Deck 1: What Is Psychology

Question 1

Which of the following was a classic pseudoscientific theory that related bumps on the head to personality traits, and did not disappear until well into the twentieth century?

A) introspection
B) functionalism
C) phrenology
D) behaviorism

Answer 1

phrenology

Question 2

Observing violent role models can influence some children to behave aggressively themselves. Which of the following psychological perspectives is this phenomenon an example of?

A) behaviorist perspective
B) learning perspective
C) social-cognitive perspective
D) biological perspective

Answer 2

social-cognitive perspective

Question 3

_______________ emphasized the purpose of behavior as opposed to its analysis and description.

A) Structuralism
B) Functionalism
C) Humanism
D) Behaviorism

Answer 3

Functionalism

Question 4

The founder of functionalism was:

A) Sigmund Freud.
B) William James.
C) Wilhelm Wundt.
D) E. B. Titchener.

Question 5

In almost all states, a _______________ is required to obtain a license to practice clinical psychology.

A) doctorate
B) master's degree
C) medical degree
D) certificate from a psychoanalytic institute

Question 6

Which of the following is one of the critical-thinking guidelines described in the textbook?

A) don't overthink; go with your gut reaction
B) define your terms
C) accept all opinions as equally valid
D) simplify as much as possible

Question 7

Critical thinking requires:

A) creativity for creating alternative explanations.
B) treating all theories as equally valid.
C) low tolerance for uncertainty.
D) emotional reasoning.

Question 8

Which modern psychological perspective focuses on how people reason, remember, understand language, and solve problems?

A) the learning perspective
B) the cognitive perspective
C) the sociocultural perspective
D) the psychodynamic perspective

Question 9

Compared to "pop psychology," psychology:

A) is based on empirical evidence.
B) is less complex.
C) addresses only human behavior.
D) is narrower in the issues it addresses.

Question 10

Which of the following is true about the professional activities of psychologists?

A) All psychologists see patients.
B) Some psychologists serve as consultants to governments or businesses.
C) Psychology researchers are not allowed to do work in nonacademic settings.
D) Psychology researchers are not allowed to provide counseling services in a mental health setting.

Question 11

A major point of difference between basic research and applied research is that:

A) basic research involves experimentation and applied research involves psychiatry.
B) basic research studies physical processes and applied research studies mental processes.
C) basic research studies only humans, whereas applied research studies both animals and human beings.
D) basic research is done to acquire knowledge and applied research is done to solve practical problems.

Question 12

Psychology is defined as the discipline concerned with:

A) the study of all physical stimuli that affect human sensations and perceptions.
B) behavior and mental processes and how they are affected by an organism's physical state, mental state, and external environment.
C) the study of humankind and the importance of culture in explaining the diversity in human behavior.
D) maladaptive human behaviors and cognitions that are incorporated into a person's self-worth during childhood.

Question 13

_______________ established the first psychological laboratory in 1879.

A) Sigmund Freud
B) John Locke
C) William James
D) Wilhelm Wundt

Question 14

Which of the following approaches was popular during the early days of modern psychology?

A) the structuralist perspective
B) the cognitive-biological perspective
C) the feminist perspective
D) the sociocultural perspective

Question 15

The first person to announce that he intended to make psychology a science was:

A) William James.
B) Joseph Gall.
C) John Locke.
D) Wilhelm Wundt.

Question 16

A _______________ is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats mental disorders and takes a more biological approach than other psychotherapists.

A) psychiatrist
B) psychoanalyst
C) LCSW
D) MFCC

Question 17

_______________ involved the analysis of the basic elements or building blocks of the mind.

A) Functionalism
B) Structuralism
C) Humanism
D) Behaviorism

Question 18

Jacob studies how people change and grow over time physically, mentally, and socially. He is a(n) _______________ psychologist.

A) industrial/organizational
B) developmental
C) educational
D) psychometric

Question 19

Unlike modern psychologists, great thinkers of the past:

A) relied primarily on observations based on anecdotes and descriptions of individual cases.
B) wanted to describe, predict, understand, and modify behavior.
C) relied heavily on empirical evidence.
D) wanted to know what motivated people's actions.

Question 20

_______________ founded the field of psychoanalysis.

A) Sigmund Freud
B) William James
C) Wilhelm Wundt
D) E. B. Titchener

Question 21

"I really want to believe that my vague recollection of an incident that occurred at Disneyland as a preschooler is true, but that doesn't mean that it is true." Which of the following critical thinking guidelines does this example illustrate?

A) examine the evidence
B) define your terms
C) don't oversimplify
D) avoid emotional reasoning

Question 22

Compared to "pop psychology," psychology:

A) is based on empirical evidence.
B) is less complex.
C) addresses only human behavior.
D) is narrower in the issues it addresses.

Question 23

Beliefs that are taken for granted are called:

A) assumptions.
B) traits.
C) reinforcers.
D) archetypes.

Question 24

Which of the following would give the most accurate view of psychology?

A) hearing a radio call-in show facilitated by a therapist
B) searching the Internet to see what the popular opinion is on when to begin toilet training an infant
C) reading a self-help book about how to get over a breakup
D) reading a newspaper article on the causes of bullying, which describes some of the current research evidence

Question 25

Real psychology differs from popular psychology and its pseudoscientific relatives in that it is based on:

A) popular opinion.
B) the ideas of prominent psychoanalysts.
C) empirical evidence.
D) the latest theories.

Question 26

Critical thinking gives importance to:

A) emotional reasoning.
B) commonsense statements.
C) looking for flaws in claims and arguments.
D) accepting all opinions as having equal merit.

Question 27

Critical thinking involves:

A) pessimistic thinking when trying to solve a problem.
B) using one's intuition to assess claims made by researchers.
C) using evidence to make objective judgments.
D) detecting emotional cues to find hidden agendas in research.

Question 28

The ability to make judgments on the basis of well-supported reasons rather than emotion or anecdote is called:

A) applied psychology.
B) critical thinking.
C) functionalism.
D) introspection.

Question 29

Empirical findings are those that:

A) rely on observation, experimentation, or measurement.
B) characterize an entire set of research data.
C) are conducted in a field setting outside of a laboratory.
D) compare subjects of different ages at a given time.

Question 30

Critical thinkers try to:

A) use anecdotes to support their arguments.
B) base their arguments on emotional convictions.
C) identify unspoken assumptions.
D) avoid uncertainty at all costs.

Question 31

Which of the following is one of the eight essential critical-thinking guidelines?

A) accept generalizations
B) express intolerance for uncertainty
C) examine the evidence
D) practice emotional reasoning

Question 32

Which of the following would be an example of "argument by anecdote"?

A) "My gut feeling is that it isn't the right time to get married."
B) "I know that marriage doesn't work out, because both of my uncles ended up divorced and alone."
C) "That is my opinion and nothing is going to change my mind."
D) "What evidence is there to support your claim?"

Question 33

Psychobabble is:

A) an innate mental module that allows young children to develop communication skills.
B) a pseudoscience covered by a veneer of psychological language.
C) incoherent speech linked by remote associations called "word salads."
D) a child's first word combinations which omit unnecessary words.

Question 34

Critical thinking requires:

A) creativity for creating alternative explanations.
B) treating all theories as equally valid.
C) low tolerance for uncertainty.
D) emotional reasoning.

Question 35

Which of the following best describes the academic field of psychology?

A) It is restricted to the study of mental and emotional disorders, personal problems, and psychotherapy.
B) It is restricted to the study of humans.
C) Its approach is similar to popular psychology.
D) It is the study of not just exceptional experiences but also commonplace ones.

Question 36

Critical thinkers should approach psychology textbooks as:

A) being almost entirely correct.
B) an opportunity to generate alternative explanations.
C) being almost entirely incorrect.
D) a way to reduce uncertainties.

Question 37

Critical thinkers analyze their assumptions and those of others. Which of the following statements best demonstrates this skill?

A) "My boss won't let me work from home, but her decision is based on the belief that employees are more productive at the office."
B) "I think my girlfriend is cheating on me, but I'm too angry right now to think logically."
C) "It's OK to admit that I don't know the answer when my son asks me a question."
D) "There's probably no single reason why people commit crimes."

Question 38

Which of the following is one of the critical-thinking guidelines described in the textbook?

A) don't overthink; go with your gut reaction
B) define your terms
C) accept all opinions as equally valid
D) simplify as much as possible

Question 39

Which of the following helps explain why so many people go to psychics?

A) There is empirical evidence that some psychic predictions are accurate.
B) Seeing a psychic is cheaper than seeing a therapist.
C) Belief in psychic abilities gives people a sense of control and predictability.
D) Psychics use subliminal messaging to manipulate people's beliefs.

Question 40

Psychology is defined as the discipline concerned with:

A) the study of all physical stimuli that affect human sensations and perceptions.
B) behavior and mental processes and how they are affected by an organism's physical state, mental state, and external environment.
C) the study of humankind and the importance of culture in explaining the diversity in human behavior.
D) maladaptive human behaviors and cognitions that are incorporated into a person's self-worth during childhood.

Question 41

In contrast to modern psychologists, ancient scholars explored human nature primarily through:

A) empirical evidence.
B) experimentation.
C) trained introspection.
D) insights inferred from anecdotes.

Question 42

_______________ established the first psychological laboratory in 1879.

A) Sigmund Freud
B) John Locke
C) William James
D) Wilhelm Wundt

Question 43

The first psychological laboratory was officially established by Wilhelm Wundt in:

A) America.
B) Holland.
C) Germany.
D) Russia.

Question 44

Andie claims that phrenology is a pseudoscience and not a true science. Which of the following statements supports her claim?

A) When phrenologists found large "stealing" bumps on the head of a person who was not a thief, they concluded that other positive bumps held this characteristic in check.
B) Most of the phrenologists received inadequate training in the analysis of head bumps and so there were variations in their predictions.
C) Phrenologists relied heavily on the theories of Charles Darwin, and yet they could not link the bumps to evolutionary adaptation.
D) When "bumps" did not accurately explain a person's characteristics, the phrenologists explained the contradiction by hypothesizing traumatic childhood experiences.

Question 45

The formal discipline of psychology, as we know it today, began:

A) in Ancient Greece.
B) in the Middle Ages.
C) in the 1600s.
D) in the 1800s.

Question 46

Wilhelm Wundt is known for:

A) initiating the movement to make psychology a science.
B) developing eight guidelines for critical thinking.
C) establishing phrenology as a science.
D) training doctors to treat mental illness.

Question 47

Which of the following was a classic pseudoscientific theory that related bumps on the head to personality traits and did not disappear until well into the twentieth century?

A) introspection
B) functionalism
C) phrenology
D) behaviorism

Question 48

_______________ had inferred that the brain is the ultimate source of all pleasures and sorrows long before it was verified, and he is now known as the father of modern medicine.

A) Hippocrates
B) Wilhelm Wundt
C) Sigmund Freud
D) John Locke

Question 49

In their research studies, contemporary psychologists rely heavily upon:

A) empirical evidence.
B) anecdotes from personal experience.
C) individual case descriptions.
D) phrenology.

Question 50

The first person to announce that he intended to make psychology a science was:

A) William James.
B) Joseph Gall.
C) John Locke.
D) Wilhelm Wundt.

Question 51

Randy meets a Californian who grows his own vegetables and refuses to eat nonorganic food. Randy concludes that Californians are overzealous about nutrition. This type of error illustrates the importance of which critical thinking guideline?

A) don't oversimplify
B) tolerate uncertainty
C) avoid emotional reasoning
D) examine the evidence

Question 52

"My memory of getting knocked down by a wave at Newport Beach could be based on what my parents told me later, not on my own recollection." Which of the following critical thinking guidelines does this example illustrate?

A) define your terms
B) avoid emotional reasoning
C) consider other interpretations
D) don't oversimplify

Question 53

_______________ is revered by psychologists because he was the first person to announce that he intended to make psychology a science.

A) Wilhelm Wundt
B) William James
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Joseph Gall

Question 54

Unlike modern psychologists, great thinkers of the past:

A) relied primarily on observations based on anecdotes and descriptions of individual cases.
B) wanted to describe, predict, understand, and modify behavior.
C) relied heavily on empirical evidence.
D) wanted to know what motivated people's actions.

Question 55

Phrenology:

A) is a modern perspective in psychology.
B) is the study of the thought processes and behaviors of criminals.
C) is a theory arguing that the mind works by associating ideas arising from experiences.
D) is a pseudoscience relating the bumps on one's head to personality traits.

Question 56

Sam, a business-owner, sought the help of a friend to find out which employees were likely to be loyal and honest if hired. The friend examined the bumps on the heads of all applicants and gave Sam a list of the employees he should hire. Sam's friend is a _______________.

A) sociologist
B) alchemist
C) psychiatrist
D) phrenologist

Question 57

The forerunners of psychology developed the theory of phrenology, which in Greek means:

A) a map of thoughts.
B) a map of behavior.
C) study of the mind.
D) study of mental diseases.

Question 58

A manuscript on human nature is discovered and scientists confirm that it is the work of an ancient scholar. In this manuscript, human nature is most likely explored through:

A) empirical evidence.
B) experimentation.
C) trained introspection.
D) insights inferred from anecdotes.

Question 59

"I may never know for sure whether some of my childhood memories are real or accurate." Which of the following critical thinking guidelines does this example illustrate?

A) avoid emotional reasoning
B) don't oversimplify
C) tolerate uncertainty
D) ask questions and be willing to wonder

Question 60

A difference between the great thinkers of history and today's psychologists is that:

A) modern psychologists want to describe, predict, understand, and modify behavior.
B) modern psychologists rely heavily on empirical evidence.
C) modern psychologists wonder whether emotion controls us or is something we can control.
D) modern psychologists want to know how people take in information through their senses and use that information to solve problems.

Question 61

The goal of trained introspection, a research method in psychology popularized by Wilhelm Wundt, was to:

A) break down behaviors into their most basic elements.
B) determine the strongest character trait in an individual.
C) learn by listening intently to individuals with psychological disorders.
D) feel bumps on a person's head and accurately determine character traits.

Question 62

Researchers in Wilhelm Wundt's laboratory studied:

A) phrenology.
B) psychology.
C) sociology.
D) chemistry.

Question 63

Most psychologists eventually rejected the method of trained introspection in psychological research as being too:

A) objective.
B) subjective.
C) expensive.
D) time-consuming.

Question 64

In America, Wilhelm Wundt's ideas were popularized by one of his students, E. B. Titchener, who gave Wundt's approach the name:

A) structuralism.
B) psychoanalysis.
C) functionalism.
D) behaviorism.

Question 65

_______________ is revered by psychologists because his laboratory was the first to have its results published in a scholarly journal.

A) René Descartes
B) Aristotle
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Wilhelm Wundt

Question 66

_______________ emphasized the purpose of behavior as opposed to its analysis and description.

A) Structuralism
B) Functionalism
C) Psychoanalysis
D) Behaviorism

Question 67

Which school of thought in psychology hoped to analyze sensations, images, and feelings into basic elements?

A) phrenology
B) structuralism
C) functionalism
D) psychoanalysis

Question 68

The research method used by Wilhelm Wundt in which volunteers were taught to carefully observe, analyze, and describe their own sensations, mental images, and emotional reactions is called _______________.

A) critical thinking
B) trained introspection
C) experimentation
D) conceptual proliferation

Question 69

A person is asked to look at an apple and then describe the various elements that make up her perception (e.g., color, shape, size, etc.). Which of the following schools of psychology is this research most likely a part of?

A) psychoanalysis
B) functionalism
C) behaviorism
D) structuralism

Question 70

_______________ involved the analysis of the basic elements or building blocks of the mind.

A) Functionalism
B) Structuralism
C) Humanism
D) Behaviorism

Question 71

In America, Wilhelm Wundt's ideas were popularized by one of his students, _______________, who gave Wundt's approach the name "structuralism."

A) Sigmund Freud
B) John Watson
C) William James
D) E. B. Titchener

Question 72

_______________ is a research method popularized by Wilhelm Wundt in which trained volunteers take as long as 20 minutes to report their inner experiences during a 1.5-second experiment.

A) Conceptual proliferation
B) Critical thinking
C) Experimentation
D) Trained introspection

Question 73

Several middle-school girls watch their classmates, Jon and Jason, engage in a rough-and-tumble wrestling match. The attention of the girls seems to intensify the boys' play. A psychologist trained in the functionalist school would wonder:

A) What are the most basic elements of the boys' behavior?
B) Do these boys have smaller head bumps devoted to "cautiousness" than most boys?
C) What is the purpose of rough-and-tumble play in the adaptive changes of early adolescence?
D) Did these boys experience childhood traumas that unconsciously cause aggression?

Question 74

Reliance on introspection got structuralists into trouble because:

A) despite their training, introspectors often produced conflicting reports.
B) they failed to generate an intensive program of research.
C) they emphasized the purpose of behavior, as opposed to its analysis and description.
D) trained introspection was rejected as being too objective.

Question 75

Your textbook discusses a famous laboratory set up in Leipzig, Germany in 1879. The goal of this laboratory was the study of:

A) psychology.
B) phrenology.
C) sociology.
D) chemistry.

Question 76

Who of the following was a famous functionalist?

A) William James
B) Wilhelm Wundt
C) Sigmund Freud
D) E. B. Titchener

Question 77

A person is asked to break down all the different components of taste when biting into an orange. Which of the following schools of psychology is this research most likely a part of?

A) psychoanalysis
B) functionalism
C) behaviorism
D) structuralism

Question 78

Which of the following approaches was popular during the early days of modern psychology?

A) the structuralist perspective
B) the cognitive perspective
C) the feminist perspective
D) the sociocultural perspective

Question 79

Which school of thought in psychology used the method of trained introspection in research studies?

A) phrenology
B) structuralism
C) functionalism
D) psychoanalysis

Question 80

The founder of functionalism was:

A) Sigmund Freud.
B) William James.
C) Wilhelm Wundt.
D) E. B. Titchener.