PSY 200 EXAM 4 Practice Questions

expected utility is a) expected gain from a decision b) expected cost of your electric bill c) how much you think you will have to pay if you loose a bet d) a method for training neural networks

a) expected gain from a decision

functional fixedness would be LOWEST for a(n): a) novel object b) familiar object c) frequently used object d) object with a specific function

a) novel object

From a formal-definition perspective, a problem is considered to be a(n) ________. a. obstacle b. representation c. challenge d. analogy

a) obstacle

Wally and Sharon are out on a date. When Sharon asks Wally where they should go for dinner, Wally says "My coworkers keep telling me about that new Japanese place downtown, so it must be a great place to eat." Wally's response illustrates the use of a(n) a) availability heuristic b) confirmation bias c) conjunction rule d) permission schema

a) availability heuristic

Derrick purchased a new car, a Ford Mustang, less than a month ago. While sitting in traffic, Derrick says to his girlfriend, "Mustangs must be the best-selling car now. I can't remember seeing as many on the road as I have recently." Derrick's judgment is most likely biased by a(n) A. representativeness heuristic B. availability heuristic C. illusory correlation D. permission schema

B. availability heuristic

Frank thinks there is a greater likelihood that it'll be sunny and cold tomorrow rather than just either being sunny or cold. Is he right or wrong? a. Due to the conjunction rule, he's wrong. b. Due to base rate information, he's wrong. c. Due to the law of large numbers, he's wrong. d. Actually, he's right.

a. Due to the conjunction rule, he's wrong

The necessary consequence of using a larger number of individuals drawn from a population is _______. a. a more representative group from the population b. base rate information is taken into account c. the confirmation bias is avoided d. a higher probability is assigned to a conjunction

a. a more representative group from the population

In the context of syllogisms, which of the following underlies the concept of validity? a. form b. truth c. number d. utility

a. form

Which of the following would NOT begin a categorical syllogism? a. If...then b. All... c. No... d. Some...

a. if...then

a problem space is a) the set of questions on an exam b) all possible states of a problem given the allowed operators c) a maze used to test rodent's problem solving abilities d) an oddly shaped room that is difficult to decorate

b) all possible states of a problem given the allowed operators

the finding that people tend to incorrectly conclude that more people die from tornadoes than from lightning has been explained in terms of the: a) representativeness heuristic b) availability heuristic c) falsification principle d) belief bias

b) availability heuristic

experts categorize problems based on a) how similar the objects in the problem are b) general principles that problems share c) surface and deep structures d) event-specific knowledge

b) general principles that problems share

Which of the following reflects the process of analogical transfer? a. insight to fact b. problem to problem c. space to subgoal d. subgoal to target

b) problem to problem

heuristics are a) algorithms for computing expected utility b) quick and dirty rules of thumb that usually provide acceptable answers c) a way of mapping a large problem space d) a network of concepts

b) quick and dirty rules of thumb that usually provide acceptable answers

people are most successful at noticing an analogous relationship between problems if they focus on a) surface features b) structural features c) operators d) mental sets

b) structural features

the conjunction rule states that a) the probability of two events co-occurring is the sum of the probabilities of each event occurring b) the probability of two events co-occurring is equal to or less than the probability of either event occurring alone c) people make decisions based upon both the costs and benefits of the choices d) people make decisions based upon possible benefits when the choices are framed positively and based upon possible costs when the choices are framed negatively

b) the probability of two events co-occurring is equal to or less than the probability of either event occurring alone

Which of the following specifically illustrates how one works to reach a successful goal state? a. the water jug problem b. the Tower of Hanoi problem c. the candle problem d. the two-string problem

b) the tower of Hanoi problem

In the Duncker candle problem (affix a candle to a wall given some tacks and a box of matches), which condition produces the highest percent of participants correctly solving the problem a) when the matches are in the box at the beginning of the task b) when the box is empty at the beginning of the task c) when the participants are blindfolded d) when the participants are chickens

b) when the box is empty at the beginning of the task

When arguing with her husband, Danny, over which new car to buy, Yasmin grew frustrated and shouted, "You have blinders on! You only see what you want to see." What is Danny likely exhibiting in the couple's purchasing decision? a. status quo bias b. confirmation bias c. illusory correlation d. backfire effect

b. confirmation bias

When using the utility approach to making decisions, utility is associated with which of the following? a. emotions b. goals c. biases d. validity

b. goals

The "Aha!" moment often depicted in cartoons with a light bulb over someone's head best reflects the concept of ________. a. fixation b. insight c. daydreaming d. incubation

b. insight

Which of the following reflects a categorical syllogism? a. condition, fact > premise b. premise, premise > conclusion c. fact, premise > validity d. premise, fact > condition

b. premise, premise > conclusion

A problem space is best defined by which concept? a. evaluation b. scope c. process d. expertise

b. scope

the typical purpose of subgoals is to: a) solve insight problems b) move the solver directly from the initial state to the goal state c) bring the problem solver closer and closer to the goal state d) avoid the need to perform means-end analysis

c) bring the problem solver closer and closer to the goal state

Peter is stuck trying to understand some extraneous information with regards to a math problem, and, as such, he finds it difficult to proceed. Peters appears to be showing ___. a. restructuring b. functional fixedness c. fixation d. a mental set

c) fixation

Newell and Simon (the information processing approach) called the conditions at the beginning of the problem the a) intermediate state b) goal state c) initial state d) source story

c) initial state

Carlos is trying to solve a puzzle. In doing so, he knows that a stipulated rule is that red pieces cannot touch blue pieces. This example specifically highlights the function of ___. a. the initial stage b. subgoals c. operators d. problem space

c) operators

actions that take the problem from one state or another are known as a) intermediate states b) subgoals c) operators d) mental sets

c) operators

Warmth judgements on nearness to a solution _____ prior to the solution of an insight problem and ______ prior to the solution of a non-insight problem. a) gradually rise; gradually rise b) gradually rise; rise suddenly just c) rise suddenly just; gradually rise d) vary unpredictably; vary unpredictably

c) rise suddenly just; gradually rise

illustrative of functional fixedness, people are more likely to solve the candle problem if a) fewer tacks are provided b) pliers are also presented c) the box is empty d) the candle is already lit

c) the box is empty

A conditional syllogism always begins with a line in which form? a. p and q are... b. All p... c. If p, then q... d. When p...

c. If p, then q...

Suppose there was a game where one had a 50-50 chance of gaining $200 or losing $100. What would most people do? a. Clearly, this would be a good bet; as such, most would play. b. It would depend on one's risk aversion such that one would have to be really indifferent about either possibility. c. It would depend on one's risk aversion such that one would have to not be overly troubled by the prospect of losing $100. d. Actually, none of these explanations seem plausible.

c. It would depend on one's risk aversion such that one would have to not be overly troubled by the prospect of losing $100

When people reach inaccurate conclusions using the representativeness heuristic, it is often because they lack familiarity with which of the following? a. expected utility b. status quo c. base rate d. neuroeconomics

c. base rate

Which of the following equations correctly states the conjunction rule? a. A or B ≠ A - B b. A - B ≤ A(B) c. A + B > A - B d. A + B ≤ A or B

d. A + B ≤ A or B

Which of the following BEST illustrates the use of problem solving with analogies? a. the think-aloud protocol b. the mutilated checkerboard problem c. the Tower of Hanoi problem d. Duncker's radiation problem

d) Duncker's radiation problem

Soraya is walking her dog when her dog's leash suddenly breaks. Soraya realizes that she needs a new leash right then and there but, at first, she doesn't know how to proceed. Unfortunately, she fails to consider that she could fashion a temporary leash by using the shoelaces from her boots. This example specifically illustrates ___. a. the two-string problem b. mental set c. fixation d. functional fixedness

d) functional fixedness

every morning your mother comes into your room to yell at you to get out of bed. what kind of reasoning do you use to predict that she will probable do this again tomorrow morning? a) deductive reasoning b) retrospective reasoning c) contextual reasoning d) inductive reasoning

d) inductive reasoning

The water jug problem is to the candle problem as _____ is to _____. a. the two-string problem; functional fixedness b. functional fixedness; the two-string problem c. preconceptions; situation d. situation; preconceptions

d) situation; preconceptions

insight refers to: a) prior learning facilitating problem solving b) prior learning hindering problem solving c) the tendency to respond in a certain manner, based on past experience d) the sudden realization of a problem's solution

d) the sudden realization of a problem's solution

In Kaplan and Simon's experiment, they present different versions of the mutilated checkerboard problem. Participants in the _____ group performed the best a) blank (all white squares) b) color (red and black squares) c) words: black and pink d) words: bread and butter

d) words: bread and butter

What is the basic premise behind mental models? a. People usually have correct premises but they make faulty conclusions. b. People can engage in inductive but not deductive reasoning. c. People function according to the belief bias. d. People create a representation of a situation for a reasoning problem.

d. People create a representation of a situation for a reasoning problem

In general, a person's incorrect belief that flying is more dangerous than driving is likely due to the ______ a. conjunction rule b. myside bias c. representativeness heuristic d. availability heuristic

d. availability heuristic

After seeing a long line of excited people waiting outside a store to buy a new mobile phone that was just released, Gabe figured the phone must be an excellent product because everyone wanted it. So he got in line and bought one. What impacted Gabe's conclusion about the phone? a. incidental emotion b. availability heuristic c. categorical validity d. law of large numbers

d. law of large numbers