Deck 1: Adjusting to Modern Life

Question 1

According to social critics, all of the following are examples of the search for direction gone awry except

A) enrollment in "self-realization" programs.
B) the desire to spend more time with loved ones.
C) joining cults and unorthodox religious groups.
D) the popularity of media figures such as Dr. Laura.

Answer 1

the desire to spend more time with loved ones.

Question 2

Many theorists believe that the basic challenge of modern life has become the search for

A) cultural significance.
B) a healthy leisure activity.
C) meaning or a sense of direction.
D) a significant other to share one's life.

Answer 2

meaning or a sense of direction.

Question 3

Which of the following is the best example of "overt" activity?

A) eating
B) thinking
C) dreaming
D) reasoning

Answer 3

eating

Question 4

Which of the following should you look for in self-help books?

A) clarity in communication
B) discussion of what is not known
C) some mention of the theoretical basis for the advice
D) all of these

Question 5

In order to evaluate self-help books for ourselves, we may employ critical thinking. Which of the following is not a critical thinking guideline?

A) Examine the evidence.
B) Analyze biases and assumptions.
C) Use emotional reasoning.
D) Tolerate uncertainty.

Question 6

"Our philosophy is intended to move each person closer to an emotional and spiritual center. Part of the process is helping each individual discover the core of his or her true nature. Once a person is centered, all problems can be managed within the flow, a course of events that is natural and authentic." This statement is

A) an example of psychobabble.
B) just general enough to be helpful.
C) obviously based on empirical research.
D) a good example of sound, specific advice.

Question 7

In spite of countless time-saving devices--automobiles, telephones, photocopiers, fax machines, and so on--most of us complain about a relative lack of

A) time.
B) money.
C) information.
D) work.

Question 8

Which of the following is the best definition of psychology?

A) the study of consciousness
B) the study of behavior and the profession that applies knowledge from these studies to solving practical problems
C) the study of abnormal behavior and the profession that applies knowledge from these studies to diagnosing and treating people with mental illness
D) the study of motivation, emotion, and memory

Question 9

Many people share a sense of economic decline today, even though

A) productivity is on the rise.
B) cost of living remains stable.
C) our society is more affluent than ever.
D) the upper class is probably smaller than previously.

Question 10

Which of the following is not one of the underlying assumptions of this textbook?

A) You can change your behavior, if you know the right techniques.
B) The key to effective adjustment is to "take charge" of your own life.
C) Critical thinking involves a skeptical attitude.
D) Knowledge of psychological principles may be of value in everyday life.

Question 11

"Psychobabble" is best defined as

A) psychological jargon.
B) textbook definitions.
C) ill-defined terminology.
D) technical terminology.

Question 12

Most experts characterize "self-realization" programs (e.g., est training, Silva Mind Control) as

A) intellectually stimulating.
B) intellectually bankrupt.
C) spiritually revitalizing.
D) spiritually self-defeating.

Question 13

Technology has enabled humankind to exercise unprecedented control over many aspects of the physical world but at the same time has also created serious

A) environmental problems.
B) microscopic defects.
C) medical costs.
D) under-consumption.

Question 14

____ refers to the idea that technological advances have not led to perceptible improvement in our collective health and happiness.

A) Information anxiety
B) Technology overload
C) The paradox of progress
D) The point/counterpoint phenomenon

Question 15

Modern technology has provided us with many time-saving devices, but

A) most of us don't use them.
B) they cost too much for most of us.
C) they never seem to work as advertised.
D) we still complain about not having enough time.

Question 16

Modern Western society has made extraordinary technological progress

A) and therefore, has seen decreases in social problems.
B) but social and personal problems seem more prevalent and more prominent than ever before.
C) and therefore, has seen a boom in time spent engaging in leisure activities.
D) but social and personal problems are just as prevalent as they were in the past.

Question 17

While the famous radio talk show host Dr. Laura is a licensed Marriage, Family, and Child Counselor, she holds a doctoral degree in

A) psychology.
B) social work.
C) physiology.
D) psychiatry.

Question 18

Surveys exploring psychotherapists' opinions of self-help books suggest

A) there are some excellent books that offer authentic insight and sound advice.
B) there are some good books that offer adequate insight and advice.
C) there are some excellent books that offer good general advice but very few that offer good specific advice for particular problems.
D) psychotherapists don't endorse the use of self-help books because it's bad for business.

Question 19

A high-quality self-help book will

A) give advice on a wide range of problems.
B) be based primarily on the author's speculations about human nature.
C) not promise too much in the way of immediate change.
D) always contain detailed summaries of research supporting the advice given.

Question 20

You can reasonably expect some assistance from a book that is intended to help you to

A) lose 20 pounds every month.
B) learn to eat more healthily and gradually include more exercise in your weekly routine.
C) build muscle overnight.
D) find the thin person trapped inside of you.

Question 21

____ is the premise that knowledge should be acquired through observation.

A) Self-help
B) Codependence
C) Empiricism
D) Subjectivism

Question 22

Which of the following does not represent an empirical technique?

A) watching people engage in a learning activity
B) weighing rats after two months of a special diet
C) gauging the speed with which a patient performs a fine motor activity
D) speculating about the factors that are related to human happiness

Question 23

Which of the following is the basis of empiricism?

A) correlation
B) logic
C) systematic observation
D) common sense

Question 24

A researcher wants to examine the effects of caffeine consumption on memory ability. In this study, the dependent variable is

A) the children.
B) memory ability.
C) caffeine consumption.
D) the grade level of the children.

Question 25

A condition or event that an experimenter varies to see its impact on another variable is called a(n) ____ variable.

A) control
B) dependent
C) independent
D) experimental

Question 26

An experiment is a research method in which the investigator manipulates the ____ variable and observes whether any changes occur in a(n) ____ variable as a result.

A) control; experimental
B) experimental; control
C) independent; dependent
D) dependent; independent

Question 27

The term ____ refers to the psychological processes through which people manage or cope with the demands and challenges of everyday life.

A) adaptation
B) adjustment
C) personality
D) mental health

Question 28

Clinical psychology is primarily concerned with

A) discovering the mechanisms of learning.
B) the physiological processes involved in behavior.
C) research dealing with the structure of consciousness.
D) the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems.

Question 29

The rapid growth of clinical psychology was stimulated mainly by

A) the demands of World War II.
B) growing interest in self-help approaches.
C) the inability of physicians to cure most psychological disorders.
D) psychological problems resulting from the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Question 30

Which of the following are essential guidelines for thinking critically?

A) 1 only
B) 1 and 3 only
C) 1, 2, and 3 only
D) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Question 31

Social psychologist Stanley Schachter hypothesized that increases in anxiety would cause increases in desire to be with others. In this study, the independent variable was

A) level of anxiety.
B) desire to be with others.
C) anxious subjects.
D) affiliation.

Question 32

Some psychologists prefer to study animals rather than humans mainly because

A) animal subjects tend to be more cooperative than humans.
B) it's easier to control the factors influencing animals' behavior.
C) researchers do not have to worry about causing discomfort to animals.
D) most animals are unable to figure out the hypotheses for a particular study.

Question 33

Until the 1950s, psychologists were found almost exclusively in

A) private industry.
B) academic institutions.
C) mental health facilities.
D) the psychiatric wards of hospitals.

Question 34

Compared to other methods of drawing conclusions about behavior, the major advantages of the scientific approach are

A) emphasis on empiricism; subjectivity.
B) bias; ability to generalize the findings.
C) clarity and precision; relative intolerance of error.
D) freedom to make value judgments; use of statistics.

Question 35

According to your text, the two main types of research methods in psychology are ____ research methods and ____ research methods.

A) biased; unbiased
B) experimental; control
C) dependent; independent
D) experimental; correlational

Question 36

"Any overt response or activity by an organism" defines the term

A) behavior.
B) empiricism.
C) psychology.
D) mental process.

Question 37

A researcher wants to determine whether diet causes children to learn better in school. In this study, the independent variable is

A) the children.
B) the type of diet.
C) the age of the children.
D) a measure of learning.

Question 38

A control group consists of subjects who

A) are controlled by the experimenter.
B) are allowed to control the manipulation of the variables.
C) do not receive the special treatment given to the experimental group.
D) receive some special treatment in regard to the independent variable.

Question 39

A measurement of some aspect of the subject's behavior after the experimental manipulation is called a(n) ____ variable.

A) control
B) dependent
C) independent
D) experimental

Question 40

An experimental group consists of subjects who

A) are unaware of the purpose of the study.
B) merely act as if they are unaware of the purpose.
C) receive some special treatment in regard to the dependent variable.
D) receive some special treatment in regard to the independent variable.

Question 41

Research indicates that

A) it is unwise for students to change their answers on a multiple-choice test.
B) the more answer changing that students engage in on multiple-choice tests, the more they improved their scores.
C) it doesn't seem to matter whether or not students change their answers on multiple choice tests because they are equally likely to change a wrong answer to a right answer as they are to change a right answer to a wrong answer.
D) it is unwise for D and F students to change their answers on multiple-choice tests but wise for A and B students.

Question 42

Suppose a researcher wants to know whether a high protein diet causes children to learn better in school. Half of the children in the study eat a high protein diet while the other half eats their normal diet. The control group consists of the

A) male children.
B) older children.
C) children who eat their normal diet.
D) children who eat the high protein diet.

Question 43

Which of the following correlation coefficients indicates the weakest relationship between two variables?

A) -4.36
B) -0.97
C) +0.75
D) +0.15

Question 44

A(n) ____ is a numerical index of the degree of relationship between two variables.

A) independent variable
B) correlation coefficient
C) survey coefficient
D) experimental coefficient

Question 45

A correlation coefficient of -.80 indicates a

A) mild, inverse correlation.
B) strong, inverse correlation.
C) strong, direct correlation.
D) nonexistent correlation.

Question 46

Suppose a researcher gave you a questionnaire to fill out about your attitudes on abortion, school prayer, and drug legalization. This researcher is using which of the following research methods?

A) experiment
B) case study
C) survey
D) naturalistic observation

Question 47

The logic of the experimental method rests heavily on the assumption that

A) two variables are positively correlated.
B) experimental and control groups are alike in all important matters except for the independent variable.
C) experimental and control groups are alike in all important matters except for the dependent variable.
D) the independent variable is quantifiable and measurable.

Question 48

The textbook author writes, "Those who perform poorly in high school tend to perform poorly in college" as an example of a

A) positive correlation.
B) negative correlation.
C) inverse correlation.
D) indirect correlation.

Question 49

The definitive aspect of correlational studies is that

A) a causal relationship exists between the variables.
B) researchers cannot control the variables under study.
C) the subjects must constitute a representative sample.
D) control of one variable interferes with control of another variable.

Question 50

Which of the following best describes correlational research?

A) exerting experimental control
B) manipulating an independent variable
C) manipulating a dependent variable
D) making systematic observations

Question 51

In a case study,

A) an individual participant is studied in depth.
B) systematic observation is used to see if a link exists between variables.
C) behavior is carefully observed without intervening directly with subjects.
D) a variable is manipulated while another variable is observed for changes.

Question 52

A correlation coefficient indicates the ____ and the ____ of the relationship between two variables.

A) cause; effect
B) control; manipulation
C) strength; direction
D) positive; negative

Question 53

Mario found a +.80 correlation coefficient between height and diet. He was able to conclude:

A) A particular diet causes people to grow.
B) People who are taller eat more.
C) There is a strong relationship between height and diet.
D) People should careful what they feed their children because it could stunt their growth.

Question 54

A correlation exists when

A) two variables are related to each other.
B) two variables have the same underlying cause.
C) two variables are affected by a third variable.
D) a cause-and-effect relationship exists between two variables.

Question 55

A positive correlation coefficient indicates the two variables covary in the ____ and a negative coefficient indicates that the variables ____ covary.

A) same direction; inversely
B) opposite direction; directly
C) same direction; directly
D) opposite direction; inversely

Question 56

The experimental and control groups should be the same in every respect except for

A) the number of subjects in each group.
B) the variation created by the manipulation of the independent variable.
C) the assumptions underlying the research question.
D) the method of measuring the dependent variable.

Question 57

A teacher takes notes while watching students on the playground to see if differences in play behavior are associated with discipline problems in class. The teacher is using which of the following research methods?

A) survey
B) case study
C) experimentation
D) naturalistic observation

Question 58

Dr. Brill randomly assigns 100 test-anxious student volunteers to either a group that will receive therapeutic touch treatment or a group that will receive a sham version of the treatment. Based on her results, Dr. Brill will have evidence of

A) how well therapeutic touch works in the treatment of various mood disorders.
B) how test-anxious students behave in a classroom setting.
C) how effective the sham version of the treatment is.
D) whether or not therapeutic touch may cause an alleviation of symptoms of test anxiety.

Question 59

Which of the following is the primary advantage of the experimental method?

A) It lacks the ethical concerns of other methods.
B) It lacks the practical concerns of other methods.
C) It broadens the scope of what psychologists can study scientifically.
D) It allows scientists to draw cause-and-effect conclusions.

Question 60

Correlational research broadens the scope of phenomena that psychologists can study because it

A) allows investigators to do research outside a laboratory setting.
B) provides a way to investigate variables that cannot be manipulated.
C) doesn't require that the variables be causally related to each other.
D) involves research that does not intrude into the subjects' natural settings.

Question 61

When you reward yourself for meeting realistic study goals, you're using the principles of

A) SQ3R.
B) classical conditioning.
C) behavior modification.
D) systematic desensitization.

Question 62

Which of the following is the best description of the relationship between health and happiness?

A) Good health may not, by itself, produce happiness, because people tend to take good health for granted.
B) Good health is one of the best predictors of happiness.
C) Individuals who develop serious health problems have difficulty adjusting and therefore are less happy than those who are healthy.
D) People born with serious health problems are happier than others because they do not take their health for granted.

Question 63

Empirical surveys consistently find that the vast majority of respondents characterize themselves as

A) fairly happy.
B) very unhappy.
C) moderately unhappy.
D) unconcerned about their personal happiness.

Question 64

In order for your reading to be effective, it must be done

A) rapidly.
B) actively.
C) repeatedly.
D) in large chunks.

Question 65

Research indicates that hedonic adaptation

A) probably helps protect mental and physical health.
B) hinders mental health but does not affect physical health.
C) is detrimental to physical but not mental health.
D) has a negative effect on both mental and physical health.

Question 66

Which of the following best characterizes the correlation between income and subjective feelings of happiness?

A) negligible
B) negative, but weak
C) positive, but weak
D) positive and strong

Question 67

In setting up a schedule for studying, you should

A) allow time for study breaks.
B) develop a new set of priorities each day.
C) try to get the simple, routine tasks out of the way first.
D) avoid the temptation to break up major assignments into smaller parts.

Question 68

Which of the following has been found to be strongly related to overall happiness?

A) culture
B) marriage
C) income
D) physical attractiveness

Question 69

Research indicates that

A) married men are happier than married women.
B) married women are happier than married men.
C) both married men and women are happier than unmarried men and women.
D) both unmarried men and women are happier than married men and women.

Question 70

The major disadvantage of correlational research is that it

A) is costly to carry out.
B) is artificial, and it is hard to apply the results to real-life settings.
C) is time-consuming and impractical to manipulate variables.
D) cannot demonstrate conclusively that two variables are causally related.

Question 71

____ occurs when people shift their own mental scale and change the baseline for comparisons of their own circumstances with those of other people.

A) Codependency
B) Empiricism
C) Subjectivism
D) Hedonic adaptation

Question 72

Research results suggest that which of the following is not very important in determining one's happiness?

A) parenthood
B) gender
C) age
D) None of these is very important.

Question 73

All of the following appear to have a moderate impact on subjective feelings of well-being except

A) health.
B) physical attractiveness.
C) religious belief.
D) social activity.

Question 74

Survey studies show a positive correlation between marital satisfaction and sexual satisfaction. This indicates that

A) a healthy marriage causes good sex.
B) good sex promotes healthy marriages.
C) couples who have a high marital satisfaction are more likely to have high sexual satisfaction than couples who have a low marital satisfaction.
D) marital satisfaction is not related to sexual satisfaction.

Question 75

The authors suggest that we should be careful about drawing conclusions about causes of happiness because

A) they would not be based on empirical evidence.
B) they would be based on experimental data.
C) they would be based on correlational data.
D) they have been found to be invalid by some researchers.

Question 76

Research indicates that

A) people with high IQ's are happier than people with low IQ's.
B) people with low IQ's are happier than people with high IQ's.
C) there is no association between IQ and happiness.
D) people with really high IQ's and really low IQ's are not as happy as people with average IQ's.

Question 77

The "third variable" problem is associated with

A) the experimental method.
B) the correlational method.
C) the multivariate model.
D) the placebo effect.

Question 78

An important insight that can be drawn from the research on happiness is that

A) money can buy happiness.
B) attractive people are generally happy people.
C) objective realities are not as important as subjective feelings.
D) collectivist cultures are happier than individualistic cultures.

Question 79

A good place to study is one

A) where you can listen to music while studying.
B) that changes occasionally, to provide variety.
C) that is associated with pleasant activities, like eating.
D) that minimizes demands on your willpower to avoid distractions.

Question 80

Research indicates that people who have heartfelt religious convictions

A) are happier than people who are non-religious.
B) are less happy than people who are non-religious.
C) are neither more nor less happy than people who are non-religious.
D) are less happy than people who are non-religious because they have less community support.