Psych 101 quiz 1

Dr. Tucker is a developmental psychologist. Which of the following research questions is she LEAST likely to pursue? a. How do brain chemicals influence sexual behavior in young adults? b. How do children learn to speak? c. When do infants learn that objects out of sight still exist? d. Do video games help older adults maintain mental abilities as they age?

a. How do brain chemicals influence sexual behavior in young adults?

Which pioneer in psychology helped develop the school of thought called structuralism? a. Titchener b. James c. Wertheimer d. Maslow

a. Titchener

You are doing an experiment to test whether exercise improves self-control in children. Half of the children will jump rope for five minutes before being left alone in a room with a bowl of candy. The other half of the children will color for five minutes before being left alone in the room with the candy. You plan to measure how long it takes for each child to begin eating the candy as well as how much candy the children consume. Which statement about your research is true? a. Your dependent variable has two operational definitions. b. Your independent variable has two operational definitions. c. Your study does not have a control group. d. Your study has the advantage of taking place in a real-world setting.

a. Your dependent variable has two operational definitions.

What is empiricism? a. an approach to gaining knowledge about behavior and mental processes by observation and measurement only b. observing and measuring phenomena relying largely on intuition c. a model of interconnected ideas or concepts that explains observations d. an early school of psychology concerned with the adaptive purpose of mind and behavior

a. an approach to gaining knowledge about behavior and mental processes by observation and measurement only

Marwan has been shy his whole life, and he is not sure what underlies this trait. Which subfield of psychology might hold some answers for Marwan? a. personality psychology b. cultural psychology c. clinical psychology d. social psychology

a. personality psychology

Martavis is wondering whether extrasensory perception (ESP) really exists. If he is using the steps of critical thinking, what is the first thing he should ask himself? a. "What evidence is there that ESP actually exists?" b. "What am I being asked to accept or believe about ESP?" c. "What conclusions can I draw about the existence of ESP?" d. "How can I conduct research about the existence of ESP?"

b. "What am I being asked to accept or believe about ESP?"

Which of these statements about contemporary psychology is NOT accurate? a. Few psychologists today describe themselves as strict behaviorists. b. Few cognitive psychologists recognize the importance that the brain plays in cognition. c. Most doctoral degrees in psychology are awarded to students in the clinical subfield. d. The atrocities committed during World War II helped prompt psychologists to understand how people are shaped by interactions with others.

b. Few cognitive psychologists recognize the importance that the brain plays in cognition.

Dr. Tucker incorporates principles from behaviorism into her therapy practice when she thinks it may be effective in helping her patients. Which of the following is an example of how Dr. Tucker might use her knowledge of behaviorism to help people with psychological problems? a. She uses new drugs that have been developed that operate on the behavior centers of the brain. b. She helps teach behavior modification techniques to patients with anxiety, so they can practice increase desired behaviors. c. She suggests that her patients with memory problems use computer games to practice memory-related tasks. d. She helps trauma victims improve their psychological health by discussing their childhood experiences in detail.

b. She helps teach behavior modification techniques to patients with anxiety, so they can practice increase desired behaviors.

Professor Jacobs conducts a lot of research. He always makes sure that his study records are stored in a locked cabinet inside of a locked office. Only he and his lab manager have both keys. Which ethical issue(s) does he wish to address through these protective measures? a. anonymity b. confidentiality c. risks d. informed consent

b. confidentiality

Which of the following pairs of variables would be an example of a negative correlation? a. amount of hours spent studying and chances of getting a good grade on a test b. number of times a person brushes his teeth and likelihood of getting cavities c. number of children a person has and the likelihood that it will be a snowy winter d. the amount of money a person makes and the size of the home she is likely to own

b. number of times a person brushes his teeth and likelihood of getting cavities

The systematic, objective study of our mental activity and behavior is called a. psychoanalysis. b. psychology. c. behaviorism. d. the scientific method.

b. psychology.

Professor Newton is planning a research study with human participants, who will have to wear a head-mounted eye-tracking device during data collection. While the device is not painful or dangerous, it can be a bit uncomfortable, and some participants may get a headache from wearing the device. In order to conduct the study ethically, Professor Newton must ensure that which of the following is favorable? a. random assignment b. risk/benefit ratio c. scientific standards d. privacy and confidentiality

b. risk/benefit ratio

Charles Darwin and William James both understood the importance of a. environmental stimuli on behavior. b. the adaptive purpose of specific traits and characteristics. c. childhood and parenting on future behavior. d. the connection between physical and psychological problems.

b. the adaptive purpose of specific traits and characteristics.

Roisin is investigating of how humans think about groups of people and form negative attitudes, stereotypes, and prejudices. Which level of analysis does her work most likely involve? a. the biological level b. the social level c. the individual level d. the cultural level

b. the social level

Dr. Grodner is conducting an experiment on age-related changes in memory. He is comparing how well retirees and high school students perform on a memory task. In order to conveniently schedule research participants, he has the older adults come to the lab during the day, since they are retired. The students come to the lab in the evening, after they are finished with school and other activities. What is the problematic confound in this study? a. It is unfair to compare older adults to younger adults, because older adults sometimes experience memory problems. b. Dr. Grodner has not operationally defined memory for the purposes of his study. c. If memory turns out to be something that varies by time of day, it is problematic that the older adults all do the study in the morning and the younger adults do the study at night. d. Older adults have a lot more memories than younger adults, which confound the study.

c. If memory turns out to be something that varies by time of day, it is problematic that the older adults all do the study in the morning and the younger adults do the study at night.

Your roommate tells you that he is planning to conduct an observational study for his senior thesis. Which of the following questions would you ask to demonstrate that you understand how observational studies are designed? a. What is your dependent variable? b. How did you identify the best case study to investigate? c. Will your research take place in the lab or in the natural environment? d. Are you concerned that self-report bias may affect your results?

c. Will your research take place in the lab or in the natural environment?

Raj is interested in how religious beliefs influence political engagement. Which level of analysis best fits Raj's research questions? a. social b. individual c. cultural d. biological

c. cultural

In the cycle of the scientific method, statistics help you a. determine whether your theory is supported. b. define a hypothesis. c. determine whether your hypothesis is supported. d. analyze your results after they are published in a research journal.

c. determine whether your hypothesis is supported.

Natural selection is a. based on the idea that conscious experience can be broken down into underlying thoughts. b. the idea that the observable environment affects behavior in predictable ways. c. the mechanism of evolution. d. how systems of rewards increase desired behaviors.

c. the mechanism of evolution.

When attempting to understand the connection between psychological and physical problems, Freud concluded that a. individuals with adaptations best suited to their environment will be more likely to survive and reproduce, thereby passing along their genes. b. when interviewed by a professional, individuals are able to use introspection to describe their perceptions and cognitive processes. c. to a large extent, behavior is directed by mental processes that operate at a subconscious level. d. the human experience cannot be broken down into component processes.

c. to a large extent, behavior is directed by mental processes that operate at a subconscious level.

Which of the following gives psychologists the best confidence that the conclusions they draw from research are accurate? a. getting their research results published in a major academic journal b. making sure not to repeat studies that have already been conducted c. using the scientific method in their research d. ensuring that their hypotheses are confirmed by their research

c. using the scientific method in their research

Leola is reading about the nature/nurture debate in psychology. She will find that most psychologists have reached what conclusion about this debate? a. Neither nature nor nurture have a major influence on psychological development. b. Nature, but not nurture, influences our psychological development. c. Nurture, but not nature, influences our psychological development. d. Both nature and nurture influence our psychological development.

d. Both nature and nurture influence our psychological development.

According to this school of thought, the whole of personal experience is different than the sum of its parts. a. structuralism b. behaviorism c. functionalism d. Gestalt theory

d. Gestalt theory

Verdell has a test in his psychology class next week. If he remembers the tips that the psychology textbook gave him, which study approach will be the most effective? a. He should make sure that nothing is planned the night before the test, and should study for several hours in a row. b. He should remember that studying the same material too many times can lead to confusion, so he should read each topic in his book or notes only one time. c. He should focus on memorizing the facts and concepts that he will be tested on, since memorization leads to deep learning. d. He should space out his studying and leave time for active reviews.

d. He should space out his studying and leave time for active reviews.

Are researchers allowed to deceive participants in their studies? a. No, because an institutional review board would never approve of such methods in a proper study. b. No, deception of research participants is unethical according to the American Psychological Association's Code of Ethics. c. Yes, but the participants must be paid for their time and effort in a study where deception was used. d. Yes, but when the study is over the researcher has to reveal the study's real goals and explain why the deception was necessary.

d. Yes, but when the study is over the researcher has to reveal the study's real goals and explain why the deception was necessary.

Ralph loves his birthday, but he tends to eat too much throughout the day. At the __________ level, there may be hormonal reasons why Ralph is prone to overeating. At the __________ level, it is hard for Ralph to turn down second helpings when his friends keep buying him meals. a. individual; cultural b. individual; social c. biological; cultural d. biological; social

d. biological; social

Lisha has just finished her graduate work in a specific area of psychology. If her doctorate is in the area where the most doctoral degrees were awarded during the 2007-2008 academic year, what kind of program did Lisha just complete? a. counseling psychology b. school/educational psychology c. experimental psychology d. clinical psychology

d. clinical psychology

Beliefs, values, norms, rules, and customs that people learn from those who share a language or environment comprise. a. religion. b. society. c. ethics. d. culture.

d. culture.

Your family recently adopted a dog from an animal shelter. Initially, the dog seemed nervous and territorial, but after a few weeks, she became affectionate and calm. Which of the following must play some role in the dogs behavior? a. nature b. mind c. body d. nurture

d. nurture

Which of the following is NOT a part of the textbook's definition of psychology? a. mental activity b. behavior c. brain processes d. social interactions

d. social interactions