Psychology Questions

which statement about experiments Is false? a. they involve subjective observations of measurable characteristics b. they are an important component of the scientific method c. they are controlled procedures involving careful observation of variables d. they are controlled procedures involving manipulations by researchers

they involve subjective observations of measurable characteristics

Elias was talking to his psychology professor this afternoon about the possibility of sharing his research findings on small spaces with the director of dormitory residences at the college. If the findings are applied to change the dormitory environment, then which of the four main goals of psychology would be exemplified? a. to explain behavior b. to describe behavior c. to control behavior d. to predict behavior

to control behavior

__ is primarily useful for studying new or unexplored topics a. an operational definition b. descriptie research c. observer bias d. a correlation

descriptive researcb

the first step in the scientific method often involves a researcher a. making assertions b. analyzing data c. conducting interviews d. developing a question

developing a question

Which issues are important concerning the relative importance of cultural influences on behaviors? a. gender bias, gender differences, and gender roles b. adaption, heredity , and reflexes c. strengths, optimal behaviors, and happiness d. diversity, ethnicity, and ethnocentrism

diversity, ethnicity, and ethnocentrism

__ is provided by the data collected from systematic observations and experiments a. numerology b. empirical evidence c. operant conditioning d. hindsight bias

empirical evidence

____ is considered one of the founders of physiological psychology, and his efforts laid the groundwork for research on sensation and perception a. Gustav Fechter b. Ivan pavlov c. lev vygotsky d. b.f. skinner

Gustav fechner

_____ receive information from the environment and convey this information to the brain as electrical and chemical signals for processing. Neurotransmitters Motor neurons Glial cells Sensory neurons

Sensory neurons

Which statement BEST characterizes computerized axial tomography (CT)? a. It uses X-rays to create many cross-sectional images of the brain that can be examined individually. b. It uses radio frequency waves to create cross-sectional images of the brain that can display tumors, bleeding, and infections. c. It detects electrical energy in the brain and displays information that can be interpreted. d. It reveals patterns of blood flow in a particular area of the brain.

a. It uses X-rays to create many cross-sectional images of the brain that can be examined individually.

Dr. Murray is a neuroscientist who studies action potentials. She is training a research assistant and is explaining what happens to the voltage within a neuron when it fires. She notes that a(n) _____ is a spike in the value of the voltage within a neuron, as the charge inside the cell becomes more positive than that outside the cell. a. action potential b. charged solution c. collection of neurons d. cortical surface

a. action potential

Gretchen is watching an action movie on television that involves an archaeologist who hunts for lost artifacts. In one scene he is running through a jungle while being chased by local residents who use blow guns to fire darts at him. He does not know that they have used curare on these darts, which is a very poisonous acetylcholine a. antagonist b. agonist c. sodium ion d. protein ion

a. antagonist

Charles has been thinking about a friend who told him she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Charles knows from psychology class that multiple sclerosis causes damage to _____, which can lead to fatigue, trouble with vision, and cognitive disabilities. a. myelination b. glial cells c. meninges d. melatonin

a. myelination

What happens to neurotransmitters after they bind to receptor sites on the dendrite of a receiving neuron? They are either reabsorbed through the process of_________, or they diffuse out of the synaptic gap. a. reuptake b. myelin sheath c. inhibitory signals d. excitatory signals

a. reuptake

The peripheral nervous system is divided into two branches: the _____ nervous system and the _____ nervous a. somatic; autonomic b. central; somatic c. autonomic; central d. sympathetic; parasympathetic

a. somatic; autonomic

Last night Gaylen studied hard for his psychology exam. He feels very confident today about being able to describe how neurons communicate. One of the last processes he learned about was what happens after neurotransmitters are released. Those that are not reabsorbed can drift out of the _____ through diffusion. a. synaptic gap b. dendrite c. cell body d. microglia

a. synaptic gap

Which statement BEST characterizes neurotransmitters? a. following injury, they restore the barrier between brain and blood. b. Approximately 100 different types have been identified. c. They are surrounded by and contain electrically charged solutions. d. They are the building blocks of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

b. Approximately 100 different types have been identified.

Which statement BEST describes a typical neuron? a. it defends the brain from infection and inflammation. b. It has three basic parts, including the cell body, dendrites, and an axon. c. It restores the barrier between brain and blood following injury. d. It insulates and protects the tiny spikes in electricity happening inside the axon

b. It has three basic parts, including the cell body, dendrites, and an axon.

Which statement about the myelin sheath is true? a. It is an acetylcholine antagonist that blocks normal neurotransmitter activity, causing paralysis. b. It is a protein that envelops and insulates the axon, facilitating faster transmission of the impulse. c. It is how the synaptic gap is cleared, in preparation for the next release of a new batch of chemical messengers. d. It is a neurotransmitter that relays messages from motor neurons to muscles, enabling movement.

b. It is a protein that envelops and insulates the axon, facilitating faster transmission of the impulse.

Which statement BEST describes myelin sheath? a. It receives messages from neighboring neurons. b. It speeds communication between neurons. c. It sends messages to other neurons through branchlike terminal buds. d. It supports, nourishes, and protects neurons.

b. It speeds communication between neurons.

Which statement is NOT a characteristic of neurotransmitters? a. reuptake is the process by which they can be reabsorbed by the sending terminal bud. b. They "skip" over segments of myelin, hopping from one node of Ranvier to the next. c. The majority drifts across the synaptic gap and comes in contact with receptor sites of the receiving neuron's dendrites. d. The vesicles attaching to the membrane on the terminal bud allows them to be released into the synaptic gap.

b. They "skip" over segments of myelin, hopping from one node of Ranvier to the next.

Which statement BEST characterizes neurons? a. They hold nerve cells together and maintain the structure of the nervous system. b. They are the building blocks of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. c. They come to the rescue if the brain is injured. d. They secrete substances to defend the brain from infection and inflammation.

b. They are the building blocks of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

Dr. Kim studies neural communication. In particular, she does research on the processes occurring in the synaptic gap. She has been describing her findings to a colleague, explaining that neurotransmitters that are not reabsorbed can drift out of the synaptic gap through: a. inhibitory signals. b. diffusion. c. communication pathways. d. excitatory signals.

b. diffusion

Voniesha is learning about how neurons communicate. Today in class her instructor was discussing axons, and how a special kind of protein insulator speeds transmission. In fact, action potentials may travel as fast as 268 miles per hour through a: a. dendrite b. myelinated axon c. receptor site d. neutral membrane

b. myelinated axon

Dr. Jacobs has been a researcher studying the brain and nervous system for many years. He collaborates with computer scientists, engineers, and psychologists on a variety of topics. His field of study is called: a. phrenology b. neuroscience c. neurogenesis d. physiology

b. neuroscience

_____ that are not reabsorbed drift out of the synaptic gap through diffusion. a. Nodes of Ranvier b. neurotransmitters c. microglia d. dendrites

b. neurotansmitters

Endorphins are a group of naturally produced: a. branchlike fibers b. opioids c. neurons d. glial cells

b. opioids

Glutamate's overactivity may be associated with: a. reflexive behavior. b. strokes. c. salt balance. d. radiation.

b. strokes

Which statement is NOT a characteristic of glial cells? a. They produce the myelin that covers axons. b. They send messages through branchlike terminal buds. c. They serve as the "glue" of the nervous system. d. They outnumber neurons by approximately 50 to 1.

b. they send messages through branchlike terminal buds.

psychology is the scientific study of ______ and _____

behavior, mental processes

your psychology instructor is adamant that psychologists should only study observable behaviors, she acknowledges consciousness exists, but insists it cannot be observed or documented and therefore should not be a topic for psychological research. which of the following perspectives is she using a. psychoanalytic b. behavioral c. humanistic d. cognitive

behavioral

Which statement about neurotransmitters is true? a. They "skip" over segments of myelin, hopping from one node of Ranvier to the next. b. They are a protein that envelops and insulates the axon, facilitating faster transmission of the impulse. c. The majority drifts across the synaptic gap and comes in contact with receptor sites of the receiving neuron's dendrites. d. They serve as the "glue" of the nervous system

c. The majority drifts across the synaptic gap and comes in contact with receptor sites of the receiving neuron's dendrites.

When an action potential reaches the terminal buds, what do the a. They send electrical messages to the cell body that a stimulus has been received. b. They reabsorb whatever neurotransmitters are in their vicinity. c. They release neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap. d. They open the channels in the cell membranes.

c. They release neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap.

The purpose of a(n) _____ is to convey information between neurons. a. axon hillock b. soma c. action potential d. cell membrane

c. action potential

Caffeine works by blocking the receptors for adenosine, thus caffeine's primary role is as a(n): a. sodium ion b. neurogenesis c. antagonist d. agonist

c. antagonist

Cadao has been studying psychology for several years now, and this semester he is taking an advanced psychology course that focuses on the brain and nervous system. As he is studying the brain, Cadao realizes that humans are capable of more complex thoughts and feelings because of the ever-adapting web of connections among: a. microglia. b. meninges. c. nerve cells. d. glial cells.

c. nerve cells

Yesterday at the library, Baba was reading about possible careers related to psychology. She has always loved computers and learning about the brain and the nervous system. She was delighted to learn more about _____, because it includes these favorite topics as well as a variety of other disciplines like engineering. a. physiology b. phrenology c. neuroscience d. neurogenesis

c. neuroscience

_____ are the chemicals via which neurons communicate with each other. a. dendrites b. Axons c. Neurotransmitters d. Myelin

c. neurotransmitters

Prah is explaining to a fellow student how an action potential gets started. He says that for an excitatory signal to occur, there has to be more excitatory than inhibitory signals, and the difference in charge between the two has to meet the _____ of -55 mV. a. equilibrium b. functional response c. threshold potential d. force of diffusion

c. threshold potential

Efraín is drawing a diagram to help him better understand neural processes. He starts by drawing a neuron, and then draws a symbol to indicate the _____ from the action potential that causes vesicles containing neurotransmitters to attach to the membrane of the terminal bud. a. meninges b. lateralization c. voltage change d. muscle spasm

c. voltage change

the experimental method can provide findings on the ____ of variables a. experimentar bias b. confounding c. random assignment d. cause-and-effect relationship

cause-and-effect relationship

how is common sense different from psychology

common sense is a collection of knowledge that any reasonably smart person can pick up, psychology based on meticulous and methodical observations

A researcher is asked to devise a plan to help improve food choices of elementary schoolchildren. based on his research findings, he creates poster for the school cafeterias that he believes will modify the children food selections. this attempt to change behaviors falls under which of the main goals of psychology

control

Dr. Holland is in charge of a psychology laboratory at the university. She has just finished collecting data on a study about illness and living spaces. Her plan is to approach the college infirmary to share her findings. Her ability to apply her findings to _____ behaviors is one of the four main goals of psychology a. control b. describe c. predict d. explain

control

One of the goals of Dr. Henderson's research is to apply his findings regarding long-term confinement and immunological health. He has contacted a mining company to see if they are interested in learning about the personality characteristics that seem to be better suited to confinement. In this way, he is working on the fourth goal of psychology to apply or _____ behavior. a. explain b. predict c. describe d. control

control

psychologists apply the findings of their research to shape and change behaviors in a beneficial way. this refers to how they ___ behavior a. select b. control c. perceive d. sense

control

how can a research study identify a casual relationship between two variables? a. by organizing and understanding observations of behaviors b. by applying findings of psychological research c. by conducting a controlled experiment d. by describing and observing behavior

controlled experiment

___calculates how much a particular independent variable costs versus how much it saves a. significance b. cost-benefit analysis c. factor analysis d. meta-analysis

cost benefit analysis

psychologists generally use 2 major categories of research design a. treatment and control b. descriptive and inferential c. descriptive and experimental d. independent and dependent

descriptive and experimental

an instructor in the psychology department assigns a protect requiring students to read several journal articles on a controversial topic. they are then required to weigh various pieces of evidence from the articles, synthesize the information, and determine how the various findings contribute to understanding the topic. this process is known as a.pseudotherapy b.crtical thinking c.hindsight bias d.applied research

critical thinking

Professor Shěn is a full-time instructor at a community college. He has been working with a group of students recently to help increase awareness of diversity, ethnicity, and ethnocentrism across the college and community. Which issue is Professor Shěn's overall focus? a. gender b. culture c. nature and nurture d. positive psychology

culture

Which statement is NOT a characteristic of an axon? a. Many axons are surrounded by a myelin sheath, which is a fatty substance that provides insulation. b. It is a skinny tube-like extension of the cell body that generally projects in the opposite direction from dendrites. c. It sends messages to other neurons through its branchlike terminal buds. d. It contains a nucleus, protein-producing mechanism, and other structures that nourish the cell.

d. It contains a nucleus, protein-producing mechanism, and other structures that nourish the cell.

_____ have slower transmission speeds because the signal must make its way down the entire length of the axon. a. Receptor sites b. Motor areas c. Schwann cells d. Unmyelinated axons

d. Unmyelinated axons

Eliyada is taking an introductory psychology class. During the third week of the semester, her instructor begins the class period talking about the nervous system. He also discusses the _____, which he notes orchestrates behavior and houses thoughts, emotions, and personality. a. receptor sites b. heart c. skull d. brain

d. brain

Professor Martinez is trying to explain his research to his neighbor. He tells her that he studies neurotransmitters, which are the _____ that neurons use to communicate with each other. a. sensory areas b. stress hormones c. fibers d. chemicals

d. chemicals

Neural communication involves different processes within and between neurons. Messages travel within a neuron through _______, but communication between neurons depends on the movement of ______. a. agonists; antagonists b. antagonists; agonists c. neurotransmitters; electrical signals d. electrical signals; neurotransmitters

d. electrical signals; neurotransmitters

Agonists are to______ as antagonists are to ____________. a. electrical; chemical b. neurotransmitters; hormones c. phrenology; imaging technology d. excitation; reduced activity

d. excitation; reduced activity

In the human brain, _____ outnumber neurons by approximately 50 to 1. a. electrolytes b. reflex arcs c. motor areas d. glial cells

d. glial cells

Yesterday Garner was reading about the human nervous system. He knew it was a communication network that conveys messages throughout the body, but he did not realize it was made up of as many as 100 billion _____. a. reflex arcs b. sensory receptors c. potassium ions d. nerve cells

d. nerve cells

_____ extends far beyond the borders of medicine and into diverse disciplines such as engineering, computer science, and psychology. a. phrenology b. pathology c. physiology d. neuroscience

d. neuroscience

One of the most important functions of _____ is to help prepare the body for stressful situations. a. dopamine b. neuroplasticity c. adenosine d. norepinephrine

d. norepinephrine

Professor Vasilyev studies neural communication. He is explaining to his research assistants how the membrane of a neuron is _____ to positive sodium ions and negative potassium ions, as it limits the flow of these ions across the membrane. a. providing support b. attached c. permeable d. selectively permeable

d. selectively permeable

Oneida is studying for an exam and is reading about neurotransmitters. She has an image in her mind of what happens to some neurotransmitters after they have been released in the synapse. They get reabsorbed by the sending _____ in a process known as reuptake. a. myelin sheath b. cell body c. dendrite d. terminal bud

d. terminal bud

Which statement BEST characterizes the function of neurons? a. to insulate the axon and speed communication b. to serve as the "glue" of the nervous system c. to make the myelin that surrounds the axon d. to transmit information up and down the body

d. to transmit information up and down the body

four main goals of psychology are to ___, explain, predict, and control behavior a. select b. create c. treat d. describe

describe

Professor Knight started his lecture today by presenting the four main goals of psychology. He asked the students to repeat them out loud. The entire class in unison stated the four goals of psychology are to _____ behavior. a. describe, explain, educate, and process b. describe, educate, treat, and control c. describe, educate, process, and control d. describe, explain, predict, and control

describe, explain, predict and control

Professor Jensen has just finished a long study on confinement of individuals in submarines. One of the main goals of psychology is to describe what is observed, and Professor Jensen will do this by: a. including a random sample b. providing professional practice c. conducting a controlled experiment d. describing his findings in a scientific article

describing his findings in a scientific journal

Dr. Keller studies the impact of confinement on health. She has noticed an interesting pattern in her assessments of participants who have volunteered to be confined to a small lab space. Dr. Keller will use this pattern to _____ the changes, which is one of the main goals of psychology. a. monitor b. explain c. treat d. prevent

explain

Dr. McCoy studies cramped environments such as the space station. He has gathered quite a bit of data on the subject, but now must take the next step and _____ his findings, a main goal of psychology, by organizing and understanding his observations of behaviors. a. explain b. apply c. control d. predict

explain

Last year, Dr. Mendez conducted a study that explored the effects of people working in cramped quarters. He organized his observations and developed a(n) _____ for his findings, thus meeting one of the four main goals of psychology. a. explanation b. perception c. criticism d. illustration

explanation

Professor Wells is assigning students to a small group project The front row of students will be studying social roles, femininity, masculinity, and gender bias. Their assigned theme is a. gender b. decision making c. functionalism d. culture

gender

a representative sample allows researchers to ___ their findings, meaning to apply the information from the sample to the larger population a. generalize b. organize c. rethink d. replicate

generalize

in an experiment, tests of significance are used to a. indicate how much one variable affects another variable b. determine whether the results are scientifically important c. indicate whether the results might have occurred by chance d. indicate effect size

indicate whether the results might have occurred by chance

___ statistics go beyond simply describing a data set by making inferences a. confounding b. extraneous c. descriptive d. inferential

inferential

Wilhelm Wundt research efforts all involved ____ which is the examination of one's own conscious activities a. functionalism b. structuralism c. reaction time d. introspection

introspection

a statistical tool used to synthesize the results of previous, separate studies is called a. an odds ratio b. factor analysis c. cost-benefit analysis d. meta-analysis

meta analysis

Today in psychology class, Lourdes was working with a small group of classmates on a project. They were discussing how they would divide up the work. Lourdes agreed that she would do a literature review on adaptation, heredity, environment, and genes. Her group has been assigned the theme of: a. nature and nurture b. culture c. descriptive research d. descriptive statistics

nature and nurture

what statement about variables is false a. once a variable is chosen for a study, operational definitions are not needed. b. the goal of some experiments is to see how changing one variable affects another variable c. variables are measurable characteristics that vary across people d. variables are measurable characteristics that change over time

once variable is chosen for a study , operational definitions are not needed

a researcher identifies affection between partners by counting the number of times they gaze into each others eyes while in the laboratory waiting room. the cutoff for those who would be considered very affectionate partners is gazing more than 10 times in 1 hour. the researcher has created a ___ of effection a.theory b.hypothesis c.replication d.opertional definition

operational definition

When variables for a study are chosen, the researcher must create _____ for them, which convey their precise descriptions and manners of measurement. a. codes b.operational definitions c. names d. hypotheses

operational definitions

Professor Little studies the aftereffects of being confined in submarines for a prolonged period. After collecting data, she writes a report that describes her observations. This description can help her to: a. plan future research b. treat patients c. improve clinical practice d. determine the contributions of nature

plan future research

Professor Larson studies people living in cramped situations. He has observed that immunological functioning is reduced by sleep deprivation caused by this environment. He can ____ that the same would be true in other similar living situations, thus meeting one of the main four goals of psychology a. predict b. perceive c. control d. illustrate

predict

Professor Martinez studies the immunological health of people who live and work in submarines. One of her findings is that cramped quarters can affect mood and memory. She also states that the same would be true for those working in mines for extended periods. Her ability to _____ the experience of mine workers is one of the main goals of psychology. a. treat b. prevent c. predict d. control

predict

the four main goals of psychology are to describe, explain, ___ , and control behavior a. illustrate b. determine c. predict d. choose

predict

when a pattern of behaviors is observed and explained, it is possible to ___ what will happen in the future. this is one of the main goals of psychology a. react to b. predict c. control d. create

predict

hypothesis are difficult to generate for studies on unexplored topics, thus researchers will create a general __ to take the place of a formal hypothesis a. dissertation b. control group c. conflict d. prediction

prediction

____ is an approach to explaining and predicting events that appears to be psychology but is not supported by empirical, objective evidence

pseudo psychology

after data collection is complete, one of the four main goals is to describe what was observed, and this can be done by: a. applying findings of psychological research b. conducting a controlled experiment c. predicting future behaviors d. publishing a scientific article in a respected journal

publishing a scientific article in a respected journal

One procedure for choosing a subset of the population to participate in a study is to ensure that all members of the population have an equally likely chance of being selected to participate in the study. This subset is known as a: a. random sample b. random assignment c. case study d. rare event

random sample

a researcher I interested in studying college students attitudes about banning supersized sodas. she randomly selects a group of students from across the nation, trying to pick a ____ that will closely reflect the characteristics of college students in the United States a. variable b. debriefing c. representative sample d. representative population

representative sample

The parasympathetic nervous system orchestrates the _____ response to bring the body back to noncrisis mode. fight-or-flight rest-and-digest corpus callosum cell "at rest"

rest-and-digest

if the population is large, the researcher selects a subset of the members to study called a. control group b. sample c. environment d. dependent group

sample

one of the four main goals of psychology is to explain behaviors, when researchers ty to make sense of what they have observed, they sometimes will a. apply findings of psychological research b. search through the scientific literature for clues c. treat patients d. control behavior

search through the scientific literature for clues

Rasmussen's encephalitis is a rare disease that can impair movement and thinking and cause: neurogenesis. neuroplasticity. seizures. nausea.

seizures

Following an action potential, neurotransmitters are released into the _____ and their effects can be almost instant. axons myelin sheath ventricles synaptic gap

synaptic gap

a ____ synthesizes observations to try to explain phenomena, and we can use it to help make predictions a. theory b. hypothesis c. descriptive statistic d. peer-reviewed journal

theory

which of these is not among the four main goals of psychology? a. to control behavior b. to describe behavior c. to explain behavior d. to design behavior

to design behavior

Which statement about Artistotle's philosophy is false? a. truth and knowledge exist in the soul before birth b. humans know reality through perceptions, and they learn through sensory experiences c. nurture contributes to the human capacity for cognitions d. because knowledge results from experiences, a scientific approach can answer questions

truth and knowledge exist in the soul before birth

In chemistry, a(n) _____ might be temperature, mass, or volume; in psychology, it might be a characteristic that changes over time. a. body of principles b. variable c. adaptation d. comparative study

variable

psychology studies focus on ___ which are characteristics that vary or change over time or across people

variables