Cognitive psychology worksheet with answers

Continuing to invest in a failing project because of the money already spent is called the:

1. AAvailability heuristic
2. BFraming effect
3. CSunk cost fallacy
4. DGambler's fallacy

Trying to perform two tasks at the same time, such as texting while listening to a lecture, involves:

1. ASelective attention
2. BIconic memory
3. CSustained attention
4. DDivided attention

About how many items can a person hold in short-term memory, according to George Miller's classic estimate?

1. A12 ± 3
2. B20 ± 5
3. C3 ± 1
4. D7 ± 2

"All mammals breathe air. Whales are mammals. Therefore whales breathe air." This is an example of:

1. AInductive reasoning
2. BThe availability heuristic
3. CAnalogical reasoning
4. DDeductive reasoning

In Duncker's candle problem, participants must fix a candle to a wall using a box of tacks and matches. The solution is hard to find because people:

1. ASee the box only as a container, not as a shelf
2. BAssume the tacks are too short to hold the candle
3. CSpend too long trying to melt wax with the matches
4. DDo not realise the candle has to be lit first

Rubin's vase, which can be seen as a vase or as two faces, illustrates:

1. AThe law of closure
2. BFigure–ground organisation
3. CSize constancy
4. DRetinal disparity

Which finding supports a reconstructive view of memory (Bartlett)?

1. APeople retelling an unfamiliar story change it to fit their own culture
2. BPeople can recall long lists of digits perfectly
3. CMemories of emotional events never change
4. DShort-term memory holds about seven items

The Stroop effect shows that:

1. APeople can name colours faster than they can read words
2. BColour perception depends only on the eyes
3. CReading words is so automatic that it interferes with naming the ink colour
4. DAttention can be divided without any cost