Memory and Learning Games Flashcards

In the Pymetrics balloon game, what cognitive trait is being measured when you choose to stop inflating early?

Answer: Risk aversion and impulse control

Stopping the balloon early reflects risk aversion, as you forgo potential reward to avoid loss — a key measure of impulse control and risk tolerance.

Which aspect of memory does the 'Digits Forward' task in Pymetrics-style assessments primarily evaluate?

Answer: Phonological loop capacity

Digits Forward tasks engage the phonological loop, the verbal rehearsal component of working memory that holds sequences of sounds.

If a candidate's accuracy in a card-matching memory game drops significantly on the second pass, what does this most likely indicate?

Answer: Strong interference susceptibility

Declining accuracy on a second pass suggests proactive interference, where earlier memories disrupt the encoding of new information.

In Pymetrics' learning games, 'exploitation vs. exploration' trade-offs measure which cognitive tendency?

Answer: Preference for familiar vs. novel strategies when seeking rewards

Exploitation vs. exploration captures whether a person sticks with known rewarding options or samples new ones — a core dimension of adaptive learning.

What does a high 'learning rate' parameter in a Pymetrics reinforcement learning game indicate about a candidate?

Answer: They update beliefs strongly after each outcome

A high learning rate means each new outcome heavily shifts the candidate's strategy, indicating fast but potentially volatile adaptation.

In a Pymetrics task requiring recall of symbol sequences, which strategy best improves performance?

Answer: Chunking symbols into meaningful groups

Chunking reduces cognitive load by grouping items, allowing more information to be held within working memory limits.

Which game mechanic in Pymetrics specifically tests your ability to suppress a previously rewarded response?

Answer: Reversal learning tasks

Reversal learning tasks require you to stop doing what previously worked and switch to a new rule, measuring cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control.