Perception & Attention
Laura is walking through the park when she sees a series of strange shapes in the distance. As she gets closer, she realizes they are just tree trunks and branches. At first, she didn't recognize them, but as she gathered more details, such as their color and texture, she was able to piece together what they actually were.
Which type of processing is Laura using to identify the tree trunks and branches in the scenario?
A) Sensory inputs
B) Bottom-up processing
C) Both top-down and bottom-up processing, since she uses prior knowledge along with sensory details.
D) Top-down processing
Correct Answer: B) Bottom-up processing
Explanation: Laura is utilizing bottom-up processing because she begins with low-level vision processes (blobs in the distance) and the sensory information to realize that what she is seeing in the park were tree trunks and branches.
What is the order in which we form and access memories?
A) Encoding -> Retrieval -> Storage
B) Encoding -> Storage -> Retrieval
C) Retrieval -> Encoding -> Storage
D) Storage -> Retrieval -> Encoding
Correct Answer: B) Encoding -> Storage -> Retrieval
Explanation:
Encoding: putting things in our memory
Storage: holding things in our memory
Retrieval: taking things out of our memory
In classical conditioning, what is the conditioned stimulus (CS)?
A) A response triggered by a stimulus
B) A stimulus that naturally triggers a response
C) A previously neutral stimulus that now triggers a response
D) A learned behavior that happens automatically
Correct Answer: C) A previously neutral stimulus that now triggers a response
Explanation: The conditioned stimulus (CS) starts as neutral but after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US), triggers a learned response. In Pavlov’s experiment, the bell (CS) initially had no effect but, after pairing with food (US), made the dog salivate.
Emma is an avid painter who spends her weekends working on various art projects. She enjoys experimenting with different techniques and often loses track of time while painting. Emma doesn’t sell her artwork or receive any recognition for it; she simply finds joy in the process of creating and expressing herself through her paintings. Which of the following best describes Emma’s motivation for painting?
A) Emma is motivated by extrinsic rewards
B) Emma is motivated by intrinsic rewards
C) Emma is motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards
D) Emma is not motivated by any rewards.
Correct Answer: B) Emma is motivated by intrinsic rewards
Explanation: Emma is motivated by intrinsic rewards because she simply finds joy in making art. She isn’t getting any financial gain or external recognition for her work which would be an example of extrinsic rewards.
When proofreading an essay, Alex wrote the phrase “a bird in the the hand is worth two in the bush,” and he does not notice that he wrote the word “the” twice. What is this an example of?
A) Bottom-up processing
B) Filter (early section) model
C) Sensory input
D) Top-down processing
Correct Answer: D) Top-down processing
Explanation: Top-down processing is when our expectations influence our perception. So when we are proofreading, we often see what it is supposed to say instead of what it actually says.
Sally is driving her car when she spots a billboard. For a second after she passed it she could see a flash of the billboard, before it went away and she began to focus her eyes on the road once again. What type of memory is this an example of?
A. Long term memory
B. Echoic memory
C. Iconic memory
D. Short term memory
Correct Answer: C) Iconic memory
Explanation: Iconic memory is a visual memory that holds a brief image of what you’ve seen.
Each morning the school bell rings. The bell alerts students to the start of class for the day. Over time, students begin to become quiet and pay attention to the sound of the bell. Which factor is the conditioned stimulus?
A) The school bell
B) The start of class
C) The students quieting
D) The teacher beginning class
Correct Answer: A) The school bell
Explanation: The school bell originally was neutral, but overtime triggered students to quiet down, as they now associate the bell with the day starting.
Lisa works as a customer service representative at a retail company. Every month, the company offers a cash bonus to the top performers based on customer satisfaction scores and sales. Lisa always strives to meet her targets because she wants to earn the bonus. She also appreciates the praise and recognition she gets during team meetings when she is acknowledged for her performance. Which of the following best describes the type of motivation Lisa experiences in this scenario?
A) Lisa is motivated by intrinsic rewards
B) Lisa is motivated by extrinsic rewards
C) Lisa is motivated by a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards
D) Lisa is not motivated by any rewards.
Correct Answer: B) Lisa is motivated by extrinsic rewards
Explanation: Lisa is motivated by extrinsic rewards, such as the cash bonus and public recognition. She isn’t motivated by interactions with customers which would make her feel good.
While walking through a crowded mall, Jamie hears her name being called from across the room, even though she was previously immersed in a conversation with her friend. What phenomenon best explains Jamie’s ability to detect her name despite the surrounding noise?
A) Change blindness
B) The cocktail party effect
C) Feature integration theory
D) Selective adaptation
Correct Answer: B) The cocktail party effect
Explanation: The cocktail party effect refers to the brain’s ability to filter out background noise while still detecting personally relevant information, such as one’s name. Jamie was focused on her conversation but still unconsciously processed other sounds, allowing her to recognize when someone called her name.
Rachel is a witness to a hit and run. She has trouble remembering what the driver was wearing, but her schema of criminals includes that many criminals wear hoodies, therefore she assumes this man must have been as well. What bias is this an example of?
A) Confirmation bias
B) Illusory correlation bias
C) Retrieval bias
D) Implicit bias
Correct Answer: C) Retrieval bias
Explanation: Rachel's memory is being influenced by her existing schema of criminals. Since she can't clearly remember what the driver was wearing, her brain fills in the gap with what she expects (a hoodie), leading to a biased recall of the event.
Mia wants to train her cat to come when she calls its name. At first, she gives the cat a treat every time it responds. Over time, she starts giving treats only when the cat comes quickly after being called, ignoring responses that take too long. Eventually, the cat learns to come immediately upon hearing its name.
Which concept best explains Mia’s approach to training her cat?
A) Positive punishment
B) Shaping
C) Classical conditioning
D) Extinction
Correct Answer: B) Shaping
Explanation: Shaping is a technique in operant conditioning where reinforcement is gradually adjusted to encourage closer and closer approximations of a desired behavior. Mia initially rewards all responses but then only reinforces faster responses, leading the cat to learn the ideal behavior.
Sarah is a college student who stays up late studying for exams because she believes that getting good grades will help her secure a high-paying job in the future. She is not particularly excited about her coursework but is motivated by the potential rewards.
Which theory of motivation best explains Sarah’s behavior?
A) Drive-Reduction Theory
B) Self-Determination Theory
C) Incentive Theory
D) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need
Correct Answer: C) Incentive Theory
Explanation: Incentive Theory suggests that motivation is driven by external rewards, such as money, recognition, or success. In Sarah’s case, she is motivated to study not because of an internal need but because she believes it will lead to a desirable future reward—a well-paying job.
During a visual attention experiment, participants are asked to focus on counting basketball passes in a video. In the middle of the video, a person in a gorilla suit walks through the scene, but many participants fail to notice it. This failure to detect the gorilla provides evidence for which of the following?
A) The early selection model of attention, because irrelevant stimuli are filtered out before processing meaning
B) The late selection model of attention, because all stimuli are processed for meaning before attention filters them
C) Inattentional blindness, because focused attention on one task prevents awareness of unexpected stimuli
D) Change blindness, because participants fail to notice a gradual change in the scene
Correct Answer: C) Inattentional blindness, because focused attention on one task prevents awareness of unexpected stimuli
Explanation: Inattentional blindness occurs when we fail to notice an unexpected stimulus because our attention is focused elsewhere. In the basketball video experiment, participants were so focused on counting passes that they didn’t see the gorilla, showing how attention filters out information we aren’t actively looking for.
How do schemas influence memory?
A) They help organize information but can cause false memories
B) They only improve recall and never distort memory
C) They prevent us from recalling unrelated details
D) They store all past experiences exactly as they happened
Correct Answer: A) They help organize information but can cause false memories
Explanation: Schemas are mental frameworks that help us organize and interpret new information based on past experiences. While they make processing more efficient, they can also create false memories by filling in missing details with what we expect to be there.
Sarah's dog, Max, used to get excited every time he heard the sound of the can opener, because he associated it with being fed. However, after several weeks of hearing the can opener without getting food, Max no longer reacts to the sound. This is an example of:
A) Spontaneous recovery, as Max will likely start reacting again soon.
B) Classical conditioning, but with no effect on behavior.
C) Extinction, as the conditioned response gradually diminishes.
D) Operant conditioning, since Max’s behavior was reinforced by food.
Correct Answer: C) Extinction, as the conditioned response gradually diminishes.
Explanation: This scenario describes extinction in classical conditioning, where the conditioned stimulus (the sound of the can opener) is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus (the food), causing the conditioned response (Max’s excitement) to fade away over time.
A teacher wants to encourage students to read more books. She considers two strategies:
Giving students small prizes for each book they read.
Letting students choose books based on their interests and discussing them in class.
Which approach is more likely to create long-term reading habits, and why?
A) Strategy 1, because rewards always increase motivation.
B) Strategy 1, because extrinsic rewards make students work harder.
C) Strategy 2, because intrinsic motivation leads to longer-lasting engagement.
D) Both strategies are equally effective because motivation works the same way for all students.
Correct Answer: C) Strategy 2, because intrinsic motivation leads to longer-lasting engagement.
Explanation: Strategy 2, because intrinsic motivation leads to longer-lasting engagement. Intrinsic motivation—such as enjoyment and personal interest—is more effective for sustained learning and engagement. While extrinsic rewards (prizes) may encourage short-term behavior, they are less effective in fostering a long-term love for reading. Research, including Daniel Pink’s work, suggests that autonomy and personal interest drive deeper motivation than external incentives alone.
Tom is sitting in a park when he hears a loud ringing sound coming from a nearby phone. His ears pick up the sound waves, which are transmitted to his brain. However, Tom initially thinks the sound is coming from a nearby alarm, causing him to look around frantically. In this scenario, which of the following best distinguishes between Tom’s sensation and perception?
A) Sensation refers to the process of Tom hearing the sound waves, while perception is his interpretation of that sound as an alarm.
B) Sensation is Tom’s recognition that the sound is a phone ringing, and perception is his initial confusion with the alarm.
C) Sensation involves Tom's confusion about the sound, while perception involves the brain receiving the sound waves
D) Both sensation and perception refer to Tom's interpretati
Correct Answer: A) Sensation refers to the process of Tom hearing the sound waves, while perception is his interpretation of that sound as an alarm.
Explanation: Sensation refers to the physiological process of receiving a sensory input. In this scenario sensation occurs when Tom's ears pick up the sound waves from the ringing phone. Perception is how our brain interprets and makes sense of the sensory information we receive. In this case, perception is Tom initially thinking the sound is an alarm, which is a mental process where he interprets the sound based on his previous experiences or assumptions.
Your teacher reads a list of 30 words to memorize. When she's done reading the list, she has you solve math problems for five minutes. After that, she tells you to write down as many words as you can remember. Which words are you most likely to remember?
A) The words at the beginning
B) The words in the middle
C) The words at the end
D) The words at the beginning and end
Correct Answer: A) The words at the beginning
Explanation: The answer is the words at the beginning because this is an example of primacy effect. Since the teacher had the person solve math problems for five minutes, that delay and not immediate recall will diminish the recency effect of retaining the words at the end because it is most recent in your short term memory.
Samantha’s teacher gives her a weekly pop quiz, and she feels nervous every time she’s about to take one. After a few weeks, Samantha realizes that if she completes her homework consistently, the teacher often skips the quiz for the week. As a result, Samantha starts completing her homework each week to avoid the anxiety of taking the pop quiz.
Which type of operant conditioning is being used in this scenario, and why?
A) Positive reinforcement, because Samantha receives praise from her teacher for completing her homework on time.
B) Negative reinforcement, because Samantha avoids the unpleasant experience of the pop quiz by completing her homework early.
C) Positive punishment, because the teacher is giving Samantha more quizzes to discourage her behavior.
D) Negative punishment, because the teacher is taking away the opportunity to do quizzes if Samantha doesn't complete her homework.
Correct Answer: B) Negative reinforcement, because Samantha avoids the unpleasant experience of the pop quiz by completing her homework early.
Explanation: Negative reinforcement takes away something unpleasant to increase the desired behavior. In this scenario Samantha’s teacher wants students to complete their weekly homework so by students completing the homework (desired behavior) she takes away the quiz for the week (unpleasant).
David is a recent college graduate who has just started his first job. At the beginning of his career, he is focused on ensuring that he can afford rent, food, and other basic necessities. As he becomes more comfortable with his financial situation, he starts thinking about building relationships with coworkers. Eventually, David begins focusing on finding purpose in his work and achieving personal growth.
According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which of the following stages does David primarily focus on at each step in the scenario?
A) At the beginning, David is focused on self-actualization, and later on, he seeks esteem needs.
B) Initially, David is focused on physiological needs, then moves on to safety needs, belongingness, and finally self-actualization.
C) David is focused on safety needs throughout the scenario, with little concern for higher-level needs.
D) David is only concerned with esteem needs and self-actualization throughout the entire scenario.
Correct Answer: B) Initially, David is focused on physiological needs, then moves on to safety needs, belongingness, and finally self-actualization.
Explanation: In the beginning of David’s new career, he focuses on his physiological needs like ensuring he can afford rent, food, and other basic necessities for him to survive. Then he moves onto safety needs when he begins to gain financial stability in his profession. He moves onto belongingness where he focuses on creating connections with his co-workers. Finally he reaches self-actualization when he finds purpose in his work and achieving personal growth.