PSY-150 | Chapter 1 | Introduction to Psychology

14. What advice might John B. Watson have offered to psychologists of his time? a) "Focus on observable behavior." b) "Life is an effort to overcome inferiority." c) "We cannot know others until we know ourselves." d) "Remember that what we accomplish is due to the composition of our genes."

a) "Focus on observable behavior."

34. Which of the following is CORRECT concerning random assignment? a) In random assignment each participant has an equal chance for each condition. b) In random assignment each participant is assigned alphabetically to each condition. c) Random assignment can only be determined after an experiment is over. d) The best formula for random assignment is birth dates.

a) In random assignment each participant has an equal chance for each condition.

7. Which of the following is true about myelin? a) It's a fatty substance. b) It is covered by axons. c) It inhibits neural communication. d) It slows down neuronal operations.

a) It's a fatty substance.

36. ______________ is an experiment in which neither the participants nor the individuals running the experiment know if participants are in the experimental or the control group until after the results are tallied. a) The double-blind study b) Field research c) The single-blind study d) Correlational research

a) The double-blind study

6. What is the best analogy for Wundt's and Titchener's mission for psychology? a) a chart listing the basic chemicals b) a list of the courses required for graduation c) a list of the types of clothing sold at a retail outlet d) a computer program for word processing a term paper

a) a chart listing the basic chemicals

1. The nervous system is defined as __________. a) a complex network of cells that carries information to and from all parts of the body b) a specialized cell that makes up the brain and nervous system c) all nerves and neurons that are not contained in the brain and spinal cord but that run throughout the body itself d) a gland located in the brain that secretes human growth hormone

a) a complex network of cells that carries information to and from all parts of the body

20. The peripheral nervous system consists of the _______ and the ______ nervous systems. a) autonomic; somatic b) autonomic; sympathetic c) parasympathetic; somatic d) parasympathetic; sympathetic

a) autonomic; somatic

12. What is the term used to describe the branches located at the end of the axon? a) axon terminals b) synaptic vesicles c) synapses d) receptor sites

a) axon terminals

19. Professor Beverly approaches questions about human behavior from a perspective that emphasizes bodily events and chemicals, such as hormones, associated with behavior. It is most likely that she accepts which of the following psychological approaches? a) biopsychological b) learning c) cognitive d) sociocultural

a) biopsychological

5. The function of the neuron's axon is to __________. a) carry messages to other cells b) regulate the neuron's life processes c) receive messages from neighboring neurons d) insulate against leakage of electrical impulses

a) carry messages to other cells

11. Freud stressed the importance of _____________ on the formation of personality. a) early childhood experiences b) adolescence c) early adulthood d) middle adulthood

a) early childhood experiences

11. When a neuron fires, it fires in a(n) __________ fashion as there is no such thing as "partial" a) firing. b) all-or-none c) rapid fire d) accidental patterned e) quick successioned

a) firing.

24. Dr. Littman-Smith is conducting research in Kenya into the ways that mothers and their toddlers interact throughout the day. Given the purpose of her study, it is most likely that she is engaged in __________________. a) naturalistic observation b) laboratory observation c) case study research d) experimental research

a) naturalistic observation

3. What term is used to describe a specialized cell that makes up the nervous system and receives and sends messages within that system? a) neuron b) glial cell c) myelin sheath d) dendritic spine

a) neuron

2. The branch of life sciences that involves the structure and function of the brain and nervous system, while also focusing on the relationship between learning and behavior, is called __________. a) neuroscience b) bioscience c) brain scientology d) neurostemology

a) neuroscience

25. Kerri wanted to study the effects of having the oldest child in a family go off to college. She decided to use her own family after her brother went to a college in France. She took notes each day on her parents' behavior and kept a diary of her own reactions. Kerri was using the technique called ______________. a) participant observation b) family survey c) observer bias d) attribution effect

a) participant observation

21. Dr. Braunz has been treating a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She decides to write a prescription for Ritalin. Given this information, it is most likely that Dr. Braunz is a _____________. a) psychiatrist b) psychoanalyst c) humanistic psychologist d) school psychologist

a) psychiatrist

37. Which of the following is a common ethical guideline suggested by the American Psychological Association? a) Participants may not withdraw once they start. b) Participants must be allowed to make an informed decision. c) Participants cannot be subjected to shock of any kind. d) Participants cannot be deceived about aspects of the research.

b) Participants must be allowed to make an informed decision.

19. Why do many reflexes, such as pulling your hand away from a hot iron, happen so quickly? a) They involve the neurotransmitter GABA rather than dopamine. b) The message involved does not have to go all the way to the brain. c) The speed of processing is faster in the frontal lobes than in the occipital lobes. d) The path that reflexes follow to the brain is direct and does not involve any neurotransmitters.

b) The message involved does not have to go all the way to the brain.

22. ____________ is a system used for reducing bias and error in the measurement of data. a) Statistics b) The scientific method c) Checks and balances d) The double-blind method

b) The scientific method

27. A detailed description of a particular individual being studied or treated is called ______________. a) a representative sample b) a case study c) a single-blind study d) a naturalistic observation

b) a case study

28. A group of randomly selected subjects for a study that matches the population in terms of important characteristics such as age and sex is called __________. a) volunteer bias b) a representative sample c) the experimental group d) the control group

b) a representative sample

17. GABA functions as_________. a) the major neurotransmitter involved in voluntary movements b) an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain c) the neurotransmitter responsible for slowing intestinal activity during stress d) the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain

b) an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain

21. The subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that consists of nerves that control all of the involuntary muscles, organs, and glands is called the _________ nervous system. a) somatic b) autonomic c) sympathetic d) parasympathetic

b) autonomic

23. Hormones are___________. a) the female gonads b) chemicals released into the bloodstream by the endocrine glands c) chemicals found in the synaptic vesicles, which when released have an effect on the next cell d) the male gonads

b) chemicals released into the bloodstream by the endocrine glands

17. In the early part of the past century, psychologists who broke down thought processes into their basic elements and analyzed them were called structuralists. What term might we use to describe psychologists with similar interests today? a) Gestalt b) cognitive c) behavioral d) humanistic

b) cognitive

9. The early perspective called Gestalt psychology has evolved into the current perspective called ____________. a) psychoanalysis b) cognitive psychology c) behavioral psychology d) social psychology

b) cognitive psychology

5. The school of psychology called structuralism used a technique called _________, which involved reporting the contents of consciousness to study a person's experiences. a) intervention b) introspection c) insight inventory d) induction

b) introspection

18. If you are interested in how patterns, beliefs, and customs influence behavior, you are interested in the __________ perspective. a) behavioral b) sociocultural c) psychodynamic d) cognitive

b) sociocultural

22. The autonomic nervous system has two divisions called the __________ and the ____________. a) central; peripheral b) sympathetic; parasympathetic c) receptors; effectors d) limbic; endocrine

b) sympathetic; parasympathetic

14. The fluid-filled space between the synaptic knob of one cell and the dendrites of the next cell is called the ___________. a) receptor site b) synapse c) synaptic knob d) axon terminal

b) synapse

15. Which pair of scientists shared the most similar views of behavior? a) William James and Wilhelm Wundt b) B. F. Skinner and Max Wertheimer c) B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson d) Carl Rogers and Edward Titchener

c) B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson

7. How our minds help us adapt to the world around us was a primary question addressed by which early movement of psychology a) Behaviorism b) Cognitivism c) Functionalism d) Structuralism

c) Functionalism

8. Which noted African American psychologist held posts as president of Shaw University in North Carolina and then as president of Virginia State College? a) Charles Henry Thompson b) Howard Hale Long c) Robert Prentiss Daniel d) Albert Sidney Beckham

c) Robert Prentiss Daniel

13. Which founding contributors to psychology helped develop behaviorism? a) Gestalt and Wundt b) Freud and Watson c) Watson and Pavlov d) Pavlov and Wundt

c) Watson and Pavlov

4. In 1879, in Leipzig, Germany, the first psychological laboratory was developed by ______________. a) William James b) William Tell c) Wilhelm Wundt d) Sigmund Freud

c) Wilhelm Wundt

10. When the electric potential in a cell is in action versus a resting state, this electrical charge reversal is known as the __________. a) resting potential b) excitation reaction c) action potential d) permeable reaction

c) action potential

23. Sally proposes the idea that one's sexual history prior to marriage may be linked to whether one ends up getting divorced. This best represents which step of the scientific method? a) testing the hypothesis b) observing events c) forming a hypothesis d) formulating a theory

c) forming a hypothesis

8. The charge that a neuron at rest maintains is due to the presence of a high number of _________ charged ions inside the neuron's membrane. a) actively b) passively c) negatively d) positively

c) negatively

3. Psychologists who give potential employees tests that determine the kinds of jobs at which those employees might perform best are interested in the goal of _____________. a) description b) explanation c) prediction d) control

c) prediction

9. When a cell is "at rest," it is in a state called the __________. a) stopping point b) obcipitation junction c) resting potential d) action potential

c) resting potential

18. Neurons that carry information from the senses to the spinal cord are called ___________. a) motor neurons b) interneurons c) sensory neurons d) reflexes

c) sensory neurons

13. The saclike structures found inside the synaptic knob containing chemicals are called__________. a) axon terminals b) synapses c) synaptic vesicles d) receptor sites

c) synaptic vesicles

35. The placebo effect means ____________. a) all conditions in an experiment are the same b) that there is no control group c) the expectations of the participants influence their behavior d) experimenter bias causes the subjects to act strangely

c) the expectations of the participants influence their behavior

1. Which of these is the most accurate definition of the discipline of psychology? a) the scientific study of behavior b) the scientific study of mental processes c) the scientific study of behavior and mental processes d) the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes

c) the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

10. What did Sigmund Freud consider as the key to understanding the nervous disorders he observed? a) free will b) brain physiology c) the unconscious mind d) external conséquences

c) the unconscious mind

6. Glial cells make up __________ of the brain's cells. a) 10 percent b) 70 percent c) 80 percent d) 90 percent

d) 90 percent

29. Which of the following is an advantage of using the survey method of research? a) People's memories are usually accurate. b) People may respond with inaccurate answers so they do not offend the interviewer. c) The wording of the questions are never biased toward a desired answer. d) Surveys can obtain a large number of data from subjects.

d) Surveys can obtain a large number of data from subjects.

30. A(n) _________ is a measure of how strongly two variables are related to one another. a) independent variable b) dependent variable c) experimental effect d) correlation

d) correlation

2. The goals of psychology are to ___________. a) explore the conscious and unconscious functions of the human mind b) understand, compare, and analyze human behavior c) improve psychological well-being in all individuals from birth until death d) describe, explain, predict, and control behavior

d) describe, explain, predict, and control behavior

16. Because they have similar chemical structures, morphine and other opiates are able to lock into receptor sites for __________. a) GABA b) serotonin c) dopamine d) endorphins

d) endorphins

20. Dr. Jones probably agrees with the ________ theory of psychology, since he contends that humans are an intelligent species due to the fact that intelligence gives us an advantage in the natural world. a) psychoanalytic b) behavioral c) cognitive d) evolutionary

d) evolutionary

15. After being bitten by a black widow spider, Jean starts to convulse. This is a result of _____. a) lack of GABA being released into her blood stream b) resurgence of neurotransmitters overstimulating her brain stem c) surge of chemicals blocking the transmission of fluids to the spinal cord d) flood of acetylcholine releasing into the body's muscle system

d) flood of acetylcholine releasing into the body's muscle system

32. The administration of Midwest State University wants to know if arrangement of chairs affects student participation in classrooms. What would be a good operational definition of the dependent variable in an experiment designed to measure this relationship? a) class size: under 50 or over 50 b) number of students enrolled in each class c) chair arrangement: theater style or circular d) frequency with which students ask questions

d) frequency with which students ask questions

31. Which of the following pairs of variables shows a positive correlation? a) age and amount of wisdom b) adult shoe size and IQ scores. c) number of guns sold and crime rate d) hours spent watching TV and grade-point average

d) hours spent watching TV and grade-point average

16. Self-actualization was part of which of the following perspectives? a) behaviorism b) cognitive perspective c) functionalism d) humanism

d) humanism

33. A variable that the experimenter manipulates is called a(n) _____________. a) coefficient of correlation b) dependent variable c) control condition d) independent variable

d) independent variable

26. In preparation for his master's thesis, Tan spends some time in the local mall observing the behavior of shoppers. His notes reveal a tendency for people to smile when someone, even a stranger, smiles at them. Later in the semester, he designs a questionnaire that asks questions of participants concerning their typical reactions when someone smiles. He wonders if the face of a person who smiles has any influence on returned smiles, so he designs a study to answer this question. Which of the following lists in order, from first to last, the research methods Tan has used? a) experiment, case study, survey b) case study, survey, experiment c) correlation, case study, experiment d) naturalistic observation, survey, experiment

d) naturalistic observation, survey, experiment

12. Which treatment approach did Sigmund Freud develop for treating his patients? a) drug therapy b) neuropsychology c) clinical psychology d) psychoanalysis

d) psychoanalysis

4. The part of a neuron that contains the nucleus and keeps the entire cell alive and functioning is the __________. a) axon b) cell membrane c) dendrite d) soma

d) soma