Cognitive psychology worksheet with answers

Selective attention is best illustrated by:

1. AFollowing one conversation at a noisy party
2. BRecognising a face you have seen before
3. CRemembering a phone number for a few seconds
4. DSolving an arithmetic problem

The representativeness heuristic means judging the probability of something by:

1. AHow closely it resembles a typical example
2. BHow easily examples come to mind
3. CThe first number you were given
4. DHow much time or money you have already invested in it

The tendency to search for information that supports what we already believe is called:

1. AConfirmation bias
2. BAnchoring
3. CFundamental attribution error
4. DHindsight bias

A patient can no longer form new long-term memories after brain surgery but remembers events from before the operation. This is called:

1. ADissociative amnesia
2. BAnterograde amnesia
3. CRetrograde amnesia
4. DInfantile amnesia

In January you keep writing last year's date on forms. This is an example of:

1. AEncoding failure
2. BAnterograde amnesia
3. CRetroactive interference
4. DProactive interference

A strategy that breaks a problem into subgoals, each reducing the difference between the current state and the goal, is called:

1. AMeans–end analysis
2. BIncubation
3. CInsight
4. DTrial and error

Which concept describes better recall when study sessions are spread out over time rather than crammed?

1. AThe von Restorff effect
2. BThe testing effect
3. CThe spacing effect
4. DThe generation effect

Gick and Holyoak gave participants a story about an army attacking a fortress from many sides, then Duncker's radiation problem. What did they find?

1. AFew used the analogy until told the story might help
2. BNobody could solve the radiation problem, even with a hint
3. CThe story made the radiation problem harder to solve
4. DAlmost everyone used the analogy without needing any hint