psychology midterm

The famous "Little Albert" study conducted by John Watson and Rosalie Rayner demonstrated which of the following? A) It is possible to classically condition an emotional reaction to a previously neutral stimulus B) Even a baby can be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a ticking metronome C) All emotional reactions are inborn, naturally occurring reflexes D) It is possible to operantly condition voluntary behaviors in infants if the right reinforcer is presented immediately following the target behavior

A) It is possible to classically condition an emotional reaction to a previously neutral stimulus

A hypothesis is: A) a tentative statement that describes the relationship between two or more variables B) a geometrical construct often used in statistical analyses C) a theory that has been prove D) the operational definition assigned to the independent variable

A) a tentative statement that describes the relationship between two or more variables

psychologists use statistics to: A) analyze the data collected and determine whether the results support the hypothesis B)generate new theories C) prove that a theory is true D) confuse introductory psychology students

A) analyze the data collected and determine whether the results support the hypothesis

An _____ is a drug or other chemical that blocks a receptor site and inhibits or prevents a response in the receiving cell A) antagonist B) endorphin C) agonist D)opiate

A) antagonist

As you are reading this question, you are awake and alert. This means that your brain is generating _______ brain waves A) beta B) alpha C) theta D) delta

A) beta

As you are taking this exam, you are actively retrieving information that you have learned and stored in your long-term memory. The information that you are able to consciously recall is an example of which subsystem of long-term memory? A) explicit memory B)implicit memory C) nondeclartive memory D) procedural memory

A) explicit memory

the hippocampus plays a key role in which functions? A) forming new memories B) emotional response, including fear, anger and disgust C) regulating sleep and wakefulness D)survival behaviors, including eating and drinking

A) forming new memories

Along with neurons, the human nervous system is made up of _____ cells. A) glial B) Ranvier C) dendritic D)polarized

A) glial

A representative sample is a: A) group of participants that closely parallels the larger group to be studied on all relevant characteristics such as age, sex, and race B) sample questionnaire that represents the most likely set of survey questions C) small group of volunteers who try to predict the survey results D) list of all the possible questions that might be represented on the final survey

A) group of participants that closely parallels the larger group to be studied on all relevant characteristics such as age, sex, and race

cognitive psychology focuses on the study of: A) mental processes, including reasoning and thinking, problem solving, memory, perception, mental imagery, and language B) children with special needs, cut as autistic children or those suffering from learning disabilities C)how people are effected by their social environments D)the operational definition assigned to the independent variable

A) mental processes, including reasoning and thinking, problem solving, memory, perception, mental imagery, and language

The two main divisions of the nervous system are the _____ and the _____ A) peripheral nervous system; central nervous system B) central nervous system; autonomic nervous system C) brain; spinal cord D) autonomic nervous system; somatic nervous system

A) peripheral nervous system; central nervous system

A stimulus or even that is naturally or inherently reinforcing for a given species is called a _______, and a stimulus or event that has acquired reinforcing value by being associated with this reinforcer is called a ______. A) primary reinforcer; conditioned reinforcer B) negative reinforcer; positive reinforcer C)positive reinforcer; negatie reinforcer D) conditioned reinforcer; secondary reinforcer

A) primary reinforcer; conditioned reinforcer

When old memories interfere with a new memory, _____ is said to have occurred. A) proactive interference B) retroactive interference C) long-term potentiation D) encoding failure

A) proactive interference

Psychologists formally define learning as a process that: A) produce a relatively permanent change in behavior or knowledge as a result of experience B)replaces old habits with new habits C) encourages a temporary change in knowledge due to natural experiences D) results from developmental factors or maturation

A) produce a relatively permanent change in behavior or knowledge as a result of experience

The opening in the middle of the iris that changes size to let in different amounts of light is the: A) pupil B) cornea C) fovea D) retina

A) pupil

As you walk into an Indian restaurant, you immediately notice the delicious smells of curry, saffron, and other spices. After a few minutes, however, you no longer notice the smell. This experience is an example of: A) sensory adaptation B) Weber's law C) anosmia D) the mere exposure effect

A) sensory adaptation

The two main subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system are the ______ nervous system and the ______ nervous system A) somatic; autonomic B) parasympathetic; somatic C) sympathetic; parasympathetic D) autonomic; sympathetic

A) somatic; autonomic

Express to sunlight and other bright lights ____ production of melatonin. A) suppresses B) does not affect C) increases D) maintains a steady

A) suppresses

Which brain structure regulates the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system? A) the hypothalamus B) the thalamus C) the hippocampus D) the amygdala

A) the hypothalamus

The finding that repeated exposure to a particular stimulus leads to increased liking for that stimulus is called: A) the mere exposure effect B) sensory adaptation C) perceptual constancy D) psychokinesis

A) the mere exposure effect

unlearned, reflexive response that is elicited by an unconditioned stimulus is termed : A) unconditioned response B) classical conditioning response C) conditioned response D)conditioned stimulus

A) unconditioned response

How can you increase the length of time that you can hold information in your short-term memory? A) use maintenance rehearsal by repeating the information B) use iconic memory to hold the memory longer C) use a process called clustering D) move the information into sensory memory

A) use maintenance rehearsal by repeating the information

The three basic properties of color are: A)hue, saturation, and brightness B) black, white, and blue-green C) saturation, primary hue, secondary tone D)tone, brightness, and shade

A)hue, saturation, and brightness

While trying to recall a list of items in correct order, the tendency to remember the first items in the list is called _____ while the tendency to remember the last items in the list is called _____. A)the primacy effect; the recency effect B) source monitoring; source confusion C)proactive recall; retroactive recall D) the recency effect; the primacy effect

A)the primacy effect; the recency effect

On average, each complete cycle through the stages of NREM sleep and REM sleep last about A) 8 hours B) 90 minutes C) 1 hour D) 20 minutes

B) 90 minutes

an operational definiton is: A) a research design I which the participants act or operate as their own control group B) a precise description of how each variable in a particular study will be manipulated or measured C) one that has been approved by the American Psychological Association D)a statistical method used in psychological research to correct for bias that may be operating in the experimental situation

B) a precise description of how each variable in a particular study will be manipulated or measured

Which part of the ear contains the hair cells? A) pinna B) cochlea C) eardrum D) semicircular canals

B) cochlea

The factor or variable other than the ones being studied that, if not controlled, could affect the outcome of an experiment is the _____ variable A) independent B) confounding C) dependent D) outcome

B) confounding

Personal awareness of thoughts, sensations, memories, and different aspects of the surrounding environment is called A)delta Brain wave activity B) consciousness C) dissociation D) hypnagogic perception

B) consciousness

As a general rule, communication within a neuron progresses from the: A) axon to the dendrites to the cell body B) dendrites to the cell body to the axon C) dendrites to the axon to the axon terminals and then to the cell body D) cell body to the axon to the nucleus

B) dendrites to the cell body to the axon

Alcohol is classified as a : A) stimulant drug B) depressant C) natural opioid D) narcotic drug

B) depressant

What type of statistics is used to organize and summarize data? A) inferential statistics B) descriptive statistics C) correlational statistics D) population statistics

B) descriptive statistics

Focusing on the meaning of the information is an encoding strategy called: A) maintenance rehearsal B) elaborative rehearsal C) chunking D) clustering

B) elaborative rehearsal

Neurons are: A) found in primates and humans, but not in other animals B) highly specialized cells that receive and transmit information from one area of the body to another C) found only in the spinal cord and bone marrow D)highly specialized cells that produce myelin

B) highly specialized cells that receive and transmit information from one area of the body to another

Fred volunteered for a sleep deprivation study. After he is deprived of sleep for two nights: A) he will feel refreshed and alert once he gets his " second wind" B) it is very probably that he will experience disruptions in mood, mental abilities, reaction time, perceptual skills, and complex motor skills C) its very probable that he will develop one of the most common sleep disorders, transient insomnia D) he is ver likely to experience episodes of cataplexy

B) it is very probably that he will experience disruptions in mood, mental abilities, reaction time, perceptual skills, and complex motor skills

The ____ thickens or thins to focus incoming light. This process is called "______" A) pupil; sensory adaptation B) lens; accommodation C) iris; sensory adaptation D) pupil; accommodation

B) lens; accommodation

Behavior that is conditioned with _______ reinforcement is ______ resistant to extinction A)continuous; more B) partial; more C) partial; less D)no; more

B) partial; more

Ever since she foolishly drank too much beer at a rock concert and vomited all over her boyfriend, Sharon becomes nauseated at the smell or taste of beet. In this example, the conditioned stimulus is ______ and the conditioned response is _______. A) nausea; loud music B) the smell or taste of beer; nausea C) nausea; the smell or taste of beer D) her boyfriend; nausea

B) the smell or taste of beer; nausea

The hammer, anvil, and stirrup are: A) three large cones in the outer ear B) three tiny bones in the middle ear C) three tiny bones in the cochlea D) bones that encase the ear canal, protecting it from damage

B) three tiny bones in the middle ear

While psychoanalysis focuses on ______ conflicts, humanism emphasizes ____ experiences. A) observable; unconscious B) unconscious; conscious C) external; internal D) physiological; observable

B) unconscious; conscious

Jonathon frequently plays the slot machines and sometimes comes out slightly ahead in his winnings. Like all gambling behavior; jonathons gambling behavior is on a _______ schedule of reinforcement A) variable interval B) variable ratio C)fixed interval D) fixed ratio

B) variable ratio

a theory: A) is another term for hypothesis B)integrates and summarizes diverse findings on the same topic C) Is based strictly on a speculation rather than any kind of empirical evidence D)is a statement of absolute fact that eventually becomes a scientific law

B)integrates and summarizes diverse findings on the same topic

Javier is multitasking by talking on the phone and studying at the same time. Which of the following is most likely to be true regarding his performance on Both tasks? A) his performance on both tasks is improved B) His performance on talking on the phone is impaired, but not his performance on studying C) His performance on both tasks is impaired D) HIs performance on both is not impacted by multitasking

C) His performance on both tasks is impaired

Which of the following statements about imagination inflation is TRUE? A) Repeatedly imagining and event that never occurred makes the event less memorable and more likely to be forgotten B) Repeatedly imagining and event that never occurred increases the accuracy of the source memory for that event C) Repeatedly imagining and event that never occurred makes the event seem increasingly familiar D) Repeatedly imagining and event that never occurred reduces confidence that the event actually happened

C) Repeatedly imagining and event that never occurred makes the event seem increasingly familiar

Ricardo can recall very specific and vivid details of the day his son was born. Ricardo's memory of this very emotional, personal event in his life is an example of what is called: A)iconic memory B) prospective memory C) a flashbulb memory D) an implicit memory

C) a flashbulb memory

Dr. Martinez is studying the effects of diet on mental alertness. Each morning for two weeks, participants in Dr. Martinez's study eat a breakfast that is either high in carbohydrates or high in protein. Dr. Martinez then measures the participants' abilities to solve geometry problems. What is the dependent variable in this study? A) high-carbohydrate versus high protein breakfast B) length of the study (2 weeks) C) abilities to solve geometry problems D) Not enough information is provided to answer the question

C) abilities to solve geometry problems

College students who experience feelings of learned helplessness may respond to academic setbacks. such as failing a test, in which of the following ways? A) expressing their frustration through angry outbursts or other violent behavior B) by pairing up with successful student and imitating that student's study habits C) becoming more motivated to succeed and increasing their efforts on subsequent academic tasks D)giving up prematurely on subsequent academic tasks or procrastinating instead of persisting

C) becoming more motivated to succeed and increasing their efforts on subsequent academic tasks

A correlation coefficient is a numerical indication of: A) the magnitude and direction of the relationship of two variables B) variability in a single set of scores C) central tendency D) statistical significance

C) central tendency

The letters on the flashing neon sign actually read: CPEN FOR BUSINESS! But because of the law of _______ Jose never noticed that part of one neon letter was burned out and perceived it as reading OPEN FOR BUSINESS! A) proximity B) good continuation C) closure D) similarity

C) closure

The ____ is the score that is usually the most representative measure of central tendency. A) mode B)mean C)correlation coefficient D)median

C) correlation coefficient

Rods are used for vision in _____ light, and cones are used for vision in _____ light. A) yellow; blue B) bright; dim C) dim; bright D) colorful; black and white

C) dim; bright

A study in which neither the researchers nor the participants are aware of the treatment or condition to which the participants have been assigned is called a _______ study. A) controlled B) pseudoscientific C) double blind D) meta analytical

C) double blind

The brains ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged areas is called: A) neurogenesis B) structural plasticity C) functional plasiticity D)aphasia

C) functional plasiticity

Synaptic vesicles contain: A) hormones B) ions C) neurotransmitters D) receptors

C) neurotransmitters

When she was a child, Esther's father taught her to golf a paper frog, even though she hasn't folded one in years she is still able to make one when her friends asks her to .Esther's ability to perform this task is an example of which type of long term memory? A) episodic memory B) semantic memory C) procedural memory D)prospective memory

C) procedural memory

This multiple-choice test question is a good example of using _____ to test long-term memory. A) chunking B) cued recall C) recognition D) free recall

C) recognition

The brain's ability to physically change in response to environmental stimulation is called: A) neurogenesis B) aphasia C) structural plasticity D)functional plasticity

C) structural plasticity

Psychology is formally defines as the scientific: A) study of mental processes in human and nonhuman animals B) study of the cause and treatment of mental illnesses C) study of behavior and mental processes D)investigation of unconscious mental processes

C) study of behavior and mental processes

Which part of the neuron receives messages from other neurons? A) the axon B) the nucleus C) the dendrite D) the sodium ion membrane

C) the dendrite

Operant conditioning involves: A) responses acquired through imitation B) responses elicited by unconditioned stimuli C) voluntary behaviors D) reflexive behaviors

C) voluntary behaviors

We transform information into a form that can be entered and retained by the memory system. This process is known as: A) retrieval B) storage C)encoding D)prospective remembering

C)encoding

An employee wears jeans to work and is reprimanded by his supervisor for dressing inappropriately. From then on, the employee wears a suit and tie to work. This is an example of: A) higher order conditioning B) negative punishment C)positive punishment D) negative reinforcement

C)positive punishment

In order to answer this test item, you must read the words on this page. Detecting the black marks on the page relies on the process of ______, and the ability to interpret these black lines and curves as the letters and words involves the process of _____ A) proprioception; sensori adaptation B) sensory adaptation; proprioception C)sensation; perception D) perception; sensation

C)sensation; perception

A young child has learned to associate the sight of a nurse's white uniform with the fear and pain of getting an injection. If the young child begins reacting with fear to the sight of any white jacket, what has occurred? A) high order conditioning B) spontaneous recovery C)stimulus generalization D) stimulus discrimination

C)stimulus generalization

Which of the following statements best captures the basic idea of operant conditioning? A) Behavior can only be understood by considering underlying mental processes B) By pairing a neutral stimulus with a response-producing stimulus, the neutral stimulus can come to produce the same response C) Mental processes play a critical role in the process of imitating the behavior of others D) Behavior is shaped and maintained by its consequences

D) Behavior is shaped and maintained by its consequences

To produce a learned response in classical condition what two elements are repeatedly paired? A) a behavioral peons and a natural environmental consequence B) a stimulus and a response C) and unconditioned stimulus and a voluntary emitted behavioral response D) a neutral stimulus and a stimulus that naturally elicits a response

D) a neutral stimulus and a stimulus that naturally elicits a response

The most widely used psychoactive drug in the world is: A)marijuana B) heroin C) cocaine D) caffeine

D) caffeine

The process of converting new long-term memories into stable, enduring memory codes is called: A) activation B) clustering C) representation D) consolidation

D) consolidation

The smallest possible differences between two stimuli that can be detected is called the: A) transduction threshold B) the absolute threshold C) subliminal difference D) difference threshold, or just noticeable difference

D) difference threshold, or just noticeable difference

Jerome focused on the meaning of the information in the chapter and tried to generate examples of concepts fro his own experiences rather than namely repeating key terms and concepts. What was Jerome using to help encode information into his long-term memory? A) contextual cues B) the serial position effect C) maintenance rehearsal D) elaborative rehearsal

D) elaborative rehearsal

the neurotransmitter ____ is responsible for sending excitatory messages and is related to seizures and Alzheimer's disease. A) dopamine B) norepinephrine C)GABA D) glutamate

D) glutamate

Positive reinforcement ______ the liklihood of a behaviors being repeated. Negative reinforcement ______ the liklihood of a behaviors being repeated. A) decreases;increases B) decreases; decreases C) increases; decreases D) increases; increases

D) increases; increases

In psychoanalytic theory, the disguised, symbolic meaning of dreams is called the _____ content. A) lucid B) manifest C) primal D) latent

D) latent

Which of the following neurotransmitters is involved in physical arousal, learning memory, and regulation of sleep? A) actetylcholine B)dopamine C)serotonin D) norepinephrine

D) norepinephrine

REM sleep is also called _____ sleep A) rolling eye motions B)resting eye movement C) random easy motions D) rapid eye movement

D) rapid eye movement

The three basic types of neurons are: A) glial cells, nodes of ranvier, and myelin B) dendrite neurons, axonal neurons, and body neurons C) excitatory neurons, inhibitory neurons, and interneurons D) sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons

D) sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons

Reinforcing successively close approximations of a behavior until the desired behavior is displayed is an operant conditioning procedure called: A)negative reinforcement B) stimulus discrimination C) generalization training D) shaping

D) shaping

Which is the BEST explanation for encoding failure? A) old information interferes with ones ability to process novel information B) the information was destroyed through the misinformation effect C) the information enters ones short term memory but is never encoded into long term memory D) the information was stored in working memory, but it was then repressed in long term memory

D) the information was stored in working memory, but it was then repressed in long term memory

The process by which physical energy, such as light, is converted into a coded neural signal that can be transmitted to and interested by the brain is called: A) sensation B) the mere exposure effect C) gate-control theory D) transduction

D) transduction

Information is stored in short-term memory for about: A) two or three seconds B) a day C) thirty minutes D) twenty seconds

D) twenty seconds

which of the following correlation coefficients represents the strongest relationship between two factors? A)-0.15 B) +0.03 C)+0.38 D)-0.80

D)-0.80

In general, sound waves ______ in the outer ear and ______ in the middle ear, A) transduced; collected B)amplified; collected C) amplified; transduced D)collected; amplified

D)collected; amplified

Because attention is limited in capacity, we tend to: A)actively monitor all the sights, sounds, and other sensations to avoid becoming overwhelmed B) always hear our name mentioned at a party C) be easily hypnotized D)focus on information that is most relevant to our immediate or long term goals

D)focus on information that is most relevant to our immediate or long term goals

______ registers a great deal of information from the environment and holds it for a very brief period of time. A) short-term memory B) long-term memory C)storage D)sensory memory

D)sensory memory

"what are the most basic units of structures of consciousness?" This is a question that would most likely be of interest to a follower of: A) humanism B) behaviorism C)functionalism D) structuralism

D)structuralism