Psych Practice Multiple Choice Flashcards
(62 cards)
1
Q
A general principle or a set of principles that attempts to explain how a set of separate facts are related to one another is called:
a. theory.
b. an hypothesis.
c. applied research.
d. basic research.
A
A
2
Q
- Jeremy has some doubt about another researcher’s claim of discovering ESP in all humans. Jeremy decides that he will try to conduct the same study himself. Jeremy will be doing a(n):
a. replication.
b. pilot study.
c. longitudinal study.
d. qualitative study.
A
A
3
Q
- Which of the following is incorrect about theories?
a. They enable scientists to fit many separate pieces of data into meaningful frameworks.
b. They stimulate debates that lead to advances in knowledge.
c. They enable scientists to make predictions that can be tested.
d. They enable scientists to make decisions with absolute certainty.
A
D
4
Q
- Which of the following is NOT a goal of psychological researchers?
a. to describe behavior and mental processes
b. to explain behavior and mental processes
c. to note behavior and mental processes
d. to influence behavior and mental processes
A
C
5
Q
- Dr. Lewis has been studying Bobby’s poor academic performance and has come to expect that Bobby is most easily distracted right after lunch, Dr. Lewis has met which goal?
a. description
b. explanation
c. prediction
d. influence
A
C
6
Q
- Dr. Smith is conducting a study to test ways of helping students reduce stress during exams. While taking practice exams, one group of students is trained in deep muscle relaxation and a second group is trained to visualize success. Dr. Smith’s study compares the effectiveness of these two stress-reduction strategies. This is an example of:
a. basic research.
b. applied research.
c. observational research.
d. theoretical research.
A
B
7
Q
- Samuel is working to develop a new program to assist the elderly in improving their memories. Samuel is doing ________ research.
a. geriatric
b. basic
c. scientific
d. applied
A
D
8
Q
- The major emphasis of structuralism was the:
a. perception of whole units or patterns.
b. analysis of the basic elements of conscious mental experience.
c. function of conscious mental experience.
d. scientific study of behavior.
A
B
9
Q
- ________ was one of the foremost advocates of the functionalist school of psychology.
a. Edward Titchener
b. Wilhelm Wundt
c. William James
d. Kurt Koffka
A
C
10
Q
- Behaviorism is still a major force in modern psychology due to the profound influence of:
a. Alfred Adler.
b. Gustav Fechner.
C. John B. Watson.
d. B. F. Skinner.
A
D
11
Q
- You are mostly a product of your environment. Parents, teachers, friends and experiences in life all operate to shape your behaviors and determine who you become. This summarizes the ________ perspective in psychology.
a. behavioral
b. biological
c. evolutionary
d. psychoanalytic
A
A
12
Q
- Which statement summarizes the psychoanalytic view of Sigmund Freud?
a. The mind is like an iceberg in that only a small part of its substance is visible.
b. Life is a constant striving for superiority.
c. The mind is one great blooming, buzzing confusion.
d. Introspection is not a proper scientific technique in psychology.
A
A
13
Q
- Which psychologist focused his study on the unconscious mind?
a. John B. Watson
b. B. F. Skinner
c, William James
d. Sigmund Freud
A
D
14
Q
- Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow represent the ________ school of psychology.
a. humanistic
b. behavioral
c. psychoanalytic
d. cognitive
A
A
15
Q
- The cognitive perspective emphasizes the role of ________ that underlie behavior.
a. biological processes and heredity
b. choices that lead to growth and self-actualization
c. mental processes
d. the unconscious and early childhood experiences
A
C
16
Q
Max Wertheimer’s demonstration of the “phi phenomenon” was used to promote the idea of:
a. humanistic psychology.
b. Gestalt psychology.
c. behavioral psychology.
d. structural psychology.
A
B
17
Q
A theory is said to have heuristic value if ________.
a. it motivates researchers to pursue research related to the theory
b. it explains a fairly narrow area of behavior
c. it focuses attention on observations that cannot be readily explained in other ways
d. it provides solutions for real-world problems
A
A
18
Q
One reason that theories are considered useful is that they frequently ________.
a. suggest solutions to real-world problems
b. enable psychologists to conclude which hypotheses are right and which are wrong.
c. predict behaviors that have not yet been observed
d. encourage us to develop self-control over our own behaviors
A
A
19
Q
A recent television news magazine has reported that the daily use of a certain common spice will prevent Alzheimer’s disease in old age. The TV reporter cited research conducted at the University of Texas to support this conclusion. Viewers who think critically may want to ________ before modifying their diets.
a. search for confirming evidence
b. determine the cost of the spice
c. determine the accuracy of other reports from this particular news magazine
d. identify a number of recipes that use the spice
A
A
20
Q
- At the football game, Meghan found herself focusing on and noting the behaviors of the people watching the game. Meghan was engaging in ________ observation.
a. applied
b. naturalistic
c. clinical
d. direct
A
B
21
Q
- Which of the following does a case study allow you to do?
a. apply findings to different cultures
b. generalize findings to larger groups
c. establish the cause of behaviors
d. advance knowledge in an area of psychology
A
D
22
Q
- Bernice received a phone call from a person interested in finding out her views on a specific politician. It is likely that she is a participant in a:
a. sample.
b. population.
c. survey.
d. representative sample.
A
C
23
Q
- Which of the following correlation coefficients represents the STRONGEST relationship?
a. -.97
b. +.79
c. +1.03
d. -.82
A
A
24
Q
- Georgio notices that the cooler it is outside the harder it is for him to stay awake. For Georgio, the relationship between feeling drowsy and the outdoor temperature is a(n):
a. correlation coefficient.
b. negative correlation.
c. inverse relationship.
d. positive correlation.
A
B
25
25. The research method that is used to explore cause-and-effect relationships between variables is:
a. the experimental method.
b. naturalistic observation.
c. the correlational method.
d. the case study.
A
26
26. In Alan Lang’s (1975) classic experiment on the effects of alcohol on aggression, Lang found:
a. alcohol caused more aggression.
b. alcohol made students less aggressive.
c. intoxicated students were more sociable and less aggressive.
d. the expectation of drinking alcohol, not the alcohol itself, caused students to be more aggressive.
D
27
27. Professor Caine is running an experiment to determine if exercise has an effect on memory retention. Two groups of subjects are given the same list of 25 words and allowed 15 minutes to study them. Then one group sits idly in a classroom while the other participates in an hour-long aerobic work-out. After the work-out each group is tested in the classroom on the list of words. What is the INDEPENDENT variable in this study?
a. the aerobic work-out
b. the word list
c. scores on the test
d. time allowed to study
A
28
28. With the experimental method, the independent variable is ________ and the dependent variable is ________.
a. uncontrolled; controlled
b. manipulated; measured
c. measured; known
d. unknown, known
B
29
29. Billy Bob is a subject in a study investigating the effectiveness of Ritalin in treating ADHD. Billy Bob has ADHD, but is in a group that received sugar pills instead of Ritalin. Billy Bob is in the ________ group.
a. experimental b. random c. control d, observational
C
30
30. Kaitlyn participates in an experiment in which she is given a new drug to help control her ADHD. Over the next few weeks, her behavior in class is monitored and compared to students who are receiving Ritalin for ADHD. Kaitlyn is in the ________ group.
a. experimental b. control c. independent d. dependent
A
31
31. Which of the following is NOT a source of confounding variables?
a. random selection b. selection bias c. placebo d. experimenter bias
A
32
32. A ________ is an inert substance given to the ________ group in an experiment in order to account for subject expectations or bias.
a. treatment; experimental b. placebo; experimental
c. placebo; control d. treatment; control
C
33
33. Some experiments are criticized because the laboratory conditions under which they are conducted are too different from real-world conditions. These experiments may not be ________.
a. generalizable to the real world b. internally valid
c. reliable d. believable
A
34
34. Giving a participant full information about all aspects of an experiment after the participant has fulfilled his or her role in an experiment is referred to as:
a. confounding. b. debriefing. c. deception. d. random assignment.
B
35
35. ________ focuses on how humans have adapted the behaviors required for survival in the face of environmental challenges over time.
a. Gestalt psychology b. Environmental psychology
c. Evolutionary psychology d. Cognitive psychology
C
36
36. This combines the work of psychologists, biologists, biochemists, and medical researchers in the study of the structure and function of the nervous system.
a. evolutionary psychology b. environmental psychology
c. systematic psychology d. neuroscience
D
37
37. Jamaal, a practicing psychologist, prefers to choose from a combination of approaches when trying to deal with a specific client behavior. Jamaal takes a(n) ________ position.
a. humanistic b. client-centered c. sociocultural d. eclectic
D
38
38. Dr. Gertzman works in a hospital clinic where she diagnoses and treats people with mental disorders. Dr. Gertzman is a:
a. counseling psychologist. b. physiological psychologist.
c. developmental psychologist. d. clinical psychologist.
D
39
39. In neurons of the central nervous system, signals are received primarily by branchlike extension termed:
a. dendrites. b. synapses. c. vesicles. d. axons.
A
40
40. Which of the following is NOT a function of glial cells?
a. removing waste products b. providing nourishment
c. generating new neurons d. holding neurons together
C
41
41. The membrane potential of a neuron at rest, or what is termed its resting potential, is about:
a. -50 millivolts. b. -70 millivolts. c. +50 millivolts. d. +70 millvolts.
B
42
42. This structure of the neuron plays a role similar to the rubber coating on an electrical cord.
a. axon b. dendrites c. soma d. myelin sheath
D
43
43. An action potential stimulates the release of neurotransmitters which are contained within:
a. the synaptic cleft. b. the synaptic vesicles. c. the soma. d. the cell nucleus.
B
44
44. ________ is the process by which neurotransmitters are reclaimed by the axon terminal intact, and then are repackaged for immediate use.
a. Reception b. Synaptic transmission c. Reuptake d. Reversal
C
45
45. Some synapses communicate electrically as opposed to chemically, this is referred to as:
a. gap junction. b. electrolysis. c. synapsosis. d. transduction.
A
46
46. The neurotransmitter ________ plays an important role in regulating mood, sleep, aggression and appetite.
a. dopamine b. acetylcholine c. serotonin d. epinephrine
C
47
47. Endorphins are responsible for which of the following?
| a. an epileptic seizure b. anxiety c. a runner's high d. drowsiness
C
48
48. Bernie suffered extreme damage to the brainstem. Bernie is most likely:
a. in a coma. b. paralyzed from the neck down.
c. unable to coordinate movement. d. dead.
D
49
49. An individual who has poor posture and muscle tone, but who is otherwise healthy, may likely be experiencing abnormal functioning of the:
a. cerebellum. b. cerebrum. C. medulla. d. thalamus.
A
50
50. James has been working out in the gym and is beginning to get quite hot from the exercise. His ________ is causing him to perspire heavily, in an effort to keep his body at an appropriate temperature.
a. hpothalamus b. thalamus c. amygdala d. hippocampus
A
51
51. Which of the following is NOT a function of the hypothalamus?
a. regulating sexual behavior b. regulating memory systems
c. regulating hunger d. regulating thirst
B
52
52. Randy is navigating his way to his favorite restaurant. He doesn't have a map, but he remembers the many turns he must take to get there. What brain structure is Randy using to find his way?
a. the hypothalamus. b. the medulla. c. the thalamus. d. the hippocampus.
D
53
53. The two subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system are the:
a. somatic and autonomic. b. sympathetic and parasympathetic.
c. sympathetic and somatic. d. autonomic and parasympathetic.
A
54
54. The 'fight-or-flight response' is a term coined for the physiological arousal generated by the:
a. sympathetic nervous system. b. parasympathetic nervous system.
c. somatic nervous system. d. central nervous system.
A
55
55. Which of the following is NOT a modern technique used in studying the brain?
a. EKG b. the CT scan c. the PET scan d. the fMRI
A
56
56. Communication between the two cerebral hemispheres is in large part made possible by the:
a. cerebral cortex. b. corpus callosum. c. somatosensory cortex. d. association areas.
B
57
57. These house memories and are involved in thought, perception, and language.
a. sensory input areas b. motor areas c. association areas d. language processing areas
C
58
58. The motor cortex is located in the:
| a. frontal lobes. b. temporal lobes. c. parietal lobes. d. occipital lobes.
A
59
59. Following her stroke, Elizabeth was completely without speech. It is most probable that Elizabeth's brain was damaged in which area?
a. the thalamus b. Broca's area c. Wernicke's area d. the occipital lobe
B
60
60. Simon is holding a stapler in his hand; however, based on touch, he thinks it is a spoon. This is indicative of damage to Simon's ________.
a. association areas in the frontal lobes b. association areas in the parietal lobes
c. association areas in the temporal lobes d. association areas in the occipital lobes
B
61
61. Having had his pocket watch with him constantly for over 30 years, Stanley found himself unable to recognize it following an accident where he suffered brain damage. However, when he reaches for the watch in his pocket, he can correctly tell you what it is without looking at it. Which area of Stanley's brain was likely damaged?
a. association areas in the occipital lobes
b. association areas in the temporal lobes
c. association areas in the frontal lobes
d. association areas in the parietal lobes
A
62
62. Sean instantly recognizes the sound of his favorite music group, the Dixie Chicks. This recognition was enabled by:
a. the frontal association areas.
b. the occipital association areas.
c. the temporal association areas.
C
