Unlocking the Mind: A
Comprehensive Guide to
Cognitive Psychology Principles
in WGU D570.
A Comprehensive Exam Study
Guide Latest Updated 2025/2026
What is measured by the paper folding test? - ansSpatial Imagery
What is mental imagery? - ansThe ability to recreate sensory information without physical
stimuli
What is a component of psychosocial development? - ansPersonality
A child reads the following incorrect sentence: "The car was traveling down the hills were
beautiful." Which cognitive process illustrates casual inference? - ansThe child infers that the
hills being beautiful are caused by the motion of the moving car
Which conversation between two students demonstrates the process of entrainment? - ansThe
students both start speaking loudly and gesturing.
Which cortex of the frontal lobe is activated when someone determines whether another
person appears to be physically attractive? - ansFrontal Cortex
What is the the electrical impulse fired down the axon of a neuron? - ansAction Potential
Which part of a neuron transports an electrical signal? - ansAxon
Which types of tasks have revealed cognitive deficits in people with a substance abuse
disorder? - ansWorking Memory Tests
Which example shows how sensory memory results in the persistence of vision when
watching fireworks? - ansFireworks appear as falling trails of light due to iconic memories
lasting fractions of a second.
Which explanation shows how multiple forms of memory would contribute to effective
execution of a mental math problem? - ansNumbers are held in short-term memory and
manipulations are conducted on the numbers in working memory when solving the math
problem.
Which scenario exemplifies how the articulatory rehearsal process contributes to a student's
short-term memory for course lecture material, according to Baddeley's model? - ansThe
student repeats silently what their instructor has said before writing it down.
A person is trying to recall the names of a set of seven actors whose pictures were briefly
presented upside down. What explains how the episodic buffer enhances working memory in
this scenario? - ansThe episodic buffer connects with long-term memory of the actors' faces
and names, bringing content into working memory.
How does activity-silent working memory help performance on mental rotation problems? -
ansStrengthening of connections between neurons helps performance on mental rotation
problems
How is the primacy effect related to attention for a set of words presented sequentially? -
ansThe first word presented receives the persons full attention.
Which example shows Westmacott and Moscovitch's concept of autobiographically
significant semantic memories? - ansPerson recalls the name of the actor that they saw in the
airport years ago.
A person is studying a list of types of fish for a wildlife test that will occur in one week.
Which example illustrates the combined long-term memory encoding strategies of visual
imagery and organization? - ansThe person imagines each fish on a tree structure
corresponding to categories of fish types.
,Unlocking the Mind: A
Comprehensive Guide to
Cognitive Psychology Principles
in WGU D570.
A Comprehensive Exam Study
Guide Latest Updated 2025/2026
A person is studying a list of names of pastries for their new job at a bakery. Which example
shows the interaction between the deep processing strategies of generation and self-
reference? - ansThe person creates flashcards for the names of the pastries, pairing each with
an estimate of how appetizing the pastry appears.
A person surprises themself in recalling the name of an artist most have not heard of. Which
process occurs when the person tries to remember how they learned that fact? - ansSource
monitoring
Researchers Robert Nash and Kimberley Wade ran an experiment in which participants
played a gambling game on a computer and were later shown a modified video of themselves
cheating. What did this experiment reveal about false confessions? - ansParticipants
confessed to cheating after being shown the modified video, even though they did not recall
cheating indicating the power of suggestive questioning and tactics
Which example reflects the impact of the self-image hypothesis? - ansA person remembers
graduating from law school
What is a primary concern of behaviorism according to John Watson? - ansIdentifying the
relationship between environmental stimuli and behavior
Which concept supports the paired-associate learning results? - ansConceptual peg hypothesis
Which component of Broadbent's flow diagram of the mind blocks unattended messages? -
ansFilter
Which evidence disproves Aristotle's assertion that "thought is impossible without an
image"? - ansPeople who cannot visualize images are still capable of thinking
Which stage of Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory does an individual begin to
understand mathematical reasoning? - ansConcrete Operational
Which term describes a child's tendency to fixate on just one aspect of a problem or object
according to Piaget? - ansCentration
Which stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development is represented by a child's ability to
mentally represent objects and events with words and images? - ansPreoperational
Which kind of intelligence reflects abilities drawn from experience? - ansCrystalized
Which mental framework is used in learning according to Piaget? - ansSchemas
A child reads the following incorrect sentence: "The car was traceling down the hills were
beautiful." Which cognitive process illustrates the garden path model of parsing? - ansThe
child changes their mind from the subject being the car to the hills
A student reads these two sentences: A dog was running. It slipped and fell. which thought
process is an example of an anaphoric inference? - ansThe student infers that the word "it"
refers to the dog
Why is establishing common ground important to conversations? - ansIt aids in having an
engaging discussion
Which property of words contributes to the word frequency effect? - anshow often a word is
used within a language
While studying in a noisy coffee shop, a student is able to focus solely on their textbook,
tuning out the surrounding conversations and background music. Which cognitive
phenomenon does this scenario illustrate? - ansSelective attention
, Unlocking the Mind: A
Comprehensive Guide to
Cognitive Psychology Principles
in WGU D570.
A Comprehensive Exam Study
Guide Latest Updated 2025/2026
A person is enjoying a day at the beach. They hear children playing see the ocean waves feel
the warm sun taste the salty air and smell sunscreen. Which state of consciousness is this
person experiencing? - answakeful state
How does rotating shift work affect consciousness? - ansit can affect a person's sleep
regulation, leading to insomnia and fatigue.
Which statement describes circadian rhythm in the sleep-wake cycle and consciousness? -
ansCircadian rhythms regulate the sleep-wake cycle and impact alertness
Which test measures brain activity to determine a person's stage of sleep or sonsciousness? -
ansElectroencephalogram EEG
What does the Stroop interference task use to demonstrate a slower reaction time? - ansBy
displaying color words in different color fonts
A kindergarten student is trying to solve a handheld maze. The student focuses on the last
step of the maze, causing them to miss earlier steps. What process describes why the student
has a difficult time discovering the first step required to solve the maze? - ansFixation causes
the student to focus too much on the last part of the maze and to overlook important steps at
the beginning
A teenager's car won't start because the battery is drained after leaving the headlights on
overnight. He realizes he needs jumper cables after recalling a childhood memory of his
parents jump-starting the family car after the battery died. Which recognition and memory
retrieval processes were involved in this problem-solving? - ansNoticing, mapping, and
applying
Which example demonstrates Newell and Simon's approach to problem solving? - ansA
person planning an event makes a list of to-dos and begins working on one task at a time until
they are all completed
Which example demonstrates the importance of how a problem statement is presented for
effective problem solving? - ansA person reads a prompt for an essay question and notices
that the teacher used certain language, which helped the person eliminate incorrect answers.
A student started a new club for their school and is thinking of ways to increase participation.
Which scenario is based on the student's use of analogical transfer? - ansThe student uses
colorful flyers to advertise the club because they remember that this strategy previously led to
increased school voting.
A musician is having a difficult time composing a new song. They spend a week camping
alone in the mountains, completing the song while in the wilderness. How can the musician's
solitude contribute to this creativity and solve the problem? - ansThe musician could avoid
distractions and find space to think, allowing them to generate new ideas.
What is the relationship between open monitoring meditation and creativity? - ansOpen
monitoring meditation is associated with enhanced creativity because it causes greater
activation of the default mode network.
A basketball coach is judging two potential players for recruitment and presumes that the
taller athlete is more talented than the shorter one. What thought process does the coach
utilize? - ansA stereotype about height and performance
Comprehensive Guide to
Cognitive Psychology Principles
in WGU D570.
A Comprehensive Exam Study
Guide Latest Updated 2025/2026
What is measured by the paper folding test? - ansSpatial Imagery
What is mental imagery? - ansThe ability to recreate sensory information without physical
stimuli
What is a component of psychosocial development? - ansPersonality
A child reads the following incorrect sentence: "The car was traveling down the hills were
beautiful." Which cognitive process illustrates casual inference? - ansThe child infers that the
hills being beautiful are caused by the motion of the moving car
Which conversation between two students demonstrates the process of entrainment? - ansThe
students both start speaking loudly and gesturing.
Which cortex of the frontal lobe is activated when someone determines whether another
person appears to be physically attractive? - ansFrontal Cortex
What is the the electrical impulse fired down the axon of a neuron? - ansAction Potential
Which part of a neuron transports an electrical signal? - ansAxon
Which types of tasks have revealed cognitive deficits in people with a substance abuse
disorder? - ansWorking Memory Tests
Which example shows how sensory memory results in the persistence of vision when
watching fireworks? - ansFireworks appear as falling trails of light due to iconic memories
lasting fractions of a second.
Which explanation shows how multiple forms of memory would contribute to effective
execution of a mental math problem? - ansNumbers are held in short-term memory and
manipulations are conducted on the numbers in working memory when solving the math
problem.
Which scenario exemplifies how the articulatory rehearsal process contributes to a student's
short-term memory for course lecture material, according to Baddeley's model? - ansThe
student repeats silently what their instructor has said before writing it down.
A person is trying to recall the names of a set of seven actors whose pictures were briefly
presented upside down. What explains how the episodic buffer enhances working memory in
this scenario? - ansThe episodic buffer connects with long-term memory of the actors' faces
and names, bringing content into working memory.
How does activity-silent working memory help performance on mental rotation problems? -
ansStrengthening of connections between neurons helps performance on mental rotation
problems
How is the primacy effect related to attention for a set of words presented sequentially? -
ansThe first word presented receives the persons full attention.
Which example shows Westmacott and Moscovitch's concept of autobiographically
significant semantic memories? - ansPerson recalls the name of the actor that they saw in the
airport years ago.
A person is studying a list of types of fish for a wildlife test that will occur in one week.
Which example illustrates the combined long-term memory encoding strategies of visual
imagery and organization? - ansThe person imagines each fish on a tree structure
corresponding to categories of fish types.
,Unlocking the Mind: A
Comprehensive Guide to
Cognitive Psychology Principles
in WGU D570.
A Comprehensive Exam Study
Guide Latest Updated 2025/2026
A person is studying a list of names of pastries for their new job at a bakery. Which example
shows the interaction between the deep processing strategies of generation and self-
reference? - ansThe person creates flashcards for the names of the pastries, pairing each with
an estimate of how appetizing the pastry appears.
A person surprises themself in recalling the name of an artist most have not heard of. Which
process occurs when the person tries to remember how they learned that fact? - ansSource
monitoring
Researchers Robert Nash and Kimberley Wade ran an experiment in which participants
played a gambling game on a computer and were later shown a modified video of themselves
cheating. What did this experiment reveal about false confessions? - ansParticipants
confessed to cheating after being shown the modified video, even though they did not recall
cheating indicating the power of suggestive questioning and tactics
Which example reflects the impact of the self-image hypothesis? - ansA person remembers
graduating from law school
What is a primary concern of behaviorism according to John Watson? - ansIdentifying the
relationship between environmental stimuli and behavior
Which concept supports the paired-associate learning results? - ansConceptual peg hypothesis
Which component of Broadbent's flow diagram of the mind blocks unattended messages? -
ansFilter
Which evidence disproves Aristotle's assertion that "thought is impossible without an
image"? - ansPeople who cannot visualize images are still capable of thinking
Which stage of Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory does an individual begin to
understand mathematical reasoning? - ansConcrete Operational
Which term describes a child's tendency to fixate on just one aspect of a problem or object
according to Piaget? - ansCentration
Which stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development is represented by a child's ability to
mentally represent objects and events with words and images? - ansPreoperational
Which kind of intelligence reflects abilities drawn from experience? - ansCrystalized
Which mental framework is used in learning according to Piaget? - ansSchemas
A child reads the following incorrect sentence: "The car was traceling down the hills were
beautiful." Which cognitive process illustrates the garden path model of parsing? - ansThe
child changes their mind from the subject being the car to the hills
A student reads these two sentences: A dog was running. It slipped and fell. which thought
process is an example of an anaphoric inference? - ansThe student infers that the word "it"
refers to the dog
Why is establishing common ground important to conversations? - ansIt aids in having an
engaging discussion
Which property of words contributes to the word frequency effect? - anshow often a word is
used within a language
While studying in a noisy coffee shop, a student is able to focus solely on their textbook,
tuning out the surrounding conversations and background music. Which cognitive
phenomenon does this scenario illustrate? - ansSelective attention
, Unlocking the Mind: A
Comprehensive Guide to
Cognitive Psychology Principles
in WGU D570.
A Comprehensive Exam Study
Guide Latest Updated 2025/2026
A person is enjoying a day at the beach. They hear children playing see the ocean waves feel
the warm sun taste the salty air and smell sunscreen. Which state of consciousness is this
person experiencing? - answakeful state
How does rotating shift work affect consciousness? - ansit can affect a person's sleep
regulation, leading to insomnia and fatigue.
Which statement describes circadian rhythm in the sleep-wake cycle and consciousness? -
ansCircadian rhythms regulate the sleep-wake cycle and impact alertness
Which test measures brain activity to determine a person's stage of sleep or sonsciousness? -
ansElectroencephalogram EEG
What does the Stroop interference task use to demonstrate a slower reaction time? - ansBy
displaying color words in different color fonts
A kindergarten student is trying to solve a handheld maze. The student focuses on the last
step of the maze, causing them to miss earlier steps. What process describes why the student
has a difficult time discovering the first step required to solve the maze? - ansFixation causes
the student to focus too much on the last part of the maze and to overlook important steps at
the beginning
A teenager's car won't start because the battery is drained after leaving the headlights on
overnight. He realizes he needs jumper cables after recalling a childhood memory of his
parents jump-starting the family car after the battery died. Which recognition and memory
retrieval processes were involved in this problem-solving? - ansNoticing, mapping, and
applying
Which example demonstrates Newell and Simon's approach to problem solving? - ansA
person planning an event makes a list of to-dos and begins working on one task at a time until
they are all completed
Which example demonstrates the importance of how a problem statement is presented for
effective problem solving? - ansA person reads a prompt for an essay question and notices
that the teacher used certain language, which helped the person eliminate incorrect answers.
A student started a new club for their school and is thinking of ways to increase participation.
Which scenario is based on the student's use of analogical transfer? - ansThe student uses
colorful flyers to advertise the club because they remember that this strategy previously led to
increased school voting.
A musician is having a difficult time composing a new song. They spend a week camping
alone in the mountains, completing the song while in the wilderness. How can the musician's
solitude contribute to this creativity and solve the problem? - ansThe musician could avoid
distractions and find space to think, allowing them to generate new ideas.
What is the relationship between open monitoring meditation and creativity? - ansOpen
monitoring meditation is associated with enhanced creativity because it causes greater
activation of the default mode network.
A basketball coach is judging two potential players for recruitment and presumes that the
taller athlete is more talented than the shorter one. What thought process does the coach
utilize? - ansA stereotype about height and performance
