Tutorial #9: Thinking
Textbook Ch. 8, p. 344-367
1) Which of the following would likely be studied by cognitive psychologists?
a) How pheromones lead to sexual attraction
b) How people decide whether to do work or relax +
c) Why we don’t remember much about early childhood
d) The influence of mood on academic performance
2) What condition must exist for a conclusion made by deductive reasoning to be valid?
a) At least on premise must be true +
b) All of the premises must be true++
c) The conclusion must make logical sense
d) There must be at least 3 premises
3) If you believe that the Toronto Maple Leafs is a talented hockey team, which piece of
information are you most likely to remember (according to the confirmation bias)?
a) The last time the Leafs won the Stanley Cup (1967)
b) The jersey colour that they wear for home games (blue)
c) The number of wins they had last season (37) +
d) The number of losses they had last season (45)
4) Inductive reasoning uses ____________ to make ______________.
a) General knowledge; specific conclusions
b) Specific knowledge; general conclusions +
c) Premises; conclusions
d) Conclusions; premises
5) Which of the following is not a barrier to effective problem solving:
a) Stress
b) Functional Fixedness
c) Mental Sets
d) Means-end confusion +
6) Seeing daily reports of murders on the news leads people to worry that the murder rate is
climbing, while lesser-known statistics tell us that the rate is actually dropping. Which type of
judgment error is leading people to worry about the murder rate?
a) Availability heuristic +
b) Representativeness heuristic
c) Conjunction fallacy
d) Framing
7) Imagine that you have just come from a job interview. According to the alternative-outcomes
effect, which situation would make you most certain that you would get the job?
a) You were the only applicant who arrived early for the interview
b) There were 10 other applicants, but you were the only one with relevant previous
experience +
c) They called you back for a second interview
d) There was only 1 other applicant ++
8) Which cognitive distortion might be characterized by a person who thinks that it didn’t rain
because they remembered to bring their umbrella with them?
a) Arbitrary inference
b) Overgeneralization
c) Magnification
d) Personalization +
9) Having a flat tire is an example of which type of problem:
a) Problem of inducing structure
b) Problem of arrangement
c) Problem of transformation ++
d) Problem of continuity +
10) When is an algorithm a useful strategy for solving a problem?
a) When it is a problem of inducing structure
b) When there are no heuristics available
c) When there are a small number of possible solutions ++
d) When the problem is based on numerical data +
11) Which type of culture tends to have a field-dependent cognitive style?
a) Agricultural +
b) Urbanized
c) Nomadic
d) Modern Western
12) What does the theory of bounded rationality say about people’s ability to make decisions?
a) People generally use principles of rationality to make accurate decisions +
b) People tend to use simplified strategies that often overlook information that would lead to
an optimal decision ++
c) Most decision making is based on a combination of emotion and rationality
d) People make poor decisions because they overemphasize the importance of rationality
13) Under which condition is a person most likely to decide to splurge on a new high-end
computer?
a) When the store is overcrowded and overheated
b) When they are comparing the new computer’s performance to that of the base model +
c) When they are able to take the computer home for a trial period before purchasing it
d) When the computer is manufactured by a relatively obscure company
14) Ms. L. has played 10 scratch lottery tickets and won nothing. She buys an 11th ticket because
she believes that she is ‘due for a win’ after 10 losses. What type of decision-making error is she
making?
a) Availability heuristic
b) Ignoring base rates
c) Gambler’s fallacy +
d) Conjunction fallacy
Practice Short Answer Question (5 marks):
Imagine that you are deciding whether to adopt a dog or not. List 5 things that you can do to
enhance your ability to think critically about your decision.
Sample Answer:
1 – think about both the pros and cons to getting a dog, rather than just the good things
(remembering common pitfalls)
2 – talk to friends who have dogs already to get a better understanding of what will be
involved (examine the evidence)
3 – put aside my feelings of excitement about getting a cute pet (avoid emotional
reasoning)
4 – avoid simplistic arguments, like ‘I want a dog, and therefore I should get one’ (avoid
simplistic explanations)
5 – don’t put too much pressure on myself to make a decision right away (tolerate
uncertainty)
Multiple Choice Answer Key:
1) b 2) b 3) c 4) b 5) d
13) b 14) c
6) a
7) d
8) d
9) c
10) c 11) a 12) b
Tutorial #8: Memory
Textbook Ch. 7
1) Which of the following is not true of the memory system:
a) Attention is required for information to pass from short-term memory to long-term
memory
b) Information moves from sensory memory to short-term memory to long-term memory
c) Rehearsal is required for information to remain stored in short-term memory +
d) Information is only stored in sensory memory for a fraction of a second
2) When you are writing a test, which memory process is most important?
a) Encoding
b) Storage
c) Retrieval +
d) Rehearsal
3) On average, how many items can be held in short term memory at any given time?
a) 4
b) 5
c) 6
d) 7 +
4) Repeating a phone number over and over is an example of ______________.
a) Echoic memory
b) Implicit memory
c) Maintenance rehearsal +
d) Elaborative rehearsal
5) Which type of encoding is likely to make a piece of information remembered for a long time?
a) Structural
b) Phonemic
c) Intermediate
d) Semantic
6) Which of the following is not a memory-enhancement strategy?
a) Method of loci
b) Sperling’s method
c) Chunking
d) Distributed practice
7) In long term memory, where would your knowledge about course material be located?
a) Semantic section of the declarative system
b) Episodic section of the declarative system
c) Semantic section of the procedural system
d) Episodic section of the procedural system
8) What is one possible cause of forgetting the name of a new acquaintance if it was a result of
proactive interference?
a) The new person looks exactly like your best friend’s brother
b) You were introduced to another 5 new people right after
c) You hear someone else call him by a different name
d) It was an unusual name that you have never heard before
9) Which of the following is a key argument for those who are skeptical about the validity of
repressed and recovered memories?
a) There is no evidence to suggest that humans are capable of repressing memories
b) Lab studies have proven that false memories are easily implanted in many people
c) Most claims of a recovered memory of abuse have been proven to be false
d) ‘Recovered’ memories are usually based on a movie or story that the person has heard
rather than an actual experience
10) Which model of selective attention has received the most support from research findings?
a) Early selection
b) Intermediate selection
c) Late selection
d) There is evidence to support every model
11) What is a schema?
a) A network of information related to a single concept
b) The path that a piece of information takes through the memory system
c) A technique used to keep information in working memory
d) The part of the hippocampus where long-term memories are stored
12) According to Ebbinghaus’ curve, what is the typical pattern for forgetting nonsense
syllables?
a) Forgetting occurs gradually over the course of 24 hours
b) The information is retained for about 30 minutes before most forgetting occurs
c) Most of the information is forgotten in the first 20 minutes
d) The information is retained for about 1 hour before most forgetting occurs
13) At the neural level, memories are believed to be formed through the development of
____________.
a) Retention circuits
b) Feedback loops
c) Long-term potentiations
d) Semantic networks
14) Which of the following is a factor that influences prospective memory?
a) Attention
b) Mood
c) Time of day
d) Age
Practice Short Answer Question (5 marks)
List 5 strategies for improving your memory.
Sample Answer:
1 – Pay close attention during the encoding phase
2 – Use deep processing rather than shallow processing
3 – Use mnemonics
4 – Use a number of different memory-enhancing strategies
5 – Minimize interference
Multiple Choice Answer Key:
1) a 2) c 3) d 4) c 5) d
13) c 14) d
6) b
7) a
8) a
9) b
10) d 11) a 12) c
Tutorial #7: Learning
Textbook Ch. 6
1) What did Pavlov repeatedly pair with meat powder in order to get dogs to learn to salivate to a
controlled stimuli?
a) Pieces of raw meat
b) An auditory tone
c) The smell of vanilla
d) A mild electric shock
2) When the music stops at the beginning of class, all of the students stop talking. What would
the students’ behaviour be best classified as?
a) Unconditioned stimulus
b) Unconditioned response
c) Conditioned stimulus
d) Conditioned response
3) In the Little Albert experiment, the boy was conditioned to fear a white rat. He later went on
to exhibit the same fear response to other furry animals without being paired with the
unconditioned stimulus. What process does this illustrate?
a) Acquisition
b) Generalization
c) Extinction
d) Classical conditioning
4) Under which condition is a phobia of heights most difficult to extinguish?
a) When being up high is only associated with feeling fear some of the time
b) When it is easy for the individual to escape from the height whenever s/he feels fear
c) When the heights that the person is exposed to are very extreme
d) When the person also has other phobias
5) Which technique would be useful for teaching a dog to fetch slippers and put them on your
feet?
a) Classical conditioning
b) Positive reinforcement
c) Negative punishment
d) Shaping
6) Which of the following is usually considered to be a primary positive reinforcer?
a) A hug
b) Money
c) The removal of pain/discomfort
d) All of the above
7) After crashing her car, Emily has to work extra hours in order to pay for repairs. Which type
of behavioural conditioning is she experiencing?
a) Positive reinforcement
b) Negative reinforcement
c) Positive punishment
d) Negative punishment
8) Your roommate never cleans his own dishes. Which method of conditioning would be most
efficient and effective for getting him to permanently change his behaviour?
a) Continuously nag him until he cleans his dishes
b) Charge him $5 for ever dirty dish that he leaves in the sink
c) Give him $5 every time he cleans his dishes
d) Every few times that he cleans his dishes, praise him and offer to do a small favour for
him
9) Which of the following is not one of the steps involved in a behaviour modification program:
a) Monitor current habits
b) Set specific goals for change
c) Regularly monitor progress towards your goals
d) Reward good behaviour, first with partial reinforcement and later with continuous
reinforcement
10) Which study illustrates the phenomenon of observational learning?
a) Pavlov’s experiment with dogs
b) Skinner’s experiment with pigeons
c) Watson’s experiment with Little Albert
d) Bandura’s experiment with the Bobo doll
11) For a person who has developed a tolerance to alcohol, a bottle of alcohol represents a(n)
________________.
a) Uncontrolled stimulus
b) Controlled stimulus
c) Uncontrolled response
d) Controlled response
12) Which of the following is an example of higher-order conditioning:
a) An audience clapping at the end of a performance
b) Getting hungry when you see the McDonald’s restaurant logo
c) Waking up and getting out of bed when the alarm clock rings
d) Developing a fear of eating out after nearly choking at a restaurant
13) What type of reinforcement schedule is in use for a worker who is paid by the hour?
a) Fixed-ratio
b) Variable-ratio
c) Fixed-interval
d) Variable-interval
14) Why are conditioned taste aversions acquired more quickly than conditioned learning
experiences observed in experimental studies?
a) Knowing what food is poisonous was important to our ancestors for survival
b) The brain structures that control taste are strongly connected to the areas that control
learning
c) Conditioned taste aversions are less ecologically relevant than experimentally-induced
conditioning experiences
d) Conditioned taste aversions are not subject to instinctive drift
15) How does cognition influence the process of operant conditioning?
a) In order to be effective, a person must believe that their behaviour actually caused the
reinforcement to occur
b) Thoughts themselves can be used as reinforcement of certain behaviours
c) Cognitive processes ultimately determine whether a response to their behaviour is viewed
as a reinforcement or punishment
d) Operant conditioning is not influenced by cognitive processes
Practice Short Answer Question (4 marks)
List 4 drawbacks to using punishment as a way of controlling behaviour.
Sample Answer:
1 – does not eliminate behaviour, only suppresses it in the present
2 – can lead to a generalized fear of things similar to punishment
3 – doesn’t provide constructive feedback about desired behaviour
4 – when physical, it can increase aggression response
Multiple Choice Answer Key:
1) b 2) d 3) b 4) b 5) d
13) c 14) a 15) a
6) a
7) c
8) d
9) d
10) d 11) b 12) b
Tutorial #6: Drugs and Hypnosis
Textbook Ch. 5, p. 214-227, 232-233
1) What kind of behaviour is often noticed in people who have been drinking alcohol?
a) Talking more quickly
b) Hallucinating
c) Increased irritability
d) Poor decision-making ability
2) Which drug can cause permanent mood impairments if used frequently?
a) Alcohol
b) Marijuana
c) Ecstasy
d) Heroin
3) Your roommate Sam drinks a lot more alcohol than he used to. Should you be worried that he
has become drug dependent?
a) No – most people develop a tolerance to alcohol over time and it usually does not lead to
dependence
b) Maybe – you would need to know if he was exhibiting other symptoms as well, such as
withdrawal
c) Maybe – he would be diagnosed as dependent if he was also taking another high-risk
drug in large quantities
d) Yes – he has developed a tolerance to alcohol should therefore be treated for drug
dependence
4) Mr. M. weighs 217 pounds. He had one 1.5oz. shot of vodka at 10pm, and then two 6oz.
bottles of beer between 10:30pm and 11pm. How would you judge his ability to drive safely?
a) No impairment
b) Caution recommended
c) Driving impaired
d) Legally drunk
5) Psychological dependence can occur with the use of all of the following drugs except:
a) Cannabis
b) Stimulants
c) Narcotics
d) None of the above
6) The rewarding effects of most psychoactive drugs occur because of which activity in the
brain?
a) Overstimulation of the frontal cortex
b) Heightened levels of dopamine in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway
c) Heightened levels of seratonin in the medial forebrain bundle
d) Decreased levels of norepinephrine in the reward pathway
7) Approximately what percentage of people are highly susceptible to being hypnotized?
a) 5%
b) 15%
c) 50%
d) 75%
8) Which claim about the usefulness of hypnosis has been disproved:
a) Recovery of suppressed memories
b) Pain relief
c) Allergy relief
d) Distort the sensory system
9) What are the two opposing conceptualizations about what is happening during hypnosis?
a) Subjects are in a subconscious state vs. subjects are in an unconscious state
b) Subjects have all been coached beforehand vs. subjects have a natural ability to access
normally subconscious levels of awareness
c) Subjects are acting out role expectations vs. subjects are in another state of consciousness
d) Unification theory vs. role enactment theory
10) Which component of hypnotizability refers to a person’s ability to focus their attention on
only one environmental stimulus?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Absorption
Dissociation
Suggestibility
Imaginative suggestibility
11) Which physiological activity has been observed in people who are meditating?
a) Increased oxygen consumption
b) Decreased heart rate
c) Decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex
d) b and c
12) What does the 2004 Canadian Addiction Survey say about the prevalence and use of drugs in
Canada?
a) Drug use has decreased since the last survey in 1994
b) Only a small minority of people have been harmed in some way because of another
person’s drinking
c) Women are more likely to be high-risk drinkers than men
d) The majority of Canadians drink alcohol, but few are considered to be problem drinkers
13) Which health risk associated with marijuana use has received little empirical support:
a) Attention and memory impairment
b) Immune system impairment
c) Respiratory disease
d) Pulmonary disease
Practice Short Answer Question (3 marks)
List 3 factors that are thought to lead to drug abuse and briefly describe how they exert this
effect.
1) Genetics – fewer dopamine receptors leads to more pronounced pleasurable effects of
drugs
2) Depression – use drugs to cope with difficult feelings
3) Peers – use drugs to fit in with friends
Multiple Choice Answer Key:
1) d 2) c 3) b 4) b 5) d
6) b
7) b
8) a
9) c
10) a 11) b 12) d 13) b
Tutorial #5: Sleep & Dreams
Textbook Ch. 5, p. 191-213, 228-231
1) At which level of consciousness would you find the processing of sensory stimuli occurring?
a) Conscious
b) Preconscious
c) Subconscious
d) Non-conscious
2) Which pattern is observed in the typical circadian rhythm?
a) Alertness and body temperature peak around 6pm, while growth hormone levels are
highest during periods of sleep
b) Alertness and growth hormone levels are lowest during daylight hours
c) Core body temperature does not fluctuate much during the day, but rises considerably at
night
d) The secretion of growth hormones diminishes with declining body temperature
3) Which flight schedule would cause the most jet lag?
a) A 7pm flight from Toronto to Montréal
b) A 10am flight from Vancouver to Halifax
c) A 4pm flight from Ottawa to Vancouver
d) A 3am flight from Montréal to Winnipeg
4) During which stage(s) of sleep are theta waves present?
a) Stage 1
b) Stage 1 and 2
c) Stage 3 and 4
d) Stage 5
5) Cindy said that she once dreamt that she was running in a marathon and woke up mid-dream
to find herself outside, jogging down the sidewalk. What makes you skeptical about her story?
a) Throughout the sleep cycle, people experience temporary paralysis, and therefore she
could not have gotten out of bed.
b) Sleepwalking can only occur during the first 2 hours of sleep, whereas most people don’t
dream during this time
c) Sleepwalking occurs during deep sleep, whereas dreams occur in REM sleep
d) Nothing – you suspect that she was only in Stage 2 of the sleep cycle, when some
dreaming occurs and you are still able to get up and move around.
6) Which of the following is not a common dream reported by Canadian university students?
a) Failing an exam
b) Being late for an appointment
c) Being chased but not caught
d) Getting drunk at a party
7) Which theory of dreams would explain dreaming of being late as an attempt to plan ahead for
an important meeting that you are nervous about?
a) Wish fulfillment theory
b) Problem-solving view
c) Activation-synthesis model
d) Freud’s theory of the unconscious
8) Which of the following is not associated with chronic sleep disturbance?
a) Reduced appetite
b) Reduced immunity to disease
c) Increased risk of high blood pressure
d) None of the above
9) Which person is likely to get the best sleep on a regular basis:
a) Brian, who drinks warm milk when he can’t get to sleep right away
b) Mona, who works on her laptop in bed for an hour before going to sleep
c) Will, who goes for a run at sunrise every morning
d) Chelsey, who goes to sleep and wakes up around the same time every day
10) In the featured study about working memory capacity and wandering thoughts, what method
was used to assess working memory capacity?
a) The Stroop test
b) Remembering a word list with distraction
c) Counting backwards from 100 as fast as possible
d) A quiz on the details of a short story
11) Which of the following is not a recognized treatment for circadian disruption?
a) Melatonin supplements
b) Timed exposure to bright light
c) Increasing daily physical exercise
d) Starting work shifts progressively later, rather than earlier
12) An electromyograph measures ____________ and an electrooculograph measures
______________.
a) Heart rate; galvanic skin response
b) Heart rate; blood pressure
c) Brain activity; breathing rate
d) Muscle activity; eye movements
13) How does the proportion of time spent in REM sleep change across adulthood?
a) Young adults spend 50% of their sleep cycle in REM sleep, whereas older adults spend
only 20% of their sleep cycle in REM sleep
b) Young adults spend 20% of their sleep cycle in REM sleep, whereas older adults spend
50% of their sleep cycle in REM sleep
c) There is a very small increase in amount of time spent in REM sleep as adults get older
d) The proportion of time spent in REM sleep is relatively stable across adulthood
14) Which brain structure is implicated in the generation of REM sleep?
a) Pons
b) Ascending reticular activating system
c) Thalamus
d) Hypothalamus
15) Which sleep disorder is often treated with surgery?
a) Insomnia
b) Narcolepsy
c) Sleep apnea
d) Somnambulism
Practice Short Answer Question (6 marks)
a) For each of the 5 stages of sleep, what kind of brain wave pattern is predominiant? What
notable behaviour occurs?
Stage 1 – theta waves, hypnic jerks
Stage 2 – theta waves with sleep spindles, some dreaming
Stage 3 – delta waves, sleepwalking & night terrors
Stage 4 – delta waves, sleepwalking & night terrors
Stage 5 – beta waves, rapid eye movements & dreaming
b) How does the duration of REM sleep change (if at all) as one progresses through the sleep
cycle?
You stay in REM sleep for longer each subsequent time
Multiple Choice Answer Key:
1) c 2) a 3) b 4) b 5) c
14) a 15) c
6) d
7) b
8) a
9)d
10) b 11) c 12) d 13) d