PSYC2030 Practice Questions - Wk7 Late Cognition

Question 1

How is concrete operational thought limited?

Answer 1

Children can perform logical operations only as long as two dimension are considered.

Question 2

What does formal operational thought involve?

Answer 2

Abstract objects and events
Future oriented thinking
Systematic consideration of logical relationships (more than two dimensions)

Question 3

What is deductive reasoning?

Answer 3

Making a specific rule from general knowledge.

Question 4

What is inductive reasoning?

Answer 4

Inferring general knowledge/rules from specific observations.

Question 5

What is a problem with Gopnik et al’s study on inductive reasoning using musical blocks?

Answer 5

Infants (18-24) might just be recreating an existing behaviour rather than understanding a rule (that only a particular block will make the sounds)

Question 6

What is general intelligence, according to the Cattell-Horn theory of fluid and crystallised intelligence?

Answer 6

A collection of “perhaps 100” abilities working together to bring out different intelligences, which varies across people.

Question 7

Fluid intelligence is the ability to:

Answer 7

Think and act quickly
Solve novel problems
Encode short-term memories

Question 8

Where does fluid intelligence come from?

Answer 8

Physiological efficiency; independent from culture and education

Question 9

What is crystallised intelligence?

Answer 9

Things that you have learned: eg general information, vocabulary, and acquired skills

Question 10

What factors influence crystallised intelligence?

Answer 10

Personality, motivation, education & cultural opportunity

Question 11

What are four types of everyday problem-solving skills?

Answer 11

Problem-focused action
Cognitive problem analysis
Passive-dependent behaviour
Avoidant thinking and denial

Question 12

What do Cornelius and Caspi 1987 suggest about everyday problem solving?

Answer 12

Problem solving is most closely tied to crystallised intelligence.

Question 13

What are different hypothesis for cog decline in ageing?

Answer 13

Decline related to age or related to disuse

Question 14

Are there transfer effects for training in older people?

Answer 14

No. But there is improvement on what is specifically trained.

Question 15

What is encapsulation?

Answer 15

Fluid thinking becomes dedicated to specific knowledge systems (expertise) which can be applied in flexible, multifaceted ways. This expert knowledge seems automatic and intuitive.

Question 16

Why might older people have less fluctuation in performance?

Answer 16

Stable motivation
Lower expectations/goals of performance
Less stressful lifestyle/less need for self-regulation

Question 17

What is post-formal thought?

Answer 17

Fully adult thought: flexible, able to deal with contradiction, and stimulated by experiences

Question 18

What happens to the recognition of multiple perspectives throughout age?

Answer 18

Adults understand more perspectives. Adolescents less, especially when emotions are involved.

Question 19

What is wisdom?

Answer 19

Adult thinking with a moral component

Question 20

What cultural differences in the development of ‘wisdom’ throughout age?

Answer 20

Japanese encourages interpersonal harmony; so they develop wise-reasoning at an earlier age.
American culture has more exposure to conflict and less emphasis on harmony; so Americans take longer to gain wisdom, but get slightly better due to more practice.