Quiz Questions
Your text describes studies on the "hot hand," an athlete's winning streak, be it with free throws, spikes in volleyball, or otherwise. The "hot hand" is also referred to as "being in the zone" or "on a roll" for numerous consecutive games. According to your text, "A meta-analysis of 22 articles found that the 'hot hand' does not exist." What does this quote from your text mean? a. A researcher carefully scrutinized 22 peer-reviewed studies on the "hot hand" and concluded that there is no scientific evidence that the "hot hand" exists. b. Correlation is not causation. Doing well in a sport does not cause one's opponents to give up, nor does it mean that the athlete's momentum keeps it going. c. The "hot hand" needs a better operational definition. d. Coaches and athletes still believe in the hot hand because of confirmation bias.
a. A researcher carefully scrutinized 22 peer-reviewed studies on the "hot hand" and concluded that there is no scientific evidence that the "hot hand" exists.
Which of the following examples illustrates the gate control theory of pain? a. After stubbing his toe, Ronald rubs the toe and finds it eases the pain a little bit. b. Amira could not feel pain below her waist after she sustained a lower spinal injury in a car accident. c. Juan instinctively grabbed his knee after tearing a ligament in it playing soccer to signal to others that he was hurt and to stabilize the knee. d. Jacquelyn completed a hard workout but did not feel sore until the following day.
a. After stubbing his toe, Ronald rubs the toe and finds it eases the pain a little bit.
Which of the following is the correct pathway for processing the sensation of picking up a snowball with a bare hand? a. Haptic receptors in the skin's outer layer receive the cold input, and then axons carry the information to spinal or cranial nerves, into the thalamus, and then to the primary somatosensory cortex. b. Haptic receptors in the skin's epidermis receive the cold input, and then dendrites transmit the information to cranial nerves and into the parietal lobe. c. Receptors in the skin's outer layer receive the tactile input, and then axons carry the information to spinal or cranial nerves, into the hypothalamus, and then to the occipital lobe. d. Receptors in the skin's inner layer receive the cold input, and then axons carry the information to spinal or cranial nerves, into the hindbrain, and finally to the occipital lobe.
a. Haptic receptors in the skin's outer layer receive the cold input, and then axons carry the information to spinal or cranial nerves, into the thalamus, and then to the primary somatosensory cortex.
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?
Psychologists know that the brain rewires itself throughout life. Which of the following is true about how this occurs? a. The "rewiring" is really a change in the strength of existing connections, rather than the elimination of some or the growth of others. b. When the brain "rewires," it completely rewires. New neural pathways are forged, and old ones are largely eliminated. c. Most neural pathways do not disappear, and few neural pathways are created. However, the arrangement of neural pathways changes dramatically. d. Rewiring occurs later in life and only after someone experiences significant physical trauma.
a. The "rewiring" is really a change in the strength of existing connections, rather than the elimination of some or the growth of others.
Which of the following statements is consistent with the global workspace model? a. The patient was unaware she was deaf in one ear because she did not realize that she was not receiving information from that part of her brain. b. When the hypnotized patient was awakened and realized he was walking toward the laboratory door, he explained he was going to the restroom even though he had no idea why he was about to walk out the door. c. The difference between a conscious state and a vegetative state is that patients in a conscious state show some activity in the cerebral cortex. d. The difference between a vegetative state and brain death is that patients in a vegetative state show some activity in the brain stem, while brain-dead patients show none.
a. The patient was unaware she was deaf in one ear because she did not realize that she was not receiving information from that part of her brain.
Your dad has a bad habit of texting while he drives. You have reminded him how dangerous this can be, but he wants to know why texting poses such a hazard. Which of the following is the most scientifically informed response? a. There is a limit to how much attention is available for our conscious experience, which is what helps us respond quickly to new information—an important ability when driving a car. b. Texting and cell phone use in general can induce an altered state of consciousness called hypnosis, which is dangerous while driving. c. Texting is something most people do automatically and effortlessly, which is the opposite of the mind-set required to drive a car. This contrast can lead to accidents. d. Texting takes one hand off the steering wheel, which is the main reason it is so dangerous.
a. There is a limit to how much attention is available for our conscious experience, which is what helps us respond quickly to new information—an important ability when driving a car.
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.
Kristina wants to paint the living room a bright blue. Maya prefers the dark-blue paint. In other words, they disagree about the __________ of the light reflecting from the two colors. a. amplitude b. saturation c. wavelength d. hue
a. amplitude
What does "empirical research" entail? a. an approach to gaining knowledge about behavior and mental processes by observation and measurement only b. relying largely on intuition to observe and measure phenomena 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
Which region of the brain regulates basic bodily functions, such as heart rate and breathing, and in which division is it located? a. brain stem, located in the hindbrain b. basal ganglia, located in the hindbrain c. hippocampus, located in the midbrain d. cerebellum, located in the midbrain
a. brain stem, located in the hindbrain
Jessie suffered damage to her brain and has difficulty forming new memories. Jessie's injury was most likely to the __________, which is a structure located in the brain region called the __________. a. hippocampus; forebrain b. amygdala; parietal lobe c. basal ganglia; midbrain d. thalamus; hindbrain
a. hippocampus; forebrain
As Fatima gazes out onto the mountain landscape, she is able to tell what is near to her and what is far away by using both __________ cues, like occlusion, relative size, and linear perspective, and __________ cues, like disparity. a. monocular; binocular b. binocular; monocular c. bottom-up; top-down d. top-down; bottom-up
a. monocular; binocular
Vanna administers a survey about people's romantic relationships. The highest possible score is 20 points. If her participants obtain a score of 15 or higher, she classifies them as "in love." Achieving a score of 15 or above is Vanna's __________ for "in love." a. operational definition b. independent variable c. theory d. hypothesis
a. operational definition
Norman was in a car accident, and now all of his hormones are malfunctioning. Norman probably damaged his a. pituitary gland. b. pineal gland. c. gonads. d. pancreas.
a. pituitary gland.
Jordan studies consciousness by training himself to objectively report on his own sensations, which is similar to how the __________ school investigated psychology. a. structuralist b. Gestalt c. behaviorist d. functionalist
a. structuralist
While on spring break in Acapulco, May decided to do some cliff diving. As she stood at the edge of a 50-foot cliff, her heart raced, her respiration increased, and she sweat profusely. Which of the following divisions of May's autonomic nervous system was activated by this experience? a. sympathetic b. parasympathetic c. peripheral d. somatic
a. sympathetic
Natural selection is a. the mechanism of evolution that passes along adaptive changes. b. the idea that the observable environment affects behavior in predictable ways. c. based on the idea that conscious experience can be broken down into underlying thoughts. d. how systems of rewards increase desired behaviors.
a. the mechanism of evolution that passes along adaptive changes.
Doug believes that the "mind" is really just a result of the workings of our brain. Renee believes that each person has a mind that is separate from the body. Their different opinions reflect a. the mind/body problem. b. the nature/nurture debate. c. evolutionary theory. d. introspection.
a. the mind/body problem.
Which of the following is true about the functions of dendrites and axons? a. Dendrites transmit information from neighboring neurons, whereas axons detect information. b. Dendrites detect information from neighboring neurons, whereas axons transmit information. c. Dendrites integrate information from neighboring neurons, whereas axons detect information. d. Dendrites transmit information from neighboring neurons, whereas axons integrate information.
b. Dendrites detect information from neighboring neurons, whereas axons transmit information.
Which of the following is true about marijuana? a. Marijuana always leads to use of "harder" drugs, such as cocaine. b. Long-term use is associated with memory problems. c. The active ingredient in marijuana is unlike any naturally occurring substance in the body. d. The first use always leads to the strongest effects.
b. Long-term use is associated with memory problems.
Split-brain patient G.C. is in line at a coffee shop when he witnesses a woman in his right visual field about to trip over an electrical cord on the floor. What happens next? a. Although G.C. knows what is happening, he cannot verbalize information about his right visual field, so the woman trips on the wire. b. Luckily, because the incident is taking place in his right visual field, G.C. is able to warn the woman about the cord before she trips. c. G.C. is unable to recognize the hazard that is taking place in his right visual field, so he makes no attempt to warn the woman, who trips. d. G.C. sees the hazard and is able to verbalize it, but because he has a split brain, he does not feel a social impulse to help the woman avoid tripping.
b. Luckily, because the incident is taking place in his right visual field, G.C. is able to warn the woman about the cord before she trips.
Which of the following is true about pheromones? a. All pheromones are sexual in nature. b. Pheromones are received and transduced by the olfactory system. c. Pheromones are received and transduced by the gustatory system. d. Pheromones influence emotions but not behavior.
b. Pheromones are received and transduced by the olfactory system.
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 to operate on the behavior centers of the brain. b. She helps teach behavior modification techniques to patients with anxiety so they can practice avoiding faulty ways of thinking. 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 avoiding faulty ways of thinking.
Carlos accidentally added an extra tablespoon of sugar into a cake batter. This will probably not matter much, although the same tablespoon of sugar would be noticeable if he put it in his cup of tea. What explains this difference? a. signal detection theory b. Weber's law c. top-down processing d. sensory adaptation
b. Weber's law
Elaine conducts a psychology honors project to test the hypothesis that having greater social support is associated with greater academic success. She asks everyone living in her dormitory to fill out a questionnaire. Elaine should be aware that her data may not be representative of all college students because her research was based on a. the population. b. a convenience sample. c. random assignment. d. a random sample.
b. a convenience sample.
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) is/are addressed by these protective measures? a. anonymity b. confidentiality c. risks d. all of the answers are correct
b. confidentiality
Chris believes that although the mind and body are linked, they have separate, distinct functions. Her view reflects a. structuralism. b. dualism. c. the nature/nurture debate. d. the limitations of adaptation.
b. dualism.
While hiking in the mountains in Alaska, Pete encountered a giant grizzly bear. He immediately felt his heart rate increase, his breathing become rapid, and sweat drip down his back. These events were most likely due to effects of the neurotransmitter called a. norepinephrine. b. epinephrine. c. GABA. d. dopamine.
b. epinephrine.
While getting out of his car, Maulik bangs his head on the car door. The pain of the initial collision is carried to his brain by ______ fibers, and the lingering aching of his forehead is carried by ______ fibers. a. fast; fast b. fast; slow c. slow; fast d. slow; slow
b. fast; slow
Psychologists such as William James believed that the mind is too complex to be broken down into smaller parts, largely because it is changing constantly. William James's beliefs became known as which school of psychology? a. structuralist b. functionalist c. Gestalt d. psychoanalytic
b. functionalist
Although she and her roommate have the same exact ringtone, Lakisa can always tell when the ringing phone is coming from her side of the room. She can do this because of the difference in time the sound takes to reach her left versus her right ear, and also because the sound reaching the ear closest to the phone is a. quieter. b. more intense. c. higher pitched. d. lower pitched.
b. more intense.
Dr. Xiong thinks that people who drive red cars often violate the rules of the road. He sets up a hidden camera at a four-way stop sign to see which cars fail to make complete stops. Dr. Xiong is using the __________ method of research. a. experimental b. natural observation c. case study d. correlational study
b. natural observation
The systematic, objective study of our mental activity and behavior is called a. psychoanalysis. b. psychology. c. behaviorism. d. introspection.
b. psychology.
When people are aware of being observed, they might change their behaviors. This phenomenon is known as a. social desirability response. b. reactivity. c. observer bias. d. variability.
b. reactivity.
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 it. In order to conduct the study ethically, Professor Newton must ensure that which of the following is/are favorable? a. random assignment b. risk/benefit ratio c. scientific standards d. privacy and confidentiality
b. risk/benefit ratio
When we detect physical stimuli, such as odors, lights, and sounds, we call this a. perception. b. sensation. c. absolute threshold. d. difference threshold.
b. sensation.
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. the influence of childhood and parenting on future behavior. d. the connection between physical and psychological problems.
b. the adaptive purpose of specific traits and characteristics.
According to the activation synthesis hypothesis of sleep, dreaming results from a. neural inhibition, which inhibits mechanisms that normally interpret visual input. b. the brain's attempt to make sense of random brain activity during sleep. c. inhibition of the hypothalamus. d. stimulation of the hypothalamus to process visual information.
b. the brain's attempt to make sense of random brain activity during sleep.
All of the following statements about differences between men's and women's brains are true except a. men's brains are slightly larger. b. women's brains are less bilateralized. c. men use more spatial-related brain regions for complex tasks. d. women use more language-related brain regions for complex tasks.
b. women's brains are less bilateralized.
Zhenghan notices a strong correlation between whether a person is a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior in college and the number of credit hours that a student has registered for. As students' years in college increase, they tend to register for fewer credit hours. Based on this information, the correlation coefficient between years in college and number of credit hours is closest to a. -0.2 b. +0.2 c. -0.7 d. +0.7
c. -0.7
Kaitlyn has three favorite perfumes. One is floral, one is musky, and one has a citrus smell. What is the most likely explanation for how the receptors in her olfactory epithelium transduce these smells for interpretation by the brain? a. There is one type of receptor that encodes the scent of each individual perfume. b. All three perfumes are encoded by the same receptors, but the brain is able to distinguish them. c. A unique pattern of several receptors is stimulated by each perfume, and this pattern is interpreted by the brain. d. Some olfactory receptors are more sensitive than others.
c. A unique pattern of several receptors is stimulated by each perfume, and this pattern is interpreted by the brain.
Religious ecstasy and meditation both can lead to experiences of altered consciousness. Why? a. Both practices involve posthypnotic suggestion. b. Both are escapist activities. c. Both practices allow practitioners to direct attention away from the self. d. Both practices involve a spiritual component.
c. Both practices allow practitioners to direct attention away from the self.
Your text describes a study in which pregnant women either drank water or carrot juice during pregnancy and while nursing. Some women drank carrot juice during both periods, some drank carrot juice while pregnant and water while nursing, others did the opposite, and some drank only water during both periods. What do the findings of this study illustrate? a. All babies prefer sweet foods like carrot juice to water, regardless of what their mother drank during either period. b. Babies prefer foods that are low in sugar or have no sugar, such as water. c. Culture influences infants' taste preferences. Babies prefer familiar foods. d. Culture has no influence on infants' taste preferences. Babies like what they like and dislike what they dislike for individual reasons.
c. Culture influences infants' taste preferences. Babies prefer familiar foods.
Which of the following is true about gene expression? a. If you are born with a gene for a dominant trait, you will have that trait. b. If you are born with a gene for a recessive trait, you will have that trait. c. Even if you are born with a dominant gene, environmental factors may influence whether the trait is expressed or not. d. Dominant genes always manifest unless a gene mutation is present.
c. Even if you are born with a dominant gene, environmental factors may influence whether the trait is expressed or not.
Jason was very stressed out and decided to get a massage. In order to fully experience the stress-relieving benefits of touch, the three functions of Jason's nervous system had to be intact. That is, his nervous system had to be able to do which three things (in the order listed)? a. First integrate, then process, and finally transmit sensory information. b. First integrate, then transmit, and finally process to sensory information. c. First process, then transmit, and finally integrate sensory information. d. First process, then integrate, and finally transmit sensory information.
c. First process, then transmit, and finally integrate sensory information.
How does Gestalt theory differ from functionalism? a. Gestalt theorists believe that behavior is learned from observing others. Functionalists believe that much human behavior is innate. b. Functionalists believe that behavior is learned from observing others. Gestalt theorists believe that much of human behavior is innate. c. Gestalt theorists believe that human cognition and experiences are more than a collection of individual thoughts and experiences but still recognize individual thoughts and experiences as analyzable units. d. Functionalists believe that human cognition and experiences are more than a collection of individual thoughts and experiences but still recognize individual thoughts and experiences as analyzable units.
c. Gestalt theorists believe that human cognition and experiences are more than a collection of individual thoughts and experiences but still recognize individual thoughts and experiences as analyzable units.
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 all do the study at night. d. Older adults have a lot more memories than younger adults.
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 all do the study at night.
According to the consolidated theory of why sleep is important, which of these activities would be a bad idea? a. Ryan's plan to stay up all night after competing in a tough wrestling match b. Clarice's plan to go hiking in the woods at night c. Meredith's plan to pull an all-nighter studying for her Chinese exam d. Pedro's plan to go on a late-night pizza run
c. Meredith's plan to pull an all-nighter studying for her Chinese exam
Why is REM sleep sometimes called paradoxical sleep? a. The paradox lies in the fact that no dreaming can occur during REM sleep. b. The paradox lies in the fact that REM sleep is known for its relation to dreaming, but when people are awakened during the REM stage, they are highly unlikely to be aware that they have been dreaming. c. The paradox lies in the fact that some parts of the brain are more active during REM sleep than they are during wakefulness. d. The paradox lies in the fact that the longer you sleep, the less frequent REM stages become.
c. The paradox lies in the fact that some parts of the brain are more active during REM sleep than they are during wakefulness.
According to Roy Baumeister, why do people engage in self-destructive escapist pursuits? a. They want to increase moment-by-moment pleasure. b. They are actively seeking solutions to their problems. c. They want to decrease self-awareness. d. They prefer to live in a virtual world where they can master their lives more easily.
c. They want to decrease self-awareness.
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?
Your text describes research by Caspi et al. (2002) on criminal behavior, child abuse, and the presence of a gene causing low levels of the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO). Low levels of MAO have been linked to aggressive behavior. The researchers found that among abused boys, those with the gene causing low MAO levels were far more likely to have committed a violent crime by age 26 than those with the gene causing high MAO levels. This study is evidence that a. environmental factors impact behavior as much as biological factors. b. environmental factors impact behavior more than biological factors. c. biological factors impact behavior, and not all behavior can be attributed to environmental factors. d. biological factors can impact behavior, but environment plays a much stronger role.
c. biological factors impact behavior, and not all behavior can be attributed to environmental factors.
Dr. Smith is conducting research on the abilities of a man who experiences visual sensations while hearing sounds. Which data collection method should she use? a. meta-analysis b. cross-sectional research c. case study d. participant observation
c. case study
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 or not your hypothesis is supported. d. analyze your results after they are published in a research journal.
c. determine whether or not your hypothesis is supported.
If you breed a brown mouse with a white mouse and four out of the five offspring are brown, you would guess that the gene for brown is __________ and the gene for white is __________. a. the genotype; the phenotype b. the phenotype; the genotype c. dominant; recessive d. recessive; dominant
c. dominant; recessive
Psychological science is based on critical thinking. This means that psychological scientists a. do not believe anything that they did not discover themselves. b. accept scientific discoveries without question. c. evaluate information before they accept it. d. only accept information that is consistent with their personal beliefs.
c. evaluate information before they accept it.
When our assignment of __________ to an image is ambiguous, we can shift back and forth between seeing two different images in one picture—what we thought was part of the background can also shift to look like the most important part of the picture. a. grouping b. proximity c. figure and ground d. binocular disparity
c. figure and ground
Blair has trouble turning his mind off at night, which usually results in hours of lying awake in bed. His wife Kim's sleep condition does not help Blair. Kim sometimes stops breathing at night and catches her breath in loud gasps. Blair is troubled by __________, while Kim has __________. a. sleep apnea; somnambulism b. sleep apnea; REM behavior disorder c. insomnia; sleep apnea d. insomnia; narcolepsy
c. insomnia; sleep apnea
When asked a question about information processed in his right hemisphere, split-brain patient J.W.'s left brain could not verbalize an accurate reply. However, he still came up with an answer that showed a logical attempt to construct a world that made sense. In this way, the left hemisphere is often called the a. executor. b. logician. c. interpreter. d. artist.
c. interpreter.
This popular drug alters consciousness by blocking the reuptake of dopamine and increasing its release, and in the long term, it can cause considerable damage throughout the brain and body. a. marijuana b. crack cocaine c. methamphetamine d. heroin
c. methamphetamine
Sammy is doing research that involves placing objects in the visual fields of visually impaired elderly men. He wants to discover what specific neurons fire in response to the features of the objects. The study requires electrodes to be implanted in the men's brains. In which part of the brain would you suggest Sammy place the electrodes? a. frontal lobe b. parietal lobe c. occipital lobe d. temporal lobe
c. occipital lobe
Susan has an alcohol addiction that encompasses ______________, in that she needs more and more alcohol to feel buzzed, and ______________, in that she feels she needs to drink to maintain her social life. a. psychological dependence; physical dependence b. tolerance; withdrawal c. physical dependence; psychological dependence d. withdrawal; tolerance
c. physical dependence; psychological dependence
At a certain prestigious college, the policy is to grade on a curve, meaning that about 10 percent will receive As, 15 percent Bs, 50 percent Cs, 15 percent Ds, and 10 percent will fail. Despite knowing this policy, most students expect to earn straight As because they did so in high school. This belief reflects which of the following? a. confirmation bias b. amiable skepticism c. self-serving bias d. using mental heuristics
c. self-serving bias
Gary was in a motorcycle accident and damaged his thalamus. Gary will have no difficulty doing which of the following? a. seeing the print in his book b. hearing his favorite song on the radio c. smelling roses in his garden d. feeling the skin on his daughter's cheek
c. smelling roses in his garden
Tawny has had a strong desire for a Dr Pepper all day. She is not sure why, because she rarely drinks this beverage. But her roommate, Abigail, reminded her that last night several of the people they were out with were drinking Dr Pepper. Which of the following has Tawny experienced? a. the global workspace model b. sleep-related memory consolidation c. subliminal processing d. a non-REM dream
c. subliminal processing
After a bad fall while rock climbing, Charisa experienced profound alterations in her ability to initiate voluntary movements, such as moving her eyes or reaching for a cup of water. Which brain structure did Charisa's injuries most likely affect? a. thalamus b. amygdala c. substantia nigra d. hippocampus
c. substantia nigra
George is looking for a research project. In doing so, he could formulate and draw on a theory because a. theories can be replicated. b. theories are shown to be true, so subsequent research is successful. c. theories lead to testable hypotheses. d. theories are likely to result in serendipity, which leads to successful research.
c. theories lead to testable hypotheses.
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 an unconscious 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 an unconscious level.
Tom awoke from the strangest dream. He remembers vivid emotions, sights, and even smells, but the content was very scattered and illogical. Why might this be so? a. Frontal cortices are somewhat deactivated during sleep, which contributes to illogical aspects of dreaming. b. Neurons were randomly firing, and Tom's sleeping mind attempted to make sense of the chaotic neural activity. c. The limbic regions of the brain are active during sleep, which could be the source of the emotional content of Tom's dream. d. All of the options are correct.
d. All of the options are correct.
Japhet knows that while rods are spread throughout the retina, cones are concentrated around the fovea. From this knowledge, what might Japhet infer? a. Color is easier to detect in the dark. b. Fine detail is easier to see in the dark. c. Fine detail is easier to see in the periphery of the visual field. d. Color is easier to see in the center of the visual field.
d. Color is easier to see in the center of the visual field.
What is the difference between concentrative meditation and mindfulness meditation? a. Concentrative meditation is religious; mindfulness meditation is not. b. Concentrative meditation aligns with the sociocognitive theory of hypnosis; mindfulness meditation aligns with the neodissociation theory of hypnosis. c. Concentrative meditation is effective; mindfulness meditation is not. d. Concentrative meditation involves focusing on one thing; mindfulness meditation involves a fleeting awareness of any thoughts, without focusing on any specific thought.
d. Concentrative meditation involves focusing on one thing; mindfulness meditation involves a fleeting awareness of any thoughts, without focusing on any specific thought.
According to this school of thought, the whole of personal experience is different from the sum of its parts. a. structuralism b. behaviorism c. functionalism d. Gestalt theory
d. Gestalt theory
Why do middle ear infections impact hearing? a. The main job of the middle ear is to transduce auditory information into signals. Infections muddle the transduction process. b. The middle ear's main job is to detect sound waves. c. The middle ear's main job is passing transduced information into the inner ear. Infected fluid in the middle ear hinders this process. d. The middle ear's main job is to amplify sound vibrations. Infected fluid muddles this process.
d. The middle ear's main job is to amplify sound vibrations. Infected fluid muddles this process.
The start gun goes off to signal the beginning of the race. How do the runners interpret the meaning of the noise? a. The sound waves travel through the air to the eardrum. Receptors in the middle ear send information to the brain that a gun has fired via the auditory nerve. b. The sound waves change the air pressure. The outer ear detects this change in air pressure and makes the ossicles in the middle ear vibrate. The ossicles then transduce the vibration into a neural signal that they send to the brain via the occipital nerve. c. The sound waves change the air pressure. The outer ear detects this change in air pressure and makes the ossicles in the middle ear vibrate. The ossicles then transduce the vibration into a neural signal that they send to the brain via the auditory nerve. d. The sound wave travels through the air to the outer ear. Receptors in the inner ear transduce the sound into neural signals sent to the brain via the auditory nerve.
d. The sound wave travels through the air to the outer ear. Receptors in the inner ear transduce the sound into neural signals sent to the brain via the auditory nerve.
Janna and Sarah are identical twins who were raised apart. Lisa and Shirley are nonrelated adopted siblings who were raised in the same home. Which pair would you expect to be more similar in personality traits such as intelligence and shyness? a. Janna and Sarah b. Lisa and Shirley c. The sibling pairs will have similar intelligence levels, but the degree of shyness cannot be predicted. d. This question cannot be answered without knowing how intelligent or shy the people who raised these siblings are.
d. This question cannot be answered without knowing how intelligent or shy the people who raised these siblings are.
Timothy was born without testes. With respect to hormone production and sexual behavior, which of the following is the most likely outcome? a. Timothy will have some testosterone, but he will probably be unable to achieve an erection. b. Timothy will lack testosterone, but he will probably be able to achieve an erection. c. Timothy will have some testosterone and will probably be able to achieve an erection. d. Timothy will lack testosterone and will probably be unable to achieve an erection.
d. Timothy will lack testosterone and will probably be unable to achieve an erection.
Ever since Cornelius was hypnotized, he has been flapping his arms whenever anyone says, "Hello." Cornelius's arm flapping most likely results from a. dissociation. b. hypnotic analgesia. c. flow. d. a posthypnotic suggestion.
d. a posthypnotic suggestion.
Ralph loves his birthday, but he tends to eat too much throughout the day. At the _________ level, there may be hormonal reasons for 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
Dwayne loves going to Las Vegas. Even when he is inside the casinos, where there are no windows to give him light cues, he still feels sleepy by midnight, because his body still shows ______________ rhythms. a. pineal b. melatonin c. REM d. circadian
d. circadian
John strongly opposes vaccinating children because he believes that it increases the risk of autism. John has read the published apology written by the scientist who falsified the data that originally showed a link but dismisses it. Instead, he focuses on the fact that during the same period vaccinations increased, autism diagnoses increased. Which of the following is guiding John's decision making? a. misinterpreting statistics b. amiable skepticism c. critical thinking d. confirmation bias
d. confirmation bias
Whereas Chuck used to feel confident, alert, energetic, and sociable when using this drug, he now feels paranoid and has developed some violent and psychotic tendencies. a. ecstasy b. marijuana c. methamphetamine d. crack cocaine
d. crack cocaine
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.
When researchers repeat a study done by another scientist and find the same results they are a. performing a meta-analysis. b. testing internal validity. c. testing construct validity. d. engaging in replication.
d. engaging in replication.
Dr. Shin is researching the hypothesis that when people with schizophrenia stop taking a particular medication they experience more disturbed thoughts. Dr. Shin tests her hypothesis by placing each schizophrenic patient in one of two groups. The people who stop taking the drug are in the __________ group, and the people who continue taking the drug are in the __________ group. a. dependent; independent b. independent; dependent c. control; experimental d. experimental; control
d. experimental; control
Chris loves this song because it starts off at a low pitch but then the lead singer finishes the song at a higher octave. In other words, Chris likes the way the __________ changes over the course of the song. a. amplitude b. localization c. hue d. frequency
d. frequency
Jordain is walking across campus and hears a noise. When she looks up, she sees a runaway truck heading straight for her. Immediately, the __________ in her nervous system sends a signal to the __________ in her endocrine system to release hormones and prepare her to move out of the way. a. amygdala; pineal gland b. amygdala; pituitary gland c. hypothalamus; pineal gland d. hypothalamus; pituitary gland
d. hypothalamus; pituitary gland
Sean is interested in how climate influences exercise habits. He believes that, on average, people who live in cold climates exercise less than those in warm climates because they cannot exercise outdoors. To investigate his __________ Sean uses the average yearly temperature as a(n) __________ of climate. a. theory; variable b. hypothesis; variable c. theory; operational definition d. hypothesis; operational definition
d. hypothesis; operational definition
Eugenia wants to conduct an experiment, but before she can begin, she needs to get approval from the __________ at her university. a. Association for Psychological Science b. American Psychological Association c. National Science Foundation d. institutional review board
d. institutional review board
Hansel wants to know how much soda he typically drinks per day. Last week, he recorded the following numbers: 3, 3, 4, 3, 22, 3, 3. Hansel should avoid using the __________ as a measure of central tendency of his typical soda consumption, because this measure will be heavily skewed by the day in which he drank 22 cups. a. range b. standard deviation c. median d. mean
d. mean
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 dog's behavior? a. nature b. mind c. body d. nurture
d. nurture
Seven-year-old Samantha suffered trauma to the language centers in the left hemisphere of her brain as a result of a bicycle accident. Although she did have some language deficits after the trauma, she eventually was able to recover much of what she had lost because new growth in unaffected areas of the brain made up for the damage. The ability to recover from brain trauma in this fashion is an example of a. the difference between male and female brains. b. therapeutic effectiveness. c. a healthy genotype. d. plasticity.
d. plasticity.
The probability of an action potential being propagated from neuron to neuron is increased when the __________ neuron's signal is __________. a. presynaptic; inhibitory b. presynaptic; excitatory c. postsynaptic; inhibitory d. postsynaptic; excitatory
d. postsynaptic; excitatory
When Marla first moved to New York City, she could hardly sleep because of all the noise coming from the nearby street. After a month or two, she stopped noticing these noises, and now she feels like she would have a hard time sleeping in a quiet country village. What explains this change? a. Weber's law b. bottom-up processing c. opponent-process theory d. sensory adaptation
d. sensory adaptation
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
d. social psychology
To feel pain, there must be sufficient __________ of a neuron to create __________, which is the first step in neural communication. a. inhibition; a response b. suppression; propagation c. reception; transmission d. stimulation; an action potential
d. stimulation; an action potential
Howard loves everything about movies, including movie history. He knows that many of the tricks used in special effects have their origins in the research of Gestalt psychologist Max Wertheimer, who conducted experiments on a. motion aftereffects. b. linear perspective. c. binocular disparity. d. stroboscopic motion.
d. stroboscopic motion.
The Stroop test offers support for which of the following? a. flow b. hypnotic analgesia c. the sociocognitive theory of hypnosis d. the neodissociation theory of hypnosis
d. the neodissociation theory of hypnosis
Which of the following taste sensations results from detecting glutamate? a. salty b. bitter c. sour d. umami
d. umami