Question 1. Your textbook defines psychology as which of the following?

a) The science of behavior

b) The study of mental processes

c) The study of mental disorders and their treatment

d) The science of mind and behavior

Question 2. One morning, Alan wakes to the news that a powerful earthquake occurred in California. "I told you the big one would hit this year!" he exclaims. Alan appears subject to the _____ bias.

a) cognitive

b) hindsight

c) predictive

d) foresight

Question 3. Dr. Harris is describing the assumptions, rules, and procedures that psychologists use to gather observations. Dr. Harris is outlining the _____ method.

a) deductive

b) psychological

c) rational

d) scientific

Question 4. Andrea is reading a general, comprehensive explanation of the causes of human aggression in the introduction to a research report in psychology. Andrea is reading a(n):

a) theory

b) hypothesis

c) operational definition

d) explanation

Question 5. A hypothesis is best defined as a(n):

a) specific prediction concerning the relationship between variables

b) specification of a variable in terms of the procedures that will be used to measure it

c) broad, general explanation of the phenomenon of interest

d) behavior, event, or other characteristic that can assume different values

Question 6. Which of the following researchers is conducting a case study?

a) Dr. Henriette, who is measuring how fast a group of students can respond to a stimulus.

b) Dr. Innis, who is examining the tactile perception of a blind woman

c) Dr. Jenner, who is observing children on a playground

d) Dr. Kulik, who is combing through newspaper stories on serial killers

Question 7. The number of violent TV shows that a child watches is positively correlated with the aggressiveness of the child's play. Why might this be?

a) Viewing violent TV causes aggressive behavior

b) Aggressive behavior causes viewing violent TV

c) There is a third common-causal variable that creates the correlation

d) A, B, or C may be correct but the correlation cannot tell us which one is correct

Question 8. Which of the following is the goal of experimental research?

a) To assess the validity of a measurement

b) To assess the relationships among variables

c) To assess the current state of affairs

d) To assess the causal influence of one or more manipulations

Question 9. Psychologists use the term __________ to refer to the pattern of enduring characteristics that lend stability and consistency to an individual's behavior and serve to differentiate one individual from another.

a) personality

b) temperament

c) character

d) cognition

Question 10. One of the most basic or fundamental of the defense mechanisms involves simply pushing anxiety provoking thoughts into the unconscious. This mechanism is termed ________.

a) repression

b) projection

c) sublimation

d) displacement

Question 11. According to Abraham Maslow, a major prerequisite for becoming self-actualized is having:

a) all of one's lower-order needs fulfilled

b) a major altruistic streak

c) a very selfless nature

d) suffered in the past so one can truly appreciate the good aspects of life

Question 12. Dr. Handy studies how other people influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Dr. Handy studies ____________ psychology.

a) developmental

b) personality

c) cognitive

d) social

Question 13. Which of the following is the correct definition of prejudice?

a) A negative (or positive) evaluation of a particular group and its members

b) A set of generalized beliefs and expectations about a particular group and its members

c) Behavior directed toward individuals on the basis of their membership in a particular group

d) Consideration of individuals for their personal qualities and not their membership in a group

Question 14. Behavior that helps others but that involves some self-sacrifice is termed:

a) altruism

b) compliance

c) catharsis

d) aggression

Question 15. Which of the following comments is most likely to be made in a group characterized by groupthink?

a) "I'm glad that we are again in agreement about this decision"

b) "Let's consider the situation one more time from a different perspective."

c) "I think we need to get an outside expert to help us."

d) "Let's take a short break before we continue."

Question 16. Your text states that "group members will work harder if they feel that their contributions to the group are known..." Keeping group member contributions identifiable may therefore guard against:

a) social inhibition

b) the dominant response bias

c) social facilitation

d) social loafing

Question 17. Which of the following terms best captures the meaning of the term abnormal?

a) distressing

b) dysfunctional

c) deviant

d) All of these capture some part of the meaning of abnormal

Question 18. Which alternative correctly pairs a component of the bio-psycho-social model of illness with an example?

a) social - irrational thought patterns may be related to depression

b) biological - excesses of the neurotransmitter dopamine may be implicated in schizophrenia

c) psychological - schizophrenia is more common in low-SES communities

d) All of these are correctly paired

Question 19. Which of the following pieces of evidence support the inclusion of a social component in a model of illness?

a) General declines in psychological functioning are seen during economic downturns.

b) African Americans are more likely than whites to be hospitalized involuntarily for psychological disorders.

c) Schizophrenia is diagnosed more frequently among lower SES individuals than among middle or high SES individuals.

d) All of these support the inclusion of a social component.

Question 20. The purpose of the DSM-IV-TR is to provide:

a) descriptions of the symptoms associated with categories of disorders

b) precise descriptions of the symptoms of disorders

c) recommendations for treatment

d) explanations of the causes of disorders

Question 21. Which of the following approaches might be used in psychoanalysis?

a) Dream analysis

b) Free association

c) Consideration of past experiences

d) All of the above might be used in psychoanalysis

Question 22. According to a behavior therapist, how might psychological disorders be treated most effectively?

a) The client should learn new behaviors

b) Maladaptive thought patterns should be challenged or changed

c) Unconscious conflicts should be brought to light.

d) Neurotransmitter irregularities should be rectified through drugs

Question 23. Based on your text's discussion, which of the following is probably NOT a key ingredient of effective therapy?

a) It provides hope

b) It is based on a clear theoretical perspective

c) It helps clients think carefully about themselves and their relationships

d) It entails a therapeutic alliance with the therapists

Question 24. Which of the following intellectual issues would seem MOST relevant to developmental psychology?

a) nature vs. nurture

b) determinism vs. free will

c) accuracy vs. inaccuracy

d) conscious vs. unconscious processing

Question 25. According to Erikson, adolescents must resolve the challenge of:

a) trust versus mistrust

b) intimacy versus isolation

c) generativity versus stagnation

d) identity versus role confusion

Question 26. A teratogen is:

a) an environmental agent that can produce a birth defect

b) a genetic or chromosomal abnormality that may produce a developmental disorder

c) any physical defect in an unborn child

d) a fertilized egg that undergoes rapid cell division

Question 27. Mr. Eseston asks Colin if he wants his sandwich in one piece, or cut into two pieces. Colin asks him to keep it in one piece because he isn't hungry enough to eat two pieces. Colin's answer suggests that he

a) has not achieved object permanence

b) does not have a theory of mind

c) does not yet understand conservation

d) has mastered the concept of conservation

Question 28. Which attachment style describes an infant who is mildly disturbed at his mother's departure in the strange situation, but who is easily soothed on her return?

a) nonresistant

b) avoidant

c) ambivalent

d) secure

Question 29. Maura and Trish are eighth graders who have been caught smoking. Maura's parents yell at her, ground her for a month, and take away her television and Internet privileges for two months. Trish's parents talk to her about their disappointment and concern; additionally, they make her spend every afternoon for a week at the library researching the dangers of smoking and discuss her findings with them each night at dinner. Most likely, Maura's parents are __________ and Trish's are __________.

a) permissive; authoritative

b) authoritarian; permissive

c) authoritarian; authoritative

d) authoritative; permissive

Question 30. Ashley, a psychology major, remarks that she has become interested in the study of intelligence. In other words, Ashley is interested in:

a) the capacity to learn from experience, solve problems, and to adapt to new situations

b) how behavior changes as a result of experience

c) the factors directing behavior toward a goal

d) the ability to generate novel solutions to problems

Question 31. The fact that SAT scores are correlated with measures of intelligence supports the _____ of the SAT

a) reliability

b) validity

c) standardization

d) invalidity

Question 32. Which of the following sequences accurately reflects the route followed by nerve impulses when one neuron communicates with another?

a) dendrite -> axon -> cell body

b) dendrite- > cell body ->axon

c) axon -> cell body -> dendrite

d) axon -> dendrite -> cell body

Question 33. Intelligence is positively related to:

a) the number of neurons in the brain

b) the thickness of the cortex

c) the volume of the brain

d) A, B, and C

Question 34. Yves has been drinking. He has difficulty walking a straight line when asked to do so by a police officer. Apparently, Yves' _________ is functioning poorly.

a) cerebellum

b) thalamus

c) medulla

d) corpus callosum

Question 35. Which of the following defines neuroplasticity?

a) The left side of the brain receives and sends information to the right side of the body and the right side of the brain receives and sends information to the left side of the body

b) The left and right brain hemispheres have different sensory and motor functions

c) The left and right brain hemisphere are specialized for different tasks or abilities

d) the brain can adapt to the effects of experience or damage

Question 36. With respect to the trichromatic and opponent-process theories of color perception, which of the following statements is most accurate?

a) Trichromatic theory has largely been discredited

b) Opponent-process theory has largely been discredited.

c) Both trichromatic and opponent-process theories have largely been discredited and replaced by newer ideas

d) The two processes work together to help us perceive color.

Question 37. Why do we adapt after prolonged exposure to a constant stimulus?

a) so that we continue to respond to ongoing stimulation

b) so that we don't become distracted by irrelevant changes in the environment

c) so that we detect potentially important changes in what's going on

d) so that we don't become overstimulated by the environment

Question 38. Psychologists use the term _________ to refer to a relatively permanent change in knowledge or behavior resulting from experience.

a) maturation

b) development

c) learning

d) perception

Question 39. Janine completed several tours of duty in Afghanistan. She suffers from PTSD. Now, back home in Texas, she is frightened by firecrackers and cars backfiring. The fact that these sounds scare her reflects a process of stimulus _________.

a) extinction

b) discrimination

c) generalization

d) association

Question 40. Which of the following scenarios is the best example of negative reinforcement?

a) Vanna fastens her seatbelt as soon as she gets in her car to stop the annoying alert sound.

b) Drake no longer cuts class now that his parents confiscated his iPod.

c) Maria now buys a different brand of cigarettes to get two packs for the price of one.

d) Nate no longer arrives late at work following a reprimand from his boss.

Question 41. Bandura's research on modeling aggressive behavior using Bobo dolls showed which of the following?

a) modeling could decrease aggressive behavior in some conditions

b) boys modeled more than girls

c) modeling could teach children new behaviors

d) modeling had little influence on behavior

Question 42. Memories of which we're not consciously aware are called ________ memories.

a) internal

b) subliminal

c) subconscious

d) implicit

Question 43. When we look up a number in the phone book, close the book, and then begin to dial the number, we are relying on

a) short term memory

b) iconic memory

c) working memory

d) long-term memory

Question 44. Dr. Schmidt studies the factors that activate and direct behavior toward an individual's goals. Dr.Schmidt studies:

a) personality

b) intelligence

c) cognition

d) motivation

Question 45. Which stage of the General Adaptation model is correctly matched with a description?

a) alarm-perceiving a threat, or a stressor

b) resistance-attempting to cope with the stressor

c) exhaustion-experiencing the negative physical and psychological consequences of stress

d) Each of the above are correctly matched.

Question 46. Psychologists have investigated the effects of daily hassles on stress and health. Which alternative best summarizes the results of such research?

a) Daily hassles have little effect on either the amount of stress participants report experiencing or the functioning of participants' immune systems.

b) Daily hassles influence the amount of stress participants report experiencing, but have little effect on the functioning of participants' immune systems.

c) Daily hassles have little effect on the amount of stress participants report experiencing, but they do influence the functioning of participants' immune systems.

d) Daily hassles influence both the amount of stress participants report experiencing and the functioning of participants' immune systems.

Question 47. According to your text, a positive outlook is associated with:

a) better health

b) a longer life

c) a higher income

d) A, B, and C

Question 48. Psychologists refer to our awareness of ourselves and our environment as:

a) perception

b) intelligence

c) cognition

d) consciousness

Question 49. Biological processes occurring on a cycle of approximately 24 hours are termed:

a) biorhythms

b) diurnal rhythms

c) daily rhythms

d) circadian rhythms

Question 50. Nigel often cites newspaper editorials favoring the presidential candidate he supports; he appears to ignore editorials critical of the candidate. Nigel appears prone to:

a) functional fixedness

b) the sleeper effect

c) the confirmation bias

d) the representativeness heuristic