Question 1

LaToria feels extremely depressed and is having a hard time functioning. She does not know what type of psychologist to make an appointment with. Because you are well-versed in the specializations within psychology, you recommend that she see a(n):

Accepted Answer

Clinical psychologists specialize in diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, including depression. They are trained to provide counseling and psychotherapy, making them the most suitable type of psychologist for someone experiencing severe depression and functional difficulties like LaToria.

Question 2

Dr. Nguyen works with various school districts to determine effective teaching strategies. Dr. Nguyen is MOST likely a(n) _____ psychologist.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Nguyen is most likely an educational psychologist, as this field focuses on how people learn and the best practices in educational settings, including effective teaching strategies.

Question 3

The research specialization that relies on technological advances, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET), to look at the brain is:

Accepted Answer

Neuroscience utilizes technological advances like fMRI, CT, and PET scans to study the brain's structure, function, and development, making it the correct choice.

Question 4

Three big questions underlie the field of psychology. These questions include nature or nurture, universal or unique, and:

Accepted Answer

The three big questions that underlie the field of psychology are nature or nurture, universal or unique, and change or stability. These questions explore the origins of behavior and mental processes, the extent to which these processes are common among all humans or vary, and whether individuals change over time or remain consistent.

Question 5

Dr. Su is conducting a study on a new antidepressant. Half of the participants are given the new drug and the other half are given a placebo. The participants are not told which treatment they receive, and neither are the nurses handing out the treatment, so that the nurses do not offer the participants any clues. As such, Dr. Su is using a ___________ procedure to minimize the placebo effect.

Accepted Answer

The procedure described is a double-blind procedure, where neither the participants nor the individuals administering the treatment know who is receiving the actual treatment and who is receiving the placebo. This helps to minimize bias and the placebo effect.

Question 6

Psychology emerged from two older academic fields. They are:

Accepted Answer

Psychology has its roots in both philosophy, which deals with the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, and physiology, which is concerned with the functions and mechanisms of living organisms. These two fields provided the foundation for understanding the mind and behavior scientifically.

Question 7

What is the name of the largest organization of psychologists in the United States?

Accepted Answer

The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest organization of psychologists in the United States, representing members from various subfields of psychology.

Question 8

_____ psychotherapy is another name for the "talking cure" that Freud emphasized.

Accepted Answer

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy, developed by Sigmund Freud, is often referred to as the "talking cure" because it emphasizes the importance of verbal interactions between the therapist and the patient to uncover and resolve unconscious conflicts.

Question 9

Dr. Varga studies how moral reasoning changes as people age. Dr. Varga's research MOST aligns with which basic research specialization?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Varga's research focuses on how moral reasoning evolves over the lifespan, which is a key area of interest in developmental psychology. Developmental psychology examines the changes in behavior and mental processes that occur through aging and across the lifespan.

Question 10

The training of psychologists focuses on behavior and mental processes, while the training of psychiatrists focuses on:

Accepted Answer

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses, focusing on physical and biological systems, including how these systems relate to mental health. They can prescribe medication, which differentiates them from psychologists who primarily focus on therapy and behavioral interventions.

Question 11

Diana is in a psychology doctoral program and is focusing her research on the factors that influence people's traits such as extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience. Diana is MOST likely studying to become what type of psychologist?

Accepted Answer

Diana's focus on traits such as extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience aligns with the study of personality psychology, which examines individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Question 12

There is a theory in psychology that recognizes that your brain and genetic inheritance AND your thoughts and feelings AND your family and culture all interact to explain your behavior. This theory is called the _____ theory.

Accepted Answer

The biopsychosocial theory posits that biological, psychological, and social factors all play a significant role in human functioning in the context of disease or illness. This approach is widely used in psychology to explain how these factors interact to influence individual behavior.

Question 13

Psychologists who come into schools and determine which teaching styles and classroom arrangements are conducive to learning are MOST likely _____ psychologists.

Accepted Answer

Educational psychologists specialize in understanding how people learn and the best practices for teaching, which includes evaluating teaching styles and classroom arrangements to enhance learning.

Question 14

A large corporation is struggling with complaints of sexual harassment. The company decides to hire a consultant to train its employees on a healthy and safe work environment. This company would MOST likely hire a consultant specializing in:

Accepted Answer

Industrial/organizational psychology focuses on workplace behavior and how to improve employee well-being and productivity, which includes addressing issues like sexual harassment and fostering a healthy work environment.

Question 15

The need to be true to yourself to achieve ultimate happiness would be a belief of which school of thought?

Accepted Answer

Humanism emphasizes personal growth, self-acceptance, and the fulfillment of human potential, aligning with the belief in being true to oneself to achieve ultimate happiness.

Question 16

Dr. Cartwright studies sleeping patterns of individuals who are having difficulty sleeping. These patients come into his office and spend the night attached to monitors and cameras, and then Dr. Cartwright analyzes their sleep patterns. This is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

Laboratory observation involves studying behaviors in a controlled environment where variables can be manipulated and monitored, which is what Dr. Cartwright is doing by having patients sleep in his office with monitors and cameras.

Question 17

Which statement BEST exemplifies the bandwagon fallacy?

Accepted Answer

The bandwagon fallacy occurs when the argument is made that something is true or right simply because many people believe it to be so. Choice D, "Everyone in town believes it, so it must be true," directly exemplifies this fallacy by suggesting that widespread belief is equivalent to truth.

Question 18

When conducting research, the last step in the scientific method is:

Accepted Answer

The last step in the scientific method involves analyzing the data that has been collected and drawing conclusions from it. This step comes after formulating a hypothesis, conducting a literature review, and collecting data.

Question 19

When a researcher wants to discover what other researchers have already learned about their topic, the researcher conducts a(n):

Accepted Answer

A literature review is conducted by researchers to understand what has already been discovered or discussed about a topic in existing scholarly articles, books, and other sources. This helps in identifying gaps in knowledge, building on existing research, and avoiding duplication of effort.

Question 20

Three big questions underlie the field of psychology. These questions include nature or nurture, change or stability, and:

Accepted Answer

The three big questions in psychology are nature or nurture, change or stability, and universal or unique. These questions explore the origins of behavior (whether it's innate or learned), how individuals change or remain consistent over time, and whether psychological processes are the same for everyone or vary from person to person.

Quiz 1: The Science of Psychology

LaToria feels extremely depressed and is having a hard time functioning. She does not know what type of psychologist to make an appointment with. Because you are well-versed in the specializations within psychology, you recommend that she see a(n) :