Deck 1: The Science of Psychology

Question 1

Who claimed that behavior is affected by reinforcement?

A) William James
B) Sigmund Freud
C) B. F. Skinner
D) Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 1

B. F. Skinner

Question 2

________is an experiment in which participants do not know if they are in the experimental or the control group, but the experimenters do know which participants are part of which group.

A) The double-blind study
B) Field research
C) The single-blind study
D) Correlational research

Answer 2

The single-blind study

Question 3

"Children who watch violent cartoons will become more aggressive." According to the scientific method, this statement is most likely a ________.

A) conclusion
B) result
C) hypothesis
D) fact

Answer 3

hypothesis

Question 4

The goals of psychology are to _______.

A) explore the conscious and unconscious functions of the human mind
B) understand, compare, and analyze human behavior
C) improve psychological well-being in all individuals from birth until death
D) describe, explain, predict, and control behavior

Question 5

When you watch dogs play in the park or watch how your professors conduct their classes, you are engaging in a form of ________.

A) case study research
B) naturalistic observation
C) survey research
D) psychometric study

Question 6

A detailed description of a particular individual being studied or treated is called a ________.

A) representative sample
B) case study
C) single-blind study
D) naturalistic observation

Question 7

Which research method involves watching behaviors as they occur without intervening or altering the behaviors in any way?

A) case study
B) experiment
C) correlational studies
D) naturalistic observation

Question 8

Which perspective focuses on free will and self-actualization?

A) psychoanalysis
B) humanism
C) cognitive perspective
D) behaviorism

Question 9

Adaris has always been drawn to the saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," and she decides to incorporate this saying into her research project. Adaris is trying to define absence in a way that can be empirically tested. She is attempting to find an appropriate ________.

A) hypothesis
B) operational definition
C) double-blind study
D) theory

Question 10

Freud said phobias were ________whereas Watson said phobias were ________.

A) learned; inherited
B) repressed conflicts; learned
C) sexual; unconscious
D) conditioned; unconditioned

Question 11

Dr. Jones probably agrees with the _______theory of psychology, since he contends that humans are intelligent species due to the fact that intelligence gives us an advantage in the natural world.

A) psychoanalytic
B) behavioral
C) cognitive
D) evolutionary

Question 12

A good control group ________.

A) contains at least one confound
B) has a limited number of dependent variables
C) has a limited number of research participants
D) holds constant all variables in the experiment

Question 13

Which of the following statements concerning critical thinking is incorrect?

A) There are few truths that need not be tested.
B) All evidence is not equal in quality.
C) Some authorities should not be questioned.
D) Critical thinking requires an open mind.

Question 14

A negative correlation means that ________.

A) high values of one variable are associated with low values of the other
B) high values of one variable are associated with high values of the other
C) low values of one variable are associated with low values of the other
D) there is no relationship between the two variables

Question 15

Experimenters can justify the use of deception because ________.

A) there is informed consent
B) research is more important than people
C) it may be necessary for the experiment to work
D) it is not that harmful

Question 16

Who was an early proponent of functionalism?

A) Ivan Pavlov
B) William James
C) Wilhelm Wundt
D) Max Wertheimer

Question 17

The class is playing a game of Jeopardy! and it is your turn. "I'll take Specialties in Psychology for
$300." The revealed answer is, "These psychological professionals work with situations in which evironmental conditions may have an impact on mental health." What will you say?

A) "What is a neuropsychologist?"
B) "What is a forensic psychologist?"
C) "What is a psychiatric social worker?"
D) "What is a developmental psychologist?"

Question 18

"There is no life outside this solar system and nothing you can say will change that fact!" Which criterion of critical thinking does this person lack?

A) Evidence is only necessary if it can be tested.
B) All evidence is not equal in quality.
C) Authority or expertise does not make the claims of the authority or expert true.
D) Critical thinking requires an open mind.

Question 19

The question "What is happening?" refers to which of the following goals in psychology?

A) description
B) explanation
C) prediction
D) control

Question 20

A(n) ________is a measure of how strongly two variables are related to one another.

A) independent variable
B) dependent variable
C) experimental effect
D) correlation

Question 21

In the definition of psychology, the term mental processes refers to ________.

A) internal, covert activities
B) outward behavior
C) overt actions and reactions
D) only animal behavior

Question 22

Mei was sent to the school psychologist to be tested. Based on her IQ scores, it was decided that she would do well in the gifted child program. This is an example of which goal of psychology?

A) describing behavior
B) explaining behavior
C) predicting behavior
D) controlling behavior

Question 23

Psychologists who give potential employees tests that determine what kind of job those employees might best perform are interested in the goal of ________.

A) description
B) explanation
C) prediction
D) control

Question 24

Which topic would NOT be investigated by a psychologist if the definition of psychology were limited to "the science of behavior"?

A) relation between grade-point average and salary
B) thought processes students used while trying to answer this question
C) how changes in the rate of television violence influence real-life violence
D) effectiveness of several treatments for people who suffer from depression

Question 25

The question "How can it be changed?" refers to which of the following goals in psychology?

A) description
B) explanation
C) prediction
D) control

Question 26

Objective introspection requires:

A) metaphysical experiences.
B) self-skepticism about experiences.
C) empiricism.
D) reflection on the self.

Question 27

Steve is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. With little provocation, he will engage you in a debate about whether it is the greatest team in basketball. Steve may be demonstrating ________.

A) bias
B) critical thinking
C) an eclectic approach
D) unconscious behavior

Question 28

A psychologist is interested in finding out why identical twins have different personalities. This psychologist is most interested in the goal of ________.

A) description
B) explanation
C) prediction
D) control

Question 29

The general curiosity about "what makes people tick":

A) primarily happened after World War II.
B) is about a century old.
C) is several centuries old.
D) has always probably been with us.

Question 30

The question "Why is it happening?" refers to which of the following goals in psychology?

A) description
B) explanation
C) prediction
D) control

Question 31

In addition to describing and explaining mental processes and behavior, psychology also attempts to ________these phenomena.

A) predict and control
B) analyze and manipulate
C) categorize and organize
D) synthesize and regulate

Question 32

The goals of psychology are to ________.

A) explore the conscious and unconscious functions of the human mind
B) understand, compare, and analyze human behavior
C) improve psychological well-being in all individuals from birth until death
D) describe, explain, predict, and control behavior

Question 33

At the close of the nineteenth century, Gerhard is excited to find that he has been accepted for training in the psychology laboratory of Wilhelm Wundt. It is likely that Gerhard will be trained to ________.

A) analyze how to break down his sensations into their most basic elements
B) determine the function or purpose of a particular human behavior
C) listen intently while individuals tell him of their depression or nervousness
D) carefully feel the bumps on a person's head in order to determine his or her character traits

Question 34

The question "When will it happen again?" refers to which of the following goals in psychology?

A) description
B) explanation
C) prediction
D) control

Question 35

You are at a basketball game and the arena is packed; the crowd is evenly split between fans of the two teams. At one point, the referee makes a call. Half of the fans yell insults; the other half of the fans shout their approval. The event reminds you of the topic of today's lecture in psychology class. What was the likely topic of the lecture?

A) bias
B) experiments
C) psychoanalysis
D) extraneous variables

Question 36

Which of these is the most accurate definition of the discipline of psychology?

A) the scientific study of behavior
B) the scientific study of mental processes
C) the scientific study of behavior and mental processes
D) the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes

Question 37

A teacher tells the school psychologist that Kate is late to class, does not turn in her homework, squirms around a lot in her seat, and swings her feet constantly. This is an example of which goal of psychology?

A) describing behavior
B) explaining behavior
C) predicting behavior
D) controlling behavior

Question 38

Participants in research early in psychology's history might have been asked to view a chair and describe its color, shape, and texture and other aspects of their conscious experience. These individuals would have been using a method called ________.

A) hypnosis
B) objective introspection
C) psychosurgery
D) psychoanalysis

Question 39

In 1879, in Leipzig, Germany, the first psychological laboratory was overseen by ________.

A) William James
B) William Tell
C) Wilhelm Wundt
D) Sigmund Freud

Question 40

The question "What is happening?" refers to which of the following goals in psychology?

A) description
B) explanation
C) prediction
D) control

Question 41

Which type of early psychologist believed that "the whole is more than the sum of its parts"?

A) Gestalt psychologist
B) behaviorist
C) structuralist
D) functionalist

Question 42

The class is playing a game of Jeopardy! and it is your turn. "I'll take Pioneers in Psychology for $50." The revealed answer is "Focused on unconscious influences on behavior." Just before the buzzer sounds, what will you say?

A) "Who is B. F. Skinner?"
B) "Who are the humanists?"
C) "Who is Sigmund Freud?"
D) "Who are the behaviorists?"

Question 43

The school of psychology called structuralism used a technique called ________, which involved reporting the contents of consciousness to study a person's experiences.

A) intervention
B) objective introspection
C) insight inventory
D) induction

Question 44

The belief that the unconscious mind has an influence on one's behavior is part of what early field of psychology?

A) structuralism
B) functionalism
C) psychoanalysis
D) behaviorism

Question 45

Who was an early proponent of functionalism?

A) Ivan Pavlov
B) William James
C) Wilhelm Wundt
D) Max Wertheimer

Question 46

The early perspective called Gestalt psychology has evolved into the current perspective called ________.

A) psychoanalysis
B) cognitive psychology
C) behavioral psychology
D) social psychology

Question 47

How our minds help us adapt to the world around us was a primary question addressed by which early movement of psychology?

A) Behaviorism
B) Cognitivism
C) Functionalism
D) Structuralism

Question 48

What is the best analogy for Wundt's and Titchener's mission for psychology?

A) a chart listing the basic chemical elements
B) a list of the courses required for graduation
C) a list of the types of clothing sold at a retail outlet
D) a computer program for word processing a term paper

Question 49

What did Sigmund Freud consider as the key to understanding the nervous disorders he observed?

A) free will
B) brain physiology
C) the unconscious mind
D) external consequences

Question 50

Which of the following terms do NOT belong together?

A) structuralism; observable behavior
B) Gestalt; whole
C) psychoanalysis; unconscious conflict
D) natural selection; functionalism

Question 51

Why was the perspective followed by Wilhelm Wundt and his followers called structuralism?

A) They wanted to identify the major brain structures.
B) Their primary goal was to understand the physiology of the mind.
C) They focused their efforts on analyzing the elements of the nervous system.
D) Their primary focus was on describing the structure of the mind.

Question 52

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" is a statement associated with the perspective of ________.

A) introspection
B) functionalism
C) psychoanalysis
D) Gestalt psychologists

Question 53

If an individual believed that why people think and feel as they do is more important than what they think and how they think, that individual would be a proponent of the ________approach to psychology.

A) structuralist
B) functionalist
C) psychodynamic
D) behaviorist

Question 54

While on a visit to a large city, you observe several billboards in which a series of lights seems to move. Which perspective in psychology would most likely help you understand this phenomenon?

A) Gestalt
B) behavioral
C) humanistic
D) psychodynamic

Question 55

Gestalt psychology attempted to discover:

A) how the mind helped people adapt to the world.
B) the overall patterns of perceptions and thoughts.
C) the basic building blocks of consciousness.
D) the unconscious motivations for human functioning.

Question 56

Which noted African-American psychologist held a post as president of Shaw University in North Carolina and then president of Virginia State College?

A) Charles Henry Thompson
B) Howard Hale Long
C) Robert Prentiss Daniel
D) Albert Sidney Beckham

Question 57

The structuralists were important in the history of psychology because they:

A) examined consciousness and the structure of mental processes.
B) were the first to use brain-scanning techniques to learn about the structure of the brain.
C) realized the limits of introspection and focused on the structure of behaviors.
D) were strongly influenced by Charles Darwin.

Question 58

Early psychologist Edward Titchener taught ________at Cornell University. This woman became famous for becoming the first woman to receive the Ph.D. in psychology.

A) Margaret Meade
B) Lindsey Paul
C) Margaret F. Washburn
D) Maxine Wertheimer

Question 59

Which psychologist was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Chicago in 1925?

A) Charles Henry Thompson
B) Linus Pauling
C) Albert Sidney Beckham
D) Inez Beverly Prosser

Question 60

The first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in psychology in the United States was ________in 1934 at the University of Minnesota.

A) Inez Beverly Prosser
B) Ruth Howard
C) Margaret Mahler
D) Anna Freud

Question 61

Which founding contributors to psychology helped develop behaviorism?

A) Gestalt and Wundt
B) Freud and Watson
C) Watson and Pavlov
D) Pavlov and Wundt

Question 62

Freud said phobias were ________ whereas Watson said phobias were ________.

A) learned; inherited
B) repressed conflicts; learned
C) sexual; unconscious
D) conditioned; unconditioned

Question 63

The school of behaviorism attempted to explain behavior by studying:

A) the reasons people give for their behaviors.
B) the specific personality traits that lead to behavior.
C) how a specific stimulus evokes a specific response.
D) the purposes of people's behavior.

Question 64

Freud stressed the importance of ________.

A) early childhood experiences
B) adolescence
C) early adulthood
D) middle adulthood

Question 65

According to Freud, unconscious urges:

A) are able to be suppressed.
B) only pertain to sex.
C) attempt to surface and affect our behaviors.
D) have no impact on everyday life.

Question 66

Suppose you were a graduate student studying for a Ph.D. in psychology in the 1920s. Your advisor was strongly influenced by John B. Watson. Which of the following might your advisor consider an acceptable choice for your research?

A) a survey of daydreams
B) an analysis of how specific behaviors are acquired
C) a survey of sexual imagery in dreams of men and women
D) an analysis of the thought processes students report while answering test items

Question 67

John B. Watson believed that psychology should involve the study of ________.

A) behavior
B) the mind
C) the brain
D) consciousness

Question 68

What advice might John B. Watson have offered to psychologists of his time?

A) "Focus only on observable behavior."
B) "Life is an effort to overcome inferiority."
C) "We cannot know others until we know ourselves."
D) "Remember that what we accomplish is due to the composition of our genes."

Question 69

Which treatment approach did Sigmund Freud develop for treating his patients?

A) drug therapy
B) neuropsychology
C) clinical psychology
D) psychoanalysis

Question 70

You attend a lecture by a psychologist who uses terms such as free will and self-actualization. Which psychological perspective is most consistent with the points the psychologist presented?

A) The behavioral perspective
B) The humanistic perspective
C) Functionalism
D) The psychodynamic perspective

Question 71

Pavlov's research demonstrated that ________.

A) involuntary reaction (salivation) could occur in response to an unrelated stimulus (sound of a metronome)
B) an unrelated stimulus (salivation) could occur in response to an involuntary reaction (sound of a metronome)
C) involuntary reaction (sound of a metronome) could occur in response to an unrelated stimulus (food)
D) an unrelated stimulus (food) could occur in response to an unrelated stimulus (barking)

Question 72

Who claimed that behavior is affected by reinforcement?

A) William James
B) Sigmund Freud
C) B. F. Skinner
D) Wilhelm Wundt

Question 73

The Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov discovered that ________.

A) dogs would salivate to the sound of a ticking metronome due to habituation
B) dogs would salivate to the sounds of a ticking metronome due to reflexology
C) dogs would salivate to the sound of a ticking metronome due to a learned reflexive response called conditioning
D) dogs would salivate to the sounds of a ticking metronome due to their fear response

Question 74

The more modern form of psychoanalysis is called the ________perspective.

A) Gestalt
B) Humanistic
C) Eclectic
D) Psychodynamic

Question 75

Which perspective focuses on free will and self-actualization?

A) The psychoanalytic perspective
B) The humanistic perspective
C) The cognitive perspective
D) The behavioral perspective

Question 76

Professor Wenches approaches questions about human behavior from a perspective that emphasizes unconscious processes within the individual, such as inner forces or conflicts. It is most likely that she accepts which of the following psychological approaches?

A) social-cognitive learning
B) learning
C) cognitive approach
D) psychodynamic approach

Question 77

Which pair of scientists shared the most similar views of behavior?

A) William James and Wilhelm Wundt
B) B. F. Skinner and Max Wertheimer
C) Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson
D) Carl Rogers and Edward Titchener

Question 78

The work of Freud was built around ________.

A) a theory of personality that emphasizes the awareness of one's own cognitive processes
B) a theory of personality that emphasizes unconscious motives and conflicts
C) a method of psychotherapy in which an observer carefully records and interprets behavior without interfering with the behavior
D) a method of psychotherapy that emphasizes how maladaptive behaviors are learned through imitations of others and through cognitive expectations

Question 79

Sallie noticed that when her alarm clock goes off in the morning, her dog Ruffles is standing by her bed salivating. Every morning when Sallie wakes to the alarm, she immediately rolls out of bed and feeds Ruffles, who very much enjoys his canned dog food. It is likely that Sallie has conditioned Ruffles to _________.

A) enjoy canned dog food
B) sleep next to her bed
C) salivate over canned dog food
D) salivate to the sound of her alarm clock

Question 80

Which type of psychologist would be most likely to argue that a criminal engages in unlawful behavior because he grew up around older boys who engaged in criminal activities?

A) Gestaltist
B) behavioralist
C) psychodynamic
D) functionalist