Deck 1: Psychologys Roots, Big Ideas, and Critical Thinking Tools

Question 1

In its earliest years psychology focused on the study of

A)mental processes.
B)maladaptive behaviors.
C)unconscious motives.
D)brain chemistry.

Answer 1

mental processes.

Question 2

Who was the American philosopher who shared his love of psychology in his 1890 textbook?

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

Answer 2

William James

Question 3

Rodesia insists that Dr.Phillips' theory of aggression be checked against observable evidence.She is demonstrating the scientific attitude of

A)pride.
B)skepticism.
C)practicality.
D)enthusiasm.

Answer 3

skepticism.

Question 4

The view that psychology should be an objective science that studies observable human activity without reference to mental processes is known as

A)behaviorism.
B)cognitive neuroscience.
C)humanistic psychology.
D)positive psychology.

Question 5

The Greek naturalist and philosopher Aristotle suggested the source of our personality is the

A)brain.
B)throat.
C)heart.
D)stomach.

Question 6

The scientific attitude requires an open-minded humility because it involves a willingness to

A)avoid many levels of analysis.
B)reject any ideas that can't be scientifically tested.
C)recognize the errors in our own ideas.
D)respect political beliefs that contradict our own.

Question 7

Beginning in the 1920s,American psychologists such as John B.Watson emphasized the study of

A)genetic influences.
B)self-esteem.
C)conscious thoughts and feelings.
D)observable behavior.

Question 8

Sherry is often overly generous in sacrificing her time to help others.Her friend suggests that by keeping busy in this way Sherry avoids confronting her own unconscious conflicts.Her friend's suggestion illustrates the type of explanation that is most typical of

A)evolutionary psychology.
B)cognitive neuroscience.
C)behaviorism.
D)Freudian psychology.

Question 9

The personality theorist Sigmund Freud was an Austrian

A)chemist.
B)physician.
C)theologian.
D)politician.

Question 10

Observing and recording people's behavior as they are being conditioned is a central interest of

A)Freudian psychology.
B)humanistic psychology.
C)behaviorism.
D)cognitive neuroscience.

Question 11

Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow promoted a historically significant approach known as

A)behaviorism.
B)humanistic psychology.
C)cognitive neuroscience.
D)behavior genetics.

Question 12

Wilhelm Wundt performed experiments to study

A)animal intelligence.
B)personality development.
C)brain structures.
D)mental processes.

Question 13

Which major force in psychology emphasized unconscious sexual conflicts?

A)evolutionary psychology
B)Freudian psychology
C)behavior genetics
D)behaviorism

Question 14

The English naturalist who first proposed evolutionary psychology was

A)Ivan Pavlov.
B)Charles Darwin.
C)John B.Watson.
D)Carl Rogers.

Question 15

Early behaviorists such as John B.Watson would have considered the study of conscious self-awareness to be

A)applied research.
B)a positive psychology.
C)an unscientific method.
D)a biopsychosocial approach.

Question 16

One of the last century's most influential observers of children was the Swiss biologist

A)Charles Darwin.
B)Margaret Floy Washburn.
C)William James.
D)Jean Piaget.

Question 17

Three key elements of the scientific attitude are

A)pride,enthusiasm,and ingenuity.
B)ingenuity,practicality,and certainty.
C)certainty,creativity,and curiosity.
D)curiosity,skepticism,and humility.

Question 18

The birth of psychology is often attributed to Wilhelm Wundt because he pioneered the investigation of mental processes by

A)using a biopsychosocial approach.
B)adopting an evolutionary perspective.
C)advocating positive psychology.
D)conducting the first psychological experiment.

Question 19

Humanistic psychologists focused attention on the importance of people's

A)childhood memories.
B)genetic predispositions.
C)unconscious thought processes.
D)potential for healthy growth.

Question 20

Who was a student of William James and the first female president of the American Psychological Association?

A)Jean Piaget
B)Margaret Floy Washburn
C)Rosalie Rayner
D)Mary Whiton Calkins

Question 21

Which perspective highlights the reproductive advantages of inherited psychological traits?

A)evolutionary
B)cognitive
C)behavioral
D)social-cultural

Question 22

Professor Lopez believes that severe depression results primarily from an imbalanced diet and abnormal brain chemistry.Professor Lopez favors a ________ perspective on depression.

A)neuroscience
B)psychodynamic
C)behavior genetics
D)cognitive

Question 23

Which perspective would suggest that the facial expressions associated with the emotions of lust and rage are inherited?

A)cognitive
B)behavioral
C)evolutionary
D)social-cultural

Question 24

Professor Brody attempts to measure the relative contributions of inborn traits and social influences on sexual preferences and behavior patterns.Her research efforts best illustrate the interests of the ________ perspective.

A)behavior genetics
B)psychodynamic
C)behavioral
D)cognitive

Question 25

Mrs.Alfieri believes that her husband's angry outbursts against her result from his unconscious hatred of his own mother.Mrs.Alfieri is looking at her husband's behavior from a(n)________ perspective.

A)evolutionary
B)behavioral
C)psychodynamic
D)behavior genetics

Question 26

In the 1960s,the cognitive revolution in psychology involved a renewal of interest in the scientific study of

A)mental processes.
B)hereditary influences.
C)sexual conflicts.
D)learned behaviors.

Question 27

Which perspective would help us to understand the impact of strokes and brain diseases on memory?

A)evolutionary
B)behavioral
C)psychodynamic
D)neuroscience

Question 28

Which perspective studies the relative contributions of our genes and our environment to our individual differences?

A)cognitive
B)behavior genetics
C)social-cultural
D)psychodynamic

Question 29

Smiling is to feeling as ________ is to ________.

A)evolution;natural selection
B)behavior;mental process
C)conscious;unconscious
D)nurture;nature

Question 30

The cognitive perspective in psychology focuses on how

A)feelings are influenced by blood chemistry.
B)people try to understand their own unconscious motives.
C)behavior is influenced by environmental conditions.
D)people encode,process,store,and retrieve information.

Question 31

Which perspective is most concerned with how individuals interpret their experiences?

A)behavioral
B)cognitive
C)neuroscience
D)behavior genetics

Question 32

Contemporary psychology is best defined as the science of

A)conscious and unconscious mental activity.
B)observable responses to the environment.
C)behavior and mental processes.
D)maladaptive and adaptive behaviors.

Question 33

Which perspective most clearly focuses on how we learn observable responses?

A)evolutionary
B)neuroscience
C)behavioral
D)behavior genetics

Question 34

The neuroscience perspective in psychology would be most likely to emphasize that behavior is influenced by

A)environmental circumstances.
B)blood chemistry.
C)unconscious conflicts.
D)conditioned fears.

Question 35

Investigating patterns of brain activity that accompany people's recollections of a stressful experience would be of most direct interest to the specialty area known as

A)behavior genetics.
B)cognitive neuroscience.
C)evolutionary psychology.
D)humanistic psychology.

Question 36

The distinctive feature of the psychodynamic perspective is its emphasis on

A)natural selection.
B)brain chemistry.
C)unconscious conflicts.
D)learned behaviors.

Question 37

Professor Crisman believes that most women prefer tall and physically strong partners because this preference promoted the survival of our ancestors' genes.This viewpoint best illustrates the ________ perspective.

A)social-cultural
B)cognitive
C)evolutionary
D)psychodynamic

Question 38

Cognitive neuroscience studies relationships between

A)natural selection and genetic predispositions.
B)childhood memories and psychological disorders.
C)thought processes and brain functions.
D)philosophy and physiology.

Question 39

Akira believes that her son has become a good student because he is frequently praised for his learning efforts.Her belief best illustrates a ________ perspective.

A)behavior genetics
B)neuroscience
C)psychodynamic
D)behavioral

Question 40

The scientific study of mental activities associated with perceiving,processing,and remembering information is most central to

A)clinical psychology.
B)humanistic psychology.
C)evolutionary psychology.
D)cognitive psychology.

Question 41

Dr.Wilson believes that one reason for teenagers' delinquent behavior is the pressure of belonging to a street gang.Her account best illustrates a(n)________ perspective.

A)behavior genetics
B)social-cultural
C)neuroscience
D)evolutionary

Question 42

Which perspective in psychology is most likely to focus on how behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures?

A)evolutionary
B)neuroscience
C)cognitive
D)social-cultural

Question 43

Critical thinking most clearly involves

A)a biopsychosocial approach.
B)applied research.
C)evaluating evidence.
D)dual processing.

Question 44

Rather than seeking to change people to fit their environments,________ work to create social and physical environments that are healthy for all.

A)counseling psychologists
B)cognitive psychologists
C)community psychologists
D)clinical psychologists

Question 45

For no apparent reason,Adam has recently begun to feel so tense and anxious that he frequently stays home from work.It would be best for Adam to contact a ________ psychologist.

A)developmental
B)clinical
C)personality
D)biological

Question 46

Studies conducted for the sake of building psychology's base of knowledge are most clearly examples of

A)behavior genetics.
B)replication.
C)basic research.
D)positive psychology.

Question 47

Reasoning that does not blindly accept available arguments and conclusions best illustrates

A)dual processing.
B)critical thinking.
C)the psychodynamic perspective.
D)a biopsychosocial approach.

Question 48

Dr.Robinson conducts research on the relationship between brain chemistry and intellectual functioning.Which psychological specialty does Dr.Robinson's research best represent?

A)social psychology
B)clinical psychology
C)biological psychology
D)industrial-organizational psychology

Question 49

Which psychological perspective is most likely to be concerned with identifying the powers and the limits of human reasoning?

A)cognitive
B)behavioral
C)neuroscience
D)behavior genetics

Question 50

Dr.Vazquez helps people make career choices by assisting them in identifying their strengths and interests.Dr.Vazquez is most likely a

A)biological psychologist.
B)counseling psychologist.
C)cognitive psychologist.
D)social psychologist.

Question 51

Dr.Mills conducts research on why individuals conform to the behaviors and opinions of others.Which specialty area does his research best represent?

A)cognitive psychology
B)social psychology
C)developmental psychology
D)clinical psychology

Question 52

The specialist most likely to have a medical degree is a

A)clinical psychologist.
B)personality psychologist.
C)developmental psychologist.
D)psychiatrist.

Question 53

Dr.Caleigh conducts research on the relationship between adults' language skills and their capacity to solve mathematical problems.Dr.Caleigh is most likely a _________ psychologist.

A)cognitive
B)biological
C)clinical
D)social

Question 54

Professor Stauffer conducts basic research on the psychological,biological,and behavioral factors that contribute to heart disease.She is most likely a

A)personality psychologist.
B)cognitive psychologist.
C)clinical psychologist.
D)health psychologist.

Question 55

Which psychologists are most likely to be involved in applied research?

A)industrial-organizational psychologists
B)developmental psychologists
C)personality psychologists
D)biological psychologists

Question 56

Dr.Roberts studies how best to assess individual differences in traits such as impulsiveness and sociability.Which specialty area does her research best represent?

A)social psychology
B)biological psychology
C)industrial-organizational psychology
D)personality psychology

Question 57

Dr.Santaniello conducts research on how children's moral thinking changes as they grow older.It is most likely that Dr.Santaniello is a(n)________ psychologist.

A)social
B)clinical
C)developmental
D)industrial-organizational

Question 58

Which perspective would focus on the extent to which different parenting styles are encouraged among various ethnic groups?

A)evolutionary
B)psychodynamic
C)social-cultural
D)neuroscience

Question 59

Clinical psychologists specialize in

A)constructing surveys.
B)animal research.
C)providing therapy to troubled people.
D)providing drugs to treat behavioral disorders.

Question 60

Dr.Lipka focuses on ways to improve employee job satisfaction and productivity.Dr.Lipka is most likely a(n)________ psychologist.

A)clinical
B)developmental
C)personality
D)industrial-organizational

Question 61

Parents handing down to their children the custom of showing respect for authority best illustrates the importance of

A)a psychodynamic perspective.
B)culture.
C)critical thinking.
D)behavior genetics.

Question 62

Studying people of all races and cultures is most helpful for

A)dual processing.
B)avoiding many levels of analysis.
C)detecting human similarities and differences.
D)encouraging natural selection.

Question 63

Different accounts of the same behavior that together give us a more complete understanding represent different

A)cognitive functions.
B)unconscious motives.
C)levels of analysis.
D)conditioned responses.

Question 64

A questioning attitude regarding psychologists' assumptions and hidden values best illustrates

A)behaviorism.
B)critical thinking.
C)a biopsychosocial approach.
D)Freudian psychology.

Question 65

Which term refers to the traits and behaviors that are expected from men and from women in a given culture?

A)natural selection
B)dual processing
C)sexual replication
D)gender

Question 66

Janna has low self-esteem because she is often teased for being overweight.Appreciating the full complexity of Janna's difficulties most clearly requires

A)humanistic psychology.
B)a psychodynamic perspective.
C)positive psychology.
D)a biopsychosocial approach.

Question 67

Inherited ability is to learned skill as ________ is to ________.

A)naturalistic observation;case study
B)psychology;psychiatry
C)nature;nurture
D)behavior;mental processes

Question 68

Efforts to discover whether the intelligence of children is more heavily influenced by their biology or their home environments are most directly relevant to the debate regarding

A)behavior and mental processes.
B)conscious and unconscious thought.
C)correlation and causation.
D)nature and nurture.

Question 69

Our visual perception track enables us to recognize objects while our visual action track enables us to manipulate objects.This best illustrates

A)the testing effect.
B)dual processing.
C)random assignment.
D)replication.

Question 70

The nature-nurture issue refers to the debate over the relative contributions that ________ make to the development of psychological traits.

A)physical illness and health
B)unconscious and conscious motives
C)behavior and mental processes
D)genes and experience

Question 71

When you question the claim that hypnosis helps people to recall memories more accurately,you are most clearly demonstrating

A)positive psychology.
B)the neuroscience perspective.
C)a biopsychosocial approach.
D)critical thinking.

Question 72

Melinda was worried that the wording of the questions in a life satisfaction survey may have encouraged respondents to express unusually positive levels of well-being.Melinda's concern best illustrates

A)behavior genetics.
B)dual processing.
C)critical thinking.
D)the neuroscience perspective.

Question 73

Although we may be unaware of our gender prejudices,they often influence the way we consciously perceive men and women.This best illustrates

A)random sampling.
B)dual processing.
C)critical thinking.
D)hindsight bias.

Question 74

By suggesting that nurture works on what nature provides,psychologists highlight the fact that we are biologically graced with a capacity for

A)dual processing.
B)natural selection.
C)replication.
D)learning and adaptation.

Question 75

The biopsychosocial approach provides an understanding of social-cultural influences within the larger framework of

A)the psychodynamic perspective.
B)a dual-processing model.
C)humanistic psychology.
D)many levels of analysis.

Question 76

Lissette wonders whether personality differences between her friends who recently moved from Nigeria and those who moved from Thailand result primarily from biological influences or from cultural influences.In this instance,Lissette is primarily concerned with the relative contributions of

A)neuroscience and cognition.
B)nature and nurture.
C)behavior and mental processes.
D)conscious and unconscious thoughts.

Question 77

Differences between the genders

A)are of little interest to contemporary psychologists.
B)are simply biological.
C)no longer exist in contemporary Western societies.
D)are no more common than gender similarities.

Question 78

The enduring traditions,attitudes,ideas,and behaviors shared by a large group of people form their

A)culture.
B)levels of analysis.
C)behavior genetics.
D)community psychology.

Question 79

The processing of information at the same time at both conscious and unconscious levels is called

A)the double-blind procedure.
B)replication.
C)critical thinking.
D)dual processing.

Question 80

Accurately grasping a ball a split second before we consciously recognize the ball's size best illustrates our capacity for

A)critical thinking.
B)hindsight bias.
C)dual processing.
D)naturalistic observation.