WGU D570 Pre-Assessment 2026 | Latest Update | Exam
Prep Questions & Answers | Graded A+
1. Describe the main focus of behaviorism as proposed by John Watson.
Behaviorism seeks to understand the emotional responses to stimuli.
Behaviorism emphasizes the importance of unconscious processes in
shaping behavior.
Behaviorism focuses on the relationship between environmental
stimuli and observable behavior.
Behaviorism investigates the role of cognitive processes in learning.
2. From a positive transfer perspective, which of the following best describes
why analogies between two motor skills can help the learner?
Assists the learner in understanding the conceptual elements of the
skill
Aids the learner in the retention of the motor skill
Analogies may actually promote negative transfer
Learners may be able to relate the new skill back to a previously
learned skill
3. Which of these best describes the following example?
Johnny expected to get an A, but he got a B. He is upset about it. Jack got a
B, but he expected a C. He is happy about it.
framing effect
primacy effect
anchoring bias
confirmation bias
,4. Describe how the representativeness heuristic might lead a first-year
university student to misjudge their potential friendships with engineering
classmates.
The student may assume that all engineering students share similar
traits, leading to inaccurate judgments about compatibility.
The student might believe that all university students are outgoing and
friendly.
The student may expect that all engineering students will be
uninterested in social activities.
The student could think that all classmates will have the same
academic interests.
5. Describe the characteristics of automatic decision-making in the context of
selecting clothing for an event.
Automatic decision-making involves choosing an outfit quickly and
unconsciously based on past experiences.
Automatic decision-making is only applicable to financial decisions.
Automatic decision-making is characterized by indecision and regret
after the choice is made.
Automatic decision-making requires careful consideration of all
available options before making a choice.
6. Describe how rotating shift work might impact an individual's cognitive
performance.
Rotating shift work has no significant impact on cognitive
performance.
Rotating shift work improves memory recall due to increased
alertness.
, Rotating shift work enhances cognitive performance by providing
varied experiences.
Rotating shift work can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue
and decreased cognitive performance.
7. Describe the function of the axon in the context of neuronal communication.
The axon receives signals from other neurons and processes them.
The axon transmits electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell
body to communicate with other neurons.
The axon connects the neuron to the synapse for signal reception.
The axon stores neurotransmitters for later use.
8. Suzanne drove home taking a different route than she normally does. She
had a small car accident on the way. Later she thinks, "If only I had taken my
regular route, the accident wouldn't have happened." This is an example of
which of the following cognitive processes?
functional fixedness
counterfactual thinking
confirmation bias
salience
9. What is the name of the stage in Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
where children begin to use language and engage in symbolic play?
Preoperational
Concrete Operational
Sensorimotor
Formal Operational
, 10. If a person is trying to focus on a conversation in a noisy environment, which
component of Broadbent's model would be most crucial for their ability to
concentrate?
The detector
The filter
The input
The memory
11. Describe the oblique effect and its significance in environmental design.
The oblique effect indicates that humans prefer asymmetrical designs
over symmetrical ones.
The oblique effect is the tendency to avoid sharp angles in design
due to aesthetic preferences.
The oblique effect refers to the preference for horizontal and
vertical lines in design, as these lines are more common in nature
and perceived as more stable and appealing.
The oblique effect is a cognitive bias that leads to poor decision-
making in design.
12. Describe how establishing common ground can impact the outcome of a
conversation.
Establishing common ground limits the topics that can be discussed.
Establishing common ground enhances mutual understanding,
leading to more productive and meaningful exchanges.
Establishing common ground encourages one-sided conversations.
Establishing common ground creates barriers to open dialogue.
Prep Questions & Answers | Graded A+
1. Describe the main focus of behaviorism as proposed by John Watson.
Behaviorism seeks to understand the emotional responses to stimuli.
Behaviorism emphasizes the importance of unconscious processes in
shaping behavior.
Behaviorism focuses on the relationship between environmental
stimuli and observable behavior.
Behaviorism investigates the role of cognitive processes in learning.
2. From a positive transfer perspective, which of the following best describes
why analogies between two motor skills can help the learner?
Assists the learner in understanding the conceptual elements of the
skill
Aids the learner in the retention of the motor skill
Analogies may actually promote negative transfer
Learners may be able to relate the new skill back to a previously
learned skill
3. Which of these best describes the following example?
Johnny expected to get an A, but he got a B. He is upset about it. Jack got a
B, but he expected a C. He is happy about it.
framing effect
primacy effect
anchoring bias
confirmation bias
,4. Describe how the representativeness heuristic might lead a first-year
university student to misjudge their potential friendships with engineering
classmates.
The student may assume that all engineering students share similar
traits, leading to inaccurate judgments about compatibility.
The student might believe that all university students are outgoing and
friendly.
The student may expect that all engineering students will be
uninterested in social activities.
The student could think that all classmates will have the same
academic interests.
5. Describe the characteristics of automatic decision-making in the context of
selecting clothing for an event.
Automatic decision-making involves choosing an outfit quickly and
unconsciously based on past experiences.
Automatic decision-making is only applicable to financial decisions.
Automatic decision-making is characterized by indecision and regret
after the choice is made.
Automatic decision-making requires careful consideration of all
available options before making a choice.
6. Describe how rotating shift work might impact an individual's cognitive
performance.
Rotating shift work has no significant impact on cognitive
performance.
Rotating shift work improves memory recall due to increased
alertness.
, Rotating shift work enhances cognitive performance by providing
varied experiences.
Rotating shift work can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue
and decreased cognitive performance.
7. Describe the function of the axon in the context of neuronal communication.
The axon receives signals from other neurons and processes them.
The axon transmits electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell
body to communicate with other neurons.
The axon connects the neuron to the synapse for signal reception.
The axon stores neurotransmitters for later use.
8. Suzanne drove home taking a different route than she normally does. She
had a small car accident on the way. Later she thinks, "If only I had taken my
regular route, the accident wouldn't have happened." This is an example of
which of the following cognitive processes?
functional fixedness
counterfactual thinking
confirmation bias
salience
9. What is the name of the stage in Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
where children begin to use language and engage in symbolic play?
Preoperational
Concrete Operational
Sensorimotor
Formal Operational
, 10. If a person is trying to focus on a conversation in a noisy environment, which
component of Broadbent's model would be most crucial for their ability to
concentrate?
The detector
The filter
The input
The memory
11. Describe the oblique effect and its significance in environmental design.
The oblique effect indicates that humans prefer asymmetrical designs
over symmetrical ones.
The oblique effect is the tendency to avoid sharp angles in design
due to aesthetic preferences.
The oblique effect refers to the preference for horizontal and
vertical lines in design, as these lines are more common in nature
and perceived as more stable and appealing.
The oblique effect is a cognitive bias that leads to poor decision-
making in design.
12. Describe how establishing common ground can impact the outcome of a
conversation.
Establishing common ground limits the topics that can be discussed.
Establishing common ground enhances mutual understanding,
leading to more productive and meaningful exchanges.
Establishing common ground encourages one-sided conversations.
Establishing common ground creates barriers to open dialogue.
