Mensa Mensa IQ Working Memory and Processing Speed 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A person reads the list: apple, chair, seven, blue, piano, ninety. They are then asked to recall only the numbers. Which answer is correct?
- seven, ninety (Correct answer)
- seven, blue, ninety
- apple, seven, ninety
- seven, ninety, piano
Correct answer: seven, ninety
The only words representing numbers in the list are 'seven' and 'ninety'.
Question 2: Working memory capacity is best described as the ability to:
- Hold and manipulate information in mind over short periods (Correct answer)
- Store memories permanently in the brain
- Retrieve facts learned years ago
- Process emotional experiences into long-term storage
Correct answer: Hold and manipulate information in mind over short periods
Working memory refers to the temporary holding and active manipulation of information needed for ongoing tasks.
Question 3: In a cancellation task, you must cross out every letter 'T' in a grid of random letters as fast as possible. Accuracy and speed together primarily measure what?
- Processing speed and sustained attention (Correct answer)
- Verbal fluency and semantic memory
- Spatial reasoning and mental rotation
- Executive function and cognitive flexibility
Correct answer: Processing speed and sustained attention
Cancellation tasks measure how quickly and accurately a person detects targets, reflecting processing speed and sustained attention.
Question 4: You are shown the number string 739251846 for 5 seconds, then it disappears. What is the sum of the 3rd and 7th digits?
- 17 (Correct answer)
- 13
- 14
- 11
Correct answer: 17
In 739251846, the 3rd digit is 9 and the 7th digit is 8; their sum is 17.
Question 5: Which of the following tasks would best distinguish a person with high processing speed from one with average processing speed?
- Identifying matching pairs of symbols under strict time limits (Correct answer)
- Recalling a childhood memory in detail
- Explaining the meaning of a complex poem
- Solving a novel logic puzzle with no time limit
Correct answer: Identifying matching pairs of symbols under strict time limits
Timed symbol-matching tasks directly measure processing speed by rewarding rapid, accurate responses under time pressure.
Question 6: A test-taker is given the sequence: 2, 5, 8, 11, 14. They must hold it in memory and report back only the even numbers. Which answer is correct?
- 2, 8, 14 (Correct answer)
- 2, 5, 14
- 8, 14
- 2, 14
Correct answer: 2, 8, 14
From 2, 5, 8, 11, 14 — the even numbers are 2, 8, and 14.
Question 7: Processing speed tends to peak in early adulthood and gradually declines with age. What is the primary neural explanation?
- Reduction in white matter integrity and myelination efficiency (Correct answer)
- Decrease in total gray matter volume in the hippocampus
- Loss of dopamine receptors in the limbic system
- Shrinkage of the prefrontal cortex's working memory centers
Correct answer: Reduction in white matter integrity and myelination efficiency
Processing speed decline with age is primarily linked to degradation of myelin sheaths in white matter, slowing neural signal transmission.
Mensa Mensa IQ Working Memory and Processing Speed 5
A person reads the list: apple, chair, seven, blue, piano, ninety.
They are then asked to recall only the numbers.
Which answer is correct?