Cognition

Question 1

RECALL

Answer 1

The use of a general cue to retrieve a memory. For example, your psychology teacher asks you to
write down everything you learned in last week’s lesson on operant conditioning.

Question 2

RECOGNITION

Answer 2

The use of a specific cue to retrieve a memory. For example, your psychology teacher asks you to
answer a multiple-choice question about negative reinforcement.

Question 3

SERIAL-POSITION EFFECT

Answer 3

Information at the beginning and end of a list is remembered better than material in the middle.

Question 4

EPISODIC MEMORY

Answer 4

A subdivision of declarative memory that stores memories of personal experiences and events. For
example, your first piano recital, first prom, and first varsity soccer goal are all episodic memories

Question 5

PROACTIVE INTERFERENCE

Answer 5

Occurs when old information interferes with recalling new information. For example, your old
locker combination interferes with remembering your new locker combination.

Question 6

RETROACTIVE INTERFERENCE

Answer 6

Occurs when new information interferes with recalling old information. For example, learning how
to write an SAT essay interferes with the information you previously learned about how to write an
ACT essay.

Question 7

RETROGRADE AMNESIA

Answer 7

People who suffer from retrograde amnesia are unable to remember some or all of their past.

Question 8

ANTEROGRADE AMNESIA

Answer 8

People who suffer from anterograde amnesia are unable to form new memories.

Question 9

METHOD OF LOCI

Answer 9

The process of remembering several pieces of information by mentally associating an image of each
with a different location.

Question 10

PHONEMES

Answer 10

The smallest distinctive sound used in a language. For example, the t in tardy and the ng in sing are
both phonemes.

Question 11

MORPHEMES

Answer 11

The smallest units of meaning in a language. For example, the word untouchable consists of three
morphemes—the prefix un, the root word touch, and the suffix able.

Question 12

ALGORITHM

Answer 12

A logical, step-by-step procedure that, if followed correctly, will eventually solve a specific
problem.

Question 13

FUNCTIONAL FIXEDNESS

Answer 13

The tendency to think of an object as functioning only in its usual or customary way. As a result,
individuals often do not see unusual or innovative uses of familiar objects.

Question 14

CONFIRMATION BIAS

Answer 14

A preference for information that confirms preexisting positions or beliefs, while ignoring or
discovering contradictory evidence.

Question 15

HEURISTIC

Answer 15

A general rule of thumb or shortcut that is used to reduce the number of possible solutions.

Question 16

AVAILABILITY HEURISTIC

Answer 16

Judging the likelihood of an event based on readily available personal experiences or news reports.
For example, news of a plane crash causes a family to cancel their plane reservation and drive 750
miles in their car instead.

Question 17

REPRESENTATIVE HEURISTIC

Answer 17

Judging the likelihood of an event based on how well it matches a typical example or prototype. For
example, if Jake is 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 290 pounds, we may guess that he is an NFL
lineman instead of a stockbroker.

Question 18

DIVERGENT THINKING

Answer 18

A type of thinking in which problem solvers devise a number of possible alternative approaches.
Divergent thinking is a major element in creativity.