COGSCI 115 Final UPDATED Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Emotions and information processing - CORRECT ANSWER Emotions greatly affect
information processing throughout the entire brain
Memory reconsolidation - CORRECT ANSWER Whenever we retrieve a memory, the
brain rewrites it a bit; it is slightly altered chemically by a new protein synthesis that links it to
our present concerns and understanding
Priming study (2006) - CORRECT ANSWER Accessing positive constructs attenuates
attention to negative information; Intensity of response to negative targets was significantly
higher when participants were primed with negative images
Behavior Therapy - CORRECT ANSWER Accentuating the positive and ignoring the
negative enhances happiness by shifting other people's behavior in a positive direction
Broaden and Build Theory - CORRECT ANSWER Positive emotions build upward spirals
of positivity; positive emotions broaden cognition and behavioral repertoires; "like calls to like"
RAT/Flanker task - CORRECT ANSWER RAT: positive affect improved scores on task
(more semantic access)
Flanker: positive affect impaired performance (more visual distractions)
Positive states increase the breadth of attentional allocation to both external visual and internal
conceptual space
Broad associations/creativy and positive mood - CORRECT ANSWER Relation between
broad associations/creativity and positive mood is bidirectional
,Rumination - CORRECT ANSWER Instead of ruminating when we are upset, we should
broaden our perspective by making some very general positive affirmations.
medial prefrontal (activity assoc. w depression)
Resilience - CORRECT ANSWER Positive emotions account for resilient people's greater
ability to rebound from both adversity and cardiovascular reactivity
Repetition - CORRECT ANSWER Repeated reappraisal of particular emotion-evoking
stimuli could have long-lasting "dose-dependent" dampening effects on amygdala response
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - CORRECT ANSWER Therapy focusing on
changing negative thought patterns.
Used for OCD, depression, PTSD, phobias
Cognitive reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER CBT technique used to identify and change
the way situations, experiences, events ideas, and/or emotions are viewed in order to change their
affective impact
Effective in increasing positive emotions and reducing negative emotions
e.g. thinking of a task as a threat vs a challenge
Parts of brain used during reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER PFC dampens amygdala,
lateral temporal cortex (semantic/perceptual representation), posterior parietal cortex (sustained
attention)
Adaptive vs. maladaptive reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER Adapative when stressors
are uncontrollable (when the person can regulate only the self)
Maladaptive when stressors can be controlled (when the person can change the siutation)
, Negative reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER View a negative event less negatively
"The situation is not as bad as it first seemed"
Positive reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER View an event more positively; largest effect
when deeply engaging with the negative stimuli
"He will be grateful that he had this experience"
The feeling tone of thoughts - CORRECT ANSWER Emotions are a guidance system
telling you whether you are thinking a thought that is in line with your own best interests
Helps in choosing the positive thoughts and letting go of the negative ones--follow your bliss
Grounding reappraisal in reality - CORRECT ANSWER Participants who tried to
challenge the reality or authenticity of what they saw showed smaller increases in positive
emotion than viewing future consequences of the situation
"The pictures were fake or from a movie" vs. "The situation depicted in the picture will improve
over time"
Future gain reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER Optimism: seeing challenges as stepping
stones to success rather than insurmountable obstacles; Failure as feedback
Stress and growth - CORRECT ANSWER Stress is not just an obstacle to growth; it can
be the fuel for it
Defensive pessimism - CORRECT ANSWER Using fear of failure to motivate yourself to
succeed; works in the short run but results in burnout in the long run
Behavioral activiation - CORRECT ANSWER Therapy activity that encourages clients to
regularly schedule activities that bring them pleasure rather than leaving them to chance
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Emotions and information processing - CORRECT ANSWER Emotions greatly affect
information processing throughout the entire brain
Memory reconsolidation - CORRECT ANSWER Whenever we retrieve a memory, the
brain rewrites it a bit; it is slightly altered chemically by a new protein synthesis that links it to
our present concerns and understanding
Priming study (2006) - CORRECT ANSWER Accessing positive constructs attenuates
attention to negative information; Intensity of response to negative targets was significantly
higher when participants were primed with negative images
Behavior Therapy - CORRECT ANSWER Accentuating the positive and ignoring the
negative enhances happiness by shifting other people's behavior in a positive direction
Broaden and Build Theory - CORRECT ANSWER Positive emotions build upward spirals
of positivity; positive emotions broaden cognition and behavioral repertoires; "like calls to like"
RAT/Flanker task - CORRECT ANSWER RAT: positive affect improved scores on task
(more semantic access)
Flanker: positive affect impaired performance (more visual distractions)
Positive states increase the breadth of attentional allocation to both external visual and internal
conceptual space
Broad associations/creativy and positive mood - CORRECT ANSWER Relation between
broad associations/creativity and positive mood is bidirectional
,Rumination - CORRECT ANSWER Instead of ruminating when we are upset, we should
broaden our perspective by making some very general positive affirmations.
medial prefrontal (activity assoc. w depression)
Resilience - CORRECT ANSWER Positive emotions account for resilient people's greater
ability to rebound from both adversity and cardiovascular reactivity
Repetition - CORRECT ANSWER Repeated reappraisal of particular emotion-evoking
stimuli could have long-lasting "dose-dependent" dampening effects on amygdala response
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - CORRECT ANSWER Therapy focusing on
changing negative thought patterns.
Used for OCD, depression, PTSD, phobias
Cognitive reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER CBT technique used to identify and change
the way situations, experiences, events ideas, and/or emotions are viewed in order to change their
affective impact
Effective in increasing positive emotions and reducing negative emotions
e.g. thinking of a task as a threat vs a challenge
Parts of brain used during reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER PFC dampens amygdala,
lateral temporal cortex (semantic/perceptual representation), posterior parietal cortex (sustained
attention)
Adaptive vs. maladaptive reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER Adapative when stressors
are uncontrollable (when the person can regulate only the self)
Maladaptive when stressors can be controlled (when the person can change the siutation)
, Negative reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER View a negative event less negatively
"The situation is not as bad as it first seemed"
Positive reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER View an event more positively; largest effect
when deeply engaging with the negative stimuli
"He will be grateful that he had this experience"
The feeling tone of thoughts - CORRECT ANSWER Emotions are a guidance system
telling you whether you are thinking a thought that is in line with your own best interests
Helps in choosing the positive thoughts and letting go of the negative ones--follow your bliss
Grounding reappraisal in reality - CORRECT ANSWER Participants who tried to
challenge the reality or authenticity of what they saw showed smaller increases in positive
emotion than viewing future consequences of the situation
"The pictures were fake or from a movie" vs. "The situation depicted in the picture will improve
over time"
Future gain reappraisal - CORRECT ANSWER Optimism: seeing challenges as stepping
stones to success rather than insurmountable obstacles; Failure as feedback
Stress and growth - CORRECT ANSWER Stress is not just an obstacle to growth; it can
be the fuel for it
Defensive pessimism - CORRECT ANSWER Using fear of failure to motivate yourself to
succeed; works in the short run but results in burnout in the long run
Behavioral activiation - CORRECT ANSWER Therapy activity that encourages clients to
regularly schedule activities that bring them pleasure rather than leaving them to chance
