Question 1

Professor Alan is studying the regions of the brain that are activated when his subjects view disturbing images from horror movies.In the context of perspectives in psychology,the professor is using the _____ approach in his study.

Accepted Answer

The professor is studying the physical aspects of the brain that are activated, indicating that he is using a biological approach. The other options, cognitive, psychodynamic, and sociocultural, focus on mental processes, unconscious drives, and cultural influences, respectively.

Question 2

Which approach of psychology most clearly focuses on observable responses?

Accepted Answer

The behavioral approach of psychology focuses on observable behaviors and responses, and how they are shaped and influenced by environmental factors.

Question 3

Which of the following psychologists was a leading proponent of behaviorism?

Accepted Answer

B. F. Skinner was a prominent advocate of behaviorism, which emphasizes studying observable behaviors and the environmental factors that control them. Carl Rogers was a humanistic psychologist, Ivan Pavlov was a physiologist who studied classical conditioning, and Sigmund Freud was a psychoanalyst who developed the psychodynamic perspective.

Question 4

During a therapy session,Mrs.Brown's therapist,Donald,asks her about her dreams because he believes that they are the key to her unconscious mind.In this scenario,Donald is most likely using the _____ approach to psychology.

Accepted Answer

The psychodynamic approach to psychology emphasizes the importance of unconscious processes and focuses on exploring a person's inner psychological dynamics, including their dreams, in order to gain insight into their behavior and mental health. Therapists who use this approach often prioritize uncovering unresolved emotional conflicts from a person's past in order to help them work through current issues. This aligns with Donald's interest in exploring Mrs. Brown's dreams to gain insight into her unconscious mind.

Question 5

The _____ approach to psychology emphasizes the scientific study of observable responses and their environmental determinants.

Accepted Answer

The behavioral approach to psychology emphasizes observable responses and their environmental determinants, such as reinforcement and punishment, rather than internal mental processes. It is focused on the study of behavior in response to specific stimuli and the consequences of those behaviors. Humanistic psychology emphasizes subjective experiences and personal growth, psychodynamic psychology focuses on unconscious processes and past experiences, and evolutionary psychology studies how behavior has evolved over time.

Question 6

Timothy is a behavioral psychologist.Which of the following techniques is he most likely to use to motivate a little girl to clean her room?

Accepted Answer

Behavioral psychologists often use reinforcement techniques, such as offering rewards, to encourage desired behaviors. Offering $10 is an example of positive reinforcement.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is true of behaviorists?

Accepted Answer

Behaviorists emphasize the scientific study of observable behavioral responses and generally avoid focusing on thoughts and feelings which cannot be directly observed or measured. They consider all behavior to be a reaction to environmental stimuli and believe that behavior can be shaped through reinforcement and punishment.

Question 8

The _____ approach to psychology emphasizes unconscious thought,the conflict between biological drives and society's demands,and early childhood family experiences.

Accepted Answer

The psychodynamic approach to psychology focuses on unconscious thoughts and conflicts between biological drives and societal demands, in addition to early childhood experiences with one's family. The other options (evolutionary, behavioral, and cognitive) do not emphasize these specific concepts as heavily.

Question 9

Annette is an adolescent with extreme social anxiety.Dr.Benson's treatment plan for Annette focuses on rewarding her whenever she takes a step toward conquering her fears.In this scenario,Dr.Benson adheres most closely to the _____ approach to psychology.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Benson's approach of rewarding Annette for taking steps towards conquering her fears is a characteristic of the behavioral approach, which focuses on observable behavior and how it is affected by the environment, rather than on internal thoughts or unconscious processes.

Question 10

Dr.White,a therapist,tells her clients that she is less interested in their day-to-day lives and more interested in their childhood experiences.Which approach to psychology is Dr.White most likely a proponent of?

Accepted Answer

Dr. White's focus on childhood experiences suggests she is a proponent of the psychodynamic approach, which emphasizes the role of unconscious conflicts and early experiences in shaping personality and behavior.

Question 11

A psychologist who is more interested in what a person does than how a person feels,has most likely adopted the _____ approach to psychology.

Accepted Answer

The behavioral approach to psychology focuses on observable behaviors and how they are affected by environmental stimuli and reinforcement, rather than internal thoughts and feelings. This approach is concerned with what a person does, rather than how they feel.

Question 12

After a few months of therapy,Michelle's therapist,Allen,reveals to her that her symptoms of anxiety are most likely a result of her troubled childhood,which was spent in fear of a very strict father.Which of the following approaches to psychology is Allen most likely using to understand and explain Michelle's symptoms?

Accepted Answer

The psychodynamic approach focuses on how unconscious thoughts and past experiences influence behavior and emotions. Allen's explanation of Michelle's symptoms being a result of her troubled childhood suggests that he is using the psychodynamic approach to understand and explain her anxiety. The other approaches (evolutionary, behavioral, and sociocultural) may also be relevant to understanding anxiety, but they do not specifically address the influence of childhood experiences on current behavior and emotions.

Question 13

Individuals who believe that rewards and punishments determine our actions are following the _____ approach to psychology.

Accepted Answer

The belief that rewards and punishments determine our actions is a foundational concept in behavioral psychology. This perspective emphasizes the role of environmental factors in shaping behavior through conditioning and reinforcement. The other choices, psychodynamic, biological, and evolutionary, focus on different aspects of human nature and behavior.

Question 14

Which of the following is most likely to be the focus of study for a behavioral psychologist?

Accepted Answer

Behavioral psychologists focus on how rewards and punishments affect behavior, which is the topic mentioned in option C. Options A, B, and D are more related to cognitive or developmental psychology.

Question 15

Which of the following best describes B. F. Skinner's beliefs about studying human behavior?

Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner believed that psychology should focus on observable behaviors, rather than thoughts or feelings. He believed in behaviorism, which emphasizes the role of environmental factors in shaping behavior. Skinner believed that by studying the consequences of behavior, we could better understand why people behave the way they do. He rejected the idea of introspection, which is the process of looking inward to examine one's own thoughts and feelings, as he believed it was too subjective and unreliable.

Question 16

Katherine,a socially inhibited teenager,has always been withdrawn and isolated at her rehabilitation center. However,one day she voluntarily initiates and maintains a conversation with another teenager.Which of the following explanations is most applicable to her behavior in the context of the behavioral approach?

Accepted Answer

The behavioral approach focuses on observable behaviors and how the environment influences them. If Katherine initiates and maintains a conversation because she has been promised a reward, it aligns with the principles of behavior modification, which is a key concept in the behavioral approach. This suggests that her behavior change is a result of external reinforcement.

Question 17

Which of the following statements is true of the practitioners of the psychodynamic approach?

Accepted Answer

Practitioners of the psychodynamic approach believe in the existence of sexual and aggressive impulses buried deep within the unconscious mind, which influence people's behavior and thinking patterns. They believe that understanding and addressing these unconscious processes is crucial for the treatment of mental health issues. They do not believe that personality is shaped entirely by genetic factors, nor do they use evolutionary ideas as the basis for explaining specific human behaviors. They also do not emphasize that psychology should only be about observable behavior and ignore internal states such as thoughts, feelings, and goals.

Question 18

Eva is a five-year-old girl who has been brought to Dr.Frost for therapy because she has suddenly stopped speaking;she answers no questions and communicates with no one.Dr.Frost uses techniques intended to uncover Eva's unconscious thoughts or experiences.He believes that the answer lies within her mind.In this scenario,Dr.Frost is following the _____ approach to psychology.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Frost is using techniques to uncover Eva's unconscious thoughts or experiences, which is a characteristic of psychodynamic approach to psychology. This approach focuses on unconscious processes and unresolved conflicts from childhood that may be impacting an individual's thoughts and behaviors in adulthood.

Question 19

In his psychotherapeutic practice,Dr.Wagner stresses on his clients' unconscious processes as well as their unresolved conflicts.Dr.Wagner most likely adheres to the _____ approach to psychology.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Wagner's focus on clients' unconscious processes and unresolved conflicts is a key aspect of the psychodynamic approach to psychology, which emphasizes the role of unconscious thoughts and feelings in shaping behavior and personality. This approach is associated with the work of figures such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Erik Erikson. The behavioral approach in psychology focuses on observable behavior and how it is shaped by rewards and punishments, while the cognitive approach emphasizes mental processes such as perception, memory, and reasoning. The sociocultural approach looks at how cultural and social factors influence behavior and mental processes.

Question 20

A family therapist tells Mr.and Mrs.Johnson that they will have to take away some of their son's privileges if they want him to stop bullying his younger brother.In the context of psychological perspectives,the family therapist most likely follows the _____ approach to psychology.

Accepted Answer

The family therapist's recommendation to take away privileges as a consequence for bullying is a behavior modification technique, which is a key principle of the behavioral approach to psychology. This approach focuses on observable behaviors and the environmental factors that influence them, and seeks to modify behavior through positive or negative reinforcement.

Quiz 1: What Is Psychology