behaviors and thought processes that increase learning and memory. (Thinking about thinking)

Procedural knowledge

Knowledge concerning how to do something

Declarative knowledge

Knowledge concerning the nature of how things are, were, or will be

Situated learning and cognition

Knowledge, behaviors, and thinking skills acquired and used primarily within certain contexts, with limited or no retrieval and use in other contexts; sometimes involves dependence on physical or social support mechanisms available only in certain contexts

Wait time

Length of time a teacher pauses, after either asking a question or hearing a students comment, before saying something

Encoding

Mentally changing the format of new information in order to think about it or remember it more easily

Keyword method

Mnemonic technique in which a learner mentally connects two ideas by forming a visual image of one or more concrete objects (keywords) that either sound similar to or symbolically represent those ideas

Which one of the following high school teachers clearly has high self-efficacy about his or her teaching?

Mr. Driver is confident that he can get even seemingly "unmotivated" students excited about science

Three of the following teachers are using strategies that should help students learn information effectively. Which one is not necessarily promoting effective cognitive processing?

Ms. Bertinelli has students repeat definitions of new vocabulary words out loud.

Cognitive process

Particular way of thinking about and mentally responding to a certain event or piece of information

Positive transfer

Phenomenon in which something learned at one time facilitates leaning or performance at a later time

Negative transfer

Phenomenon in which something learned at one time interferes with learning or performance at a later time

Storage

Process of putting new information into memory

Action research

Research conducted by teachers and other school personnel to address issues and problems within their own schools or classrooms

Descriptive study

Research study that enables researchers to draw conclusions about the current state of affairs regarding an issue but not about correlation or cause-and-effect relationships

Correlation study

Research study that explores possible association among two or more variables

Experimental study

Research study that involves both (a) the manipulation of one variable to determine its possible effect on another variable and (b) control of additional variables that might potentially have an impact on the outcome; allows conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships

Qualitative research

Research yielding information that cannot easily be reduced to numbers; typically involves an in-depth examination of a complex phenomenon

Quantitative research

Research yielding information that is inherently numerical in nature or can easily be reduced to numbers

Script

Schema that involves a predictable sequence of events related to a common activity

Self-regulated behavior

Self-chosen and self-directed behavior that leads to fulfillment of personally constructed standards and goals

Retrieval cue

Stimulus that provides guidance about where to "look" for a piece of information in long-term memory

When cognitive psychologists talk about the process of "putting" things in memory, they often use the term:

Storage

Which one of the following statements is consistent with research findings described in the textbook?

Students use both their right and left hemispheres for thinking

Divergent thinking

The process of mentally moving in a variety of directions from a single idea.

Eunice had trouble learning the formula for calculating the area of a circle, so she is saying it to herself over and over while the teacher passes out a geometry test. Eunice is demonstrating:

The use of rehearsal.

Individual constructivism

Theoretical perspective that focuses on how learners each construct their own idiosyncratic meanings from their experiences

Illusion

Thinking one knows something that one actually does not know

Schema

Tightly organized set of facts about a specific topic

To find out if visual imagery (i.e., "picturing" things in one's mind) is more effective than verbal repetition in learning French vocabulary words, a French teacher develops two different study guides for her students: one that tells students how to use visual imagery to learn French words, and one that tells them to just repeat the words over and over. She randomly distributes the two study guides to her students. Over the next few weeks, the teacher finds that students using visual imagery study guides achieve higher average quiz scores. Because all of the students used their given study guides and there was no reason to suspect other differences between the two groups of students, she concludes that the visual imagery study guide helped her students to learn their French vocabulary words more than the other study guide. Is the teacher's conclusion valid for her students?

Yes, because she was able to manipulate a variable in the environment.

Four boys read this line from a story: "The two men entered the restaurant and ordered hamburgers." Which one of the boys is clearly using a script while reading the story? a. Alex assumes that the men looked at a menu before ordering. b. Bob is guessing that the men probably have evil motives. c. Colin wonders what the men look like. d. Devon thinks that the men should make more healthful choices.

a. Alex assumes that the men probably looked at a menu before ordering.

Cordell is trying to remember the various rocks he has been studying in his earth science class (granite, sandstone, limestone, obsidian, marble, etc.). He finally decides it would be easiest if he studied them as three groups: sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Considering research regarding this strategy, Cordell should: a. Have an easier time remembering them because he's organizing them b. Have a more difficult time remembering them because he must remember the three groupings as well as the rocks themselves c. Have an easier time remembering them only if he also looks at pictures of each kind of rock d. Have a more difficult time remembering them because he's using only rehearsal to learn them

a. Have an easier time remembering them because he's organizing them

To remind her first-grade son Kevin to bring his umbrella home from school, his mother pins a drawing of an umbrella to Kevin's jacket collar. Kevin's mother is helping him remember the umbrella through the use of: a. A superimposed meaningful structure b. A retrieval cue c. The keyword method d. Verbal mediation

b. A retrieval cue

As Jane reads about General Custer's last stand, she pictures him as he must have looked, with long blonde hair and a full mustache, riding tall and proud on the open plain just before he was attacked. Considering what psychologists have learned about the effectiveness of visual imagery, we can predict that Jane will: a. Get confused by the vividness of her visual image b. Remember the information better than she might otherwise c. Store the information in her working memory rather than in her long-term memory d. Remember her image without any loss of detail for a year or longer

b. Remember the information better than she might otherwise

Which one of the following scenarios best reflects the basic idea of individual constructivism? a. A student practices playing the F major scale on his violin until he can play it perfectly. b. Four students in a study group divide the day's reading assignment into four sections. Each student reads a section and then teaches the material to the other group members. c. A student tries to make sense of a poorly written and confusing magazine article. d. Two students discuss possible interpretations of the proverb, "We only know the worth of water when the well is dry."

c. A 15-year-old tries to make sense of a poorly written and confusing magazine article.

Mental set

inclination to encode a problem in a way that excludes potential solutions

Which one of the following is the best example of qualitative research?

interviewing middle school students about cliques at their school