Deck 1: Introduction to Psychology

Question 1

Which of the following exemplifies the empirical method?

A) A student in a psychology class writes his term paper on whether or not fish feel pain.
B) A student writes a letter to his professor requesting a change in course policy.
C) Dr. Hysock-Witham decides to start her course later because so many students arrive late.
D) Dr. Sarkeesian observes and records how watching cartoons influences heart rates.

Answer 1

Dr. Sarkeesian observes and records how watching cartoons influences heart rates.

Question 2

A series of dots arranged in the shape of a face will be perceived as a face, not a series of dots. A psychologist studying this phenomenon is applying the principals of ________.

A) Gestalt psychology
B) humanism
C) psychoanalytic theory
D) structuralism

Answer 2

Gestalt psychology

Question 3

Which choice is an accurate definition of a hypothesis?

A) An idea that proves a theory
B) A means of explaining social phenomena
C) A way of looking at the world
D) A tentative explanation

Answer 3

A tentative explanation

Question 4

Which of the following choices refers to a broad explanation or group of explanations for some aspect of the natural world that is consistently supported by evidence over time?

A) critical thinking
B) hypothesis
C) statistical validation
D) scientific theory

Question 5

Which of the following exemplifies the unconditional positive regard component of client-centered therapy?

A) Abby tells her therapist that she tripped a small child who got in her way, and her therapist accepts this information without judgment.
B) Boris tells his therapist that that he needs stronger medication and his therapist prescribes it.
C) Natasha is late for her therapy session and her therapist believes she did this because she unconsciously dislikes therapy.
D) Xavier receives a hug from the doctor when he arrives on time; he does not get a hug when he arrives late.

Question 6

Behaviorism focuses on making psychology an objective science by ________.

A) studying how emotional responses influence behavior while deemphasizing the importance of the subconscious
B) studying implicit motivations for behavior through the use of implicit association tests
C) studying overt behavior and deemphasizing the importance of unobservable mental processes
D) studying the genetic basis for behavior and theorizing how instincts influence behavior

Question 7

Functionalist psychologists focus on the function of behavior and ________.

A) explaining the subconscious
B) the operation of individual parts of the mind
C) the operation of the whole mind rather than the individual parts
D) understanding the id, ego, and superego

Question 8

Which individual wrote Principles of Physiological Psychology and is credited with establishing a scientific laboratory of Psychology at the University of Leipzig?

A) Wolfgang Köhler
B) Sigmund Freud
C) Wilhelm Wundt
D) William James

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of an objective measure used by functionalists?

A) examination of anatomy and physiology
B) examination of existing archives and records
C) the use of introspection of one's own experiences
D) interviews with research participants

Question 10

Which of the following is one of the reasons that Gestalt psychology did not become more popular in the United States?

A) The rise of behaviorism overshadowed Gestalt psychology.
B) The proponents were supported and funded by the Nazi party.
C) European psychology is not as rigorous as American psychology.
D) The theories were not based on measurable data.

Question 11

For which concept is Abraham Maslow best known?

A) Classical conditioning of non-human animals
B) Dream analysis for the latent and manifest content of a dream
C) Proposing a hierarchy of human needs in motivating behavior
D) Studying the influence of reinforcement and punishment on behavior

Question 12

Which of the following is a criticism of structuralism?

A) Scientific instruments were not sensitive enough to measure precise reaction times.
B) Structuralism was parsimonious.
C) The process was highly subjective.
D) Wilhelm Wundt falsified his results.

Question 13

According to William James, what was the true purpose of psychology?

A) To interpret dreams for their unconscious messages
B) Studying the function of behavior in the world
C) The manipulation human behavior to the betterment of society
D) Examining the structure and characteristics of the mind

Question 14

Introspection refers to a process by which someone examines ________ as objectively as possible.

A) another person's consciousness
B) her own conscious experience
C) her own unconscious wishes
D) the social construction of consciousness

Question 15

A(n) ________ , also known as an operant chamber, is an instrument that isolates an animal from the external environment and allows a researcher to control that animal's rewards and punishments

A) Gestalt room
B) isolation chamber
C) Skinner box
D) Watson manipulator

Question 16

The cognitive revolution created an impetus for psychologists to focus their attention on better understanding ________.

A) emotions and cultural norms that underlie emotional responses
B) genetics and the evolutionary adaptations that underlie behavior
C) stimulus-response and the instincts that underlie human reaction to pain
D) the mind and mental processes that underlie behavior

Question 17

Guillermo spends some time each day applying the principles of structuralism to examine his own conscious experience as carefully as possible. Guillermo is engaged in ________.

A) behaviorism
B) client-centered therapy
C) introspection
D) psychoanalysis

Question 18

Psychology refers to the ________.

A) empirical study of humanity
B) experimental study of individuals
C) scientific study of the mind and behavior.
D) systematic study of human interaction

Question 19

Which perspective within psychology that emphasizes the potential for good that is innate to all humans.

A) Behaviorism
B) Gestalt psychology
C) Humanism
D) Structuralism

Question 20

The empirical method of study is based on ________.

A) logical positivism.
B) observation of phenomena.
C) practice of skills or procedures.
D) statistical validation.

Question 21

Which of the following is not part of feminist psychology?

A) discovering the contributions of women to psychology
B) favoring women over men
C) questioning the practice of science itself when it is male biased
D) studying psychological gender differences

Question 22

Cognitive psychology focuses on studying ________.

A) genetics and the effect of genetics on behavior
B) sensation and the effect of culture on perception
C) the effect of gender, race, and class on behavior
D) thoughts and their relationship to our experiences and our actions

Question 23

Who was the first African American to receive a PhD in psychology in the United States?

A) Carl Rogers
B) Francis Cecil Sumner
C) Naomi Weisstein
D) Noam Chomsky

Question 24

Edmund wants to identify relatively consistent patterns of thought and behavior, measure these traits, and determine how these traits interact in a particular context to determine how a person will behave in any given situation. Edmund wants to conduct research in the area of ________.

A) cognition
B) perception
C) personality
D) social psychology

Question 25

In the study of personality, the ________ model includes different traits that are believed to underlie each individual's basic tendencies.

A) H.O.P.E.S.
B) Either-Or
C) Fifth Dimension
D) Five Factor

Question 26

In developmental psychology, there is an increasing interest in researching cognitive changes that occur later in life. Why?

A) The elderly are contracting more cognitive diseases.
B) People in developed nations revere the elderly.
C) Populations of developed nations are living longer.
D) Populations of developing nations are dying sooner.

Question 27

Susan wants to study prejudice, attraction, how we explain our own behavior versus how we explain the behavior of others, and how we resolve interpersonal conflicts. Susan should conduct research in the area of ________.

A) Gestalt psychology
B) personality
C) psychoanalysis
D) social psychology

Question 28

Which kind of psychologist would be consulted in jury selection and witness preparation?

A) cognitive
B) counseling
C) forensic
D) legal

Question 29

Select the correctly ordered list of psychological perspectives, with the earliest perspective listed first.

A) humanism, behaviorism, structuralism, functionalism
B) humanism, structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism
C) structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism, humanism
D) structuralism, functionalism, humanism, behaviorism

Question 30

Ashya wants to focus on the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and other problematic patterns of behavior. What area of psychology should she work in?

A) clinical psychology
B) cognitive psychology
C) counseling psychology
D) social psychology

Question 31

What should be changed to make the following statement true? Jean Piaget is famous for his theories regarding changes in emotional ability that occur as we move from infancy to adulthood.

A) The word "emotional" should be changed to the word "cognitive."
B) The word "famous" should be changed to the word "infamous."
C) The word "infancy" should be changed to the word "adolescence."
D) The name "Jean Piaget" should be changed to "Abraham Maslow."

Question 32

Which of the following is an example of research someone might conduct in the area of health psychology?

A) how the age of a leader affects the productivity of the group
B) what personality traits are present more often in men compared to women
C) whether culture influences perception
D) whether people working at a desk are more likely to be obese

Question 33

When studying personality traits, someone who is hardworking, dependable, and organized will score high on the ________ trait.

A) agreeableness
B) conscientiousness
C) extroversion
D) openness

Question 34

Penelope studies how the structure and function of the nervous system is related to behavior. She is a ________.

A) biopsychologist
B) developmental psychologist
C) humanist
D) social psychologist

Question 35

Oona wants to conduct research on personnel management, workplace environment, and what type of environment results in high levels of employee productivity and efficiency. Oona should conduct research in the area of ________ psychology.

A) existential-phenomenological
B) industrial-organizational
C) clinical
D) theoretical

Question 36

Lucy wants to study changes in physical attributes, cognitive skills, moral reasoning, and social behavior across the lifespan. Lucy should specialize in ________ psychology.

A) cognitive
B) developmental
C) personality
D) social

Question 37

Which of the following is a common requirement of a PhD across different schools and/or countries?

A) A year-long internship
B) A dissertation
C) A minimum of three years of coursework
D) Earning licensure

Question 38

What do structuralism, Gestalt psychology, and Sigmund Freud all have in common?

A) They were all concerned with describing and understanding animal behavior.
B) They were all concerned with describing and understanding the inner experience.
C) They were all concerned with diagnosing and treating female psychosis.
D) They were all concerned with the nature of evil during the Nazi regime.

Question 39

Which famous female psychologist completed all of the requirements for a doctorate in psychology but was denied that degree because of her sex?

A) Margaret Floy Washburn
B) Inez Prosser
C) Mary Ainsworth
D) Mary Whiton Calkins

Question 40

In looking at the area of multicultural psychology, what is a recognized deficit of this particular area of study?

A) It can describe what happens between cultures, but not explain why those differences occur.
B) It ignores the relative importance of White psychologists to the larger field.
C) It is biased by serious political agendas among its researchers.
D) There are not enough non-White researchers engaged in data collection.

Question 41

List some facts about the American Psychological Association.

Question 42

What three features are central to Carl Rogers's client-centered therapy?

Question 43

Compare and contrast structuralism and functionalism.

Question 44

The expression "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" would be most applicable to a person who studies ________ psychology, an older model that continues to influence areas like sensation and perception.

Question 45

Why would someone choose to work as an adjunct instructor rather than a professor?