Self Test # 14 - Thought & Language

Note: These questions are part of a larger data base of questions on Module 14 & are selected to 
represent the type of question you should expect on unit exam four. You can, in fact, expect to 
see many of these very same questions on that exam. Exam questions, however, may deal 
with topics not covered in the self tests or in lectures but are disucssed in your textbook. 
You are responsible for the content of your text book plus the content of lectures, interactive 
activities, & material on the web site.

Use these sample questions to test yourself & to practice for the test. 

1. The areas of thinking & language are important topics to study 
in the ________ approach.

 cognitive
 behavioral
 humanistic
 psychoanalytic

2. A way we group objects and events based on some shared 
characteristics is called a _______.

 concept
 heuristic
 cognition
 algorithm

3. According to the exemplar theory of concept formation, we
list all of the essential properties that define an object, event, 
or characteristic. When we encounter an event and need to 
conceptualize it, we proceed to:

 use heuristics
 use algorithms
 compare the selected concept to the prototype
 find the concept that fits all of the essential properties of that event

4. A mental image that is based on the average characteristics of an 
object is called a(n):

 heuristic
 exemplar
 prototype
 algorithm

5. Exemplar theory is to______ as prototype theory is to _______.

a primary; secondary
b biological; psychological
c deep characteristics; surface characteristics
d essential characteristics; average characteristics

6. Research has found that the processes of forming prototypes 
& matching things to prototypes:

 go on at a conscious level
 go on at an unconscious level
 are influenced by grades in school
 are influenced by the proficiency of one’s memory system

7. In problem solving, there are three states. Which of the following 
is not among the three states?

 goal state
 initial state
 operations state
 preparation state

8. Rules which will lead to a solution if followed correctly are called:

 algorithms
 brainstorming
 availability heuristics
 representative heuristics

9. Algorithm is to ________ as heuristic is to _______.

 general; specific
 language; thinking
 rule; mental shortcut
 short; long

10. The inability to see new uses for old objects is called:

 interference
 braindrumming
 divergent thinking
 functional fixedness

11. A person who solves problems by finding a similarity between 
a new situation and an old situation is utilizing:

 insight
 an analogy
 deep structure
 transformational rules

12. Which is not an approach to measuring creativity?

 cognitive
 linguistic
 case study
 psychometric

13. When you begin with a problem & devise many solutions, 
it is called __________, but if you come up with the one correct 
solution, it is called __________.

 analogy; brainstorming
 semantics; insight
 divergent thinking; convergent thinking
 phonology; morphology

14. What term is given to those 10% of autistic persons who shows 
some incredible memory, music, or drawing talent?

 gifted
 savant
 genius
 creative

15. From most particular to most general in the rules of language, 
the correct order is:

 morpheme, phoneme, syntax, semantics
 syntax, phoneme, semantics, morpheme
 phoneme, morpheme, syntax, semantics
 semantics, syntax, morpheme, phoneme

16. In the word “sock”, the sound of the “s” is a(n) _________, whereas 
the use of the “s” to make the word plural is a(n) _____________.

 syntax; semantic
 phoneme; morpheme
 concept; unit of grammar
 overgeneralization; transformational rule

17. A “morpheme” is defined as a:

 pronunciation that is not phonetic
 smallest meaningful combination of sounds in a language
 new word that is formed by combining two existing words
 child’s common mispronunciation of a word that is not phonetic

18. Which of the following words consists of a single morpheme?

 books
 computer
 unspeakable
 uncomfortable

19. According to Noam Chomsky, language operates at two levels:

 sentences & telegraphic speech
 spoken words and censored words
 surface structure and deep structure
 obvious meaning and implied meaning

20. The underlying meaning of a sentence is its:

 phonology
 deep structure
 surface structure
 transformational grammar

21. Which is the correct sequence of stages in children’s acquisition 
of language?

 crying, begging, asking, reasoning
 babbling, one-word, two-word, three-word, four-word, etc.
 babbling, single word, two-word combinations, sentences
 senseless noises, listening, imitation, original productions

22. “Parentese (motherese),” which includes speaking in a higher voice
 and stretching out each word, usually emerges from parents in 
response to their child’s use of:

 words
 babbling
 overgeneralization
 rules of grammar

23. Telegraphic speech is characterized by:

 parentese
 one-syllable verbalization
 two-word combinations
 omission of articles, prepositions, and parts of verbs

24. The debate over how we acquire language concerns 
__________ versus __________.

 superficial / deep-seated
 individual / common to the group
 innate language abilities / environmental language factors
 universal abilities / different skills from one cultural group to another

25. When you use past observations in order to draw a broader 
conclusion, you are using:

 deductive reasoning
 inductive reasoning
 convergent thinking
 divergent thinking

26. Inductive reasoning consists of reasoning:

 to find one correct solution
 to find several correct solutions
 from the particular to the general
 from the general to the particular

27. The notion that language determines the way people think and 
perceive the world is characteristic of:

 overgeneralization
 the social learning approach
 the theory of linguistic relativity
 Chomsky’s theory of language acquisition

28. Which of the following is the correct order of steps in reading?

 phoneme producer, word analyzer, syntax detector
 phoneme producer, word analyzer, automatic detector
 morpheme producer, phoneme analyzer, word detector
 morpheme producer, automatic detector, word analyzer

29. Males and females use language differently. Males use language to
 _________ and females use it to __________.

 solve problems; share concerns
 direct others’ behavior; criticize
 criticize; maintain their independence
 share concerns; maintain their position in a group

30. There are four criteria for having real language. Which of the following 
is not one of the criteria?

 verbally expressed
 set of abstract symbols
 use of abstract symbols
 complex rules for expression
 generate an endless number of meaningful sentences

----------------------------------
Topics in Psychology
Robert C. Gates