Midterm 1 Exam

Pavlov discovered a phenomenon of classical conditioning called __________, which means that a similar stimulus can elicit the same response as the conditioned stimulus. A stimulus generalization B. stimulus discrimination C. renewal effect D. acquisition

A (stimulus generalization: Generalization takes place when a similar stimulus elicits the same response from an organism. LO 6.1b Explain the major principles and terminology associated with classical conditioning)

Your sister tells you that to her, the numeral 7 is always green and 4 is always red. She is surprised to find that you do not share this experience. You are surprised to discover that she has a rare condition known as __________. A. synesthesia B. sensoperceptual deficiency C. numerical blindness D. the McGurk effect

A (synesthesia: Synesthesia is a kind of "mixing" of sensations. LO 4.1a Identify the basic principles that apply to all senses)

There are three major types of ESP or so-called psychic phenomena: precognition, clairvoyance, and __________. A. telepathy B. astral projection C. premonition D. animism

A (telepathy: Telepathy is the third major process on this list. LO 4.6d Analyze the scientific evidence for and against the existence of extrasensory perception (ESP))

Humans do not have the best sense of smell. Dogs, for example, are typically about __________ times more sensitive to scents than people are. A. 1,000 B. 100,000 C. 3,000 D. 10,000

B (100,000: If a dog challenges you to an odor identification contest, do not accept; you will almost certainly lose. LO 4.4a Identify how we sense and perceive odors and tastes)

In an experiment on the effectiveness of discovery learning involving a ball and ramp, what percentage of third- and fourth-graders were able to solve a slightly different problem on their own? A. 77 percent B. 23 percent C. 55 percent D. 100 percent

B (23 percent: Good job remembering this research finding! LO 6.5a Evaluate popular techniques marketed to enhance learning)

Approximately how many neurons are contained in the human brain? A. 160 billion B. 85 billion C. 140 million D. 100 million

B (85 billion: There are approximately 85 billion neurons in the human brain. LO 3.1a Distinguish the parts of neurons and what they do)

Research has found that a single area of the brain can have multiple functions. Which brain area plays a role in speech and also lets us know when a musical note is off key? A. hypothalamus B. Broca's area C. occipital lobe D. hippocampus

B (Broca's area: These functions have been identified in Broca's area. LO 3.4b Evaluate results demonstrating the brain's localization of function)

__________ allows you to remember auditory stimuli for up to 5 or 10 seconds. A. Recovered memory B. Echoic memory C. Iconic memory D. Eidetic memory

B (Echoic memory: This is a form of sensory memory. LO 7.1b Explain the function, span, and duration of each of the three memory systems)

Which term refers to the type of descriptive statistic that tells us where the scores tend to cluster in a set of measurements? A. standard deviation B. central tendency C. variability D. measure of range

B (central tendency: Measures of central tendency provide this kind of information. LO 2.4a Identify uses of various measures of central tendency and variability)

Stimulants include which of the following drugs? A. LSD B. cocaine C. marijuana D. heroin

B (cocaine: Cocaine is a powerful stimulant. LO 5.4b Distinguish different types of drugs and their effects on consciousness)

Which part of the ear is shaped like a spiral with a bony outer portion and an inner cavity filled with a thick fluid? A. basilar membrane B. cochlea C. organ of corti D. eardrum

B (cochlea: This is what the cochlea looks like. LO 4.3a Explain how the ear starts the auditory process)

The question of how we combine cues of shape, motion, color, and depth over time into a meaningful total picture is called __________. A. multiple perception B. the binding problem C. agnosia D. inattentional blindness

B (the binding problem: The binding problem is fascinating and perplexing at the same time. LO 4.1b Discuss the role of attention and the nature of the binding problem)

A central issue in considering medical and psychological research using animals is balancing the advances gained through such experimentation against __________. A. possibly negative publicity focused on the research center B. the costs in death and suffering they produce for the test subjects C. the backlash of animal rights activists D. the exhorbitant financial costs of animal research

B (the costs in death and suffering they produce for the test subjects: There is always a balance to be struck between advancing knowledge and the costs of that pursuit. LO 2.3b Describe both sides of the debate on the use of animals as research subjects)

In the activation-synthesis model of dreaming, the "synthesis" part refers to __________. A. the meaning a dreamer assigns to a dream upon awakening B. the forebrain trying to create a meaningful narrative from signals sent to it from lower brain centers C. the latent content that is hidden by the manifest content of the dream D. solutions to problems that are recognized during the relaxed state of sleep

B (the forebrain trying to create a meaningful narrative from signals sent to it from lower brain centers: The brain is quite good at imposing structure even where none exists. LO 5.2b Explain three major modern theories of dreaming)

To see as we do, the human eye responds to a narrow range of light's wavelengths known as __________. A. electromagnetic energy B. the human visible spectrum C. the visual perception field D. ultraviolet and infrared

B (the human visible spectrum: There is a broad spectrum of light energy, but human eyes only respond to a portion of it. LO 4.2a Explain how the eye starts the visual process)

In Elizabeth Loftus's "lost in the mall" study, approximately what percentage of people distinctly remembered being lost in a shopping mall after being told that this had happened to them, even though it did not really happen? A. 67 percent B. 10 percent C. 25 percent D. 32 percent

C (25 percent: About one-quarter of participants showed evidence of this implanted memory. LO 7.5a Identify factors that influence people's susceptibility to false memories and memory errors)

The "third variable problem" is associated with which scientific thinking principle? A. replicability B. ruling out rival hypotheses C. Correlation is not causation D. falsifiability

C (Correlation is not causation: Just because two variables are correlated with one another does not mean either necessarily plays a causal role in the relationship. LO 1.3b Identify and explain the text's six principles of scientific thinking)

An approach to psychology that relied heavily on dream interpretation, symbolism, unconscious motives, and the suppression of sexual and aggressive urges was developed by __________. A. Jean Piaget B. Rene Descartes C. Sigmund Freud D. William James

C (Sigmund Freud: Psychoanalytic theory incorporates all these elements. LO 1.4a Identify the major theoretical frameworks of psychology)

What classic experiment designed by Eleanor Gibson established that infants can perceive depth? A. binocular convergence B. interposition C. the visual cliff D. texture gradient

C (the visual cliff: Eleanor Gibson and Richard Walk conducted experiments using the visual cliff apparatus. LO 4.6b Describe how we perceive people, objects, and sounds in our environment)

When people need to consume increased quantities of a drug in order to get the same results they used to get from a lower dose, they have developed __________. A. physical dependence B. psychological dependence C. tolerance D. an addiction

C (tolerance: That is pretty much the definition of tolerance. LO 5.4a Identify possible influences on substance use)

The persistence of anxiety disorders can be explained by the __________ theory, because phobias created by classical conditioning are negatively reinforced by avoidance behavior. A. preparedness and phobias B. latent learning C. two-process D. higher-order

C (two-process: There are two processes at work in this example. LO 6.2e Describe some applications of operant conditioning)

Which of the following reinforcement schedules typically yields the highest rate of responding from an organism? A. fixed ratio B. variable interval C. variable ratio D. fixed interval

C (variable ratio: Variable and fixed ratio and interval schedules are the primary means of administering reinforcement. LO 6.2d Identify the four schedules of reinforcement and the response pattern associated with each)

When someone witnesses a crime in which a gun was involved, her or his description of the perpetrator's appearance can be flawed. This is often due to __________, a psychological process demonstrated in many experiments. A. segmentation B. sequentializing C. weapon focus D. forced testimony

C (weapon focus: People focus on the weapon rather than the perpetrator. LO 7.5b Describe some of the real-world implications of false memories and memory errors)

In a study in which college students are pampered (given endless amounts of money, cable TV, and spicy Chinese food) to see whether this will improve their scores in their psychology course, what is the independent variable? A. students' scores on the next psychology midterm B. students' scores on the next midterm minus the baseline score C. whether students were pampered or not D. students' previous scores (or baseline) on psychology midterms

C (whether students were pampered or not: By comparing those students who were pampered with those who were not, the researchers might be able to identify the causal role of the independent variable. LO 2.2c Identify the components of an experiment, the potential pitfalls that can lead to faulty conclusions, and how psychologists control for these pitfalls)

Which theory addresses signal-to-noise ratio as a fundamental element of understanding perception? A. absolute threshold theory B. Weber's law C. psychophysics D. signal detection theory

D (signal detection theory: Signal detection theory was a major advance in the field of psychophysics. LO 4.1a Identify the basic principles that apply to all senses)

With so few taste receptors, our sense of taste needs help from another sense. Which of the following senses helps the sense of taste? A. hearing B. vision C. touch D. smell

D (smell: Smell and taste are intimately linked with one another. LO 4.4a Identify how we sense and perceive odors and tastes)

Which of the following is the name for the "nerve cable" that extends from the base of the brain to about two-thirds of the way down the vertebral column? A. amygdala B. cerebral cortex C. cerebellum D. spinal cord

D (spinal cord: This is indeed a description of the spinal cord. LO 3.2b Clarify how the somatic and autonomic nervous systems work in emergency and everyday situations)

Which of the following brain structures is part of the limbic system? A. temporal lobe B. cerebellum C. corpus callosum D. thalamus

D (thalamus: The thalamus, along with other structures, is part of the limbic system. LO 3.2a Identify what roles different parts of the central nervous system play in behavior)

What shameful experiment was conducted over the course of 40 years to determine what would happen if syphilis was left to run its course in unsuspecting "subjects" (at a time when a cure for the disease was already available)? A. the Syphilis study B. the Milgram experiment C. the Vivisection experiment D. the Tuskegee study

D (the Tuskegee study: This research program was a doleful reminder that ethical guidelines are not always followed. LO 2.3a Explain the ethical obligations of researchers toward their research participants)

Science writer Michael Shermer coined the termed "patternicity" to refer to __________. A. the way people use patterns to re-create existing objects in the world B. the patterns researchers must use to create falsifiable research studies C. common heritable characteristics that are passed down via the Y chromosome D. the human tendency to see patterns in meaningless data

D (the human tendency to see patterns in meaningless data: Although this is generally an adaptive tendency it can lead to trouble when over-applied. LO 1.2b Identify reasons we are drawn to pseudoscience)

A popular notion is that people only use about 10 percent of their brains and that the remaining 90 percent has untapped potential. In fact, researchers now know that we use more of our brains than previously thought. The true brain use percentage is closer to __________. A. 100 percent B. 75 percent C. 55 percent D. 20 percent

A (100 percent: The brain is the brain. It is all there for a reason. LO 3.4b Evaluate results demonstrating the brain's localization of function)

Bridgette feeds her cat canned food every night. The ritual is always the same: Bridgette takes out the electric can opener, whirs the can around the blade to open it, scoops the food into a bowl, and presents it to Zorro. Bridgette has noticed, however, that Zorro will run into the kitchen in eager anticipation as soon as she hears the sound of the cabinet door open and hears the whir of the can opener in motion. According to the principles of classical conditioning, the sound of the can opener is the __________. A. CS B. CR C. UCR D. UCS

A (CS: You have identified the proper component of classical conditioning. LO 6.1a Describe Pavlov's model of classical conditioning and discriminate conditioned stimuli and responses from unconditioned stimuli and responses)

ZAK, BOL, GID, YAF, and other nonsense syllables were used in some of the earliest studies of memory, conducted by __________. A. Hermann Ebbinghaus B. Herman von Helmholtz C. Arnold Swanson D. Martin Barre

A (Hermann Ebbinghaus: Good job! Or, "GUD JOB!" LO 7.2c Distinguish ways of measuring memory)

Who was the subject of the ethically questionable study of classical conditioning in which an infant was conditioned to fear white, furry objects? A. Little Albert B. Baby Jane C. Little Walter D. Baby Huey

A (Little Albert: The true identity and ultimate fate of Little Albert have been mysteries in psychological science, recently revisited by a number of researchers. LO 6.1c Explain how complex behaviors can result from classical conditioning and how they emerge in our daily lives)

Why do most individuals on both sides of the animal rights debate believe that it is a bad idea for animal activists to release captive laboratory animals? A. Many of the animals die shortly after being released. B. The animals could spread diseases to the nearby human population. C. Cures for diseases might not be found without these animal subjects. D. Humans may be bitten or clawed by fleeing animals.

A (Many of the animals die shortly after being released: Animal liberation is not a very smart strategy. LO 2.3b Describe both sides of the debate on the use of animals as research subjects)

What is the general progression of memory loss for patients with Alzheimer's disease? A. Memory for recent events fades first, with distant memories usually being the last to go. B. Short-term memory disappears within a month of diagnosis. C. Older memories are more easily corrupted, whereas recent memories remain intact. D. Memory loss is random, haphazard, and unpredictable.

A (Memory for recent events fades first, with distant memories usually being the last to go: Recent memories usually falter before more deeply-held memories. LO 7.3c Identify the key impairments of Alzheimer's disease)

An important principle of scientific thinking states that if two explanations account equally well for a phenomenon, we should generally select the simpler one. This principle is known as __________. A. Occam's Razor B. replicability C. correlation vs. causation D. falsifiability

A (Occam's Razor: Sir William of Occam advocated a parsimonious approach to explaining the world around him. LO 1.3b Identify and explain the text's six principles of scientific thinking)

Jimmy often shows odd behavior while he is asleep. By all appearances he seems to be acting out the behaviors in his dreams, such as playing the banjo or feeding an imaginary baby. Having ruled out other disorders, his physician concluded that Jimmy is suffering from __________. A. REM behavior disorder (RBD) B. cataplexy C. narcolepsy D. insomnia

A (REM behavior disorder (RBD): Thankfully, relatively few people suffer from this sleep disorder. LO 5.1b Identify the different stages of sleep and the neural activity and dreaming behaviors that occur in each)

Which of the following is a compelling argument against the existence of repressed traumatic memories? A. There is growing evidence that painful and disturbing memories are actually remembered well, and in fact, too well by the people plagued with them. B. There are usually behavioral manifestations of psychic trauma, suggesting that repression has not accomplished its goals in the memory system. C. It is virtually impossible to implant false memories of an event in the mind of an individual, so there is nothing there for the mental system to repress. D. Repression has been identified as one of Freud's "lesser defenses" in his writings, and therefore carries little weight in this memory process.

A (There is growing evidence that painful and disturbing memories are actually remembered well, and in fact, too well by the people plagued with them: People who have experienced traumatic events usually wish they could not recall them as frequently as they do. LO 7.5b Describe some of the real-world implications of false memories and memory errors)

__________, a variation of frequency theory, explains how we hear tones between 100 and 5,000 Hz. A. Volley theory B. Tone-based theory C. Place theory D. Auditory perception theory

A (Volley theory: Volley theory addresses this aspect of auditory perception. LO 4.3a Explain how the ear starts the auditory process)

When trying to recall an event, which of the following processes best describes how that takes place? A. We actively reconstruct our memories using cues and information available to us. B. We "rewind the tape" to review the details of what we originally stored in memory. C. We passively recall information that is stored in long-term memory. D. We inevitably fall prey to biases, errors, and shortcomings when trying to recall even the simplest information.

A (We actively reconstruct our memories using cues and information available to us: Memory is a reconstructive process. LO 7.1a Identify the ways that memories do and don't )

REM sleep is activated by surges of the neurotransmitter __________. A. acetylcholine B. norepinephrine C. melatonin D. serotonin

A (acetylcholine: This is one point upon which most dream theorists agree. LO 5.2b Explain three major modern theories of dreaming)

Which theory of dreaming specifically implicates the pons, thalamus, brain stem, amygdala, and other brain regions in explaining why we dream? A. activation-synthesis theory B. neurocognitive approach C. psychoanalytic theory D. forebrain activation

A (activation-synthesis theory: This theory argues that dreaming is based on brain activation during sleep. LO 5.2b Explain three major modern theories of dreaming)

Which of the following describes the term "schema"? A. an organized knowledge structure or mental model that we have stored in memory B. the process of getting information into our memory banks C. a learning aid, strategy, or device that enhances recall D. the process of keeping information in memory

A (an organized knowledge structure or mental model that we have stored in memory: This is the definition of a schema. LO 7.2b Identify the role that schemas play in the storage of memories)

The idea of placing a third brake light at the base of a car's back windshield and changing the color of fire engines from red to yellow are examples of __________. A. applied psychological research B. basic psychological research C. critical multiplism D. psychoanalysis

A (applied psychological research: Applied psychologists discovered these important modifications and ushered them into common usage. LO 1.4d Describe how psychological research affects our daily lives)

The reason stem cells are so interesting to researchers is that stem cells __________. A. are not yet specialized for a specific function B. create a great deal of controversy C. are created by genetic engineering D. have highly specialized functions

A (are not yet specialized for a specific function: Stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they have the ability to develop into a variety of cell types. LO 3.1d Describe how the brain changes as a result of development, learning, and injury)

Which part of the peripheral nervous system controls involuntary actions of internal organs and glands? A. autonomic nervous system B. somatic nervous system C. sympathetic nervous system D. central nervous system

A (autonomic nervous system: The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary actions in the body. LO 3.2b Clarify how the somatic and autonomic nervous systems work in emergency and everyday situations)

The mental procedure that we use to create a whole by perceiving its parts is called __________. A. bottom-up processing B. intermittent processing C. top-down processing D. parallel processing

A (bottom-up processing: Bottom-up and top-down modes of processing are both important for perception. LO 4.6b Describe how we perceive people, objects, and sounds in our environment)

We perceive the __________ of an object based on the intensity of the light that is reflected to our eyes. A. brightness B. wavelength C. hue D. pigment

A (brightness: Brightness and intensity of light are linked. LO 4.2a Explain how the eye starts the visual process)

Sensory information comes into which part of the two-way nervous system "superhighway"? A. central nervous system B. somatic nervous system C. peripheral nervous system D. autonomic nervous system

A (central nervous system: The central nervous system is composed of the brain and the spinal cord. LO 3.2a Identify what roles different parts of the central nervous system play in behavior)

Naturalistic observation can be problematic if people realize they are being observed. This is because they might __________. A. change their behavior B. violate the external validity of the study C. report unethical behavior D. get angry and attack the researcher

A (change their behavior: Unobtrusive naturalistic observation is the way to go. LO 2.2a Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using naturalistic observation, case studies, self-report measures)

Latin for about a day, the __________ rhythm refers to the cyclical changes to our biological processes that occur on a 24-hour basis. A. circadian B. Caesarian C. circumferential D. Cistercian

A (circadian: "Circa" means "approximately" and "dian" signifies "day." LO 5.1a Explain the role of the circadian rhythm and how our bodies react to a disruption in our biological clocks)

Ivan Pavlov discovered __________ while conducting research on digestion in dogs. A. classical conditioning B. systematic desensitization C. habituation D. sensitization

A (classical conditioning: Pavlov's original intent was not to develop a theory of learning, but psychologists are glad he stumbled upon this finding. LO 6.1a Describe Pavlov's model of classical conditioning and discriminate conditioned stimuli and responses from unconditioned stimuli and responses)

The fact that you can recognize your red jacket in both bright light and shadow is an example of the effect of __________. A. color constancy B. Gestalt principles C. parallax view D. size constancy

A (color constancy: Color constancy is an important attribute for maintaining predictability in our perceptual worlds. LO 4.6b Describe how we perceive people, objects, and sounds in our environment)

The easiest way to determine if two variables are associated with one another is to use a(n) __________ research design. A. correlational B. naturalistic C. case study D. experimental

A (correlational: These designs look at the association or "co-relation" between two variables. LO 2.2b Describe the role of correlational designs and distinguish correlation from causation)

Based on their relative __________ level, the sound of a nearby clap of thunder will be perceived as louder than that of a lawn mower. A. decibel B. plasticity C. pitch D. timbre

A (decibel: This is a the scale used to measure the loudness of an auditory stimulus. LO 4.3a Explain how the ear starts the auditory process)

Although alcohol does not actually kill brain cells, it does cause brain shrinkage and can destroy __________. A. dendrites B. neurons C. synapses D. axons

A (dendrites: This is an important consideration when contemplating alcohol ingestion. LO 3.1a Distinguish the parts of neurons and what they do)

Many dream theories propose that dreams reflect the circumstances of our lives. But studies of __________ have shown that this is not, in fact, true. A. disabled people B. people with high IQs C. people with forebrain damage D. young children

A (disabled people: This is evidence against the dream-continuity hypothesis. LO 5.2b Explain three major modern theories of dreaming)

Which term describes a stimulus that signals the presence of reinforcement? A. discriminative stimulus B. extinction C. stimulus generalization D. stimulus discrimination

A (discriminative stimulus: This is the definition of a discriminative stimulus. LO 6.2d Identify the four schedules of reinforcement and the response pattern associated with each)

Which term means a division of consciousness, a condition in which a person could carry out attention, effort, and planning without being aware of it? A. dissociation B. hypnotic trance C. hallucination D. out-of-body experience

A (dissociation: This is one of the principle explanations for hypnotic phenomena. LO 5.3b Distinguish myths from realities concerning hypnosis)

Research has shown that people are especially prone to find patterns of meaning in meaningless stimuli when they __________. A. do not feel a sense of control B. are under 18 C. are psychic D. have a lot of life experience

A (do not feel a sense of control: We all want to make sense out of our environments, even if we are the ones supplying the supposed pattern to events. LO 1.2b Identify reasons we are drawn to pseudoscience)

A friend says he will not have his new baby inoculated against any childhood diseases because he is afraid the shots will cause autism. You point out that there is no scientific evidence to support that idea. He says he knows that, but he just feels that it is true. What logical fallacy is at work? A. emotional reasoning fallacy B. argument from adverse consequences fallacy C. bandwagon fallacy D. appeal to authority fallacy

A (emotional reasoning fallacy: Feeling is no replacement for evidence. LO 1.2a Describe psychological pseudoscience and distinguish it from psychological science)

People often have phobias about things they have little experience with, which is a challenge to the assumption of __________. A. equipotentiality B. stimulus extinction C. evolutionary advantage D. pluripotentiality

A (equipotentiality: This is a fancy word for an important aspect of operant conditioning. LO 6.4a Explain how biological predispositions can facilitate learning of some associations)

Scientists devise __________ in order to ensure that the memories elicited in their false-memory-implantation experiments are actually false. A. existence proofs B. statistical estimates C. cryptomnesia proofs D. plausibility estimates

A (existence proofs: This is a critical aspect of conducting this kind of research. LO 7.5a Identify factors that influence people's susceptibility to false memories and memory errors)

You want to design a study that will be high in internal validity and will allow you to infer causation. Which research design should you use? A. experimental design B. naturalistic observation C. correlational design D. case studies

A (experimental design: Experimentation is the only research strategy that allows the possibility of inferring causality. LO 2.2c Identify the components of an experiment, the potential pitfalls that can lead to faulty conclusions, and how psychologists control for these pitfalls)

The only research designs that allow us the possibility of drawing cause-and-effect inferences are __________. A. experimental designs B. naturalistic designs C. survey methods D. correlational designs

A (experimental designs: Done correctly, experimentation affords the possibility of determining causality. LO 2.2c Identify the components of an experiment, the potential pitfalls that can lead to faulty conclusions, and how psychologists control for these pitfalls)

More than 300 convicted prisoners to date have been released because DNA evidence showed they were innocent, despite confident testimony from __________. A. eyewitnesses B. forensic specialists C. prosecutors D. psychologists

A (eyewitnesses: Eyewitness testimony seems compelling, but other evidence is desirable. LO 7.5b Describe some of the real-world implications of false memories and memory errors)

The fact that people usually correctly remember where they were when they learned of the September 11th, 2001, attacks but are less exact about what they were doing or who told them, leads researchers to believe that __________, although not completely reliable, contain "substantial kernels of accuracy." A. flashbulb memories B. source monitoring C. initial recollection D. recovered memories

A (flashbulb memories: Vivid memories such as this one seem to have a great deal of staying power in our memories. LO 7.5a Identify factors that influence people's susceptibility to false memories and memory errors)

By studying people who had sustained damage to the __________, scientists were able to determine that it plays an important role in our ability to dream. A. forebrain B. brain stem C. hypothalamus D. amygdala

A (forebrain: In fact, this opened up a whole new line of inquiry into the nature and purpose of dreaming. LO 5.2b Explain three major modern theories of dreaming)

A mental shortcut or general "rule of thumb" is referred to as a(n) __________ by psychologists. A. heuristic B. intuition C. algorithm D. deliberation

A (heuristic: We rely on heuristics quite often to help speed up our decision-making. LO 2.1a Identify two modes of thinking and their application to scientific reasoning)

Alastair has used classical conditioning to train his dog to salivate every time Ingo whistles a C#. After the dog has mastered this association, Alastair then pairs a flashing light with the sound of a whistled C#, and finds that over time, his dog now salivates to the flashing light. Which principle of classical conditioning is at work here? A. higher-order conditioning B. stimulus discrimination C. reinforcement D. extinction

A (higher-order conditioning: Higher-order conditioning is at work in this example. LO 6.1c Explain how complex behaviors can result from classical conditioning and how they emerge in our daily lives)

One primary purpose of sending research articles to peer reviewers prior to publication is to __________. A. identify flaws in the research B. give everyone an equal chance to publish her or his research. C. maintain leadership among experts in the field D. give those with opposing views equal time for rebuttal

A (identify flaws in the research: Peer review provides a self-correcting check for the scientific enterprise. LO 2.5a Identify flaws in research designs and how to correct them)

When the way you perceive a stimulus does not match its physical reality, you are perceiving a(n) __________. A. illusion B. illustration C. perception D. sensation

A (illusion: This is the definition of an illusion. LO 4.1a Identify the basic principles that apply to all senses)

The theoretical framework of psychology known as structuralism had two major problems. One was that highly trained introspectionists often disagreed on subjective reports. The other was the discovery of __________. A. imageless thought B. natural selection C. systematic observation D. psychoanalysis

A (imageless thought: Oswald Kulpe introduced evidence for this kind of "content-less" thinking. LO 1.4a Identify the major theoretical frameworks of psychology)

Negative reinforcement __________ the rate of behavior, whereas punishment __________ the rate of behavior. A. increases; decreases B. decreases; maintains C. decreases; increases D. maintains; increases

A (increases; decreases: Good job remembering how positive and negative punishment and reinforcement work. LO 6.2c Describe reinforcement and its effects on behavior and distinguish negative reinforcement from punishment)

According to philosopher of science Sir Karl Popper, for a scientific claim to be meaningful, it must be falsifiable, which means __________. A. it can be tested to determine if it is false B. it has been proven to be false C. it predicts every possible outcome D. it is inconsistent with any conceivable body of evidence

A (it can be tested to determine if it is false: Finding the 1001st white swan is not as compelling as finding a single black swan. LO 1.3b Identify and explain the text's six principles of scientific thinking)

Evolutionary psychology has been criticized because __________. A. its predictions are difficult to falsify B. researchers prefer newer psychology theories C. it favors determinism over free will D. evolution is just a theory

A (its predictions are difficult to falsify: The behavioral record is not nearly as complete as the fossil record; bones can be unearthed after millenia, but not so with behaviors. LO 1.4c Describe two great debates that have shaped the field of psychology)

Which phenomenon may explain why marketers are not always successful in establishing a connection for their target audience between a particular product and the celebrity who is endorsing it? A. latent inhibition B. acquisition error C. spontaneous recovery D. extinction

A (latent inhibition: Latent inhibition would be at work in this example. LO 6.1b Explain the major principles and terminology associated with classical conditioning)

Which principle asserts that rewards will be more likely to promote repeated responses to a stimulus? A. law of effect B. S-O-R psychology C. classical conditioning D. instinctive drift

A (law of effect: The law of effect is the basis for operant conditioning principles. LO 6.2b Describe Thorndike's law of effect)

The connections among neurons gradually strengthen over time, and do so by means of repetitive stimulation. This process is known as __________. A. long-term potentiation B. elaborative rehearsal C. connective synchrony D. lateral processing

A (long-term potentiation: LTP is a crucial biological mechanism for memory. LO 7.3a Describe the role of long-term potentiation in memory)

As a researcher, if you needed to track brain changes over milliseconds (1/1000 of a second), the imaging technology you would most likely choose would be __________. A. magnetoencephalography (MEG) B. transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) C. positron emission tomography (PET) D. computed tomography (CT)

A (magnetoencephalography (MEG): Different brain imaging techniques rely on different strategies with different outcomes, but MEG operates in the fashion described here. LO 3.4a Identify different brain-stimulating, recording, and imaging techniques)

A patient who suffered a traumatic injury has his arm amputated just above the elbow. He complains that he can still feel the missing limb and that it feels cramped in a painful position. What tool could help this patient feel better? A. mirror box B. cognitive therapy C. gate control D. psychic healing

A (mirror box: This is a simple, inexpensive, yet effective technique for treating what has been a vexing problem. LO 4.5b Explain how pain perception differs from touch perception)

A __________ is described as feeling at one with the world, usually in a spiritual way. A. mystical experience B. hallucination C. lucid dream D. hypnotic trance

A (mystical experience: Feel the vibes of the universal orchestra, man. LO 5.3a Determine how scientists explain unusual and seemingly "mystical" alterations in consciousness)

Which theory suggests that dreams are complex cognitive achievements that develop as our visual imagination and other advanced cognitive abilities develop? A. neurocognitive theory B. dream protection theory C. activation-synthesis approach D. metacognitive perspective

A (neurocognitive theory: Researchers adopting this perspective point out the differences between childhood and adult dream themes. LO 5.2b Explain three major modern theories of dreaming)

During an experiment investigating the effects of hormones on behavior, men who were exposed to a certain chemical in a nasal spray were more likely to give money to a team partner during a risky investment game. That chemical was __________. A. oxytocin B. cortisol C. adrenaline D. testosterone

A (oxytocin: This kind of research offers an intriguing view of hormones and their effects. LO 3.3a Describe what hormones are and how they affect behavior)

Freda is reading a journal article in psychology, and sees that a statistically significant outcome would have occurred by chance alone less than 5 out of 100 times. This statement would be summarized in the journal article as __________. A. p < .05 B. p > .05 C. p = 5% D. p x 5 = 100

A (p < .05: This expression is often seen in scientific journal articles when summarizing the outcomes of a study. LO 2.4b Explain how inferential statistics can help us to determine whether we can generalize from our sample to the full population)

Numerous taste buds are contained in the little bumps called __________ on our tongues. A. papillae B. pockets C. olfactants D. olfactory bulbs

A (papillae: The papillae contain taste buds. LO 4.4a Identify how we sense and perceive odors and tastes)

A discredited technique for "mapping" areas of the brain is called __________. A. phrenology B. magnetic resonance imaging C. computed tomography D. positron emission tomography

A (phrenology: Phrenology has been consigned to the dustbin of bad pseudoscientific ideas. LO 3.4a Identify different brain-stimulating, recording, and imaging techniques)

When a neuron is neither being stimulated nor inhibited, the neuron is described as having a __________. A. resting potential B. potency state C. action potential D. potential difference

A (resting potential: The resting potential describes this "state of rest" for the neuron. LO 3.1b Describe electrical responses of neurons and what makes them possible)

Studies of Suggestive Accelerative Learning and Teaching Techniques (SALTT) were faulty because the control groups did little or nothing compared to the SALTT groups. This did not allow the researchers to __________. A. rule out rival hypotheses B. make any extraordinary claims C. develop sufficient hypotheses D. rule out extraordinary evidence

A (rule out rival hypotheses: Recall the importance of sound experimental design in reaching conclusions. LO 6.5a Evaluate)

Because religious concepts cannot be tested scientifically, we should consider that __________. A. science and religion are nonoverlapping realms of understanding the world B. religion is a pseudoscience C. science is inadequate to explain the physical world D. moral values are unimportant because there is no data about them

A (science and religion are nonoverlapping realms of understanding the world: There are many ways of explaining the world; science is one of them. LO 1.1b Explain the importance of science as a set of safeguards against biases)

What practice of adoption agencies can make adoption studies problematic for researchers interested in disentangling genetic and environmental contributions to human behavior? A. selective placement B. environmental grooming C. sealed records D. open adoption

A (selective placement: This can make it difficult to interpret evidence from adoption studies. LO 3.5b Explain the concept of heritability and the misconceptions surrounding it)

Which term refers to a situation in which an organism responds more strongly to a stimulus over time? A. sensitization B. aplysia C. conductivity D. habituation

A (sensitization: This is the definition of sensitization. LO 6.1b Explain the major principles and terminology associated with classical conditioning)

As you walk into an elevator, you notice the powerful scent of perfume left behind by someone who has just exited. By the time you reach your floor, you find that you hardly notice the smell anymore. What phenomenon is at work? A. sensory adaptation B. absolute threshold C. transduction D. Weber's law

A (sensory adaptation: Sensory adaptation is a pretty handy process. LO 4.1a Identify the basic principles that apply to all senses)

In which memory system is information retained for the shortest amount of time? A. sensory memory B. short-term memory C. long-term memory D. working memory

A (sensory memory: Sensory memory keeps but a fleeting image or auditory trace. LO 7.1b Explain the function, span, and duration of each of the three memory systems)

George Sperling's partial report method studies from the 1960's demonstrated that when a display of 12 letters was viewed, participants retained all of the letters in __________ but not all of them could be transferred to short-term memory. A. sensory memory B. semantic memory C. explicit memory D. episodic memory

A (sensory memory: Sperling's work was instrumental in understanding the memory process. LO 7.1b Explain the function, span, and duration of each of the three memory systems)

The police have arrested a suspect in an assault case and the victim has agreed to look at a lineup to see if he can identify the person who attacked him. Gary, a police psychologist, is advising the detectives on the most accurate way to put together a lineup. What should he recommend that they use? A. sequential lineup B. subsequent lineup C. segregated lineup D. simultaneous lineup

A (sequential lineup: Many police departments are now adopting this approach. LO 1.4d Describe how psychological research affects our daily lives)

Spectators often marvel at shows that feature animals doing amazing stunts and complicated maneuvers. Animal trainers use __________ to accomplish this, by reinforcing behaviors that are progressively closer to the target behavior until the target behavior is achieved. A. shaping B. fading C. scheduling D. intervals

A (shaping: With a little application of operant conditioning you could probably train your dog to perform similar amazing feats. LO 6.2e Describe some applications of operant conditioning)

In the popular media (as opposed to scientific journals), research results can be presented in a misleading way because reporters have the tendency to exaggerate the gist or central message of the study. This is called __________. A. sharpening B. leveling C. dumbing down D. oversimplifying

A (sharpening: The details matter. LO 2.5b Identify skills for evaluating psychological claims in the popular media)

People have three body senses that work together. Which system do we use for touch and pain? A. somatosensory B. proprioception C. gustafaction D. vestibular

A (somatosensory: This is the system used for touch and pain. LO 4.5b Explain how pain perception differs from touch perception)

When we are not sure where a memory really came from ("Did it actually happen? Or was it all a dream?") we can use cues such as how vivid and detailed the memory is to determine the answer. This process is called __________. A. source monitoring B. cryptomnesia C. initial recollection D. considered recollection

A (source monitoring: Identifying the true source of a memory helps us separate fact from fiction. LO 7.5a Identify factors that influence people's susceptibility to false memories and memory errors)

What event affecting the brain can cause bizarre behavioral outcomes, such as the extreme example of one hand refusing to cooperate with the other, as in the case of the man whose left hand turned off the television and hit his family members? A. multiple sclerosis B. split-brain surgery C. epileptic seizure D. stroke

A (split-brain surgery: These outcomes are rare, but they could result from severing the connection between the hemispheres. LO 3.4b Evaluate results demonstrating the brain's localization of function)

When a conditioned response appears to be extinct, it can sometimes come back, but will often be weaker than it was originally. This return of the CR is called __________. A. spontaneous recovery B. stimulus generation C. acquisition D. stimulus generalization

A (spontaneous recovery: Spontaneous recovery is an unusual aspect of conditioning. LO 6.1b Explain the major principles and terminology associated with classical conditioning)

If subjects' scores on a self-esteem scale are consistent over time, the scale has high __________ reliability. A. test-retest Correct! Test-retest reliability estimates the consistency of a measurement process over time. LO 2.2a Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using naturalistic observation, case studies, self-report measures, and surveys. B. interlocutor C. Meehl-determinant D. interrater

A (test-retest: Test-retest reliability estimates the consistency of a measurement process over time. LO 2.2a Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using naturalistic observation, case studies, self-report measures, and surveys)

Psychologists are not certain how people do it, but somehow when we look at an object, our brains manage to put together a lot of disparate information into a unified whole. This mystery is called __________. A. the binding problem B. selective attention C. dichotic listening D. inattentional blindness

A (the binding problem: The binding problem is fascinating and a bit mysterious. LO 4.1b Discuss the role of attention and the nature of the binding problem)

Because younger children have not developed their meta-memory skills to the extent that older children have, younger children can be mistaken about __________. A. their own memory abilities B. eyewitness accounts C. conditioning experiences D. reports of abuse

A (their own memory abilities: Memory skills take time to develop. LO 7.4a Identify how children's memory abilities change with age)

You meet your brother's new girlfriend and are immediately put off by the grating quality of her voice. Which aspect of her voice is bothering you? A. timbre B. volume C. frequency D. pitch

A (timbre: By the way, this word is pronounced "tam-ber," despite its spelling. LO 4.3a Explain how the ear starts the auditory process)

Some main warning signs of pseudoscientific claims include overreliance on anecdotes, exaggerated claims, absence of connectivity to other research, lack of peer review, and __________. A. use of scientific-sounding terms that make little sense B. replication by independent agencies C. the scientific method D. talk of evidence instead of proof

A (use of scientific-sounding terms that make little sense: Psychobabble sounds like it should be important although it really is not. LO 1.2a Describe psychological pseudoscience and distinguish it from psychological science)

Alice is looking for an effective diet program. She is able to evaluate the claims of competing programs in an open-minded and careful fashion by __________, the hallmark of scientific skepticism. A. using her critical thinking skills B. remembering that extraordinary claims require ordinary evidence C. being open to metaphysical reasoning D. using her common sense and intuition

A (using her critical thinking skills: Remember that "critical" does not mean "negative" or "dismissive," but rather an approach to evaluating evidence and thinking about the world. LO 1.3a Identify the key features of scientific skepticism)

A deficit in seeing objects, such as being unable to name or identify an object despite being able to note its shape or color, is called __________. A. visual agnosia B. scleraderma C. blindness D. sightblindness

A (visual agnosia: This is the term used for this kind of deficit. LO 4.2c Describe different visual problems)

Emily and Richard stop at their local bar for a drink after a hard day's work. Two drinks in, Emily is slurring her words and having a difficult time holding her head up, whereas Richard appears in control of his faculties and speaks coherently. Both Emily and Richard drank the same amount of alcohol; why are their reactions so different? A. Emily is an alcoholic. B. Individual differences in body weight, mental set, or genetics can modulate the effects of alcohol on an individual. C. Richard "preloaded" with an additional three drinks before they left the office. D. The environmental setting differed across their drinking experiences, and therefore influences their reactions.

B (Individual differences in body weight, mental set, or genetics can modulate the effects of alcohol on an individual: Chemical properties alone do not account for the effects of drugs on a person. LO 5.4a Identify possible influences on substance use)

Stage 5 sleep is more commonly known as __________. A. K-active sleep B. REM sleep C. NREM sleep D. cataplexic sleep

B (REM sleep: Humans cycle through several stages of sleep each night. LO 5.1b Identify the different stages of sleep and the neural activity and dreaming behaviors that occur in each)

Which of the following responses is created by the sympathetic nervous system, which is active during the fight-or-flight response? A. Lungs constrict bronchi. B. Stomach slows digestion. C. Pupils constrict. D. Heart rate slows.

B (Stomach slows digestion: Digestion is not crucial for immediate survival, whereas getting more light into the eyes, more air into the lungs, and more blood pumping through the heart are important. LO 3.2b Clarify how the somatic and autonomic nervous systems work in emergency and everyday situations)

When the chimpanzee named Sultan figured out that he could get bananas that were out of his reach by putting one piece of bamboo inside another to make an extra-long bamboo stick, __________ theorized that this was insight rather than trial and error. A. Ivan Pavlov B. Wolfgang Köhler C. E. F. Hutton D. B. F. Skinner

B (Wolfgang Köhler: Kohler was a Gestalt psychologist who discovered this important aspect of learning. LO 6.4a Explain how biological predispositions can facilitate)

There is an area right in front of your eyes all the time that you are unable to notice and cannot see. This region of the retina has no rods or sense receptors to capture light, yet your brain simply fills in the area based on what each eye does see. This is called __________. A. inattentional blindness B. a blind spot C. deficiency vision D. the absence region

B (a blind spot: The blind spot is so named because it has these properties. LO 4.2b Identify the different kinds of visual perception)

Bruno is asked to estimate which California city occupies a greater area: San Francisco or San Jose. "San Francisco is a big city," he muses, "whereas San Jose is out in the suburbs. San Francisco must be bigger." In actuality, San Francisco occupies about 48 square miles, compared to San Jose's 180 square miles. Bruno was mislead because he relied on __________. A. hegemony B. a heuristic C. an algorithm D. System 2 thinking

B (a heuristic: Bruno used a mental shortcut that unfortunately steered him wrong in this case. LO 2.1a Identify two modes of thinking and their application to scientific reasoning)

Sherri wants to design a self-report measure for her study of personality traits, but she knows she should be concerned that respondents might distort their answers, especially to paint themselves in a positive light. This tendency is known as __________. A. a legitimacy set B. a response set C. the halo effect D. the mediator effect

B (a response set: People may distort their answers to some or all questions in a socially desirable way. LO 2.2a Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using naturalistic observation, case studies, self-report measures, and surveys)

Of the 3,500 or so self-help books published every year, what percentage are scientifically tested? A. 40 percent B. about 5 percent C. up to 95 percent D. 25 percent

B (about 5 percent: Those are not very good odds for effectively helping oneself. LO 1.2a Describe psychological pseudoscience and distinguish it from psychological science)

Psychics who perform poorly in laboratory tests and then blame their poor performance on "bad vibes" from skeptical researchers are displaying which sign of pseudoscience? A. lack of self-correction when contrary evidence is presented B. ad hoc immunizing hypotheses C. insisting on evidence rather than proof D. overreliance on anecdotes

B (ad hoc immunizing hypotheses: Pat yourself on the back, old bean! LO 1.2a Describe psychological pseudoscience and distinguish it from psychological science)

Georgio does not want to take the SAT or ACT exams because he thinks they will not accurately reflect his ability to succeed in college and are no more useful than flipping a coin. His guidance counselor explains that psychologists have determined that, although not perfect, these tests are significantly better than chance at predicting college success. These psychologists are sharing some __________ with Georgio. A. clinical psychology B. applied research C. hasty generalizations D. fallacies

B (applied research: The application of basic research findings can help improve our lives. LO 1.4d Describe how psychological research affects our daily lives)

Chronic heavy use of marijuana can impair __________. A. energy B. attention and memory C. the ability to sleep D. growth

B (attention and memory: Happily, these functions are restored after a period of abstinence. LO5.4b Distinguish different types of drugs and their effects on consciousness)

Which term refers to our sense of hearing? A. audibility B. audition C. audient D. audial

B (audition: Great job; you have passed the audition. LO 4.3b Identify the different kinds of auditory perception)

Which of the following is the portion of a neuron that sends a signal to other neurons? A. node B. axon C. synaptic vesicle D. dendrite

B (axon: Dendrites receive information from neighboring cells, and axons pass along information to other cells. LO 3.1a Distinguish the parts of neurons and what they do)

Twin and adoption studies addressing the nature-nurture debate are typically conducted by __________. A. developmental psychologists B. behavior geneticists C. forensic psychologists D. cognitive behaviorists

B (behavior geneticists: Researchers in this area know how to design and analyze such studies. LO 1.4c Describe two great debates that have shaped the field of psychology)

A region of about 20,000 neurons in the hypothalamus makes a person feel sleepy or alert during particular times of day. This area of the brain is more commonly known as the __________. A. frontal lobe B. biological clock C. delta wave center D. circadian center

B (biological clock: This area of the brain serves an important function in sleep/wake cycles. LO 5.1a Explain the role of the circadian rhythm and how our bodies react to a disruption in our biological clocks)

Most classically conditioned reactions require repeated pairings of the conditioned stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus in order to develop a relationship in the mind of the subject. Which of the following is an example of a situation in which only one pairing is necessary? A. punishment B. conditioned taste aversion C. sleep-assisted learning D. negative reinforcement

B (conditioned taste aversion: One association is usually sufficient. LO 6.4a Explain how biological predispositions can facilitate learning of some associations)

Reggie likes to eat chicken fingers dipped in honey mustard sauce. One night, just after eating at Chester's Chicken Shack, he becomes painfully ill with stomach cramps and nausea due to the flu virus that had been percolating in his body the past few days. When his friends invite him back to Chester's in a month, Reggie swiftly declines. What principle of classical conditioning is at work in Reggie's reaction? A. stimulus discrimination B. conditioned taste aversion C. learned taste discrimination D. stimulus identification

B (conditioned taste aversion: Reggie should reconsider his dietary habits generally. LO 6.4a Explain how biological predispositions can facilitate learning of some)

Which of the following is found on the retina of the human eye? A. cornea B. cones C. pupil D. iris

B (cones: Rods and cones, as you will recall, are important cells in the process of vision. LO 4.2a Explain how the eye starts the visual process)

Which of the following is a binocular cue to distance? A. relative size B. convergence C. texture gradient D. interposition

B (convergence: Binocular cues involve both eyes. LO 4.6b Describe how we perceive people, objects, and sounds in our environment)

Which of the following is responsible for transferring information from one side of the brain to the other, and when cut, prevents information from the visual field on one side from reaching the visual cortex on the other side? A. caudate nucleus B. corpus callosum C. myelin sheath D. synaptic cleft

B (corpus callosum: The corpus callosum is a thick band of fibers connecting the two hemispheres. LO 3.4b Evaluate results demonstrating the brain's localization of function)

We like foods that taste and smell good, but what we tend to think of as "good" also depends on __________. A. ergonomics B. culture C. texture D. visual appraisal

B (culture: "Good" is not a universal judgment. LO 4.4a Identify how we sense and perceive odors and tastes)

The two primary reasons why short-term memories fade are __________ and __________. A. substitution; migration B. decay; interference C. intrusion; obstruction D. reversal; proaction

B (decay; interference: These are the mechanisms by which memories fade. LO 7.1c Differentiate the subtypes of long-term memory)

Psychological researchers have become more aware of the importance of replicating research results. Part of this awareness is driven by the observation that the size of certain psychological findings appears to be shrinking over time. This phenomenon is known as the __________. A. reproducibility fallacy B. decline effect C. correlation-causation fallacy D. skepticism effect

B (decline effect: In some areas of study it can be demonstrated that the size of an effect gets smaller over time. LO 1.3b Identify and explain the text's six principles of scientific thinking)

To test his theory that attention passes through a mental filter that gives priority to important information, Donald Broadbent used __________, an experimental technique in which listeners hear different messages in each ear. A. filter theory B. dichotic listening C. change deafness D. double-blind synesthesia

B (dichotic listening: Try this yourself; it is rather difficult. LO 4.1a Identify the basic principles that apply to all senses)

A popular way to impart knowledge is __________, whereby students are given experimental materials and asked to figure out the relevant scientific principles on their own. A. accelerated learning B. discovery learning C. direct instruction D. aspirational instruction

B (discovery learning: Imagine if you were asked to stumble upon the definition of this term all on your own. LO 6.5a Evaluate popular techniques marketed to enhance learning)

According to the gate control model, __________ is an effective way of short-circuiting painful sensations. A. dwelling on the affected area B. distraction C. talk therapy D. concentration

B (distraction: The gate control model helps explain our perception of pain. LO 4.5b Explain how pain perception differs from touch perception)

In operant conditioning, the response of the organism to the stimulus is __________. A. adaptive B. emitted voluntarily C. contingent on behavior D. elicited automatically

B (emitted voluntarily: That is part of the "operating" in operant conditioning. LO 6.2a Distinguish operant conditioning from classical conditioning)

One reason people are drawn to believing in pseudoscience is that we use our emotions as guides to evaluate the validity of claims. This is known as the affect heuristic or the __________. A. attribution fallacy B. emotional reasoning fallacy C. bandwagon fallacy D. pathetic fallacy

B (emotional reasoning fallacy: Both of these terms describe this tendency. LO 1.2b Identify reasons we are drawn to pseudoscience)

Which bodily system controls the secretion of blood-borne chemical messengers? A. cardiovascular B. endocrine C. peripheral nervous system D. central nervous system

B (endocrine: This section of the chapter is indeed focused on the endocrine system. LO 3.3a Describe what hormones are and how they affect behavior)

In the 1920s, Karl Lashley hoped to discover the __________, the actual physical trace of a memory in the brain. He later concluded that memories are not stored this way. A. assembly B. engram C. hippocampus D. postsynaptic receptors

B (engram: Although it seemed like a reasonable hypothesis, memory storage is more complicated than Lashley presumed. LO 7.3a Describe the role of long-term potentiation in memory)

Dr. Sardonicus is designing a case study in order to demonstrate that a particular psychological phenomenon actually happens. Case studies can be useful in providing this kind of demonstration, also known as __________. A. peer review B. existence proof C. internal validity D. external validity

B (existence proof: Demonstrating that a phenomenon occurs at all is a valuable first step in the research enterprise. LO 2.2a Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using naturalistic observation, case studies, self-report measures, and surveys)

Although it is presented as the most common kind of memory loss in the popular media, with depictions of someone losing all memory of his or her past, __________ is not actually the most common kind of amnesia. A. infantile amnesia B. generalized amnesia C. anterograde amnesia D. retrograde amnesia

B (generalized amnesia: This makes for gripping drama, but it is not too common. LO 7.3b Distinguish different types of amnesia and the relevance of amnesia to the brain's organization of memory)

The neurotransmitter __________ rapidly excites neurons, and is one of the most common neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. A. GABA B. glutamate C. cortisol D. excitorol

B (glutamate: This is what glutamate does in the body. LO 3.1c Explain how neurons use neurotransmitters to communicate with each other)

The process whereby someone responds less strongly over time to a given stimulus represents one of the simplest forms of learning. This process is called __________. A. aplysia B. habituation C. higher-order conditioning D. sensitization

B (habituation: This is how the process of habituation takes place. LO 6.1a Describe Pavlov's model of classical conditioning and discriminate conditioned stimuli and responses from unconditioned stimuli and responses)

A psychologist who designs technology that functions better for the people who use it, based on what we know about how the human mind and body work, is working in the field of __________. A. behavior modification B. human factors C. cognitive psychology D. kinesthetic utility

B (human factors: Human factors specialists work to design the environment to optimize human functioning. LO 4.5c Describe the field of psychology called human factors)

One reason preparedness might lead to phobias is that we develop __________ between fear-provoking stimuli and negative consequences. A. predisposition awareness B. illusory correlations C. irrational responses D. latent inhibitions

B (illusory correlations: Illusory correlations could explain this connection. LO 6.4a Explain how biological predispositions can facilitate learning of some associations)

Most people cannot accurately remember anything they experienced in their earliest years of life. This phenomenon is known as __________. A. anterograde amnesia B. infantile amnesia C. retrograde amnesia D. juvenile amnesia

B (infantile amnesia: Claims to the contrary should be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism. LO 7.4a Identify how children's memory abilities change with age)

The APA Ethical Principles for Human Research state: "A contact [person] who can answer questions about the research and the participant's rights should be provided." This statement is most relevant in which of the following aspects of ethical research? A. deception and debriefing B. informed consent C. protection from harm and discomfort D. expectation of privacy

B (informed consent: Participants should be given enough information to make a reasonable decision regarding their participation in a research study. LO 2.3a Explain the ethical obligations of researchers toward their research participants)

Research involving animals can generate strong, often negative, feelings among people. This is especially so when the research involves __________ procedures that cause physical harm to the animals. A. exploratory B. invasive C. generative D. unplanned

B (invasive: Animal research is a topic that tends to evoke strong feelings on both sides of the issue. LO 2.3b Describe both sides of the debate on the use of animals as research subjects)

The pituitary hormone oxytocin has been called the "love molecule" because __________. A. the molecule is heart-shaped B. it plays roles in maternal and romantic love C. it makes people more welcoming to outsiders D. it makes male prairie voles seek new mates

B (it plays roles in maternal and romantic love: "Love molecule" is of course an oversimplification, but oxytocin does have these effects. LO 3.3a Describe what hormones are and how they affect behavior)

Tolman and Honzik conducted an experiment using a maze to discover __________ in rats, demonstrating that direct reinforcement is not necessary in order for learning to take place. A. accelerated learning B. latent learning C. instinctive learning D. discovery learning

B (latent learning: Edward Tolman and C. H. Honzik demonstrated this type of learning in a clever experiment. LO 6.3a Outline the evidence that supports latent learning and observational learning)

As a discipline, psychology spans multiple __________, which can be thought of as the rungs on a ladder. A. neurochemicals B. levels of analysis C. phenomena D. points of view

B (levels of analysis: Psychologists adopt many different levels of analysis when understanding the mind, brain, and behavior. LO 1.1a Explain why psychology is more than just common sense)

Ways of thinking that appear to make intuitive sense but are actually traps that lead to mistaken conclusions are called __________. A. patternicity B. logical fallacies C. ad hoc immunizing hypotheses D. confirmation biases

B (logical fallacies: Fallacious thinking is no way to stumble through life. LO 1.2b Identify reasons we are drawn to pseudoscience)

To remember information such as a telephone number until you can finish dialing it, you could just say the number over and over again until it is fixed in your mind. This memory technique is called __________. A. processing level B. maintenance rehearsal C. chunking D. elaborative rehearsal

B (maintenance rehearsal: This is a primary way of keeping information in mind. LO 7.1c Differentiate the subtypes of long-term memory)

Which mental phenomenon can be defined as "the retention of information over time"? A. understanding B. memory C. thinking D. knowledge

B (memory: You have obviously retained that definition long enough to answer this question! LO 7.1a Identify the ways that memories do and don't accurately reflect experiences)

Dee Dee has to remember 4 items that he needs at the corner market, so he visualizes the path he will take to get there. He imagines a bar of soap hanging from a large tree, envisions a roll of paper towels next to a stoplight, "sees" a packet of gum on the newspaper rack, and imagines the fire hydrant spurting out soda. Which memory strategy is Dee Dee relying on? A. keyword technique B. method of loci C. pegword technique D. means-end analysis

B (method of loci: Dee Dee would make the Roman philosopher Cicero proud, as Cicero was one of first thinkers to describe the method of loci. LO 7.2a Identify methods for connecting new information to existing knowledge)

Because __________ activity seems to play a central role in empathy, some psychologists speculate that defects in this area may be associated with infantile autism. A. chromosome B. mirror neuron C. brain stem D. conditioning

B (mirror neuron: Mirror neurons have captured scientists' attention for the important role they play in social behaviors. LO 6.3a Outline the evidence that supports latent learning and observational learning)

Twin studies work best when using identical or __________ twins, because these twins share all of their genetic material in common. A. fraternal B. monozygotic C. multizygotic D. dizygotic

B (monozygotic: Identical twins are also called monozygotic. LO 3.5b Explain the concept of heritability and the misconceptions surrounding it)

During the acquisition phase of classical conditioning, when the pairing of the CS and the UCS is closer in time, learning occurs __________. A. less reliably B. more quickly C. more slowly D. more reliably

B (more quickly: There is clear science behind how and when a CS and UCS should be paired. LO 6.1b Explain the major principles and terminology associated with classical conditioning)

The brains of people with Alzheimer's disease contain senile plaques and __________, abnormalities that contribute to both synapse loss and the death of hippocampal and cerebral cortex cells. A. propranolol B. neurofibrillary tangles C. beta-adrenergic receptors D. amygdala cells

B (neurofibrillary tangles: Plaques and tangles are markers of this disease. LO 7.3c Identify the key impairments of Alzheimer's disease)

As recently as two decades ago, scientists believed we were born with all the neurons we would ever have. But the discovery of __________ occurring in certain brain areas in monkeys gave rise to the hope that someday scientists will be able to induce the adult human brain to heal itself. A. neurofibrillary tangles B. neurogenesis C. stem cells D. human growth factor

B (neurogenesis: Neurogenesis has been an important discovery in recent research. LO 3.1d Describe how the brain changes as a result of development, learning, and injury)

If as a young person, you liked to attend loud Motorhead stadium concerts or lived next to an airport, by the time you are elderly you may well find you do not hear as well as you used to. This is most likely due to __________. A. enhancement of the basilar membrane B. noise-induced hearing loss C. conductive deafness D. nerve deafness

B (noise-induced hearing loss: Your salad days of idle concert attending may be enjoyable, but you could pay a price later on. LO 4.3b Identify the different kinds of auditory perception)

In pain threshold studies, which of the following kinds of people required more anesthetic than others? A. post-menopausal women B. people with naturally red hair C. men under 35 D. people taller than 6 feet

B (people with naturally red hair: This odd but intriguing finding may shed light on genetic bases for pain perception. LO 4.5b Explain how pain perception differs from touch perception)

Which gland was once thought of as the "master gland" because it controls the other glands in the body? A. hypothalamus B. pituitary C. endocrinal D. adrenal

B (pituitary: Scientists long thought the pituitary gland was the "master gland" of the body. LO 3.3a Describe what hormones are and how they affect behavior)

Broca's area, named for French surgeon Paul Broca, is a region of the __________ and plays a key role in language production. A. primary sensory cortex B. prefrontal cortex C. auditory association cortex D. primary auditory cortex

B (prefrontal cortex: Broca's area is located in the prefrontal cortex. LO 3.2a Identify what roles different parts of the central nervous system play in behavior)

When we have encountered a stimulus before, we are able to identify it more quickly and easily. The term for this subtype of implicit memory is __________. A. habituation B. priming C. conditioning D. sensitization

B (priming: Priming effects can influence memory. LO 7.1c Differentiate the subtypes of long-term memory)

Also called kinesthesia, which of the following is the term for your sense of the position of your own body? A. oppositional B. proprioception C. vestibular D. equilibrium

B (proprioception: These are both terms used for the sense of your bodily position in three-dimensional space. LO 4.5a Describe the three different body senses)

Which Gestalt principle holds that objects physically close to each other tend to be perceived as unified wholes? A. similarity B. proximity C. continuity D. closure

B (proximity: Of the many Gestalt principles of perception, proximity explains the perceptual experience described here. LO 4.6a Track how our minds build up perceptions)

Media reports have a tendency to try to present two opposing sides of an issue as though both sides were equally valid. What is this tendency called? A. leveling B. pseudosymmetry C. balanced reporting D. placebo effect

B (pseudosymmetry: In the quest for "balanced coverage" the appearance of a debate or disagreement over evidence may emerge, although no such disagreement actually exists. LO 2.5b Identify skills for evaluating psychological claims in the popular media)

Psychoactive drugs that produce dramatic alterations of perception, mood, and thought are called __________. A. opiates B. psychedelics C. depressives D. stimulants

B (psychedelics: These are the common effects of psychedelics on consciousness. LO 5.4b Distinguish different types of drugs and their effects on )

Just as behaviorism was gaining popularity in the United States, Sigmund Freud was founding a new field of psychology, one that focused on internal psychological processes such as unconscious impulses, thoughts, and memories. This approach is called __________. A. functionalism B. psychoanalysis C. cognitive psychology D. structuralism

B (psychoanalysis: Psychoanalytic theory represented Freud's view of the mind and its functioning. LO 1.4a Identify the major theoretical frameworks of psychology)

Identify the term that behavioral geneticists use to describe the extent to which genes limit how much a trait can change in response to new environments. A. adaptation B. reaction range C. heredity D. heritability

B (reaction range: Reaction range is the term used by these professionals. LO 3.5b Explain the concept of heritability and the misconceptions surrounding it)

Which of the following is one of the three processes of memory? A. pegword B. retrieval C. schema D. literacy

B (retrieval: The others are encoding and storage. LO 7.2a Identify methods for connecting new information to existing knowledge)

One important aspect of a research study that peer reviewers consider is whether the study considers alternate explanations. This is called __________. A. rendering external validity B. ruling out rival hypotheses C. generating counterfactuals D. diminishing internal validity

B (ruling out rival hypotheses: If there are multiple ways of explaining the same outcome in an experiment, it is not clear why one interpretation should be favored over another. LO 2.5a Identify flaws in research designs and how to correct them)

The white part of the human eye is called the __________. A. retina B. sclera C. cornea D. lens

B (sclera: Good job recalling the many parts of the human eye. LO 4.2a Explain how the eye starts the visual process)

What does your body use to transduce specific external stimuli into neural activity? A. sensory adaptation B. sense receptors C. neural links D. transducers

B (sense receptors: Receptors convert the external world to an internal representation. LO 4.1a Identify the basic principles that apply to all senses)

What type of graph would be used to illustrate the primacy and recency effects? A. Ebbinghaus curve B. serial position curve C. enneagram D. histogram

B (serial position curve: This is a well-known graph in memory research. LO 7.1c Differentiate the subtypes of long-term memory)

Although early studies appeared promising, better-controlled studies that monitored subjects' brain activity under experimental conditions offered little evidence in support of __________. A. insight learning B. sleep-assisted learning C. latent learning D. observational learning

B (sleep-assisted learning: You should be wide awake while answering these questions. LO 6.5a Evaluate popular techniques marketed to enhance learning)

Analytical thinking is __________ compared to intuitive thinking. A. painful B. slow C. heuristic D. immediate

B (slow: Have you been thinking both fast and slow as you have been reading this chapter? LO 2.1a Identify two modes of thinking and their application to scientific reasoning)

The phenomenon of jamais vu is sometimes seen in neurological disorders such as amnesia or epilepsy. During jamais vu, people report experiencing __________. A. auditory hallucinations B. something that should be familiar as unfamiliar C. the feeling of having experienced something before D. olfactory hallucinations

B (something that should be familiar as unfamiliar: This experience is a kind of conceptual opposite of déjà vu. LO 5.3a Determine how scientists explain unusual and seemingly "mystical" alterations in consciousness)

Marjoe had trained his dog that whenever it saw a photo of the cat next door, it would receive a treat. Through multiple pairings of the photo and the treat, the dog came to salivate when the photo alone was presented. Marjoe then extinguished the salivation behavior by presenting the photo but withholding the treat. He was surprised to find that, a week later, when he happened to hold up the photo of the cat, his dog started to salivate. What is going on here? A. regenerative responding B. spontaneous recovery C. stimulus generalization D. stimulus discrimination

B (spontaneous recovery: Marjoe's dog is showing this kind of behavior. LO 6.1b Explain the major principles and terminology associated with classical conditioning)

Mark Twain referred to three kinds of untruths: "Lies, damned lies, and statistics," because __________. A. inferential statistics are generally wrong B. statistics sometimes can be used to mislead people C. statisticians are generally unethical D. descriptive statistics are generally wrong

B (statistics sometimes can be used to mislead people: Mark Twain also said, "Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please." LO 2.4c Show how statistics can be misused for purposes of persuasion)

Which term indicates applying mathematics to describe and analyze data? A. information B. statistics C. research D. science

B (statistics: Statistics is the branch of mathematics that helps researchers make sense of data. LO 2.4a Identify uses of various measures of central tendency and variability)

Conditioned taste aversions are usually highly specific to a particular food and show little evidence of __________. A. evolutionary advantage B. stimulus generalization C. long-term change D. fading away over time

B (stimulus generalization: Typically one dramatic instance with one specific food is what is active here. LO 6.4a Explain how biological predispositions can facilitate learning of some associations)

Information processing that occurs below the threshold of conscious awareness is called __________. A. superlative B. subliminal C. suboptimal D. suboptic

B (subliminal: The word literally means "below threshold," or sub-limen. LO 4.6c Distinguish subliminal perception from subliminal persuasion)

B.F. Skinner was able to produce what he called __________ in pigeons by delivering reinforcement in the form of food regardless of what the birds did. A. random acts B. superstitious behavior C. performance anxiety D. phobic anomaly

B (superstitious behavior: Skinner argued that superstition was simply the misapplication of reinforcement. LO 6.2c Describe reinforcement and its effects on behavior and distinguish negative reinforcement from punishment)

As neurotransmitters exit the sending axon and before passing into the receiving dendrite, they must pass through the __________. A. cell nucleus B. synaptic cleft C. myelin gap D. reticular activating system

B (synaptic cleft: Remember that neurons do not actually touch one another, but rather have synapses in between. LO 3.1a Distinguish the parts of neurons and what they do)

Which part of the brain is used for hearing, understanding language, and storing memories, and is separated from the rest of the cortex by the lateral fissure? A. parietal lobe B. temporal lobe C. frontal lobe D. occipital lobe

B (temporal lobe: This part of the brain executes these functions. LO 3.2a Identify what roles different parts of the central nervous system play in behavior)

A sensation related to "meaty" or "savory" taste is called __________. A. salty B. umami C. starchy D. surly

B (umami: "Oooh, Mommy, this is savory!" is a handy way to remember this. LO 4.4a Identify how we sense and perceive odors and tastes)

The authors accept the philosophical belief that science is __________; that is, neither good nor bad in itself. A. ethically static B. value-neutral C. morally indefensible D. conscience-free

B (value-neutral: Science is value-neutral, although scientists may not always be. LO 2.3a Explain the ethical obligations of researchers toward their research participants)

There is a popular idea that people are either "left-brained" (scholarly, logical, analytical) or "right-brained" (artistic, creative, emotional). The textbook authors note that these claims are __________. A. backed by a vast, international conspiracy to favor left-brained people over right-brained ones B. vast oversimplifications based on a small nugget of truth C. somewhat simplified but essentially accurate D. completely ridiculous as all parts of the brain function in essentially the same way

B (vast oversimplifications based on a small nugget of truth: "Popular psychology" and "real psychology" often diverge from one another. LO 3.4b Evaluate results demonstrating the brain's localization of function)

Which of the following senses allows us to maintain balance by using fluid-filled canals in the inner ear? A. proprioception B. vestibular C. kinesthetic D. sensorimotor

B (vestibular: The vestibular sense helps us stay on our feet rather than tripping over the shrubbery. LO 4.5a Describe the three different body senses)

Your neighbor's garage band is playing loudly into the night. When you hear the sound, you are experiencing __________, mechanical energy traveling through the air. A. adulation B. vibration C. frequencies D. wavelengths

B (vibration: All things in the world vibrate — some faster, louder, and more readily than others. LO 4.3a Explain how the ear starts the auditory process)

Which term refers to unpleasant side effects that happen when someone who is addicted to a drug stops taking it? A. physical dependence B. withdrawal C. tolerance D. substance abuse

B (withdrawal: This is the term used for this experience. LO 5.4a Identify possible influences on substance use)

Which of the following statements is true? A. It is easier to implant a false memory from the recent past than a false memory from the distant past. B. Recovering repressed memories is like rewinding a videorecording of one's life events. C. It is easier to implant a false memory that is plausible than one that is implausible. D. It is nearly impossible to implant a false memory in a person, unless the person is high in suggestibility.

C (It is easier to implant a false memory that is plausible than one that is implausible: Research in this area illustrates the constructive, fragile nature of memory. LO 7.5b Describe some of the real-world implications of false memories and memory errors)

__________ is the process by which the nervous system converts an external stimulus (such as sound waves or light energy) into electrical signals within neurons. A. Transubstantiation B. Transmogrification C. Transduction D. Mollification

C (Transduction: Transduction is the term scientists use for this process. LO 4.1a Identify the basic principles that apply to all senses)

Which rule tells us that the stronger the stimulus, the bigger the change needed for a change in stimulus intensity to be noticeable? A. Haufe's principle B. absolute threshold C. Weber's law D. figure-ground discontinuity

C (Weber's law: Ernst Weber was a leading figure in the area of psychophysics. LO 4.1a Identify the basic principles that apply to all senses)

The idea that we can dismiss scientific theories (such as Darwinian evolution) from serious consideration because a theory "is just an educated guess" is __________. A. an important observation B. empirically obvious C. a misconception D. partly true

C (a misconception: People often misunderstand the definition and function of scientific theories; they are more than just "hunches" or "educated guesses" about the world. LO 1.1b Explain the importance of science as a set of safeguards against biases)

A drug that enhances positive emotional reactions and minimizes negative ones, such as nicotine, is said to have __________. A. responsivity B. stimulant effects C. adjustive value D. powerful reinforcement

C (adjustive value: Part of the popularity of smoking may be due to this effect. LO 5.4b Distinguish different types of drugs and their effects on consciousness)

Which hormone triggers the opening of bronchioles in the lungs and the breakdown of glycogen into glucose? A. oxytocin B. estrogen C. adrenaline D. cortisol

C (adrenaline: This is one of the effects of adrenaline. LO 3.3a Describe what hormones are and how they affect behavior)

Crystal meth is more powerful than __________, and carries a high risk of both dependence and overdose. A. depressants B. opiates C. amphetamines D. narcotics

C (amphetamines: Although in the same drug classification (stimulants) these drugs differ in their potency and effects. LO 5.4b Distinguish different types of drugs and their effects on consciousness)

Which part of the brain plays an important role in remembering the emotional content of the memory of a frightening event? A. hippocampus B. thalamus C. amygdala D. forebrain

C (amygdala: The amygdala serves this important function. LO 7.3b Distinguish different types of amnesia and the relevance of amnesia to the brain's organization of memory)

The basic difference between being biologically male or female comes down to chromosomes. Females have an XX pair and males have __________. A. a YZ pair B. two Y's and a Z C. an XY pair D. a YY pair

C (an XY pair: This is the biological distinction between females and males. LO 3.5a Describe genes and how they influence psychological traits)

The technical term for a score that is much higher or lower than the typical responses, and might produce a misleading interpretation of the data set, is __________. A. the range B. a skewer C. an outlier D. a variable

C (an outlier: Outliers "lie away from" the typical cluster of scores in a data set. LO 2.4a Identify uses of various measures of central tendency and variability)

Nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman refers to intuitive thinking as System 1. What type of thinking does Kahneman refer to as System 2? A. descriptive B. impressionistic C. analytical D. speculative

C (analytical: The two modes of thinking are, roughly, "fast" and "slow." LO 2.1a Identify two modes of thinking and their application to scientific reasoning)

The APA Ethical Principles for Human Research indicate that psychologists must take reasonable steps to __________. A. ensure accurate data collection B. use deceptive techniques C. avoid harming participants D. use human subjects instead of animals whenever possible

C (avoid harming participants: This is one of the main principles outlined by the American Psychological Association. LO 2.3a Explain the ethical obligations of researchers toward their research participants)

__________ are realistic waking perceptions that take place in the absence of any external stimuli. A. NDEs B. OBEs C. Hypnotic trance states D. Hallucinations

D (Hallucinations: That is pretty much the definition of a hallucination. LO 5.3a Determine how scientists explain unusual and seemingly "mystical" alterations in consciousness)

Early reports of the success of sleep-assisted learning fail to consider an important rival hypothesis: namely, that the recordings might have __________. A. disturbed the subjects with the EEG equipment B. covered material previously known to the subjects C. awakened the subjects D. been inaccurate to begin with

C (awakened the subjects: It is difficult to claim that sleep-assisted learning took place if the person was not entirely asleep! LO 6.5a Evaluate popular techniques marketed to enhance learning)

People have a tendency to continue holding on to their beliefs even when those beliefs have been shown to be wrong. This phenomenon is known as __________. A. confirmation bias B. metaphysical certitude C. belief perseverance D. bias protection

C (belief perseverance: Even in the face of directly contradictory evidence, people will often cling to their existing beliefs about the world. LO 1.1b Explain the importance of science as a set of safeguards against biases)

Some blind people can nonetheless make decent guesses about the location of objects in their environment. This phenomenon is called __________. A. hindsight B. precognition C. blindsight D. mindsight

C (blindsight: Blindsight is an intriguing phenomenon. LO 4.2c Describe different visual problems)

Without even noticing that you are doing it, what memory technique do you use to remember larger quantities of information, even though your short-term memory capacity only holds about nine bits of information? A. the Magic Number technique B. elaborative rehearsal C. chunking D. depth of processing

C (chunking: This is an effective means of getting a lot of information into a smaller package. LO 7.1b Explain the function, span, and duration of each of the three memory systems)

Pavlov discovered that if he repeatedly paired a neutral stimulus, such as the sound of a metronome, with a stimulus that provided an automatic response, eventually the neutral stimulus alone would produce a(n) __________. A. conditioned stimulus B. unconditioned response C. conditioned response D. unconditioned stimulus

C (conditioned response: This is pretty much classical conditioning in a nutshell. LO 6.1a Describe Pavlov's model of classical conditioning and discriminate conditioned stimuli and responses from unconditioned stimuli and responses)

An inability to hear due to ossicle failure is an example of __________. A. tinnitus B. nerve deafness C. conductive deafness D. noise-induced hearing loss

C (conductive deafness: This is a form of deafness. LO 4.3b Identify the different kinds of auditory perception)

Your friend is an emergency room nurse. He tells you the ER is always busier when there is a full moon; he claims it is because unstable people are more affected by the moon's gravitational pull. To evaluate his claim, you should understand that __________. A. it is the quality of moonlight that affects unstable people, not the increased gravity B. the moon has more gravity when it is full C. correlation is not causation D. his direct experience of the phenomenon is important evidence

C (correlation is not causation: Perhaps there are more admittances during a full moon; that does not indicate the full moon is causing that increase. LO 1.3b Identify and explain the text's six principles of scientific thinking)

Located on top of the kidneys, the adrenal glands release adrenaline and __________ during times of emotional arousal. A. oxytocin B. testosterone C. cortisol D. thimerosal

C (cortisol: Adrenal glands release cortisol and adrenaline. LO 3.3a Describe what hormones are and how they affect behavior)

Unintentional plagiarism has been attributed to __________, which occurs when someone says they forgot having been exposed to the plagiarized material earlier and thought they had created it themselves. A. suggested memory B. monitoring failure C. cryptomnesia D. misinformation effect

C (cryptomnesia: This memory anomaly can affect us all. LO 7.5a Identify factors that influence people's susceptibility to false memories and memory errors)

Questions such as, "What is the average level of extraversion in this sample?" call for the use of which kind of statistics? A. inferential B. influential C. descriptive D. deterministic

C (descriptive: Descriptive statistics summarize or describe what is going on in a set of data. LO 2.4a Identify uses of various measures of central tendency and variability)

Ten-year-old Candace Newmaker died as a result of a pseudoscientific treatment called "rebirthing therapy." This is an example of pseudoscience causing __________. A. indirect harm B. cultural indifference C. direct harm D. scientific regression

C (direct harm: Tragically, Candace's life was cut short by the actions of unqualified "professionals." LO 1.2b Identify reasons we are drawn to pseudoscience)

A popular learning method that suggests students can figure out important principles on their own by trying out experimental materials is called __________. A. the learning style hypothesis B. experiential learning C. discovery learning D. trial and error

C (discovery learning: Wasn't it easier to read about this learning fad rather than try to discover it all on your own? LO 6.5a Evaluate popular techniques marketed to enhance learning)

There are various techniques available to help people improve their ability to recall material. For example, when you remember something new by connecting it mentally to something you already know, you are using __________. A. levels of processing B. distributed study C. elaborative rehearsal D. a mnemonic device

C (elaborative rehearsal: This is an effective strategy for remembering information. LO 7.1b Explain the function, span, and duration of each of the three memory systems)

Evidence from studies of people with brain injuries reveals that damage to the forebrain can have the effect of __________. A. causing people to dream only in black and white B. increasing the frequency of dreams during NREM sleep C. eliminating dreams entirely D. making people more likely to forget their dreams the next morning

C (eliminating dreams entirely: The "forebrain approach" to understanding dreaming draws heavily on this evidence. LO 5.2b Explain three major modern theories of dreaming)

Science begins with the premise that knowledge should first be acquired through observation. This premise is called __________. A. structuralism B. intuition C. empiricism D. rationalism

C (empiricism: Sciences are empirical in their approach to understanding the world. LO 1.1b Explain the importance of science as a set of safeguards against biases)

An analysis of the contents of tens of thousands of dreams demonstrated that adult dreams are to a great extent occupied with __________, emotional concerns, and preoccupations. A. unfulfilled wishes B. prophetic or psychic messages C. everyday activities D. deeply rooted desires

C (everyday activities: This suggests that the neurocognitive explanation of dreaming may capture a bit of the truth. LO 5.2b Explain three major modern theories of dreaming)

Which term refers to the classical conditioning phenomenon in which a new CR "writes over" an existing CR? A. inhibition B. renewal effect C. extinction D. spontaneous recovery

C (extinction: This takes place during extinction. LO 6.1b Explain the major principles and terminology associated with classical conditioning)

One of the great debates that has shaped the field of psychology is the question of whether people choose their behaviors or are obliged to act in certain ways by factors beyond their control. This is known as the __________ debate. A. evolutionary psychology B. good vs. evil C. free will-determinism D. nature-nurture

C (free will-determinism: Do we do what we do because we want to do it, or do we do what we do because we just do what we do? LO 1.4d Describe how psychological research affects our daily lives)

Our current understanding of pain has been vastly informed by the __________. A. hook-and-latch theory B. affective forecasting theory C. gate control model D. passive restraint model

C (gate control model: The gate control model is currently the leading explanation for pain perception. LO 4.5b Explain how pain perception differs from touch perception)

Long-term potentiation enhances the release of which neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft, resulting in enhanced learning? A. anadamide B. GABA C. glutamate D. aspartate

C (glutamate: Glutamate is the neurotransmitter at work here. LO 7.3a Describe the role of long-term potentiation in memory)

Because carefully controlled studies generate more trustworthy results, the high internal validity of these studies can lead to __________. A. lack of falsifiability B. correlation of causation C. high external validity D. further studies

C (high external validity: Being able to first establish causality from a tightly-controlled experiment opens the door to understanding generalizability. LO 2.2c Identify the components of an experiment, the potential pitfalls that can lead to faulty conclusions, and how psychologists control for these pitfalls)

Even before we are born, we can show signs of __________ memory through habituation. A. explicit B. deliberate C. implicit D. engrammatic

C (implicit: This is an intriguing finding. LO 7.4a Identify how children's memory abilities change with age)

Hypnosis increases the amount of information we recall. Most of this information is __________. A. about forgotten childhood experiences B. correct C. inaccurate D. from witnesses to crime

C (inaccurate: Recalling a lot of information is nice, but not at all helpful if the information is wrong. LO 5.3b Distinguish myths from realities concerning hypnosis)

Which ethical procedure is being followed when researchers let test subjects know what they are likely to encounter during an experiment before the subjects agree to participate? A. institutional review B. scientific method C. informed consent D. debriefing

C (informed consent: Participants need to be able to make a reasonable judgment about their participation. LO 2.3a Explain the ethical obligations of researchers toward their research participants)

When an animal, despite repeated attempts at conditioning, returns to its innate behavior, researchers call this __________. A. preparedness B. conditioned aversion C. instinctive drift D. genetic influence

C (instinctive drift: Instinctive drift bedeviled early behaviorists, who thought that any response could be operantly conditioned in an organism. LO 6.4a Explain how biological predispositions can facilitate learning of some associations)

Traveling across time zones can disrupt a person's biological clock, resulting in a phenomenon commonly called __________. A. circadian rhythms B. insomnia C. jet lag D. hypersomnia

C (jet lag: Perhaps you have experienced this yourself after a long airplane flight. LO 5.1a Explain the role of the circadian rhythm and how our bodies react to a disruption in our biological clocks)

The primary cognitive impairments in patients with Alzheimer's disease are related to __________. A. multiple strokes and short-term memory loss B. facial recognition and mathematical calculation C. language and memory D. long-term memory and problem solving

C (language and memory: These impairments are associated with this disease. LO 7.3c Identify the key impairments of Alzheimer's disease)

Sigmund Freud made a distinction between what dreams seem to be about and what they were really about. He called this hidden meaning __________. A. dream work B. wish fulfillment C. latent content D. manifest content

C (latent content: The latent content is what lurks beneath the surface features of the dream, according to Freud's view. LO 5.2a Describe Freud's theory of dreams)

According to B.F. Skinner, different people react differently to the same stimulus, such as receiving criticism, because of their __________. A. insight into their own preparedness B. behavior modification C. learning histories D. learning styles

C (learning histories: Skinner argued that reinforcement was at work in this situation. LO 6.3a Outline the evidence that supports latent learning and observational learning)

If you know that you are dreaming when you are dreaming, you are experiencing a __________. A. wish fulfillment dream B. narcoleptic attack C. lucid dream D. withdrawal symptom

C (lucid dream: Or, maybe you are awake and imagining that you are asleep and dreaming that you are dreaming. LO 5.1b Identify the different stages of sleep and the neural activity and dreaming behaviors that occur in each)

The two ingredients that make a research study an experiment are 1) random assignment of participants to conditions, and 2) __________. A. high inter-rater reliability B. external validity gained through real-world control C. manipulation of an independent variable D. manipulation of a dependent variable

C (manipulation of an independent variable: These elements need to be present in order for a research project to be considered an experiment. LO 2.2c Identify the components of an experiment, the potential pitfalls that can lead to faulty conclusions, and how psychologists control these pitfalls)

When a politician makes the statement that the average tax return will be $5,000 for citizens of her state, we should be suspicious of her statistics. It would be more meaningful to report the __________ as a measure of central tendency. A. highest and lowest refunds B. refund of an individual "typical" taxpayer C. median or mode D. average of refunds in all similar states

C (median or mode: The average or mean might be affected by several factors, such as outliers. LO 2.4c Show how statistics can be misused for purposes of persuasion)

Over time, children develop greater knowledge of their own memory abilities and limitations. The term used to describe this is __________. A. learning B. comprehension C. meta-memory D. habituation

C (meta-memory: There is memory, then there is meta-memory; both are important. LO 7.4a Identify how children's memory abilities change with age)

The ossicles, the smallest bones in the body, are found where? A. foot B. ocular cavity C. middle ear D. nasal passages

C (middle ear: The ossicles are the hammer, anvil, and stirrup. LO 4.3a Explain how the ear starts the auditory process)

Sleep apnea causes airways to become blocked during sleep. This condition leads to __________. A. sleepwalking B. night terrors C. multiple awakenings during the night D. odd behavior such as eating or driving while asleep

C (multiple awakenings during the night: If left untreated, this can be a very dangerous condition. LO 5.1c Identify the features and causes of sleep disorders)

In people with multiple sclerosis, the degradation of the __________ causes neural messages to become mixed up, creating many physical and emotional symptoms. A. meninges B. cerebral ventricles C. myelin sheath D. astrocytes

C (myelin sheath: Myelin plays an important role in the brain. LO 3.1a Distinguish the parts of neurons and what they do)

The auditory hallucinations of psychotics differ from those of well-functioning nonpsychotics. Among psychotics, auditory hallucinations are much more __________ and perceived to be beyond the individual's control. A. strange B. verbose C. negative D. specific

C (negative: Having an auditory hallucination can be disturbing enough; having one that tells you to murder the Pope is even more so. LO 5.3a Determine how scientists explain unusual and seemingly "mystical" alterations in consciousness)

Most people need between 7 and 10 hours of sleep each night. The exception to this rule of thumb are __________, who need around 16 hours out of every 24. A. the middle-aged B. adolescents C. newborns D. the elderly

C (newborns: Newborns typically sleep about 16 hours each day. LO 5.1a Explain the role of the circadian rhythm and how our bodies react to a disruption in our biological clocks)

Which term refers to our sense of smell? A. proprioception B. gustation C. olfaction D. nocioception

C (olfaction: Olfaction is the fancy term scientists use for this sensory process. LO 4.4a Identify how we sense and perceive odors and tastes)

The ability of the human brain to attend to many sense modalities at the same time is called __________. A. bottom-up processing B. multilevel processing C. parallel processing D. top-down processing

C (parallel processing: Parallel processing means that many activities are transpiring at the same time. LO 4.6a Track how our minds build up perceptions)

You have just had a nice dinner and are nodding off on the sofa. At this time, which part of your nervous system is going to work? A. somatic B. central C. parasympathetic D. sympathetic

C (parasympathetic: This outcome is consistent with the work of the parasympathetic system. LO 3.2b Clarify how the somatic and autonomic nervous systems work in emergency and everyday situations)

According to David Hume, an eighteenth-century Scottish philosopher, the more a claim contradicts what we already know, the more __________ must be the evidence for the claim. A. interesting B. unusual C. persuasive D. recent

C (persuasive: When our attitudes are discrepant with an attitude change message, we need powerful evidence to sway us. LO 1.3b Identify and explain the text's six principles of scientific thinking)

What is the name for the part of the brain stem connecting the cortex to the cerebellum? A. striatum B. interneuron C. pons D. hindbrain

C (pons: The pons connects the cerebellum to the cortex. LO 3.2a Identify what roles different parts of the central nervous system play in behavior)

In an experiment investigating alterations of consciousness, neuroscientists gave the hallucinogenic drug __________ to 36 participants in an effort to induce an experience that would seem mystical. A. heroin B. LSD C. psilocybin D. cannabis

C (psilocybin: The researchers wanted to get a glimpse into the fleeting world of mystical experiences. LO 5.3a Determine how scientists explain unusual and seemingly "mystical" alterations in consciousness)

Benny feels intense cravings for alcohol, even though his drinking has caused major problems in his personal relationships, work productivity, and levels of achievement. Benny is exhibiting signs of __________. A. physical dependence B. physiological dependence C. psychological dependence D. tolerance acceptance

C (psychological dependence: Benny's quest for alcohol comes at the expense of impaired social functioning. LO 5.4a )

The circular hole through which light enters the eye is called the __________. A. lens B. retina C. pupil D. cornea

C (pupil: You have correctly recalled one of the many parts of the eye. LO 4.2a Explain how the eye starts the visual process)

Megan wanted to get a measure of the amount of variability in her set of data, so she subtracted the lowest score from the highest score. Megan computed the __________. A. integral B. inferential C. range D. standard of deviation

C (range: The range is a rough and ready measure of variability. LO 2.4a Identify uses of various measures of central tendency and variability)

The outgoing behavior of other people can make an extraverted person act even more extraverted. Bandura called this mutual influence on one another's behavior __________. A. reactivity B. reflexivity C. reciprocal determinism D. operant conditioning

C (reciprocal determinism: Disentangling specific, isolated causes of a given behavior can be difficult, because behaviors are often multiply determined and subject to the reciprocal influences of others and environmental factors. LO 1.1a Explain why psychology is more than just common sense)

Laurie told her friend Sandi, "I had a headache this morning so I used an old family cure: Three sips of ginger ale, and an hour later my head felt better." Sandi replied, "I am glad you are feeling more comfortable now, but maybe the sheer passage of time made your headache go away." Sandi is offering a(n) __________ in response to Laurie's explanation. A. extraordinary claim B. causal correlation C. rival hypothesis D. falsifiable pretext

C (rival hypothesis: When there is more than one way to explain an event, it can be difficult to identify which is the correct explanation. LO 1.3b Identify and explain the text's six principles of scientific thinking)

Chemotherapy can cause severe nausea and an aversion to foods that might have been eaten prior to receiving this treatment. To help patients keep their taste for their usual foods, health psychologists developed the idea of offering alternative or __________ foods to which the patient will develop a taste aversion instead. A. unhealthful B. healthful C. scapegoat D. equipotent

C (scapegoat: A scapegoat gets the blame, as unfortunately happens in other situations as well. LO 6.4a Explain how biological predispositions can facilitate learning of some associations)

You are reading an article in a psychology journal that has an accompanying, two-dimensional graph with dots representing data from individual people. This is called a __________. A. point system B. scattershot C. scatterplot D. data rendering

C (scatterplot: The visual depiction represents the scores from each respondent in the data set. LO 2.2b Describe the role of correlational designs and distinguish correlation from causation)

Although using __________ can sometimes lead to mistakes, they provide us with a frame of reference for interpreting new situations. A. interpretive expectations B. disambiguation tables C. schemas D. storage menus

C (schemas: Schemas are a primary way we organize our mental worlds. LO 7.2b Identify the role that schemas play in the storage of memories)

Zhenya remembers that St. Paul is the capital of Minnesota. Alina remembers that she lived in St. Paul when she was 12 years old. Zhenya is demonstrating __________ memory, whereas Alina is demonstrating __________ memory. A. procedural; semantic B. episodic; semantic C. semantic; episodic D. semantic; procedural

C (semantic; episodic: Memories of Minnesota, yet different kinds of memories at work. LO 7.1c Differentiate the subtypes of long-term memory)

To be sure that we are not fooled by popular media reports about psychology research, we should be on the lookout for __________. A. deliberate deception B. dumbing down C. sharpening and leveling D. the placebo effect

C (sharpening and leveling: The details of a scientific investigation sometimes fall by the wayside in popular reporting. LO 2.5b Identify skills for evaluating psychological claims in the popular media)

When Georgie goes to the sink to fill a glass with water, his brain sends signals telling different parts of his body what to do in order to complete this action. Which part of the nervous system carries out these directions? A. parasympathetic B. central C. somatic D. autonomic

C (somatic: The bodily movements necessary for this action would be carried out by the somatic nervous system. LO 3.2b Clarify how the somatic and autonomic nervous systems work in emergency and everyday situations)

Which of the following can account for the fact that some people believe they have engaged in a particular action when, in fact, they watched someone else perform that action? A. memory retrieval error B. eidetic imagery error C. source monitoring failure D. ego enhancing fantasy

C (source monitoring failure: This is the term used for this memory error. LO 7.5a Identify factors that influence people's susceptibility to false memories and memory errors)

E.B. Titchener was a leading figure in which framework of psychology, which advocated the use of introspection to identify basic elements of experience? A. psychoanalysis B. functionalism C. structuralism D. cognitivism

C (structuralism: Titchener was the main proponent of this approach to psychology. LO 1.4a Identify the major theoretical frameworks of psychology)

British philosopher John Locke stood on the nurture side of the nature-nurture debate, comparing the mind of a newborn to a sheet of paper that had yet to be written on. Others later used which term to describe the same idea? A. determinism B. free will C. tabula rasa D. genetic inheritance

C (tabula rasa: Your Latin teacher—if you had actually taken Latin—would be quite proud. LO 1.4c Describe two great debates that have shaped the field of psychology)

Women's bodies produce about one-twentieth the amount of which hormone compared to men's bodies? A. estrogen B. adrenalin C. testosterone D. progestin

C (testosterone: Both women and men have testosterone in their bodies, in differing amounts. LO 3.3a Describe what hormones are and how they affect behavior)

Scientists who study the brain use the term "plasticity" to describe __________. A. the electrical basis underlying artificial intelligence B. a medical condition in which the brain hardens to a plastic-like consistency C. the ability of the nervous system to change over time D. the ability of the brain to depict the environment in three dimensions

C (the ability of the nervous system to change over time: Advances in research are revealing a great deal about the brain's ability to reorganize and change over time. LO 3.1d Describe how the brain changes as a result of development, learning, and injury)

How many non-REM stages of sleep occur before the vivid dreaming stage of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep? A. 3 B. 1 C. 6 D. 4

D (4: People cycle through the stages of sleep during each night's rest. LO 5.1b Identify the different stages of sleep and the neural activity and dreaming behaviors that occur in each)

When evaluating a story about psychology research, we should generally place more confidence in a reputable science journal than a popular magazine. Which phrase encapsulates that idea? A. You get what you pay for. B. There are two sides to every story. C. Every cloud has a silver lining. D. Consider the source.

D (Consider the source: You should literally consider the source of information when deciding how to evaluate it. LO 2.5b Identify skills for evaluating psychological claims in the popular media)

Rowan and Martin are chatting over lunch one day. "Man, I had the weirdest dream last night," Rowan offered. "I was being chased by snakes and a gigantic blimp, and a creature who was a mix of my mother and father kept firing arrows at me until I finally jumped down a hole and fell through a long tunnel." "Ah," replied Martin, "you are frustrated by your sexual inadequacies and afraid of death." What theory of dreaming does Martin most likely subscribe to? A. augmented construction theory B. activation-synthesis theory C. neurocognitive theory D. Freud's dream protection theory

D (Freud's dream protection theory: Martin is finding hidden meaning in the supposedly symbolic nature of Rowan's dream. LO 5.2a Describe Freud's theory of dreams)

Another term for operant conditioning is __________ conditioning. A. classical B. inherent C. observational D. instrumental

D (instrumental: Admittedly, "operant conditioning" is used much more often. LO 6.2a Distinguish operant conditioning from classical conditioning)

What evidence makes it likely that near-death experiences (NDEs) are not a genuine glimpse of what happens after death, but rather are constructed from the beliefs of the person having the experience? A. Most people report meeting the same "spiritual being" during an NDE. B. NDEs are painful and people who experience them are unwilling to discuss the event. C. Tunnels are only seen by native Pacific Islanders. D. NDEs are not the same for all people from all cultures.

D (NDEs are not the same for all people from all cultures: This suggests that one's earthly worldview influences one's construction of this seemingly mystical experience. LO 5.3a Determine how scientists explain unusual and seemingly "mystical" alterations in consciousness)

How someone responds to something depends on her or his interpretation of what that something means. This is the underlying difference that distinguishes __________ from previous views of learning. A. higher-order conditioning B. S-R psychology C. behaviorism D. S-O-R psychology

D (S-O-R psychology: The "O" part is key here. LO 6.3a Outline the evidence that supports latent learning and observational learning)

What is the crucial drawback in using family studies to try to determine the risk of a genetic disorder among relatives sharing a household? A. Family studies are an unnecessary intrusion as the same information can be obtained from strangers sharing an environment, such as those living in an apartment building. B. People with the same genetic background are unlikely to share an environment. C. Relatives will be less likely to tell the truth to researchers in order to look better compared to other family members. D. Sharing both an environment and genetic background can make nature hard to distinguish from nurture.

D (Sharing both an environment and genetic background can make nature hard to distinguish from nurture: Family, twin, adoption, and related studies start from a sound premise, but need to be carefully conducted in order to gain insight into the contributions of genetics and the environment. LO 3.5b Explain the concept of heritability and the misconceptions surrounding it)

__________ believed that dreams revealed hidden wishes and desires. A. John B. Watson B. William James C. Heinrich Muller D. Sigmund Freud

D (Sigmund Freud: Freud thought that dreams were the "royal road to the unconscious," a pathway to understanding deeply-held wishes and desires. LO 5.2a Describe Freud's theory of dreams)

Jerry is asked to estimate which is more common in the English language: Words that end in "ing" or words that have "-n-" as the second-to-last letter. He mentally recites many examples of the first category ("running," "jumping," "flying," "talking") but can only think of a few examples of the second category ("sink," "nine"). He judges that "ing" endings are more common, which of course is incorrect. (All words that end in "ing" also have "n" as the second-to-last letter; the addition of words that do not have an "i" and a "g" on either side of the "n" makes that second group larger.) After all this hubbub, it is clear that Jerry relied on __________ to reach his conclusion. A. dialectical reasoning B. System 2 thinking C. analogical reasoning D. System 1 thinking

D (System 1 thinking: Jerry used a heuristic shortcut to help speed his decision making, but in this case the shortcut failed him. LO 2.1a Identify two modes of thinking and their application to scientific reasoning)

That frustrating feeling of knowing you know something but cannot pull it out of your brain at the moment you want it is known as the TOT phenomenon, because __________. A. it was identified by the research team of Tattinger, Osprey, and Thomas B. TOT stands for Too Old to Think C. it primarily happens to very young children or "tots" D. TOT stands for "tip-of-the-tongue"

D (TOT stands for "tip-of-the-tongue": TOT means "tip-of-the-tongue." LO 7.2d Describe how the relation between encoding and retrieval conditions influences remembering)

What is one likely reason why we cannot remember information and events from our own infancy? A. Infants operate in a post-conventional state, and only gradually achieve the formal operations necessary for memory formation. B. Most parents "talk around" their children, rather than "talking to" their children. C. Fetuses lack ears, and therefore cannot overhear conversations in the external world. D. The hippocampus takes time to develop, and is only partially developed during infancy.

D (The hippocampus takes time to develop, and is only partially developed during infancy: The hippocampus needs time to develop, just like the rest of the brain. LO 7.4a Identify how children's memory abilities change with age)

As they develop, children's memories become increasingly sophisticated. Which of the following is not a reason why this occurs? A. Conceptual understanding increases with age. B. Memory spans increase with age. C. Meta-memory develops over time. D. The presence of siblings increases over time.

D (The presence of siblings increases over time: There are many reasons why this phenomenon takes place, but this is not one of them. LO 7.4a Identify how children's memory abilities change with age)

__________ explains how we can see a range of colors, whereas __________ explains why we see afterimages. A. Opponent process theory; trichromatic theory B. Triarchic theory; oppositional force theory C. Rod concentration; cone concentration D. Trichromatic theory; opponent process theory

D (Trichromatic theory; opponent process theory: These are the two explanations for color vision. LO 4.2b Identify the different kinds of visual perception)

Subliminal perception is quite different from subliminal persuasion. Although we may perceive stimuli that are below the threshold of conscious awareness, they do not necessarily spur us to action. Why is that? A. We realize we are being duped, and therefore marshal defense mechanisms that impede action. B. After processing a subliminal message, our "neural correction system" devalues the information. C. Subliminal perception has not been successfully documented; therefore, there is nothing to act upon. D. We cannot engage in very much in-depth processing of the subliminal message; therefore, there is not much effect on our attitudes and decisions.

D (We cannot engage in very much in-depth processing of the subliminal message; therefore, there is not much effect on our attitudes and decisions: Your perception of this question is far from sub-liminal; you are right on top of the details! LO 4.6c Distinguish subliminal perception from subliminal persuasion)

As an illustration that brain scan images are not always easy to interpret correctly, mischievous researchers were able to come up with "results" when they took brain scans of __________. A. each other B. a nonscientist C. coma patients D. a dead salmon

D (a dead salmon: It is unclear whether the salmon consented to this procedure, by the way. LO 3.4a Identify different brain-stimulating, recording, and imaging techniques)

Cindy Lou's parents were awakened by screams and crying coming from the 4-year-old's bedroom. Rushing in, they found Cindy Lou sweating, glassy-eyed, disoriented, and agitated. Just as her parents reached for the telephone to dial either a hospital or an exorcist, Cindy Lou fell back into a deep sleep. Confused, her parents did a little research and discovered Cindy Lou had experienced __________. A. a narcoleptic attack B. the first signs of Kleine-Levin Syndrome C. an episode of sleep apnea D. a night terror

D (a night terror: Night terrors, although relatively rare, are more common in children and adults, and can look, well, terrifying to an observer. 5.1c Identify the features and causes of sleep disorders)

According to astronomer Carl Sagan, scientific skepticism includes (1) a willingness to keep an open mind to all claims, and (2) a willingness to __________. A. change our minds when we encounter persuasive people B. read and learn more about scientific subjects C. believe in the possibility of life existing throughout the universe D. accept claims only after researchers have subjected them to careful scientific tests

D (accept claims only after researchers have subjected them to careful scientific tests: Sagan's observations, although based in his astrophysics work, apply generally to all sciences. LO 1.3a Identify the key features of scientific skepticism)

The central nervous system is organized into various areas. Which structures control movement and motor planning? A. limbic system B. cortex C. medulla D. basal ganglia

D (basal ganglia: This is a primary function of the basal ganglia. LO 3.2a Identify what roles different parts of the central nervous system play in behavior)

The phrase "don't confuse me with the facts" would best describe which self-deception trap? A. naive realism B. individualism C. confirmation bias D. belief perseverance

D (belief perseverance: People often cling to their initial beliefs even in the face of directly disconfirming evidence. LO 1.1b Explain the importance of science as a set of safeguards against biases)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measures changes in __________, which indirectly indicate neural activity. A. neurotransmitters B. glucose-like molecules C. oxytocin D. blood oxygen levels

D (blood oxygen levels: This is the mechanism by which fMRI operates. LO 3.4a Identify different brain-stimulating, recording, and imaging techniques)

The cases of facilitated communication and lobotomies demonstrate that good research design is important because intelligent, well-trained people __________. A. only seek confirmatory evidence of their beliefs B. usually do not conduct experiments C. can be passively cruel in their pursuit of an outcome D. can be swayed into believing that a treatment is effective when it is not

D (can be swayed into believing that a treatment is effective when it is not: In both of these examples, fairly educated people believed in a result that was not warranted by the evidence. LO 2.1a Identify two modes of thinking and their application to scientific reasoning)

Sometimes people who suffer from narcolepsy also experience __________, a complete loss of muscle tone that can result in falls. A. REM rebuttal B. hypnagogic states C. orexin D. cataplexy

D (cataplexy: Cataplexy often accompanies narcolepsy. LO 5.1c Identify the features and causes of sleep disorders)

Which type of psychologist is most likely to work with patients who have serious mental disorders such as major depression? A. developmental psychologist B. counseling psychologist C. forensic psychologist D. clinical psychologist

D (clinical psychologist: Although areas of specialization may overlap, this type of psychologist would probably address these kinds of issues. LO 1.4a Identify the major theoretical frameworks of psychology)

As we become accustomed to a particular place, we develop a representation in our minds of how that physical space is organized. This is known as developing a __________. A. spatial learning style B. place-based observation representation C. spatial understanding D. cognitive map

D (cognitive map: You no doubt carry several cognitive maps of personally important locations in your mind. LO 6.3a Outline the evidence that supports latent learning and observational learning)

In the 1950s and 1960s, many psychologists were disillusioned with behaviorism's neglect of the mental processes involved in different aspects of thinking. Arguing that thinking has a powerful effect on behavior, psychologists such as Jean Piaget began to develop the field of __________. A. structuralism B. functionalism C. psychotherapy D. cognitivism

D (cognitivism: A "cognitive revolution" was in the making starting in the 1950s and 1960s. LO 1.4b Describe different types of psychologists and identify what each of them does)

According to the principles of latent learning, there is a crucial distinction to be made between __________. A. classical and operant conditioning B. nature and nurture C. sleep-assisted learning and traditional instruction D. competence and performance

D (competence and performance: Learning something and doing that thing are separable. LO 6.3a Outline the evidence that supports latent learning and observational learning)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields to measure the release of energy from water in biological tissues. MRI is better than __________ for detecting soft tissues, such as brain tumors. A. positron emission tomography (PET) B. transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) C. functional MRI (fMRI) D. computed tomography (CT)

D (computed tomography (CT): Different scanning techniques have associated strengths and weaknesses. LO 3.4a Identify different brain-stimulating, recording, and imaging techniques)

One reason that intuition and common sense are not a good basis for scientific psychology is that we often do not notice __________. A. empirical findings in non-standard forms B. universal traits across individuals C. when we are in a dangerous situation D. contradictions between our views

D (contradictions between our views: Contradictions usually need to be pointed out to us by others. LO 1.1a Explain why psychology is more than just common sense)

Placebo studies show that much of what we think of as "drunken behavior" is strongly influenced by __________. A. the type of drink consumed B. genetic factors C. the amount of alcohol in the drink D. culturally learned expectations

D (culturally learned expectations: There is more to drug effects than just the chemical properties of the drug itself. LO 5.4b Distinguish different types of drugs and their effects on consciousness)

You meet a psychologist who tells you that she conducts research on children to determine how their cognitive processes differ as the child gets older. You recognize that this person is most likely a(n) __________. A. experimental psychologist B. biological psychologist C. school psychologist D. developmental psychologist Correct! Psychologists who specialize in this subfield would be likely to study these kinds of questions. LO 1.4b Describe different types of psychologists, and identify what each of them does.

D (developmental psychologist: Psychologists who specialize in this subfield would be likely to study these kinds of questions. LO 1.4b Describe different types of psychologists, and identify what each of them does)

Which term describes a curved line on a graph that can be bell shaped, negatively skewed, or positively skewed? A. truncated line graph B. scatterplot C. bar graph D. distribution curve

D (distribution curve: Inspecting the distribution of scores in a set of measurements can provide a good idea of what the overall pattern of responding was amongst the research participants. LO 2.4a Identify uses of various measures of central tendency and variability)

Dr. Ingo Larsen is testing the effectiveness of a new memory-enhancing study technique. He greets each participant at the door and escorts them into either the control group (that receives the old memory technique) or the experimental group (that receives the new memory technique). He then conducts the experiment and analyzes the results. This is all quite problematic, because of the potential presence of __________. A. nocebo outcomes B. rival hypotheses C. sharpening and leveling D. experimenter expectancy effects

D (experimenter expectancy effects: Ingo's research design would have been better if someone else had randomly assigned people to conditions. LO 2.5a Identify flaws in research designs and how to correct them)

Dr. Frohardt is a psychology professor who has been asked to explain what all people will look at first when they view photographs of dangerous animals. Dr. Frohardt will find this task difficult because __________. A. research on this subject has never been completed scientifically B. of his confirmation bias C. this is a Wason selection task D. eye-tracking studies show differences between cultures when inspecting visual materials

D (eye-tracking studies show differences between cultures when inspecting visual materials: People from different cultural backgrounds focus on different aspects of a depicted scene, even one showing a potentially dangerous threat. LO 1.1a Explain why psychology is more than just common sense)

Alcohol and antianxiety drugs both increase __________ activity, which is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter. A. glutamate B. norepinephrine C. acetylcholine D. gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

D (gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA): GABA activity increases when these substances are ingested. LO 3.1c Explain how neurons use neurotransmitters to communicate with each other)

In evolutionary terms, "fitness" means that an organism __________ than other organisms in its environment. A. is more deserving of survival B. has greater cardiovascular capacity C. is bigger and stronger D. has a better chance of passing on its genes

D (has a better chance of passing on its genes: "Fitness," in individual health and in the evolution of a species, is a good thing. LO 3.5b Explain the concept of heritability and the misconceptions surrounding it)

The extent to which genes contribute to differences in a trait among a group of individuals is known as __________. A. g-force B. the genetic index C. sociability D. heritability

D (heritability: This is part of the definition of heritability. LO 3.5b Explain the concept of heritability and the misconceptions surrounding it)

Ingo Larsen is a psychologist who specializes in designing workplace environments to improve human efficiency, reduce worker fatigue, and decrease work-related stress and strain. What type of psychology does Ingo practice? A. plangent visions B. social psychology C. organizational behavior D. human factors

D (human factors: Ingo is a human factors specialist. LO 4.5c Describe the field of psychology called human factors)

When we perceive a reliable association between two events (although none exists), such as the presence of rainy weather and arthritis flare-ups, we are experiencing the phenomenon called __________. A. statistical anomaly B. invalid assumption C. ethical mirage D. illusory correlation

D (illusory correlation: Perceiving a correlation when none exists is a bad practice. 2.2b Describe the role of correlational designs and distinguish correlation from causation)

One reason people believe in ESP is that they tend to pay attention to and remember striking coincidences while forgetting events that are not as exciting and memorable. This phenomenon is called __________. A. Ganzfeld technique B. experimenter effect C. clairvoyance D. illusory correlation

D (illusory correlation: There are a great many things worth believing in, such as democracy or equality. Clinging to tenuous evidence of debatable phenomena is not one of those. LO 4.6d Analyze the scientific evidence for and against the existence of extrasensory perception (ESP))

Hypnotists use a(n) __________ to increase people's suggestibility. A. hypnotic suggestion B. spinning disc C. pocket watch D. induction method

D (induction method: That's why the process is typically called "hypnotic induction." LO 5.3b Distinguish myths from realities concerning hypnosis)

The two kinds of statistics used by psychologists are descriptive statistics and __________ statistics. A. variable B. distributed C. ethical D. inferential

D (inferential: These are the two "classes" or categories of statistics used by researchers. LO 2.4b Explain how inferential statistics can help us to determine whether we can generalize from our sample to the full population)

When we suddenly see the solution to a problem and get that "aha reaction," we have learned something through __________. A. cause-and-effect B. observation C. trial-and-error D. insight

D (insight: A-ha! The right answer just kind of came to you, didn't it? LO 6.3b Identify evidence of insight learning)

Which group at every major American research college and university reviews all research carefully to protect participants against abuses? A. investigative review bureau B. institutional research bureau C. investigative research board D. institutional review board

D (institutional review board: This group is responsible for overseeing research protocols before data collection can begin. LO 2.3a Explain the ethical obligations of researchers toward their research participants)

Wilhelm Wundt developed the first full-fledged psychological laboratory in 1879 in Leipzig, Germany. He pioneered the technique of __________, in which trained observers reflected on and reported on their own mental experiences. A. heuristics B. behaviorism C. insight analysis D. introspection

D (introspection: Wundt believed that his method could help reveal the mechanics of mental processes. Turns out it could not—at least not very reliably. LO 1.4a Identify the major theoretical frameworks of psychology)

The type of thinking that allows us to operate on "autopilot" and make snap decisions is called __________. A. analytical B. System 2 C. analogical D. intuitive

D (intuitive: This is one of the two modes of thinking humans typically adopt. LO 2.1a Identify two modes of thinking and their application to scientific reasoning)

Which learning fad divides people into different types, such as "analytical" and "holistic"? A. accelerated learning B. hyperbaric learning C. stylistic learning D. learning styles

D (learning styles: "Learning styles" are more of a fad than reality. LO 6.5a Evaluate popular techniques marketed)

Although some educational psychologists have claimed to boost learning by matching different instructional methods to different types of students, the theory of __________ has yet to be proven because tests have lacked reliability. A. discovery learning B. accelerated learning C. sleep-assisted learning D. learning styles

D (learning styles: Learning styles remain a popular notion nonetheless. LO 6.5a Evaluate popular techniques marketed to enhance learning)

We say that a result has practical significance if it __________. A. results from manipulating a single variable B. is not statistically significant C. would occur by chance less than 5 times in 100 D. makes a difference in the real world

D (makes a difference in the real world: A finding might be statistically significant, yet not have much of an impact in the daily lives of most people. LO 2.4b Explain how inferential statistics can help us to determine whether we can generalize from our sample to the full population)

The hormone testosterone is found in __________. A. males only B. females only C. nonhuman primates only D. males and females

D (males and females: Both females and males have testosterone in their bodies, albeit in differing amounts. LO 3.3a Describe what hormones are and how they affect behavior)

Freud argued that dreams have two levels of interpretation, which he called the __________ and the __________. A. psychoanalytic content; psychotherapeutic content B. central content; peripheral content C. masked content; revealed content D. manifest content; latent content

D (manifest content; latent content: Manifest content is the subject matter of the dream, whereas latent content is the deep symbolic meaning of the dream. LO 5.2a Describe Freud's theory of dreams)

A memory that is actually false but "feels real" and can be triggered by, for example, looking at a list of associated words, is called a(n) __________. A. active reconstruction B. paradoxical memory C. representative heuristic D. memory illusion

D (memory illusion: Like other illusions, this type is a misrepresentation. LO 7.1a Identify the ways that memories do and don't accurately reflect experiences)

Which term describes the common sense belief that we see the world as it really is? A. healthy skepticism B. free will-determinism C. intuition D. naive realism

D (naive realism: Many times our perceptions of the world are correct, but not all the time. LO 1.1a Explain why psychology is more than just common sense)

Heroin, opium, morphine, and codeine are all examples of __________. A. psychedelics B. stimulants C. depressants D. narcotics

D (narcotics: These specific drugs belong to that general category. LO 5.4b Distinguish different types of drugs)

If we want to study people's actual behavior "in the wild" without them being influenced by the researcher, we can use __________. A. correlational designs B. repeated-measures designs C. experimental designs D. naturalistic observation

D (naturalistic observation: This technique involves recording actual behavior as it unfolds in a natural setting. LO 2.2a Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using naturalistic observation, case studies, self-report measures, and surveys)

Endorphins are a type of __________, short strings of amino acids that are narrowly targeted to perform a specific job. For instance, endorphins specialize in reducing pain. A. monoamine B. anandamide C. dopamine D. neuropeptide

D (neuropeptide: You were able to distinguish neuropeptides from monoamines, anandamides, and other types of neurotransmitters. LO 3.1c Explain how neurons use neurotransmitters to communicate with each other)

Who uses sophisticated tests of reason, attention, and verbal and spatial abilities to figure out where brain dysfunction is located in human patients? A. behavioral psychologists B. psychoanalysts C. cognitive psychologists D. neuropsychologists

D (neuropsychologists: These professionals know what to look for to help diagnose brain dysfunctions. LO 3.4a Identify different brain-stimulating, recording, and imaging techniques)

Wolfgang Köhler's studies with chimpanzees demonstrated the animals were using insight to solve a problem. Unfortunately, flaws in the study's design mean that we cannot rule out the possibilities that the chimps were learning by trial and error or by __________. A. latent learning B. instinctive drift C. analytical learning style D. observational learning

D (observational learning: Kohler's demonstration was important to learning theory, although perhaps lacking rigorous experimental controls. LO 6.3b Identify evidence of insight learning)

What are pheromones? A. a set of bones in the inner ear that allow us to hear B. a system of gates in the spinal cord that regulate the perception of pain C. collections of taste buds concentrated in specific areas of the tongue D. odorless chemicals that serve as social signals to members of one's species

D (odorless chemicals that serve as social signals to members of one's species: That is what pheromones are. LO 4.4a Identify how we sense and perceive odors and tastes)

Bud and Sandy are discussing the merits of new automobiles. Bud noted, "This car model has been tested by four different consumer agencies in hundreds of tests with virtually the same outcomes each time; it is very reliable." Sandy countered, "Yeah, but my neighbor down the street bought that car, and he has had nothing but problems. I would stay away from it." Which hallmark of pseudoscience has Sandy fallen prey to? A. insisting on evidence rather than proof B. lack of self-correction C. the ad hoc immunizing hypothesis D. overreliance on anecdotes

D (overreliance on anecdotes: One anecdote here or there does not carry the same evidentiary weight as the outcomes of multiple, well-controlled, scientific tests. LO 1.2a Describe psychological pseudoscience and distinguish it from psychological science)

The process of soliciting feedback from qualified experts in a research area prior to publishing the results of a research study is called __________. A. editorial correction B. professional critique C. vetting for publication D. peer review

D (peer review: The peer review process is part of the self-correcting nature of the scientific enterprise. LO 2.5a Identify flaws in research designs and how to correct them)

Our brains rely on knowledge and experience to make educated guesses about the sensory information we receive. Which of the following is formed when our expectations influence our perceptions? A. perceptual constancy B. monocular cues C. Gestalt field D. perceptual set

D (perceptual set: When expectations influence perceptions, we are said to have a perceptual set. LO 4.6b Describe how we perceive people, objects, and sounds in our environment)

While watching some friends skateboarding, you wince in empathy when one of them falls and scrapes her leg very badly. This is the result of the firing of your mirror neurons, which are found in what part of the brain? A. parietal lobe B. occipital lobe C. cerebellum D. prefrontal cortex

D (prefrontal cortex: Mirror neurons were a very important discovery during the past 20 years. LO 6.3a Outline the evidence that supports latent learning and observational learning)

The idea that we are predisposed by evolution to fear some stimuli more than others, even when we have had no bad experiences with those stimuli in real life, is referred to as __________. A. innate phobia B. survival phobia C. instinctive drift D. preparedness

D (preparedness: Evolution prepares us to fear stimuli that are threatening or dangerous. LO 6.4a Explain how biological predispositions can facilitate learning of some associations)

Our memory for how to do things is called __________. A. mnemonic memory B. explicit memory C. semantic memory D. procedural memory Correct! Just as the name implies, we recall the procedure for an action. LO 7.1c Differentiate the subtypes of long-term memory.

D (procedural memory: Just as the name implies, we recall the procedure for an action. LO 7.1c Differentiate the subtypes of long-term memory)

The story of how facilitated communication was debunked is a powerful illustration of the triumph of science over __________. A. affliction B. child abuse C. autism D. pseudoscience

D (pseudoscience: The world is an interesting enough place to understand on its own terms, without recourse to phenomena and explanations that do not exist. LO 2.1a Identify two modes of thinking and their application to scientific reasoning)

Psychologists measure people's memory abilities by assessing three capacities: __________. A. relearning, receptivity, and retrieval B. retrieval, recall, and relearning C. recall, retrieval, and reconstruction D. recall, recognition, and relearning

D (recall, recognition, and relearning: These are common ways of measuring memory. LO 7.2c Distinguish ways of measuring memory)

Which type of gene is expressed only in the absence of a dominant gene? A. environmental B. phenotypical C. prototypical D. recessive

D (recessive: Dominant and recessive genes depend on different circumstances for their expression. LO 3.5a Describe genes and how they influence psychological traits)

Praise, money, good grades, compliments, and applause are all examples of __________. A. primitive reinforcers B. primary reinforcers C. fixed interval reinforcement D. secondary reinforcers

D (secondary reinforcers: These would all be examples of secondary reinforcers. LO 6.2e Describe some applications of operant conditioning)

Researchers using brain imaging have found that during a lucid dream, the parts of the dreamer's cerebral cortex associated with __________ become active. A. paradoxical thinking B. K-complexes C. circadian rhythms D. self-perceptions

D (self-perceptions: This is an intriguing recent finding. LO 5.1b Identify the different stages of sleep and the neural activity and dreaming behaviors that occur in each)

Questionnaires fall into which category of measurement tools? A. interrater reliability measures B. validity measures C. test-retest measures D. self-report measures

D (self-report measures: You got it! LO 2.2a Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using naturalistic observation, case studies, self-report measures, and surveys)

Before undergoing hypnosis to attempt to treat pain, anxiety, or smoking, it is important to be aware that __________. A. the hypnotist might give you a suggestion to do something you would never do in real life B. many people have been cured of addiction by hypnosis alone C. you might not remember the treatment D. there is no evidence that hypnosis all by itself is an effective treatment for these ailments

D (there is no evidence that hypnosis all by itself is an effective treatment for these ailments: The applications of hypnosis are growing along with our understanding of hypnosis, but there is a lot more to learn about this state of consciousness. LO 5.3b Distinguish myths from realities concerning hypnosis)

In thinking of the multiple levels of analysis in psychology, the neurochemical level is considered to be __________ because this level is more closely tied to biological influences. A. on the same rung of the ladder as personal relationships B. near the top of the ladder C. at the top of the ladder D. toward the lower end of the ladder

D (toward the lower end of the ladder: Neurochemical explanations are about as down and dirty as you can get—right there in the brain itself. LO 1.1a Explain why psychology is more than just common sense)

E. L. Thorndike's experiments using a puzzle box demonstrated that cats learn by __________. A. insight B. observation C. instinctive drift D. trial and error

D (trial and error: Thorndike's cats tried several ways of freeing themselves until they found the only solution. LO 6.2b Describe Thorndike's law of effect)