Psycology Quizz study set
You are playing with Tyler, who is 5 years old. You take a round ball of Play-Doh (clay) and stretch it out into a long thin strand. According to the developmental psychologist, Jean Piaget, Tyler is likely to think that: A) There is now more Play-Doh than there was before B) That you killed the ball of Play-Doh C) The Play-Doh is now made of a different physical material D) The Play-Doh is now farther away than it was before
According to Piaget, children under the age of 7 perform poorly on "conservation" problems--believing for instance that there is more water after it is poured from a short, wide glass into a skinny, tall glass. (Developmental Psychology chapter in the textbook, pg. 224)
According to the chapter on developmental psychology, which of the following is true as a child gets older? A) Their parents play a larger role in shaping their cognitive development compared to when they were younger B) Their peer environment plays a smaller role in their cognitive development compared to when they were younger C) Their parents play a smaller role in shaping their cognitive development compared to when they were younger D) Their genetics plays a stronger role in their cognitive development compared to when they were younger
According to the chapter on developmental psychology, one example of the complex interaction of nature and nurture is that parents play a smaller role in the development of the child as they get older--when they are younger they can select their environments and activities. When they are older they begin to choose their own environments. (pg. 222)
Research has shown that infants cry when they hear the cries of other infants, and that rats will forego larger rewards to prevent other rats from receiving a shock. These provide support for which of the following?: A) Psychopathy is a learned response B) Rats are more intelligent than previously believed C) Both humans and non-human animals are taught from an early age to feel empathy for others D) Empathy is likely innate
If a trait is innate or universal, you want to see evidence that it emerges early in development (in infancy) and that it is observable in non-human animals. Since the empathic response is observable in infants and rats, this provides support for the view that empathy is innate. See slides 12 - 14 of lecture 22 on morality.
The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (also known as linguistic relativism) refers to the claim that A) Disagreements in perception can only be resolved through linguistic communication B) Languages are shaped by the physical and cultural environments in which they evolved—if a color doesn't exist in the environment, people won't develop a word for it. C) The specific language we speak constrains our perception and cognition—without the proper word for a color, we cannot see it. D) Because we share the same nervous system, perception is universally similar, and all languages encode for the same basic perceptual phenomenon.
In the lecture on perception, Prof. Pizarro describes linguistic relativism as the view that language doesn't just influence language, but is actually constrained by language. This leads to the fairly extreme/unrealistic view that people who speak a language without the word for "green" would not actually be able to perceive the color green.
Researchers used to believe that our circadian rhythms corresponded to a 25-hour cycle, as a result of experiments where individuals were placed in a room with no clocks or windows and observed to see when they naturally went to sleep and woke up. But they realized that the studies they used to conclude this were flawed because: A) In the original research, the noise from the laboratory equipment disrupted the participants' sleep. B) In the original research, only teenagers were used, and their natural sleep/wake cycle is different from that of adults. C) In the original research, participants were allowed to control their own electric lighting, which was discovered to affect circadian rhythms. D) In the original research, participants were provided with caffeinated beverages, influencing the time in which they went to sleep.
In the lecture on sleep, Prof. Pizarro stated that we know our circadian rhythms to be slightly longer than 24 hours, but it was believed to be 25 hours because of the experimental confound of lighting. When correcting for this, they discovered it was closer to 24 hours than previously thought.
According to Freud, how does the superego develop? A) After the oedipal/elektra conflicts are resolved, and children internalize the morality of their parents B) Upon successful completion of psychoanalysis with a trained psychoanalyst C) After children complete the anal stage of psychosexual development, and have been potty-trained successfully D) When children realize that there are negative consequences to acting on the impulses of their Id
The correct answer is "After the oedipal/elektra conflicts are resolved, and children internalize the morality of their parents". According to Freud, the child starts out as pure Id, then develops an ego based on the "reality principle". But it is not until the end of the "phallic" stage of psychosexual development that the child (especially the boy) develops the superego by identifying with the powerful father figure (who represents the morality and norms of society). Psychoanalysis would not be necessary for this, and potty training occurs during the "anal" stage rather than the "phallic" stage. (See Lecture 11)
Richard participates in a study on attitude measurement and openly expresses support for gender equality and non-biased gender views. When taking the Implicit Association Test (IAT), his response time suggests a stronger association between negative concepts and female-related terms. This scenario highlights which of the following? A) Problems with implicit measures B) Attitudes cannot be accurately measured C) Consistency between implicit and explicit attitudes D) Inconsistency between implicit and explicit attitudes
The correct answer is "Inconsistency between implicit and explicit attitudes." Implicit attitudes are sometimes inconsistent with explicit attitudes which are consciously held and reported by the individual. Due to this inconsistency, implicit measures may reveal biases held by the participant. See textbook chapter 13 on Social Cognition and Attitudes (Social Psychology).
(1) In the lever dilemma, a train will hit five people but if you pull the lever, it will divert the trolley onto a second track where it will hit one person. (2) In the footbridge dilemma, you are standing on a footbridge. A trolley is headed towards five people on the tracks. You can push a person off the bridge, and their body will stop the trolley from hitting the five people. Is it morally okay to pull the lever in the first dilemma, and to push the person off the bridge in the second dilemma. What pattern of response is the most common when people encounter the lever and footbridge versions of the trolley dilemma? A) It is morally okay to pull the lever and it is not morally okay to push the person off the footbridge. B) It is morally okay to pull the lever and it is morally okay to push the person off the footbridge.
The correct answer is "It is morally okay to pull the lever and it is not morally okay to push the person off the footbridge." Most people find it morally wrong to push a person off the footbridge than the lever, because of the involvement of an action with direct contact. See slide 12-18 of lecture 23 on morality.
Miley and Lilly watch their friend Oliver at a basketball game. Oliver is clenching his fists and shouting enthusiastically. Miley tells another friend that Oliver was feeling "happy". Lilly also noticed that Oliver seemed "happy" but she did not express it verbally. How is Miley likely to remember Oliver's emotion compared to Lilly? A) Miley and Lilly will both remember Oliver as feeling less happy than he appeared, because of the negativity bias in memory. B) Miley is likely to remember Oliver as feeling less happy than Lilly remembers C) Miley is likely to remember Oliver as feeling happier than Lilly remembers. D) Miley and Lilly will both remember Oliver's emotion with equal intensity, given that they both observed the same expressions.
The correct answer is "Miley is likely to remember Oliver as feeling even happier than he appeared, while Lilly's memory will align with what she observed." When people verbally explain why someone was expressing a particular emotion, they tend to remember the emotion more intensely. Past studies have shown constructing a linguistic representation of another person's emotion can bias the speaker's memory of that particular person's emotion. See "Psychological Consequences of Language Use" section of chapter 11 (Language and Language Use).
According to the TED Talk on mind-wandering by Matt Killingsworth shown in lecture, which of the following statements is supported by his data? A) Mind-wandering is likely a cause, not merely a consequence, of unhappiness B) Pleasant mind-wandering is correlated happiness C) Self-reported happiness is an invalid measure of actual happiness D) Social anxiety is a leading cause of mind-wandering
The correct answer is "Mind-wandering is likely a cause, not merely a consequence, of unhappiness." Matt Killingsworth points out that mind-wandering is highly correlated with unhappiness, regardless of whether the thoughts are pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant. Studies have observed a relationship of mind-wandering -> unhappiness, but not of unhappiness -> mind-wandering, suggesting mind-wandering is likely a cause of unhappiness. See slides 8-9 of lecture 37.
According to the Ted Talk by Dr. Laurie Santos in "monkeynomics" shown in lecture, which of the following statements about decision making under uncertainty is true? A) Both monkeys and people tend to choose the safer option when in a loss mindset B) People, unlike monkeys, perceive a potential loss as psychologically more severe than an equivalent gain C) Monkeys, like people, evaluate things in relative terms and treat losses differently than gains D) Monkeys, unlike people, prefer the larger riskier reward compared to the smaller consistent reward
The correct answer is "Monkeys, like people, evaluate things in relative terms and treat losses differently than gains". When presented with decision making under uncertainty, monkeys seem to choose the same way as people do. See slides 13-16 of lecture 24 (Judgment and Decision Making Pt. 1).
During a Halloween night, Jamie goes on a haunted trail walk. In the dim light, she spots what appears to be a ghostly face on a tree, making her feel spooked. She points it out to her friend, who is currently taking PSYCH 1101. Her friend smiles and explains that Jamie is falling prey to which psychological phenomenon? A) Cognitive dissonance B) Illusory correlation C) Gestalt principle of similarity D) Pareidolia
The correct answer is "Pareidolia.", a phenomenon in which people see ambiguous images and perceive them as meaningful. See slides 10-16 of lecture 26.
As discussed during lecture, some seminary students were asked to give a talk about the parable of the Good Samaritan. What was the major finding from this study when participants saw someone in need? A) Participants were more likely to help if not pressed for time B) Participants were less likely to help if attention was diverted to a raucous scene C) Participants were more likely to help if they previously scored high on measures of religiosity D) None of the choices accurately reflect findings of the study
The correct answer is "Participants were more likely to help if not pressed for time." The study with Princeton seminary students was a prime example of the power of the situation. If the participants were told they were in a hurry to give the talk, despite reading the Good Samaritan parable and on their way to speak on it, only 10% of participants stopped to help someone in need. There was a great increase in percentage of participants that helped if categorized in the "low hurry" group. See slides 8-10 of lecture 33.
Which of the following best exemplifies the concept of gene-environment interaction (G x E)? A) A set of identical twins exhibit almost identical personalities and interests. B) Two individuals with no known genetic links share interests and hobbies, despite growing up in very different environments. C) People with a genetic variant related to impulsivity tend to display impulsive behavior only if exposed to high-stress situations, but not in low-stress environments. D) Siblings that grew up together in the same home share a genetic predisposition for anxiety, but only one struggles with anxiety in adulthood.
The correct answer is "People with a genetic variant related to impulsivity tend to display impulsive behavior only if exposed to high-stress situations, but not in low-stress environments." The heritability coefficient divides traits' determinants by genes and environment to calculate total variability. Gene-environment interaction is when genetic differences affect behavior under certain environmental circumstances but not in others. See "What Have We Learned About Nature-Nurture?" section of chapter 11 (The Nature-Nurture Question).
Imagine a not-so-distant future in which self-driving cars are safer than driver-operated cars, but are still not popular. The government of a country with many fatal motor vehicle accidents each year wants to promote self-driving cars. Which of the following messages might be the most persuasive? A) "Buy a car that will make you happy!", capitalizing on the effect of a good mood on compliance B) "Not enough people are buying self-driving cars, but they should because they're safer!", highlighting the negative consequences of driver-operated cars C) "Sales of self-driving cars are going up as more and more people are realizing that they're safer", highlighting the positive dynamic norm D) "Self-driving cars are just as bad for the planet as driver-operated cars; Consider public transit!", capitalizing on the power of altruistic motives
The correct answer is "Sales of self-driving cars are going up as more and more people are realizing that they're safer", highlighting the positive dynamic norm. Conformity and obedience research by Cialdini and other researchers has found very few things more persuasive than descriptive norms. Appealing to a behavior because most other people engage in that behavior has been shown to be a highly effective persuasion strategy. See textbook chapter 13 on Conformity and Obedience (Social Psychology).
A group of students were each given $100 to spend however they liked. After spending the money, they were asked to fill out a self-reported happiness survey. According to past research, who is likely to report the greatest happiness? A) Dani, who went to the movies and spent the money on a vast selection of movie snacks for herself. B) Adam, who got his car washed and polished after putting off the errand for many weeks. C) Sunny, who gave the money to a friend who needed it to vaccinate her newly adopted dog. D) Rose, who went to Sephora and bought a lipstick and mascara that her friend highly recommended.
The correct answer is "Sunny, who gave the money to her friend who needed it to vaccinate her newly adopted dog." While there are many ways to increase happiness and life satisfaction, it has been found that spending money on material goods is not as effective as spending money on others. See slides 4-13 of lecture 37.
You are conducting a psychological study on your classmate, Alex. To gather information, you decide to rely on informant ratings from people who know Alex. However, as a psychology student, you are aware of certain limitations of this method. What major challenge might you encounter with this approach? A) The informants might not have full access to Alex's thoughts, feelings, and motives, especially if they don't know Alex well. B) Informants may not be able to adequately communicate their impressions of Alex. C) Some informants might exaggerate or downplay aspects of Alex's behavior based on their mood. D) Informants could forget or mix up details about Alex, leading to inaccurate or inconsistent information.
The correct answer is "The informants might not have full access to Alex's thoughts, feelings, and motives, especially if they don't know Alex well." The primary challenge in using informant ratings in psychological assessments is the inherent limitation in the informants' knowledge about the subject's internal states. See section "Informant ratings" of chapter 12 (Personality Assessment).
In the documentary "Behind the Curve" (shown in lecture), the flat-earther being interviewed gives us an example of which of the following? A) When faced with evidence inconsistent with our beliefs, people think harder to disprove it B) People are quick to demonize a group who holds beliefs different than their own C) People accept facts that are inconsistent with desires and beliefs D) It is incredibly easy to start believing inaccurate things
The correct answer is "When faced with evidence inconsistent with our beliefs, people think harder to disprove it." In the clip of the documentary shown in lecture, the person was unwilling to believe Earth rotates 15 degrees per hour. Not only did he ignore evidence and misinterpret them, he actively used every tool to prove his belief despite his consistent failure. See slides 19-21 of lecture 27.
You are moving in with a new roommate. Once you enter their room, you discover it is quite disorganized and cluttered, with unfinished tasks evident and a general lack of cleanliness or order. What can one most likely conclude about your roommate's personality traits according to the Big Five model? A) Your roommate is high in extraversion B) Your roommate is high in neuroticism C) Your roommate is low in conscientiousness D) Your roommate is low in agreeableness
The correct answer is "Your roommate is low in conscientiousness." Conscientiousness refers to someone who is organized, dependable, and disciplined. See slides 6-17 of lecture 31.
Jeanne's father is determined to "make her smarter" by rewarding her to perform well on an intelligence test so that she can be inducted into a High IQ Society. What is the most likely outcome of her father's efforts to reward Jeanne's performance? A) Rewarding Jeanne will reduce her intrinsic motivation, and she may end up performing worse B) Jeanne will score substantially higher if her father provides incentives to motivate her C) Rewarding Jeanne may have a small effect on improving her score D) Rewarding Jeanne will have no effect on her score
The correct answer is "rewarding Jeanne will have small effects on improving her score" Motivation to perform well can affect IQ scores but past experiments have shown there are small effects showing that rewarding individuals improves their score. See slide 19 of lecture 28.
Studies that explore emotional display rules found which of the following about how American and Japanese students similarly or differentially respond to a film depicting a disgusting surgical procedure in the presence of an authority figure? A) American students tend to be inexpressive and Japanese students tend to be expressive B) American students tend to be expressive and Japanese students tend to be inexpressive C) American and Japanese students tend to express a similar amount of disgust D) American and Japanese students tend to be similarly inexpressive of their emotions
The correct answer is American students tend to be expressive and Japanese students tend to be inexpressive. Emotional Display Rules refers to rules about what emotions are appropriate to show in a given situation in societies, and studies have observed cultural differences between American and Japanese students (Friesen, 1972). See slide 9 of lecture 20 and section "Historical Background" in chapter 8 (Culture & Emotion).
Which of the following is not evidence in favor of the universality of emotions? A) Both a horse and deer raise their head with ears held back and prepare to run when anxious or fearful B) David did not have to teach his toddler to smile and laugh to express happiness C) A man in New Guinea that was living in an isolated preliterate culture used the same expression as other cultures for anger, happiness, and disgust D) Dani furrows her eyebrows and narrows her eyes when she is confused in class, and also when annoyed at her brother
The correct answer is Dani furrows her eyebrows and narrows her eyes when she is confused in class, and also when annoyed at her brother. The other answer choices are evidence in support of basic, universal emotions such as being observed across a wide variety of cultures, across species, and demonstrate that it does not require a lot of learning. See slide 13 of lecture 19.
Three alien species, Tundas, Lukkups, and Kandas, have different languages/ Lukkups have a single word in their language for the specific way a person feels when they really want something but can't quite seem to get it. Tundas can describe this feeling through a series of words and gestures. The language of the Kandas does not have a word or series of words to describe this feeling. Which species is most likely to remember and accurately describe this feeling when it happens? A) Tundas; because physical gestures shape cognition in a way that makes a particular phenomenon easier to recall B) Lukkups; because having a single word for a particular phenomenon shapes our cognition in a way that makes it easier to recall Lukkups; because having a single word for a particular phenomenon shapes our cognition in a way that makes it easier to recall C) There is no evidence to support any of these hypotheses.
The correct answer is Lukkups; because having a single word for a particular phenomenon shapes our cognition about that concept and makes it easier to recall. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis claims that the language people use has a relationship with their thoughts. Language can shape thought and thought can shape language. Research has found evidence that linguistic representations of emotional states can improve recall for those states. See the textbook chapter 11 on Language and Language Use.
At one family reunion years ago, you have the distinct memory of your little cousin crawling around the picnic table. However, when describing the events to your cousin, she says that she couldn't have been there--she wasn't born yet. You realize that seeing her crawling around the picnic table a few years later influenced your recollection of that family reunion. This is known as: A) Retroactive interference B) A flashbulb memory C) Distinctiveness D) Proactive interference
The correct answer is Retroactive interference. Retroactive interference refers to the challenge of new information interfering with remembering old information. In this case, information after the event can affect memory for the original event. Proactive interference refers to the opposite case such that past memories interfere with encoding of new ones. The other two options are also not relevant for this question as flashbulb memories are vivid memories that people report with confidence, and distinctiveness refers to having an event stand out from a background of similar events which would aid recall. (See textbook chapter 5: Memory)
Two jackhammer operators (hammering loudly!) can only understand what the other is saying when their faces are clearly seen. Which of the following best explains their ability to communicate? A) The principle of inverse effectiveness B) Binocular disparity C) The superadditive effect of multisensory integration D) Light adaptation
The correct answer is The superadditive effect of multisensory integration. We respond more strongly to multiple modes of stimulation presented simultaneously, compared to the sum of each individual mode added together. This is why seeing lips moving will help decipher words when they can't be heard clearly due to background noise. The principle of inverse effectiveness states that we are less likely to benefit from additional stimuli if the signal from the first mode is strong enough. (see textbook chapter: Sensation and Perception).
What technique involves placing small electrodes on the skull and using low electrical current to stimulate a brain area, potentially enhancing cognitive functions like memory and attention when combined with cognitive training? A) Lesion induction B) Electroencephalography C) Lobectomy D) Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
The correct answer is Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). As explained in chapter "The Brain": "When used in combination with cognitive training, tDCS has been shown to improve performance of many cognitive functions such as mathematical ability, memory, attention, and coordination"
Deepak's band has REALLY loud amplification equipment. The volume knobs go from 1 to 100. During a sound check before the performance, he plays guitar and turns the volume from 1 to 2. You easily notice the difference. However, you notice no difference when he starts at volume 76 and increases it to 77. Your inability to detect a difference from volume level 76 to 77 is an example of: A) Sensory adaptation B) Differences in the somatosensory map C) Weber's law D) The opponent process theory
The correct answer is Weber's law. Weber's law refers to the phenomenon in which bigger stimuli require larger differences to be noticed. Because the stimuli are quite small at volume level 1, the difference between 1 and 2 is easily noticed. Starting at 76 (quite loud), the difference in an increase of 1 volume level is much harder to notice. Sensory adaptation occurs when no changes in sensory stimulation mean we stop noticing a certain stimulus because we have adapted to the feeling of a constant stimulus - such as the feeling of a shirt on your body or wearing eyeglasses (see the textbook chapter Sensation and Perception, Introduction).
Little Albert learned to associate a rat with unpleasant loud sounds, and later generalized this fear to all furry creatures. If the experimenters attempted extinction with Albert, which of the following pairing would be most appropriate? (Presentation of ___ - Followed by ___) A) Loud sound - Favorite food B) White rat - Favorite food C) White rat - No sound D) No sound - White rat
The correct answer is White rat - No Sound. Extinction refers to the gradual weakening of a conditioned response (CR) if the conditioned stimulus (CS) occurs repeatedly in the absence of unconditioned stimulus (UCS). Little Albert's CR of fear was in response to the CS, the white rat that was associated with the UCS, an unpleasant sound. See slide 14 of lecture 16 (Learning pt.1) and the section "Erasing Classical Learning" in chapter 6.
Estimating the world record height for the high jump (assuming you have no knowledge of it) by considering how high you could jump and then adjusting for the skills of an elite athlete refers to which of the following human decision-making phenomena? A) The availability heuristic B) The recency bias C) Framing effects D) Anchoring
The correct answer is anchoring. When making a decision, an (often arbitrary) anchor is used and then people often insufficiently adjust away from the anchor. Framing is about differing the way in which information is presented, which can systematically effect perceptions of certain information even when the objective information is held constant. See the textbook chapter 11 on judgment and decision-making.
A dangerous hurricane is about to make landfall in your town. You must evacuate your town in order to be safe, but there is only space for two other people in your car. The mechanism of kin selection may bias your choice such that you are more likely to choose people who: A) Are willing to pay you the most money B) Are likely to reciprocate by helping you in the future C) Are most similar to you in appearance D) Are the most vulnerable/least likely to survive
The correct answer is are most similar to you in appearance. Because humans are not easily able to determine who is their genetic relative, other cues that might signal relatedness (such as similarity of appearance) may bias us toward helping others. See slides 12 - 18 of lecture 21 on morality.
Albert Bandura conducted a study by showing some children an adult aggressively punching a "Bobo Doll" (an inflatable toy that pops back up every time it is punched down). Children who observed this adult also aggressively punched the Bobo Doll when given a chance. This finding demonstrated that Behaviorism could not account for all types of learning, because it showed which of the following? A) Only boys punched the Bobo Doll, showing the role that gender norms play in aggressive behavior B) Aggressive tendencies can be genetic, and therefore are unlearned C) Children can learn without direct reinforcement, through mere observation D) Even though the experimenters made a point of showing the aggressive adult being punished, the children still behaved aggressively
The correct answer is children can learn without direct reinforcement, through mere observation. Bandura put forth Social Learning Theory, which suggests that people can learn by observing the behavior of important others (often by authority figures or children learning from adults). See the section on Observational Learning at the end of chapter 6 on learning in the textbook.
Mia keeps her dog's leash in the closet next to the door. Her dog wags his tail when she opens this closet because he has learned to associate the opening of the closet with going out to play. To brighten the space, Mia installed a light next to this closet and now simultaneously opens the closet door and turns the light on. After a few days, what is her dog's response to only turning on the light next to the closet? A) Wags his tail in excitement B) None of the other options C) Runs around barking D) Does not wag his tail
The correct answer is does not wag his tail. Because Mia's dog has already learned the association between opening the closet door and going out to play, the dog does not learn a second association between the light and going out to play. This effect is called "blocking" such that the conditioned response of wagging his tail only occurs at the first stimulus (closet) because the earlier conditioning blocks the conditioning of the second stimulus (light). See section "The Learning Process" of chapter 6.
Your uncle claims that because many non-human animals in nature, including some primates, several kinds of birds, and various other mammals engage in monogamous relationships, that monogamous relationships are therefore morally good. Which of the following best describes your uncle's argument? A) He is appealing to the selfish gene principle B) He is making a consequentialist moral argument C) He is committing the naturalistic fallacy D) He is appealing to the principle of group selection
The correct answer is he is committing the naturalistic fallacy. The selfish gene principle explains how natural selection works and reciprocal altruism is the notion of returning help with the same person in repeated interactions. See slide 9 from lecture 21 on morality.
Professor Kizarro is talkative, social, and is often the life of the party. She also frequently experiences negative emotions and worries about things that others might consider trivial. According to the Big 5, she is: A) High in conscientiousness and high in neuroticism B) High in extraversion and high in neuroticism C) High in conscientiousness and low in openness D) High in extraversion and low in agreeableness
The correct answer is high in extraversion and high in neuroticism. Professor Kizarro (bearing no similarity to professors with similar sounding names) displays the classic traits of someone high in extraversion and high in neuroticism according to the Big Five. Conscientiousness refers to how organized, hardworking, punctual, and self-disciplined a person is. Agreeableness is how good natured and likely to be helpful, forgiving, and display a desire to get along with others. See slides 6 - 17 from lecture 31 (Personality) and textbook chapter 12 on Personality Traits.
Based on the class lecture about humor, which of the following is the best explanation for why people engage in humor? A) Humor is a form of play or mock aggression that likely evolved via natural selection B) Humor is a shared expression of release at the passing of danger C) Humor shows that we are better than those who are the butt of the joke D) Humor arises out of the gap between expectation and what actually happens
The correct answer is humor is a kind of play or mock aggression that likely evolved via natural selection. Incongruity, superiority, and tension release all provide descriptions of certain events, situations, or phenomena that people may find to be funny. However, mock aggression/play provides a good explanation for why people engage in humor more broadly. See slides 21 - 30 from lecture 35 (Humor).
George's 7-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl are constantly fighting. What would be the most effective behavioral technique for George to discourage his children from fighting? A) Give them both a time out when they are fighting B) Remind them of the consequences of fighting C) Ignore them when they are fighting and compliment them when they are playing well with each other D) Give them ice cream when they stop fighting
The correct answer is ignore the children when they are fighting and compliment them when they are playing well with each other. It has been seen in many studies that punishment does not stick but rewarding does for shaping behavior. It is best to ignore poor behavior and reward opposite behavior. See slides 5-6 of lecture 18.
Selena is driving home for fall break with a few friends. While at the gas station, all of her friends are talking about the red air balloon that flew by 10 minutes ago. Selena has no idea what they are talking about and has no recollection of seeing a red air balloon while driving. What's the most likely explanation for her not noticing the red air balloon? A) The lack of binocular depth cues B) The cocktail party effect C) Inattentional blindness D) The just-noticeable difference
The correct answer is inattentional blindness. Inattentional blindness is the idea that people fail to notice a fully visible, but unexpected, object or event when attention is devoted to something else. Selena failed to notice the red air balloon because her attention was devoted to the road while driving. Subliminal perception refers to the idea that stimuli presented below the threshold for awareness can influence thoughts, feelings, or actions which is not relevant in this case. Spatial attention does not explain the failure to notice an unexpected event as with the method of loci which is a memory strategy. (See textbook chapter 5: Failures of Awareness)
Which of the following is the best example of habituation? A) In preparation for a marathon, you run every day for 2 weeks at 6AM and it has now become a habit to run in the morning. B) You start getting hungry when you see a Chinese take-out menu, because you have learned to associate the take-out menu with delicious sesame chicken. C) You stop noticing the pressure of your hat on your head because, after an entire day of wearing the hat, the sensory receptors on your scalp have stopped firing. D) You live across the street from a fire station and no longer notice the sound of the fire truck siren because after repeated exposure to the noise you have learned to stop paying attention to the sound.
The correct answer is no longer paying attention to the fire truck siren. Habituation is a non-associative type of learning and refers to the decline in the tendency to respond to familiar stimuli due to repeated exposure. This is different from sensory adaptation which refers to a neural mechanism in which cells no longer fire in response to the same stimuli. See slide 9 of lecture 16 (Learning pt.1).
According to the lecture, which of these people is likely to report the greatest levels of happiness? A) People who are post-retirement age B) People right after their kids have left home C) People who have finally finished their education and are starting their career D) People who are in college
The correct answer is people of retirement age—as shown by the u-shaped curve presented in lecture (and discussed by Prof. Pizarro), older people are the highest in overall happiness.
Yusef frequently uses sound logic to reach accurate conclusions, quickly grasps concepts when faced with mathematical problems, adapts rapidly in new social environments, plays the cello in a professional orchestra, and consistently plans for his future. According to the definition of general intelligence in modern psychology, which of these is NOT primarily a measure of high intelligence? A) Quickly grasping concepts when faced with mathematical problems B) Playing the cello in a professional orchestra C) Planning for his future D) Adapting rapidly in new social settings
The correct answer is playing the cello in a professional orchestra. While the Gardner model of intelligence may include musical ability, a primary criticism of this model is that many of his categories (including musical talent) seem to be skills/abilities rather than intelligence. The others all fit under the definition of general intelligence (i.e., the ability to reason, plan, comprehend complex ideas, learn from experience, adapt to novel circumstances, and learn quickly). See slide 2 of lecture 28 (Intelligence and IQ).
Dr. Jun is an eminent psychologist who has just created and validated a new measure of intelligence. Her overall measure has a strong, positive correlation with IQ scores. Which of the following is the most likely r value (correlation coefficient) for her measure's correlation with IQ? A) r = 1.13 B) r = 0.27 C) r = 0.82 D) r = -0.82
The correct answer is r = 0.82. A correlation coefficient (r value) is indicated by a number between -1 (a perfect negative correlation) and 1 (a perfect positive correlation). Negative numbers indicate negative correlations and positive numbers indicate positive correlations. r = 0.82 is a strong, positive correlation, whereas r = .27 is a weak to moderate positive correlation, and r = 1.13 is not possible. See slide 6 of lecture 28 (Intelligence and IQ).
Your roommate keeps going on and on about their crush, and you've become tired of listening, so you stop paying attention. At some point they seem to realize, and tell you "did you hear what I just said??" You find that you are able to repeat exactly what they just said (but nothing a few seconds before that). This kind of memory is referred to as: A) Working memory B) Sensory memory C) Short-term memory D) Inattentive encoding
The correct answer is sensory memory. Sensory memory lasts a few seconds and acts as a sort of "buffer" in which attention is stored for this very limited amount of time. Short-term/working memory requires attention and lasts longer. Inattentive encoding isn't a thing. (See Lecture 14)
Jim and Dwight are co-workers. Every time Jim's phone rings, he offers Dwight a mint candy. After a few days, Dwight begins reaching for mint candies when he hears Jim's phone ringing. One day, someone's phone alarm goes off. Even though the sound is slightly different from Jim's ringtone, Dwight still reaches for a mint candy. Dwight's response is an example of: A) Stimulus generalization B) Conditioned compensatory response C) Operant or instrumental conditioning D) Successive approximation
The correct answer is stimulus generalization. This occurs when stimuli that are similar to the CS, predictably cause the CR. In this case, the CS is the ringtone and the CR is reaching for a mint. The phone alarm was similar enough to the CS that Dwight still reached for a mint. See slides 14-15 of lecture 16 (Learning pt.1).
Sarah is a TSA agent who is nearing the end of her 10-hour shift. She drinks a large iced coffee in order to stay attentive while looking at images of contents of carry-on items in search of knives, guns, or fluids larger than 3oz. What type of attention does Sarah require? A) Sustained attention B) Alternating attention C) Divided attention D) Spatial attention
The correct answer is sustained attention (aka vigilance). Sarah does not require divided attention since she is focused on one task and not attending to many sources of information at once. Spatial attention refers to focusing on one part of our environment and moving attention to other locations, which does not apply in this situation. Lastly, alternating attention requires switching focus between tasks that require different cognitive demands. Again, this does not apply to Sarah who is maintaining attention on a single task. (See textbook chapter 5: Attention)
It is likely that individuals that display high scores on scales of psychopathy have deficits in some emotional responses. Which of the following findings supports this assertion? A) A person high in psychopathy has an abnormal fear-conditioning response B) A person high in psychopathy has reduced skin-conductance response to distress in others C) A person high in psychopathy has an impaired startle response to images of suffering and pain that most others find distressing D) All of the response options are correct
The correct answer is that all of the response options are correct. Individuals scoring high on measures of psychopathy show abnormal fear-conditioning, reduced skin-conductance in response to the distress of others, and have impaired startle responses to distressing images. See slides 6 - 9 of lecture 23 on morality.
According to the lecture on development, which of the following is the most realistic explanation for why a new duckling might follow an audible chicken call shortly after birth? A) Ducklings exposed to the calls of chickens while still in the egg learned to familiarize themselves to those calls before being born B) Ducklings are slow to learn survival skills and must be taught over long periods of time which calls are from their parents and which are not C) Ducklings are born with the instinct to follow the calls of mature birds of many species D) Ducklings are born with the instinct to follow the calls of their parent ducks but instincts can be overridden by species that learn survival skills quickly
The correct answer is that ducklings exposed to the calls of chickens while still in the egg learned to familiarize themselves to those calls before being born. Researchers once thought that ducks responded to their parents' calls because of their instincts, researchers discovered that they could change the preferences of baby ducklings by exposing them to different calls in the egg (before hatching). This showed that what was once thought of as instinct is actually learned very early in development. See guest lecture 23.5 on development.
An NBA basketball player has an average free throw percentage of 70% over his 5-year career, but he has made his last twenty free throws in a row. Which of the following can we reasonably conclude given the information we have? A) There is a very high chance that he will make his next free throw, because he has a "hot hand" B) There is a very low chance that he will make the next free throw, because he's "due" for a miss C) There is a good chance he's taking performance-enhancing drugs D) There is a good chance that over the season his performance will dip down to his average because of "regression to the mean"
The correct answer is that his free-throw shooting performance over the season will likely dip because of regression to the mean. Regression to the mean would predict that his performance will return to closer to his average. We cannot confidently say that he will make or miss the next shot (it would be the gambler's fallacy to assume that he's due for a miss, and it would be the hot hand fallacy to assume he's highly likely to make it). See slides 24 - 25 of lecture 26 (judgment and decision-making).
However, they must do so by competing against and defeating many other competitors, who will not win any prize. Winners tend to feel positive, but they might also feel negative because they recognize that by winning, they deny others the scholarship. What similarities and differences would we most likely observe between people from independent and interdependent cultures? A) People from independent cultures would tend to have only positive feelings, but people from interdependent cultures would tend to have mixed feelings (they would feel both positive and negative feelings) B) People from both cultures would tend to have similar levels of mixed feelings (they would feel both positive and negative feelings) C) People from both cultures would tend to have similar levels of only positive feelings
The correct answer is that people from independent cultures would tend to have only positive feelings, but people from interdependent cultures would tend to have mixed feelings (they would feel both positive and negative feelings). See the section of textbook chapter 8 (emotions) on culture and emotions.
Herbert Simon argued against the notion that humans always make decisions in accordance with their own rational self-interest. Which of the following findings would support Simon's position of "bounded rationality" to describe human decision-making? A) People calculate the consequences of each alternative outcome and compare those outcomes with their own priorities/values B) People use shortcuts to avoid the cognitive load associated with too many calculations in their day-to-day lives C) People identify all possible alternatives to a given action before choosing D) People tend to maximize their outcomes more often than settling for a decision that is "good enough"
The correct answer is that people use shortcuts to avoid the cognitive load associated with too many calculations in their day-to-day lives. All of the other behaviors describe the "homo economicus" model of human behavior as maximizers who most often act in their own rational self-interest. Humans generally make use of shortcuts known as heuristics that usually work, but can lead to systematic, predictable errors. See slides 3 - 8 of lecture 25 on judgment and decision-making.
Researchers have narrowed down personality characteristics into 5 or 6 basic dimensions. Which technique was used to do this narrowing? A) Researchers assumed that language would encode for important personality differences, and used a statistical method to narrow down thousands of words into 5 or 6 "bins" or factors. B) Researchers first looked at the behavioral styles of non-human animals and came up with the categories of personality based on their observations. C) Researchers looked at historical documents to see which personality traits were most often used described individuals from antiquity to modernity, and came up with an organizational scheme based on these observations. D) Researchers counted how often trait adjectives were used, and picked the top 5 or 6 most frequent labels used to describe personality.
The correct answer is that researchers assumed that language would encode for important personality differences, and used a statistical method to narrow down thousands of words into 5 or 6 "bins" or factors. This is referred to as the lexical hypothesis, and is the basis for the most robustly studied model of personality traits. See slide 3-5 of lecture 31 (Personality).
Most published research findings in psychology report positive results. That is, they report evidence consistent with the hypotheses presented in the paper. Yet most of these studies are also underpowered. In the lecture on replication, what was presented as the most plausible explanation for this apparent paradox? A) Researchers carefully design their studies and choose which plausible hypotheses to test, so most published results are true B) Most researchers fabricate data that support their hypotheses C) Researchers conduct multiple analyses on the same data, then focus on reporting analyses that yield positive results D) Many researchers choose not to publish studies that do not find positive results, so many negative results are not published
The correct answer is that researchers conduct multiple analyses on the same data, then focus on reporting analyses that yield positive results. P-hacking, as this process is known, has been a serious problem in the psychology literature and practices are now in place to mitigate this problem. Data fabrication happens but it's far less common. See slides 15 - 20 in lecture 13 (scientific replication).
Aditi took the Big Five personality survey when she was 30 years old, and then took the same survey again when she was 60 years old. Assuming that she is like the average person, what are researchers most likely to have found about her? A) Her scores on neuroticism and openness to experience have increased from time 1 to time 2 B) Her scores on extraversion and agreeableness have increased from time 1 to time 2 C) There is no systematic pattern of change in personality as people age, so we have no information regarding what researchers would be likely to find. D) Her scores across all five factors have decreased because personality tends to get "lost" with age
The correct answer is that she has likely increased in extraversion and agreeableness from time 1 to time 2. On average people see increases in their scores for extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness as they age. See textbook chapter 12 on Personality Stability and Change (and slides 13-14 from lecture 32 on Personality).
Dipali used to love cream of mushroom soup. One evening after having a big bowl of it for dinner she became seriously sick from a virus, and vomited cream of mushroom soup all night. Now she cannot stand the sight or smell of cream of mushroom soup. Her aversion to this soup is an example of which of the following principles? A) Sometimes a stimulus and response need only to be paired once to learn the association (particularly if the response is a negative reaction to taste aversion) C) Sometimes a behavior generates a positive or negative reward in response to a stimulus such that an organism associates the behavior with the response over time D) Stimuli that are repeatedly paired and cause a certain response become associated over time and the organism learns to associate either stimulus with the response
The correct answer is that sometimes a stimulus and response need only to be paired once to learn the association (particularly if the response is a negative reaction to taste aversion). This is known as the Garcia Effect, which occurs in cases of acute reactions to food that pair the food with a significantly negative response after only one trial. Conditional and operant learning (as well as extinction) all require associations between stimuli, response, and learning that occurs over repeated trials. See slides 5 and 6 from lecture 17 on learning, or chapter 6 on learning from the textbook.
Taylor and Alex have a biological child together. Alex has a penchant for gourmet food (but Taylor does not). Taylor read in a medical journal that a penchant for gourmet food is heritable. Assuming this is true, what can Taylor and Alex accurately predict about their baby? A) That their baby will have a 50% chance of inheriting a penchant for gourmet food B) That their baby will have an unknown probability of inheriting a penchant for gourmet food C) That their baby will have a 25% chance of inheriting a penchant for gourmet food D) That if their baby inherits the gene for having a penchant for gourmet food, they will be able to determine the probability that it will have this penchant by conducting genetic tests on themselves first
The correct answer is that their baby will have an unknown probability of inheriting a penchant for gourmet food. Often misunderstood, heritability does not tell you the exact gene and/or the probability that a single individual will inherit a certain trait (genetically). Rather, it refers to group level averages, or how much variation in a certain trait is attributable to differences in genes at the group level. Traits and personality characteristics are polygenetic and can be influenced by genes and environment (and epigenetics). See slides 23 - 27 from lecture 29 (Intelligence and IQ) and textbook chapter 11 on The Nature-Nurture Question.
little sister is having a hard time memorizing a list of theclass words. You've learned that the method of loci is an effective strategy for improving memory recall. Which of the following strategies could you suggest that would be the best example of this method? A) You tell your sister that she shouldd relate words with information she already knows—for instance, by linking what she knows about history and geography to what she is learning about the seven ancient wonders B) You tell your sister to imagine that she is on her daily walk to school, and that as she passes various locations she is familiar with, she should imagine one of the seven ancient wonders in that location C) You tell your sister to organize the words alphabetically, and to go through the alphabet in her mind when it comes time to recall them on the exam
The correct answer is the "You tell your sister to imagine that she is on her daily walk to school, and that as she passes various locations she is familiar with, she should imagine one of the seven ancient wonders in that location." As described in lecture 14 on attention and memory (see slides 15 - 18), mammals are very good at spatial memory. The method of loci takes advantage of this fact by associating items with physical locations that are well known and easily imagined, making them easier to recall. Semantic encoding is based on the meaning of words and episodic encoding deals with memories of what happened in the past, like in autobiographical memory.
A renowned happiness researcher conducts a study in which she asks respondents the following question: "Reflecting back on your life to this point, how satisfied would you say you are." Which dimension of subjective well-being is this researcher assessing? A) Sense of purpose and meaning B) Positive or negative mood C) The emotional component of well-being D) The cognitive component of well-being
The correct answer is the cognitive component of well-being. Measuring happiness can be tricky because there are many kinds of happiness. Life satisfaction tends to be more of a cognitive reflection, whereas positive (or negative) feelings are about the emotions experienced in day-to-day experiences. See textbook chapter 14 on Happiness.
Nine-year-old Thalia is on a cross country road trip in her family van. She passes the time by staring out the window at the passing countryside. Ever observant, Thalia suspects she can tell which mountains are farther away and which are closer by noticing the speed at which they seem to pass through her field of vision. Thalia has intuitively discovered what psychologists call: A) The super additive effect of multisensory integration B) Motion parallax C) The Gestalt law of proximity D) The Ponzo illusion
The correct answer is the motion parallax. The motion parallax is a depth perception cue in which objects in the foreground (closer to the viewer) appear to move by more quickly than objects in the background (further from the viewer) when the viewer is in motion (see lecture 8, slide 35). The Ponzo illusion is a static geometrical-optical illusion in which an object's size is judged based on its context, usually within converging lines depicting perspective.
Menu By the time people are done ordering, they have had to make a surprising amount of choices. From her knowledge of behavioral science, she knows that she can best maximize the restaurant's profit by using which of the following strategies? A) Listing the menu items in the order of the most expensive (the main course) first to the least expensive (drinks) last B) Describing the food options in as much detail as possible C) Including pictures of each option in the menu alongside the description D) Leaving the most expensive part of the meal (the main course) as the last decision, and setting the most expensive option as the default
The correct answer is to leave the main course decision as the last decision, and defaulting to the most expensive item. Individuals suffer from decision fatigue at the end of long lists of decisions, and are more likely to let the default decision remain when feeling exhausted by making so many prior decisions. Car manufacturers have learned to take advantage of this feature of human behavior by making the most expensive choice (the choice of engine) the final option (which defaults to an expensive option) when buying a new car. See slides 3-4 of lecture 24 (judgment and decision-making)
Your local coffee shop decided to use a reward program and give free coffee to its regular customers. Rather than one free coffee every 10 cups the customers buy, they have an app that gives its customers a free coffee every few cups they buy, sometimes after 2 cups, sometimes after 8, but the customer never knows when the next free coffee will come. The coffee shop has effectively used: A) Variable ratio reinforcement B) Fixed interval reinforcement C) Variable interval reinforcement D) Fixed ratio reinforcement
The correct answer is variable ratio reinforcement. As described in lecture 17 on learning (see slides 19 - 20), variable ratio reinforcement is a kind of operant conditioning where a partial reinforcement schedule awards the organism after an unpredictable number of responses (it yields high rates of response, exemplified by gambling and lottery games). Fixed ratio (and interval) reinforcement rewards in a predictable pattern, between a fixed number of responses (or a given amount of time).
You start memorizing your grocery list just before going into the store, but you accidentally leave it in your car. The list includes the following items in this order: eggs, bananas, almonds, cereal, mushrooms, onions, milk. Which item are you least likely to remember? A) Cereal B) Onions C) Milk D) Eggs
the correct answer is "cereal." This would follow directly from the serial position effect, which is the tendency to better remember the first and last items in a series or list, rather than the items in the middle. The primacy effect helps us remember the first items, and the recency effect means that the last items on the list are likely still in short term memory. The 6th item on the list, cereal, is the most likely item to be forgotten due to the serial position effect. The eggs, milk, and onions are first, last, and next to last, respectively...and all benefit from primacy and recency effects (see lecture 14 slide 16).
There are new practices in place in the field of psychology to ensure the robustness of research findings. Which of the following is NOT a solution to some of the scientific replication issues facing the field? A) Sharing data, code, and materials B) Preregistration of the study design and analysis C) Combining the results of multiple studies addressing the same question D) Disclosure of the study design and analysis
the correct answer is Combining the results of multiple studies addressing the same question. The replication crisis has been fueled by a lack of transparency in the field. Researcher degrees of freedom have contributed to resolving ambiguous questions about study design in a way that encourages significant findings even when no effect is present, and sometimes, even allowed for outright fraud. The other three suggestions are solutions that make the science and the processes that go into conducting studies more transparent. These techniques allow peers to check the work and replicate studies in the future. Meta-analysis (combining the results of multiple studies) is never mentioned as a solution to the problems. See lecture on Scientific Replication.
A split brain patient, Joe, was shown a painting of a face made of fruits in the right visual field. Joe was then asked to identify what had been presented. A) Joe identified a "face" because the right hemisphere interprets what he saw as a whole B) Joe identified a "face" because the left hemisphere interprets what he saw as a whole C) Joe identified a "fruit" because the right hemisphere interprets the elements that make up the painting D) Joe identified a "fruit" because the left hemisphere interprets the elements that make up the painting
the correct answer is Joe identified a "fruit" because the left hemisphere interprets the elements that make up the painting. As explained in the chapter "The Brain": "because of the contralateral representation of sensory information, if an object is placed in only the left or only the right visual hemifield, then only the right or left hemisphere, respectively, of the split-brain patient will see it. (...) Interestingly, because language is very often localized in the left hemisphere, if we show the right hemisphere a picture and ask the patient what she saw, she will say she didn't see anything (because only the left hemisphere can speak and it didn't see anything). However, we know that the right hemisphere sees the picture because if the patient is asked to press a button whenever she sees the image, the left hand (which is controlled by the right hemisphere) will respond despite the left hemisphere's denial that anything was there."
You stare at a velvet portrait of Elvis at your friend's party one night. A shadow covers half of the portrait. The rhinestones on Elvis' jacket appear to be two different colors (the portions in shadow vs. the portions in light), but when she turns the lights on in the room, the rhinestones all appear to be the same color. What is the most likely explanation? A) Objects in shadows appear darker, so your brain automatically adjusts for the context, knowing the portion in shadow is lighter than it appears B) Binocular disparity allows two slightly different images into the brain to allow for judgments of depth C) This is explained by the motion parallax D) This is a Muller-Lyer illusion
the correct answer is Objects in shadows appear darker, so your brain automatically adjusts for the context, knowing the portion in shadow is lighter than it appears. Objects in shadows appear darker, and your brain automatically takes the environment into consideration, knowing that the portion in shadow is lighter than it appears, which accounts for your perceptions of differences in color in light and shadow. Once the lights are on, the contexts are the same for both rhinestones and they appear the same color. (see lecture 8 slides 10 - 17).
A researcher from Cornell created a questionnaire to assess respondents' feelings of happiness and gratitude. This was administered to individuals at the Ithaca Commons. Which option best describes the research design, setting, and data collection method, respectively? A) Experiment/lab/behavior B) Experiment/field/behavior C) Observation/lab/self-report D) Observation/field/self-report
the correct answer is Observation/field/self-report, see slides 13 - 15 of lecture 2 (methods in psychology). No one has been randomly assigned to condition and no independent variables have been manipulated. The setting is a field study because it occurs out in the field wherever people happen to be when taking the survey. No one has been brought into a lab for observation. Data collection occurs via self-report because respondents report their own feelings (rather than having their behavior observed).
A clinical psychologist asks a child to draw a picture of herself with her parents and her sister at their house, showing them doing something they typically do together. The psychologist then infers personality characteristics from this test to determine the child's traits. What kind of test is this and what are we most likely able to learn from it? A) A projective test; it's not a valid test of personality traits B) A projective test; it's a valid test of personality traits C) An objective test; it's a valid test of personality traits D) An objective test; it's not a valid test of personality traits
the correct answer is a projective test; it's not a valid test of personality traits. Projective tests such as the Rorschach and this test aim to infer personality traits indirectly through the training of a psychologist or psychiatrist who draws conclusions based on latent features of personality that manifest in these tests of interpretation or expression. These tests are invalid and unreliable, according to the latest research. Objective tests such as the Big Five are more empirically supported, valid, and reliable over time. See slides 16-21 of lecture 30 (Personality).
You are an instructor at an international mime school. You take your students on a tour through 10 different countries in different parts of the world to see mime shows, each with their own cultural norms and emotional display rules. Given Izard's findings regarding cultural differences in emotional expression, which emotion will your students be most likely to recognize from the facial expressions of the mimes across all 10 different countries? A) Fear B) Anger C) Happiness D) Disgust
the correct answer is happiness. Carroll Izard found that happiness is the most commonly matched facial expression across cultures (93-97% of the time, happiness expressions are correctly identified as reflections of happiness). Fear, anger, and disgust are all less commonly recognized expressions across cultures according to Izard's research findings. See slides 25-29 of lecture 18 (emotion) and the textbook chapter 8 on culture and emotions.
Your annoying housemate often blasts house music while you're trying to study. He loves it when you make him dinner and he turns his music down so that you can focus your attention on your studies when you show up with a dinner plate for him. You've suddenly noticed that you make him dinner all the time. Your housemate has shaped your behavior through: A) Positive reinforcement B) Punishment C) Negative reinforcement D) Spontaneous recovery
the correct answer is negative reinforcement. Your housemate likes it when you make him dinner, and he rewards you by removing a negative thing (the loud music) to encourage you to share your cooking. Punishment would be a negative response to unwanted behavior and positive reinforcement would be a positive reward for a wanted behavior. Spontaneous recovery occurs when re-exposure to a conditioned stimulus elicits the conditioned response after a period of not being exposed to the stimulus or the association becoming weakened through lack of exposure over time (see lecture 17 slide 16).
Charlene learned how to make pottery in the arts and crafts room at her local YMCA. She always felt calm and relaxed during class. Under which circumstances would she be least likely to recall how to make everything she learned in class after one year has passed? A) On the set of a high-stakes reality TV competition show about making pottery B) While spending time in the same arts and crafts room at her local YMCA C) When she is in a calm and relaxed mood in her home D) In the advanced pottery class taught by the same instructor at her local YMCA
the correct answer is on the set of a high-stakes reality TV competition show about making pottery. As described in lecture, context aids memory. That context can be physical location (such as being in the same physical space in which the learning originally took place when attempting to recall some memory) or related to state/mood (such as being in the same physiological state/mood in which the learning originally took place when attempting to recall some memory). The high stakes reality competition TV show presents a different context in both physical location and mood, making it the least conducive to recalling memories in this context. See slides 5-8 of lecture 15 (attention and memory)
Every Friday night for the last month you have gone bowling. While the goal of the game is to knock down as many bowling pins in your own lane as possible, every time you bowl you knock down the exact same 4 pins in the lane next to you (rather than the ones in your own lane). Given the goal of the game, we can say that your bowling technique is: A) Valid and reliable B) Unreliable but valid C) Unreliable and not valid D) Reliable but not valid
the correct answer is reliable but not valid. Reliability is about consistency of measurement. Reliable measurements get the same result with repeated measurements. In this metaphor, you knock over pins in the same place every time you bowl. Validity refers to whether the measurement is assessing what it is supposed to assess (i.e., the accuracy of the measurement)...in this metaphor, whether the ball is hitting the pins in your lane to knock them down. You consistently knock down the same 4 pins in the lane next to yours. If we think of your bowling like we think of the properties of measurement in psychology, your bowling is reliable but not valid. See slides 13-16 of lecture 30 (Personality) or textbook chapter 12 on Personality Assessment.
They are debating whether their city should install more electric car charging stations. It turns out that as a group they endorse allocating $750,000 of the 1-million-dollar budget to install these charging stations. The weird thing is that - if you ask each one of them individually - they each think only $200,000 to $250,000 is the right amount. What is the most likely explanation for this phenomenon? A) Individuals in a group tend to not want to "rock the boat" even though they may disagree with the group consensus B) Individuals tend to develop more exaggerated disagreements after discussing them together C) Groups tend to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclinations of the group members D) Individuals tend to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclinations of the group
the correct answer is that groups tend to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclinations of the group members. Group polarization is the name of this effect. It describes one way in which the situation can influence individual judgments. See slides 10-11 from lecture 33 on social psychology.
What is the most accurate representation of the research presented in class about the relationship between income and happiness? A) Happiness is related to income in the sense that the more money an individual earns, the less happy they report feeling B) Happiness increases but only when an individual reaches the top 50% of earners C) Happiness is related to income in the sense that the more money an individual earns, the more happy they report feeling D) Happiness increases with income but only at lower to middle levels of income, once an individual reaches higher levels of income there are diminishing returns
the correct answer is that happiness increases with income but only at lower to middle levels of income, once an individual reaches higher levels of income there are diminishing returns. An important study by Kahneman and Deaton (2010) found that, for most measures of happiness, increases in income are correlated with relatively strong increases in happiness up to (on average) $70,000 - 80,000 in annual income (in 2010 dollars). See slides 14-17 of lecture 36 (Happiness).
Kentaji didn't realize that she wore pants with a small stain on the leg to a social event with some colleagues. However, she noticed it when she got home later that night and looked in the mirror. According to research about attention and the self, which of the following is most likely to be true? A) She will underestimate the number of people that noticed her stained pant leg B) She will overestimate the number of people that noticed her stained pant leg C) She will be able to accurately estimate the number of people that noticed her stained pant leg D) She will purchase stain remover but forget to use it before wearing those pants again
the correct answer is that she will overestimate the number of people that noticed her stained pant leg. Gilovich et al. (2000) coined the Spotlight Effect, which is the tendency people have to think that others notice them more than they actually do. The self is seen as special and different from others, which can lead to perceptions that others constantly and carefully attend to us (when this is actually an overestimation...on average, people notice us less than we think). See slides 2-4 of lecture 34 (Social Psychology).
According to the research on happiness, individuals who experience severe negative life events (such as becoming paralyzed in an accident) would most likely: A) Experience a reduction in their overall happiness that lasts longer than they would have predicted B) Experience no reduction in their overall happiness, contrary to what they may have predicted C) Experience a paradoxical increase in their happiness, as they realize that things could have been much worse D) Experience a reduction in their overall happiness, but eventually return to near baseline levels of happiness
the correct answer is that they generally experience a reduction in their overall happiness, but return to near baseline levels of happiness within a relatively quick period of time. This is part of the set-point theory of happiness that Daniel Gilbert describes as part of the psychological immune system. We adapt to both positive and negative life events with a relatively quick return to near baseline levels of happiness, on average. See the textbook chapter on Happiness (14) and slides 19-30 from lecture 36 (Happiness).
Bel is a superb lacrosse player. He is currently enjoying a month-long streak of scoring at least once per game. He has had long hair all season long and refuses to cut his hair because he doesn't want to jinx his performance. Which feature of the human mind is most likely contributing to his superstitious behavior? A) Belief in the "law of small numbers" B) The tendency to fall prey to the gambler's fallacy C) The tendency to fall prey to framing effects D) The tendency to mistake correlation for causation
the correct answer is the tendency to mistake correlation for causation. Events that happen at the same time may be construed to be associated with each other. Further, our tendency to look for patterns of causation may tell us that the two events in question may cause one another. In this instance, Bel suspects that his growing hair may have a causal relationship with his lacrosse performance. Most likely, there are many factors contributing to his outstanding performance on the field, and his lack of a haircut is unlikely to be one of them (similar to the dirty socks superstition). See slides 6-9 of lecture 26 (judgment and decision-making).
Daia wants to make some life changes to be happier. Based on the empirical evidence presented in the lectures on happiness, which strategy is most likely to work for her? A) Interact with other people, even strangers. B) Spend money on buying the latest iPhone. C) Focus on the future to achieve her goals. D) Look for a job that allows her to earn more money, even if it's not as much as her coworkers.
the correct answer is to interact with other people, even strangers. Of the 9 strategies presented in class to increase happiness, one of the most important honors the social nature of human beings and how vital social support and interaction is for happiness. There is evidence in the literature suggesting that; focusing on the present moment tends to lead to more happiness than a focus on the future; spending money on others tends to lead to more happiness than money spent on the self; and that we should favor the relative over the absolute to increase subjective well-being. See slides 7 - 19 of lecture 37 (Happiness).
Which of the following scenarios is LEAST consistent with the fundamental attribution error? A) When you slip and fall down at a shopping mall, you think to yourself, "I was born clumsy!" B) When someone at a party smiles at you, you think to yourself, "This person smiles at everyone." C) When someone swerves into your lane while driving, you think to yourself, "This person is a terrible driver!" D) When someone talks loudly to his or her friend on a public bus, you think to yourself, "This person might be talking to someone who has a hearing problem."
the correct answer is when someone talks loudly to his or her friend on a public bus, you think to yourself, "This person might be talking to someone who has a hearing problem." The fundamental attribution error is the pervasive tendency to attribute another person's behavior to their personality or disposition, and underestimate the effect of the situation. See slide 18 of lecture 34 (Social Psychology).
