PSYC 2150 EXAM 1 to 3 STUDY
GUIDE COMPLETE NOTES KEY
CONCEPTS AND EXAM PREP
GUARANTEED A RESOURCE
1Which of the following best describes the transition from
Introspectionism to Behaviorism in the history of cognitive psychology?
A. Introspectionism relied too heavily on objective measurement,
whereas Behaviorism focused on subjective feelings.
B. Behaviorism emerged as a reaction against the lack of
replicability and the inability to study unconscious processes
inherent in Introspectionism.
C. Introspectionism was favored because it utilized the computer
metaphor of the mind, which Behaviorism rejected.
D. Behaviorism focused exclusively on internal mental representations
like "mental maps" to explain learning.
Rationale: Behaviorism rejected Introspectionism because self-
reporting internal thoughts was seen as subjective and unscientific;
Behaviorists insisted on studying observable behaviors that could be
measured and replicated.
2A researcher is interested in how different levels of caffeine impact
memory recall. In this study, the amount of caffeine administered is the:
A. Dependent Variable
B. Confounding Variable
C. Independent Variable
D. Controlled Variable
Rationale: The independent variable is the factor that is manipulated
by the researcher to observe its effects on a measurement.
3The "Inverse Projection Problem" in visual perception refers to the fact
that:
A. Light reflects off objects in a linear fashion.
B. A specific image on the retina can be created by many
different objects in the environment.
C. Humans cannot see objects that are inverted or upside down.
D. Retinal images are three-dimensional, but the brain perceives them as
two-dimensional.
,Rationale: This is a fundamental challenge for the visual system
because a 2D retinal image is ambiguous and could represent an
infinite number of 3D shapes.
4According to the Likelihood Principle, we perceive the object that is:
A. Most complex in the visual field.
B. Closest to our focal point.
C. Most likely to have caused the pattern of stimuli we have
received.
D. Shared by the largest number of people in a social setting.
Rationale: Proposed by Helmholtz, this principle suggests our
perception is a "best guess" based on our past experiences and the
probability of certain occurrences in our environment.
5Which monocular depth cue involves the observation that more distant
objects appear to be packed more more densely?
A. Retinal Disparity
B. Texture Gradient
C. Convergence
D. Linear Perspective
Rationale: As a surface recedes into the distance, the texture elements
become denser and smaller, providing a cue for depth.
6In the Cognitive Revolution, the mind was often compared to:
A. A telephone switchboard.
B. A hydraulic steam engine.
C. A digital computer.
D. A blank slate (Tabula Rasa).
Rationale: The computer metaphor allowed psychologists to
conceptualize mental processes as software (information processing)
running on hardware (the brain).
7Which of the following is an example of Bottom-Up processing?
A. Using your knowledge of English to read a messy handwritten note.
B. Identifying a letter "A" by detecting its horizontal and
slanted line segments.
C. Recognizing a face quickly because you were expecting to see that
person.
D. Correcting a typo in a sentence because the context makes the
intended word clear.
Rationale: Bottom-up processing begins with the physical stimulus and
,builds upward to a higher-level representation without the influence of
prior knowledge.
8The "cocktail party effect" is most closely associated with which
cognitive concept?
A. Selective Attention
B. Sensory Decay
C. Implicit Memory
D. Retroactive Interference
Rationale: Selective attention allows a person to focus on one specific
auditory stream (a conversation) while filtering out background noise,
though certain "high-priority" stimuli like one’s name can still break
through.
9What did Broadbent’s Filter Model of attention propose regarding the
processing of unattended information?
A. Unattended information is processed for meaning before being
discarded.
B. All information is processed fully, but only some is remembered.
C. The filter occurs early, and unattended information is
blocked based on physical characteristics before reaching
semantic analysis.
D. There is no filter; attention is simply a matter of resource allocation.
Rationale: Broadbent's "Early Selection" model suggests that we filter
out information based on physical traits (like pitch or location) before
the brain processes what the words actually mean.
10The Stroop Effect demonstrates that:
A. It is easier to name the color of a word than to read the word itself.
B. Naming the color of ink is slower when the word spells out a
conflicting color name because reading is an automatic
process.
C. Practice cannot improve performance on interference tasks.
D. Attention is unlimited and cannot be divided.
Rationale: Because reading is highly practiced and automatic, it
interferes with the less-practiced task of naming ink colors, showing
that automatic processes are hard to inhibit.
11In Baddeley’s Working Memory Model, which component is
responsible for holding and manipulating speech-based information?
A. Visuospatial Sketchpad
B. Central Executive
, C. Phonological Loop
D. Episodic Buffer
Rationale: The Phonological Loop consists of a storage system and an
articulatory rehearsal process that keeps verbal information active.
12The Central Executive in the Working Memory Model acts as:
A. A long-term storage vault for facts.
B. An attention controller that coordinates the subsidiary
systems and switches attention between tasks.
C. A visual recorder that stores images exactly as they appear.
D. A filter that prevents all sensory information from entering
consciousness.
Rationale: The Central Executive does not store information itself but
manages how resources are divided between the loop and the
sketchpad.
13Which of the following best describes the capacity and duration of
Iconic Memory?
A. Unlimited capacity and permanent duration.
B. Large capacity but very short duration (less than one
second).
C. Limited capacity (7 items) and 30-second duration.
D. Small capacity and permanent duration.
Rationale: Sperling’s partial-report studies showed that we take in
almost the entire visual field, but the "icon" fades almost instantly.
14Maintenance Rehearsal is generally considered:
A. The most effective way to transfer information to Long-Term
Memory.
B. Less effective than Elaborative Rehearsal for long-term
retention.
C. The process of connecting new info to existing knowledge.
D. A method used only by experts in a given field.
Rationale: Simple repetition (maintenance) keeps info in Short-Term
Memory but does not create the deep meaningful connections
(elaborative) required for strong LTM storage.
15Which memory system is responsible for your knowledge that the
capital of France is Paris?
A. Episodic Memory
B. Semantic Memory
C. Procedural Memory
GUIDE COMPLETE NOTES KEY
CONCEPTS AND EXAM PREP
GUARANTEED A RESOURCE
1Which of the following best describes the transition from
Introspectionism to Behaviorism in the history of cognitive psychology?
A. Introspectionism relied too heavily on objective measurement,
whereas Behaviorism focused on subjective feelings.
B. Behaviorism emerged as a reaction against the lack of
replicability and the inability to study unconscious processes
inherent in Introspectionism.
C. Introspectionism was favored because it utilized the computer
metaphor of the mind, which Behaviorism rejected.
D. Behaviorism focused exclusively on internal mental representations
like "mental maps" to explain learning.
Rationale: Behaviorism rejected Introspectionism because self-
reporting internal thoughts was seen as subjective and unscientific;
Behaviorists insisted on studying observable behaviors that could be
measured and replicated.
2A researcher is interested in how different levels of caffeine impact
memory recall. In this study, the amount of caffeine administered is the:
A. Dependent Variable
B. Confounding Variable
C. Independent Variable
D. Controlled Variable
Rationale: The independent variable is the factor that is manipulated
by the researcher to observe its effects on a measurement.
3The "Inverse Projection Problem" in visual perception refers to the fact
that:
A. Light reflects off objects in a linear fashion.
B. A specific image on the retina can be created by many
different objects in the environment.
C. Humans cannot see objects that are inverted or upside down.
D. Retinal images are three-dimensional, but the brain perceives them as
two-dimensional.
,Rationale: This is a fundamental challenge for the visual system
because a 2D retinal image is ambiguous and could represent an
infinite number of 3D shapes.
4According to the Likelihood Principle, we perceive the object that is:
A. Most complex in the visual field.
B. Closest to our focal point.
C. Most likely to have caused the pattern of stimuli we have
received.
D. Shared by the largest number of people in a social setting.
Rationale: Proposed by Helmholtz, this principle suggests our
perception is a "best guess" based on our past experiences and the
probability of certain occurrences in our environment.
5Which monocular depth cue involves the observation that more distant
objects appear to be packed more more densely?
A. Retinal Disparity
B. Texture Gradient
C. Convergence
D. Linear Perspective
Rationale: As a surface recedes into the distance, the texture elements
become denser and smaller, providing a cue for depth.
6In the Cognitive Revolution, the mind was often compared to:
A. A telephone switchboard.
B. A hydraulic steam engine.
C. A digital computer.
D. A blank slate (Tabula Rasa).
Rationale: The computer metaphor allowed psychologists to
conceptualize mental processes as software (information processing)
running on hardware (the brain).
7Which of the following is an example of Bottom-Up processing?
A. Using your knowledge of English to read a messy handwritten note.
B. Identifying a letter "A" by detecting its horizontal and
slanted line segments.
C. Recognizing a face quickly because you were expecting to see that
person.
D. Correcting a typo in a sentence because the context makes the
intended word clear.
Rationale: Bottom-up processing begins with the physical stimulus and
,builds upward to a higher-level representation without the influence of
prior knowledge.
8The "cocktail party effect" is most closely associated with which
cognitive concept?
A. Selective Attention
B. Sensory Decay
C. Implicit Memory
D. Retroactive Interference
Rationale: Selective attention allows a person to focus on one specific
auditory stream (a conversation) while filtering out background noise,
though certain "high-priority" stimuli like one’s name can still break
through.
9What did Broadbent’s Filter Model of attention propose regarding the
processing of unattended information?
A. Unattended information is processed for meaning before being
discarded.
B. All information is processed fully, but only some is remembered.
C. The filter occurs early, and unattended information is
blocked based on physical characteristics before reaching
semantic analysis.
D. There is no filter; attention is simply a matter of resource allocation.
Rationale: Broadbent's "Early Selection" model suggests that we filter
out information based on physical traits (like pitch or location) before
the brain processes what the words actually mean.
10The Stroop Effect demonstrates that:
A. It is easier to name the color of a word than to read the word itself.
B. Naming the color of ink is slower when the word spells out a
conflicting color name because reading is an automatic
process.
C. Practice cannot improve performance on interference tasks.
D. Attention is unlimited and cannot be divided.
Rationale: Because reading is highly practiced and automatic, it
interferes with the less-practiced task of naming ink colors, showing
that automatic processes are hard to inhibit.
11In Baddeley’s Working Memory Model, which component is
responsible for holding and manipulating speech-based information?
A. Visuospatial Sketchpad
B. Central Executive
, C. Phonological Loop
D. Episodic Buffer
Rationale: The Phonological Loop consists of a storage system and an
articulatory rehearsal process that keeps verbal information active.
12The Central Executive in the Working Memory Model acts as:
A. A long-term storage vault for facts.
B. An attention controller that coordinates the subsidiary
systems and switches attention between tasks.
C. A visual recorder that stores images exactly as they appear.
D. A filter that prevents all sensory information from entering
consciousness.
Rationale: The Central Executive does not store information itself but
manages how resources are divided between the loop and the
sketchpad.
13Which of the following best describes the capacity and duration of
Iconic Memory?
A. Unlimited capacity and permanent duration.
B. Large capacity but very short duration (less than one
second).
C. Limited capacity (7 items) and 30-second duration.
D. Small capacity and permanent duration.
Rationale: Sperling’s partial-report studies showed that we take in
almost the entire visual field, but the "icon" fades almost instantly.
14Maintenance Rehearsal is generally considered:
A. The most effective way to transfer information to Long-Term
Memory.
B. Less effective than Elaborative Rehearsal for long-term
retention.
C. The process of connecting new info to existing knowledge.
D. A method used only by experts in a given field.
Rationale: Simple repetition (maintenance) keeps info in Short-Term
Memory but does not create the deep meaningful connections
(elaborative) required for strong LTM storage.
15Which memory system is responsible for your knowledge that the
capital of France is Paris?
A. Episodic Memory
B. Semantic Memory
C. Procedural Memory
