psy 180 exam 1

Which of the following groups of psychologists would be MOST likely to focus on individual uniqueness, freedom, and potential for growth as a person?​

Humanists

Which of the following would LEAST likely be studied by a cognitive psychologist?

Shaping behavior by reinforcement

science defintion :

a set of methods used to collect information about phenomena

​Placing subjects in experimental groups such that each subject has an equal probability of ending up in any group is referred to as

random assignment

The final step in a scientific investigation is to​

report the findings.​

Dr. Critell is studying aggression in children and plans to define aggression as the number of times one child pushes or strikes another child. Defining aggression in this way would

represent an operational definition.

Wundt's view that the study of psychology should be approached similarly to the study of chemistry brought psychology into the realm of

science

carl sagan science definition

science is more than a body of knowledge, its a way of thinking, a way of skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility.

scientific explanations also involve:

- Parsimonious: uses the fewest number of assumptions to reach a solution. - Occam's razor - Tentative: scientists employ falsifying methods, and are willing to disprove their hypotheses. - They are rigorously evaluated and tested through careful research and experimentation.

what's so different about scientific explanations?

- They are empirical: based on objective and systematic data. - they are objective: they follow logical rules and are consistent with known facts; are also careful, clear and accurate - they are testable and falsifiable: they can be verified or lead to specific predictions. (including being self-correcting and progressive)

music = what?

- activity changes in brain regions associated with emotion. - hippocampal activity is evidenced from emotions experienced when listening to music - the connectivity between the nucleus accumbens and the auditory cortex also seems to predict whether individuals will buy a song

Psychological/scientific frame of mind:

- attitudes of a scientific approach: * critical thinking *curiosity * skepticism - counterintutive *objectivity - empirical methods

experimental groups

- experiences manipulation

The direction of the correlation is important. As one variable increases, does the other variable increase or decrease?

- if both increase OR decrease, it is a positive correlation - if one increases while the other decreases, it is negative

what is theory ?

- logically related concepts that allow for logical deductive reasoning in order to formulate hypothesis - model

what are some phenomenon ?

- observations - surveys and interviews - case studies - exploratory aims

Longitudinal Designs :

- obtaining measures of the variables of interest in multiple waves over time - can suggest potential causal relationships - casual variable would come first in time - casual relationships are not completely clear.

function involved what

- organizes observable events and relates unobservable ones - offer explanations - helps us understand what has occurred and what may occur - a theory can never be proven correct

control groups

- serves as baseline for comparison

The scientific approach requires that people specify exactly what they are talking about when they formulate hypotheses. Which of the following advantages of scientific investigation does this illustrate?

Precision

Suppose researchers find that greater alcohol consumption is associated with poorer performance on a skills test. Which of the following fictitious correlation coefficients could possibly represent that correlation?

-.87

Operational definitions are MOST closely associated with which of the following major advantages of the scientific approach?

Clarity and precision

Which of the following is NOT listed in the textbook as a descriptive research method?

Criterion-based induction

Annabel wants to investigate differences in the way language is processed by the brain hemispheres in individuals from different cultures. If Annabel could work with a psychologist who has made significant contributions in this area of research, she would MOST likely choose to work with

Roger Sperry

Which of the following is NOT among the goals of scientific psychology?

Searching for absolute truths about behavior

Which of the following is MOST likely to be studied by a cognitive psychologist?

Strategies used by college students to solve a particular problem

In a discussion with your professor, she tells you that she believes that the focus of psychological study should be to break the conscious experience into its basic elements. With which of the following historical schools of thought is your professor's idea MOST consistent?

Structuralism

Which of the following structures is NOT part of the hindbrain?

Thalamus

Which of the following is NOT true regarding common sense analyses of behavior?

They are typically based on precise definitions and hypotheses.

Answering the question of "why" something happens is MOST closely associated with which of the following goals of science?

Understanding and prediction

The person responsible for establishing psychology as an independent discipline with its own subject matter is

Wilhelm Wundt.

functionalism was founded by

William James

Theory construction is a

a gradual iterative process that is always subject to revision

Dr. Malm predicts that if teachers ignore students who act up in class, fewer students will act up in class. Dr. Malm's prediction is an example of​

a hypothesis

Dr. Licciardi predicts that people who are observed while they perform a complex task will make more errors. Dr. Licciardi's prediction is an example of

a hypothesis.

As interest rates increase, house sales decline, indicating​

a negative correlation between the two variables.​

Professor Vasquez believes that nearly all psychological disorders can ultimately be traced to abnormalities in brain chemistry. Professor Vasquez's beliefs are MOST consistent with the _____ perspective.

biological

The brain structure responsible for the coordination of motor movements and sense of equilibrium is the​

cerebellum

Michael is having problems relating to other people because he is exhibiting delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations. Michael would MOST likely seek help from a(n) _____ psychologist.

clinical

The term that refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge is​

cognition

the term that refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge is

cognition

A psychological perspective that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s that points out that our mental processes influence how we behave is the _____ perspective.

cognitive

In order to determine whether lack of sleep causes anxiety, a scientist will

conduct an experiment.

When you are walking, the brain sends messages to the skeletal muscles in the legs by way of_____ fibers.

efferent

If a researcher varies the loudness of music in a factory to observe its effect on employee productivity, the dependent variable is

employee productivity.

The scientific approach assumes that

events are governed by some lawful order

Professor Immel believes that behaviors that are predominant in certain species enhance reproductive success. Professor Immel's beliefs are MOST consistent with the _____ perspective.

evolutionary

The approach that examines behavioral processes in terms of their adaptive value for a species over the course of many generations is _____ psychology.

evolutionary

An adherent to structuralism would be MOST likely to study

how to get a rat through a maze more quickly in a laboratory setting.

The school of psychology that takes the most positive view of human nature is​

humanism

Oliver is studying motivation in chimpanzees. His roommate doesn't think that Oliver's animal research will produce much useful information about human motivation. Oliver's roommate apparently has a(n) _____ perspective.

humanistic

A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables is a(n)​

hypothesis

In an experiment, the variable that is controlled or manipulated by the researcher is called the _____ variable.

independent

In experimental research, the variable that is free to be varied by the experimenter is the _____ variable.

independent

In an attempt to learn something about his conscious experience, William looked at an abstract painting and wrote down all of his impressions as they came to him. This technique is called​

introspection.​

The _____ is MOST likely to be in control of bodily processes during periods of rest and recovery for the body.

parasympathetic nervous system

Suppose a researcher discovered a +.87 correlation between the length of a person's toes and the number of shoes the person owns. In general, people who own the fewest number of shoes would have​

small toes (or short)

A disadvantage of an experiment measuring annoyance thresholds in drivers using a driving simulation may be

the artificial, contrived situations in which the experiment is conducted.

Which of the following statements is LEAST likely to be made by a humanist?

the behavior of humans tends to be dictated by environmental circumstances

While theories are MOST closely associated with the scientific goal of _____, hypotheses are MOST closely associated with the goal of _____.

understanding; prediction

Subjects in the control group should be _____ subjects in the experimental groups in all respects except for the treatment they receive with regard to the _____.

very similar to; independent variable

why is it good to be skeptical of knowledge that is obtained by relying on experts/authority figures?

because... - experts might be wrong - the expert might be voicing their opinion and not a fact - the supposed "expert" might not be a real expert at all!

Marissa wants to study people's emotional reactions to increases in temperature. Her classmate, Bernard, tells her that she should focus on observable responses, rather than internal states, in her study. Bernard's views are MOST similar to those found in the _____ perspective.

behavioral

Janet trained her dog to sit on command by following this behavior with a reward of a dog biscuit and praise. Janet used the principles of​

behaviorism

The theoretical orientation that insisted on verifiability of observation was​

behaviorism

The school of psychology associated with understanding the purpose of consciousness was

functionalism

Decision making, reasoning, and problem solving are topics MOST likely to be studied by _____ psychologists.

cognitive

The somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system comprise the _____ nervous system.

peripheral

​A scientific theory has to be

testable

Which of the following psychologists would have been MOST likely to assert that "free will is an illusion"?​

​B. F. Skinner

Which of the following is a major assumption of science?​

​Events occur in a relatively orderly or predictable manner.

Strict behaviorists would be MOST sympathetic to which one of the following statements?​

​Human behavior is primarily caused by environmental factors.

The psychologist who proposed that the study of consciousness should be replaced by the study of behavior was​

​John B. Watson.

Manny tends to be very passive and allows people to take advantage of him. What would a humanist MOST likely say about Manny?​

​Manny can become more assertive once he begins to feel better about himself and recognizes that he has the ability to fulfill his potential.

Which of the following statements is LEAST likely to be made by a humanist?​

​The behavior of humans tends to be dictated by environmental circumstances.

The concept of "stream of consciousness" is associated with​

​William James.

A researcher is measuring the heart rate of subjects as an index of anxiety. In this study, heart rate is​

​an operational definition of anxiety.

correlational research :

A link exists between the variables of interest in your study, but this link can't be causally determined.

Dr. Seelig has just discovered a new drug that produces schizophrenic-like side effects. Dr. Seelig's drug may be acting on which of the following neurotransmitters?

Dopamine

An experimenter tests the hypothesis that physical exercise improves mood. Subjects in the experimental group participate on Monday and Tuesday and those in the control group on Wednesday and Thursday. Which of the following is the independent variable?

Exercise

Answering the question of "how" some phenomenon can be studied is MOST closely associated with which of the following goals of science?

Measurement and description

Laura answered a series of written questions that asked about her attitudes and opinions on a number of current issues. The method of data collection used in this case was

a questionare

A theory is​

a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.​

Sandra strongly believes that attending daycare is detrimental to children's development so she decides to write her psychology term paper on this topic. She does a literature search and finds several sources supporting her opinion, but she finds that the majority of research indicates that children attending daycare experience healthy development. She writes a paper using the sources that find negative associations with daycare attendance. This is an example of ________.

confirmation bias

When two variables are linked and their individual effects cannot be isolated, we speak of the variables as being

confounded

According to Wilhelm Wundt, the focus of psychology was on the scientific study of​

conscious experience

A researcher is studying the effects of room temperature on ability to quickly solve math problems. She first has participants solve ten math problems in a room with the temperature set at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Then she has the same participants solve ten new math problems with the room temperature set at 90 degrees. In this case, the group of participants is serving as its own _____ group.

control

A researcher wants to see if a protein-enriched diet will enhance the maze-running performance of rats. One group of rats is fed the high-protein diet for the duration of the study; the other group continues to receive ordinary rat chow. In this experiment, the rats' maze-running performance is the _____ variable.

dependent

When studying a research question where it would be impractical to manipulate the variables of interest, a researcher would use a(n) _____ method.

descriptive/correlational

In experimental research, subjects who receive some special treatment with regard to the independent variable are in the _____ group.

experimental

The research method in which the investigator manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether any changes occur in a second variable as a result is the _____ method.

experimental

True or false ? Humans only use about 10% of their brain power-- if we could unleash the other 90%, we would be geniuses

false

True or false ? There is currently an autism epidemic. The rise in autism can be completely attributed to a type of mercury in vaccines.

false

True or false? Subliminal advertising works. Advertisers sometimes flash subtle messages across our media and this alters how we act, what we think, and what we buy.

false

true or false? left-brained people are more logical and analytical and right brain people are more creative.

false

true or false? much like the union of negative and positive ions in electrical charges, romantic relationships show that opposites attract.

false

true or false? our memories are duplicates or copies of what happens in reality. We can accurately reflect what has occurred in our lives.

false

true or false? scientists have found that men can be classified as Alpha, Beta, and Sigma males.

false

Imagine two scientists from another planet visit Earth and attempt to study our computers. In his studies Poz focuses on how the computer is used for conducting business, accessing research, communicating with others, and playing games, while Zog concentrates on the construction of the hard drive, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Poz's approach is most similar to _____ while Zog's is most similar to _____.

functionalism; structuralism

Dr. Smythe believes that in order to fully understand complex processes, such as taste, it is necessary to understand the purpose that taste plays in human adaptation, not the elementary components that combine to produce taste sensations. Dr. Smythe's views are MOST consistent with the _____ approach to psychology.

functionalist

While the term psychology has existed since at least the early 1700s, psychology did not come to be considered a science until the

late 1800s.

Destroying a piece of brain tissue to observe its effect on behavior is referred to as

lesioning.

If two variables have a positive correlation, you would expect that _____ scores on one variable are generally associated with _____ scores on the second variable.

low; low

independent variables are

manipulated

Manny tends to be very passive and allows people to take advantage of him. What would a humanist be most likely to say about Manny?

many can become more assertive once he begins to feel better about himself and recognizes that he has the ability to fulfill his potential

dependent variables are

measured

The brain structure that controls unconscious but essential functions such as breathing and circulation is the

medulla

An experimenter tests the hypothesis that physical exercise improves mood. Subjects in the experimental group participate on Monday and Tuesday and those in the control group on Wednesday and Thursday. Which of the following is the dependent variable?

mood (degree of happiness)

A group of researchers wants to determine if people are more likely to follow directions if the person giving the directions is wearing a uniform. Half the participants are directed to a parking spot by a uniformed security guard; the other half are directed to a parking spot by an individual wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt. In this study, the dependent variable would be the

number of participants who park in the spot they are directed to.

psychoanalysis may attempt to explain personality, motivation, and mental disorders by examining

one's dream

a _____ is a description of how the researchers will measure the variables of interest .

operational defintion

Compared to the other scientific research methods, the experimental method's principal advantage is that it

permits conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships.

Researchers studying the effects of sleep deprivation tested the physical coordination skills of 25-year-old males who had been sleep deprived for 24, 36, or 48 hours. In this study, the dependent variable would be the

physical coordination skills of the men in the study.

Dr. Macator predicts that people will act more aggressively during the heat waves of summer than they will during the cold spells of winter. This suggests that Dr. Macator believes that temperature and level of aggression are​

positively correlated.​

Hypotheses are typically expressed as​

predictions

The different general strategies for conducting scientific investigations are referred to as

research methods.

Isabel is listening to a piece of classical music and recording all her feelings and impressions as she experiences them. Isabel is using a technique similar to the research methodology of

structuralism

A group of researchers wanted to determine if people will eat more food in a room with red paint than in a room that is decorated blue. Half the participants in this study ate in a red room and half ate in a blue room. The researchers then measured how much food was consumed in each of the two rooms. In this study, the independent variable was

the color of the room.

One of the disadvantages of the experimental method is​

the fact that experiments often can't be done for practical or ethical reasons.​

In an experiment designed to test memory processes, one group was given special instructions and asked to group the items on a list into categories while they tried to memorize them. A second group of participants was given the same list, but they did not receive any special instructions. In this study, the experimental group is​

the group that received the special instructions.​

Suppose a researcher discovered a strong negative correlation between the length of people's hair and the amount of money they paid for their automobile. In general, people who paid the least amount of money for their automobile also had​

the longest hair

Dr. Barton has found that students who score higher than 85% on the first midterm tend to earn scores of 75% or better on the final exam, while students who score less than 60% on the first midterm often end up with a failing grade on the final exam. This suggests that

the scores on the first midterm and the final exam are positively correlated.

Bill received a poor performance evaluation in his job last year. Since then, Bill has started working through his lunch hour, taken on four special projects, and enrolled in night classes to upgrade his computer skills. If Bill receives a better evaluation at his next performance, it will be hard for him to figure out why because​

the three actions he took are confounded with each other.​

An independent variable in an experiment refers to

the variable that affects the subjects' behavior.

Dr. Marqueta believes that "misery loves company." Based on this belief, Dr. Marqueta predicts that people who have received bad news will seek out other people. Dr. Marqueta's belief is an example of a _____, and her prediction is an example of a(n) _____.

theory; hypothesis

Naturalistic observation, case studies, and surveys all have in common that​

they do not manipulate the variables under study.​

A dependent variable in an experiment refers to the variable​

thought to be affected by manipulation of another variable.​

true or false? Electroconvulsive therapy, as it is currently practice ed, is relatively painless and has shown to relieve extreme cases of depression

true

true or false? lie detectors, although some operators boast they are 99% accurate, are actually highly inaccurate. No one can definitively tell whether someone else is lying or telling the truth.

true

A researcher found that clients who were randomly assigned to same-sex groups participated more in group therapy sessions than clients who were randomly assigned to coed groups. In this experiment, the independent variable was

whether or not the group was coed.

The neurons in Michael's arm just sent a neural impulse. It will be 1-2 milliseconds before another neural impulse can be generated. This brief time period, when another neural impulse cannot occur, is called the​

​absolute refractory period.

Dr. Malm predicts that if teachers ignore students who act up in class, fewer students will act up in class. Dr. Malm's prediction is an example of​

​an operational definition.

The two main types of research methods used in psychology are the​

​experimental and descriptive/correlational research methods.

The cognitive perspective contends that to fully understand human behavior, psychologists need to focus attention on​

​internal mental events.

Publication of research findings is extremely important to the scientific method because​

​it allows for critique and self-correction.

As the number of bystanders increases, people are less likely to help someone who is in distress. This suggests that the size of a crowd and helping behavior are​

​negatively correlated.

The basic premise of evolutionary psychology is that natural selection favors behaviors that enhance organisms' success in​

​passing on their genes to the next generation.

Psychology's intellectual parents are the disciplines of​

​philosophy and physiology.

Suppose a researcher discovered a +.87 correlation between the length of a person's toes and the number of shoes the person owns. In general, people who own the fewest number of shoes would have​

​small toes.

Sara is holding Scott's hand during a scary movie. Suddenly, she squeezes his hand very hard. When she does this, the neurons in Scott's hand will​

​start to fire at a faster rate.

The term used by William James to describe a continuous flow of thoughts was​

​stream of consciousness.

In descriptive/correlational research, the investigator​

​systematically observes two variables to see whether there is an association between them.

The increased emphasis on studying human cognition that emerged in the 1950s was largely due to​

​the development of computers.

Researchers who were studying plant growth raised plants in two separate rooms. One room had taped conversations playing 24 hours a day; the other room was silent. The researchers found that the plants grew better in the room that had the conversations playing. In this study, the type of room (conversation or silence) would be​

​the independent variable.