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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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

Who first measured the "forgetting curve" using nonsense syllables?

  1. AUlric Neisser
  2. BEndel Tulving
  3. CFrederic Bartlett
  4. DHermann Ebbinghaus
2.Easy

The Gestalt principle of proximity states that we tend to group together elements that are:

  1. AClose to each other
  2. BForming a closed shape
  3. CMoving in the same direction
  4. DSimilar in colour
3.Easy

Generating many different possible uses for a brick is an example of:

  1. ADeductive reasoning
  2. BFunctional fixedness
  3. CDivergent thinking
  4. DConvergent thinking
4.Medium

In Shepard and Metzler's mental rotation task, the time to decide whether two 3D shapes are the same:

  1. AIs the same whatever the angle of rotation is
  2. BDepends mainly on how complex the shapes are
  3. CIncreases with the angle between the two shapes
  4. DDecreases as the angle between them gets larger
5.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. BRandomly placed, whatever the length of the list
  3. CAt the beginning and end of the list
  4. DIn the middle of the list
6.Medium

In a lexical decision task, people recognise "nurse" as a word faster after seeing "doctor" than after seeing "bread". This is best explained by:

  1. AThe phonological similarity effect
  2. BSpreading activation in a semantic network
  3. CIconic memory decay
  4. DRetroactive interference
7.Hard

The framing effect is demonstrated when people:

  1. ARemember the frame of a picture better than its content
  2. BRecall information better in the same room
  3. CChoose differently between identical options described as gains or as losses
  4. DIgnore all numerical information
8.Hard

Participants held a hand in painfully cold water for 60 seconds in one trial, and in another for 60 seconds plus 30 more seconds at a slightly warmer temperature. Most chose to repeat the longer trial. Why?

  1. AThey wanted to please the researchers by choosing more
  2. BLonger experiences are always remembered as more pleasant ones
  3. CThey were confused about which trial was which
  4. DMemory of pain followed the peak and the end, not duration

Answer key

  1. 1. D · Hermann Ebbinghaus
  2. 2. A · Close to each other
  3. 3. C · Divergent thinking
  4. 4. C · Increases with the angle between the two shapes
  5. 5. C · At the beginning and end of the list
  6. 6. B · Spreading activation in a semantic network
  7. 7. C · Choose differently between identical options described as gains or as losses
  8. 8. D · Memory of pain followed the peak and the end, not duration

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