Explain how Kohler’s study of chimpanzees came to point to the importance of cognition in learning
What will be an ideal response?
ANSWER:
?Wolfgang Köhler (7–7), became aware that cognitive processes must play a role in learning. Köhler observed that chimpanzees did not always attempt to solve problems in a trial-and-error fashion as predicted by the law of effect. Rather, they often seemed to study a problem for a long time as if formulating a mental plan—before attempting to solve it. In one experiment, Köhler placed a banana just out of reach outside a chimpanzee’s cage, and he placed a stick inside the cage. The law of effect would predict that the chimpanzee would try many random behaviors—like shaking the bars and jumping up and down—before picking up the stick and using it to reach the banana. But this is not what Köhler observed. Instead, the chimpanzee studied the situation and then appeared to suddenly come up with the solution. After this flash of insight into how to solve its dilemma, the chimpanzee picked up the stick and used it to scoot the banana to a point where it could be reached.
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What is the "Barnum effect"? Why is it important to understand the Barnum effect when evaluating the validity of personality profiles? Describe three ways that a person can avoid being taken in by the Barnum effect
What will be an ideal response?
Which of the following describes the Gestalt law of connectedness?
a. A series of stimuli will be perceived as representing a unified form. b. Objects near each other will be perceived as belonging to a common set. c. Humans tend to piece together disconnected bits of information to perceive whole forms. d. Objects positioned together or moving together will be perceived as belonging to the same group. e. Objects that are similar will be perceived as belonging to the same group.