Deck 6: Charting Your Course in the Major

Question 1

How did William Perry describe dualistic learners?

A) They are confident that they already have all the answers.
B) They prefer simple answers over complex answers.
C) They show little curiosity.
D) They dislike learning.

Answer 1

They prefer simple answers over complex answers.

Question 2

You are in a class and have answered the majority of the professor's questions. However, in your very next attempt to answer, the professor appears to ignore your raised hand, even though no one else is volunteering. What is the MOST plausible explanation for your professor's reluctance to call on you?

A) The professor doesn't like you very much.
B) The professor doesn't see that you want to answer a question.
C) The professor may be signaling you that you are participating too much.
D) The professor was not really expecting an answer.

Answer 2

The professor may be signaling you that you are participating too much.

Question 3

How many goals did the American Psychological Association outline as appropriate to guide the undergraduate psychology curriculum?

A) 5
B) 10
C) 7
D) 15

Answer 3

5

Question 4

William Perry describes those who dislike ambiguity as _____ learners.

A) dualistic
B) committed
C) relativistic
D) egocentric

Question 5

Is it a bad idea to avoid taking statistics and methods?

A) Yes. The majority of students don't pass the first time.
B) Yes. Advanced courses will be easier when those courses have been passed.
C) No. Most advanced classes can be taken in any order.
D) No. Students should be able to choose when they want to take challenging courses.

Question 6

What is the MOST important value of completing a certificate program?

A) It compensates for a low grade point average.
B) It guarantees employment in the field of the specialization.
C) It documents your capacity to finish extraordinary demands.
D) It provides evidence of specialization that may help in the workforce.

Question 7

Learners who expect and manage complexity are referred to by William Perry as:

A) relativistic.
B) committed.
C) dualistic.
D) abstract.

Question 8

What is a characteristic of novice learners in psychology?

A) They enjoy complex theoretical descriptions of behavior.
B) They make accurate inferences about motivations for complex behavior.
C) They are inclined to believe pseudoscientific explanations.
D) They reliably distinguish independent and dependent variables in research.

Question 9

What does it mean to be nonselective in using resources to write a paper?

A) to avoid doing any review of the scientific literature before writing a paper
B) to read extensively in the literature before picking the best sources to use
C) to stick with the work of the most important author in developing a paper
D) to use only the first sources you find in developing a paper

Question 10

Should you take harder courses rather than taking it easy by taking "throwaway" courses in your final semesters?

A) Yes. It documents your seriousness as a scholar.
B) Yes. You should do so because everyone will be scrutinizing your transcript.
C) No. You should be able to treat yourself after working hard.
D) No. You have the right to take any course you want to fulfill requirements.

Question 11

Which statement is an example of a pseudoscientific claim about behavior?

A) Nature and nurture both affect behavior.
B) Personality can be predicted by handwriting styles.
C) Twins have similar intelligence levels.
D) Optimal functioning requires about 8 hours of sleep.

Question 12

What is the term for a collection of artifacts that illustrate academic accomplishments?

A) dossier
B) library
C) portfolio
D) panorama

Question 13

Which person illustrates variable-mindedness?

A) Bonnie focuses on how race moderates behavior.
B) Julie strategizes how many different factors might affect behavior.
C) Margie likes to think about creative strategies for control groups.
D) Tammy predicts what the majority of participants is likely to do.

Question 14

Ideally, when should you take the GRE?

A) after completing all graduation requirements
B) at the halfway point
C) in the fall of the senior year
D) halfway through the last semester

Question 15

Why don't Ratemyprofessor.com ratings tend to be reliable or valid measures of course quality?

A) Because students can't rate the professor long after the course is over
B) Because students' comments are screened by the website host
C) Because the ratings service uses only the most current reactions of students
D) Because only those who loved or hated the course tend to contribute to the survey

Question 16

Should you ask your professor, "Did I miss anything important?" when you can't make it to class?

A) Yes, because it shows you are serious about getting the most from class
B) Yes, because there are no other legitimate ways to catch up on what you missed
C) No, because it sounds like you are implying that the class often wastes time
D) No, because it probably wouldn't be worth the effort

Question 17

The amiable skeptic is someone who believes claims that

A) come from personal experience.
B) have testimonial support.
C) can be defended by empirical evidence.
D) are positive in nature.

Question 18

What is the outcome you can expect from successfully completing a four-year undergraduate degree in psychology?

A) You can be called a psychologist.
B) You can think like a psychologist.
C) You must publish an honors thesis to be called a psychologist.
D) You develop expertise in the broad range of the discipline of psychology.

Question 19

What's the BEST strategy if you don't get into graduate school the first time you apply?

A) Abandon the plan. Competition will only be worse the following year.
B) Reapply to schools that have a closer match with your qualifications.
C) Reapply to the rejecting schools with an appropriate appeal.
D) Take it as a clear sign that you should head into the workforce rather than try again.

Question 20

How do developing learners differ from novice learners?

A) They pay less attention to ethics.
B) They accept the necessity of taking a scientific approach to explaining behavior.
C) They are less comfortable using and criticizing theory.
D) They show less concern with precision.

Question 21

List and comment on steps that advanced learners can take to prepare for life after graduation, whether that means the pursuit of a graduate degree or entering the workforce.

Question 22

Identify six steps developing psychology majors should take in order to get the most educational and practical experience they can from their studies.

Question 23

Discuss five steps novice psychology majors should take in order to demonstrate they are serious about doing well in the discipline.

Question 24

Why is taking a statistics course or even courses an important part of being a psychology major?

Question 25

What are the three stages that most students experience when they major in psychology? What happens during each stage?

Question 26

When should an experimental psychology class be taken-earlier or later in the major?