2017 Exam October-November Flashcards
Consider the following statements
a) Sibusiso “You know. as far as I’m concerned this talk about internal mental processes is unscientific If we adopt a scientific approach, it is clear that we can only conduct psychological research by concentrating on actual. explicitly observable, and quantifiable
behaviours”
b) Kate “I don’t agree with you. I think that it is scientifically valid to construct theories of internal mental processes If these theories are tested against empirical data “
Given the assumptions they make about studying human cognition in a scientific manner,
contemporary cognitive psychologists are likely to agree with
1) (a) but not (b)
2) (b) but not (a)
3) (a) and (b)
4) Neither of the two statements
2) (b) but not (a)
Reasoning: In cognitive psychology, empirical data and theories are both important. Theories are empty without empirical data, and data in cognitive psychology can only be understood in the context of an explanatory theory. Therefore option 4 is incorrect.
David works in a research section of a company and has just learned how to create a histogram chart
in Microsoft Excel by carefully watching how a fellow researcher does it. David has learned how to
create a histogram chart based on ___.
1) an experimental procedure
2) operant conditioning
3) naturalistic observation
4) innate mechanisms
3) naturalistic observation
Reasoning: Naturalistic observation is a research method commonly used by psychologists and
other social scientists. This technique involves observing subjects in their natural environment.
Which of the following statements best describes the central idea behind Gestalt psychology?
1) “The sum of the parts is equal to the whole.”
2) “All is part of the whole.”
3) “The whole is nothing more than separate individual parts.”
4) “The whole differs from the sum of the parts.”
4) “The whole differs from the sum of the parts.”
Reasoning: The maxim “the whole is more than the sum of its parts” aptly sums up the Gestalt
perspective.
Pavlov’s landmark experiment in which dogs salivate at the sight of the person who feeds them provides an example of ___.
1) classically conditioned learning
2) instrumental learning
3) social learning
4) operant conditioning
1) classically conditioned learning
Reasoning: Pavlov said the dogs were demonstrating classical conditioning. He summed it up like
this: there’s a neutral stimulus (the bell), which by itself will not produce a response, like
salivation. There’s also a non-neutral or unconditioned stimulus (the food), which will produce an
unconditioned response (salivation).
Lesiba says that in order to understand cognitive processes we need to look at the brain to see how
it functions. Ayami disagrees and argues that we must look at how people perform on various
cognitive tasks. This disagreement illustrates a debate in psychology concerning ___.
1) Validity of inference vs behavioural methods
2) Nature vs nurture
3) Biological vs behavioural methods
4) Rationalism vs empiricism
3) Biological vs behavioural methods
Reasoning: We can try to synthesize biological and behavioural methods so that we understand
cognitive phenomena at multiple levels of analysis.
Which type of study simply looks for a statistical relationship between two or more variables without
manipulating the variables of interest?
1) quasi-experimental design
2) multivariate statistics
3) correlation
4) experimental design
3) correlation
Reasoning:
• Research can also be nonexperimental because it focuses on a statistical relationship
between two variables but does not include the manipulation of variables. Therefore,
option 4 is incorrect.
• As the difference between experimental designs and quasi-experimental designs is
whether participants are randomly assigned or not randomly assigned (and does not
relate to manipulation of the variables), option 1 is by default also incorrect.
• Multivariate analysis is the area of statistics that deals with observations made on many
variables. The main objective is to study how the variables are related to one another, and
how they work in combination to distinguish between the cases on which the
observations are made. Therefore option 2 is incorrect.
According to the theory of dialectic thinking that is used to describe the progression of ideas, a
statement of belief is first proposed, and this is then followed by a second statement opposing it.
This second statement is called the ___.
1) antithesis
2) synthesis
3) thesis
4) syllogism
1) antithesis
Reasoning: The dialectical method involves the integration of two opposing propositions, a thesis
and an antithesis, into a new statement that integrates aspects of both propositions and offers
something of a compromise. The new statement is called a synthesis.
These techniques take advantage of the brain’s consumption of glucose or oxygen during cognitive
processing and specifically examine which part or parts of the brain are most active during a
processing task. The assumption is that active parts of the brain would require more resources than
inactive areas, and thus consume more glucose.
1) Event-related Potentials (ERP)
2) Metabolic Imaging
3) Computed Tomography (CT)
4) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
2) Metabolic Imaging
Reasoning: The correct answer is a Positron emission tomography (PET) which is a metabolic
imaging technique.
Ingestion of glucose containing a short-acting radioisotope; glucose transported by blood to brain
active neurons use more glucose (i.e. greater blood flow).
Elaine wakes up in the middle of the night and sees a dark silhouette on the stairway outside her
door. She watches it silently moving down the corridor and realizes that there is someone in her
house. Processing via the ___ made it possible for her to perceive the intruder in her house.
1) occipital lobe
2) parietal lobe
3) temporal lobe
4) Broca’s area in her frontal lobe
1) occipital lobe
Reasoning: The occipital lobe is associated with visual processing.
The temporal lobe (option 3) is associated with auditory processing – and therefore incorrect.
The parietal lobe (option 2) is implicated in the processing of sensory information regarding to
touch and pressure, and the sensation of pain – and therefore incorrect.
Which of the following processes would most likely Involve the limbic system?
1) Jacob learns how to ride a bicycle
2) Jacob feels very nervous about the upcoming exam
3) Jacob visualises the solution to a physics problem
4) Jacob feels a tingle in his wrist
2) Jacob feels very nervous about the upcoming exam
Reasoning: The limbic system is a set of brain structures located on both sides of the thalamus,
immediately beneath the cerebrum. It has also been referred to as the paleomammalian cortex. …
The limbic system supports a variety of functions including emotion, behavior, motivation, longterm
memory, and olfaction.
Split brain patients have had their a) surgically removed, to prevent b)
1) a) optic chiasma; b) prosopagnosia
2) a) thalamic nuclei; b) Parkinson’s tremors
3) a) corpus callosum; b) epileptic seizures
4) a) hypothalamus; b) endocrinic abnormalities and hypothermia
3) a) corpus callosum; b) epileptic seizures
Reasoning: The procedure involves severing the corpus callosum, the main bond between the
brain’s left and right hemispheres. After a split-brain surgery the two hemispheres do not
exchange information as efficiently as before. The split-brain phenomenon is usually the result of
a surgery to treat refractory epilepsy.
If your doctor tells you that she is going to order an fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
of your brain, she wants to see ___.
1) images of brain activity deriving from radioactive particles in the blood
2) the electrical frequencies and activities of a bundle of neurons
3) images of brain activity, but based on non-radioactive changes to particles of oxygen atoms in the blood
4) a high-level resolution of changes in the energy orbits of nuclear particles in the brain tissue
3) images of brain activity, but based on non-radioactive changes to particles of oxygen atoms in the blood
Damage to the hippocampus due to thiamine (Vitamin B-1) deficiency can result in a loss of memory
function in which an individual is still able to recall information learned in the past, but is unable to
form new memories. This is known as ___.
1) Benzine syndrome
2) apraxia
3) aphasia
4) Korsakoff’s syndrome
4) Korsakoff’s syndrome
Reasoning: Korsakoff syndrome is a chronic memory disorder caused by severe deficiency of
thiamine (vitamin B-1). Korsakoff syndrome is most commonly caused by alcohol misuse, but
certain other conditions also can cause the syndrome.
The limbic system is important to - - - - -
1) memory retrieval
2) relaying sensory information
3) emotion, motivation, and learning
4) motor information
3) emotion, motivation, and learning
Reasoning: The limbic system is a set of brain structures located on both sides of the thalamus,
immediately beneath the cerebrum. It has also been referred to as the paleomammalian cortex.
The limbic system supports a variety of functions including emotion, behavior, motivation, longterm
memory, and olfaction.
Which abilities have been found to be localized on the right side of the brain for most split-brain patients? 1) the ability to follow stories 2) nearly all language functions 3) skilled purposeful movement 4) finding patterns in visual stimuli
3) skilled purposeful movement
Reasoning: The right hemisphere of the cortex excels at nonverbal and spatial tasks, whereas the
left hemisphere is more dominant in verbal tasks, such as speaking and
writing. In a cognitive sense the right hemisphere is responsible for recognition of objects and
timing, and in an emotional sense it is responsible for empathy, humor and depression.
