Question 1

Suppose you want to draw some psychological conclusions in a way that is consistent with the scientific aspect of psychology. You should base your conclusions on

Accepted Answer

The scientific aspect of psychology emphasizes the importance of basing conclusions on evidence collected through systematic observation, experimentation, and analysis, according to the principles of the scientific method. This approach ensures that findings are reliable, valid, and can be replicated by other researchers, distinguishing scientific psychology from conclusions based on personal beliefs, common sense, or intuition.  The scientific method consists of steps that help us analyze and solve problems in orderly ways, based on objectively collected information.

Question 2

When drawing conclusions about behavior, psychologists rely on

Accepted Answer

Psychologists rely on objectively collected information to draw conclusions about behavior, ensuring that their findings are based on empirical evidence rather than personal beliefs, common sense, or casual observations.  Psychological conclusions are based on evidence that gives psychologists a factual basis for drawing conclusions by using the scientific method.

Question 3

A friend's curiosity about how the human mind works is coupled with her fascination with computer science and artificial intelligence. It sounds as though your friend's interests are consistent with the emerging area of ________ science.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary study of mind and intelligence, embracing philosophy, psychology, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, linguistics, and anthropology. It directly relates to the interest in how the human mind works and the fascination with computer science and artificial intelligence.  Psychologists' questions about how the mind works are related to theory and research in computer science, philosophy, linguistics, and neuroscience.

Question 4

An educational psychologist has decided to do research on reading behavior. If he were to approach this topic from the broadest level of analysis, he would be most likely to study

Accepted Answer

Studying attitudes toward reading around the world encompasses a broad, global perspective, making it the broadest level of analysis compared to the more specific, individual-focused options provided.  At the broadest level of analysis, researchers study the whole person within social and cultural contexts, including cross-cultural differences and similarities.

Question 5

The first task in psychology is to make accurate observations about behavior. This means that psychologists must first ________ behavior.

Accepted Answer

The first task in psychology involves making accurate observations about behavior, which requires psychologists to describe behavior before they can predict, explain, or control it. Describing behavior accurately is foundational to the scientific study of psychology.

Question 6

A boy complains that his sister has been teasing him. The parents ask him to tell them specifically when she teases him and how it happens; they are asking him to provide behavioral data to support his claim. A psychologist would say that the child is being encouraged to do all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The parents are asking for specific instances and conditions of the teasing behavior, which involves observing, reporting objectively, and noting conditions. They are not asking for explanations of why the sister teases him, which would involve speculation or interpretation rather than direct observation.  The parents are asking for accurate observations of the behavior; they are asking for descriptions of the behavior, rather than explanations of it. Explanations go beyond what is observed.

Question 7

In order to investigate behavior, researchers may use different levels of analysis. Which of the following research questions exemplifies the broadest, most global level of analysis?

Accepted Answer

The question about the origins of prejudice (A) exemplifies the broadest, most global level of analysis because it seeks to understand a fundamental aspect of human behavior that applies across all individuals and societies, rather than focusing on specific groups, differences, or developmental factors.  The broadest level of analysis describes complex social and cultural contexts of behavior and mental processes.

Question 8

Imagine that you are a research psychologist. In your attempt to describe behavior, it is of utmost importance that you

Accepted Answer

Collecting the facts as they exist is crucial for accurately describing behavior in research psychology. This approach ensures objectivity and reliability in the findings, as opposed to selecting facts based on expectations or using overly broad or narrow levels of analysis, which could bias or limit the understanding of the behavior under study.  It is important to avoid letting biases, prejudices, or expectations influence collection of data. Description must be based on objective collection of data, rather than subjective points of view.

Question 9

Therapeutic programs designed to help people substitute more positive behaviors for negative behaviors are most closely related to the psychological goal of

Accepted Answer

Therapeutic programs aimed at helping individuals replace negative behaviors with positive ones align with the psychological goal of control. This goal involves understanding behaviors well enough to influence or manage them.  Psychologists have devised ways to help people gain control over problematic aspects of their lives; people learn ways to make behaviors happen or not happen in their lives to increase quality of life.

Question 10

While proofreading a paper a friend has written on the life of Wilhelm Wundt, you are startled by an error that states that Wundt

Accepted Answer

Wilhelm Wundt, a German scientist, is indeed known for being trained as a physiologist (A), establishing the first formal psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879 (B), and writing "Principles of Physiological Psychology" (C). However, he was not the founder and first president of the American Psychological Association (APA); that distinction goes to G. Stanley Hall.  The founder and president of the APA was G. Stanley Hall, not Wilhelm Wundt.

Question 11

To help you learn to associate people with their contributions to the history of psychology, you have decided to use flashcards. Unfortunately, one of the cards you have written is incorrect. Which of the following pairings is wrong?

Accepted Answer

Wilhelm Wundt founded the first experimental psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879, not at Cornell University.

Question 12

The year is 1900 and you are looking for a job in a psychology laboratory, somewhere in North America. Assuming that each laboratory has an opening, about how many laboratories will you have from which to choose?

Accepted Answer

In 1900, there were approximately 40 psychology laboratories in North America.

Question 13

Suppose you were a research assistant in Wilhelm Wundt's laboratory. After observing his experiments, you would probably conclude that

Accepted Answer

Wundt's laboratory, established in 1879, is considered the first in experimental psychology. His methods emphasized systematic observation, experimentation, and analysis, allowing for replication by independent observers.  Data was collected in his laboratory through systematic, objective procedures. Therefore, observers could do the experiments again in exactly the same ways.

Question 14

Imagine being a participant in one of Titchener's early studies of conscious experience. What would you most likely be asked to do?

Accepted Answer

Titchener, a structuralist, was interested in the components of the conscious experience. He would ask participants to introspect or examine their own thoughts and feelings about sensory experiences to understand the structure of the mind.  Titchener used a technique called introspection to study consciousness. Introspection is the systematic examination by individuals of their thoughts and feelings regarding their own sensory experiences.

Question 15

As an advocate of an alternative to structuralism, the German psychologist ________ focused on the way in which the mind understands experiences as organized wholes rather than as the sums of simple parts.

Accepted Answer

Max Wertheimer was a key figure in the development of Gestalt psychology, which emphasizes that the human mind perceives objects not by means of some automatic registering device, but rather as a whole, meaningful configuration. This approach was indeed an alternative to structuralism, which aimed to understand the structure of the mind by analyzing its components.

Question 16

It would be accurate to state that William James was interested in the ________ of the mind, and Edward Titchener was interested in the ________ of the mind.

Accepted Answer

William James is associated with functionalism, which focuses on the functions and purposes of the mind and behavior in adapting to the environment. Edward Titchener is linked to structuralism, which aims to understand the structure or contents of the mind.

Question 17

Compared to Edward Titchener, William James was more interested in

Accepted Answer

William James was a key figure in the development of functionalism, which emphasized the functions and purposes of the mind and behavior in adapting to the environment. This contrasts with Edward Titchener's focus on structuralism, which aimed to identify the basic elements of psychological experience through introspection.  For functionalists such as William James, the key question to be answered by research was, "What is the function or purpose of learned habits/behaviors?" Acts and functions of mental processing was the focus rather than the contents, structures, and elements of consciousness.

Question 18

Simply put, in their approach to behavior, functionalists such as William James and John Dewey emphasized the importance of

Accepted Answer

Functionalists, including William James and John Dewey, focused on the purposes or functions of mental processes and behavior in adapting to the environment.  Functionalism focused on learned habits that allow organisms to adapt to their environments and to function effectively. The key question for research was, "What is the purpose or function of any behavioral act?"

Question 19

Due in large part to the theorizing of John Dewey, school systems in the early part of the twentieth century in the United States placed less emphasis on

Accepted Answer

John Dewey, a prominent philosopher and educational reformer, advocated for "learning by doing" and emphasized the importance of critical thinking and problem-solving over traditional rote memorization methods. His influence led to a shift away from rote learning in the early 20th century.

Question 20

Which of the following is LEAST likely to have been the title of an article written by William James?

Accepted Answer

William James, a philosopher and psychologist, was more focused on the philosophical and theoretical aspects of psychology, such as consciousness, religion, and human behavior, rather than on the strict use of laboratory methods. His work predates the heavy emphasis on laboratory research in psychology.  William James believed in careful observation but he also recognized and made a place in his psychology for emotions, will, values, and even mystical and religious experiences. He recognized the uniqueness of each individual that could not be reduced to rigorous laboratory methods.

Quiz 1: Psychology and Life