The Cognitive Approach to Psychology: MCQ Quiz on Models and Methods

Questions (30)

1. Who is considered one of the founding figures of cognitive psychology?

   • a) Sigmund Freud
   • b) B.F. Skinner
   • c) Jean Piaget
   • d) Ulric Neisser
   View Answer

   Correct Ulric Neisser

2. Which cognitive process involves the ability to store, retrieve, and process information?

   • a) Attention
   • b) Memory
   • c) Perception
   • d) Motivation
   View Answer

   Correct Memory

3. According to the cognitive approach, how is human behavior best understood?

   • a) By studying physical traits
   • b) By observing behavior in various environments
   • c) By analyzing thoughts and mental processes
   • d) By focusing on unconscious motives
   View Answer

   Correct By analyzing thoughts and mental processes

4. What does the information processing model of cognition suggest?

   • a) Humans process information in the same way computers do
   • b) Cognition is solely based on intuition and instinct
   • c) Information is only processed at a conscious level
   • d) Cognitive processing involves automatic and conscious elements
   View Answer

   Correct Humans process information in the same way computers do

5. The multi-store model of memory was proposed by:

   • a) Noam Chomsky
   • b) Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin
   • c) John Watson
   • d) Carl Rogers
   View Answer

   Correct Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin

6. In the multi-store model of memory, what is the primary function of sensory memory?

   • a) To process and organize information for long-term storage
   • b) To hold information temporarily before it is either discarded or transferred to short-term memory
   • c) To retrieve and use stored information
   • d) To store memories for an unlimited time
   View Answer

   Correct To hold information temporarily before it is either discarded or transferred to short-term memory

7. What is the primary difference between short-term memory and long-term memory?

   • a) Short-term memory stores information for hours, while long-term memory is permanent
   • b) Short-term memory has limited capacity and duration, while long-term memory has unlimited capacity
   • c) Short-term memory processes information unconsciously, while long-term memory is processed consciously
   • d) Long-term memory is used for short-term tasks, while short-term memory is for long-term storage
   View Answer

   Correct Short-term memory has limited capacity and duration, while long-term memory has unlimited capacity

8. In cognitive psychology, the term "schema" refers to:

   • a) A set of instincts that drive behavior
   • b) A framework that organizes and interprets information
   • c) A biological structure in the brain that stores memories
   • d) A mental state of motivation
   View Answer

   Correct A framework that organizes and interprets information

9. What is the primary role of working memory in cognitive psychology?

   • a) To hold information for long-term retention
   • b) To store sensory information indefinitely
   • c) To actively process and manipulate information for cognitive tasks
   • d) To store information that can be retrieved later
   View Answer

   Correct To actively process and manipulate information for cognitive tasks

10. The concept of "cognitive load" refers to:

    • a) The mental effort used in processing information
    • b) The ability to memorize information
    • c) The ability to multitask efficiently
    • d) The storage capacity of working memory
    View Answer

    Correct The mental effort used in processing information

11. Which of the following methods is commonly used in cognitive psychology to study memory?

    • a) Naturalistic observation
    • b) Laboratory experiments
    • c) Case studies
    • d) Surveys
    View Answer

    Correct Laboratory experiments

12. What does the cognitive approach say about the role of mental representation in cognition?

    • a) Mental representation is irrelevant in understanding behavior
    • b) Mental representation plays a crucial role in processing and organizing information
    • c) Mental representation is only important for unconscious behaviors
    • d) Mental representation is a product of innate biological instincts
    View Answer

    Correct Mental representation plays a crucial role in processing and organizing information

13. Which of the following is true about cognitive models?

    • a) They emphasize the importance of environmental factors in behavior
    • b) They represent how the mind processes information to produce behavior
    • c) They focus exclusively on unconscious mental processes
    • d) They describe the physical and observable aspects of behavior
    View Answer

    Correct They represent how the mind processes information to produce behavior

14. The "dual-task" methodology in cognitive psychology is used to:

    • a) Test the efficiency of multitasking
    • b) Understand how individuals process information under stress
    • c) Study memory retrieval from long-term storage
    • d) Measure the speed of decision-making
    View Answer

    Correct Test the efficiency of multitasking

15. What is the role of perception in the cognitive approach?

    • a) Perception is only concerned with sensory processing
    • b) Perception is an active process where the mind organizes and interprets sensory data
    • c) Perception is irrelevant to the study of cognitive psychology
    • d) Perception directly leads to automatic behaviors
    View Answer

    Correct Perception is an active process where the mind organizes and interprets sensory data

16. Which cognitive model is primarily focused on memory storage and retrieval processes?

    • a) The behaviorist model
    • b) The schema theory
    • c) The multi-store model of memory
    • d) The Freudian model
    View Answer

    Correct The multi-store model of memory

17. What does the term "cognitive rehearsal" refer to?

    • a) The process of repeating learned information to strengthen memory
    • b) The mental process of organizing new information into schemas
    • c) The ability to recall information from long-term memory
    • d) The use of imagery to enhance memory retrieval
    View Answer

    Correct The process of repeating learned information to strengthen memory

18. The "cognitive revolution" in psychology was a shift from:

    • a) Behaviorism to an emphasis on mental processes
    • b) Psychoanalysis to a focus on behavior
    • c) Structuralism to functionalism
    • d) Cognitive psychology to social psychology
    View Answer

    Correct Behaviorism to an emphasis on mental processes

19. What is the "serial position effect" in memory research?

    • a) The tendency to remember information from the middle of a list
    • b) The tendency to remember the first and last items in a list better than those in the middle
    • c) The tendency to forget the last items in a list
    • d) The tendency to remember information more clearly over time
    View Answer

    Correct The tendency to remember the first and last items in a list better than those in the middle

20. The "cognitive map" is a concept introduced by:

    • a) Sigmund Freud
    • b) Albert Bandura
    • c) Edward Tolman
    • d) John Watson
    View Answer

    Correct Edward Tolman

21. What is the focus of "cognitive neuroscience" within the cognitive approach?

    • a) The biological processes behind mental functions like memory and attention
    • b) The effects of behavior on cognitive functions
    • c) The study of unconscious thoughts and motivations
    • d) The development of language in children
    View Answer

    Correct The biological processes behind mental functions like memory and attention

22. What does "cognitive dissonance" refer to?

    • a) The discomfort that arises from conflicting beliefs or behaviors
    • b) The ability to multitask effectively
    • c) The process of forming new memories
    • d) The act of learning through imitation
    View Answer

    Correct The discomfort that arises from conflicting beliefs or behaviors

23. The "cognitive approach" emphasizes the importance of:

    • a) External behaviors and responses
    • b) Mental processes and their role in understanding behavior
    • c) The influence of early childhood experiences
    • d) The biological basis of behavior
    View Answer

    Correct Mental processes and their role in understanding behavior

24. The concept of "automaticity" in cognitive psychology refers to:

    • a) The ability to process information consciously and deliberately
    • b) The ability to complete tasks without conscious thought due to practice
    • c) The process of forming new memories
    • d) The focus on external behavior only
    View Answer

    Correct The ability to complete tasks without conscious thought due to practice

25. Which cognitive model emphasizes how individuals interpret and organize information in schemas?

    • a) Information processing model
    • b) Dual-process model
    • c) Schema theory
    • d) Social learning theory
    View Answer

    Correct Schema theory

26. According to the cognitive approach= which factor is most important in shaping behavior?

    • a) Reflex actions
    • b) Mental processes like memory= attention= and perception
    • c) External environmental stimuli
    • d) Unconscious motives and drives
    View Answer

    Correct Mental processes like memory= attention= and perception

27. Which of the following best explains the concept of "working memory"?

    • a) Memory that stores information for an extended period
    • b) A temporary memory system that holds and manipulates information for cognitive tasks
    • c) The process of long-term memory retrieval
    • d) Memory involved in recalling past life experiences
    View Answer

    Correct A temporary memory system that holds and manipulates information for cognitive tasks

28. The "thinking aloud" method in cognitive psychology is used to:

    • a) Understand unconscious thought processes
    • b) Study the step-by-step cognitive process during problem-solving
    • c) Analyze non-verbal communication
    • d) Measure attention span during tasks
    View Answer

    Correct Study the step-by-step cognitive process during problem-solving

29. The "cognitive map" theory introduced by Edward Tolman is most related to:

    • a) Spatial navigation and mental representation of the environment
    • b) The process of encoding and retrieving memories
    • c) Emotional responses to stimuli
    • d) The behavior of animals in laboratory settings
    View Answer

    Correct Spatial navigation and mental representation of the environment

30. The "Atkinson-Shiffrin model" of memory is commonly known as the:

    • a) Working memory model
    • b) Multi-store model of memory
    • c) Levels of processing model
    • d) Dual-process memory model
    View Answer

    Correct Multi-store model of memory