psychology 101

What contribution did Walter Cannon make to the field of health psychology? A)He discovered the fight or flight response B)He described how there is also good stress C)He categorized stressors based on their effects D)He differentiated between primary and secondary appraisal

A)He discovered the fight or flight response

What is the name of physical disorders that are worsened by stress? A)Immunosuppression B)Cardiovascular disorders C)Psychoneuroimmunology D)Psychophysiological disorders

A)Immunosuppression

Which of the following scenarios represents the highest likelihood of the gene-environment interaction resulting in depression for Sarah? A)Sarah has a family history of depression and just received a promotion. B)Sarah has a family history of depression and a close friend recently died. C)Sarah does not have a family history of depression and just received a promotion. D)Sarah does not have a family history of depression but a close friend recently died.

B)Sarah has a family history of depression and a close friend recently died.

Which statement is most true for a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder ? A)She will wet her bed into adulthood B)She will prefer to play alone and not to initiate friendships C)She will always get in trouble at school for not following directions D)She will have an overly close and intense relationship with her mother

B)She will prefer to play alone and not to initiate friendships

What does an I/O psychologist do? A)Help businesses make more money B)Study how people are affected by their work C)Support an organization's marketing strategies D)Develop theories to increase an organization's productivity

B)Study how people are affected by their work

If there is a shorter the delay between a neutral stimulus (such as a bell) and an unconditioned stimulus (such as food), which of the following will occur? A)The reflex will be weaker and take longer to be acquired B)The reflex will be stronger and take less time to be acquired C)The reflex will be weaker but acquired in the same amount of time D)The reflex will be stronger but acquired in the same amount of time

B)The reflex will be stronger and take less time to be acquired

From an evolutionary perspective, what is the main purpose of the attachment relationship? A)To help infants develop the ability to form mental representations B)To maintain proximity to an attachment figure in order to increase protection and care C)To help humans develop preconventional morality, which serves the larger group among social animals D)To increase the happiness and well-being of the mother, a protective factor given the stressors of caregiving

B)To maintain proximity to an attachment figure in order to increase protection and care

Debriefing a participant after an experiment should be done for which of the following reasons? A)To pay the participant B)To receive informed consent C)To minimize potential harmful consequences D)To inform the participant the study has ended

B)To receive informed consent

Frank has just been laid off from his job at Yellow Tech. His company laid off about 10% of the staff. A similar company, Rose Industries, in a nearby town laid off about 15% of its staff recently. While talking with a friend, Frank explains, "I was laid off, but it had nothing to do with my performance, Yellow Tech is just facing a changing market. Rose Industries, on the other hand, laid off employees because they weren't doing enough to make the company succeed." What cognitive mistake is Frank making in his explanation? A)self-serving bias B)actor-observer bias C)just-world hypothesis D)fundamental attribution error

B)actor-observer bias

What is the difference between industrial and organizational psychology? A)Industrial psychology focuses on job analysis while organizational psychology focuses on employee relationships B)Organizational psychology focuses on job analysis while industrial psychology focuses on employee relationships C)Industrial psychology focuses on job analysis while organizational psychology focuses on improving how employees utilize tools in their work D)Organizational psychology focuses on job analysis while industrial psychology focuses on improving how employees utilize tools in their work

A)Industrial psychology focuses on job analysis while organizational psychology focuses on employee relationships

Which of the following is true about schizophrenia? A)It affects about 1% of the population. B)It originates from a single dominant gene. C)It has little variation in its symptomatology. D)It has no environmental contributions to its etiology.

A)It affects about 1% of the population.

Which of the following statements about negative reinforcement is true? A)It removes an aversive stimulus. B)It provisions an aversive stimulus. C)It is the same as punishment, according to Skinner. D)It involves removing the primary positive reinforcers.

A)It removes an aversive stimulus.

What are the primary developmental tasks of childhood? A)Learning to socialize B)Developing sign language skills C)Understanding abstract thinking D)Developing an acculturation bond with teacher(s)

A)Learning to socialize

Milgram's famous study provided insight into which of the following phenomena? A)Obedience B)Aggression C)Conformity D)Cognitive dissonance

A)Obedience

While toilet training her child, a mother uses a sticker chart to reward successful behavior. What is this is an example of? A)Positive reinforcement B)Negative reinforcement C)Positive punishment D)Negative punishment

A)Positive reinforcement

Which of the following is information about the sequence of events and actions in particular familiar scenarios? A)Script B)Scheme C)Social role D)Social norm

A)Script

An animal trainer is teaching a seal to hop onto a scale for his daily weight check. Rather than only rewarding the final behavior (stepping onto the scale), the trainer has to reward many steps to get the seal to cooperate. On the first day of training, she rewards the seal when he hops on land close to the scale. The next day, she reinforces that behavior as well as when the seal approaches the scale. What is rewarding successive approximations of behavior in this way also known as? A)Shaping B)Operant conditioning C)Classical conditioning D)Introspection

A)Shaping

Imagine that a natural disaster has occurred, leaving many homes destroyed. In talking with friends about the event, one of your friends says that, although it's unfortunate that so many people lost their homes, they probably deserved it since they chose to live in such a disaster-prone area. Your friend's explanation for the disaster makes which cognitive mistake? A)self-serving bias B)actor-observer bias C)just-world hypothesis D)fundamental attribution error

C)just-world hypothesis

Employees of a company are part of a committee to write a new employee manual. During a committee meeting, some of the employees did not make much of an effort and had few suggestions. These employees had made a much greater effort on other tasks in which they worked alone. What is this an example of? A)Groupthink B)group polarization C)social loafing D)social facilitation

C)social loafing

Which of the following would be a case for a psychopathologist? A)advising people in the court and justice systems B)understanding the group dynamics within a prison C)treating a person suffering from a specific phobia D)working with an adult recovering from the loss of a parent

C)treating a person suffering from a specific phobia

The field of psychopathology is most interested in which of the following? A.Brain-environment interaction B.Effects of trauma on mental processes C.Abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors D.Variance in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors among groups of people

C.Abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

While Erikson's theory shared some similarities with Freud's, it is dramatically different in many ways. Which of the following characterizations are correct? A.According to both Freud and Erikson, behavior was primarily learned. B.Both Erikson's and Freud's stages have strong psychosexual elements associated with the developmental stressors. C.According to Erikson, during each stage of life, people are faced with a developmental conflict that impacts later functioning. D.Freud's theory is similar to Erikson's in that it culminates with the meaning of life question in the generativity vs. stagnation stage.

C.According to Erikson, during each stage of life, people are faced with a developmental conflict that impacts later functioning.

What essential feature distinguishes a pure experiment from other types of studies? A)A pure experiment includes an independent variable. B)A pure experiment utilizes introspection instead of the scientific method. C)A pure experiment's data are derived from a population instead of a sample. D)A pure experiment is a study in which an independent variable is intentionally manipulated.

D)A pure experiment is a study in which an independent variable is intentionally manipulated.

What is a teratogen? A)A stage of prenatal development B)A reflex mechanism of a newborn C)A hormone expressed during pregnancy D)An agent that can be harmful to an embryo

D)An agent that can be harmful to an embryo

SSRIs are the most popular of which of the following medications? A)Antimanic B)Anti-anxiety C)Antipsychotic D)Antidepressant

D)Antidepressant

Antonio had a stroke in the left lobe of his brain. Which of the following might he experience? A)Dissociative amnesia B)Difficulty recognizing faces C)Difficulty moving the left leg D)Difficulty moving the right leg

D)Difficulty moving the right leg

What common cognitive error refers to the tendency of individuals to explain the behaviors of others in terms of internal factors as opposed to situational factors? A)Prejudicial error B)Self-serving bias C)Actor-observer bias D)Fundamental attribution error

D)Fundamental attribution error

What is the process of translating scientific findings to the real world known as? A)Observation B)Manipulation C)Repeated measures D)Inductive reasoning

D)Inductive reasoning

Which of the following statements regarding dementia is true? A)Most strokes result in dementia. B)The vast majority of the cases of late-life dementia are due to brain cancer. C)Only 20% of people over the age of 65 experience clinically relevant dementia. D)It involves the loss of short-term memory and can affect a person's ability to follow instructions.

D)It involves the loss of short-term memory and can affect a person's ability to follow instructions.

What famous psychologist decided nearly 100 years ago that psychology should be defined as the scientific study of behavior? A)Mary Whiton Calkins B)Sigmund Freud C)B.F. Skinner D)John B. Watson

D)John B. Watson

Who is generally known to have built the first psychology research laboratory in Germany? A)Sigmund Freud B)Francis Galton C)William James D)John B. Wundt

D)John B. Wundt

Which of the following best describes personality? A)A measure of our intelligence B)Our actions and feelings towards other people C)Our ability to work well with others regardless of our differences D)Long-standing traits that make us behave and think in certain ways

D)Long-standing traits that make us behave and think in certain ways

Which of the following is an example of emotion-focused coping? A)Losing your job and blaming your boss B)Losing your job and blaming your colleagues C)Losing your job and begging your boss for another chance D)Losing your job and viewing it as an opportunity to pursue other interests

D)Losing your job and viewing it as an opportunity to pursue other interests

Which of the following self-report personality tests is commonly used to screen potential employees in law enforcement? A)Rorschach Inkblot Test (RIT) B)Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) C)Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank (RISB) D)Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

D)Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

During which stage of Freudian psychosexual development does the Oedipus/Electra complex occur? A)Anal B)Genital C)Oral D)Phallic

D)Phallic

Which of the following tasks is a human-factor psychologist most likely to complete? A)Write job interview questions B)Analyze different management styles C)Examine the impact of various leadership roles D)Review and update checklist protocols for pilots

D)Review and update checklist protocols for pilots

A child spins in circles for a minute and then complains of being dizzy. Why is she dizzy? A)She senses dizziness because of the perception produced by her papillae. B)She senses dizziness because of the perception produced by her inner ear. C)She perceives dizziness because of the sensory information collected by her papillae. D)She perceives dizziness because of the sensory information collected by her inner ear.

D)She perceives dizziness because of the sensory information collected by her inner ear.

Five-year old Claire got diagnosed with a life-threatening illness which uproots her entire family to seek the best medical care for her. According to the General Adaptation Syndrome, at which stage will Claire's parents no longer be able to adapt or process the stressor of their daughter's illness? A)Fight B)Alarm reaction C)Stage of resistance D)Stage of exhaustion

D)Stage of exhaustion

What does the specialty field of human-factors psychology focus on? A)Diversity and its effect on the workplace B)Fair hiring selection criteria and best practices in HR C)The interactions between employees in the workplace D)The interaction between employees and their environment

D)The interaction between employees and their environment

The power of assigning roles to a person was demonstrated by the experiments of which of the following researchers? A)Goode B)Bandura C)Milgram D)Zimbardo

D)Zimbardo

Deindividuation likely results from which of the following psychological phenomena? A.Dissonance reduction and obedience B.Dissonance reduction and conformity C.Diffused responsibility and the illusory correlation D.Diffused responsibility and high levels of social arousal

D.Diffused responsibility and high levels of social arousal

Lithium is most often prescribed to treat which of the following mental disorders? A)Dysthymia B)Bulimia nervosa C)Bipolar disorder D)Anorexia nervosa

C)Bipolar disorder

Some people experience "road rage" type feelings of hostility and anger when there are recurring problems and delays with their daily commutes. What is this an example of? A)Distress B)Eustress C)Daily hassles D)Primary appraisal

C)Daily hassles

The Rorschach Inkblot test has been shown to be particularly helpful for measuring what types of conditions? A)Anorexia and bulimia B)Likelihood to succeed in college C)Depression, psychosis, and anxiety D)Schizoid and schizotypal personality disorders

C)Depression, psychosis, and anxiety

Our visual system relies on binocular as well as monocular cues to perceive which of the following? A)Color B)Contrast C)Depth D)Faces

C)Depth

Which of the following tasks might an organizational psychologist complete? A)Interview an organization's job applicants B)Conduct an organization's performance reviews C)Explore an organization's telecommuting options D)Ensure that an organization does not discriminate

C)Explore an organization's telecommuting options

An artist becomes so enamored with his work that he forgets how much time he spends painting. What is this an example of? A)Coping B)Eustress C)Flow D)General adaptation syndrome

C)Flow

Which of the following is Alfred Adler best known for? A)Coining the term "superiority complex" B)Suggesting that men experience "womb envy" C)Founding the school of Individual psychology D)Researching the phenomenon of "learned helplessness"

C)Founding the school of Individual psychology

Which figure do psychodynamic approaches to treatment emphasize the techniques of? A)Beck B)Ellis C)Freud D)Rogers

C)Freud

Which of the following schools of thought explains mental states and behaviors by the ways they help an organism fit an environment? A)Cognitivism B)Structuralism C)Functionalism D)Psychoanalysis

C)Functionalism

According to Erikson's theory of development, a "midlife crisis" may be a product of which developmental crisis? A)Intimacy versus isolation B)Industry versus inferiority C)Generativity versus stagnation D)Ego identity versus role confusion

C)Generativity versus stagnation

What did Galen contribute to the body of work on personality? A)He coined the term 'personality' B)He linked brain size to personality differences C)He developed the first complete theory of personality D)He suggested that there are 4 temperaments that make up personality

C)He developed the first complete theory of personality

Stress and hypertension have been linked to which type of physical problems? A)AIDS B)Asthma C)Heart disease D)Immune system problems

C)Heart disease

You have walked from your house to the neighborhood market hundreds of times in your life. Although there are several possible routes to take, you always take the exact same route without even thinking about it. Your route to the market falls under A)Explicit memory B)Episodic memory C)Implicit memory D)Semantic memory

C)Implicit memory

Which of the following drugs is included in the category of opioids? A)Alcohol B)Marijuana C)Methadone D)Methamphetamine

C)Methadone

Which of the following substances severely affects your perceptions and sensations by, for example, making you experience vivid hallucinations? A)Cocaine B)Methadone C)PCP D)Prozac

C)PCP

What is the umbrella term for sleep disorders in which unwanted and disruptive motor activity and/or experiences occur? A)Insomnia B)Narcolepsy C)Parasomnia D)Sleep apnea

C)Parasomnia

Which area of psychology focuses on promoting qualities that lead to a better fulfillment of life? A)Social psychology B)Clinical psychology C)Positive psychology D)Humanistic psychology

C)Positive psychology

You frequently see Leon on the corner near of a busy intersection. Leon talks a lot, but often his sentences are illogical and rambling. He has accused people who walk by him of spying on him and reporting him to government scientists. What type of disorder is Leon most likely experiencing? A)Mood disorder B)Anxiety disorder C)Psychotic disorder D)Personality disorder

C)Psychotic disorder

Peter and Jane were in a major car accident and both sustained multiple injuries. During the recovery process, the treatment team learns that Peter cannot recall anything that happened before the accident. His last memory is hitting the breaks and trying to control his car. Meanwhile, Jane can accurately recall her memory throughout her life. Peter, most likely, suffers from which of the following? A)Suggestibility B)Flashbulb memory C)Retrograde amnesia D)Anterograde amnesia

C)Retrograde amnesia

Which variables in operant conditioning are similar to which variables in classical conditioning? A)Primary reinforcers: extinction stimulus B)Secondary reinforcers: extinction stimulus C)Secondary reinforcers: conditioned stimulus D)Secondary reinforcers: unconditioned stimulus

C)Secondary reinforcers: conditioned stimulus

You may have spent hours reviewing your notes and committing details to memory in preparation for this exam. This preparation was to commit the course material to your A)Implicit memory B)Episodic memory C)Semantic memory D)Procedural memory

C)Semantic memory

According to the Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory, information passes through various stages of memory. Which is the correct order of the memory systems through which information passes? A)Short-term memory → Sensory memory → Long-term memory B)Short-term memory → Long-term memory → Sensory memory C)Sensory memory → Short-term memory → Long-term memory D)Sensory memory → Long-term memory → Short-term memory

C)Sensory memory → Short-term memory → Long-term memory

On a field trip, students from one class are asked to wear a red shirt and jeans while students from another class are to wear yellow shirts and jeans. Which Gestalt principle is the teacher using to easily group students from one class together in his visual field? A)Closure B)Continuity C)Similarity D)Symmetry

C)Similarity

You are much more likely to see the following as lines of close-together asterisks than 14 vertical collections of three asterisks each. What is the name of the Gestalt law that best describes this phenomenon? ************** ************** ************** A)The law of closure B)The law of continuity C)The law of proximity D)The law of symmetry

C)The law of proximity

Which of the following systems would immediately be activated if you encountered something you were afraid of? A)The central nervous system B)The peripheral nervous system C)The sympathetic nervous system D)The parasympathetic nervous system

C)The sympathetic nervous system

A touch stimulus, such as holding a resting baby, is strong enough to excite sensory receptors and send nerve impulses to the brain. The conversion of the sensory information to neural impulses is which of the following? A)Sensation B)Perception C)Transduction D)Just noticeable difference

C)Transduction

Twin studies compare the rates that a given behavioral trait is shared among ____ whereas adoption studies compare those rates among biologically related relatives and adopted relatives. A)identical twins B)fraternal twins C)identical and fraternal twins D)siblings reared in the same home

C)identical and fraternal twins

According to ____'s theory, child development occurs in a series of stages focused on different pleasure areas of the body. During each stage, the child encounters conflicts that play a major role in the course of development. A)Freud B)Piaget C)Erikson D)Vygotsky

A)Freud

Which personality theorist focused on inborn temperament and its role in personality development? A)Hans Eysenck B)Walter Mischel C)Julian Rotter D)Carl Rogers

A)Hans Eysenck

Susan is a third grade teacher and finds one of her students, Anna, to be disruptive during class. Anna does not sit still, follow directions, or pay attention to her teacher. Which of the following might Susan suggest that Anna be evaluated for? A)ADHD B)Autism C)Mood disorders D)Personality disorders

A)ADHD

The cochlea is part of which sensory system? A)Auditory B)Olfactory C)Somatic D)Visual

A)Auditory

What type of cell in the retina transmits information out of the eye? A)Cones B)Ossicles C)Ganglion cells D)Horizontal cells

A)Cones

You are motivated to drink a glass of water in order to reduce the internal state of thirst. Which theory of motivation explains this action? A)Drive Theory B)Incentive Theory C)Humanistic Theory D)Reciprocal Determinism

A)Drive Theory

Which of the following situations is most likely to be used by clinical psychologists to determine if a behavior is abnormal? A)Few other people are showing the behavior. B)Children and adults are showing the behavior. C)Men and women tend to show the behavior at similar rates. D)People are showing the behavior while living in a wartime environment.

A)Few other people are showing the behavior.

Which of the following therapeutic treatments is used to treat phobias and related disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder? A)Flooding B)Catharsis C)Reinforcement D)Client-centered approach

A)Flooding

Which of the following represents the most accurate definition of hypothesis? A)An inference made after an observation B)A manipulated variable in an experiment C)A specific prediction that guides research D)An guess regarding the outcome of a study

C)A specific prediction that guides research

How long does a complete sleep cycle take, on average? A)40 to 70 minutes B)90 to 110 minutes C)130 to 160 minutes D)180 to 240 minutes

B)90 to 110 minutes

Which psychologist broadened the behavioral perspective of personality development to include social contexts and cognitive processes? A)Alfred Adler B)Albert Bandura C)Karen Horney D)Carl Jung

B)Albert Bandura

Francine was assaulted on a street nearby her office. Immediately following the assault, Francine began avoiding Green Street, where the assault took place. In the months since the assault, she has begun avoiding the streets surrounding Green Street. In the past month she has found it increasingly difficult to leave her apartment and has missed a lot of work. What type of disorder is Francine most likely experiencing? A)Mood disorder B)Anxiety disorder C)Psychotic disorder D)Personality disorder

B)Anxiety disorder

Which of the following schools of thought patently rejects the notion of introspection? A)Humanism B)Behaviorism C)Structuralism D)Functionalism

B)Behaviorism

A child's temperament, an important aspect of personality, starts to become apparent at how many months of age? A)Less than one month B)Between 2 and 15 months C)Between 24 and 36 months D)It depends on the child

B)Between 2 and 15 months

You get a reminder about a concert you have tickets for, and you start to feel excited. Your heart rate quickens and you start to consciously feel excitement about the upcoming event. Which theory of emotion claims that these two parts of emotion - the physiological and the emotional experience - happen simultaneously but independently? A)James-Lange Theory B)Cannon-Bard Theory C)Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory D)Lazarus' Cognitive-mediational Theory

B)Cannon-Bard Theory

The opponent-process theory suggests that color is coded in opposing pairs. Which of the following is an example of such color pairing? A)Red-blue B)Green-red C)White-blue D)Purple-yellow

B)Green-red

What are the chemical messengers in the endocrine system called? A)Glands B)Hormones C)Neurotransmitters D)Serotonin

B)Hormones

What types of cultures are more prone to committing the fundamental attribution error? A)Collectivistic B)Individualistic C)Maternal D)Paternal

B)Individualistic

Most psychologists would agree with which of the following statements? A)Mental disorders are all-or-none states, like pregnancy or the measles. B)It can be difficult to delineate between what is "normal" and what is "pathological." C)Schizophrenia and bipolar disorders are the only mental disorders with genetic components. D)Psychologists should focus their attention on hereditary factors because environmental factors of mental disorders are difficult to research.

B)It can be difficult to delineate between what is "normal" and what is "pathological."

What is the main purpose of myelin sheath, the substance that often encases an axon? A)It allows for stronger electrical impulses. B)It speeds up conduction of electrical impulses. C)It protects the axon from toxins in the bloodstream. D)It helps increase the longevity of the existing neuron.

B)It speeds up conduction of electrical impulses.

Which famous social psychologist coined the term "group dynamics"? A)James Cattell B)Kurt Lewin C)Elton Mayo D)Wilhelm Wundt

B)Kurt Lewin

Which of the following memory distortions is most strongly associated with eyewitness testimony? A)Transience B)Misinformation effect C)False memory syndrome D)Proactive interference

B)Misinformation effect

What do you call the division and multiplication of cells during the onset of pregnancy? A)Zygote B)Mitosis C)Conception D)Fetal development

B)Mitosis

Which organ secretes hormones that regulate blood sugar levels? A)Cerebellum B)Pancreas C)Skin D)Thyroid

B)Pancreas

What famous researcher who won the Nobel Prize for his work in the physiology of digestion was also a pioneer in classical conditioning experiments? A)Watson B)Pavlov C)Skinner D)Thorndike

B)Pavlov

A researcher shows a child a ball of clay. Next, the researcher rolls it into a thin rod and breaks it into 10 pieces. This child is able to determine that if the pieces are rolled back into a single ball, the ball of clay would look the same as it did originally. Which cognitive ability does this description represent? A)Assimilation B)Reversibility C)Deferred imitation D)Hypothetical thinking

B)Reversibility

Remembering the lyrics to a song is a function of which of the following? A)Visual encoding B)Sensory encoding C)Acoustic encoding D)Semantic encoding

C)Acoustic encoding

What is primary appraisal? A)The first step in the stress process B)A coping mechanism to control daily hassles C)A judgment of the potential harm or threat a stressor might have D)A description of how someone can cope with a particular stressor

C)A judgment of the potential harm or threat a stressor might have

Which of the following best describes biofeedback? A)A coping strategy that involves exercise B)A coping strategy that involves meditation C)A coping strategy that involves reciting mantras D)A coping strategy that provides auditory or visual feedback

D)A coping strategy that provides auditory or visual feedback