Question 1

________ psychology, according to the authors, is a relative newcomer of psychology, making its appearance in the late 1980s.
A) Cognitive
B) Functionalistic
C) Humanistic
D) Evolutionary

Accepted Answer

The question asks about a newer field of psychology that emerged in the late 1980s. The only option that fits this description is evolutionary psychology, which focuses on the role of evolution in shaping human behavior and cognition. Cognitive psychology has been around for much longer, since the mid-20th century, while functionalistic psychology dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Humanistic psychology emerged in the mid-20th century as a response to behaviorism and psychoanalysis.

Question 2

The tension brought about by the debate concerning the study of unobservable mental processes versus the study of only directly observable behaviors was eased with the arrival of ________.
A) behaviorism
B) the cognitive revolution
C) Gestalt psychology
D) humanistic psychology

Accepted Answer

The cognitive revolution resulted in an increased focus on the study of mental processes, such as perception, memory, and thinking, while still acknowledging the importance of observable behavior. This eased the tension between those who believed in studying only behaviors and those who believed in studying unobservable mental processes.

Question 3

The goal of cognitive neuroscience is to ________.
A) discover the nature, organization, and operation of mental events by studying the brain
B) demonstrate that concepts like reinforcement and punishment are really irrelevant
C) prove that psychological motivations for behavior do not originate in the brain
D) demonstrate that human brain functioning and animal brain functioning are essentially the same

Accepted Answer

The goal of cognitive neuroscience is to study the relationship between the brain and mental processes, such as perception, attention, memory, language, and decision-making. It aims to discover the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive function and behavior through various methods such as brain imaging, neuropsychology, and electrophysiology. Choice B, C, and D are inaccurate statements that do not reflect the goal or purpose of cognitive neuroscience.

Question 4

Self-actualization was part of which of the following perspectives?
A) behaviorism
B) cognitive perspective
C) functionalism
D) humanism

Accepted Answer

Self-actualization was a central concept in the humanistic perspective of psychology, which emphasizes personal growth and fulfillment of one's potential. Behaviorism emphasizes the role of the environment in shaping behavior, while cognitive psychology focuses on mental processes such as thinking and perception. Functionalism, while emphasizing practical applications of psychology, did not include the concept of self-actualization.

Question 5

Who claimed that behavior is affected by positive reinforcement?
A) William James
B) Sigmund Freud
C) B. F. Skinner
D) Wilhelm Wundt

Accepted Answer

B. F. Skinner was a psychologist who introduced the concept of operant conditioning, which focuses on behavior being affected by positive reinforcement.

Question 6

Which school of psychology questioned whether psychologists should study the mind?
A) psychodynamic theory
B) behaviorism
C) Gestalt psychology
D) the cognitive revolution

Accepted Answer

Behaviorism is the school of psychology that questioned whether psychologists should study the mind, instead advocating for a focus on observable behavior.

Question 7

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) B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson
D) Carl Rogers and Edward Titchener

Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson both believed in the importance of observable behavior and rejected the idea of studying consciousness or internal mental processes. They were both behaviorists who believed that behavior is shaped by environmental factors such as rewards and punishments. In contrast, William James and Wilhelm Wundt were more interested in studying mental processes and subjective experience, while Max Wertheimer and Edward Titchener were both structuralists who focused on breaking down consciousness into its component parts. Carl Rogers was a humanistic psychologist who emphasized the importance of self-actualization and personal growth, which is quite different from the behaviorist perspective of Skinner and Watson.

Question 8

What advice might John B. Watson have offered to psychologists of his time?
A) "Focus 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."

Accepted Answer

Watson was a behaviorist and his primary focus was on observable behavior. He believed that psychology should only concern itself with behavior that can be directly observed and measured, and not with subjective phenomena like thoughts and feelings.

Question 9

One of the reasons psychodynamic theories have persisted over the years is that they are ________________.
A) supported by significant scientific research
B) based on facts
C) difficult to scientifically test and, thus, difficult to disprove
D) used by the majority of psychologists

Accepted Answer

Psychodynamic theories, such as Freud's theory of psychoanalysis, rely heavily on subjective interpretations and the exploration of unconscious processes. These concepts can be difficult to measure and test using empirical methods, making it challenging to disprove psychodynamic theories. Therefore, they have persisted over the years despite a lack of scientific evidence to support them.

Question 10

Freud would have argued that a person who obsessively washes their hands ________.
A) has some sort of neurological deficit
B) is experiencing some form of conscious distress
C) is reacting to an unacceptable unconscious sexual or aggressive impulse
D) is angry at themselves or someone else

Accepted Answer

According to Freudian theory, obsessive handwashing can be a manifestation of the individual's unconscious repressed aggressive or sexual impulses. The act of washing hands is a displacement behavior that provides a temporary release of tension caused by the unconscious conflict. The individual may not be consciously aware of the underlying cause of their behavior.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

The school of behaviorism focused on studying how a specific stimulus (environmental factor) can elicit a specific response (behavior). It did not heavily consider the internal reasons or purposes behind behavior, or the role of individual traits in shaping behavior.

Question 12

Humanist Abraham Maslow suggests that when people self-actualize, they ________.
A) develop to their fullest potential
B) avoid negative consequences of behavior
C) seek maximum reward for all their behaviors
D) learn from their mistakes and move on

Accepted Answer

Self-actualization is the highest level on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, where individuals develop to their fullest potential, becoming confident, self-aware, and able to fulfill their goals and aspirations. Avoiding negative consequences, seeking maximum reward, and learning from mistakes are not unique to self-actualization.

Question 13

Evolutionary psychologists propose that people lie because ________.
A) unconscious forces lead them to do so
B) people are rewarded for doing so
C) doing so gave our ancestors an advantage for survival
D) they have been lied to

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychologists propose that people lie because doing so gave our ancestors an advantage for survival. In early human societies, individuals who were able to deceive others and manipulate social situations were more likely to obtain resources and mates, therefore increasing their chances of survival and reproduction. This behavior was selected for over generations, leading to the prevalence of lying in present-day humans.

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

John B. Watson was a behaviorist who believed that psychology should only study observable behaviors, so an analysis of how specific behaviors are acquired would be an acceptable choice for research. The other options involve mental processes, which Watson would not consider a proper subject for study.

Question 15

Humanistic psychology focused on the level of the ________.
A) brain
B) person
C) group
D) brain and the person

Accepted Answer

Humanistic psychology focused on understanding the unique experiences and perspectives of the individual person, rather than reducing behavior to biological or social factors. Therefore, the answer is B - person.

Question 16

________ was closely associated with the school of behaviorism.
A) William James
B) Max Wertheimer
C) B. F. Skinner
D) Wilhelm Wundt

Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner was one of the most prominent figures associated with the school of behaviorism, which focused on observable behavior and the reinforcement or punishment of that behavior. William James was associated with functionalism, Max Wertheimer with Gestalt psychology, and Wilhelm Wundt with structuralism.

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

Dr. Jones believes that intelligence is advantageous in the natural world, which aligns with the principles of evolutionary psychology. The other theories - psychoanalytic, behavioral, and cognitive - do not focus so heavily on the natural selection and survival of humans.

Question 18

Evolutionary psychology suggests that certain cognitive strategies and goals are built into the brain because ________.
A) they help humans adapt to their natural environment
B) human brains are similar to the brains of the higher primates
C) they are the result of learning that has taken place over many centuries
D) they are the result of memories we have inherited from our ancestors

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychology proposes that certain cognitive strategies and goals have evolved through natural selection because they have helped humans successfully adapt to their natural environments over time. This suggests that these strategies and goals are innate and built into our brains rather than the result of learning or inherited memories.

Question 19

Cultural universals, or instances of the same practice occurring in all cultures, is probably the best source of evidence, according to the authors, for ________ psychology.
A) behavioral
B) cognitive
C) evolutionary
D) functional

Accepted Answer

Cultural universals are practices that exist in all cultures, and they are thought to reflect universal human behaviors and traits. This provides strong support for evolutionary psychology, which suggests that many human behaviors and traits are the result of adaptive evolutionary pressures.

Question 20

From a scientific perspective, a major problem with psychodynamic theory is that ________.
A) it focuses too much on sex
B) it is impossible to test its principles
C) mental processes are hidden from awareness
D) there is no unconscious

Accepted Answer

Psychodynamic theory proposes the existence of unconscious mental processes that influence behavior, emotions, and thoughts. However, because these processes are hidden from awareness, it is difficult to test psychoanalytic hypotheses using objective methods. This lack of scientific testing makes it difficult to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of psychodynamic theory.

Quiz 1: Introduction to the Science of Psychology: History and Research Methods

________ psychology, according to the authors, is a relative newcomer of psychology, making its appearance in the late 1980s.

The tension brought about by the debate concerning the study of unobservable mental processes versus the study of only directly observable behaviors was eased with the arrival of ________.

The goal of cognitive neuroscience is to ________.

Self-actualization was part of which of the following perspectives?

Who claimed that behavior is affected by positive reinforcement?

Which school of psychology questioned whether psychologists should study the mind?

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

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

One of the reasons psychodynamic theories have persisted over the years is that they are ________________.

Freud would have argued that a person who obsessively washes their hands ________.

The school of behaviorism attempted to explain behavior by studying ________.

Humanist Abraham Maslow suggests that when people self-actualize, they ________.

Evolutionary psychologists propose that people lie because ________.

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?

Humanistic psychology focused on the level of the ________.

________ was closely associated with the school of behaviorism.

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.

Evolutionary psychology suggests that certain cognitive strategies and goals are built into the brain because ________.

Cultural universals, or instances of the same practice occurring in all cultures, is probably the best source of evidence, according to the authors, for ________ psychology.

From a scientific perspective, a major problem with psychodynamic theory is that ________.