PSYCH 357 EXAM 2: COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION
BANK – HEURISTICS, MEMORY, DECISION-MAKING,
AND BRAIN MECHANISMS COMPLETE WITH 100%
VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. Which of the following best defines the "availability heuristic" in
judgment and decision-making?
A) Estimating probability based on how well an event matches a
prototype
B) Judging likelihood by the ease with which examples come to mind
C) Adjusting an initial anchor based on new information
D) Overestimating one’s own ability to predict random events
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The availability heuristic involves judging frequency or
probability by how readily instances come to memory (e.g., more
memorable events seem more common). A is representativeness, C is
anchoring, D is overconfidence.
2. Damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) most
impairs which aspect of decision-making?
A) Short-term memory for options
B) Emotional signaling of future outcomes
C) Perceptual speed in visual search
,D) Phonological loop capacity
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: vmPFC integrates emotional signals (somatic markers) to
guide advantageous choices; damage leads to poor real-life decisions
despite intact logic.
3. In signal detection theory, a liberal response bias means the
observer is more likely to say:
A) "No" when a signal is present
B) "Yes" regardless of signal presence
C) "Yes" when uncertain, increasing false alarms
D) "No" to avoid false alarms
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Liberal bias means a low criterion → more “yes” responses,
increasing hits but also false alarms. B is too extreme (always yes) but C
captures the probabilistic shift.
4. Which effect demonstrates that memory is reconstructed rather
than replayed verbatim?
A) Serial position effect
B) Misinformation effect
C) Spacing effect
D) Testing effect
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The misinformation effect shows post-event information
alters recall, proving memory is reconstructive and prone to errors.
,5. A patient with anterograde amnesia cannot form new explicit
memories but can learn a mirror-tracing skill. This supports:
A) Episodic and semantic memory are identical
B) Procedural memory is intact while declarative memory is impaired
C) The hippocampus stores all memory types
D) Implicit memory requires conscious awareness
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Mirror tracing is procedural (implicit) memory, spared in
amnesia; declarative (explicit) memory is impaired.
6. The "representativeness heuristic" leads people to ignore which
crucial statistical concept?
A) Base rate
B) Regression to the mean
C) Sample size
D) Confidence interval
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Representativeness makes people judge probability by
similarity to a stereotype, neglecting base rate frequencies.
7. Which brain structure is critical for transferring short-term
memories into long-term declarative memory?
A) Amygdala
B) Cerebellum
C) Hippocampus
D) Caudate nucleus
Correct Answer: C
, Explanation: Hippocampus consolidates declarative memories;
amygdala handles emotional memory; cerebellum procedural; caudate
habit learning.
8. In the Iowa Gambling Task, healthy participants learn to avoid
disadvantageous decks because they develop:
A) Explicit knowledge of probabilities from the first trial
B) A conscious strategy to count wins and losses
C) Somatic markers (skin conductance responses) before conscious
awareness
D) Enhanced working memory capacity
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Somatic markers (e.g., anticipatory SCRs) signal risk
unconsciously, guiding behavior before explicit knowledge emerges.
9. The Stroop effect demonstrates that:
A) Automatic processes can interfere with controlled processes
B) Controlled processes are always faster
C) Attention cannot be divided between two modalities
D) Semantic memory is independent of perceptual processing
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Reading words is automatic; naming ink color is controlled.
Interference occurs when word and color mismatch.
10. Which memory phenomenon is best explained by the spreading
activation model?
BANK – HEURISTICS, MEMORY, DECISION-MAKING,
AND BRAIN MECHANISMS COMPLETE WITH 100%
VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. Which of the following best defines the "availability heuristic" in
judgment and decision-making?
A) Estimating probability based on how well an event matches a
prototype
B) Judging likelihood by the ease with which examples come to mind
C) Adjusting an initial anchor based on new information
D) Overestimating one’s own ability to predict random events
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The availability heuristic involves judging frequency or
probability by how readily instances come to memory (e.g., more
memorable events seem more common). A is representativeness, C is
anchoring, D is overconfidence.
2. Damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) most
impairs which aspect of decision-making?
A) Short-term memory for options
B) Emotional signaling of future outcomes
C) Perceptual speed in visual search
,D) Phonological loop capacity
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: vmPFC integrates emotional signals (somatic markers) to
guide advantageous choices; damage leads to poor real-life decisions
despite intact logic.
3. In signal detection theory, a liberal response bias means the
observer is more likely to say:
A) "No" when a signal is present
B) "Yes" regardless of signal presence
C) "Yes" when uncertain, increasing false alarms
D) "No" to avoid false alarms
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Liberal bias means a low criterion → more “yes” responses,
increasing hits but also false alarms. B is too extreme (always yes) but C
captures the probabilistic shift.
4. Which effect demonstrates that memory is reconstructed rather
than replayed verbatim?
A) Serial position effect
B) Misinformation effect
C) Spacing effect
D) Testing effect
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The misinformation effect shows post-event information
alters recall, proving memory is reconstructive and prone to errors.
,5. A patient with anterograde amnesia cannot form new explicit
memories but can learn a mirror-tracing skill. This supports:
A) Episodic and semantic memory are identical
B) Procedural memory is intact while declarative memory is impaired
C) The hippocampus stores all memory types
D) Implicit memory requires conscious awareness
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Mirror tracing is procedural (implicit) memory, spared in
amnesia; declarative (explicit) memory is impaired.
6. The "representativeness heuristic" leads people to ignore which
crucial statistical concept?
A) Base rate
B) Regression to the mean
C) Sample size
D) Confidence interval
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Representativeness makes people judge probability by
similarity to a stereotype, neglecting base rate frequencies.
7. Which brain structure is critical for transferring short-term
memories into long-term declarative memory?
A) Amygdala
B) Cerebellum
C) Hippocampus
D) Caudate nucleus
Correct Answer: C
, Explanation: Hippocampus consolidates declarative memories;
amygdala handles emotional memory; cerebellum procedural; caudate
habit learning.
8. In the Iowa Gambling Task, healthy participants learn to avoid
disadvantageous decks because they develop:
A) Explicit knowledge of probabilities from the first trial
B) A conscious strategy to count wins and losses
C) Somatic markers (skin conductance responses) before conscious
awareness
D) Enhanced working memory capacity
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Somatic markers (e.g., anticipatory SCRs) signal risk
unconsciously, guiding behavior before explicit knowledge emerges.
9. The Stroop effect demonstrates that:
A) Automatic processes can interfere with controlled processes
B) Controlled processes are always faster
C) Attention cannot be divided between two modalities
D) Semantic memory is independent of perceptual processing
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Reading words is automatic; naming ink color is controlled.
Interference occurs when word and color mismatch.
10. Which memory phenomenon is best explained by the spreading
activation model?
