Q.1 Which of the following best describes cognitive psychology?
The study of emotions only
The study of mental processes
The study of physical behavior
The study of cultural traditions
Explanation - Cognitive psychology focuses on processes like thinking, memory, problem-solving, and language, not just behavior or culture.
Correct answer is: The study of mental processes
Q.2 Who is considered one of the founding figures of cognitive psychology?
Sigmund Freud
Jean Piaget
B.F. Skinner
Carl Jung
Explanation - Jean Piaget is known for his theories on cognitive development in children, laying groundwork for cognitive psychology.
Correct answer is: Jean Piaget
Q.3 Which mental process is most closely linked to cognitive psychology?
Memory
Digestion
Reflexes
Muscle growth
Explanation - Memory is a key focus in cognitive psychology, which studies how people encode, store, and retrieve information.
Correct answer is: Memory
Q.4 What is the 'information processing model' in cognitive psychology?
The way humans process food
A comparison of the mind to a computer
A way to describe physical exercise
A model of emotional changes
Explanation - The information processing model suggests the mind works like a computer, with input, processing, storage, and output.
Correct answer is: A comparison of the mind to a computer
Q.5 What type of memory holds information for a few seconds?
Long-term memory
Short-term memory
Sensory memory
Procedural memory
Explanation - Sensory memory briefly stores sensory information (like sights or sounds) for a few seconds or less.
Correct answer is: Sensory memory
Q.6 Which psychologist developed the stages of cognitive development?
Jean Piaget
Erik Erikson
Albert Bandura
John Watson
Explanation - Jean Piaget created a theory with four stages of cognitive development: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational.
Correct answer is: Jean Piaget
Q.7 In Piaget’s theory, which stage involves symbolic thinking and egocentrism?
Sensorimotor
Preoperational
Concrete operational
Formal operational
Explanation - The preoperational stage (ages 2–7) is characterized by symbolic thinking, imagination, and egocentrism.
Correct answer is: Preoperational
Q.8 What is metacognition?
Thinking about thinking
Learning by doing
Remembering past events
Forgetting information
Explanation - Metacognition refers to awareness and regulation of one’s own thought processes.
Correct answer is: Thinking about thinking
Q.9 Which memory system has virtually unlimited capacity?
Short-term memory
Long-term memory
Working memory
Sensory memory
Explanation - Long-term memory can theoretically hold an unlimited amount of information across a lifetime.
Correct answer is: Long-term memory
Q.10 What is chunking in memory?
Breaking learning into school terms
Grouping information to remember better
Forgetting details over time
Dividing attention
Explanation - Chunking involves grouping information into larger, meaningful units to improve memory recall.
Correct answer is: Grouping information to remember better
Q.11 Which cognitive bias refers to remembering information that confirms existing beliefs?
Anchoring bias
Confirmation bias
Hindsight bias
Availability heuristic
Explanation - Confirmation bias is the tendency to focus on information that supports our preexisting beliefs.
Correct answer is: Confirmation bias
Q.12 Which psychologist is associated with the concept of schema?
Albert Bandura
Frederic Bartlett
Jean Piaget
B.F. Skinner
Explanation - Frederic Bartlett introduced the concept of schema as mental frameworks for organizing information.
Correct answer is: Frederic Bartlett
Q.13 What is selective attention?
Ignoring all information
Focusing on one stimulus while ignoring others
Memorizing information quickly
Learning without awareness
Explanation - Selective attention allows individuals to concentrate on one source of information while ignoring distractions.
Correct answer is: Focusing on one stimulus while ignoring others
Q.14 What is the Stroop effect an example of?
Automatic processing
Divided attention
Problem-solving
Long-term memory
Explanation - The Stroop effect shows difficulty in overriding automatic processes, like reading words while identifying ink colors.
Correct answer is: Automatic processing
Q.15 In problem-solving, what is a heuristic?
A guaranteed solution
A mental shortcut
A mathematical formula
A mistake in reasoning
Explanation - Heuristics are simple strategies or mental shortcuts used to make decisions quickly, though not always accurately.
Correct answer is: A mental shortcut
Q.16 Which type of memory is used when riding a bicycle?
Declarative memory
Episodic memory
Procedural memory
Working memory
Explanation - Procedural memory involves learned motor skills and habits, such as riding a bike.
Correct answer is: Procedural memory
Q.17 What is cognitive dissonance?
A conflict between beliefs and behavior
Forgetting important events
Daydreaming
Learning through repetition
Explanation - Cognitive dissonance occurs when actions and beliefs clash, causing mental discomfort.
Correct answer is: A conflict between beliefs and behavior
Q.18 Which part of the brain is crucial for forming new memories?
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Cerebellum
Medulla
Explanation - The hippocampus is essential for forming new long-term memories.
Correct answer is: Hippocampus
Q.19 Which type of learning involves observing and imitating others?
Operant conditioning
Observational learning
Classical conditioning
Cognitive rehearsal
Explanation - Observational learning, studied by Bandura, occurs when individuals learn by watching and imitating others.
Correct answer is: Observational learning
Q.20 Which memory system is involved in holding a phone number briefly before dialing?
Long-term memory
Short-term memory
Sensory memory
Implicit memory
Explanation - Short-term memory holds small amounts of information temporarily, like a phone number for a few seconds.
Correct answer is: Short-term memory
Q.21 What is the capacity of short-term memory according to George Miller?
3 ± 1 items
7 ± 2 items
12 ± 3 items
15 ± 5 items
Explanation - Miller proposed that short-term memory holds about 7 items, plus or minus 2.
Correct answer is: 7 ± 2 items
Q.22 Which theory compares the brain to a computer?
Behaviorism
Information processing theory
Gestalt theory
Psychoanalytic theory
Explanation - The information processing theory compares human thinking to computer operations.
Correct answer is: Information processing theory
Q.23 What is cognitive load?
The weight of learning materials
The amount of mental effort required
A storage device for the brain
A learning disability
Explanation - Cognitive load refers to how much working memory is used while performing a task.
Correct answer is: The amount of mental effort required
Q.24 Which of these is an example of implicit memory?
Remembering a phone number
Reciting a poem
Riding a bike
Explaining a history lesson
Explanation - Implicit memory involves skills performed automatically, like riding a bike, without conscious recall.
Correct answer is: Riding a bike
Q.25 What is the term for sudden realization in problem-solving?
Insight
Heuristic
Trial and error
Algorithm
Explanation - Insight is a sudden 'aha!' moment when the solution to a problem becomes clear.
Correct answer is: Insight