WGU D570 Cognitive Psychology Pre-assessment and
Assessment Practice Questions and Correct Answers
Plus 2026 Study Guide/ D570 Exam Practice Guide Latest
This comprehensive psychology study guide includes verified questions and
correct answers covering high-yield topics in cognitive processes, perception,
attention, decision-making, problem-solving, developmental psychology,
memory, and learning theories. Designed for students preparing for
psychology, education, or behavioral health exams, this resource reflects
2025–2026 academic standards with real-world examples and application-
based scenarios. Ideal for WGU students, mental health learners, and test
takers seeking mastery of foundational concepts.
What is measured by the paper folding test? - CORRECT ANSWER-Spatial Imagery
What is mental imagery? - CORRECT ANSWER-The ability to recreate sensory information
without physical stimuli
What is a component of psychosocial development? - CORRECT ANSWER-Personality
A child reads the following incorrect sentence: "The car was traveling down the hills were beautiful."
Which cognitive process illustrates casual inference? - CORRECT ANSWER-The child infers that
the hills being beautiful are caused by the motion of the moving car
An individual drives along a familiar route to work, consciously making decisions like signaling and
checking for traffic, while unconsciously maintaining a steady speed and reacting to hazards. Which
cognitive phenomenon does this scenario illustrate? - CORRECT ANSWER-Dual Processing
Which sleep stage is characterized by decreased respiration, heart rate, body temperature, muscle
tension, and is easy to wake? - CORRECT ANSWER-Non-rapid eye movement (NREM)1
,What are depressant drugs - CORRECT ANSWER-substances that reduce central nervous
system activity and consciousness
Which part of the brain controls the biological clock of the body impacting sleep-wake cycles? -
CORRECT ANSWER-hypothalamus
Which term is described as being "a special dual processing state of 'split consciousness'?" -
CORRECT ANSWER-dissociation
Which substance causes a euphoric high, feelings of intense elation, or pleasure? - CORRECT
ANSWER-methamphetamine
How does an individual solve problems using the Gestalt approach? - CORRECT ANSWER-by
picturing the problem in one's mind and then representing it in a different way
How do individuals solve the Tower of Hanoi Problem? - CORRECT ANSWER-by implementing
means-end analysis, individuals move discs from one set of pegs to another between the initial and
goal states by creating subgoals.
A brother and sister are arguing over who should get the last slice of pizza. How do the siblings use the
trade-off strategy to decide who get s the last piece of pizza? - CORRECT ANSWER-the brother
realizes that he wants the pepperoni topping and sister wants the crust, so he takes pepperoni and she
takes crust.
A team of computer programmers is trying to find a solution to fix a problem with their company's
email system. After working on the problem for several hours, they have yet to solve it. How can the
programmers use incubation to solve the problem? - CORRECT ANSWER-The programmers
agree to take a 2 hour lunch break, and once they return, they come up with several possible solutions
Sophia is a mental health therapist and her client, oliver, expressed grief over recent death of his
mother. Sophia also finds herself sad. How do mirror neurons explain sophia's empathy for her
client? - CORRECT ANSWER-when she observed her client's sadness, Mirror neurons in her
brain fired, allowing her to feel empathy for him as a result.
,How does top-down processing explain perception? - CORRECT ANSWER-perception is
shaped by an individual's prior knowledge and experience
How do psychologists view the role of experience in perception according to Gestalt's principles? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Gestalt Principles believe role experience in forming what perception is
minor compared to built in perception principles of organism
How does Natural selection explain the oblique effect? - CORRECT ANSWER-Through evolution
visual system was shaped to contain neuron that respond to things frequently found in the
environment
What does the phrase "leaky filter" mean in Treisman's attenuation model - CORRECT ANSWER-
some unattended messages pass through the attenuator.
Jack was excited and cheered when his child scored at a soccer game and then became confused
when the ref called a foul and siallowed the goal. How does inattentional blindness explain Jack's
confusion over the ref's call? - CORRECT ANSWER-Jack was directing his attention to his child,
so he did not see the foul his kid's teammate committed, even though it was in plain sight, which is
why he was confused when the goal didn't count.
How does attention affect information processing? - CORRECT ANSWER-It improves processing
when directed at a particular location
What is the relationship between perceptual load and a person's processing capacity? - CORRECT
ANSWER-person carrying out a difficult, high-load task is less likely to be distracted because they
have the lower limits of processing capacity.
Travis took a vacation to a foreign country. While there, he was robbed. Travis now believes that
everyone from that country is a thief. How do illusory correlations contribute to making judgements
that result in stereotyping? - CORRECT ANSWER-By creating a perceived relationship between
certain groups of people and specific behaviors
All of the dogs are hungry. some hungry animals are aggressive. Some of the dogs are aggressive.
What causes some people to mistakenly think this is a valid syllogism? - CORRECT ANSWER-
a syllogism is valid due to the belief bias
, Mateo goes to vegas. Considers cost of playing, potential payoff, and idea that Slot machine is a losing
position because casino is rigged. Despite this, he plays and loses 500. How can concept of expected
utility approach to decision-making be used to explain Mateo's decision to play the slot machines? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Considers how people are expected to behave but does not always reflect
how people actually behave; people sometimes make decisions not in their best interest.
Dr. Kalani is a psychologist that specializes in treating children and adolescents with depression and
anxiety. He uses a computer game as part of a weekly therapy session with a 12 year old. Why would a
psychologist use a computer game as a form of mental health treatment? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Computer games strengthen the client's engagement with treatment
How does the initial state differ from the goal state in Newell and Simon's problem solving approach
- CORRECT ANSWER-initial state is the situation surrounding the problem at the begining. the
goal state is the solution to the problem
How does defining the problem allow a student to initiate the problem solution process? -
CORRECT ANSWER-defining the problem helps identify goals and their related soltions.
How do insight problems and non-insight problems differ? - CORRECT ANSWER-a person
working through insight problems may not know how close they are to the solution, a person on a
non-insight problem may have a sense of progressing toward the solution.
Which statement describes how mind wandering is related to incubation? - CORRECT ANSWER-
when working on a problem that cannot initially be solved, mind wandering can occur during a break
Which example illustrates how insight is used to solve problems? - CORRECT ANSWER-person
doesn't understand the joke and suddenly laughs when they realize it's a pun
Child recognizes a 3D toy, despite several angles being hidden. How do perceptual processes allow
them to make this recognition? - CORRECT ANSWER-Viewpoint invariance enables object to be
recognized from any angle
How do the 3 components of apparent movement into action to create the misperception of actual
motion? - CORRECT ANSWER-they combine with such speed the eyes perceive motion
Assessment Practice Questions and Correct Answers
Plus 2026 Study Guide/ D570 Exam Practice Guide Latest
This comprehensive psychology study guide includes verified questions and
correct answers covering high-yield topics in cognitive processes, perception,
attention, decision-making, problem-solving, developmental psychology,
memory, and learning theories. Designed for students preparing for
psychology, education, or behavioral health exams, this resource reflects
2025–2026 academic standards with real-world examples and application-
based scenarios. Ideal for WGU students, mental health learners, and test
takers seeking mastery of foundational concepts.
What is measured by the paper folding test? - CORRECT ANSWER-Spatial Imagery
What is mental imagery? - CORRECT ANSWER-The ability to recreate sensory information
without physical stimuli
What is a component of psychosocial development? - CORRECT ANSWER-Personality
A child reads the following incorrect sentence: "The car was traveling down the hills were beautiful."
Which cognitive process illustrates casual inference? - CORRECT ANSWER-The child infers that
the hills being beautiful are caused by the motion of the moving car
An individual drives along a familiar route to work, consciously making decisions like signaling and
checking for traffic, while unconsciously maintaining a steady speed and reacting to hazards. Which
cognitive phenomenon does this scenario illustrate? - CORRECT ANSWER-Dual Processing
Which sleep stage is characterized by decreased respiration, heart rate, body temperature, muscle
tension, and is easy to wake? - CORRECT ANSWER-Non-rapid eye movement (NREM)1
,What are depressant drugs - CORRECT ANSWER-substances that reduce central nervous
system activity and consciousness
Which part of the brain controls the biological clock of the body impacting sleep-wake cycles? -
CORRECT ANSWER-hypothalamus
Which term is described as being "a special dual processing state of 'split consciousness'?" -
CORRECT ANSWER-dissociation
Which substance causes a euphoric high, feelings of intense elation, or pleasure? - CORRECT
ANSWER-methamphetamine
How does an individual solve problems using the Gestalt approach? - CORRECT ANSWER-by
picturing the problem in one's mind and then representing it in a different way
How do individuals solve the Tower of Hanoi Problem? - CORRECT ANSWER-by implementing
means-end analysis, individuals move discs from one set of pegs to another between the initial and
goal states by creating subgoals.
A brother and sister are arguing over who should get the last slice of pizza. How do the siblings use the
trade-off strategy to decide who get s the last piece of pizza? - CORRECT ANSWER-the brother
realizes that he wants the pepperoni topping and sister wants the crust, so he takes pepperoni and she
takes crust.
A team of computer programmers is trying to find a solution to fix a problem with their company's
email system. After working on the problem for several hours, they have yet to solve it. How can the
programmers use incubation to solve the problem? - CORRECT ANSWER-The programmers
agree to take a 2 hour lunch break, and once they return, they come up with several possible solutions
Sophia is a mental health therapist and her client, oliver, expressed grief over recent death of his
mother. Sophia also finds herself sad. How do mirror neurons explain sophia's empathy for her
client? - CORRECT ANSWER-when she observed her client's sadness, Mirror neurons in her
brain fired, allowing her to feel empathy for him as a result.
,How does top-down processing explain perception? - CORRECT ANSWER-perception is
shaped by an individual's prior knowledge and experience
How do psychologists view the role of experience in perception according to Gestalt's principles? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Gestalt Principles believe role experience in forming what perception is
minor compared to built in perception principles of organism
How does Natural selection explain the oblique effect? - CORRECT ANSWER-Through evolution
visual system was shaped to contain neuron that respond to things frequently found in the
environment
What does the phrase "leaky filter" mean in Treisman's attenuation model - CORRECT ANSWER-
some unattended messages pass through the attenuator.
Jack was excited and cheered when his child scored at a soccer game and then became confused
when the ref called a foul and siallowed the goal. How does inattentional blindness explain Jack's
confusion over the ref's call? - CORRECT ANSWER-Jack was directing his attention to his child,
so he did not see the foul his kid's teammate committed, even though it was in plain sight, which is
why he was confused when the goal didn't count.
How does attention affect information processing? - CORRECT ANSWER-It improves processing
when directed at a particular location
What is the relationship between perceptual load and a person's processing capacity? - CORRECT
ANSWER-person carrying out a difficult, high-load task is less likely to be distracted because they
have the lower limits of processing capacity.
Travis took a vacation to a foreign country. While there, he was robbed. Travis now believes that
everyone from that country is a thief. How do illusory correlations contribute to making judgements
that result in stereotyping? - CORRECT ANSWER-By creating a perceived relationship between
certain groups of people and specific behaviors
All of the dogs are hungry. some hungry animals are aggressive. Some of the dogs are aggressive.
What causes some people to mistakenly think this is a valid syllogism? - CORRECT ANSWER-
a syllogism is valid due to the belief bias
, Mateo goes to vegas. Considers cost of playing, potential payoff, and idea that Slot machine is a losing
position because casino is rigged. Despite this, he plays and loses 500. How can concept of expected
utility approach to decision-making be used to explain Mateo's decision to play the slot machines? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Considers how people are expected to behave but does not always reflect
how people actually behave; people sometimes make decisions not in their best interest.
Dr. Kalani is a psychologist that specializes in treating children and adolescents with depression and
anxiety. He uses a computer game as part of a weekly therapy session with a 12 year old. Why would a
psychologist use a computer game as a form of mental health treatment? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Computer games strengthen the client's engagement with treatment
How does the initial state differ from the goal state in Newell and Simon's problem solving approach
- CORRECT ANSWER-initial state is the situation surrounding the problem at the begining. the
goal state is the solution to the problem
How does defining the problem allow a student to initiate the problem solution process? -
CORRECT ANSWER-defining the problem helps identify goals and their related soltions.
How do insight problems and non-insight problems differ? - CORRECT ANSWER-a person
working through insight problems may not know how close they are to the solution, a person on a
non-insight problem may have a sense of progressing toward the solution.
Which statement describes how mind wandering is related to incubation? - CORRECT ANSWER-
when working on a problem that cannot initially be solved, mind wandering can occur during a break
Which example illustrates how insight is used to solve problems? - CORRECT ANSWER-person
doesn't understand the joke and suddenly laughs when they realize it's a pun
Child recognizes a 3D toy, despite several angles being hidden. How do perceptual processes allow
them to make this recognition? - CORRECT ANSWER-Viewpoint invariance enables object to be
recognized from any angle
How do the 3 components of apparent movement into action to create the misperception of actual
motion? - CORRECT ANSWER-they combine with such speed the eyes perceive motion
