psych 7a midterm 1

predicting behavior

Correlations are most useful for A) predicting behavior. B) discovering the cause of behavior. C) explaining outcomes. D) testing treatments.

is occasionally allowed but must be followed by a thorough debriefing

Deception in psychological research A) has never been considered ethical. B) has not been allowed since the Tuskegee study. C) is not possible because it interferes with the legal requirement of informed consent. D) is occasionally allowed but must be followed by a thorough debriefing.

grow from separate zygotes

Dizygotic twins a. have identical DNA. b. appear to be identical. c. rarely resemble each other. d. grow from separate zygotes.

signaling pleasure

Dopamine is most directly involved in a. inhibiting neurons. b. signaling pleasure. c. reducing pain perception. d. slowing heart rate.

die though a natural process before birth

During neural development, the nervous system generates more cells than it ultimately needs. Over half of the extra cells a. die though a natural process before birth. b. are stored in the cortex to replace damaged neurons later. c. are integrated into the circulatory system. d. develop into cell masses that house the neurotransmitters.

the expression of a particular gene as influenced by external inputs

Epigenetics is most concerned with a. changes in a person's genotype resulting from environmental influences. b. the expression of a particular gene as influenced by external inputs. c. environmental influences on gene expression over experiential influences. d. the heritability of genotypes that have been altered over multiple generations.

Lights and colors

If a doctor stimulated your occipital lobe, which would you be most likely to experience? A) Buzzing sounds B) Odors C) Tickling sensations D) Lights and colors

spurious correlation

As the number of pirates in the world has decreased, the mean global temperature has increased. This is an example of a A) non-linear relationship. B) spurious correlation. C) strong inference. D) meta-analysis.

stranger anxiety

At about eight months of age, as a part of normal attachment development, infants begin to show a. rooting reflexes. b. avoidant attachment. c. stranger anxiety. d. ambivalent attachment.

include a control group, which would receive some supportive counseling but not the actual treatment

In a phobia treatment study, the participants spend three hours facing their fears. Post-treatment scores show significant improvement in overall distress levels when handling the feared objects, so the treatment is judged as effective by the researcher. To improve the study's design, the researcher can A) increase the length of time for the treatment component. B) repeat the study with a new set of participants for a more representative sample. C) include a control group, which would receive some supportive counseling but not the actual treatment. D) change to a correlational design since it is unethical to have participants experience fear as part of a study.

7 percent chance that differences between the two samples are due to chance alone

In an analysis testing differences between an experimental and a control group on the dependent variable, a p-value of 0.07 means there is a a. statistically significant difference between the groups. b. statistically significant validity problem with the measure of the dependent variable. c. 7 percent chance that differences between the two samples are due to chance alone. d. 93 percent chance that differences between the two samples are due to chance alone

one or more individuals are studied in great detail.

In case study research, A) researchers interview a representative sample of people about a topic of interest. B) one or more individuals are studied in great detail. C) people are carefully observed in real-world situations. D) subjects are polled about their beliefs and opinions.

birth order

In cases where only one of two identical twins develops schizophrenia, all of the following factors may be responsible except a. birth weight. b. birth order. c. nutrition. d. nurturing.

grow dendrites and axons

In the final stages of synaptogenesis, neurons a. differentiate into cerebral cells. b. grow dendrites and axons. c. undergo synapse rearrangement. d. die as a result of natural aging.

hyperpolarize neurons

Inhibitory synapses a. cannot exist in the same part of the body as excitatory synapses. b. increase the likelihood that a neuron will reach the firing threshold. c. trigger action potentials. d. hyperpolarize neurons.

Temporal lobe

Kobe, a native English speaker, has moved to Germany and is learning to speak German. Which brain region is likely to show the greatest plasticity? a. Limbic system b. Temporal lobe c. Prefrontal cortex d. Parietal lobe

Object permanence

Lila is 18 months old and is no longer surprised when her mother hides her ball, only to reveal it again in a different position in front of her. What cognitive milestone is Lila displaying? a. Concrete operations b. Object recognition c. Conservation d. Object permanence

allow action potentials to travel more quickly

Myelinated axons are useful because they A) prevent saltatory conduction. C) allow action potentials to travel more quickly. B) decrease the number of nodes of Ranvier. D) are less likely to reach the firing threshold.

neurogenesis

Neural development begins with rapid division of nerve cells in a process called a. synaptogenesis. b. cell migration. c. differentiation. d. neurogenesis.

causing receptor channels to open, allowing positively charged sodium ions to flow into the neuron.

Neurotransmitters influence the polarization of a neuron by a. causing receptor channels to open, allowing positively charged sodium ions to flow into the neuron. b. crossing into the neuron, bringing their charge with them. c. causing neurons to expel sodium ions. d. blocking ion flow.

our sensory systems rely on the functioning of more than one protein

One reason dysfunctional alleles can have such specific effects on the workings of our sensory systems is that a. only one allele has a significant effect on each system. b. the toxicity of dysfunctional alleles degrades the action of the entire brain. c. our sensory systems rely on the functioning of more than one protein. d. only a single allele needs to be dysfunctional to result in a deficit.

neurons communicate chemically

Otto Loewi electrically stimulated a nerve in a frog heart. He then applied fluid surrounding that heart to a second heart. In this experiment, he found evidence that A) neurons communicate chemically. B) neurons communicate electrically. C) the speed of neural transmission differs across species. D) his theory of saltatory conduction was correct.

constructivism

Piaget's theory of development has been referred to as _______ because in his view, children adapt to the world by actively building and organizing their experiences. a. constructivism b. postconventional c. egocentrism d. psychosocial

egocentric

Preoperational children are often described as _______ because they do not understand that different people can have different points of view. a. logical b. egocentric c. constructivist d. preconventional

should retain her hypothesis for now

Results from a recent experiment are consistent with a researcher's expectation that exposing people to unfamiliar groups reduces prejudice. This means that the researcher A) has proven her theory. B) has proven her hypothesis. C) should retain her hypothesis for now. D) needs to follow up with correlational studies.

not substantiated through research

Scientific investigation has revealed that the "Mozart Effect" (the notion that children become smarter from listening to the music of Mozart) is A) a question that cannot be answered through science. B) dependent on the gender of the child. C) not substantiated through research. D) supported by findings from numerous studies.

test cause-and-effect relationships

Scientists use laboratory experiments primarily to A) create the most naturalistic conditions possible. B) generate initial information about whether two variables are related. C) replicate case studies. D) test cause-and-effect relationships.

cognitive psychology

Sensory Input -> Participant processing info -> Report, press button, etc. The figure illustrates a typical experiment in a. Gestalt psychology. b. evolutionary psychology. c. functionalism. d. cognitive psychology

in a required health class

Students _______ would be the most representative sample for a study of competitiveness in high school. a. competing in sports b. in a required health class c. in advanced math classes d. who agree to do the study during lunch

researchers failed to inform participants that they had a treatable disease

The Tuskegee syphilis study is famous because A) it was the first use of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled research. B) it demonstrated the psychological effects of syphilis infection. C) researchers failed to inform participants that they had a treatable disease. D) measures were so low in reliability and validity that the data had no value.

liquid starting to spill over the rim of a cup when just enough force is applied

The action potential of a neuron is best compared to a. liquid starting to spill over the rim of a cup when just enough force is applied. b. a baseball traveling farther when it is thrown harder. c. a heavier bowling ball knocking down more pins than a lighter ball does. d. the speed of a remote-controlled car depending on the battery charge.

transferring information between the left and right hemispheres

The corpus callosum is directly responsible for A) transferring information between the left and right hemispheres. B) controlling the pituitary gland. C) triggering movement. D) activating the autonomic nervous system.

hormone production and release

The endocrine system controls A) sensation and perception. C) neurotransmitter production. B) neurotransmitter breakdown and reuptake. D) hormone production and release.

tabula rasa

The idea that children are born with no knowledge or "content" whatsoever and are "filled" by life experiences is called a. rationalism. b. determinism. c. tabula rasa. d. nature vs. nurture.

determine whether a proposed study is ethical

The key purpose of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) is to a. determine whether a proposed study is ethical. b. identify the most appropriate statistical analyses for a study. c. punish unethical researchers. d. evaluate whether a researcher's conclusions match the data.

provide electrical insulation

The key purpose of myelin is to A) activate the sympathetic nervous system. C) trigger muscle cells to fire. B) provide electrical insulation. D) facilitate the reuptake of neurotransmitters.

somatic, autonomic

The peripheral nervous system is divided into the _______ nervous system and the _______ nervous system. a. central; autonomic b. spinal cord; somatic c. somatic; autonomic d. sympathetic; motor

Sally and Anne test

The procedure by which researchers test whether a child has developed a theory of mind is called the a. strange situation task. b. conservation test. c. preferential looking task. d. Sally and Anne test.

the dodgeball triggers more action potentials per second from each sensory neuron

The sensation of a fly landing on your arm is weaker than the sensation of being hit with a dodgeball because a. the dodgeball triggers faster moving action potentials from each sensory neuron. b. the dodgeball triggers a more negatively charged action potential. c. the fly depolarizes neurons, but the dodgeball hyperpolarizes neurons. d. the dodgeball triggers more action potentials per second from each sensory neuron.

neuroscience

The study of the nervous system is called a. cognitive science. b. psychopathology. c. psychophysics. d. neuroscience.

endocrine system

The thyroid and the pituitary gland are part of the A) somatosensory cortex. B) limbic system. C) central nervous system. D) endocrine system.

Wilhelm Wundt developed and opened the first psychology laboratory

The year 1879 might be thought of as the beginning of psychology as a science because that is the year a. Edward Thorndike conducted his first puzzle box experiments. b. Margaret Floy Washburn wrote The Animal Mind. c. Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species. d. Wilhelm Wundt developed and opened the first psychology laboratory.

synapse rearrangement

Thinning of the top layer of the cortex in adolescence is a good indicator of the neurodevelopmental process called a. synapse rearrangement. b. demyelination. c. differentiation. d. cell death.

survey research

To identify the most popular exhibits at a science museum, visitors were asked every day for six weeks to rate how much they enjoyed each exhibit. The data were analyzed to look for age and sex differences in exhibit preferences. This was an example of A) naturalistic observation. B) survey research. C) case study research. D) experimental research.

amygdala

To prove that electrical stimulation can produce intense feelings of anxiety, the mad scientist would stimulate his victim's a. basal ganglia. b. corpus callosum. c. temporal lobe. d. amygdala.

independent variable

To test the impact of mood on generosity, a researcher has half of his participants watch a depressing movie and half watch a comedy. Then the researcher asks all participants for help moving boxes to another room. In this study, mood is the A) independent variable. B) dependent variable. C) confound. D) covariant.

randomization

Treatment-outcome researchers attempt to prevent initial differences between treatment and control groups by using A) statistical inference. B) placebo controls. C) randomization. D) double blinding.

the heritability of schizophrenia is about 50 percent

Twin studies of the heritability of schizophrenia generally show that a. there is a 50 percent difference in the genomes between those with schizophrenia and those without it. b. 90 percent of twins who inherit genes for schizophrenia will develop symptoms. c. monozygotic twins tend not to inherit genes for schizophrenia. d. the heritability of schizophrenia is about 50 percent.

dizygotic

Twins who do not share 100 percent of their genes are called a. dizygotic. b. monozygotic. c. identical. d. discordant.

Maternal neglect early in life may have lasting impacts on a person's ability to cope with life's challenges

What do studies of maternal nurturing behavior in rats suggest about humans? a. Maternal nurturing causes children to release corticosterone, which reduces levels of stress and leads to more nurturing. b. People who are adequately nurtured early in life tend to be less nurturing when they have children of their own. c. Children with nurturing mothers develop fewer natural defenses to stress and are more likely to become suicidal. d. Maternal neglect early in life may have lasting impacts on a person's ability to cope with life's challenges.

A theory is a collection of data-based hypotheses

What is the primary difference between a hypothesis and a theory? a. A hypothesis is based on a hunch, and a theory is based on data. b. A hypothesis is an untested theory. c. Hypotheses are used to generate theories. d. A theory is a collection of data-based hypotheses.

assimilation; accommodation

When a child learns new information about the world that fits with her schema, it is called _______. When a child learns new information that requires her to change her schema, it is called _______. a. assimilation; accommodation b. association; assimilation c. accommodation; assimilation d. accommodation; association

Kenneth Clark and Mamie Phipps Clark

When the U.S. Supreme Court was deliberating on whether to require schools to integrate black children and white children, their decision to strike down laws permitting segregated schools was greatly influenced by the "Doll Test," conducted by a. Francis Sumner. b. B. F. Skinner. c. Kenneth Clark and Mamie Phipps Clark. d. Mary Cover Jones.

sensory neurons

When you scrape your knee, pain is relayed from your knee to your central nervous system by A) the parasympathetic system. B) the limbic system. C) sensory neurons. D) interneurons.

statistical significance

Whether depression levels are truly lower in a treatment group than in a control group is assessed by determining the _______ of the difference in scores between groups. a. variance b. validity c. statistical inference d. statistical significance

Experimental research

Which approach would be most appropriate for testing the hypothesis that taking practice tests improves learning more than studying alone does? a. Experimental research b. Correlational research c. Surveys of representative samples of students d. Case studies of high-achieving students

Similar environments shared by relatives

Which confounding variable is teased out when psychologists study the traits of identical twins? a. Similar environments shared by relatives b. Shared zygotes of monozygotic twins c. The influence of dysfunctional alleles d. The genetic influence of the huntingtin gene

Breathing

Which function is most directly controlled by the brainstem? A) Memory formation B) Balance C) Language D) Breathing

Mode, median, mean

Which is the correct order of measures of central tendency, from lowest to highest, for a positively skewed distribution? a. Mean, median, mode b. Median, mode, mean c. Mode, median, mean d. Mean, mode, median

Structuralism

Which of the following approaches to psychology did Edward Titchener advocate in the late 1800s? a. Humanistic psychology b. Psychoanalysis c. Functionalism d. Structuralism

A baby glances at a familiar stuffed animal, then stares at a new one

Which of the following demonstrates the concept of habituation? a. A toddler repeats an activity in the same way multiple times. b. An infant shows a preference for viewing a single object over multiple objects. c. A baby stares into her mother's eyes while breast feeding. d. A baby glances at a familiar stuffed animal, then stares at a new one.

Functionalism

Which of the following perspectives argues that human behavior develops in certain ways because it serves a useful purpose? a. Psychoanalysis b. Cognitive psychology c. Behaviorism d. Functionalism

Survey research

Which of the following research methods would be most appropriate for investigating the relationship between political orientation and belief in climate change? A) Survey research B) Case study research C) Naturalistic observation D) Experimental research

Schizophrenia is more likely to materialize in a twin who experiences extreme stress

Which situation is most consistent with the results of twin studies of schizophrenia? a. When both twins carry the gene for schizophrenia, only one will develop symptoms. b. Schizophrenia is more likely to materialize in a twin who experiences extreme stress. c. Twins who inherit the gene for schizophrenia very rarely present symptoms of the disorder. d. Having a father with schizophrenia greatly increases the chance that male twins will develop the disorder.

They empty neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft

Which statement about vesicles is accurate? a. They are responsible for the breakdown of used neurotransmitters. b. They bind neurotransmitters released by axon terminals. c. They empty neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft. d. They are the only places where two neurons touch.

Crystallized intelligence continues to grow throughout the aging process

Which statement is consistent with research on cognitive processing and aging? a. Older people typically respond faster than younger people in memory experiments. b. Fluid intelligence develops and improves from adolescence through old age. c. Memory decline in older people is the result of an enlargement of the hippocampus. d. Crystallized intelligence continues to grow throughout the aging process.

Erikson's psychosocial theory

Which theory outlines a series of stages that occur throughout the lifespan and involve tension between conflicting ways of interacting with others? a. Freud's psychosexual theory b. Erikson's psychosocial theory c. Piaget's constructivist theory d. Bowlby's attachment theory

Interneuron

Which type of neuron is most common in the brain? a. Interneuron b. Motor neuron c. Sensory neuron d. Sympathetic neuron

parts of the brain filled with myelinated axons

White matter refers to A) brain regions filled with neuronal cell bodies. C) the part of an axon that contains sodium channels. B) depolarized areas of a neuron. D) parts of the brain filled with myelinated axons.

The carrier does not survive long enough to pass on the allele

Why are dominant, yet harmful, alleles like the huntingtin gene so rare in our genomes? a. Only a few harmful alleles affect the nervous system. b. The carrier does not survive long enough to pass on the allele. c. The alleles for disorders are not active until adulthood. d. The allele can be transmitted only to another dominant carrier.

The mean of all salaries is $60,000 because the managers and president earn huge salaries.

You accept a job selling high-end knives door-to-door on commission because you were informed that company employees, on average, earn $60,000 a year. After three months of making less than $1,000 a month, you learn that most other salespeople are making less than $20,000 a year. If the company has 20 sales people, two managers, and one president, how can the company's claim still be correct? A) The median salary is higher than the mean salary. B) The modal salary is higher than the mean salary. C) The median of all salaries is $60,000 because the managers and the president earn huge salaries. D) The mean of all salaries is $60,000 because the managers and president earn huge salaries.

reasoning by which people reached their decisions

fictional character, Heinz, should respond to a moral dilemma. Kohlberg was most interested in the a. number of times people changed their minds while deciding. b. reasoning by which people reached their decisions. c. degree of empathy in the decision-making process. d. degree of justice in the decision-making process.

neural networks

10. Complex behavior is controlled by A) neural networks. B) sensory neurons. C) the mind, rather than the brain. D) degradative enzymes.

endorphins

5. Debi just ran a marathon in less than four hours and felt no pain during the run. Her lack of pain was most likely due to A) endorphins. B) serotonin. C) acetylcholine. D) GABA.

mapping the detailed structure of the brain

9. Modern brain research has refuted Descartes's concept of the human mind by A) mapping the detailed structure of the brain. B) classifying chemical activities within neurons. C) providing evidence that the immaterial soul and the material body interact with each other. D) providing evidence that damage to specific parts of the brain causes very specific losses of behaviors.

A decline in fluid intelligence keeps her from reasoning abstractly when confronted with an unfamiliar object

A 70-year-old woman who is given a touch-screen tablet becomes hopelessly frustrated when she tries to use it. Which of the following best explains her lack of success? a. A decline in crystallized intelligence makes it difficult for her to apply previous knowledge to a new situation. b. A decline in fluid intelligence keeps her from reasoning abstractly when confronted with an unfamiliar object. c. The similarity between her laptop computer and the tablet causes confusion between crystallized and fluid intelligence. d. The unfamiliarity of the tablet's technology causes a breakdown of her crystallized intelligence.

meditation predicts lower levels of anxiety

A correlation of −0.80 between meditation and anxiety symptoms would indicate a. meditation and anxiety symptoms are unrelated. b. meditation effectively reduces anxiety symptoms. c. anxious people are more likely to meditate. d. meditation predicts lower levels of anxiety.

CT

A doctor needs a brain imaging technique that shows brain structure but not brain function. Which technique should the doctor choose? a. Electroencephalography (EEG) b. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) c. Positron emission tomography (PET) d. Computed tomography (CT)

naturalistic observation

A manager at a science museum wants to identify the most popular exhibits, so once every hour for six weeks she has volunteers count the number of people standing in front of each exhibit. This is an example of A) naturalistic observation. B) correlational research. C) case study research. D) experimental research.

a combination of results from many related studies

A meta-analysis is A) a combination of results from many related studies. B) an alternative to the strong inference approach. C) the most common analysis in correlational research. D) the most common analysis in experimental research

studies

A meta-analysis most typically focuses on a multitude of A) theories. B) hypotheses. C) phenomena. D) studies.

an unmyelinated, thin axon

A neuron with _______ would be expected to have the slowest-moving action potential. a. a well-myelinated, thick axon b. many nodes of Ranvier c. an unmyelinated, thick axon d. an unmyelinated, thin axon

norepinephrine

A patient has a dangerously low heart rate and is having difficulty breathing. The neurotransmitter that would be most helpful to him is a. acetylcholine. b. serotonin. c. norepinephrine. d. GABA.

a representative sample

A professor wanted to learn more about the body image concerns of young teenage girls. She randomly selected 200 girls from local middle schools to complete her questionnaire. These girls were a. a random population. b. an experimental group. c. a representative sample. d. the sampling frame.

Gestalt psychologist

A quarter in your hand casts a different image on your retina than a quarter taped to the wall across the room, yet you know that the quarters have exactly the same dimensions. This phenomenon would be best explained by a a. behaviorist. b. Gestalt psychologist. c. evolutionary psychologist. d. structuralist.

functionalist

A research psychologist is most interested in discovering the answers to questions like, "Why is empathy helpful to people?" and "How does education contribute to social stability?" This approach is most consistent with the _______ perspective. A) structuralist B) functionalist C) empiricist D) behaviorist

Which article the women read

A research team is investigating the impact of stereotypes on performance. In one group, women read an article about why the structure of men's brains makes them better at math. In the second group, women read an article saying there are no biological differences in the mathematical abilities of men and women. Then all women in the study take a challenging math test. Researchers time the test and score the number of items women answered correctly. In this study, which of the following is the independent variable? A) Women's scores on the math test B) Women's beliefs about their math abilities C) Which article the women read D) How long it takes women to complete the math test

fMRI

A researcher plans to study changes in patients' brain activity as Alzheimer's disease progresses by detecting changes in blood flow and oxygen content. The appropriate brain imaging technique to use is a. functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). b. computed tomography (CT). c. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). d. electroencephalography (EEG).

introspection

A researcher presents his participant with a series of flashing lights at varying intervals. After each presentation of a light, he asks the participant to fully describe her internal experiences, a method known as a. functionalism. b. introspection. c. behaviorism. d. psychoanalysis.

fMRI

A researcher would most likely use _______ to investigate which brain areas are active during speech? a. computed tomography (CT) b. X-ray c. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) d. functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

make a kicking motion

A scientist has inserted an electrode into the frontal lobe of a monkey. Electrical stimulation would most likely cause the monkey to a. feel no pain. b. make a kicking motion. c. demonstrate behaviors of intense anxiety. d. respond as if it were hearing other monkeys' screeches.

reliable and valid

A self-report measure of the personality trait of agreeableness produces very similar scores each time the same person completes it. It is also strongly correlated with whether family members describe a person as friendly and cooperative. This measure appears to be a. reliable and valid. b. valid but not reliable. c. reliable but not valid. d. neither reliable nor valid.

PET

A technique that tracks blood flow to measure brain activity is a. positron emission tomography (PET). b. the electroencephalogram (EEG). c. computed tomography (CT). d. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

practicing yoga

After a skydiving accident, an MRI showed damage to Rose's cerebellum. She is most likely to have difficulty with a. reading. b. practicing yoga. c. controlling emotions. d. understanding speech.

changes in metabolism

After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer, Kaela had her thyroid removed. The effects of this are likely to include a. an inability to regulate her endocrine system. b. changes in metabolism. c. difficulty breaking down sugar. d. an inability to trigger the fight-or-flight response.

ovaries

All of the following are female secondary sex characteristics except a. wide hips. b. breast development. c. soft skin. d. ovaries.

unconscious bias

Although very few people would admit to a belief that men make better hires than women, several experiments show that men are more likely to be hired than women with identical résumés. This is an example of A) explicit bias. B) unconscious bias. C) poor validity. D) negative skew.

the build-up of amyloid in and outside of acetylcholine neurons

Alzheimer's disease is dementia that is caused by a. normal slowing of cognition due to rapid aging of the frontal cortex. b. random cell death primarily in the temporal lobe. c. the build-up of amyloid in and outside of acetylcholine neurons. d. diets high in fat, which cause the slow disintegration of brain cells.

developed mental impairments

Before the mechanisms behind PKU were known to science, infants that inherited the genes for the disorder almost always a. maintained a low body weight. b. developed mental impairments. c. grew to pass on the genes to offspring. d. died before the age of ten.

show brain structures but not areas of brain activity

Computed tomography (CT) scans a. provide less detailed brain images than transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). b. show brain structures but not areas of brain activity. c. require the injection of radioactive markers. d. measure the response of brain tissue to magnetic fields.