9a
21. The median is better than the mean as a measure of central tendency for which of the following distributions? A) 3; 4; 12; 86 B) 175; 182; 193; 200; 211 C) 1,024; 1,037; 1,048; 1,059; 1,074 D) 12; 12; 12; 14; 16
A) 3; 4; 12; 86
22. What is a mainstream psychologist most likely to think about Sigmund Freud? A) Freudian theory is untestable and not grounded in science. B) Freud, a great pioneer in psychology, discovered the unconscious. C) Freud was a complete fraud who barely rates a mention in psychology textbooks. D) Rigorous research has proven that most of Freud's theories were correct.
A) Freudian theory is untestable and not grounded in science.
24. In what brain area would a stroke be most likely to impair language comprehension? A) Left temporal lobe B) Right temporal lobe C) Left prefrontal cortex D) Right prefrontal cortex
A) Left temporal lobe
26. Both parents of twins Mary and Shelly have schizophrenia. However, only Mary developed the disorder. This means that the twins are _______ for schizophrenia. A) discordant B) bisimilar C) concordant D) confounding
A) discordant
19. Cognitive psychology A) focuses on how people think, remember, store, and use information. B) attempts to explain reality in a way that does not rely on our fallible senses. C) studies the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord and all of their connections to the body. D) focuses exclusively on externally visible behavior and ignores internal mental processes.
A) focuses on how people think, remember, store, and use information.
15. When you are walking across campus, the movement of the breeze may change the way your skin cells generate proteins. This is an example of A) gene expression. B) gene therapy. C) a discordant trait. D) heritability.
A) gene expression
13. Variations in eye color are the result of alleles that differ in terms of A) how much pigment they make. B) what pigment they make. C) how expression of the allele affects the ability of the iris to change when it encounters light. D) how much of a particular receptor will be expressed in the retina
A) how much pigment they make.
32. Many research findings indicate that disease, malnutrition, and neglect _______ the probability that a person will develop schizophrenia. A) increase B) decrease C) do not affect D) negate
A) increase
28. A heritable trait is one that A) is influenced by genes inherited from one's parents. B) is guaranteed to present itself if inherited from one's parents. C) can be perfectly mapped within the genome. D) cannot be found using genetic testing
A) is influenced by genes inherited from one's parents.
23. Colorblindness is more common in males than in females because A) males receive only one allele (on the X chromosome) for that gene for color vision. B) females often do not experience the same gene-environment interactions as males. C) the gene for colorblindness is on the Y chromosome. D) the gene for red-green colorblindness is dominant.
A) males receive only one allele (on the X chromosome) for that gene for color vision.
22. Before scientists fully understood the cause of PKU, infants with the disorder often developed A) mental impairment. C) somatosensory hallucinations. B) colorblindness. D) early-onset schizophrenia
A) mental impairment.
9. Mutations arise from A) mistakes in copying DNA from a parent when eggs or sperm are made. B) exchanging of proteins during fertilization. C) encoding of ribosomes during DNA generation. D) faulty functioning of amino acids during conception.
A) mistakes in copying DNA from a parent when eggs or sperm are made
25. Identical twins are called _______, while non-identical twins are called _______. A) monozygotic; dizygotic C) homozygotic; monozygotic B) monozygotic; heterozygotic D) dizygotic; heterozygotic
A) monozygotic; dizygotic
31. One issue with studies of heritability that compare monozygotic and dizygotic twins is that such comparisons A) overestimate the influence of genes on behavior. B) underestimate the influence of genes on behavior. C) overestimate the influence of the environment on behavior. D) cannot differentiate between prenatal and postnatal environments
A) overestimate the influence of genes on behavior.
36. Rats whose mothers were attentive and licked them more frequently as pups tend to A) produce less stress hormone as adults. C) show some signs of embarrassment as pups. B) produce more stress hormone as adults. D) show heightened response to stress as pups
A) produce less stress hormone as adults
17. Cooper and Zubek (1958) showed that gene-environment interactions were at play in a study by illustrating that A) "Maze-bright" rats raised in "impoverished" environments were always better at navigating mazes than "maze-bright" rats raised in "enriched" environments. B) "Maze-dull" rats raised in "enriched" environments eventually learned to navigate mazes as well as "maze-bright" rats raised in "enriched" environments. C) "Maze-bright" rats raised in "impoverished" environments were worse at navigating mazes than "maze-dull" rats raised in "impoverished" environments. D) "Maze-dull" rats raised in "impoverished" environments were always worse at navigating mazes than "maze-bright" rats raised in "impoverished" environments.
B) "Maze-dull" rats raised in "enriched" environments eventually learned to navigate mazes as well as "maze-bright" rats raised in "enriched" environments.
30. Which statement is most consistent with the concept of heritability of alcoholism? A) Any person with alcoholism in his or her family is likely to inherit the condition. B) Alcoholism is heritable, but this does not mean that a person with alcoholism in his or her family is destined to also have the condition. C) Alcoholism can run in families, but only when it is left untreated. D) Alcoholism is not heritable; it is the result of environmental influence early in life.
B) Alcoholism is heritable, but this does not mean that a person with alcoholism in his or her family is destined to also have the condition.
33. Which environmental influence is most closely linked with the development of schizophrenia in children who inherit genes for the disorder? A) Exposure to a family member with the disorder C) Extreme pressure to achieve B) Complications during birth D) Poor performance in school
B) Complications during birth
38. Which factor is most closely associated with the eventual onset of schizophrenia? A) Habitual drug use C) A diet low in carbohydrates 38. Which factor is most closely associated with the eventual onset of schizophrenia? A) Habitual drug use C) A diet low in carbohydrates B) Growing up in a big city D) Excessive amounts of sleep D) Excessive amounts of sleep
B) Growing up in a big city
37. Which factor was identical for all of the Genain quadruplets? A) The ways in which they exhibited symptoms of schizophrenia B) The genetic makeup that contributed to the onset of schizophrenia C) The environmental factors that contributed to the onset of schizophrenia D) The age of onset of schizophrenia
B) The genetic makeup that contributed to the onset of schizophrenia
39. Walker and Lewine's observations of twin babies who later became discordant for schizophrenia revealed that the twin who developed schizophrenia A) commonly showed inferior problem-solving skills, compared to the other twin. B) commonly showed more disorganized behavior, compared to the other twin. C) was less likely than the other twin to have experienced highly stressful events. D) was more likely than the other twin to have suffered a physical illness at a young age.
B) commonly showed more disorganized behavior, compared to the other twin.
16. The scientific study of factors that affect gene expression is called A) population genetics. B) epigenetics. C) epidemiology. D) ecological genetics
B) epigenetics.
14. Next to each allele, a stretch of DNA contains instructions for A) deletion of the allele. C) duplication of the allele. B) expression of the allele. D) re-shaping the allele.
B) expression of the allele
40. Regardless of what your current _______ displays, your _______ never changes. A) genotype; phenotype B) phenotype; genotype C) prototype; phenotype D) prototype; genotype
B) phenotype; genotype
4. If you and your sibling share a trait, then by definition you A) have the same goals. B) share a particular genotype. C) inherited the same dominant gene. D) share a physical or behavioral characteristic feature
B) share a particular genotype.
12. Imagine that humans could be born with either pinkish or brownish fingernails, and that there is a different allele for each fingernail color. If your father had brownish fingernails, your mother had pinkish fingernails, and you were born with brownish fingernails, that means that A) fingernail color is determined by your sex. C) the allele for pinkish fingernails is recessive. B) the allele for brownish fingernails is dominant. D) the allele for brownish fingernails is recessive.
B) the allele for brownish fingernails is dominan
10. According to the process of natural selection, a mutation A) will disappear from the genomes of future generations if it improves survival and reproduction. B) will accumulate in the genomes of future generations if it improves survival and reproduction. C) will accumulate in the genomes of future generations if it improves survival, but not reproduction. D) can never be fully incorporated into the genomes of future generations.
B) will accumulate in the genomes of future generations if it improves survival and reproduction.
34. Based on the conclusions from the Walker and Lewine (1990) study of home movies, what signs might one look for in an infant who may eventually develop schizophrenia? A) Abnormal hair growth C) Abnormal crawling behavior B) Well-developed social skills D) High birth weight
C) Abnormal crawling behavior
7. Which of the following are subunits of proteins? A) Genes B) Ribosomes C) Amino acids D) Nucleotides
C) Amino acids
6. The molecule present in the chromosomes that "codes" hereditary information is called A) RNA. B) cyclic AMP. C) DNA. D) adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
C) DNA
27. What conclusion is consistent with the results of twin studies of schizophrenia? A) Though monozygotic twins are more concordant for schizophrenia than dizygotic twins, genes account for only about 10 percent of the differences. B) Differences in dizygotic genes account for about 90 percent of the instances of schizophrenia among family members. C) Differences in genes account for about 50 percent of the differences between people, in cases of schizophrenia. D) Differences in genes account for about 27 percent of the differences between people, in cases of schizophrenia.
C) Differences in genes account for about 50 percent of the differences between people, in cases of schizophrenia.
11. An allele is _______ when it affects an individual's phenotype, regardless of what other allele the individual carries for that gene. A) recessive B) mediating C) dominant D) subdominant
C) dominant
8. Your first cell began making proteins when your father's sperm fused with your mother's egg in the process of A) natural selection. B) epigenetics. C) fertilization. D) spermatization.
C) fertilization
21. A person who has PKU should avoid all food containing A) phenobarbital. B) lactobacillus. C) phenylalanine. D) phenylephrine
C) phenylalanine.
35. A warm and nurturing home environment could affect the future of a baby with a family history of schizophrenia by A) teaching him that he is safe and secure, even when he is not. B) leaving him alone to teach him independence at a very early age. C) reducing or eliminating controllable sources of stress. D) modeling "normal" behavior so he will not develop schizophrenia.
C) reducing or eliminating controllable sources of stress.
24. Effect size A) is typically identical to statistical significance. B) is typically identical to sample size. C) refers to the magnitude of the difference between groups. D) refers to the variance within the control group.
C) refers to the magnitude of the difference between groups.
22. When you scrape your knee, pain is relayed from your knee to your central nervous system by A) the parasympathetic system. B) the limbic system. C) sensory neurons. D) interneurons
C) sensory neurons.
29. If a study finds that the heritability of aggression is 40 percent, it means that A) 40 percent of the population will behave very aggressively. B) a person who commits a crime has a 40 percent chance of having aggressive parents. C) only one of a set of identical twins born to aggressive parents will inherit aggression. D) 40 percent of the variability in aggression in the population is due to variations in the genes in that population.
D) 40 percent of the variability in aggression in the population is due to variations in the genes in that population.
18. Which of the following demonstrates an epigenetic effect? A) A child who sleeps in a cold bedroom wakes up crying throughout the night. B) A mother who is unable to breastfeed her infant fails to bond with him. C) A young adult whose father is an alcoholic abstains from consuming alcohol. D) A mother who smokes during her pregnancy gives birth to a child with a low birth weight.
D) A mother who smokes during her pregnancy gives birth to a child with a low birth weight.
21. Which function is most directly controlled by the brainstem? A) Memory formation B) Balance C) Language D) Breathing
D) Breathing
24. Imagine that a single dysfunctional allele for a given gene could derail our ability to see at birth. How could two people who were blind for that reason have a child with normal vision? A) If the allele was recessive, the child could carry one dysfunctional and one functional allele. B) If the allele was dominant, the child could carry only a functional allele. C) If the child inherited only recessive alleles for that gene, the child would have normal vision. D) If the child inherited only dominant alleles for that gene, the child would have normal vision would
D) If the child inherited only dominant alleles for that gene, the child would have normal vision would
19. Which is true for a twenty-year-old woman with a gene for Huntington's disease? A) It is likely that symptoms of Huntington's disease have already started to appear. B) It is likely that symptoms of Huntington's disease appeared in childhood and have since faded. C) She will probably be stricken with Huntington's disease before her 25th birthday. D) She is most likely to develop symptoms of Huntington's disease by middle age.
D) She is most likely to develop symptoms of Huntington's disease by middle age.
5. The rod-shaped cellular structures that contain human DNA are called A) lipids. B) ribosomes. C) mitochondria. D) chromosomes
D) chromosomes
20. Harmful dominant alleles, like those for the huntingtin gene, are not common because in most cases A) the brain does not make very many of them. B) the carrier can only pass on the allele to another dominant carrier. C) the body tends to suppress the action of dominant genes until adulthood. D) the carrier does not survive long enough to pass on the allele via reproduction
D) the carrier does not survive long enough to pass on the allele via reproduction
An empiricist believes that the only source of knowledge about the external world is A) logic. B) intuition. C) reason. D) sensory experience.
D) sensory experience.
John Locke's idea of tabula rasa... A) contradicted Descartes's statement: "I think, therefore I am." B) emphasized the careful measurement of behavior. C) confirmed Plato's analogy of the cave. D) supported the premises of the social brain hypothesis.
A) contradicted Descartes's statement: "I think, therefore I am."
28. In the homunculus that corresponds to the mapping of the somatosensory cortex, which body part occupies the largest area? A) Hand B) Trunk C) Nose D) Leg
A) Hand
15. Scientific investigation of Clever Hans revealed that A) Hans's owner was a con artist. B) Occam's razor is far from infallible. C) horses respond to unintended cues from their owners. D) horses are capable of simple arithmetic
A) Hans's owner was a con artist.
4. Which of the following research methods would be most appropriate for investigating the relationship between political orientation and belief in climate change? A) Survey research B) Case study research C) Naturalistic observation D) Experimental research
A) Survey research
14. A meta-analysis is A) a combination of results from many related studies. B) an alternative to the strong inference approach. C) the most common analysis in correlational research. D) the most common analysis in experimental research
A) a combination of results from many related studies.
A hypothesis is A) a testable prediction about the relationship between variables. B) a simple explanation for a psychological finding. C) an observed relationship between independent and dependent variables. D) an unprovable assumption about psychological processes.
A) a testable prediction about the relationship between variables.
The numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4 refer to _______, respectively. A) dendrites, cell body, axon, and axon terminals B) basal ganglia, cell body, axon, and axon terminals C) dendrites, interneuron, cell body, and axon terminals D) axon terminals, cell body, interneuron, and synapses
A) dendrites, cell body, axon, and axon terminals
16. Jessie has taken a medication that interferes with her ability to feel pleasure. This medication is most likely a A) dopamine antagonist. B) dopamine agonist. C) norepinephrine antagonist. D) norepinephrine agonist
A) dopamine antagonist
26. In a depression-treatment study, neither the participants nor the researcher know who is taking medication and who is taking a sugar pill. This is an example of a A) double-blind trial. C) research design with low validity. B) confound. D) research design with low reliability.
A) double-blind trial
4. Debi just ran a marathon in less than four hours and felt no pain during the run. Her lack of pain was most likely due to A) endorphins. B) serotonin. C) acetylcholine. D) GABA.
A) endorphins
30. In taste tests, people prefer Coke to Pepsi when they drink labeled samples but prefer Pepsi to Coke when they drink unlabeled samples. This is an example of A) explicit bias. B) unconscious bias. C) the placebo effect. D) poor measurement validity.
A) explicit bias.
20. A patient has difficulty understanding what is said to him, and likewise has difficulty making himself understood. It is likely that he is experiencing a problem in his _______ lobe. A) frontal B) parietal C) temporal D) occipital
A) frontal
3. A manager at a science museum wants to identify the most popular exhibits, so once every hour for six weeks she has volunteers count the number of people standing in front of each exhibit. This is an example of A) naturalistic observation. B) correlational research. C) case study research. D) experimental research
A) naturalistic observation.
14. Otto Loewi electrically stimulated a nerve in a frog heart. He then applied fluid surrounding that heart to a second heart. In this experiment, he found evidence that A) neurons communicate chemically. B) neurons communicate electrically. C) the speed of neural transmission differs across species. D) his theory of saltatory conduction was correct.
A) neurons communicate chemically.
Cognitive psychologists became interested in how processing was done inside the brain, which led directly to the development of A) neuroscience. B) Gestalt psychology. C) behaviorism. D) functionalism.
A) neuroscience.
19. To learn more about the gaming habits of teenage boys, a professor randomly selected fifty boys from various high schools for a video game study. In this study, "all teenage boys" make up the A) population. B) representative sample. C) independent variable. D) control group.
A) population.
8. Refer to the figure below. This scatterplot shows a(n) _______ correlation. A) positive B) negative C) inverse D) non-linear
A) positive
6. Correlations are most useful for A) predicting behavior. C) explaining outcomes. B) discovering the cause of behavior. D) testing treatments.
A) predicting behavior.
The study of how physical events, such as lights and sounds, affect our senses is called A) psychophysics. B) dualism. C) empiricism. D) functionalism.
A) psychophysics.
32. A self-report measure of the personality trait of agreeableness produces very similar scores each time the same person completes it. It is also strongly correlated with whether family members describe a person as friendly and cooperative. This measure appears to be A) reliable and valid. B) valid but not reliable. C) reliable but not valid. D) neither reliable nor valid.
A) reliable and valid.
26. Sensory information from the left side of the body is processed in the _______ and mapped onto the cortex. A) right hemisphere B) left hemisphere C) left and right hemispheres D) corpus callosum
A) right hemisphere
27. A psychological test designed to measure creativity is considered a reliable tool based on whether A) the same subjects would score consistently over time. B) it accounts for different concepts of creativity. C) subjects who attain lower scores are actually less creative. D) testing conditions affect the performance of subjects.
A) the same subjects would score consistently over time.
32. Sensory information of the _______ modality must first pass directly into the spinal cord before reaching the brain. A) touch B) vision C) hearing D) taste
A) touch
25. The corpus callosum is directly responsible for A) transferring information between the left and right hemispheres. B) controlling the pituitary gland. C) triggering movement. D) activating the autonomic nervous system
A) transferring information between the left and right hemispheres.
A behaviorist is helping a special-needs child complete a number of target behaviors. These behaviors may include all of the following except A) understanding the value of coins. B) pointing to the correct algebraic formula. C) increasing the number of times the child raises her hand in class. D) independently operating a microwave oven.
A) understanding the value of coins.
15. _______ activate receptors in the same way as the normal neurotransmitters do. A) Agonists B) Antagonists C) Hyperpolarized neurons D) Mirror neurons
A)Agonists
37. A scientific paper includes a brain image showing that memory regions are active when research participants tell practiced lies but not when participants tell spontaneous lies. What would you expect this image to be? A) An MRI image showing activity in the prefrontal cortex B) An fMRI image showing activity in the limbic system C) A PET scan image showing activity in the occipital lobe D) A CT scan image showing activity in the parietal lobe
B) An fMRI image showing activity in the limbic system
38. A researcher claims that the same area of the brain is active when we feel physical pain as when we feel hurt by social rejection. Which of the following would support her claims? A) PET scan results showing strong activation in the amygdala during social rejection B) An fMRI scan showing intense blood flow in the limbic system during social rejection C) PET scans showing activity in the sensory cortex when the researcher says hurtful things to the participants D) Images from fMRI scans that look similar for subjects experiencing physical pain and subjects experiencing social rejection
B) An fMRI scan showing intense blood flow in the limbic system during social rejection
How is natural selection related to psychology? A) All organisms have been shown to be capable of learning. B) Humans behave as they do in part because that behavior promotes survival. C) Survival depends on environment just as much as it depends on genes. D) Animals share many genes with human beings.
B) Humans behave as they do in part because that behavior promotes survival.
The foundations of psychology are most closely related to which of the following disciplines? A) Chemistry B) Philosophy C) Political science D) Astrology
B) Philosophy
34. _______ temporarily disrupts brain activity. A) Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) C) Computed tomography (CT) B) Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) D) Positron emission tomography (PET)
B) Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
7. Which of these behaviors is most likely to be controlled by a neural network? A) Jerking your hand away from something sharp C) Experiencing candy as sweet B) Understanding a joke D) Throwing your arms out for balance when you slip
B) Understanding a joke
10. Neurons are more likely to fire when they A) lack nodes of Ranvier. B) are depolarized. C) are hyperpolarized. D) have many dendrites.
B) are depolarized.
20. After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer, Kaela had her thyroid removed. The effects of this are likely to include A) an inability to regulate her endocrine system. C) difficulty breaking down sugar. B) changes in metabolism. D) an inability to trigger the fight-or-flight response.
B) changes in metabolism.
33. The technique that detects voltage changes in the brain is A) computed tomography (CT). C) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). B) electroencephalography (EEG). D) positron emission tomography (PET).
B) electroencephalography (EEG)
16. Your text describes a study in which professors receive e-mails, supposedly from students, asking for mentoring. All details about the e-mails are identical except whether they appear to come from males or females and from whites or nonwhites. This is _______ research, and found _______. A) experimental; no evidence of bias C) correlational; no evidence of bias B) experimental; bias against women and minorities D) correlational; bias against women and minorities
B) experimental; bias against women and minorities
1. The belief that genes determine everything about us, including our behavior, is referred to as A) nature-nurture theory. B) genetic determinism. C) psychological relativism. D) gene therapy
B) genetic determinism.
Research participants in early psychology studies might have been given a stimulus such as a ticking metronome and would reflect on the experience, reporting what the stimulus made them think and feel. These individuals would have been using a process called A) psychoanalysis. B) introspection. C) Gestalt therapy. D) hypnosis
B) introspection
31. The hippocampus plays the most significant role in A) language. B) memory. C) hunger. D) motor coordination.
B) memory.
9. A punch is painful, while a hug is not, because a punch produces _______ action potentials from each sensory neuron. A) stronger B) more frequent C) faster-moving D) fewer
B) more frequent
18. Jake has recently developed a disease that causes him to release too much testosterone. Compared with his behavior prior to developing the disease, his behavior now is likely to be A) more reserved and thoughtful. B) more irritable and aggressive. C) unchanged, as enzymes break neurotransmitters down quickly. D) unchanged, as testosterone does not affect brain functioning
B) more irritable and aggressive.
6. The three main functional types of neurons are A) agonist, antagonist, and glial. C) glial, basal, and sympathetic. B) motor, sensory, and interneurons. D) hyperpolarized, depolarized, and limbic
B) motor, sensory, and interneurons.
24. An overwhelming amount of scientific evidence indicates that A) the crime rate increases dramatically around the time of a full moon. B) people are born with specific sexual orientations. C) subliminal advertising can compel people to buy things they do not really want. D) exposing young children to classical music increases their IQs.
B) people are born with specific sexual orientations.
The social brain hypothesis states that... A) humans have a primitive, innate understanding of animal behavior. B) people can keep close tabs on only about 150 different personal relationships. C) social behaviors among people are intrinsically human. D) excessive social stimulation interferes with brain cell networks.
B) people can keep close tabs on only about 150 different personal relationships.
29. After a skydiving accident, an MRI showed damage to Rose's cerebellum. She is most likely to have difficulty with A) reading. B) practicing yoga. C) controlling emotions. D) understanding speech.
B) practicing yoga
In a behaviorist approach to treatment for a patient with a fear of rats, the patient is A) urged to talk about this fear to determine why he feels this way. B) repeatedly exposed to stimuli that are gradually more and more like rats. C) asked to observe other people who are handling rats in a calm, relaxed manner. D) given medication to help reduce his anxiety.
B) repeatedly exposed to stimuli that are gradually more and more like rats.
3. To allow communication, neurons A) are physically connected, allowing electrical impulses to travel across neurons. B) send chemical messages across small gaps between neurons. C) send electric sparks into the surrounding conductive fluid. D) have the most powerful impact on the other neurons that they touch directly
B) send chemical messages across small gaps between neurons
7. As the number of pirates in the world has decreased, the mean global temperature has increased. This is an example of a A) non-linear relationship. B) spurious correlation. C) strong inference. D) meta-analysis.
B) spurious correlation.
23. A cross-country runner wants to know how consistent her race times have been this season. The most useful measure of her race times would be the A) range. B) standard deviation. C) mode. D) difference between the median and the mode
B) standard deviation
Which correctly names the lobes labeled 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively? A) Temporal lobe, occipital lobe, parietal lobe, frontal lobe B) Frontal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe, parietal lobe C) Frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe D) Temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, frontal lobe
C) Frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe
22. Which of the following samples would produce a nearly normal distribution? A) The number of men and women in the country B) Incomes in a small company with many low-level employees and two high-paid executives C) Heights of all adult men in America D) Scores on a very easy test
C) Heights of all adult men in America
1. Which statement about information transmission between neurons is correct? A) Neurons send electrical messages across the synaptic cleft. B) Most neurons receive information from only one or two other neurons. C) Information between two neurons passes in only one direction at the synapse. D) Glial cells are responsible for information transmission outside the brain
C) Information between two neurons passes in only one direction at the synapse.
2. Which is most consistent with the textbook's characterization of how nurture influences behavior? A) Nurture provides all of the necessary elements for determining our behaviors. B) Genes activate our behaviors. C) Learning experiences and social interactions affect how we use the genes that we inherited. D) We learn most of our behaviors from social interactions
C) Learning experiences and social interactions affect how we use the genes that we inherited.
40. A scientist is interested in understanding how the size of the prefrontal cortex changes between the ages of 9 and 13. Which of the following brain imaging techniques would she be most likely to use? A) Electroencephalography (EEG) C) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) B) Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) D) Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
C) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
5. Which pair represents two distinct functional classes of neurons in the human nervous system? A) Motor neurons and uptake neurons C) Sensory neurons and interneurons B) Motor neurons and muscle neurons D) Sensory neurons and reflex neurons
C) Sensory neurons and interneurons
18. A news organization wanted to predict who would win the next U.S. presidential election. They sent an opinion poll to every fiftieth person on a list of students enrolled at a nearby college. Which of the following is the study population? A) Americans in general C) Students at this particular college B) College students in general D) Students who return the questionnaire
C) Students at this particular college
11. A research team is investigating the impact of stereotypes on performance. In one group, women read an article about why the structure of men's brains makes them better at math. In the second group, women read an article saying there are no biological differences in the mathematical abilities of men and women. Then all women in the study take a challenging math test. Researchers time the test and score the number of items women answered correctly. In this study, which of the following is the independent variable? A) Women's scores on the math test B) Women's beliefs about their math abilities C) Which article the women read D) How long it takes women to complete the math test
C) Which article the women read
Which of the following would be evidence against the social brain hypothesis? A) Students working in a group are better able to grasp a subject than students working individually. B) A quiet co-worker prefers to eat lunch at his desk every day instead of socializing with others in the company cafeteria. C) Your sister is clearly able to engage in meaningful social interactions with all of her 500 friends on Tumblr. D) You regularly strike up friendly conversations with the cashiers at your local grocery store.
C) Your sister is clearly able to engage in meaningful social interactions with all of her 500 friends on Tumblr.
12. Myelinated axons are useful because they A) prevent saltatory conduction. C) allow action potentials to travel more quickly. B) decrease the number of nodes of Ranvier. D) are less likely to reach the firing threshold.
C) allow action potentials to travel more quickly.
Gestalt psychologists such as Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Köhler A) insist that only readily measured, observable behaviors are worthy of study. B) believe that behaviors have an adaptive function that helps humans survive. C) argue that the overall experience of human perception is greater than the sum of its parts. D) claim that emotions and consciousness should be kept outside the realm of psychology as a science.
C) argue that the overall experience of human perception is greater than the sum of its parts.
11. A neuron's refractory phase is defined as the A) moment of depolarization. B) moment when the action potential leaps to the next node of Ranvier. C) brief period during and immediately after an action potential when a neuron cannot produce another action potential. D) developmental period before a neuron has been myelinated.
C) brief period during and immediately after an action potential when a neuron cannot produce another action potential.
The hallmarks of psychology as a science are A) reliance on authority and cautious measurement of data. B) the use of informal data and the belief perseverance in all research. C) careful experimentation and the application of critical thinking. D) adherence to conventional morality and deductive reasoning
C) careful experimentation and the application of critical thinking.
You are trying to overcome your fear of snakes. Inspired by the work of Mary Cover Jones, your therapist first shows you some pictures of snakes. Then she tells you that there is a small snake in a cage in the next room. She asks you to observe the live snake from a distance, and continues this process until your fear is conquered. Your therapist is using the technique called A) acceptance therapy. B) extinction. C) desensitization. D) Gestalt therapy
C) desensitization.
8. In the case of Deidre, a woman with epilepsy, doctors stimulated different regions of her brain to A) train her brain to transmit electrical signals normally. B) find the tumor causing her epilepsy. C) determine which brain functions were located in the area causing her seizures. D) cause her brain to produce higher levels of endorphins.
C) determine which brain functions were located in the area causing her seizures.
1. A research team wants to know if sugar consumption is related to hyperactivity. Researchers give fifty children cupcakes made with real sugar and another fifty children cupcakes made with zero-calorie sugar substitutes. They then observe each child individually to assess his or her level of activity after eating the cupcakes. This is an example of A) a case study. B) naturalistic observation. C) experimental research. D) correlational research.
C) experimental research.
13. In a phobia treatment study, the participants spend three hours facing their fears. Post-treatment scores show significant improvement in overall distress levels when handling the feared objects, so the treatment is judged as effective by the researcher. To improve the study's design, the researcher can A) increase the length of time for the treatment component. B) repeat the study with a new set of participants for a more representative sample. C) include a control group, which would receive some supportive counseling but not the actual treatment. D) change to a correlational design since it is unethical to have participants experience fear as part of a study.
C) include a control group, which would receive some supportive counseling but not the actual treatment.
According to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, A) we cannot necessarily rely on our senses to learn the truth. B) all of reality is simply an illusion. C) objective reality can be perceived only through experience. D) animal behavior has nothing to teach us about human behavior.
C) objective reality can be perceived only through experience.
17. Treatment-outcome researchers attempt to prevent initial differences between treatment and control groups by using A) statistical inference. B) placebo controls. C) randomization. D) double blinding
C) randomization
28. The Tuskegee syphilis study is famous because A) it was the first use of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled research. B) it demonstrated the psychological effects of syphilis infection. C) researchers failed to inform participants that they had a treatable disease. D) measures were so low in reliability and validity that the data had no value
C) researchers failed to inform participants that they had a treatable disease.
10. Results from a recent experiment are consistent with a researcher's expectation that exposing people to unfamiliar groups reduces prejudice. This means that the researcher A) has proven her theory. C) should retain her hypothesis for now. B) has proven her hypothesis. D) needs to follow up with correlational studies
C) should retain her hypothesis for now.
27. Damage to the left cerebral hemisphere would most likely affect a man's ability to A) move the left side of his body. C) speak and understand language. B) feel sensation on the left side of his body. D) experience emotion.
C) speak and understand language.
PET scans A) provide a less detailed image of the brain than does transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). B) show brain structures but not areas of brain activity. C) track radioactive markers in the blood. D) require intense X-ray exposure.
C) track radioactive markers in the blood.
This mean difference image shows the most active brain areas across participants when they are completing a specific task. If lighter areas mean greater brain activity, what task were participants most likely completing? A) Speaking B) Listening to music C) Touching something with a rough texture D) Looking at an image
D) Looking at an image
31. A meta-analysis of published and unpublished tests of SSRI medications revealed that A) SSRIs are effective for all levels of depression. B) published and unpublished trials have similar findings. C) people in placebo groups became even more severely depressed. D) SSRIs beat placebos only for severe levels of depression.
D) SSRIs beat placebos only for severe levels of depression.
5. Which of the following is true about the strength of a correlation? A) Positive correlations are stronger than negative correlations. B) Negative correlations are stronger than positive correlations. C) The closer a correlation is to 1.00, the weaker the relationship. D) The closer a correlation is to 0.00, the weaker the relationship.
D) The closer a correlation is to 0.00, the weaker the relationship.
3. When psychologists use the term "nature" to refer to causes of behaviors, they mean A) the external environment around our homes. C) exposure to plant and animal life. B) the extent to which we were raised in rural areas. D) our genes and strictly biological influences
D) our genes and strictly biological influences
13. White matter refers to A) brain regions filled with neuronal cell bodies. C) the part of an axon that contains sodium channels. B) depolarized areas of a neuron. D) parts of the brain filled with myelinated axons.
D) parts of the brain filled with myelinated axons.
20. You accept a job selling high-end knives door-to-door on commission because you were informed that company employees, on average, earn $60,000 a year. After three months of making less than $1,000 a month, you learn that most other salespeople are making less than $20,000 a year. If the company has 20 sales people, two managers, and one president, how can the company's claim still be correct? A) The median salary is higher than the mean salary. B) The modal salary is higher than the mean salary. C) The median of all salaries is $60,000 because the managers and the president earn huge salaries. D) The mean of all salaries is $60,000 because the managers and president earn huge salaries.
D) The mean of all salaries is $60,000 because the managers and president earn huge salaries.
Why did women make few contributions to psychology in the first part of the 20th century? A) Hysteria was prevalent during this time, which made women unsuitable as practicing psychologists. B) Most women of the time went into medicine and law rather than psychology. C) Women simply had little interest in higher education during this time. D) Widespread sexism limited women's participation in science.
D) Widespread sexism limited women's participation in science.
2. To better understand aggressive behavior toward strangers, a psychologist gathers all available information about a man who threatened random people in a mall with an automatic weapon. This is an example of A) correlational research. B) experimental research. C) naturalistic observation. D) case study research
D) case study research
17. The thyroid and the pituitary gland are part of the A) somatosensory cortex. B) limbic system. C) central nervous system. D) endocrine system.
D) endocrine system.
25.The main purpose of inferential statistics is to A) adjust analyses to improve validity. B) account for variability within a population. C) decide whether the standard deviation is skewed by outliers. D) estimate a characteristic of a population based on a sample.
D) estimate a characteristic of a population based on a sample.
Psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clark found that doll tests A) demonstrated that observational learning can promote aggressive as well as nurturing behavior in children. B) showed that most people are willing to obey authority figures, even if those orders conflict with their own personal values. C) confirmed that behavior can be modified based on a system of positive or negative reinforcements. D) exposed internalized racism in African-American children, particularly among children attending segregated schools.
D) exposed internalized racism in African-American children, particularly among children attending segregated schools
Behaviorism examines _______, whereas cognitive psychology examines _______. A) brain function; behavior B) an individual's environment; an individual's actions C) the adaptive function of behavior; the genetic component of behavior D) external behavior; internal mental processes
D) external behavior; internal mental processes
19. The endocrine system controls A) sensation and perception. C) neurotransmitter production. B) neurotransmitter breakdown and reuptake. D) hormone production and release
D) hormone production and release
23. One of the most pervasive psychological myths is that A) one side of the brain controls most of our language ability. B) dogs can be taught to salivate in response to the sound of a bell. C) mental disorders and IQ can be altered by life experiences. D) humans use only 10 percent of their brains.
D) humans use only 10 percent of their brains.
29. Deception in psychological research A) has never been considered ethical. B) has not been allowed since the Tuskegee study. C) is not possible because it interferes with the legal requirement of informed consent. D) is occasionally allowed but must be followed by a thorough debriefing.
D) is occasionally allowed but must be followed by a thorough debriefing.
39. A technique that tracks blood flow to measure brain activity is A) positron emission tomography (PET). C) computed tomography (CT). B) the electroencephalogram (EEG). D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
23. To demonstrate that brain stimulation can create visual illusions, a doctor would stimulate his patient's A) hypothalamus. B) frontal lobe. C) limbic system. D) occipital lobe.
D) occipital lobe.
25. An important principle to remember when studying psychology is that A) we are consciously aware of all the events that affect our behavior. B) genetics has very little influence on our behavior. C) adults rarely alter their behavior according to what those around them are doing. D) the act of learning changes the physical structure of the brain
D) the act of learning changes the physical structure of the brain
12. Research has shown that social exclusion activates the same brain regions as physical pain. A researcher wants to test the hypothesis that over-the-counter pain relievers will also reduce the pain of social exclusion. She gives half of her participants ibuprofen and half a placebo, has them play a game in which other players ignore them, and then measures their level of distress. In this study _______ is the independent variable and _______ is the dependent variable. A) taking ibuprofen; taking a sugar pill C) distress; taking ibuprofen B) being ignored; distress D) whether people take ibuprofen; distress
D) whether people take ibuprofen; distress
. Psychology is best defined as the study of? A) mental health. C) the mind and behavior. B) consciousness and intuition. D) learning and developmental delay
c) the mind and behavior
