In cognitive psychology, actively listening and thinking during a lecture is best described as which type of processing?

• A. Active processing
• B. Automatic processing
• C. Passive encoding
• D. Sensory adaptation

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key terms related to cognitive processing during learning. 'Active processing' involves conscious, effortful engagement with information, while 'automatic processing' happens without conscious effort.
2. Step 2: Recognize that 'passive encoding' refers to taking in information without deliberate attention or effort, and 'sensory adaptation' is a sensory system's reduced response to constant stimuli, not related to cognitive processing.
3. Step 3: Analyze the scenario: actively listening and thinking during a lecture requires conscious attention and effort to understand and remember the material.
4. Step 4: Match the scenario to the type of processing that involves conscious effort and engagement, which is 'active processing'.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description for actively listening and thinking during a lecture is 'active processing', as it involves deliberate mental effort to encode information.