Test 6

Maria was never afraid of spiders until a spider bit her when she was eight. Today, even the sight of a plastic spider upsets her. Which of the following learning processes best explains Maria's fear of spiders? A. Classical conditioning B. Operant conditioning C. Discrimination D. Observational learning E. Scaffolding

A. Classical conditioning

Which of the following psychoactive drugs increases nervous system activity (an agonist)? A. Cocaine B. Alcohol C. Morphine D. A barbiturate E. Heroin

A. Cocaine

Mary checks her phone every 30 minutes for incoming text messages (sounds like addiction). Her behavior is being maintained by what kind of reinforcement schedule? A. Fixed-interval B. Variable-interval C. Variable-ratio D. Fixed-ratio E. Continuous

A. Fixed-interval

In adult humans, which of the following is typically true of REM sleep? A. It is correlated with dreaming B. It leads to marked increase in muscle tone C. It alternates with NREM sleep in 30 minute cycles D. It occurs during the first half of an individual's sleep cycle E. It involves decreased blood pressure and heart rate

A. It is correlated with dreaming

In the first part of an experiment, one group of rats received reinforcement after correctly navigating a maze. A second group received no reinforcement after wandering around the maze. In the next part, both groups received reinforcement after navigating the maze. Despite not receiving reinforcement at the beginning of the experiment, the second group performed as well as the first. The learning that occurred in the second group in the absence of reinforcement is called: A. Latent learning B. extinction C. Partial reinforcement D. Observational learning E. Classical conditioning

A. Latent learning

Caffeine and nicotine are in the same class as which of the following drugs? A. Marijuana B. Valium C. Cocaine D. Alcohol E. Peyote

C. Cocaine

In the figure above, where do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have their initial effect? A. A B. B C. C D. D E. E

C. C

Incentive theories of motivation explain the desire of people to achieve goals in terms of? A. Maintenance of psychological equilibrium B. Internal states of tension that need to be resolved C. External stimuli that have the capacity to affect behavior D. Tendencies that strike a balance between biological and social needs E. Resolution of cognitive dissonance

C. External stimuli that have the capacity to affect behavior

A particular group of brain cells seems to provide a basis for observational learning. Researchers call these specialized cells: A. Efferent neurons B. Afferent neurons C. Mirror neurons D. Motor neurons E. Schwann cells

C. Mirror neurons

To stop his uncle's constant requests, Jimmy takes out the garbage. This makes him more likely to take out the garbage in the future. Jimmy's behavior is being controlled by which of the following types of reinforcement? A. Intermittent B. Positive C. Negative D. Vicarious E. Delayed

C. Negative

Metabolic activity in different areas of the brain can best be visualized by means of: A. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) B. Computed Tomography (CT) C. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) D. Electroencephalography (EEG) E. Electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB)

C. Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

The first time four-year-old Savannah attempted to make her bed, her father praised her for covering the pillow with a blanket. After a few times, her father began praising Savannah for covering the pillow and tucking in the corners of the sheet. Finally, Savannah's father praised her when she covered the pillow, tucked in the corners of the sheet, and smoothed the blanket. The process described in this scenario is known as: A. Negative reinforcement B. Spontaneous recovery C. Shaping D. Latent learning E. Implicit learning

C. Shaping

Dylan has difficulty solving a physics problem in class. The next day, he suddenly thinks of a solution to the problem as he is watching a friend play the guitar. The thought process that Dylan experienced is an example of: A. Spontaneous recovery B. Social learning C. Discrimination D. Latent learning E. Insight learning

E. Insight learning

Kelly, a first-year student at a local university, is surprised at how easily she can locate the building and classroom for each of her classes on the first day of school. Kelly attributes her success to the campus tour she took the previous spring. Which of the following concepts best supports Kelly's belief? A. Modeling B. Spontaneous recovery C. Classical conditioning D. Stimulus generalization E. Latent learning

E. Latent learning

According to social learning theory, aggression is a result of: A. The death instinct B. Postconventional thought C. Catharsis D. Displacement E. Modeling

E. Modeling

Which of the following answers provides an explanation for the data below? A. Operant Conditioning B. Classical conditioning C. Prepared conditioning D. Self actualization E. Observational learning

E. Observational learning

Ben normally sleeps from 10pm to 7 am. in which of the following time periods would he experience the LEAST amount of REM sleep?A. 10PM to 11PM B. 12AM to 1AM C. 1AM to 2AM D. 3AM to 4AM E. 6AM to 7AM

A. 10PM to 11PM

The ability of the human visual system to barley detect a candle flame at a distance of about 30 miles on a clear, dark night is an example of: A. An absolute threshold B. A difference threshold C. A just noticeable difference D. Weber's Law E. Fechner's Law

A. An absolute threshold

One-year-old Marcus turns away in disgust if a bitter substance is placed on his tongue. The reason for such a reaction is most likely A. An inborn distaste for bitter that protects us from potential poisons B. An inherited familial characteristic C. An example of imitation of behavior modeled by other family members D. A classically conditioned taste-aversion E. A common, but temporary, aversion to bitter tastes created by cold viruses

A. An inborn distaste for bitter that protects us from potential poisons

When a person is suffering from severe pain, the type of drug that will best alleviate the pain is: A. An opiate B. An amphetamine C. A depressant D. A hallucinogen E. A stimulant

A. An opiate

Although people can acquire phobias to almost any object or situation, certain phobias (e.g. those to snakes/spiders/heights) are much more common than others. This finding can best be explained by which of the following concepts? A. Biological preparedness B. Spontaneous recovery C. Stimulus discrimination D. Stimulus generalization E. Observational learning

A. Biological preparedness

Which of the following psychoactive drugs increases nervous system activity? A. Cocaine B. Alcohol C. Morphine D. A barituate E. Heroin

A. Cocaine

Robert Rescoria's "contingency model" of classical conditioning states that: A. Conditioning occurs only when one event reliably predicts another B. Contiguity (closeness in time/place) of stimuli is sufficient for conditioning to occur and associations to be formed C. Reinforcement can become conditioned (and associated) when paired with an unconditioned stimulus D. Any stimulus can become conditioned (and associated) when paired with an unconditioned stimulus E. The only difference between the conditioned response and the unconditioned response is the stimulus used to elicit them

A. Conditioning occurs only when one event reliably predicts another

Cocaine blocks the reuptake of which neurotransmitter (including high energy)? A. Epinephrine B. Endorphins C. Gamma-aminobutryic acid (GABA) D. Substance P E. Dopamine

A. Epinephrine

In the morning, Jorge watched a cartoon about a sarcastic rabbit. Later, in his psychology class, he viewed the image above and readily identified it as a rabbit instead of a duck. Which of the following best explains this phenomenon? A. Priming B. Habituation C. Conditioned response D. Stimulus generalization E. Discrimination

A. Priming

During the night, Alicia stops breathing repeatedly, frequently gasps for air, and snores loudly at regular intervals. Alicia is most likely suffering from which of the following conditions? A. Sleep apnea B. Narcolepsy C. Insomnia D. Night terrors E. The REM rebound effect

A. Sleep apnea

Edward Thorndike's ''Law of Effect'' states: A. The difference between positive and negative reinforcement B. The behavior maintained by partial reinforcement is more resistant to extinction than behavior maintained by continuous reinforcement C. How shaping can be used to establish operant conditioning D. That rewarded behavior is more likely to happen again E. The limited effectiveness of punishment

A. The difference between positive and negative reinforcement

What characteristic is generally associated with the use of hallucinogens? A. The experience of vivid, distorted images that are not based on sensory input B. Improved memory function C. Decreased pain sensation D. Slower bodily function E. The experience of brief euphoria followed by a depressive state

A. The experience of vivid, distorted images that are not based on sensory input

Children who are consistently praised for receiving high grades in school will likely continue to work for high grades. Using an operant conditioning explanation of this phenomenon, which of the following is true? A. The praise functions as a positive reinforcer B. The praise functions as generalized stimuli C. The grades function as the stimulus that elicits a response D. The grades of function as discriminant stimuli E. The school functions as a negative reinforcer

A. The praise functions as a positive reinforcer

Which of the following is true of individuals who experience severe withdrawal symptoms when they abruptly stop using a drug they have been taking for a long time? A. They are physically dependent B. They are tolerant of the withdrawal effects C. They are in a state of reverse tolerance D. They are experiencing disinhibition E. They are demonstrating projective identification

A. They are physically dependent

In classical conditioning, stimulus generalization occurs when an organism responds: A. To a stimuli that are similar to the CS B. To stimuli that are similar to the UCS C. To the CS the same way as to the UCS D. With different types of responses to neutral stimuli E. With different types of responses to UCS

A. To a stimuli that are similar to the CS

Which of the following would a social learning theorist be most likely to propose as a cause for a fear of flying? A. A person has maladaptive thoughts about the safety of planes B. A person observed someone else's fear of flying C. A person had been negatively reinforced for flying on a plane D. The fear was passed on from parents genetically E. The fear is related to childhood trauma

B. A person observed someone else's fear of flying

The school psychologist observes Johnny in class, nothing the number of times he disrupts the class on a particular day. The school psychologist then instructs the teacher to ignore Johnny when he misbehaves and to praise him when he is good. This method of handling Johnny is an example of which perspective? A. Cognitive B. Behavioral C. Humanistic D. Psychodynamic E. Biological

B. Behavioral

Money most often modifies people's behavior because it is a powerful: A. Secondary reinforcer B. Conditioned stimulus C. High-order stimulus D. Discriminative stimulus

B. Conditioned stimulus

Which neurotransmitter do opiates affect? A. Serotonin B. Endorphins C. Dopamine D. GABA E. Acetycholine

B. Endorphins

BF Skinner's claims that environment shapes an individual's behavior was criticized for: A. Failing to explain how personality can change over time B. Failing to acknowledge cognitive influences on behavior C. Failing to acknowledge situational factors D. Attributing behavior solely to genetics E. Emphasizing unconscious influences on behavior

B. Failing to acknowledge cognitive influences on behavior

The reversible figure to the left illustrates the Gestalt principle of: A. Proximity B. Figure-ground C. Closure D. Common fate E. Simplicity

B. Figure-ground

The ability to see a cube in the diagram above is best explained by which of the following? A. The resting potential of neurons in the optic nerve B. Gestalt principles of closure and continuity C. The inverted and reserved image that a visual stimulus produces on the retina D. The opponent process theory of vision E. The trichromatic theory of vision

B. Gestalt principles of closure and continuity

Agonists are psychoactive drugs that? A. Produce tolerance to the drug without associated withdrawal symptoms B. Mimic and produce the same effect as certain neurotransmitters C. Mimic neurotransmitters and block their receptor sites D. Enhance the effects of certain opiates like heroin E. Make recovery from physical addition more difficult

B. Mimic and produce the same effect as certain neurotransmitters

Rafael has a sleep disorder for which he takes medically prescribed amphetamines. For which of the following sleep disorders is Rafael most likely being treated? A. Sleep apnea B. Narcolepsy C. Insomnia D. Circadian rhythm sleep disorder E. Somnambulism

B. Narcolepsy

After constant exposure to a stimulus, our nerve cells fire less frequently. This can be explained by which of the following? A. Weber's law B. Sensory adaptation C. Signal detection D. Absolute threshold sensitivity E. The phi phenomenon

B. Sensory adaptation

Raul wants to teach his daughter Sonia to tie her shoes. First he praises her when she manipulates her shoelaces in any way. Then he praises her when she makes a simple knot. Once she does that consistently, he praises her only when she makes the knot and a loop. He continues the pattern until she can do all the steps required to tie her shoes. Raul's actions are an example of which of the following techniques? A. Modeling B. Shaping C. Rehearsal D. Classical conditioning E. Negative reinforcement

B. Shaping

Jeff always tells his children not to use bad language when something does not go the way they want. Unfortunately, Jeff uses bad language occasionally and his children have observed him do so. Now Jeff's children use bad language. This can be explained by: A. Learned helplessness B. Social learning theory C. Representativeness D. Classical conditioning E. Self-efficacy

B. Social learning theory

Researchers paired rats' drinking of saccharin-sweetened water with injections of a drug that weakened the immune system. After repeated pairings, sweetened water triggered the rats' immune systems to break down. What was the conditioned stimulus in the study? A. The drug B. Sweetened water C. The immune system weakening in response to the drug D. The immune system weakening in response to the water E. The immune system getting stronger

B. Sweetened water

In high school, it did not seem to make a difference how much Clive studied Spanish; he always earned poor grades. Now that Clive is in college, he is required to take Spanish again. According to the concept of learned helplessness, which of the following statements can be most expected from Clive as he starts the new Spanish class? A. "Spanish is a difficult subject that I am very poor at." B. "I sure hope that my Spanish professor is better than my high school Spanish teacher." C. "Why study? There isn't anything I can do to improve my Spanish skills." D. "If I spend more time studying, I'm sure I'll do better than in high school." E. "I need to find a good tutor to help me learn Spanish; I can't learn it on my own."

C. "Why study? There isn't anything I can do to improve my Spanish skills."

Which of the following would help show which stimuli an organism can distinguish between? A. Negative reinforcement B. A variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement C. A fixed-ration schedule of reinforcement D. Extinction E. A discriminative stimulus

C. A fixed-ration schedule of reinforcement

In the context of this unit, the term ''tolerance'' refers to: A. Treatment of psychoactive drug addicts by peers and other members of society B. The amount of sleep a person needs to function normally C. The need for an elevated dose of a drug in order to get the same effect D. The ''labeling of others'' automatically produced by a level of our consciousness E. The harmful side effects of psychoactive drugs

C. The need for an elevated dose of a drug in order to get the same effect

Keisha recently lost the sight in her left eye. In which of the following situations would Keisha NOT be able to judge depth? A. Looking down a railroad track as it disappears into the distance B. Looking out a train window at passing scenery C. Throwing a ball to a friend D. Watching two people approach from different distances E. Watching a crowd of children play in the yard

C. Throwing a ball to a friend

The biological clock that operates in human beings to adjust their functioning to night-and-day periodicity is referred to as: A. Spontaneous neural activity B. The biofeedback monitor C. A fixed interval schedule D. A circadian rhythm E. Active consciousness

D. A circadian rhythm

A cancer patient becomes nauseated following chemotherapy treatments. After a few treatments, the patient begins having a sick feeling whenever he begins having a sick feeling whenever entering the treatment room. The room has become? A. A primary reinforcer B. A conditioned reinforcer C. A neutral stimulus D. A conditioned stimulus E. An unconditioned stimulus

D. A conditioned stimulus

Token economies are based on which major Psychological theoretical perspective? A. Psychodynamic B. Humanistic C. Cognitive D. Behavioral E. Gestalt

D. Behavioral

Fluoxetine (Prozac) has been shown to reduce depression primarily by: A. Blocking receptor sites and decreasing the levels of dopamine B. Blocking the activity of monoamine oxidase in the brain C. Blocking receptor sites and decreasing the level of serotonin in the synapses D. Blocking reuptake and increasing level of serotonin in the synapses E. Mimicking the neurotransmitters in receptor sites and thereby increasing the level of acetylcholine in the brain

D. Blocking reuptake and increasing level of serotonin in the synapses

When a conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus, a resulting decrease in the conditioned response is called: A. Acquisition B. Incremental learning C. Discrimination D. Extinction E. generalization

D. Extinction

Visual acuity is best in the: A. Lens B. Iris C. Pupil D. Fovea E. Cornea

D. Fovea

It can be assumed that an individual described as a supertaster: A. Is a man B. Represents a majority of the US population C. Has a low density of tastebuds on the tongue D. Is very sensitive to hot peppers E. Learned to be a supertaster from others

D. Is very sensitive to hot peppers

In a normal distribution, which of the following statements is true about the area that falls between one standard deviation above and one standard deviation below the mean? A. It contains the bottom 50% of the distribution B. It contains the middle 50% of the distribution C. It contains the bottom 68% of the distribution D. It contains the middle 68% of the distribution E. It is the same as the square of the average deviation

D. It contains the middle 68% of the distribution

The results of Stanley Milgram's studies on obedience suggested that: A. Obedient people can't empathize w/others B. Most people resist social coercion C. Most people will not physically harm others even when ordered to D. Most people will obey perceived authority figures' instructions to harm others E. People usually obey their consciences when allowed to decide or follow orders

D. Most people will obey perceived authority figures' instructions to harm others

Which of the following is required for a psychological experiment? A. More than one independent variable B. Sophisticated equipment C. Highly generalizable results D. Precise operation definitions E. A longitudinal design

D. Precise operation definitions

As a result of being hypnotized, an individual may NOT feel the hypnotist touching her arm because of: A. synesthesia B. psychosis C. paralysis D. suggestibility E. locus of control

D. suggestibility

Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system results in which of the following? A. An increase in pupil dilation B. An increase in respiratory rate C. A decrease in digestion D. A decrease in salvation E. A decrease in heart rate

E. A decrease in heart rate

Which of the following is an example of discrimination learning? A. A pigeon trained to peck a red key, sometimes pecks orange keys B. A youngster calls her aunt, "Mommy" C. A dog still salivates to the sound of a bell after ten trials of extinction D. A rat avoids an electric shock by responding to the preceding light-flash E. A dog trained to salivate to a particular tone does not salivate to any other tone

E. A dog trained to salivate to a particular tone does not salivate to any other tone

Which of the following two sleep disorders occur most commonly? A. Insomnia and narcolepsy B. Apnea and narcolepsy C. Night terrors and apnea D. Somnambulism and insomnia E. Apnea and insomnia

E. Apnea and insomnia

Thomas gained a lot of weight because he was eating too many sweets. A psychologist suggested to Thomas that he pair the pleasant taste of sweets with the taste of something he finds unpleasant. so, Thomas put broccoli, which he hates, in his ice cream, cake, and pie. he now feels nauseated at the sight of dessert and avoids eating it. This technique is known as: A. flooding B. A token economy C. Client-centered therapy D. Systematic desensitization E. Aversion therapy

E. Aversion therapy

A rat always completes a maze successfully but is only rewarded every third trial. The rat is being rewarded using which of the following reinforcement schedules? A. Fixed-interval B. Fixed-ratio C. Variable-ratio D. Variable interval E. Continuous

E. Continuous

In the figure above, where does the neurotransmitter dopamine have its effect? A. A B. B C. C D. D E. E

E. E

The perceived pitch (hertz) of a tone is largely determined by its: A. Loudness B. Timbre C. Amplitude D. Complexity E. Frequency

E. Frequency

Tina's mother often entertains Tina by bouncing a bunny puppet back and forth along the side of Tina's crib. Initially, Tina pays close attention to the puppet but after a while, she begins to ignore it and continues doing what she was doing before the puppet appeared. Which of the following psychological concepts best explains Tina's change in behavior? A. Attachment B. Discrimination C. Maturation D. Accommodation E. Habituation

E. Habituation

Which of the following kinds of learning is involved when a person displays a new behavior after watching someone else preform it? A. Generalization B. Latent learning C. Insight learning D. State-dependent learning E. Observational learning

E. Observational learning

Rosa has a cold and cannot taste the flavor in her pizza. Which of the following terms describes her inability to taste? A. Vestibular sense B. Just-noticeable difference C. Feature analysis D. Optic chiasm E. Sensory interaction

E. Sensory interaction

A patient reports constant sleepiness in their day to day life. A series of tests reveal that the patient's sleep is frequently disrupted by periods of interrupted breathing and awakening. Which of the following diagnoses would account for such symptoms? A. Somnambulism B. Sleep terrors C. Narcolepsy D. REM behavior disorder E. Sleep apnea

E. Sleep apnea

Which of the following is an explanation of why travelers suffer from jet lag? A. They experience increased REM rebounds B. There is a decrease in the duration of alpha waves in sleep C. They experience excess amounts of NREM sleep D. There is a reduction in parasomnias E. There is a disruption between their internal circadian rhythm and outer observation of daylight

E. There is a disruption between their internal circadian rhythm and outer observation of daylight

One of the difficulties in studying hypnosis experimentally is that: A. It is more difficult to hypnotize people in a lab than in a familiar setting B. Hypnotized people act so differently from non hypnotized people that it is hard to create a control group C. People who are hypnotized are typically sluggish and will not engage in a wide variety of behaviors D. Hypnosis requires illicit drugs E. There is no reliable way to determine if a person is hypnotized

E. There is no reliable way to determine if a person is hypnotized