Cognitive psychology worksheet with answers

Free printable Cognitive psychology worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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1.Easy

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

  1. A12 ± 3
  2. B7 ± 2
  3. C20 ± 5
  4. D3 ± 1
2.Easy

Which memory store holds visual information for a fraction of a second?

  1. AEchoic memory
  2. BIconic memory
  3. CLong-term memory
  4. DWorking memory
3.Easy

Which of these is a binocular depth cue?

  1. AInterposition
  2. BTexture gradient
  3. CRetinal disparity
  4. DLinear perspective
4.Medium

The serial position effect predicts that items in a list are recalled best when they are:

  1. AOnly at the beginning of the list
  2. BAt the beginning and end of the list
  3. CRandomly placed, whatever the length of the list
  4. DIn the middle of the list
5.Medium

Two groups study a text. One rereads it; the other takes practice quizzes on it. A week later, the quiz group remembers more. This shows:

  1. AProactive interference
  2. BThe testing effect
  3. CEncoding specificity
  4. DThe spacing effect
6.Medium

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. CDo not realise the candle has to be lit first
  4. DSpend too long trying to melt wax with the matches
7.Hard

Morris, Bransford and Franks found that words processed for rhyme were better recognised in a rhyming test than words processed for meaning. This challenges levels of processing because:

  1. AMemory depends on the match between encoding and test, not only on depth
  2. BMeaning cannot be processed during learning
  3. CShallow processing is always better than deep processing
  4. DRhyming words are stored in iconic memory
8.Hard

Strayer and Johnston found that hands-free phone conversations impaired simulated driving about as much as hand-held ones. What does this suggest?

  1. ATalking to a passenger in the car is just as distracting in every case
  2. BHolding a phone is the only problem when driving
  3. CThe main cost of phoning while driving is attentional, not manual
  4. DDriving is a fully automatic task

Answer key

  1. 1. B · 7 ± 2
  2. 2. B · Iconic memory
  3. 3. C · Retinal disparity
  4. 4. B · At the beginning and end of the list
  5. 5. B · The testing effect
  6. 6. A · See the box only as a container, not as a shelf
  7. 7. A · Memory depends on the match between encoding and test, not only on depth
  8. 8. C · The main cost of phoning while driving is attentional, not manual

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