AP Psychology : Cognition

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Psychology

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Example Questions

Example Question #221 : Cognition And Consciousness

According to psychoanalysis, the preconscious includes thoughts that are unconscious at the moment, but can be recalled at a later time. Which of the following famous psychologists would be most likely to examine a patient's preconscious thoughts?

Possible Answers:

Sigmund Freud

Stanley Milgram

Phil McGraw

B.F. Skinner

Ruth Ginsberg

Correct answer:

Sigmund Freud

Explanation:

Sigmund Freud is considered to be "the father" of psychoanalysis. This theoretical orientation believes that people can be cured of psychiatric illnesses by bringing their unconscious thoughts to the surface to be addressed. This allows repressed emotions and behaviors to be released and dealt with by the therapist and patient. 

Example Question #221 : Cognition And Consciousness

Which of the following is best described as a basic and clear definition for cognition?

Possible Answers:

Cognition relates to almost any activity in the brain, particularly thinking, reasoning and remembering

Cognition is when the brain is performing logical reasoning

Cognition is the process of remember significant events in one's life

None of these

Cognition is a process of police investigation

Correct answer:

Cognition relates to almost any activity in the brain, particularly thinking, reasoning and remembering

Explanation:

A succinct and clear definition for cognition could be the following: "thinking, reasoning, remembering or almost any other activity in the brain." Cognition drastically changes throughout our lifetimes and is the object of much psychological study. In other words, the correct choice for the basic and clear definition of cognition is the following: "cognition relates to almost any activity in the brain, particularly thinking, reasoning and remembering."

Example Question #226 : Cognition And Consciousness

Visiting a political website that only has content you agree with is an example of which of the following?

Possible Answers:

The confirmation bias

Halo effect

Ingroup bias

Gambler's fallacy

Status quo bias

Correct answer:

The confirmation bias

Explanation:

The confirmation bias is a fallacy almost all of us are prone to. The premise of the confirmation bias is that we seek out things in the world the confirm our preformed thoughts about the world. That is, in terms of what we think, believe, do and are interested in we tend to be very narrow! That's why throughout a lifetime people will not change political beliefs and are often found browsing the same political website they have for years.

Example Question #151 : Cognition

Believing that your university is generally smarter than all others is an example of which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Bandwagon bias

Anchoring effect

Ingroup bias

Current moment bias

Negativity bias

Correct answer:

Ingroup bias

Explanation:

The incorrect answers are biases mainly to do with decision making and selective focus. The "ingroup bias" has more to do with our beliefs about what "groups" we belong to and how we measure our groups to the "others". The essential bias is that we are prone to believe that OUR group is better than all the others. Indeed in the past we have identified with racial groups and this bias was the source of violent racism. On the flipside, the ingroup bias also maintains our solidarity with others and creates morale.

Example Question #152 : Cognition

Which of the following sectors are most affected by the "negativity bias"?

Possible Answers:

Auto industry

Hospitality industry

News and media

Technology industry

Food and beverage industry

Correct answer:

News and media

Explanation:

The negativity bias that we as humans are prone to affects news and media the most. The other industries listed have more of an interest in promoting the positive things about their products to attract consumers. Though we may not like to hear that the car we're going to buy is going to break down in five years when it comes to learning about the world we like to hear bad news! This is most likely due to natural selection: it may be more important for our survival to pay attention to bad news than good.  

Example Question #153 : Cognition

Which of the following is an example of the status quo bias?

Possible Answers:

Thinking your group of friends is better

Not wanting to change the way you do things

None of these

Only wanting to do things you want to do

Thinking your nation is better

Correct answer:

Not wanting to change the way you do things

Explanation:

The status quo bias refers to our tendency to keep things the way they are. This provides a sense of stability for us that makes day-to-day living manageable and we avoid a sense of cognitive dissonance. This can be damaging though, when the status quo itself is toxic or damaging to others.

Example Question #1 : Other Cognitive Principles

What term did Carl Jung introduce to represent the form of the unconscious that is common to mankind as a whole and that contains archetypes, or universal primordial images and ideas?

Possible Answers:

Prima materia

Samsara

Anima mundi

Morphogenetic field

Collective unconscious

Correct answer:

Collective unconscious

Explanation:

The collective unconscious is a term used in analytical psychology, especially Jungian psychology, to describe a part of the unconscious mind that is shared by a society, a people, or all mankind. 

Example Question #2 : Other Cognitive Principles

Which of the following is an example of semantic memory?

Possible Answers:

Salivating when you see your favorite food

Remembering how to ride a bicycle

Recalling your first day of 1st grade

Predicting what will happen to you tomorrow

Knowing the capital of New York

Correct answer:

Knowing the capital of New York

Explanation:

Semantic memory is one's memory for various facts and concepts, so being able to recall the capital of New York is a good example of this type of memory. Remembering how to ride a bicycle is a procedural memory, recalling your first day of 1st grade is an episodic memory, and salivating when you see your favorite food is a conditioned memory.

Example Question #3 : Other Cognitive Principles

What is aphasia?

Possible Answers:

An impairment in processing visual stimuli

An impairment in communication through oral and/or written means

Carbon dioxide deprivation in the brain

A popular treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Oxygen deprivation in the brain

Correct answer:

An impairment in communication through oral and/or written means

Explanation:

Aphasia is a language disorder that impacts a person's communication skills. Aphasia typically results from a head injury or stroke, and leaves long-lasting effects on a person's communication abilities depending on the severity and location of the head injury or stroke.

Example Question #4 : Other Cognitive Principles

Which of the following is an instance of cognitive dissonance?

Possible Answers:

A woman sees her friend in pain and immediately starts to cry. She finds the exact emotions of her friend to be mirrorred within herself. She would then be in a state of dissonance because she finds herself completely immersed in her friend's psychological state of mind. 

A person experiences severe disconnection from their surroundings and psychological distress at the thought of the loneliness of their condition. This kind of alienation is termed cognitive dissonance. 

A person's consciousness becomes fractured and they start to act like two different people at random times. Their behavior begins to represent two antagonistic forces in their consciousness that are fighting each other.

A man steals money from his friend and then experiences a state of stress due to contradicting beliefs. On the one hand, he believed that he was a good person, but he also believes good people don't steal. These two beliefs cannot be true at the same time, so he is in a state of dissonance.

Correct answer:

A man steals money from his friend and then experiences a state of stress due to contradicting beliefs. On the one hand, he believed that he was a good person, but he also believes good people don't steal. These two beliefs cannot be true at the same time, so he is in a state of dissonance.

Explanation:

Cognitive dissonance has to do with the beliefs we hold, namely when they come into conflict with one another. For instance, the man has belief number one: Good people do not steal. At the same time, he also believes that he is a good person. When he is confronted with the reality of his actions (that he stole money from his friend), he experiences dissonance since those two beliefs now contradict each other.

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