Question 1

Which of the following scientists believed that the cerebral cortex is not a set of localized abilities but acts as a unit ("mass action")?

Accepted Answer

J. M. P. Flourens was known for his experiments on the cerebral cortex in animals and believed that the cortex acted as a unit (mass action), rather than as a set of localized abilities.

Question 2

In terms of mental chronometry, the first quantitative way of measuring mental processes arose in the field of _________.

Accepted Answer

Mental chronometry originated in the field of astronomy, where it was used to measure the time it took for astronomers to record the transit of stars across the meridian.

Question 3

F. C. Donders developed his "subtractive method" to:

Accepted Answer

Donders' subtractive method was designed to measure the time it takes for cognitive processes, such as decision-making and perception, to occur. By comparing reaction times under different conditions, he could infer the duration of specific mental operations.

Question 4

Using reaction time measures, the German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz showed the speed of nerve conduction to be approximately:

Accepted Answer

Hermann von Helmholtz's experiments showed that the speed of nerve conduction is approximately 26 meters per second.

Question 5

Dutch physiologist F. C. Donder's used simple and compound reaction times to infer the action of complex mental processes. His method of objectively measuring physiological and mental processes was called:

Accepted Answer

Donder's method of objectively measuring physiological and mental processes was called mental chronometry, which involved measuring reaction times to infer the underlying mental processes.

Question 6

F. C. Donders used the method of mental chronometry to measure:

Accepted Answer

F. C. Donders used the method of mental chronometry to attempt to quantify the speed of mental processes such as judgment or discrimination.

Question 7

The historian of psychology E.G. Boring dates the founding of experimental psychology to 1860, with the publication of __________ by _________.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is C because Gustav Fechner's Elements of Psychophysics, published in 1860, is widely considered to be the founding work of experimental psychology.

Question 8

In F. C. Donders's method of mental chronometry, a simple reaction time might involve measuring how long it takes someone to respond to a light coming on above a response key. A compound reaction time however, might involve:

Accepted Answer

A compound reaction time involves more than one stimulus and response option, and requires the subject to discriminate between them. Option A involves two lights and two keys, requiring the subject to determine which light came on and respond accordingly, making it the best choice for a compound reaction time task. Options B and C do not involve discrimination between stimuli and response options, and option D does not involve a compound task.

Question 9

As the author of the text notes, "Minds are private and no instrument can be applied to conscious experiences". Yet, Gustav Fechner overcame these problems by:

Accepted Answer

Gustav Fechner recognized that the content of consciousness can be manipulated by controlling the stimuli to which the person is exposed. This led to his development of psychophysics, which is the study of the relationship between the physical characteristics of stimuli and the sensory experiences they produce. Through psychophysics, Fechner was able to quantify subjective experiences by measuring the minimum amount of physical energy required for a person to detect a stimulus (i.e. the threshold). He also developed the method of constant stimuli, which presented a range of stimuli to a person and asked them to report their experience, allowing for more precise measurements of sensory thresholds. These methods allowed for the quantification of subjective experiences, overcoming the problem of the private nature of the mind.

Question 10

The still unresolved controversy over the existence of a g factor in intelligence began in the work of ________ who first advocated the concept of general intelligence.

Accepted Answer

The concept of general intelligence and the idea of a g factor was first advocated by F. Galton in his work on psychometrics and intelligence testing.

Question 11

Francis Galton was the first to try and develop tests of intelligence and his work influenced James Cattell in America, yet as a practical matter Galton's tests of intelligence were:

Accepted Answer

Galton's tests of intelligence were not successful and did not lead to any significant developments in educational reform. In fact, his approach to intelligence testing was heavily criticized and it wasn't until later researchers such as Alfred Binet that more valid and reliable tests were developed.

Question 12

Which of the following developed a more effective and durable means of measuring intelligence?

Accepted Answer

Alfred Binet developed the first intelligence test, known as the Binet-Simon Scale, which was based on the assumption that intelligence increases with age. This scale provided a more effective and durable means of measuring intelligence than previous attempts, and it established the concept of mental age and intelligence quotient (IQ) that is still used today. Francis Galton's contribution to the study of intelligence was through the development of the idea of eugenics, E. H. Weber was a physicist known for his work on sensory perception, and Franz Gall was a neuroanatomist who proposed the theory of phrenology.

Question 13

In Binet's measure of intelligence, a subnormal child was a child that:

Accepted Answer

In Binet's measure of intelligence, a subnormal child was defined as a child who could not solve the problems solved by children of the same age. This was based on the assumption that intelligence develops with age, so a child who was unable to solve problems that other children of the same age could solve was considered to have a lower level of intelligence.

Question 14

Based on Binet's work in mental testing, William Stern introduced the concept of IQ. Using Stern's calculations, if Sally was an 8 year old child and she passed the test items typical for an 8 year old child, her IQ would be 8/8 or ________.

Accepted Answer

According to Stern's formula, IQ is calculated by dividing the mental age (in this case, 8) by the chronological age (also 8) and multiplying by 100. Therefore, the IQ of Sally would be (8/8) x 100 = 100, which is considered normal.

Question 15

Mental testing originated primarily in order to:

Accepted Answer

Mental testing originally began as a means of identifying and giving special education to subnormal children in schools. The first intelligence test, created by Alfred Binet in 1905, was specifically designed to help identify children who might need extra support in their education. While mental testing has since expanded to other areas, such as job placement and clinical diagnosis, its origins were in identifying educational needs in children.

Question 16

Many general-introductory psychology textbooks are organized by chapters in the order of nerve and brain function, then sensation and perception and finally working toward chapters on thinking and social behavior. This organization incorporates both associationism and physiology and is due to the influence of ______.

Accepted Answer

Alexander Bain was a Scottish philosopher and psychologist who was influential in the development of associationism and the organization of psychology textbooks. His book "The Senses and the Intellect" (1855) was an important early textbook in psychology and emphasized the importance of studying the brain and nervous system in order to understand mental processes. Many subsequent textbooks followed the organization outlined in Bain's book, moving from discussions of nerve function to sensory processes and then to higher cognitive and social processes.

Question 17

Although moral therapy was not yet psychotherapy its aim was to cure. Moral therapy attempted to do this by:

Accepted Answer

Moral therapy aimed to cure patients by freeing them from their chains and having them live structured lives with other inmates. Bloodletting and other medical cures were not considered part of moral therapy, and chaining and beating patients for sinning were not considered moral or therapeutic. Going to church to learn good morals was not solely the focus of moral therapy, as the therapy aimed to address the underlying causes of mental illness and help patients develop coping mechanisms.

Question 18

In the latter part of the 1880's, psychiatrists and neurologists tended to believe that madness was caused by _________. Less sever syndromes like hysteria were _________.

Accepted Answer

The sentence states that psychiatrists and neurologists believed madness was caused by biological troubles in the brain, which is option D. They also believed that less severe syndromes like hysteria were caused by troubles in the nervous system, which is also included in option D.

Question 19

With only a few exceptions, theories about the origins of madness and neurosis prior to psychoanalysis emphasized:

Accepted Answer

Prior to psychoanalysis, theories about the origins of madness and neurosis emphasized biological causes of mental illness, such as chemical imbalances or brain dysfunction. While emotional and social factors were sometimes considered, they were not seen as the primary cause of mental illness. The impact of poverty and industrial work in the new urban world was more of a concern for social reformers than for early theories of mental illness. The social construction of "mental" disorders was not a widely accepted concept until much later in history.

Question 20

The field of psychiatry first developed in which of these institutional settings?

Accepted Answer

The field of psychiatry first developed in asylums for the insane, where physicians and other medical professionals attempted to treat patients with mental illnesses. Asylums were often harsh and inhumane, and the development of psychiatry as a medical specialty was in part an attempt to improve the treatment of people with mental health issues.

Quiz 7: The Ascent of Science 1815-1914

Which of the following scientists believed that the cerebral cortex is not a set of localized abilities but acts as a unit ("mass action") ?