PSYCH 111 Exam 1

The seventeenth-century philosopher who believed that the mind is blank at birth and that most knowledge comes through sensory experience is:

Locke

Francis Bacon's ideas led most directly to the scholarly view known as:

empiricism

Sensations, dreams, beliefs, and feelings are:

examples of subjective experiences.

The Greek philosopher who believed that intelligence was inherited was:

Plato

Of the following, parents are most likely to influence their children's: A) temperament. B) personality. C) faith. D) emotional reactivity.

C

Which seventeenth-century philosopher believed that some ideas are innate?

Descartes

Providing a child with a stimulating educational environment during early childhood is likely to: A) ensure the formation of a strong attachment with parents. B) foster the development of a calm, easygoing temperament. C) prevent neural connections from degenerating. D) accomplish all of these.

C

Providing a child with a stimulating educational environment during early childhood is likely to: A) ensure the formation of a strong attachment with parents. B) foster the development of a calm, easygoing temperament. C) prevent neural connections from degenerating. D) do all of the above.

C

Psychologists who study the degree to which genes influence our personality are working within the ________ perspective. A) behavioral B) evolutionary C) behavior genetics D) neuroscience E) cognitive

C

Psychologists who study, assess, and treat troubled people are called: A) basic researchers. C) clinical psychologists. B) applied psychologists. D) psychiatrists.

C

Sixteen-year-old Bethany is becoming increasingly concerned about her use of marijuana on weekends. In order to reduce her use of this drug Bethany should: A) recognize that life is stressful and often beyond control. B) be warned that marijuana interferes with female sexual functioning. C) stop associating with friends who use marijuana. D) recognize that drug use results from her own lack of social skills.

C

The way the mind encodes, processes, stores, and retrieves information is the primary concern of the ________ perspective. A) neuroscience B) evolutionary C) social-cultural D) behavioral E) cognitive

E

The selection effect in peer influence refers to the tendency of children and youth to: A) naturally separate into same-sex playgroups. B) establish large, fluid circles of friends. C) seek out friends with similar interests and attitudes. D) choose friends their parents like.

C

Which of the following chemical messengers is both a neurotransmitter and a hormone? A) serotonin B) acetylcholine C) norepinephrine D) dopamine

C

Which of the following individuals is also a physician? A) clinical psychologist C) psychiatrist B) experimental psychologist D) biological psychologist

C

Which of the following is not true regarding cultural diversity? A) Culture influences emotional expressiveness. B) Culture influences personal space. C) Culture does not have a strong influence on how strictly social roles are defined. D) All cultures evolve their own norms.

C

Who introduced the early school of structuralism?

Edward Titchener

Which of the following most accurately expresses the extent of parental influence on personality? A) It is more extensive than most people believe. B) It is weaker today than in the past. C) It is more limited than popular psychology supposes. D) It is almost completely unpredictable.

C

Which subfield is most directly concerned with studying human behavior in the workplace? A) clinical psychology C) industrial-organizational psychology B) personality psychology D) psychiatry

C

Who would be most likely to agree with the statement, "Psychology should investigate only behaviors that can be observed"? A) Wilhelm Wundt B) Sigmund Freud C) John B. Watson D) William James

C

Your roommate announces that her schedule permits her to devote three hours to studying for an upcoming quiz. You advise her to: A) spend most of her time reading and rereading the text material. B) focus primarily on her lecture notes. C) space study time over several short sessions. D) cram for three hours just before the quiz.

C

A major principle underlying the SQ3R study method is that: A) people learn and remember material best when they actively process it. B) many students overestimate their mastery of text and lecture material. C) study time should be spaced over time rather than crammed into one session. D) "overlearning" disrupts efficient retention.

A

A psychologist who studies how worker productivity might be increased by changing office layout is engaged in ________ research. A) applied B) basic C) clinical D) developmental

A

An axon transmits messages ________ the cell body and a dendrite transmits messages ________ the cell body. A) away from; toward B) away from; away from C) toward; away from D) toward; toward

A

During a dinner conversation, a friend says that the cognitive and behavioral perspectives are quite similar. You disagree and point out that the cognitive perspective emphasizes ________, whereas the behavioral perspective emphasizes ________. A) conscious processes; observable responses B) unconscious processes; conscious processes C) overt behaviors; covert behaviors D) introspection; experimentation

A

Gender refers to: A) the biological and social definitions of male and female. B) the biological definition of male and female. C) one's sense of being male or female. D) the extent to which one exhibits traditionally male or female traits.

A

In defining psychology, the text notes that psychology is most accurately described as a: A) way of asking and answering questions. B) field engaged in solving applied problems. C) set of findings related to behavior and mental processes. D) nonscientific approach to the study of mental disorders.

A

Operational definitions are most likely to facilitate: A) replication. B) ethical standards. C) hindsight bias. D) commonsense observations.

A

The fact that language forces children age 2 and older to begin organizing their worlds on the basis of gender is most consistent with which theory of how gender-linked behaviors develop? A) gender schema theory B) gender identity theory C) gender-typing theory D) social learning theory

A

The psychological perspective that places the most emphasis on how observable responses are learned is the ________ perspective. A) behavioral B) cognitive C) behavior genetics D) evolutionary

A

The traditions of a culture are passed from one generation to the next by means of: A) norms. B) temperaments. C) genes. D) chromosomes.

A

Three-year-old Jack is inhibited and shy. As an adult, Jack is likely to be: A) cautious and unassertive. B) spontaneous and fearless. C) socially assertive. D) Who knows? This aspect of personality is not very stable over the life span.

A

Today, psychology is a discipline that: A) connects with a diversity of other fields. C) is focused primarily on basic research. B) is largely independent of other disciplines. D) is focused primarily on applied research.

A

Which of the following exemplifies the issue of the relative importance of nature and nurture on our behavior? A) the issue of the relative influence of biology and experience on behavior B) the issue of the relative influence of rewards and punishments on behavior C) the debate as to the relative importance of heredity and instinct in determining behavior D) the debate as to whether mental processes are a legitimate area of scientific study

A

Which perspective emphasizes the learning of observable responses? A) behavioral B) social-cultural C) neuroscience D) cognitive

A

Which psychological perspective emphasizes the interaction of the brain and body in behavior? A) neuroscience B) cognitive C) behavioral D) behavior genetics E) evolutionary

A

Women and men are most likely to be attracted to strongly gender-typed mates in cultures characterized by: A) gender inequality. B) gender equality. C) flexible gender roles. D) few norms.

A

A researcher was interested in determining whether her students' test performance could be predicted from their proximity to the front of the classroom. So she matched her students' scores on a math test with their seating position. This study is an example of: A) experimentation. B) correlational research. C) a survey. D) naturalistic observation.

B

Although the fitness center has many unused lockers, Rabab picks a locker right next to Chalina's, who feels uncomfortable because Rabab has intruded into her: A) gender norm. B) personal space. C) gender role. D) cultural schema.

B

Chad, who grew up in the United States, is more likely to encourage ________ in his future children than Asian-born Hidiyaki, who is more likely to encourage ________ in his future children. A) obedience; independence B) independence; emotional closeness C) emotional closeness; obedience D) loyalty; emotional closeness

B

Dr. Brooks seeks to account for the substance abuse of her therapy clients in terms of their abusive home environments, their limited sense of life purpose, and their deficient dopamine reward circuits. Dr. Brooks is most clearly using a(n) ________ approach to understanding addictive behaviors. A) suprachiasmatic B) biopsychosocial C) parallel processing D) activation-synthesis

B

In psychology, "behavior" is best defined as: A) anything a person says, does, or feels. B) any action we can observe and record. C) any action, whether observable or not. D) anything we can infer from a person's actions.

B

Psychology is defined as the "science of behavior and mental processes." Wilhelm Wundt would have omitted which of the following words from this definition? A) science B) behavior and C) and mental processes D) Wundt would have agreed with the definition as stated.

B

Research studies have found that when infant rats and premature human babies are regularly touched or massaged, they: A) gain less weight. B) develop faster neurologically. C) have more agreeable temperaments. D) develop a more complete sense of self.

B

Rod has always felt pressure to be the driver when traveling in a car with Sue because he learned that this was expected of men. Rod's feelings illustrate the influence of: A) temperament. B) gender roles. C) the selection effect. D) natural selection.

B

The fertilized egg will develop into a boy if, at conception: A) the sperm contributes an X chromosome. B) the sperm contributes a Y chromosome. C) the egg contributes an X chromosome. D) the egg contributes a Y chromosome.

B

To say that "psychology is a science" means that: A) psychologists study only observable behaviors. B) psychologists approach the study of thoughts and actions with careful observation and rigorous analysis. C) psychological research should be free of value judgments. D) all of the above are true.

B

You decide to test your belief that men drink more soft drinks than women by finding out whether more soft drinks are consumed per day in the men's dorm than in the women's dorm. Your belief is a(n)________, and your research prediction is a(n)________. A) hypothesis; theory B) theory; hypothesis C) operational definition; application D) application; operational definition

B

Children who are raised by parents who discourage traditional gender-typing: A) are less likely to display gender-typed behaviors themselves. B) often become confused and develop an ambiguous gender identity. C) nevertheless organized themselves into "girl worlds" and "boy worlds." D) display excessively masculine and feminine traits as adults.

C

Compared with men, women: A) use conversation to communicate solutions. B) emphasize freedom and self-reliance. C) talk more openly. D) do all of the above.

C

Compared with men, women: A) use conversation to communicate solutions. B) emphasize freedom and self-reliance. C) talk more openly. D) do all of these.

C

Concerning the major psychological perspectives on behavior, the text author suggests that: A) researchers should work within the framework of only one of the perspectives. B) only those perspectives that emphasize objective measurement of behavior are useful. C) the different perspectives often complement one another; together, they provide a fuller understanding of behavior than provided by any single perspective. D) psychologists should avoid all of these traditional perspectives.

C

Despite growing up in the same home environment, Karen and her brother John have personalities as different from each other as two people selected randomly from the population. Why is this so? A) Personality is inherited. Because Karen and John are not identical twins, it is not surprising that they have very different personalities. B) Gender is the most important factor in personality. If Karen had a sister, the two of them would probably be much more alike. C) The interaction of their individual genes and nonshared experiences accounts for the common finding that children in the same family are usually very different. D) Their case is unusual; children in the same family usually have similar personalities.

C

Despite growing up in the same home environment, Karen and her brother John have personalities as different from each other as two people selected randomly from the population. Why is this so? A) Personality is inherited. Because Karen and John are not identical twins, it is not surprising they have very different personalities. B) Gender is the most important factor in personality. If Karen had a sister, the two of them would probably be much more alike. C) The interaction of their individual genes and nonshared experiences accounts for the common finding that children in the same family are usually very different. D) Their case is unusual; children in the same family usually have similar personalities.

C

Dr. Aswad is studying people's enduring inner traits. Dr. Aswad is most likely a(n): A) clinical psychologist. C) personality psychologist. B) psychiatrist. D) industrial-organizational psychologist.

C

Dr. Ernst explains behavior in terms of different situations. Dr. Ernst is working within the ________ perspective. A) behavioral B) evolutionary C) social-cultural D) cognitive

C

Dr. Waung investigates how a person's interpretation of a situation affects his or her reaction. Evidently, Dr. Waung is working within the ________ perspective. A) neuroscience B) behavioral C) cognitive D) social-cultural

C

In order, the sequence of steps in the SQ3R method is: A) preview, survey, review, think critically, read. B) plan, read, take notes, rehearse, review. C) survey, question, read, rehearse, review. D) plan, review, take notes, rehearse, read.

C

Jawan believes that psychologists should go back to using introspection as a research tool. This technique is based on: A) survey methodology. C) self-examination of mental processes. B) experimentation. D) the study of observable behavior.

C

A fraternity brother rationalizes the fact that he spends very little time studying by saying that he "doesn't want to peak too soon and have the test material become stale." You tell him that: A) he is probably overestimating his knowledge of the material. B) if he devotes extra time to studying, his retention of the material will be improved. C) the more often students review material, the better their exam scores. D) all of the above are true.

D

A professor constructs a questionnaire to determine how students at the university feel about nuclear disarmament. Which of the following techniques should be used in order to survey a random sample of the student body? A) Every student should be sent the questionnaire. B) Only students majoring in psychology should be asked to complete the questionnaire. C) Only students living on campus should be asked to complete the questionnaire. D) From an alphabetical listing of all students, every tenth (or fifteenth, e.g.) student should be asked to complete the questionnaire.

D

A psychologist who explores how Asian and North American definitions of attractiveness differ is working within the ________ perspective. A) behavioral B) evolutionary C) cognitive D) social-cultural

D

Collectivist cultures: A) give priority to the goals of their groups. B) value the maintenance of social harmony. C) foster social interdependence. D) are characterized by all of these.

D

Compared to children raised in Western societies, those raised in communal societies, such as Japan or China: A) grow up with a stronger integration of the sense of family into their self-concepts. B) exhibit greater shyness toward strangers. C) exhibit greater concern for loyalty and social harmony. D) have all of the above characteristics.

D

Compared to children raised in Western societies, those raised in communal societies, such as Japan or China: A) grow up with a stronger integration of the sense of family into their self-concepts. B) exhibit greater shyness toward strangers. C) exhibit greater concern for loyalty and social harmony. D) have all of these characteristics.

D

Dharma's term paper on the history of American psychology notes that: A) psychology began as the science of mental life. B) from the 1920s into the 1960s, psychology was defined as the science of observable behavior. C) contemporary psychologists study both overt behavior and covert thoughts. D) all of the above are true.

D

Dr. Jones' research centers on the relationship between changes in our thinking over the life span and changes in moral reasoning. Dr. Jones is most likely a: A) clinical psychologist. C) psychiatrist. B) personality psychologist. D) developmental psychologist.

D

Genetically male children who underwent sex-reassignment surgery and were raised as girls, later: A) all described themselves as female. B) all described themselves as male. C) all had an unclear sexual identity. D) described themselves either as female or male, or had an unclear sexual identity.

D

I am a rat whose cortex is lighter and thinner than my litter mates'. What happened to me? A) You were born prematurely. B) You suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome. C) You were raised in an enriched environment. D) You were raised in a deprived environment.

D

In concluding her report on the "nature-nurture debate in contemporary psychology," Karen notes that: A) most psychologists believe that nature is a more important influence on the development of most human traits. B) most psychologists believe that nurture is more influential. C) the issue is more heatedly debated than ever before. D) nurture works on what nature endows.

D

In order to study the effects of lighting on mood, Dr. Cooper had students fill out questionnaires in brightly lit or dimly lit rooms. In this study, the independent variable consisted of: A) the number of students assigned to each group. B) the students' responses to the questionnaire. C) the room lighting. D) the subject matter of the questions asked.

D

In stressful situations, the sympathetic nervous system ________ blood sugar levels and ________ the pupils of the eyes. A) lowers; dilates B) raises; contracts C) lowers; contracts D) raises; dilates

D

Juwan eagerly opened an online trading account, believing that his market savvy would allow him to pick stocks that would make him a rich day trader. This belief best illustrates: A) a scientific attitude. B) critical thinking. C) hindsight bias. D) overconfidence.

D

The hormone testosterone: A) is found only in females. B) determines the sex of the developing person. C) stimulates growth of the female sex organs. D) stimulates growth of the male sex organs.

D

The peripheral nervous system consists of: A) association areas. B) the spinal cord. C) the reticular formation. D) sensory and motor neurons.

D

The psychological views of William James are to those of Edward Titchener as ________ is to ________. A) nature; nurture C) structuralism; functionalism B) nurture; nature D) functionalism; structuralism

D

The regions of the parietal lobes that are involved in mathematical and spatial reasoning are known as: A) the angular gyrus. B) Wernicke's areas. C) the reticular formation. D) association areas.

D

When his son cries because another child has taken his favorite toy, Brandon admonishes him by saying, "Big boys don't cry." Evidently, Brandon is an advocate of ________ in accounting for the development of gender-linked behaviors. A) gender schema theory B) gender identity theory C) gender-typing theory D) social learning theory

D

Which theory states that gender becomes a lens through which children view their experiences? A) social learning theory B) sociocultural theory C) cognitive theory D) gender schema theory

D

Who would be most likely to agree with the statement, "Psychology is the science of mental life"?

Wilhelm Wundt

Who wrote a psychology textbook published in 1890?

William James

The first psychology laboratory was established by ________ in the year ________.

Wundt; 1879

The philosophical views of John Locke are to those of René Descartes as ________ is to ________.

nurture; nature

Two historical roots of psychology are the disciplines of:

philosophy and biology.

In its earliest days, psychology was defined as the:

science of mental life