Psychology Language and Thinking

When you hear the word “animal,” the first thing that pops in your mind automatically is a lion. In your mind, the lion is a ___________ of an animal.

• symbol

• rule

• prototype

• concept

A question mark represents uncertainty or need for information. It is, therefore:

• a symbol

• a rule

• a prototype

• a concept

When you were very young, you saw a thing underneath your bed. You don’t know what it was. It had no real shape, but it was dark and had glowing eyes and it very quietly hissed at you. There is no word for what you saw, but you have never forgotten what it looked like. When you think of monsters or something scary, you visually picture the thing in your mind - it is:

• a rule

• an image

• a concept

• a symbol

Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, and Mozzarella all form a _____________ called cheese.

• symbol

• rule

• prototype

• concept

All birds have wings. This is an example of a ______________.

• symbol

• rule

• prototype

• concept

Mrs. Eavel, your seventh-grade math teacher, insisted that every student use the exact same procedure to solve equations. She taught a systematic, logical method for reaching the answer. By doing so, she insisted that students use:

• convergent thinking

• divergent thinking

• metacognition

• heuristic thinking

Mr. Raynebau, your seventh grade art teacher, was much different. He encouraged you to think creatively, to let your thoughts roam as you let your artistic expression flow from your mind. By doing so, he inspired:

• convergent thinking

• divergent thinking

• metacognition

• algorithmic thinking

Boris wants to become the chess club champion, so he reads a book which explains how a chess player needs to think. While reading, Boris evaluates the way his strategy unfolds during a chess match. Boris is engaging in:

• convergent thinking

• divergent thinking

• metacognition

• double-thinking

Mr. Weyerd, the psychology teacher, asks students to think of twenty things you could do with a clothespin. Allan cannot think of anything but hanging clothes. What is the most likely explanation for his inability to think of new uses?

• heuristic thinking

• algorithmic thinking

• functional fixedness

• creative seizure

Ellie can think of 121 things to do with a clothespin. She scores high on the characteristic of:

• flexibility

• insight

• heuristics

• functional fixedness