1.Cognitive psychologyMedium
Which of these is an ill-defined problem?
- ADesigning a pleasant garden
- BFinding the sum of two numbers
- CSolving an anagram
- DCompleting a Tower of Hanoi puzzle
Introduction to Psychology: cram pack
Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 8 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.
1Practice problems
2.Cognitive psychologyHard
The Stroop effect shows that:
- APeople can name colours faster than they can read words
- BColour perception depends only on the eyes
- CReading words is so automatic that it interferes with naming the ink colour
- DAttention can be divided without any cost
3.Developmental psychologyMedium
Bowlby's "44 thieves" study linked early prolonged separation from the mother to:
- AAdvanced moral reasoning
- BAffectionless psychopathy
- CHigher intelligence scores
- DEarly language development
4.Developmental psychologyHard
Hodges and Tizard followed children raised in institutions until after age 2, some later adopted and some returned to their birth families. At age 16, a common finding across both groups was:
- ADifficulties in peer relationships
- BExceptionally high academic achievement
- CComplete failure to form any family attachments
- DNo differences at all from family-reared children
5.Social psychologyMedium
Burger's 2009 partial replication of Milgram stopped at 150 volts for ethical reasons. What did it find?
- AObedience was similar to Milgram's at that point
- BWomen nearly always refused to continue
- CObedience was far higher than in Milgram's study
- DAlmost nobody obeyed in a modern sample
6.Social psychologyHard
Milgram moved his study from Yale University to a run-down office building. What happened to obedience?
- AIt rose to every participant obeying
- BIt fell somewhat but remained substantial
- CIt was exactly the same as at Yale
- DIt fell to almost zero
7.Clinical psychologyMedium
Reliability of a diagnosis refers to:
- AWhether the diagnosis is accepted by the patient
- BWhether the diagnosis accurately predicts the course and outcome of the illness
- CWhether different clinicians reach the same diagnosis for the same patient
- DWhether the diagnosis uses medical tests
8.Clinical psychologyHard
A therapist says: "Rather than fighting the thought 'I'm a failure', notice it as just a thought, and act on what matters to you." Which therapy does this best represent?
- AAcceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
- BClassical psychoanalysis
- CSystematic desensitisation
- DRational emotive behaviour therapy
2Solutions
1.Cognitive psychology
Answer: A · Designing a pleasant garden
Why this is the answer
Ill-defined problems lack a clear goal, starting state or set of operators. Well-defined problems, like anagrams or puzzles, have clear rules and a clear solution.
Answer
A · Designing a pleasant garden
2.Cognitive psychology
Answer: C · Reading words is so automatic that it interferes with naming the ink colour
Why this is the answer
Naming the ink colour is slower when the word names a different colour, because word reading happens automatically and competes for the response.
Answer
C · Reading words is so automatic that it interferes with naming the ink colour
3.Developmental psychology
Answer: B · Affectionless psychopathy
Why this is the answer
Bowlby found that many affectionless thieves had experienced early maternal separation. The study was retrospective and correlational, so it cannot prove cause.
Answer
B · Affectionless psychopathy
4.Developmental psychology
Answer: A · Difficulties in peer relationships
Why this is the answer
Adopted children often formed close bonds with adoptive parents, but both groups showed more problems with peers, suggesting lasting effects of early institutional care.
Answer
A · Difficulties in peer relationships
5.Social psychology
Answer: A · Obedience was similar to Milgram's at that point
Why this is the answer
Most participants who continue past 150 volts tend to go to the end, so Burger used it as a safe cut-off. Obedience at that point was only slightly lower than Milgram's.
Answer
A · Obedience was similar to Milgram's at that point
6.Social psychology
Answer: B · It fell somewhat but remained substantial
Why this is the answer
Obedience dropped (to just under half) without Yale's prestige, but many still obeyed, suggesting the authority of the experimenter mattered more than the institution.
Answer
B · It fell somewhat but remained substantial
7.Clinical psychology
Answer: C · Whether different clinicians reach the same diagnosis for the same patient
Why this is the answer
Reliability is consistency of diagnosis between clinicians or over time. Validity is whether the diagnosis reflects a real, meaningful category.
Answer
C · Whether different clinicians reach the same diagnosis for the same patient
8.Clinical psychology
Answer: A · Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
Why this is the answer
ACT (Hayes) uses acceptance, cognitive defusion and values-based action. Unlike traditional cognitive therapy, it does not try to dispute the content of thoughts.
Answer
A · Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
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