EPPP Test Cognitive-Affective Bases Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An individual who just consumed a large amount of caffeine finds their heart racing while watching a horror movie. They interpret their physiological arousal as intense fear. Which theory of emotion best accounts for this process of physiological arousal followed by a cognitive label?
- James-Lange Theory
- Cannon-Bard Theory
- Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory (Correct answer)
- Facial Feedback Hypothesis
Correct answer: Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory
The Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory posits that emotion arises from two factors: physiological arousal and a cognitive label for that arousal. In this scenario, the individual experiences arousal (from caffeine) and then uses the context (a horror movie) to label that arousal as fear. The James-Lange theory suggests the emotion follows the physiological response directly without a cognitive label, while the Cannon-Bard theory argues that physiological arousal and emotional experience occur simultaneously and independently.
Question 2: A psychologist has been using the same password for their primary email account for several years. After a security update, they are required to create a new, more complex password. They now find it difficult to recall their old password. This memory failure is an example of:
- Proactive interference
- Source amnesia
- Decay theory
- Retroactive interference (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Retroactive interference
Retroactive interference occurs when newly learned information hinders the recall of older information. In this case, the new password memory is interfering with the ability to retrieve the old password memory. Proactive interference is the opposite, where old information interferes with learning new information.
Question 3: Which of the following schedules of reinforcement is known for producing a high and steady rate of response and is the most resistant to extinction?
- Fixed-Interval
- Variable-Ratio (Correct answer)
- Fixed-Ratio
- Variable-Interval
Correct answer: Variable-Ratio
The variable-ratio schedule provides reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses. This unpredictability leads to a high, steady rate of responding and makes the behavior very resistant to extinction because the learner is always hopeful that the next response will be the one that is reinforced. Gambling and lottery games are classic examples of this schedule.
Question 4: The idea that the specific language an individual speaks influences their perception and conceptualization of the world is the central tenet of which of the following?
- Chomsky's Universal Grammar
- The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (Correct answer)
- Drive-Reduction Theory
- The Cocktail Party Effect
Correct answer: The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, also known as the principle of linguistic relativity, posits that the structure of a language affects its speakers' cognition and worldview. Chomsky's Universal Grammar suggests an innate, common underlying structure to all languages. Drive-Reduction Theory is a theory of motivation, and the Cocktail Party Effect relates to selective attention.
Question 5: A child who loves to draw for her own enjoyment is enrolled in an after-school program where she is given a sticker for every picture she completes. After several weeks, the sticker reward is discontinued. The child subsequently shows little interest in drawing, even at home. This phenomenon is best explained by:
- The overjustification effect (Correct answer)
- Classical conditioning
- The shaping principle
- Drive-reduction theory
Correct answer: The overjustification effect
The overjustification effect occurs when an expected external incentive, such as a sticker or money, decreases a person's intrinsic motivation to perform a task they once enjoyed for its own sake. The external reward (sticker) undermines the internal motivation (enjoyment of drawing), so when the reward is removed, the behavior decreases. This is a key concept within Self-Determination Theory.
Question 6: The ability to focus on a single conversation in a loud, crowded room while filtering out other conversations and background noise is a cognitive phenomenon known as:
- The Stroop Effect
- Change Blindness
- The Cocktail Party Effect (Correct answer)
- Attentional Blink
Correct answer: The Cocktail Party Effect
The Cocktail Party Effect describes the ability to focus one's auditory attention on a particular stimulus while filtering out a range of other stimuli, much like one might do at a party. It is a classic example of selective attention. The other options are different types of attentional phenomena: the Stroop Effect involves interference in reaction time of a task, Change Blindness is failing to notice changes in the visual field, and Attentional Blink is a phenomenon where a second target is missed if it appears soon after a first one.
EPPP Test Cognitive-Affective Bases Questions and Answers
An individual who just consumed a large amount of caffeine finds their heart racing while watching a horror movie.
They interpret their physiological arousal as intense fear.
Which theory of emotion best accounts for this process of physiological arousal followed by a cognitive label?