Question 1

Gestalt psychologists believe that learning:

Accepted Answer

Gestalt psychologists believed that learning is not just a passive response to external stimuli, but could be active and purposeful. They emphasized the importance of insight and problem-solving in learning, rather than just rote memorization or mechanical repetition. This is in contrast to behaviorist approaches that focused solely on observable behavior and positive reinforcement.

Question 2

Jane is a practicing psychologist who assesses the mental status of people charged with crimes and shares her findings with the courts. Jane is most likely a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

Forensic psychology is the application of psychology to the legal system. Forensic psychologists work with both criminal and civil courts, conducting evaluations of mental competency and mental state of individuals involved in legal proceedings, including criminal defendants, victims, and witnesses.

Question 3

The construction of a factory near Valley Mont Elementary School adversely affected the concentration of the students in the school. In order to help the students cope with this problem, the principal of the school invited a(n) _____ who was experienced in dealing with humans and their interactions with their surroundings.

Accepted Answer

An environmental psychologist is an expert in understanding how the environment affects human behavior and wellbeing. In this case, the construction of the factory (environmental factor) has affected the students' concentration (human behavior), making an environmental psychologist the best choice to help address this issue. The other choices (forensic psychologist, social psychologist, and industrial psychologist) do not have the specific expertise needed for this situation.

Question 4

Social-cognitive theorists:

Accepted Answer

Social-cognitive theorists suggest that individuals can modify and create their environments through their thoughts and behaviors, and are not simply passive recipients of environmental influences. They also emphasize the role of observational learning and self-regulation in shaping behavior, rather than just simple reinforcement or repetition.

Question 5

__________are particularly concerned with issues such as anxiety, aggression, and gender roles.

Accepted Answer

Personality psychologists are particularly concerned with analyzing individual differences in behavior and personality traits, including issues such as anxiety, aggression, and gender roles. Human factors psychologists focus on optimizing the design of products and systems for human use. Forensic psychologists work within the criminal justice system to evaluate and provide testimony on legal cases. Industrial psychologists specialize in workplace issues such as employee selection and training, job satisfaction, and leadership development.

Question 6

In Gestalt psychology, learning, especially problem solving, is accomplished primarily by _____.

Accepted Answer

According to Gestalt psychology, learning and problem solving involves insight, or sudden understanding and reorganization of the problem, rather than repetition or mechanical reinforcement.

Question 7

Erica is part of a research group that is studying a group of software executives. She is trying to determine the relationship between workplace stress and cancer. As part of the same study, she also advises her subjects on ways to counter workplace stress. Erica is most likely a__________.

Accepted Answer

Erica is investigating the relationship between workplace stress and cancer, which is a topic that falls under the domain of health psychology. Additionally, she is advising subjects on ways to counter workplace stress, further supporting the likelihood that she is a health psychologist.

Question 8

According to the American Psychological Association's Handbooks of Ethics in Psychology, psychologists may use deception in their experiments:

Accepted Answer

Psychologists may use deception in research only when it is justified by the study's significant prospective value and when effective non-deceptive alternatives are not feasible. Participants must be debriefed afterward to explain the deception and the study's true nature.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of B. F. Skinner's contribution to behaviorism?

Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner believed in the concept of operant conditioning and that behavior is shaped by reinforcement, which is the basis of his contribution to behaviorism. Options B and C are incorrect as Skinner's focus was on behavior and not conscious experience or introspection. Option D is partially correct, but Skinner believed that mental processes should only be studied in terms of their observable effects on behavior, rather than as a separate aspect that warrants its own study.

Question 10

Which of the following is a defining feature of psychoanalysis?

Accepted Answer

Psychoanalysis is a theoretical approach that emphasizes the role of unconscious ideas and impulses that originate in childhood conflicts in shaping adult behavior and mental processes. This is one of the defining features of psychoanalysis. The other options do not accurately describe the focus of psychoanalysis.

Question 11

Identify the neoanalyst among the following.

Accepted Answer

Erik Erikson is classified as a neoanalyst, as he built upon Freud's theories of psychoanalysis but also incorporated cultural and social influences into his work. Aristotle, B.F. Skinner, and Carl Rogers are not neoanalysts, as they developed their own distinct theories and approaches to psychology.

Question 12

According to the biological perspective of psychology,__________interact with inherited factors to determine specific behavior and mental processes.

Accepted Answer

The biological perspective of psychology emphasizes that environmental factors interact with inherited (genetic) factors to determine behavior and mental processes. This may include aspects such as prenatal development, hormone levels, brain structures, and neurotransmitter functioning. The other options listed (goals, cognitive factors, and dreams) may be studied from other perspectives in psychology, such as the cognitive perspective or the psychoanalytic perspective.

Question 13

Erik works as a counselor. He strongly believes in an individual's capacity for self-fulfillment, self-awareness, and decision making. He follows the principle that people are responsible for choosing their conduct. Erik's beliefs best exemplify the _____ perspective.

Accepted Answer

Erik's belief in an individual's capacity for self-fulfillment, self-awareness, and decision making aligns with the humanistic-existential perspective, which emphasizes the importance of personal growth, free will, and self-determination. The psychodynamic perspective focuses on unconscious processes and unresolved conflicts, the biological perspective emphasizes the role of genetics and biology, and the sociocultural perspective looks at the influence of cultural and social factors on behavior.

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true of clinical psychologists?

Accepted Answer

Clinical psychologists evaluate and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, including anxiety and depression, through interviews and psychological tests. They do not typically specialize in environmental issues (A), only minor adjustment problems (C), or legal matters (D).

Question 15

When following the scientific method, psychologists usually begin a study by:

Accepted Answer

Formulating a research question is typically the first step in the scientific method. This helps direct the research and allows for the development of hypotheses to be tested.

Question 16

One of the advantages of__________is that by distributing questionnaires and analyzing answers with a computer, psychologists can study many thousands of people at a time.

Accepted Answer

Surveys involve distributing questionnaires and analyzing answers with a computer. They allow psychologists to study many thousands of people at a time, which is advantageous for gathering a large amount of data quickly and efficiently. Case studies and interviews are more in-depth but are limited in terms of sample size, and simulation techniques may not involve actual human subjects.

Question 17

A _____ is a complete group of interest to researchers, from which a sample is drawn for an experiment.

Accepted Answer

A population is the complete group of individuals or objects of interest to researchers, from which a sample is selected.

Question 18

A person has trouble adjusting with the new students in his classroom. He does not have any serious psychological disorders but has trouble making new friends. A(n) _____ would most likely be consulted to help the person.

Accepted Answer

Since the person is having trouble making friends in the classroom, a counseling psychologist would be the most appropriate professional to consult. Counseling psychologists typically specialize in providing therapy and support to individuals who are facing emotional and social difficulties, such as adjusting to new environments and making friends.

Question 19

While industrial psychologists focus on the relationships between people and work,__________study the behavior of people in workplaces such as businesses.

Accepted Answer

Organizational psychologists focus on how individuals behave within organizations and how organizations can optimize the performance of their employees. Forensic psychologists focus on the application of psychology to legal matters, while developmental psychologists study how people develop and change throughout their lives. Personality psychologists focus on understanding individual differences in behavior, thought, and emotion.

Question 20

Identify a true statement about functionalism.

Accepted Answer

Functionalism emphasizes the study of behavior and the mind or consciousness, unlike option A which suggests only observable behavior is focused on. Wilhelm Wundt is associated with structuralism, not functionalism. Option C is incorrect because functionalism views the stream of consciousness as continuous, not discontinuous.

Quiz 1: What Is Psychology