Exam1:Quiz 1 and Quiz 2

The case study is a research method in which a) a single individual or group is studies in great depth b) a representative sample of people are questioned regarding their opinions or behaviors c) organisms are carefully observed in a laboratory environment d) an investigator manipulates one or more variables that might affect behavior

a) a single individual or group is studies in great depth

Gamblers often throw dice gently for low numbers and hard for high numbers. This most directly illustrates a) an illusion of control b) a scatterplot c) random assignment d) regression toward the menu

a) an illusion of control

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

a) dopamine

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

a) increase blood sugar

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

a) plasticity

reminded that a) random sequences of events often don't look random b) events often seem more probable in hindsight c) we humans think we know more than we do d) intuition is usually correct

a) random sequences of events often don't look random

Which region of your brainstem plays a role in arousing you to state of alertness when, for example, you accidentally stumble over another person's misplaced pair of shoes? a) reticular formation b) hypothalamus c) amygdala d) hippocampus

a) reticular formation

Which research method would be most appropriate for investigating the relationship between the religious beliefs of Americans and their attitudes toward abortion? a) the survey b) naturalistic observation c) the case study d) experimentation

a) the survey

Professor Shalet contends that parents and children have similar levels of intelligence largely because they share common genes. His idea is best described as a(n) a) theory b) replication c) naturalistic observation d) operational definition

a) theory

Which baseball-sized structure at the rear of the brainstem serves many functions, including helping you to judge time and to discriminate sounds and textures? a) amygdala b) cerebellum c) hippocampus d) corpus callosum

b) cerebellum

A statistically significant difference between two sample groups is NOT likely to be a) reflection of differences between the populations they represent b) due to chance variation within and between the sample groups c) observed more than 5% of the time the groups are compared d) observed when the 2 groups are very large

b) due to chance variation within and between the sample groups

Professor Smith told 1 class that drinking alcohol has been found to increase sexual desire. He informed another class that drinking alcohol has been found to reduce sexual appetite. The fact that neither class was surprised by the info they received best illustrates the power of a) cause-effect conclusions b) hindsight bias c) critical thinking d) curious skepticism

b) hindsight bias

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

b) naturalistic observation

If psychologists discovered that wealthy people are less satisfied with their marriages than poor people are, this would indicate that wealth and marital satisfaction are a) causally related b) negatively correlated c) independent variables d) positively correlated

b) negatively correlated

You come home one night to find a burglar in your house. Your heart starts racing and you begin to perspire. These physical reactions are triggered by the a) somatic nervous system b) sympathetic nervous system c) parasympathetic nervous system d) sensory nervous system

b) sympathetic nervous system

A hypothesis is a(n) a) observable relationship between specific independent and dependent variables. b) testable prediction that gives direction to research c) set of principles that organizes observations and explains newly discovered facts. d) unprovable assumption about the unobservable processes that underlie psychological functioning

b) testable prediction that gives direction to research

Jason lost his sense of taste due to a tumor that caused damage to a structure located on top of his brainstem. This structure is known as the a) amygdala b) thalamus c) medulla d) hippocampus

b) thalamus

To understand the unusual behavior of an adult client, a clinical psychologist carefully investigates the client's current life situation and his physical, social-cultural, and educational history. Which research method has the psychologist used? a) the survey b) the case study c) experimentation d) naturalistic observation

b) the case study

The corpus callosum is a wide band of axon fibers that a) enables the left hemisphere to control the right side of the body b) transmits information between the cerebral hemispheres c) controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs d) transfers neural impulses from the somatosensory cortex to the motor cortex

b) transmits information between the cerebral hemispheres

Along with the basal ganglia, the ___ enables nonverbal learning and skill memory. a) amygdala b) cerebellum c) hypothalamus d) nucleus accumbens

b) cerebellum

To detect Mr. Ziegler's loss of brain tissue from a degenerative disease, his physicians are most likely to request that he receive a(n) a) EEG b) MRI scan c) brain lesion d) PET scan

b) MRI scan

Regression toward the mean refers to the tendency for a) changes is one factor to predict changes in another factor b) unusual events to be followed by more ordinary events c) pessimistic thinking to trigger episodes of depression d) a placebo pill to reduce suffering

b) unusual events to be followed by more ordinary events

The surgical removal of a large tumor from Dane's occipital lobe resulted in extensive loss of brain tissue. Dane is most likely to suffer some loss of a) muscular coordination b) visual perception c) speaking ability d) pain sensations

b) visual perception

Little Hans' extreme fear of horses was observed as part of a(n) a) experiment b) survey c) case study d) double-blind passage

c) case study

To study the potential effects of social interaction on problem solving, some research participants were instructed to solve problems by working together; other participants were told to solve problems by working alone. Those who worked alone were assigned to the ___ group. a) experimental b) survey c) control d) correlational

c) control

The ability to simultaneously copy different figures with the right and left hand is most characteristic of those whose ___ has been cut. a) somatosensory cortex b) hippocampus c) corpus callosum d) motor cortex

c) corpus callosum

In an effort to prevent participants in an experiment from trying to confirm the researchers' predictions, psychologist sometimes a) obtain written promises from participants to respond honestly b) treat information about individual participants confidentially c) deceive participants about the true purpose of an experiment d) allow people to decide for themselves whether they want to participate in an experiment

c) deceive participants about the true purpose of an experiment

The simplified reality of laboratory experiments is most helpful in enabling psychologists to a) predict human behavior in almost all situations b) perceive order in completely random events c) develop general principles that help explain behavior d) observe random samples of human conduct

c) develop general principles that help explain behavior

If a professor accused you of cheating on a test, your adrenal glands would probably release ____ into your bloodstream. a) endorphins b) acetylcholine c) epinephrine d) insulin

c) epinephrine

The Hindsight bias refers to people's tendency to: a) dismiss the value of skepticism b) reject any ideas that can't be scientifically tested c) exaggerate their ability to have foreseen an outcome d) overestimate the extent to which others share their opinion

c) exaggerate their ability to have foreseen an outcome

An experiment enables researchers to isolate the effects of one specific factor by manipulating the factor of interest and also a) obtaining participants' informed consent prior to beginning the experiment b) statistically summarizing participants' responses on a scatterplot c) holding other factors constant across experimental and control groups d) fully debriefing participants after completing the experiment

c) holding other factors constant across experimental and control groups

In a clinical trial of a brain-computer interface with paralyzed humans, a 25-year-old man constructed shapes on a computer screen by activating neurons in his a) somatosensory cortex b) occipital lobes c) motor cortex d) hippocampus

c) motor cortex

In a published report of research study on social anxiety, psychologists included a 30-item questionnaire, which they had used to assess levels of social anxiety. The psychologists have thus provided their readers with a(n) a) hypothesis b) independent variable c) operational definition d) double-blind procedure

c) operational definition

A brain tumor caused extensive damage to Mr. Thorndike's hypothalamus. It is most likely that he may suffer a loss of a) visual perception b) muscular coordination c) sexual motivation d) language comprehension

c) sexual motivation

Which part of your brain is essential for receiving information that you are moving your legs? a) corpus callosum b) hippocampus c) somatosensory cortex d) temporal lobe

c) somatosensory cortex

Evelyn wants to know how consistent her bowling scores have been during the past season. Which of the following measures would tell her what she wants to know? a) mean b) median c) standard deviation d) correlation

c) standard deviation

In a tragic diving accident, Andrew damaged his spinal cord. As a result, his legs were paralyzed. Andrew's injury was located in his a) somatic nervous system b) autonomic nervous system c) sympathetic nervous system d) central nervous system

d) central nervous system

The cerebral cortex is the covering layer of the a) brainstem b) corpus callosum c) hippocampus d) cerebrum

d) cerebrum

Three key attitudes of scientific inquiry are a) pride, enthusiasm, and ingenuity b) ingenuity, practicality, and certainty c) certainty, creativity, and curiosity d) curiosity, skepticism, and humility

d) curiosity, skepticism, and humility

Jason's intensely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms following heroin use were probably due in part to a reduction in his body's normal production of a) dopamine b) epinephrine c) acetylcholine d) endorphins

d) endorphins

Thanks to the release of carbon isotopes in nuclear weapons test, researchers have been able to detect the process of neurogenesis in the a) motor cortex b) corpus callosum c) somatosensory cortex d) hippocampus

d) hippocampus

In an experimental study, men with erectile disorder received either Viagra or a placebo. In this study, the drug dosage (none versus peak dose) was the a) confounding variable b) dependent variable c) standard variable d) independent variable

d) independent variable

The two major divisions of the nervous system are the central and the ___ nervous systems. a) autonomic b) sympathetic c) somatic d) peripheral

d) peripheral

You feel the pain of a sprained ankle when ____ relay(s) messages from your ankle to your central nervous system. a) the myelin sheath b) interneurons c) motor neurons d) sensory neurons

d) sensory neurons

Which brain structure receives information from all the senses except smell? a) hippocampus b) amygdala c) pons d) thalamus

d) thalamus

A theory is an explanation using an integrated set of principles that ___ observations and ___ behaviors or events. a) questions; surverys b) replicates; controls c) organizes; predicts d) randomly samples; randomly assigns

organizes; predicts