Psychology Chapter's 1, 2, 3
A group of participants that is exposed to the independent variable is called a(n) ____. a. experimental group b. non-experimental group c. control group d. random group
a
A researcher adhering to the psychodynamic perspective would likely believe that depression a. represents anger turned inward. b. stems from a sense of purposelessness. c. can be treated through changes in reinforcement patterns. d. is influenced by genetic factors. e. is more common among certain groups because of social stresses more prevalent in those groups.
a
After a car accident, Brandon lost some of his visual abilities. Based on this description of his injuries, which portion of Brandon's cerebral cortex was probably damaged in the accident? a. Occipital lobe b. Parietal lobe c. Somatosensory lobe d. Frontal lobe e. Temporal lobe
a
Ajit is a graduate student in psychology who is conducting research on the effectiveness of two types of therapy in the treatment of phobias. Ajit is at the stage where he uses statistics to analyze the data he has collected in order to determine if his initial hypothesis is supported by the research. At which stage of the scientific method is Ajit working? a. Drawing conclusions b. Forming a hypothesis c. Gathering evidence d. Developing a research question e. Replicating results
a
Chemicals produced in the brain that have many of the same properties as morphine are called ____. a. endorphins b. endocrines c. estrogens d. opsins
a
Dr. Mingus keeps a very detailed record of a series of interviews with an individual who is suffering from a rare brain disorder. This is an example of which research method? a. Case study b. Survey c. Correlational d. Naturalistic observation e. Experiment
a
Dr. Wilmington is a social psychologist who studies the topic of love. He goes to a variety of places where couples are found and watches how they interact with each other. Which research method is Dr. Wilmington using for his study? a. Naturalistic observation b. Survey c. Experiment d. Case study e. Correlational
a
Humanistic psychologists stress all of the following EXCEPT a. unconscious forces. b. self-awareness and free will. c. being true to oneself. d. individuals' abilities to make meaning and purpose in their lives. e. becoming an authentic person.
a
In an experimental study on the effects of sleep deprivation on depression, the number of hours that a participant stays awake is represented by the ____. a. independent variable b. control variable c. dependent variable d. random variable
a
In the process of sensation, the sensory receptors a. transform sensory signals into neural signals. b. make sense of external stimulation. c. form meaningful representations of sensory information. d. assemble information from various sensory organs into meaningful patterns. e. interpret the meaning of sensory data.
a
In the psychodynamic view, the _____ is an area of the mind that lies beyond the reach of ordinary consciousness. a. unconscious b. conscience c. personal conscious d. subconscious e. preconscious
a
Of the following hormones, which can we describe as most likely to be related to aggressive behavior? a. testosterone b. melatonin c. progesterone d. insulin e. estrogen
a
Split-brain patients are the result of an operation that severs the a. corpus callosum. b. cerebral cortex. c. cerebellum. d. cerebrum. e. reticular formation.
a
The fundamental building block of the nervous system is the ________. a. neuron b. nerve c. spinal cord d. pituitary gland e. brain
a
The process of sensation enables us to _________, while the process of perception enables us to _________. a. detect the world around us; make sense of the world around us b. convert external stimulation into neural signals; transform sensory signals into sensations c. make sense of the world around us; detect the world around us d. form meaningful representations of sensory information; experience the rich tapestry of colors and sounds e. transform sensory signals into sensations; convert external stimulation into neural signals
a
Wanda makes an educated, precisely worded guess about the behavior of her friends in a specific situation. In other words, she is ____. a. making a hypothesis b. identifying a moral principle c. creating a theory d. manipulating variables
a
Which hormone is involved in regulating blood sugar levels? a. insulin b. noradrenaline c. adrenaline d. glucose e. oxytocin
a
Which of the following best describes a synapse? a. A tiny gap separating one neuron from another through which messages are carried b. Rootlike structures that receive neural impulses from other neurons c. Body organs or structures that produce secretions d. A bundle of axons from different neurons that transmit nerve impulses e. The tubelike part of a neuron that carries messages to other neurons
a
Wundt is to ______ as James is to ______. a. structuralism; functionalism b. functionalism; psychoanalysis c. behaviorism; Gestalt d. behaviorism; functionalism e. structuralism; Gestalt
a
Your psychology professor asks a student volunteer to concentrate on eating an apple and then describe the individual elements of that experience. Your professor is demonstrating the technique of _______, which is a technique used by investigators of ________. a. introspection; structuralism b. introspection; humanism c. introspection; Gestalt d. stream of consciousness; functionalism e. stream of consciousness; structuralism
a
Regarding light and vision, which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Of the colors, red has the shortest wavelength. b. The visible spectrum that humans perceive represents only a small portion of the full spectrum of "light." c. X-rays, ultraviolet waves, and radio waves are portions of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum that humans cannot "see." d. Light is physical energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation. e. Human vision perceives wavelengths of light between approximately 300 and 750 nanometers.
a
The study of events that cannot be explained by known psychological, physical, or biological mechanisms is referred to as a. parapsychology. b. telepathy. c. precognitive psychology. d. clairvoyance. e. psychophysics.
a
A factor that varies in an experiment is called a a. hypothesis. b. variable. c. statistic. d. theory. e. constant.
b
A humanist would give which explanation for aggression? a. Aggression is learned through observing others and through reinforcement. b. Aggression increases when people become frustrated by not being able to meet their goals. c. Aggression results from unconscious impulses. d. Social conditions give rise to drug use that, in turn, causes aggressive behavior. e. Brain abnormalities explain violent behavior in some people.
b
A lesion is a. an electrode that is placed in the brain to record neural activity. b. a portion of the brain that has been purposefully damaged. c. a doughnut-shaped device used to produce an image of the brain. d. an image generated by a PET scan. e. an electrode that is placed in the brain to stimulate neurons.
b
All but which of the following techniques are used for recording and/or imaging the brain? a. computed tomography scanning b. lesioning c. PET scan d. EEG e. MRI
b
As scientists, psychologists have confidence in theories that a. are accepted by the majority of leading scholars. b. are tied to observable evidence c. have stood the test of time. d. do not rely simply on observation. e. reveal the true nature of human behavior.
b
During his first three years of life, Jason has developed many motor skills like crawling, walking, and running that require his muscles to move efficiently and smoothly. In terms of brain function, Jason's motor development is the result of which process? a. Stripping of the nodes of Ranvier b. Development of the myelin sheath c. Regulation of hormones d. Development of action potentials e. Depolarization
b
Hormones released from the ____ gland control the production and release of sex hormones by the ovaries and testes, initiating puberty and maintaining fertility. a. adrenal b. pituitary c. pineal d. thyroid
b
Jack has the most common form of color blindness. What type of color blindness does he have? a. red-yellow b. red-green c. blue-green d. blue-yellow e. blue-red
b
Psychologists believe that irregularities in ______ transmission may help explain symptoms of schizophrenia. a. norepinephrine b. dopamine c. epinephrine d. glutamate e. gamma-amniobutyric acid
b
Psychology made the transition from philosophy to science with which event? a. Titchener brought methods of introspection to the U.S. b. Wundt opened his laboratory in Leipzig. c. William James changed the field's focus from structuralism to functionalism. d. Plato died and interest in the philosophical aspects of psychology died with him. e. G. Stanley Hall founded the American Psychological Association.
b
The ethical code of psychologists is based on all but which of the following ideas? a. People have a basic right to make their own decisions. b. Determination of ultimate truth outweighs individual cost. c. People have a basic right to exercise choice. d. People's dignity and welfare must be respected. e. Research participants or clients must not be harmed.
b
The ethical guideline requiring that information about a research study be disclosed to potential research participants before they participate is referred to as a. prior approval. b. informed consent. c. ethical approval. d. informational disclosure. e. prior consent.
b
The major proponent of behaviorism for much of the 20th century was a. Wertheimer b. Skinner c. James d. Freud e. Watson
b
The minimal difference between two stimuli that people can reliably detect is the a. absolute threshold. b. difference threshold. c. sensitivity threshold. d. Weber's constant. e. perceptual threshold.
b
The two subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system are a. the involuntary and the voluntary nervous systems. b. the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. c. the sympathetic and the somatic nervous systems. d. the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system. e. the somatic nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.
b
Weber's law suggests that a. difference thresholds increase as stimuli decrease. b. difference thresholds are a constant proportion of the original stimulus. c. difference thresholds decrease as stimuli increase. d. difference thresholds are a constant quantity. e. absolute threshold measurements underestimate true perceptual sensitivity.
b
Which of the following describes the pupil? a. Part of the eye that adjusts its shape to view objects at varying distances b. Opening through which light enters the eye c. Part of the eye that contains the photoreceptors d. Structure responsible for peripheral vision e. Transparent covering at the front of the eye
b
Which of the following relationships would most likely have the weakest correlation? a. air temperature and number of air conditioners being used b. number of fingers on a person's hand and intelligence c. a building's height and weight d. amount of snowfall and number of skiers e. a school child's age and vocabulary
b
Which research method involves questioning a group of people? a. laboratory observation b. survey method c. experimental method d. naturalistic observation
b
Regarding vision, which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Bipolar cells connect photoreceptors to ganglion cells. b. The fovea contains both rods and cones. c. Nearsightedness and farsightedness result from abnormalities in the shape of the eye. d. The far ends of the retina contain only rods, no cones. e. The fovea is the part of the retina that corresponds to the center of one's gaze, and it provides the sharpest vision.
b
What does correlation tell us? a. Which variables influence other variables b. The relationship and strength of relationship between two or more variables c. The order in which variables occur d. What causes change in a variable
b
Dr. Spires talks with some students before psychology class begins. Spires says, "I believe that mental experience is best understood as a whole, rather than in terms of its parts." Her students recognize that Spires describes which school of thought? a. Psychodynamic b. Humanism c. Gestalt d. Functionalism e. Structuralism
c
Following brain damage, Takami cannot feel stimulation of her arms. She probably suffered damage to which portion of the brain? a. Occipital lobe b. Frontal lobe c. Parietal lobe d. Temporal lobe
c
In a split-brain research study, what will happen when a pencil is presented in the patient's visual field? a. The patient will be able to pick out the pencil from a group of objects, but not be able to say "pencil" regardless of which visual field the pencil is presented to. b. The patient will be able to say "pencil," but will not be able to pick out pencil from a group of objects regardless of which visual field the pencil is presented to. c. The patient will be able to say "pencil" when the pencil is presented to the right visual field, but not when presented to the left visual field. d. The patient will be able to say "pencil" when the pencil is presented to the left visual field, but not when presented to the right visual field.
c
Repeated exposure to the same stimulus ______ leads to _____ sensitivity in our sensory systems. a. always; no change in b. always; reduced c. sometimes; reduced or no change in d. sometimes; reduced e. sometimes; no change in
c
Shaun holds his finger up in front of his eyes at arm's length and focuses on the image. He slowly moves the finger toward his eyes, focusing his eyes to maintain a single image. As he does this, Shaun experiences muscular tension in his eyes. This is an example of which depth perception cue? a. shadowing b. retinal disparity c. convergence d. relative size e. interposition
c
Some birds must return to roost as darkness approaches. This is because their eyes contain a. too many cones. b. more rods than cones. c. cones, but no rods. d. rods, but no cones. e. too many rods.
c
The behaviorist emphasis on observable events as the focus of inquiry can be traced to which philosopher? a. Confucius b. Plato c. Aristotle d. Rosseau e. Socrates
c
The dependent variable depends upon ____. a. subjects b. the control group c. the independent variable d. selective assignment
c
The fundamental building block of the nervous system is the ____. a. cell body b. axon c. neuron d. soma
c
The process by which we receive, transform, and process stimuli is a. telepathy. b. habituation. c. sensation. d. psychophysics. e. perception.
c
A method of developing knowledge based on the evaluation of evidence from experiments and careful observation is called the ______ approach. a. statistical b. theoretical c. intuitive d. empirical e. eclectic
d
All of the following are components of a neuron EXCEPT the a. axon. b. cell body. c. dendrite. d. medulla. e. soma.
d
All of the following are steps in the scientific method EXCEPT a. drawing conclusions b. generating a research question. c. developing a hypothesis. d. drawing conclusions based on gathering expert opinions. e. gathering evidence.
d
Dr. Fiennes, a psychological researcher, studies the biological bases of memory problems in the elderly using animal research subjects. Fiennes is a(n) ______ psychologist. a. health b. biological c. physiological d. comparative e. environmental
d
In researching a report on John Watson, which of the following search terms would yield the best results? a. Consciousness b. Thinking c. Feeling d. Behavior e. Mind
d
Other factors being equal, which sensory stimulus is least likely to lead to sensory adaptation? a. the intense odors of a cattle farm b. the pressure of wearing a new bracelet on one's wrist c. the pressure of wearing a new ring on one's finger d. the wail of a loud car alarm e. the temperature of water when entering a pool
d
Psychophysics began with the work of which 19th-century German scientist(s)? a. Hermann von Helmholtz and Ewald Hering b. David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel c. Ernst Weber d. Gustav Fechner e. Wilhelm Wundt
d
The "third force" in psychology is more formally known as a. social-cognitive theory. b. the psychodynamic perspective. c. the physiological perspective. d. humanistic psychology. e. evolutionary psychology.
d
The ______ is located just behind the amygdala and can be described as playing an important role in the formation of memories. a. cerebellum b. pons c. hypothalamus d. hippocampus e. thalamus
d
The brain has ______ major parts and they are called the ______. a. 2; sympathetic and parasympathetic regions b. 3; amygdala, hippocampus, and thalamus c. 3; medulla, pons, and cerebellum d. 3; hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain e. 4; frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes
d
The concept of behavior in the definition of psychology incorporates ALL but which of the following? a. dreaming b. thinking c. making yourself a sandwich d. secretion of insulin by the pancreas e. quiet reading
d
The endocrine system is directly involved with ____. a. pleasure and pain b. vision, hearing, and taste c. movement and balance d. arousal, metabolism, growth and sex
d
The founder of behaviorism was a. Freud b. James c. Pavlov d. Watson e. Skinner
d
The ratio of rods to cones is approximately a. 1 to 1. b. 10 to 1. c. 1 to 20. d. 20 to 1. e. 1 to 10.
d
The study of relationships between the characteristics of external stimuli and sensations is called a. parapsychology. b. sensory adaptation. c. perception. d. psychophysics. e. subliminal perception.
d
Which brain structure is best described as a "relay station"? a. Basal ganglia b. Limbic system c. Hypothalamus d. Thalamus e. Cerebellum
d
Which gland is best described as the "master gland"? a. the pineal b. the adrenals c. the thyroid d. the pituitary e. the hypothalamus
d
Which of the following is an example of the autonomic nervous system at work? a. Rachel's foot kicks out when her physician taps her knee. b. Manoj enjoys listening to bird songs early in the morning. c. Peter struggles to scratch an itch in the middle of his back. d. Gina salivates at the smell of fresh bread baking in her grandmother's kitchen.
d
Which of the following pioneers of psychology was a therapist? a. Skinner b. James c. Watson d. Freud e. Wundt
d
Which subspecialty represents the largest group of psychologists? a. Experimental b. Industrial/organizational c. School d. Clinical e. Counseling
d
Which technique can best be described as taking snapshots of the brain in action? a. computed tomography b. electroencephalography c. CT scan d. functional magnetic resonance imaging e. magnetic resonance imagery
d
You see a vicious-looking squirrel getting ready to attack you. What specific part of the nervous system would be activated to prepare you for this fight-or-flight response? a. Central b. Parasympathetic c. Somatic d. Sympathetic
d
A school psychologist would be most likely to a. make suggestions as to how managers could improve employee morale. b. study how groups affect individuals. c. investigate the relationship between childhood obesity and self-esteem. d. help teachers develop new instructional techniques. e. evaluate a student for placement in a special education program.
e
All of the following senses are routed through the thalamus EXCEPT a. taste. b. touch. c. hearing. d. vision. e. smell.
e
Dr. Schultze conducts research on the effects of a new drug on obsessive-compulsive disorder. In his study, neither Schultze nor the participants knows who is receiving the active drug and who is receiving the placebo. This example describes a. random sampling. b. a single-blind study. c. a social desirability bias. d. a control factor. e. a double-blind study.
e
During the past hour, nine-month-old Heather has engaged in each of the following actions. Which action was NOT controlled by her medulla? a. She swallowed formula from her bottle. b. Developing allergies caused her to sneeze. c. She had an accelerated heart beat when her older brother frightened her. d. She coughed after breathing in some dust particles. e. Wind caused her mobile to move, and she smiled
e
In a study of the effects of various brands of ice cream on weight gain, the type of ice cream consumed represents the a. random variable. b. dependent variable. c. placebo. d. control variable. e. independent variable
e
Scientists use the term ______ to describe the division of functions between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. a. plasticity b. handedness c. all-or-none principle d. split-brain e. lateralization
e
Sebastian's eyeball is shorter than normal. Light from nearby objects is focused behind his retina instead of on his retina. What condition does Sebastian have? a. Nearsightedness b. Monochromatic color blindness c. Red-green color blindness d. Blindness e. Farsightedness
e
The idea that the threshold for sensing a stimulus depends not only on the properties of the stimulus itself but on the level of background stimulation, as well as characteristics of the perceiver, is explained by a. opponent-process theory. b. Weber's Law. c. sensory adaptation. d. the volley principle. e. signal-detection theory.
e
The smallest amount of a stimulus that a person can reliably detect is called a. just-noticeable difference. b. difference threshold. c. perceptual constancy. d. Weber's constant. e. absolute threshold.
e
The use of the survey method is limited by which types of biases? a. random sampling bias and population bias b. survey bias and volunteer bias c. case study bias and observational bias d. method bias and population bias e. social desirability bias and volunteer bias
e
Trichromatic theory suggests that a. the retina has two types of color receptors that respond in a different manner for each color. b. the retina has one type of color receptor that responds differently to each color. c. color results from opposing processes involving three sets of color receptors: red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white. d. the process of color vision differs in men and women because of sex-linked genetic defects on the Y chromosome. e. the retina has three types of color receptors—red, green, and blue-violet.
e
Which brain structure is described as the connection between the two cerebral hemispheres? a. cerebrum b. hippocampus c. brain stem d. basal ganglia e. corpus callosum
e
Which of the following DOES NOT describe functions of the autonomic nervous system? a. It regulates involuntary bodily processes. b. It operates without conscious direction. c. It consists of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. d. It regulates respiration. e. It transmits messages between the central nervous system and sensory organs and muscles.
e
Which of the following is the best definition of genotype? a. a trait influenced by multiple genes interacting in complex ways b. basic unit of heredity that contains a person's genetic code c. observable physical and behavioral characteristics d. structures in a cell's nucleus that house a person's genes e. an organism's genetic code
e
Which of the following is the most complete definition of psychology? a. The science of behavior. b. The science of mental processes. c. The science of observable behavior and thoughts. d. The art of behavior and mental processes. e. The science of behavior and mental processes.
e
Which of the following neurotransmitters prevents neurons from overly exciting adjacent nerve cells? a. Glutamate b. Norepinephrine c. Dopamine d. Serotonin e. Gamma-amniobutyric acid (GABA)
e
Which part of the brain controls balance and coordination? a. cerebrum b. pons c. medulla d. thalamus e. cerebellum
e
Which portion of the central nervous system serves as the link between the brain and the peripheral nervous system? a. The midbrain b. The hindbrain c. The lower brain d. The forebrain e. The spinal cord
e
Your anatomy professor states that today's lecture will be about the central nervous system. Which parts of the body do you expect to learn about? a. the brain b. the spinal cord c. the brain, spinal cord, and the sensory organs d. the brain, spinal cord, and all other nerves e. the brain and spinal cord
e
A foreign object has entered Kiara's eye, leaving a scratch. The part of Kiara's eye that is affected is her a. iris. b. lens. c. fovea. d. pupil. e. cornea.
e
According to signal detection theory, the threshold for detecting a signal depends on a. the amount and type of background noise. b. both the properties of the stimulus and the amount and type of background noise. c. the biological and psychological characteristics of the perceiver. d. the properties of the stimulus, like its intensity. e. the properties of the stimulus, background noise, and biological and psychological characteristics of the perceiver.
e
The perception of stimuli that are presented below the threshold of conscious awareness is called a. extrasensory perception. b. clairvoyance. c. precognition. d. telepathy. e. subliminal perception.
e
A statistical measure of the association between two variables is called a(n) a. control variable. b. dependent variable. c. correlation coefficient. d. independent variable. e. placebo.
c
Chemical messengers that transport nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another are called a. hormones. b. synapses. c. neurotransmitters. d. glials. e. interneurons.
c
