Cognitive Psychology Intermediate Level MCQs

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Questions (30)


  1. What is the role of the prefrontal cortex in cognition?

    • a) Processing emotions
    • b) Encoding sensory information
    • c) Planning and decision-making
    • d) Regulating autonomic functions
    View Answer
    Correct Planning and decision-making
  2. What is the key concept of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?

    • a) Stages of moral reasoning
    • b) The role of unconscious motivation
    • c) Sequential stages of cognitive growth
    • d) Social interaction as a basis for learning
    View Answer
    Correct Sequential stages of cognitive growth
  3. Which term describes the mental process of organizing and interpreting sensory input?

    • a) Encoding
    • b) Perception
    • c) Attention
    • d) Retrieval
    View Answer
    Correct Perception
  4. What is the primary function of sensory memory?

    • a) Storing sensory inputs for long-term use
    • b) Encoding information into long-term memory
    • c) Briefly retaining sensory information
    • d) Organizing stimuli into patterns
    View Answer
    Correct Briefly retaining sensory information
  5. What does the term “dual coding” suggest in learning?

    • a) Using both verbal and visual information for memory
    • b) Processing auditory and tactile stimuli simultaneously
    • c) Storing information in two separate memory systems
    • d) Relying on emotional and logical reasoning
    View Answer
    Correct Using both verbal and visual information for memory
  6. What is the “recency effect”?

    • a) The tendency to remember the first items in a list
    • b) The tendency to remember the last items in a list
    • c) The ability to remember random information
    • d) The tendency to forget irrelevant details
    View Answer
    Correct The tendency to remember the last items in a list
  7. Which of the following is a type of implicit memory?

    • a) Semantic memory
    • b) Procedural memory
    • c) Episodic memory
    • d) Declarative memory
    View Answer
    Correct Procedural memory
  8. What is “attention switching”?

    • a) The ability to divide attention among multiple tasks
    • b) The act of shifting focus between tasks or stimuli
    • c) Maintaining sustained focus over time
    • d) Filtering out irrelevant information
    View Answer
    Correct The act of shifting focus between tasks or stimuli
  9. What does the term “mental set” refer to?

    • a) A habitual approach to problem-solving
    • b) Flexibility in decision-making
    • c) An emotional state affecting cognition
    • d) A strategy for multitasking
    View Answer
    Correct A habitual approach to problem-solving
  10. What is the capacity of short-term memory according to Miller’s law?

    • a) 5 ± 2 items
    • b) 7 ± 2 items
    • c) 9 ± 2 items
    • d) 10 ± 2 items
    View Answer
    Correct 7 ± 2 items
  11. What is the role of rehearsal in memory?

    • a) Enhancing sensory memory
    • b) Transferring information to long-term memory
    • c) Decoding sensory stimuli
    • d) Reducing cognitive load
    View Answer
    Correct Transferring information to long-term memory
  12. What is the purpose of a heuristic in problem-solving?

    • a) To guarantee an accurate solution
    • b) To simplify complex problems quickly
    • c) To test multiple hypotheses
    • d) To minimize emotional influence
    View Answer
    Correct To simplify complex problems quickly
  13. What is “functional fixedness”?

    • a) The tendency to perceive objects only in their traditional use
    • b) The ability to use objects creatively
    • c) The process of adapting to novel tasks
    • d) A lack of focus in problem-solving
    View Answer
    Correct The tendency to perceive objects only in their traditional use
  14. What does “top-down processing” emphasize?

    • a) Sensory input guiding perception
    • b) Pre-existing knowledge shaping perception
    • c) Data-driven interpretation of stimuli
    • d) Random organization of sensory input
    View Answer
    Correct Pre-existing knowledge shaping perception
  15. What is the main function of declarative memory?

    • a) Storing procedural knowledge
    • b) Retaining factual and event-related information
    • c) Managing emotional responses
    • d) Encoding sensory details
    View Answer
    Correct Retaining factual and event-related information
  16. Which term describes the ability to process multiple stimuli simultaneously?

    • a) Selective attention
    • b) Divided attention
    • c) Sustained attention
    • d) Focused attention
    View Answer
    Correct Divided attention
  17. What is the term for the phenomenon of improved memory recall when the context matches the learning environment?

    • a) Encoding specificity principle
    • b) Context-dependent memory
    • c) State-dependent learning
    • d) Episodic memory
    View Answer
    Correct Context-dependent memory
  18. What is an example of proactive interference in memory?

    • a) Forgetting a new password due to remembering an old one
    • b) Forgetting old habits due to learning new ones
    • c) Failing to recall due to emotional distress
    • d) Forgetting details over time
    View Answer
    Correct Forgetting a new password due to remembering an old one
  19. What is the role of the amygdala in cognition?

    • a) Storing semantic memories
    • b) Processing emotional responses
    • c) Managing motor coordination
    • d) Enhancing visual perception
    View Answer
    Correct Processing emotional responses
  20. What does “anchoring bias” refer to in decision-making?

    • a) Relying on the first piece of information as a reference point
    • b) Avoiding risk in uncertain situations
    • c) Overestimating the likelihood of recent events
    • d) Preferring familiar options over new ones
    View Answer
    Correct Relying on the first piece of information as a reference point
  21. Which cognitive theory emphasizes the role of reinforcement in learning?

    • a) Behaviorism
    • b) Constructivism
    • c) Social learning theory
    • d) Information processing theory
    View Answer
    Correct Behaviorism
  22. What is “metacognition”?

    • a) The ability to multitask
    • b) Knowledge and awareness of one’s own thought processes
    • c) Automatic retrieval of information
    • d) The organization of sensory inputs
    View Answer
    Correct Knowledge and awareness of one’s own thought processes
  23. What does “semantic memory” store?

    • a) Personal experiences
    • b) Factual knowledge and concepts
    • c) Procedural skills
    • d) Emotional memories
    View Answer
    Correct Factual knowledge and concepts
  24. Which type of processing involves analyzing individual components of a stimulus?

    • a) Top-down processing
    • b) Bottom-up processing
    • c) Selective processing
    • d) Divided processing
    View Answer
    Correct Bottom-up processing
  25. What is the term for forgetting caused by insufficient retrieval cues?

    • a) Decay theory
    • b) Retrieval failure
    • c) Proactive interference
    • d) Retroactive interference
    View Answer
    Correct Retrieval failure
  26. Which term describes the brain’s ability to reorganize and adapt?

    • a) Neuroplasticity
    • b) Neurogenesis
    • c) Cognitive restructuring
    • d) Synaptic pruning
    View Answer
    Correct Neuroplasticity
  27. What does the “serial position effect” explain?

    • a) Improved recall for the first and last items in a list
    • b) Difficulty recalling details in random order
    • c) Enhanced memory for repetitive stimuli
    • d) The impact of practice on memory
    View Answer
    Correct Improved recall for the first and last items in a list
  28. What does “automaticity” refer to in cognitive psychology?

    • a) The ability to perform tasks without conscious effort
    • b) The process of encoding information into memory
    • c) The practice of multitasking effectively
    • d) The application of heuristics in decision-making
    View Answer
    Correct The ability to perform tasks without conscious effort
  29. Which of the following is an example of state-dependent memory?

    • a) Recalling information while in the same emotional state as learning
    • b) Memorizing a list of words using repetition
    • c) Forgetting details of unrelated events
    • d) Recognizing familiar faces
    View Answer
    Correct Recalling information while in the same emotional state as learning
  30. Which of the following is an example of cognitive dissonance?

    • a) Feeling anxiety before a big exam
    • b) A person justifying their unhealthy lifestyle despite knowing its risks
    • c) Recalling a memory from childhood
    • d) Learning a new language by repeating words aloud
    View Answer
    Correct A person justifying their unhealthy lifestyle despite knowing its risks

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