AP Psychology Cognition

Anthony thinks he will fail his math test because he believes he is terrible at math, even though he has passed his previous math tests. Which of the following explanations would the cognitive approach use to explain Anthony’s behavior?

• His irrational thoughts are causing him to doubt his abilities, even though he has evidence to show otherwise.

• He has not fully achieved self-actualization, even though he has evidence to show otherwise.

• He has a conflict between his id and his superego, so it keeps him from studying appropriately.

• He is using a defense mechanism, so it keeps him from studying appropriately.

When Sophie reads her history assignments, she goes over them very carefully and tries to memorize each fact. Emma, on the other hand, studies by trying to relate the new information to things she has experienced, been told about by others, or seen in movies and on television. Emma’s performance on history tests will probably be better than Sophie’s due to differences in which of the following?

• Selective attention

• Levels of processing

• Iconic memory

• Chunking

When 90-year-old Mrs. Glass socializes at her senior activity center, she gravitates toward activities that she can still perform well, which also demonstrates that her crystallized intelligence is functioning. Which of the following activities will most likely appeal to Mrs. Glass?

• name that song game featuring songs from her childhood

• trivia game featuring current movies

• new video game in which aliens fly a spaceship

• class teaching her how to use the latest computer technology

In a memory study, the experimenter reads the same list of words to two groups. She asks group A to count the letters in each word, and she asks group B to focus on the meaning of each word for a later memory quiz. During a recall test, participants in group B recall significantly more words than participants in group A. Memory researchers attribute this effect to differences in

• priming

• levels of processing

• proactive interference

• procedural memory

When Lois looks at her wedding pictures, she has vivid memories of the early years of her marriage. The pictures serve as

• encoding devices

• iconic memories

• implicit memories

• retrieval cues

Which of the following best describes the concept of 'cognitive dissonance'?

• A) The discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting beliefs.

• B) The ability to focus on a single task without distraction.

• C) The process of encoding information into long-term memory.

• D) The tendency to remember the first and last items in a list.

In the context of cognitive psychology, what is 'schema'?

• A) A mental framework that helps organize and interpret information.

• B) A type of memory that involves motor skills.

• C) A method of problem-solving that involves trial and error.

• D) A state of heightened awareness and focus.

Which of the following is an example of 'confirmation bias'?

• A) Seeking out information that supports one's existing beliefs.

• B) Forgetting information that contradicts one's beliefs.

• C) Being unable to recall past events accurately.

• D) Learning new information that changes one's perspective.

What is the 'serial position effect' in memory recall?

• A) The tendency to remember the first and last items in a list better than the middle items.

• B) The ability to recall information without any cues.

• C) The process of grouping similar items together to enhance memory.

• D) The phenomenon of forgetting information over time.

Which cognitive process is primarily involved in problem-solving?

• A) Reasoning

• B) Perception

• C) Sensation

• D) Reflexes