Question 1

A concern with the reasoning processes that contribute to effective problem solving is most characteristic of the ________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

The cognitive perspective is focused on the mental processes involved in thinking, problem solving, and decision making. Thus, it is most concerned with the reasoning processes that contribute to effective problem solving. Behavioral psychology, in contrast, is focused primarily on observable behavior, evolutionary psychology is concerned with how behaviors have evolved over time, and social-cultural psychology looks at how cultural factors shape behavior and cognition.

Question 2

Professor Hernandez attempts to assess the extent to which both hereditary and environmental factors contribute to gender differences in the risk for alcohol use disorder.Her research best illustrates the concerns of the ________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

The behavior genetics perspective focuses on understanding the contribution of both genetic and environmental factors to individual differences in behavior and traits. In this case, Professor Hernandez is looking at the extent to which both hereditary and environmental factors play a role in gender differences in alcohol use disorder, which aligns with the interests and goals of the behavior genetics perspective.

Question 3

Which psychological perspective highlights the manner in which people encode,process,store,and retrieve information?

Accepted Answer

The cognitive perspective focuses on the mental processes involved in how people perceive, think, interpret, and remember information. This perspective highlights how people encode, process, store and retrieve information, which is not emphasized in the other perspectives listed.

Question 4

The high school counselor has suggested that Skylar's romantic feelings for her physics teacher reflect her unconscious longings for attention from her own father.The counselor's assessment most clearly reflects a(n)________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

The counselor's assessment that Skylar's romantic feelings for her teacher reflect unconscious longings for attention from her father suggests a psychodynamic perspective. This perspective emphasizes the role of unconscious thoughts and feelings in shaping behavior and mental processes.

Question 5

Dr.MacPherson believes that the way students organize and think about the information in their textbooks will strongly influence their ability to later remember and use what they have studied.Dr.MacPherson's ideas most directly exemplify the ________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

Dr. MacPherson's ideas about the influence of organizing and thinking on memory and usage of information align with the cognitive perspective, which focuses on mental processes such as perception, attention, and memory as essential to understanding behavior and mental functions.

Question 6

A clinical psychologist who explains behavior in terms of unconscious drives and conflicts is employing a(n)________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

The description of explaining behavior in terms of unconscious drives and conflicts is a key feature of the psychodynamic perspective, which emphasizes the role of the unconscious mind in shaping behavior and mental processes.

Question 7

Natassia believes that boys learn to be more aggressive than girls primarily because boys are more frequently pressured to defend themselves with fists.Natassia's belief is best described as an example of the ________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

Natassia's belief that boys learn to be more aggressive than girls due to social pressure to defend themselves aligns with the behavioral perspective, which focuses on how environmental factors shape behavior. This perspective emphasizes the role of reinforcement and punishment in shaping behavior, rather than internal mental processes or unconscious motivations (cognitive and psychodynamic perspectives, respectively) or brain activity (neuroscience perspective).

Question 8

A theoretical perspective in psychology can be like a two-dimensional view of a three-dimensional object because each perspective is

Accepted Answer

A theoretical perspective in psychology may provide a helpful approach to understanding a particular phenomenon, but it does not offer a comprehensive or complete understanding. Each perspective has its limitations, and it may not be able to account for all the complexities of human behavior. Therefore, it can be compared to a two-dimensional view of a three-dimensional object that captures only some aspects of it.

Question 9

Which psychologists are MOST likely to be involved in basic research?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive psychologists are most likely to be involved in basic research which involves studying fundamental principles and theories about behavior and mental processes.

Question 10

The behavioral perspective is most likely to emphasize the importance of

Accepted Answer

The behavioral perspective is rooted in the idea that behavior is shaped by learning through interaction with the environment, including reinforcement, punishment, and observation. Therefore, the importance of learning is central to the behavioral perspective.

Question 11

The evolutionary perspective focuses on the impact of ________ on human traits.

Accepted Answer

The evolutionary perspective emphasizes natural selection as a driving force behind the development of human traits. This perspective suggests that traits that promote survival and reproduction are more likely to be passed down through generations, leading to the evolution of certain characteristics in humans.

Question 12

The evolutionary perspective is to ________ as the behavioral perspective is to ________.

Accepted Answer

The evolutionary perspective focuses on how our biological makeup and genetic inheritance influence our behavior, which aligns with the nature side of the nature vs. nurture debate. The behavioral perspective, on the other hand, emphasizes environmental factors and how conditioning and reinforcement shape behavior, aligning with the nurture side of the debate.

Question 13

Mark believes that people's dislike of bitter-tasting foods has promoted human survival.His belief best illustrates the ________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

The perspective of evolutionary psychology focuses on how behavior and mental processes have evolved over time through natural selection. In this case, Mark's belief about the avoidance of bitter-tasting foods promoting human survival is an example of evolutionary psychology.

Question 14

Which perspective is most directly concerned with how the physical properties of the brain influence behavior and mental states?

Accepted Answer

The neuroscience perspective is most directly concerned with how the physical properties of the brain influence behavior and mental states. This perspective investigates the relationship between the brain, nervous system, and human behavior.

Question 15

Which psychological perspective is most likely to examine how group membership influences individual attitudes and behaviors?

Accepted Answer

The social-cultural perspective focuses on how cultural and societal factors, including group membership and social norms, shape individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Therefore, it is most likely to examine how group membership influences individual attitudes and behaviors.

Question 16

The behavior genetics perspective would be most directly concerned with assessing the relative influences of

Accepted Answer

The behavior genetics perspective is focused on studying the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors in shaping behavior. This is a classic "nature vs. nurture" debate, so the correct answer is C.

Question 17

Dr.Tiao conducts basic research on the effects of head injuries on people's problem-solving and abstract-reasoning skills.Which psychological specialty does her research best represent?

Accepted Answer

The research focuses on the biological effects of head injuries, which falls under the domain of biological psychology.

Question 18

In a class lecture,Professor Hampton emphasized the extent to which abnormal blood chemistry can contribute to psychological disorders.The professor's lecture highlighted a ________ perspective on psychological disorders.

Accepted Answer

The professor's focus on abnormal blood chemistry suggests a focus on biological factors and the role of the brain and nervous system in causing psychological disorders. This aligns with the neuroscience perspective. The other options - psychodynamic, social-cultural, and cognitive - do not necessarily emphasize the biological factors of psychological disorders.

Question 19

Dr.Matias has concluded that very few people in a small African country suffer from alcohol use disorder because of the strong influence of their religion.This belief best illustrates a(n)________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

The belief that religion strongly influences the prevalence of alcohol use disorder in a small African country suggests a social-cultural perspective, which emphasizes the role of cultural and societal factors in shaping behavior and psychological processes.

Question 20

Which perspective is most directly concerned with assessing the relative contributions of heredity and environmental experience to differing levels of human intelligence?

Accepted Answer

Behavior genetics is the perspective that is most directly concerned with assessing the relative contributions of heredity and environmental experience to differing levels of human intelligence. This perspective uses twin and adoption studies to determine the percentage of variation in intelligence that can be attributed to genetics versus environmental factors.

Quiz 1: Thinking Critically With Psychological Science