Deck 1: Extension A: Introduction to Psychology and Research Methods

Question 1

According to the authors of your textbook, it is important to study psychology because

A)studying psychology can help you to understand yourself and others.
B)studying psychology can help you to interpret and evaluate the psychological topics presented in the media and on the Internet.
C)you cannot consider yourself educated without knowing something about psychology.
D)all of these are reasons to study psychology.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

According to your psychology textbook, which of the following activities would be considered "behavior"?

A)A student feels sad because of her grade.
B)A student daydreams in class.
C)A teacher writes an assignment on the board.
D)All of these would be considered behaviors.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Common sense is a poor source of psychological information because it is

A)always in error.
B)a barrier to seeking better information.
C)too empirical.
D)not based on any form of observation.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Psychological research found which of the following common-sense beliefs to be FALSE?

A)Most humans use only 10 percent of their potential brainpower.
B)To change people's behavior toward members of ethnic minority groups, we must first change their attitudes.
C)Psychotherapy has its greatest success in the treatment of psychotic patients who have lost touch with reality.
D)All of these common-sense beliefs were found to be FALSE.

Question 5

The research conducted by psychologist involves

A)the validation of common-sense beliefs in predicting everyday experiences.
B)the systematic use of common-sense beliefs in solving new problems.
C)gathering information through direct observation.
D)a reliance on subjective opinions and rationalizations.

Question 6

Covert behavior involves

A)anything a person does.
B)only those things a person does which another person can see.
C)only those things which can be recorded by a camera.
D)hidden, private, internal thoughts.

Question 7

A common sense approach to psychology is

A)the most reliable.
B)often contradicted by empirical evidence.
C)the basis for most psychological theories.
D)the basis psychologist use when collecting data.

Question 8

Psychology would best be described as

A)the study of human origins, evolution, and cultures.
B)the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
C)a natural science integrating physiology and neurology.
D)the deductive study of forms and functions of human groups.

Question 9

Which of the following is the best example of covert behavior?

A)blinking in response to a light
B)imitating a friend's gesture
C)remembering a pleasant experience
D)rapid eye movements while sleeping

Question 10

Which of the following statements regarding the use of common sense is TRUE?

A)Common sense has no value.
B)Common sense and personal observations usually provide all the information one needs to know about any situation.
C)Common sense statements provide systematic data.
D)Common sense often provides vague and inconsistent pieces of information.

Question 11

Which of the following behaviors can best be described as overt behavior?

A)watching a TV game show
B)thinking about the answer to a contestant's question
C)being sad that the contestant answered incorrectly
D)wondering if there are any frozen waffles left in the freezer

Question 12

The word psychology comes from the roots psyche and logos, which mean respectively

A)behavior and science.
B)brain and science.
C)mind and knowledge or study.
D)personality and knowledge or study.

Question 13

All psychologists

A)conduct research to discover new knowledge.
B)apply psychology to solve problems in mental health, education, medicine, or business.
C)are teachers who pass on knowledge of psychology to their students.
D)rely on critical thinking and information gained from scientific research.

Question 14

Behavior is best described as

A)anything a person does.
B)only those things a person does that everyone can see.
C)only those things which can be recorded by a camera.
D)those things that a person intentionally does, excluding all behaviors that occur accidentally.

Question 15

Psychological research found which of the following common-sense beliefs to be FALSE?

A)Babies love their mothers because their mothers fulfill their babies' physiological need for food.
B)Blind people have unusually sensitive organs of touch.
C)The more motivated you are, the better you will do at solving a complex problem.
D)All of these common-sense beliefs were found to be FALSE.

Question 16

Overt behavior includes

A)anything a person does.
B)things a person does which cannot be seen by others.
C)only those things that can be observed.
D)hidden, private, internal thoughts.

Question 17

According to the definition of psychology, which of the following would a psychologist be most likely to study?

A)the genetic diversity in a population of domestic animals
B)how to select employees based on their handwriting analyses
C)the influence of a teacher on a student's academic success
D)the determination of personality traits using the position of the stars and planets at the time of one's birth

Question 18

Psychology is best defined as the

A)empirical study of the human personality.
B)study of individual differences in the group behavior of humans and animals.
C)scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
D)scientific study of the relationship between mind and body.

Question 19

Psychologists

A)are scientists who conduct research.
B)are practitioners who apply psychology to solve problems in fields like education and medicine.
C)are teachers.
D)may be scientists, practitioners, and/or teachers.

Question 20

One of the reasons to study psychology is to

A)understand ourselves and others better.
B)learn how to manipulate others for personal gain.
C)utilize in combination with the field of astrology in predicting human behavior.
D)have the answers to all of life's questions.

Question 21

When observations are reliably confirmed by multiple observers, this is referred to as

A)multimodal.
B)intersubjective.
C)multidisciplinary.
D)correlational.

Question 22

Some topics in psychology are difficult to study because

A)it would be unethical to study the topic.
B)there is no practical way that the research can be conducted.
C)there is no suitable research method available to study the topic.
D)all of these situations can occur.

Question 23

Which of the following topics would be studied by psychologists by collecting empirical evidence?

A)love
B)intelligence
C)groupthink
D)all of these

Question 24

When a psychologist uses scientific observation, these observations must

A)involve logic and common-sense reasoning.
B)be conducted using animals rather than humans.
C)be planned and confirmed by more than one observer.
D)involve all of these.

Question 25

A scientist wants to find out if there is empirical evidence for a relationship between caffeine and aggressive behavior.She would

A)interview people to get their opinions.
B)correlate newspaper accounts and the types of beverages consumed.
C)test the idea by conducting an experiment.
D)gather the opinions of experts in the fields of neurology and sociology.

Question 26

It may be difficult to study the difference in academic achievement between children who do and do not eat breakfast at a boarding school because

A)it is impossible to monitor.
B)the scientists would have to rely on the children's self-reports.
C)it is unethical to require that some children not eat breakfast.
D)some children do not like to eat breakfast.

Question 27

An empirical investigation that is structured to answer questions about the world is called a(n)

A)scientific observation.
B)interpretative research.
C)investigative analysis.
D)experiential analysis.

Question 28

Animals are used in psychological research because

A)psychologists are interested in the behavior of all living creatures.
B)animal models of behavior can often be applied to human behavior.
C)the study of animals can benefit both animals and humans.
D)all of these reasons apply.

Question 29

Information gained from direct observation and measurement defines

A)introspective data.
B)subjective data.
C)a scientific hypothesis.
D)empirical evidence.

Question 30

When animal behavior is used to discover principles that may apply to human behavior, we say that the researcher is utilizing a(n)

A)anthropomorphic systems approach.
B)animal model.
C)zoophilic design.
D)model that will yield inaccurate results.

Question 31

Teaching primates to communicate in sign language in order to develop better methods for teaching language to aphasic children would be an example of a(n)

A)anthropomorphic error.
B)animal model.
C)inaccurate design.
D)correlational study.

Question 32

Professor Windham asks her general psychology students to give an example of an overt behavior.Which of the following would be an example of an overt behavior?

A)feeling happy that class is almost over
B)daydreaming about the coming weekend
C)gesturing to someone to come over to the group
D)remembering the definition of overt behavior

Question 33

An expert tells you that "you can catch a cold by not wearing a coat when it is cold." You would

A)accept his statement since you remember catching a cold after you forgot your coat.
B)accept his statement because it is based on commonsense reasoning.
C)ask him to list additional experts that support his theory.
D)ask to see the empirical evidence that supports his theory.

Question 34

Scientific observation is based on the

A)gathering of introspective data.
B)utilization of personal, subjective data.
C)utilization of common-sense beliefs.
D)gathering of empirical evidence.

Question 35

A systematic process for answering scientific questions is called

A)a research method.
B)a scientific deduction.
C)the induction method.
D)the analytical method.

Question 36

When a scientist wants to find out if there is empirical evidence, they utilize data, which is defined as _____ facts.

A)common-sense
B)deduced
C)observed
D)inferred

Question 37

Psychology is different than fields such as history, law, and business because of the reliance on

A)anecdotal evidence.
B)the scientific observation to study behavior.
C)the common sense of past generations.
D)direct philosophic inquiry.

Question 38

Professor Reed asked her introductory psychology students to give an example of a covert behavior.Which of the following would be an example of a covert behavior?

A)daydreaming about the coming weekend
B)sneezing into a handkerchief
C)gesturing to someone to come over to the group
D)telling the class to be quiet by saying "shhh" softly

Question 39

Some topics in psychology are difficult to study because

A)they overlap with other fields, such as law and business.
B)of ethical considerations.
C)advanced technology that measures brain waves is not available.
D)of a lack of interest in human behavior.

Question 40

_____ involves information gained from direct observation.

A)Empirical evidence
B)A theoretical notation
C)A common-sense belief
D)Introspective data

Question 41

In a survey conducted on October 26, researchers find that 55% of the registered voters favor the passage of the school bond issue.These survey results illustrate which goal of psychology?

A)description
B)prediction
C)understanding
D)control

Question 42

Students who do well on an intelligence test tend to do well in their school grades.This ability of the IQ tests to forecast future school success illustrates which goal of psychology?

A)description
B)prediction
C)understanding
D)control

Question 43

For most psychologists, control refers to

A)punishment of unwanted responses.
B)legal limitations on the use of conditioning principles.
C)techniques for reducing personal freedom of choice.
D)altering conditions that influence behavior.

Question 44

John's poor performance in reading was found to be due to visual discrimination problems.This determination of the cause for his poor reading performance illustrates which goal of psychology?

A)description
B)prediction
C)understanding
D)control

Question 45

Animal studies have helped us in our understanding of

A)stress, learning, obesity, aging, and sleep.
B)how to care for domestic animals.
C)how to care for the endangered species in zoos.
D)all of these.

Question 46

Which question below relates most directly to the goal of controlling behavior?

A)Do men and women differ in intellectual abilities?
B)How can test anxiety be prevented?
C)Why does a blow to the head cause memory loss?
D)Does depth perception occur when an individual has only one eye?

Question 47

A psychologist uses systematic desensitization to assist a student in overcoming test anxiety.This illustrates the goal of

A)description.
B)prediction.
C)control.
D)understanding.

Question 48

Why questions refer to which of psychology's goals?

A)description
B)understanding
C)preservation
D)control

Question 49

An engineering psychologist helps redesign an airplane to make it safer to fly.The psychologist's work reflects which goal of psychology?

A)description
B)control
C)prediction
D)understanding

Question 50

_____ is a frequently questioned and misunderstood goal of psychology because it _____.

A)Control; may seem like a threat to personal freedom
B)Description; does not provide any useful information
C)Understanding; often refers to constructs we cannot see
D)Prediction; stereotypes people

Question 51

The psychological goal of understanding behavior is achieved when

A)control over behavior is made possible.
B)a careful description of behavior is made.
C)psychologists can explain why a behavioral phenomenon occurs.
D)empirical evidence is obtained.

Question 52

An industrial psychologist uses psychometric tests and interviews to select the best candidate for a specialized task.The psychologist's work directly illustrates which goal of psychology?

A)description
B)understanding
C)prediction
D)control

Question 53

When current knowledge about an individual and his or her environment can be used to accurately forecast behavior at another time or in another setting, the scientific goal of _____ has been achieved.

A)description
B)understanding
C)prediction
D)control

Question 54

Which goal of psychology is illustrated by a psychologist seeking to discover why sociopaths tend to repeat their destructive behavior?

A)understanding
B)prediction
C)description
D)control

Question 55

Research on "bystander apathy" reveals that people often fail to help when other possible helpers are nearby due to a "diffusion of responsibility." Explaining this perplexing problem meets which goal of psychology?

A)description
B)prediction
C)understanding
D)control

Question 56

On an old science fiction series, TV viewers were always able to tell which crew member would be the most likely to die when the crew was exploring a new planet.It was the crew member wearing the yellow suit, although one never knew the reason for this occurrence.The ability to forecast the demise of the yellow-suited crew member illustrates the ability to

A)describe behavior.
B)predict behavior.
C)understand behavior.
D)influence or control behavior.

Question 57

A psychologist who observes a child for a week and writes a report that identifies and classifies the child's behavior is working toward the goal of

A)description.
B)understanding.
C)prediction.
D)control.

Question 58

The goals of psychology are to describe, understand, _____, and control behavior.

A)predict
B)preserve
C)perpetuate
D)prescribe

Question 59

Michelle has learned to avoid situations in which she tends to abuse alcohol.She is exercising the goal of

A)manipulation.
B)prediction.
C)explanation.
D)control.

Question 60

The goals of psychology are to

A)develop effective methods of psychotherapy and cure mental illness.
B)describe, understand, predict, and control behavior.
C)research, infer, summarize, and publish.
D)compare, analyze, and control human behavior.

Question 61

In her psychology classes, Dr.Murphey uses problem-based learning cases in order to enhance her students' abilities to analyze, compare, synthesize, critique, and evaluate information about real-life cases involving troubled marriages and caring for elderly parents.Dr.Murphey is attempting to increase her students'

A)transductive reasoning skills.
B)commonsense reasoning.
C)correlational skills.
D)critical thinking skills.

Question 62

Critical thinking encompasses which of the following?

A)empirical testing
B)a willingness to actively evaluate ideas
C)an open mind
D)all of these

Question 63

To assess your personality, a graphologist would want to

A)study your handwriting.
B)examine the shape of your skull.
C)study your palm.
D)record your brain waves with an EEG.

Question 64

The fortune teller who studies your palm carefully before announcing that great fortune is in your immediate future is practicing _____ psychology.

A)applied
B)commonsense
C)pseudo-
D)forensic

Question 65

According to your textbook, which of the following is considered to be a pseudo-psychology?

A)cognitive psychology
B)behaviorism
C)Gestalt psychology
D)astrology

Question 66

Jane goes to a phrenologist.What can she expect from this pseudo-psychologist?.

A)He will predict her future by reading the lines on her palms.
B)He will explain her personality traits by feeling the bumps on her skull.
C)He will explain her personality traits by analyzing a copy of her handwriting.
D)He will explain how her life is influenced by the position of the stars and planets at her birth.

Question 67

Critical thinking includes which of the following questions?

A)What authority is making the claim?
B)What test of this claim has been made?
C)Are the tests based on a long-accepted "truth"?
D)How is the event explained with common sense?

Question 68

In describing pseudopsychologies, it can be said that they

A)give the appearance of science but are actually false.
B)have changed little over time.
C)have followers who avoid evidence that contradicts their beliefs.
D)are characterized by all of these statements.

Question 69

_____ is an ability to evaluate, compare, analyze, critique, and synthesize information.

A)Critical thinking
B)Transductive thinking
C)Deductive thinking
D)Creative thinking

Question 70

_____ is the out-dated theory that personality is revealed by the bumps on the skull.

A)Palmistry
B)Phrenology
C)Phenomenology
D)Graphology

Question 71

Any false and unscientific system of beliefs and practices that is offered as an explanation of behavior is called

A)psychoanalysis.
B)pseudo-psychology.
C)social learning.
D)humanism.

Question 72

In describing pseudopsychologies, it can be said that they

A)give the appearance of science but are actually false.
B)have constantly changed over time as their followers have sought new evidence.
C)have followers who are skeptical critics of their own theories.
D)are characterized by all of these statements.

Question 73

According to your textbook, which of the following is NOT a pseudo-psychology?

A)psychoanalysis
B)palmistry
C)phrenology
D)astrology

Question 74

The German anatomy teacher Franz Gall popularized the pseudo-psychology known as

A)palmistry.
B)phrenology.
C)graphology.
D)astrology.

Question 75

Critical thinking encompasses all of the following EXCEPT

A)empirical testing.
B)evaluation of evidence.
C)an open mind.
D)common sense.

Question 76

Critical thinking in psychology involves

A)using conventional wisdom and common sense.
B)a reliance on the opinions of experts.
C)using the scientific method.
D)all of these.

Question 77

Two research studies are conducted on the effects of body piercing on self-esteem.One study found that body piercing increased self-esteem, while the other one found a decrease in self-esteem.If you are a critical thinker, you would

A)reject both studies since conflicting results were obtained.
B)compare the credentials of the psychologists that conducted the studies.
C)compare how each study was conducted.
D)accept the one that best fits within your frame of reference.

Question 78

To assess your personality, a phrenologist would want to

A)study your handwriting.
B)study the lines on your palm.
C)examine the shape of your skull.
D)record your brain waves with an EEG.

Question 79

Critical thinking includes which of the following questions?

A)Do the findings appear to be objective?
B)What was the nature and quality of the tests?
C)Has any other independent researcher duplicated the findings?
D)all of these questions

Question 80

When people use critical thinking, they

A)validate conventional wisdom.
B)constantly revise their understanding of the world.
C)give greater weight to the overall amount of evidence than specific credible facts.
D)do all of these.