psych exam

The release of epinephrine into the bloodstream is most likely to a) stimulate digestion. b) decrease perspiration. c) lower blood pressure. d) increase blood sugar.

d) increase blood sugar.

Which of the following provides the best guidance on the significance of an observed difference between two research samples? a) percentile scores b) a skewed distribution c) bar graphs d) inferential statistics

d) inferential statistics

Sensing the position and movement of your pitching arm while throwing a fastball best illustrates a) synesthesia. b) the volley principle. c) psychokinesis. d) kinesthesia.

d) kinesthesia.

There is very little relationship between the age of an adult and his or her a) risk of neurocognitive disorder. b) ability to recall meaningless information. c) risk of accidental physical injury. d) level of life satisfaction.

d) level of life satisfaction.

People have been most likely to describe themselves as a "sandwich generation" during their a) late adulthood. b) early adulthood. c) adolescence. d) middle adulthood.

d) middle adulthood.

To compare the pace of life in different countries, investigators measured the speed with which postal clerks completed a simple request. Which research method did this illustrate? a) the survey b) the case study c) the double-blind procedure d) naturalistic observation

d) naturalistic observation

A segment of DNA that provides the code for creating protein molecules is called a(n) a) gene. b) chromosome. c) epigenetic mark. d) organic methyl molecule.

a) gene.

To identify which of Lucy's brain areas was most active when she talked, neuroscientists gave her a temporarily radioactive form of glucose and a(n) a) PET scan. b) MRI scan. c) fMRI. d) EEG.

a) PET scan.

Sequences of images notable for their hallucinatory quality are most likely to be associated with a) REM sleep. b) cyberloafing. c) sleep apnea. d) high waking metabolism.

a) REM sleep.

Kids choose peers who share their own attitudes and interests as their friends. This best illustrates a) a selection effect. b) a pruning process. c) plasticity. d) collectivism.

a) a selection effect.

Traffic accident rates have been found to ________ after the spring change to daylight savings time and to ________ after the fall change back to standard time. a) increase; decrease b) decrease; decrease c) increase; increase d) decrease; increase

a) increase; decrease

People who regularly sleep less than normal experience a(n) ________ risk of depression and a(n) ________ risk of gaining weight. a) increased; increased b) increased; decreased c) decreased; increased d) decreased; decreased

a) increased; increased

A correlation between physical attractiveness and dating frequency of +0.60 would indicate that a) less frequent dating is associated with lower levels of physical attractiveness. b) physical attractiveness has no causal influence on dating frequency. c) more frequent dating is associated with lower levels of physical attractiveness. d) it is impossible to predict levels of physical attractiveness based on knowledge of dating frequency.

a) less frequent dating is associated with lower levels of physical attractiveness.

Unlike ducklings, children do not imprint. Their fondness for certain people, however, is fostered by a) mere exposure. b) conservation. c) egocentrism. d) infantile amnesia.

a) mere exposure.

Which of the following would you most likely observe on visits to foreign countries? a) more men than women involved in fistfights b) men and women sharing equally in the duties of child raising c) more women than men holding elected offices d) men and women earning approximately the same salaries

a) more men than women involved in fistfights

Compared with women, men are ________ likely to feel comfortable about having casual sex with different partners and ________ likely to cite affection as a reason for their first sexual intercourse. a) more; less b) less; less c) more; more d) less; more

a) more; less

Applying mild electrical stimulation to parts of an animal's cortex, Gustav Fritsch and Edward Hitzig discovered what is now called the a) motor cortex. b) somatosensory cortex. c) auditory cortex. d) visual cortex.

a) motor cortex.

Social learning theory emphasizes that a) observation and imitation play a crucial role in the development of gender identity. b) children will exhibit only those gender-linked behaviors for which they themselves have been directly rewarded. c) children will not develop a clear gender identity if the same-sex parent is absent from the home. d) all of these statements are true.

a) observation and imitation play a crucial role in the development of gender identity.

Mr. Schneider frequently tells his children that it is important to wash their hands before meals, but he rarely does so himself. Experiments suggest that his children will learn to a) preach the virtues of cleanliness but not practice cleanliness. b) neither practice nor preach the virtues of cleanliness. c) practice and preach the virtues of cleanliness. d) practice cleanliness but not preach its virtues.

a) preach the virtues of cleanliness but not practice cleanliness.

Menarche is a maturational milestone most directly associated with a) puberty. b) dual processing. c) role confusion. d) postconventional morality.

a) puberty.

The introduction of a pleasant stimulus is to ________ as the withdrawal of a pleasant stimulus is to ________. a) reinforcement; punishment b) positive reinforcer; negative reinforcer c) primary reinforcer; secondary reinforcer d) immediate reinforcer; delayed reinforcer

a) reinforcement; punishment

The ________ occurs at an electrical charge of about -55 millivolts and the ________ occurs at a charge of about +40 millivolts. a) resting potential; action potential b) resting potential; threshold c) action potential; resting potential d) threshold; resting potential

a) resting potential; action potential

Visible light is a section of the a) spectrum of electromagnetic energy. b) wavelength. c) gamma waves. d) ultraviolet light.

a) spectrum of electromagnetic energy.

The reappearance, after a time lapse, of an extinguished CR is called a) spontaneous recovery. b) higher-order conditioning. c) discrimination. d) generalization.

a) spontaneous recovery.

It has been found that night terrors a) typically occur during NREM-3 sleep. b) jolt the sleeper to a sudden state of full waking alertness. c) are typically accompanied by a state of temporary muscular immobility or paralysis. d) are usually recalled vividly for days following their occurrence.

a) typically occur during NREM-3 sleep.

Negligent parents are especially likely to be a) uninvolved. b) coercive. c) unrestraining. d) confrontive.

a) uninvolved.

Understanding gender differences in behavior as a result of the interplay of gender roles, sex hormones, and individual experiences is most clearly provided by a) Freudian psychology. b) a biopsychosocial approach. c) cognitive neuroscience. d) evolutionary psychology.

b) a biopsychosocial approach.

Which of the following is a statistical measure of both the direction and the strength of a relationship between two variables? a) the descriptive method b) a correlation coefficient c) an operational definition d) a theory

b) a correlation coefficient

A perceptual set refers to a) an inability to recognize familiar faces or voices. b) a mental predisposition that influences what we perceive. c) a diminished sensitivity to an unchanging stimulus. d) an unnoticed image that activates certain associated memories.

b) a mental predisposition that influences what we perceive.

Ewald Hering found a clue to the mystery of color vision in a) blindsight. b) afterimages. c) the phi phenomenon. d) retinal disparity.

b) afterimages.

Neurotransmitters are released from knob-like terminals at the end of the a) myelin sheath. b) axon. c) cell body. d) dendrites.

b) axon.

Although unable to report the width of a block in front of her, a woman identified as D. F. could grasp the block with just the right finger-thumb distance. Her experience best illustrates a) selective attention. b) blindsight. c) the popout phenomenon. d) the cocktail party effect.

b) blindsight.

The acquisition of mental information by observing events, watching others, or through language is called a) operant conditioning. b) cognitive learning. c) shaping. d) classical conditioning.

b) cognitive learning.

Operant response rates remain highest when individuals anticipate that their behavior will actually lead to further reinforcement. This best illustrates the importance of ________ in operant conditioning. a) latent learning b) cognitive processes c) intrinsic motivation d) biological predispositions

b) cognitive processes

Which research method assesses how well one variable predicts another without demonstrating a cause-effect relationship between the variables? a) the experimental method b) correlational research c) naturalistic observation d) the case study

b) correlational research

The invention and transmission of dating and courtship customs best illustrate a) a selection effect. b) cultural influence. c) a pruning process. d) the male answer syndrome.

b) cultural influence.

Sleep deprivation has been shown to a) increase attentiveness to highly motivating tasks. b) diminish immunity to disease. c) decrease narcolepsy. d) reduce REM rebound.

b) diminish immunity to disease.

One biological basis for addiction involves brain activity in the ________ reward system. a) motor b) dopamine c) melatonin d) sensory

b) dopamine

Women have a natural inclination to be more particular than men about who they select as a mate because they need partners who will support and protect their offspring. This statement best illustrates the logic of a) cross-cultural psychology. b) evolutionary psychology. c) Freudian psychology. d) social learning theory.

b) evolutionary psychology.

The pitch of sound is determined by the ________ of sound waves. a) amplitude b) frequency c) intensity d) height

b) frequency

Sensory experiences that occur without an external sensory stimulus are called a) night terrors. b) hallucinations. c) REMs. d) sleep spindles.

b) hallucinations.

Which limbic system structure regulates thirst and body temperature? a) hippocampus b) hypothalamus c) medulla d) amygdala

b) hypothalamus

A preference for our mother's voice over our father's voice has been detected a) one week after birth. b) immediately after birth. c) one month after birth. d) during embryonic development.

b) immediately after birth.

Aaron cried when his mother left him in the infant nursery at church, and he was not reassured or comforted by her return a short while later. Aaron showed signs of a) assimilation. b) insecure attachment. c) egocentrism. d) conservation.

b) insecure attachment.

Greg remembered a recent dream in which his girlfriend suddenly grabbed the wheel of his speeding car. Greg's therapist suggested that the dream might be a representation of the girlfriend's efforts to avoid sexual intimacy. According to Freud, the therapist was attempting to reveal the ________ of Greg's dream. a) paradoxical content b) latent content c) circadian rhythm d) manifest content

b) latent content

Among deaf people, a temporal lobe area normally dedicated to hearing may begin to process visual signals. This best illustrates the impact of a) cognitive neural prosthetics. b) plasticity. c) neurogenesis. d) lateralization.

b) plasticity.

After sports magazines give cover-story attention to the recent outstanding performances of an athlete, the individual often suffers a real decline in performance. This may be at least partially explained in terms of a) illusory correlation. b) regression toward the mean. c) the placebo effect. d) the illusion of control.

b) regression toward the mean.

In everyday behavior, men are LESS likely than women to a) initiate touching others. b) smile at others. c) stare at others. d) interrupt others.

b) smile at others

Compared with young adults, older adults are especially likely to a) complete the sleep cycle more slowly. b) spend less time in deep sleep. c) spend more time in paradoxical sleep. d) spend less time in NREM-1 sleep.

b) spend less time in deep sleep.

Which portion of the cerebral cortex is most closely adjacent to the ears? a) parietal lobes b) temporal lobes c) occipital lobes d) frontal lobes

b) temporal lobes

Which of the following correlations between self-esteem and body weight would enable you to most accurately predict body weight from knowledge of level of self-esteem? a) +0.01 b) -0.10 c) +0.60 d) -0.06

c) +0.60

Who is most likely to be in a romantic relationship? a) Daniel, who is 15 years old b) Catherine, who is 10 years old c) Beth, who is 17 years old d) Abby, who is 13 years old

c) Beth, who is 17 years old

A random alteration in the DNA sequence within one of his genes has caused James to suffer a rare form of nearsightedness. His difficulty best illustrates the impact of a) free-floating stress hormones. b) an organic methyl molecule. c) a mutation. d) an epigenetic mark.

c) a mutation.

According to the gate-control theory, a back massage would most likely reduce your physical aches and pains by causing the a) release of pain-killing endorphins in your muscles. b) deactivation of the pain receptors on the surface of your skin. c) activation of large nerve fibers in your spinal cord. d) the release of adrenaline into your bloodstream.

c) activation of large nerve fibers in your spinal cord.

According to Erikson, achieving a sense of identity is the special task of the a) preschooler. b) elementary schoolchild. c) adolescent. d) toddler.

c) adolescent.

Any drug molecule that blocks the reuptake of a neurotransmitter is a(n) a) antagonist. b) steroid. c) agonist. d) endorphin.

c) agonist.

The loudness of sounds is determined by the ________ of sound waves. a) telepathy b) frequency c) amplitude d) length

c) amplitude

Cognitive neuroscience is most directly concerned with studying a) evolution and natural selection. b) selective attention and accidents. c) brain activity and thought processes. d) selective attention and daydreams.

c) brain activity and thought processes.

Secretions of testosterone and ovarian hormones during the fourth and fifth months of prenatal development exert one of their earliest influences on a) secondary sex characteristics. b) gender schemas. c) brain organization. d) menarche.

c) brain organization.

The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates correctly located the mind in the a) thyroid gland. b) stomach. c) brain. d) heart.

c) brain.

Basic automatic survival functions, such as heartbeat and breathing, are controlled by the a) thalamus. b) pons. c) brainstem. d) reticular formation.

c) brainstem.

The processing of color begins with the activation of ________, followed by the activation of ________. a) opponent-process cells; cells sensitive to one of the three colors red, green, or blue b) cells sensitive to one of the three colors red, yellow, or blue; opponent-process cells c) cells sensitive to one of the three colors red, green, or blue; opponent-process cells d) opponent-process cells; cells sensitive to one of the three colors red, yellow, or blue

c) cells sensitive to one of the three colors red, green, or blue; opponent-process cells

Mr. Wilkes has difficulty hearing sounds in the range of 20 to 40 decibels, but he has no difficulty hearing sounds above that range. He would most likely profit from today's digital hearing aids because they can deliver sound that is a) rebalanced. b) redirected. c) compressed. d) compounded.

c) compressed.

Compared with disagreements between parents and adolescent sons, the disagreements between parents and adolescent daughters are more likely to center on issues such as a) household chores. b) illegal drug use. c) dating and friendships. d) personal hygiene.

c) dating and friendships.

The increased risk of car accidents for drivers talking on a cell phone is a) no greater than the risk for drivers chatting with other passengers. b) no greater than the risk for drivers listening to a car radio. c) he same for those using handheld and those using hands-free phones. d) primarily due to the visual distraction of glancing at one's cell phone.

c) he same for those using handheld and those using hands-free phones.

"Some 95 percent of genetic variation exists within populations." This is best demonstrated by the a) high level of genetic diversity across various populations worldwide. b) minimal genetic variation across humans worldwide. c) high level of genetic diversity among those from Africa. d) minimal genetic variation among those from Asian countries.

c) high level of genetic diversity among those from Africa.

The greatest difficulty facing contemporary parapsychology is the a) willingness of many experts to accept fraudulent evidence. b) difficulty of persuading many ordinary people that there really is such a thing as ESP. c) lack of a reproducible ESP phenomenon. d) inability to subject claims of ESP to scientific testing.

c) lack of a reproducible ESP phenomenon.

The symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome are most likely to include a) hearing problems. b) habituation. c) mental abnormalities. d) visual impairments.

c) mental abnormalities.

The steadily increasing size of the retinal image of an approaching object is especially important for perceiving the object's a) height. b) shape. c) motion. d) weight.

c) motion.

Our ability to learn by witnessing the behavior of others best illustrates a) prosocial behavior. b) classical conditioning. c) observational learning. d) operant conditioning.

c) observational learning.

Identical twins are most likely to share a similar prenatal environment if they share the same a) adaptive capacity. b) temperament. c) placenta. d) uterus.

c) placenta.

Premature infants who are regularly touched and massaged are more likely than their unstimulated counterparts to show signs of a) individualism. b) gender typing. c) rapid weight gain. d) reduced brain plasticity.

c) rapid weight gain.

Mark is reviewing recent applications for an opening at his company. The first few he reviews do not meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and Mark thinks to himself, "There is not one qualified applicant this time." Mark has demonstrated a) hindsight bias. b) hypothesizing. c) sampling bias. d) operational definitions.

c) sampling bias.

Menopause refers to a) the loss of sexual interest in late adulthood. b) the loss of male sexual potency. c) the cessation of menstruation. d) irregular timing of menstrual periods.

c) the cessation of menstruation.

People with color-deficient vision for red and green may still see yellow. This is most easily explained by a) the Young-Helmholtz theory. b) Locke's theory. c) the opponent-process theory. d) trichromatic theory.

c) the opponent-process theory.

When Adam observed his sister being scolded after she hit another child, Adam also discontinued hitting other children. This best illustrates the impact of a) instinctive drift. b) latent learning. c) vicarious punishment. d) intrinsic motivation.

c) vicarious punishment.

If IQ scores are normally distributed, having a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, approximately what percentage of people have IQ scores somewhere between 70 and 130? a) 68 b) 34 c) 50 d) 95

d) 95

To assess whether Mrs. Webster had suffered a brain injury, researchers conditioned her to blink in response to a sound that signaled the delivery of a puff of air directed toward her face. In this application of classical conditioning, the sound was a a) UR. b) US. c) CR. d) CS.

d) CS.

Which of the following is an amphetamine derivative that acts as a mild hallucinogen? a) heroin b) marijuana c) Nembutal d) Ecstasy

d) Ecstasy

Which of the following is true in relation to serotonin and Ecstasy? a) Ecstasy encourages the reuptake of serotonin. b) Ecstasy doubles the reuptake of serotonin. c) Ecstasy use promotes serotonin's control of the circadian clock. d) Ecstasy interferes with serotonin's control of the circadian clock.

d) Ecstasy interferes with serotonin's control of the circadian clock.

Circadian rhythm refers to a) the experience of sleep apnea following a lengthy transoceanic plane flight. b) the pattern of emotional ups and downs we routinely experience. c) the cycle of four distinct stages that we experience during a normal night's sleep. d) a pattern of biological functioning that occurs on a roughly 24-hour cycle.

d) a pattern of biological functioning that occurs on a roughly 24-hour cycle.

When an action potential reaches the end of an axon, an electrical impulse is then converted into a a) reflexive response. b) glial cell. c) myelin sheath. d) chemical message.

d) chemical message.

After a week at college, Su-Chuan has formed a mental representation of the layout of the campus and no longer gets lost. Su-Chuan has developed a(n) a) extrinsic motivation. b) theory of mind. c) fixed-interval schedule. d) cognitive map.

d) cognitive map.

The existence of convincing scientific evidence that ESP is possible would pose the greatest challenge to the a) continuation of research on the processes that underlie ordinary forms of sensation and perception. b) continued existence of parapsychology. c) ordinary belief systems of most Americans. d) contemporary scientific understanding of human nature.

d) contemporary scientific understanding of human nature.

Schizophrenia is most closely linked to an oversupply of the neurotransmitter a) acetylcholine. b) serotonin. c) epinephrine. d) dopamine.

d) dopamine.

A period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties when many in Western cultures have not yet achieved full independence as adults is called a) puberty. b) a rite of passage. c) the formal operational stage. d) emerging adulthood.

d) emerging adulthood.

According to place theory, the perception of a) low-pitched sounds is associated with large vibrations of the basilar membrane closest to the oval window. b) high-pitched sounds is associated with large vibrations of the eardrum closest to the oval window. c) low-pitched sounds is associated with large vibrations of the eardrum closest to the oval window. d) high-pitched sounds is associated with large vibrations of the basilar membrane closest to the oval window.

d) high-pitched sounds is associated with large vibrations of the basilar membrane closest to the oval window.

Dr. Masterson is studying the relationship between media exposure to sexual content and sexual behavior. Dr. Masterson predicts that those who view more sexual content are more likely to practice risky sexual behaviors. This idea is a(n) a) operational definition. b) hunch. c) theory. d) hypothesis.

d) hypothesis.

Babies are born with several reflexes for getting food. One of these is to a) turn the head away from a cloth placed over the face. b) withdraw a limb to escape pain. c) look longer at face-like images. d) open the mouth in search of a nipple when touched on the cheek.

d) open the mouth in search of a nipple when touched on the cheek.

A statement describing the exact procedures for measuring an anticipated experimental outcome is known as a(n) a) replication. b) control condition. c) hypothesis. d) operational definition.

d) operational definition.

B. F. Skinner's critics have claimed that he neglected the importance of the individual's a) early childhood experiences. b) pleasure-seeking tendencies. c) cultural background. d) personal freedom.

d) personal freedom.

The visual cortex is activated when blind people read Braille. This best illustrates a) cognitive neural prosthetics. b) lateralization. c) neurogenesis. d) plasticity.

d) plasticity.

To help control for possible confounding variables, researchers use a) experimental designs. b) the scientific method. c) participation effects. d) random assignment.

d) random assignment.

Which of the following is most useful for helping survey researchers avoid false generalizations? a) naturalistic observation b) the case study c) operational definitions d) random sampling

d) random sampling

Which of the following is a psychological influence on human development? a) parental influences b) shared human genome c) prenatal environment d) responses evoked by our own characteristics

d) responses evoked by our own characteristics

Sir Charles Sherrington observed that impulses took an unexpectedly long time to travel a neural pathway. His observation provided evidence for the existence of a) interneurons. b) antagonists. c) neural networks. d) synaptic gaps.

d) synaptic gaps.

The axons of ganglion cells converge to form a) bipolar cells. b) the lens. c) the cornea. d) the optic nerve.

d) the optic nerve.

The precision with which a sample average approximates a population average increases as a) the mean of the sample decreases. b) the mean of the sample increases. c) the standard deviation of the sample increases. d) the standard deviation of the sample decreases.

d) the standard deviation of the sample decreases.

When placed between a gauze breast pad from their nursing mother's bra and one from another nursing mother, week-old nursing babies are likely to a) open their mouth in a vigorous search for a nipple. b) move their eyes in a visual search for their mother. c) habituate more quickly to the smell of the pad taken from another nursing mother. d) turn their head toward the smell of their mother's pad.

d) turn their head toward the smell of their mother's pad.