Psych 7A Chpt 1

What is a mainstream psychologist most likely to think about Sigmund Freud? A) Freudian theory is untestable and not grounded in science. B) Freud, a great pioneer in psychology, discovered the unconscious. C) Freud was a complete fraud who barely rates a mention in psychology textbooks. D) Rigorous research has proven that most of Freud's theories were correct.

A) Freudian theory is untestable and not grounded in science.

Which of the following is an empirical statement? A) The temperature right now is higher than it was 24 hours ago. B) The 1927 New York Yankees are the greatest baseball team of all time. C) The social construction of gender in modern society imposes penalties on both men and women. D) Women are naturally better parents than men; it is just part of their nature.

A) The temperature right now is higher than it was 24 hours ago.

John Locke's idea of tabula rasa A) contradicted Descartes's statement: "I think, therefore I am." B) emphasized the careful measurement of behavior. C) confirmed Plato's analogy of the cave. D) supported the premises of the social brain hypothesis.

A) contradicted Descartes's statement: "I think, therefore I am."

Your uncle tells you about an interesting magazine article explaining that humans use only 10 percent of their brains. As a student of psychology, your response should be: A) "I know! Isn't that just astonishing?" B) "Well, research actually shows that almost all of the brain is continually active." C) "The data aren't conclusive on that yet, but most psychologists would agree with you." D) "In fact, most neuroscientists would say the figure is closer to 5 percent."

B) "Well, research actually shows that almost all of the brain is continually active."

The foundations of psychology are most closely related to which of the following disciplines? A) Chemistry B) Philosophy C) Political science D) Astrology

B) Philosophy

As you and your roommate watch a news report about a big fight that broke out at a local club, he turns to you and says, "I'm not surprised. It's a full moon, after all. People always go crazy around the full moon." As a student of psychology, your response should be: A) "Is it a full moon tonight? No wonder I was feeling so weird!" B) "When you look at police records, the actual data do not really support that idea." C) "Well, people tend to be more accident-prone around the full moon, but the crime rate doesn't really go up." D) "I don't think the moon has anything to do with this. It's too cloudy. You can't even see the moon tonight."

C) "Well, people tend to be more accident-prone around the full moon, but the crime rate doesn't really go up."

Which of the following is a myth of psychology? A) Experience physically alters the structure of the brain. B) We are consciously aware of only a small part of our mental activity. C) Heritable traits, such as IQ, cannot be altered by experience. D) The mind is a product of a physical machine, the brain.

C) Heritable traits, such as IQ, cannot be altered by experience.

Gestalt psychologists such as Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Köhler A) insist that only readily measured, observable behaviors are worthy of study. B) believe that behaviors have an adaptive function that helps humans survive. C) argue that the overall experience of human perception is greater than the sum of its parts. D) claim that emotions and consciousness should be kept outside the realm of psychology as a science.

C) argue that the overall experience of human perception is greater than the sum of its parts.

The goal of psychology is to A) develop ways to treat the mentally ill. B) control human behavior. C) explain human thought and behavior. D) determine the causes of mental illness.

C) explain human thought and behavior.

Scientific investigation has revealed that the "Mozart Effect" (the notion that children become smarter from listening to the music of Mozart) is A) a question that cannot be answered through science. B) dependent on the gender of the child. C) not substantiated through research. D) supported by findings from numerous studies.

C) not substantiated through research.

Which of the following statements is the best interpretation of the ideas of René Descartes? A) Learning and observable behaviors are the only important scientific phenomena. B) We must rely on our senses alone to acquire knowledge. C) We can ultimately be sure of absolutely nothing. D) The only true knowledge comes from within.

D) The only true knowledge comes from within.

Much of the information about psychology portrayed in the popular media is A) a close match to the findings of psychological researchers. B) not able to be studied empirically. C) just basic common sense. D) contradicted by what psychological research has demonstrated.

D) contradicted by what psychological research has demonstrated.

Psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clark found that doll tests A) demonstrated that observational learning can promote aggressive as well as nurturing behavior in children. B) showed that most people are willing to obey authority figures, even if those orders conflict with their own personal values. C) confirmed that behavior can be modified based on a system of positive or negative reinforcements. D) exposed internalized racism in African-American children, particularly among children attending segregated schools.

D) exposed internalized racism in African-American children, particularly among children attending segregated schools.

When he is in a casino, Albert is unable to control himself. He does not stop gambling until all of his money is gone. The _______ lobe of Albert's brain is most likely to be affecting this behavior. A) parietal B) occipital C) temporal D) frontal

D) frontal

Research participants in early psychology studies might have been given a stimulus such as a ticking metronome and would reflect on the experience, reporting what the stimulus made them think and feel. These individuals would have been using a process called A) psychoanalysis. B) introspection. C) Gestalt therapy. D) hypnosis.

B) introspection.

The social brain hypothesis states that A) humans have a primitive, innate understanding of animal behavior. B) people can keep close tabs on only about 150 different personal relationships. C) social behaviors among people are intrinsically human. D) excessive social stimulation interferes with brain cell networks.

B) people can keep close tabs on only about 150 different personal relationships.

Cognitive psychologists became interested in how processing was done inside the brain, which led directly to the development of A) neuroscience. B) Gestalt psychology. C) behaviorism. D) functionalism

A) neuroscience

The study of how physical events, such as lights and sounds, affect our senses is called A) psychophysics. B) dualism. C) empiricism. D) functionalism.

A) psychophysics.

In Plato's cave allegory, a prisoner was temporarily unchained and allowed to see the fire at the mouth of the cave. When he returned to the chains, the other prisoners A) refused to believe him. B) marveled at his great knowledge. C) began to reconsider their own views. D) immediately accepted his insight.

A) refused to believe him.

Which of the following would be evidence against the social brain hypothesis? A) Students working in a group are better able to grasp a subject than students working individually. B) A quiet co-worker prefers to eat lunch at his desk every day instead of socializing with others in the company cafeteria. C) Your sister is clearly able to engage in meaningful social interactions with all of her 500 friends on Tumblr. D) You regularly strike up friendly conversations with the cashiers at your local grocery store.

B) A quiet co-worker prefers to eat lunch at his desk every day instead of socializing with others in the company cafeteria.

Your psychology professor tells the class, "Experience cannot be analyzed successfully into its elements." Your professor is most likely A) a behaviorist. B) a Gestalt psychologist. C) a structuralist. D) an empiricist

B) a Gestalt psychologist.

. In a psychology experiment, subjects listen to a variety of tones presented at different frequencies and then reflect on the experience, describing what they heard as precisely as possible. These individuals would have been using a process called A) behaviorism. B) introspection. C) hypnosis. D) Gestalt therapy

B) introspection

In a behaviorist approach to treatment for a patient with a fear of rats, the patient is A) urged to talk about this fear to determine why he feels this way. B) repeatedly exposed to stimuli that are gradually more and more like rats. C) asked to observe other people who are handling rats in a calm, relaxed manner. D) given medication to help reduce his anxiety.

B) repeatedly exposed to stimuli that are gradually more and more like rats.