Question 1

If a functionalist from the 1870s were alive today, where would we most likely find him?
A) in a laboratory, studying principles of perception
B) in a school, working to improve teaching methods 
C) in a mountain retreat, contemplating the meaning of life
D) in a sleep laboratory, trying to determine if our need for sleep is biologically based

Accepted Answer

Functionalists from the 1870s, like William James, focused on the practical applications of psychological processes, such as improving education and teaching methods.

Question 2

You are at a basketball game and the arena is packed; the crowd is evenly split between fans of the two teams. At one point, the referee makes a call. Half of the fans yell insults; the other half of the fans shout their approval. The event reminds you of the topic of today's lecture in psychology class. What was the likely topic of the lecture?
A) bias 
B) experiments 
C) psychoanalysis
D) extraneous variables

Accepted Answer

The scenario presented in the question reflects a clear bias where the emotions of the fans affect their behavior towards the referee's call. The likely topic of the psychology lecture is bias, as it is an essential concept in social psychology that helps to explain how people perceive, judge, and behave towards others based on their prior beliefs, attitudes, and prejudices.

Question 3

The structuralists were important in the history of psychology because they:
A) examined consciousness and the structure of mental processes. 
B) were the first to use brain-scanning techniques to learn about the structure of the brain.
C) realized the limits of introspection and focused on the function of behaviors.
D) were strongly influenced by Charles Darwin.

Accepted Answer

The structuralists were concerned with examining the structure of the mind and conscious experience through introspection. They believed that by breaking down conscious experiences into their component parts, they could better understand the workings of the mind.

Question 4

In 1879, in Leipzig, Germany, the first psychological laboratory was overseen by ________.
A) William James
B) William Tell
C) Wilhelm Wundt 
D) Sigmund Freud

Accepted Answer

The first psychological laboratory was overseen by Wilhelm Wundt in Leipzig, Germany in 1879. William James and Sigmund Freud were important figures in psychology, but they did not establish the first psychological laboratory. William Tell is a legendary figure in Swiss history and is not related to the establishment of psychological laboratories.

Question 5

In the definition of psychology, the term mental processes refers to ________.
A) internal, covert activities 
B) outward behavior
C) overt actions and reactions
D) only animal behavior

Accepted Answer

Mental processes refer to internal, covert activities such as thinking, feeling, and perceiving rather than overt actions that can be observed by others.

Question 6

Which topic would NOT be investigated by a psychologist if the definition of psychology were limited to "the science of behavior"?
A) relation between grade-point average and salary
B) thought processes students used while trying to answer this question 
C) how changes in the rate of television violence influence real-life violence
D) effectiveness of several treatments for people who suffer from depression

Accepted Answer

"Thought processes" involve mental processes and are not strictly observable behaviors, so they would not fall under the definition of psychology as "the science of behavior."

Question 7

At the close of the nineteenth century, Gerhard is excited to find that he has been accepted for training in the psychology laboratory of Wilhelm Wundt. It is likely that Gerhard will be trained to ________.
A) analyze how to break down his sensations into their most basic elements 
B) determine the function or purpose of a particular human behavior
C) listen intently while individuals tell him of their depression or nervousness 
D) carefully feel the bumps on a person's head in order to determine his or her character traits

Accepted Answer

Gerhard's acceptance in Wilhelm Wundt's psychology laboratory suggests that he will be trained in the method of introspection, where he will learn to break down his sensations into their most basic elements. This method was a foundational approach in Wundt's laboratory, which aimed to understand the nature of consciousness by analyzing its basic components.

Question 8

If an individual believed that why people think and feel as they do is more important than what they think and how they think, that individual would be a proponent of the ________ approach to psychology.
A) structuralist 
B) functionalist 
C) psychodynamic
D) behaviorist

Accepted Answer

The functionalist approach to psychology focuses on the function and purpose of behavior and mental processes. It emphasizes understanding why people think and feel as they do, rather than just describing what they are thinking and how they are thinking.

Question 9

Who was an early proponent of functionalism?
A) Ivan Pavlov
B) William James 
C) Wilhelm Wundt 
D) Max Wertheimer

Accepted Answer

William James was an early proponent of functionalism, which was a school of thought in psychology that focused on the function of mental processes and behaviors, rather than just their structure or components. James believed that the mind evolved to help us adapt to our environment, and that mental processes serve a purpose in helping us achieve our goals and survive.

Question 10

What is the BEST analogy for Wundt's and Titchener's mission for psychology?
A) a chart listing the basic chemical elements 
B) a list of the courses required for graduation
C) a list of the types of clothing sold at a retail outlet
D) a computer program for word processing a term paper

Accepted Answer

Wundt's and Titchener's mission for psychology was to establish a chart or classification of the basic elements of consciousness, similar to the periodic table of elements in chemistry. They sought to break down mental experiences into their most basic components and analyze them, much like chemists break down substances into their constituent parts.

Question 11

Objective introspection required:
A) metaphysical experiences.
B) self-skepticism about experiences.
C) empiricism.
D) reflection on the self.

Accepted Answer

Objective introspection involves examining one's own conscious thoughts and feelings, which aligns with reflection on the self.

Question 12

Participants in research early in psychology's history might have been asked to view a chair and describe its color, shape, and texture and other aspects of their conscious experience. These individuals would have been using a method called ________.
A) hypnosis
B) objective introspection 
C) psychosurgery
D) psychoanalysis

Accepted Answer

Objective introspection was a method used early in psychology's history where participants observed and reported their conscious experiences in response to stimuli, such as viewing and describing a chair. Hypnosis, psychosurgery, and psychoanalysis are different methods or approaches in psychology.

Question 13

The school of psychology called structuralism used a technique called ________, which involved reporting the contents of consciousness to study a person's experiences.
A) intervention 
B) objective introspection 
C) insight inventory
D) induction

Accepted Answer

Structuralism used objective introspection as a technique to study conscious experiences. This involved reporting the contents of consciousness, such as thoughts, feelings, and sensations, in a controlled and systematic way. The goal was to identify the basic elements of consciousness and how they combined to form complex experiences.

Question 14

The general curiosity about why people think, feel, and behave the way they do:
A) primarily happened after World War II.
B) is about a century old.
C) is several centuries old.
D) has always probably been with us.

Accepted Answer

The curiosity about human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is a fundamental aspect of human nature and has likely existed throughout human history.

Question 15

While Margaret F. Washburn may have been the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in psychology in the United States (in 1894), the first African American woman to do so was ________ in 1934 at the University of Minnesota.
A) Inez Beverly Prosser
B) Ruth Howard
C) Margaret Mahler
D) Anna Freud

Accepted Answer

Ruth Howard was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology, achieving this milestone in 1934 at the University of Minnesota.

Question 16

Which of the following terms do NOT belong together?
A) structuralism; observable behavior 
B) Gestalt; whole
C) psychoanalysis; unconscious conflict 
D) natural selection; functionalism

Accepted Answer

Structuralism focuses on analyzing the structure of the mind through introspection, rather than observable behavior.

Question 17

Which psychologist was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in educational psychology in 1925?
A) Charles Henry Thompson 
B) Linus Pauling 
C) Albert Sidney Beckham
D) Inez Beverly Prosser

Accepted Answer

Charles Henry Thompson was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in educational psychology in 1925.

Question 18

How our minds help us adapt to the world around us was a primary question addressed by which early movement of psychology?
A) Behaviorism
B) Cognitivism
C) Functionalism
D) Structuralism

Accepted Answer

Functionalism was an early movement in psychology that focused on the function of behavior and how the mind adapts to the environment. It was concerned with studying the purpose of mental processes and behavior in helping individuals adapt and function in their environment.

Question 19

Steve is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. With little provocation, he will engage you in a debate about whether it is the greatest team in basketball. Steve may be demonstrating ________.
A) bias 
B) critical thinking 
C) an eclectic approach
D) unconscious behavior

Accepted Answer

Steve's strong affinity for the Los Angeles Lakers may indicate a bias towards the team, leading him to engage in a debate about its greatness.

Question 20

Why was the perspective followed by Wilhelm Wundt and his followers called structuralism?
A) They wanted to identify the major brain structures.
B) Their primary goal was to understand the physiology of the mind.
C) They focused their efforts on analyzing the elements of the nervous system.
D) Their primary focus was on describing the structure of conscious experience.

Accepted Answer

Wilhelm Wundt and his followers focused on describing the structure of conscious experience, breaking down experience into its basic elements (such as sensations, feelings, and perceptions). This approach was called structuralism because it focused on analyzing the structure of experience.

Quiz 1: The Science of Psychology

If a functionalist from the 1870s were alive today, where would we most likely find him?

The structuralists were important in the history of psychology because they:

In 1879, in Leipzig, Germany, the first psychological laboratory was overseen by ________.

In the definition of psychology, the term mental processes refers to ________.

Which topic would NOT be investigated by a psychologist if the definition of psychology were limited to "the science of behavior"?

At the close of the nineteenth century, Gerhard is excited to find that he has been accepted for training in the psychology laboratory of Wilhelm Wundt. It is likely that Gerhard will be trained to ________.

If an individual believed that why people think and feel as they do is more important than what they think and how they think, that individual would be a proponent of the ________ approach to psychology.

Who was an early proponent of functionalism?

What is the BEST analogy for Wundt's and Titchener's mission for psychology?

Objective introspection required:

Participants in research early in psychology's history might have been asked to view a chair and describe its color, shape, and texture and other aspects of their conscious experience. These individuals would have been using a method called ________.

The school of psychology called structuralism used a technique called ________, which involved reporting the contents of consciousness to study a person's experiences.

The general curiosity about why people think, feel, and behave the way they do:

While Margaret F. Washburn may have been the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in psychology in the United States (in 1894) , the first African American woman to do so was ________ in 1934 at the University of Minnesota.

Which of the following terms do NOT belong together?

Which psychologist was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in educational psychology in 1925?

How our minds help us adapt to the world around us was a primary question addressed by which early movement of psychology?

Steve is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. With little provocation, he will engage you in a debate about whether it is the greatest team in basketball. Steve may be demonstrating ________.

Why was the perspective followed by Wilhelm Wundt and his followers called structuralism?