Test Bank for Cognition Theory and Practice, 1e Russell
Revlin (All Chapters)
Chapter 01: Essay
1 Explain how the role of the outside world differs when
comparing empiricism to rationalism.
Answer:
Empiricism says that reason is used to understand outside
world, while rationalism says that concepts are intuitively
known, and the outside world reminds us.
2 Cognition can be defined as the study of the processes by
which the sensory input is transformed, reduced,
elaborated, stored, recovered, and used. Explain how each
of these five functions is different.
Answer:
M
Your answer should differentiate among these different
cognitive functions.
ED
3 Explain how both information reduction and information
elaboration play roles in cognitive processing.
Answer:
Information reduction involves reducing what is stored to
ST
crucial elements; information elaboration involves
expanding recollection to include inferred content.
4 Describe the behaviorist approach and explain how the
cognitive approach differs from it. Be sure to address how
U
the two approaches view mental processes differently.
Answer:
D
The behaviorist approach believes that science should
exclude unseen entities; consequently, mental processes
Y
are not part of scientific explanation. The cognitive
approach focuses on understanding mental processes.
5 How did Gestalt psychology contribute to the development
of cognitive psychology?
Answer:
Gestalt psychology was interested in the relationship
between perception of whole and how it relates to
perception of parts.
6 Describe how interest in computer simulation contributed to
the development of cognitive psychology.
Answer:
, It provided the computer metaphor and computer models
of mental processes.
7 Explain the difference between serial processing and
parallel distributed processing in computer models of
human information processing.
Answer:
Serial processing provides a description of sequential steps
in the process; parallel distributed processing emphasizes
processes that occur simultaneously.
8 Describe how behaviorism, Gestalt psychology, human
factors, computer simulation, and cognitive neuroscience all
played roles in the development of cognitive psychology.
Answer:
Your answer should be that behaviorism has a scientific
M
emphasis, Gestalt focuses on perceptual processes, human
factors focus on the impact of cognitive processes on
interactions with technology, computer simulation involves
ED
modeling cognitive processes, and cognitive neuroscience
focuses on the neurological basis of cognitive processes.
9 Explain how response accuracy, produced response, and
response latency differ as measures of cognitive processes.
ST
For each method, describe a research situation where it
would be the most useful approach.
Answer:
Your answer should show an understanding of the
U
differences in what each measures; examples may vary, but
information sought should match the method used.
D
10 How might transfer of training be used to investigate
cognitive processes?
Y
Answer:
It allows investigation of whether information can be used
in a novel setting.
11 One of the primary goals of this text is to link research,
theory, and practice. Give two examples of areas where
cognitive findings have had practical implications.
Answer:
Answers may vary, but should illustrate practical
implications.
12 Use an example to explain the difference between cognitive
universals that have a biological basis and cultural
differences that may still play a role.
, Answer:
Examples may vary, but should recognize that there can be
cultural differences even when there is an underlying
universal process.
13 Explain how advance organizers can be useful in reader
comprehension.
Answer:
They provide information about the organization of the
information to be learned.
M
ED
ST
U
D
Y
, False
1 John Locke was a rationalist.
True
False
2 According to the symbolic distance effect, the larger the
difference in size between two objects, the faster the
judgment of which is larger.
True
False
M
3 Behaviorists believed that hypothesizing mental processes
was critical to understanding human behavior.
ED
True
False
4 Gestalt psychologists believed that the whole is more than
ST
the sum of its parts.
True
False
U
5 Human factors is concerned with helping people to perform
D
tasks efficiently and safely.
True
Y
False
6 Serial processors describe human information processing as
a group of decisions and actions that all are produced at
the same time.
True
False
7 Cognitive science is a field that includes cognitive
psychology, linguistics, and artificial intelligence.
True
False
Revlin (All Chapters)
Chapter 01: Essay
1 Explain how the role of the outside world differs when
comparing empiricism to rationalism.
Answer:
Empiricism says that reason is used to understand outside
world, while rationalism says that concepts are intuitively
known, and the outside world reminds us.
2 Cognition can be defined as the study of the processes by
which the sensory input is transformed, reduced,
elaborated, stored, recovered, and used. Explain how each
of these five functions is different.
Answer:
M
Your answer should differentiate among these different
cognitive functions.
ED
3 Explain how both information reduction and information
elaboration play roles in cognitive processing.
Answer:
Information reduction involves reducing what is stored to
ST
crucial elements; information elaboration involves
expanding recollection to include inferred content.
4 Describe the behaviorist approach and explain how the
cognitive approach differs from it. Be sure to address how
U
the two approaches view mental processes differently.
Answer:
D
The behaviorist approach believes that science should
exclude unseen entities; consequently, mental processes
Y
are not part of scientific explanation. The cognitive
approach focuses on understanding mental processes.
5 How did Gestalt psychology contribute to the development
of cognitive psychology?
Answer:
Gestalt psychology was interested in the relationship
between perception of whole and how it relates to
perception of parts.
6 Describe how interest in computer simulation contributed to
the development of cognitive psychology.
Answer:
, It provided the computer metaphor and computer models
of mental processes.
7 Explain the difference between serial processing and
parallel distributed processing in computer models of
human information processing.
Answer:
Serial processing provides a description of sequential steps
in the process; parallel distributed processing emphasizes
processes that occur simultaneously.
8 Describe how behaviorism, Gestalt psychology, human
factors, computer simulation, and cognitive neuroscience all
played roles in the development of cognitive psychology.
Answer:
Your answer should be that behaviorism has a scientific
M
emphasis, Gestalt focuses on perceptual processes, human
factors focus on the impact of cognitive processes on
interactions with technology, computer simulation involves
ED
modeling cognitive processes, and cognitive neuroscience
focuses on the neurological basis of cognitive processes.
9 Explain how response accuracy, produced response, and
response latency differ as measures of cognitive processes.
ST
For each method, describe a research situation where it
would be the most useful approach.
Answer:
Your answer should show an understanding of the
U
differences in what each measures; examples may vary, but
information sought should match the method used.
D
10 How might transfer of training be used to investigate
cognitive processes?
Y
Answer:
It allows investigation of whether information can be used
in a novel setting.
11 One of the primary goals of this text is to link research,
theory, and practice. Give two examples of areas where
cognitive findings have had practical implications.
Answer:
Answers may vary, but should illustrate practical
implications.
12 Use an example to explain the difference between cognitive
universals that have a biological basis and cultural
differences that may still play a role.
, Answer:
Examples may vary, but should recognize that there can be
cultural differences even when there is an underlying
universal process.
13 Explain how advance organizers can be useful in reader
comprehension.
Answer:
They provide information about the organization of the
information to be learned.
M
ED
ST
U
D
Y
, False
1 John Locke was a rationalist.
True
False
2 According to the symbolic distance effect, the larger the
difference in size between two objects, the faster the
judgment of which is larger.
True
False
M
3 Behaviorists believed that hypothesizing mental processes
was critical to understanding human behavior.
ED
True
False
4 Gestalt psychologists believed that the whole is more than
ST
the sum of its parts.
True
False
U
5 Human factors is concerned with helping people to perform
D
tasks efficiently and safely.
True
Y
False
6 Serial processors describe human information processing as
a group of decisions and actions that all are produced at
the same time.
True
False
7 Cognitive science is a field that includes cognitive
psychology, linguistics, and artificial intelligence.
True
False
