Deck 1: Adjusting to Life

Question 1

Which of the following is/are TRUE regarding the definition of adjustment presented in your textbook?

A) Adjustment involves coping with personal disasters.
B) Adjustment involves coping with everyday stressors.
C) Adjustment can imply a passive acceptance of conditions.
D) All of the above are true regarding the definition of adjustment

Answer 1

All of the above are true regarding the definition of adjustment

Question 2

Since being in college, you have learned to manage your time and get along with your roommate, and you have changed your major. The psychological process of __________ has allowed you to have a more fulfilling year in college.

A) cognitive dissonance
B) assimilation
C) adjustment
D) introspection

Answer 2

adjustment

Question 3

James would be described as a workaholic, but since his minor heart attack, he has adopted a more balanced and relaxed lifestyle. According to your textbook, James is exhibiting _______.

A) adjustment
B) the fear factor
C) anxiety reduction training
D) assimilation

Answer 3

adjustment

Question 4

According to your textbook, adjustment without _______ is likely to be a hollow achievement.

A) passive acceptance
B) compromise
C) growth
D) positive reinforcement

Question 5

"These working conditions are terrible," says a worker. "I can't concentrate," another worker yells. If these workers want to experience the most positive adjustment, they should

A) quit.
B) tolerate the working conditions.
C) try to change the working conditions.
D) distract themselves by focusing on the good aspects of work.

Question 6

Which of the following would NOT be considered a hassle?

A) being rudely interrupted by a classmate.
B) getting a speeding ticket.
C) getting a divorce.
D) being called on in class.

Question 7

According to your textbook, __________ refer to the historical, economic, social, and cultural factors that influence us.

A) gestalts
B) spheres of influence
C) contexts
D) ethological systems

Question 8

Urie Bronfenbrenner developed the ________ theory, which explains that people are influenced by five environmental systems.

A) ecological
B) psychoanalytical
C) cognitive-behavioral
D) existential

Question 9

____________ developed the ecological theory, which explains that people are influenced by five environment systems.

A) Sigmund Freud
B) Urie Bronfenbrenner
C) Albert Bandura
D) Jean Piaget

Question 10

Gordon has three friends, Jan, Peter, and Mark. They all go to school at Newton Elementary School. These friends and the teachers at the elementary school each would be considered a(n)________ for Gordon.

A) mesosystem
B) exosystem
C) macrosystem
D) microsystem

Question 11

Jay learns to tie several different knots at his weekly Boy Scout meeting. Later that week, he utilizes this knot-tying skill while helping his grandfather around the farm. This connection between Jay's Boy Scout meeting and his work on his grandfather's farm illustrates which environmental system?

A) mesosystem
B) microsystem
C) exosystem
D) macrosystem

Question 12

Your psychology professor Dr. Murphy has just returned from a workshop on problem-based learning. The indirect influence of this conference on you as a student would be considered a(n) _______.

A) chronosystem
B) mesosystem
C) exosystem
D) macrosystem

Question 13

Your son Justin comes home crying from preschool and explains that his best friend Brian teased and hit him today. You later find out that Brian's parents are getting a divorce. The divorce of Brian's parents was an influence on your child. This illustrates which environmental system?

A) exosystem
B) macrosystem
C) microsystem
D) mesosystem

Question 14

The culture in which one lives is considered one's ______.

A) microsystem
B) mesosystem
C) macrosystem
D) exosystem

Question 15

Edward grew up during the 1930's depression, served in World War II, and developed a business and raised a family during the economic boom years of the 1950's and 1960s. These life patterns, historical circumstances, and their influences on Edward would best be described as a(n) _______.

A) exosystem
B) mesosystem
C) chronosystem
D) microsystem

Question 16

Sarah is Native American, and she passes on to her children the traditional dress, music, and ceremonies of her people. She is teaching her children Native American _______.

A) culture
B) ethology
C) morals
D) norms

Question 17

Margaret is comparing the individualistic orientation of people living in the United States to the group orientation of people living in China. She is conducting a(n):

A) cross-ethnicity experiment
B) cross-cultural study
C) ethological study
D) comparative psychology study

Question 18

One's __________ involves one's cultural heritage, nationality, religion, and language.

A) ethnicity
B) race
C) exosystem
D) temperament

Question 19

Genetically, males are XY and females are XX. This is a(n) _______ difference.

A) sex
B) gender
C) nurture
D) exosystem

Question 20

Females tend to be more nurturing, while males tend to be more assertive. These are ______ differences.

A) sex
B) gender
C) biological
D) androgynous

Question 21

Sex is to gender as __________ is to __________.

A) psychological; biological
B) physical; biological
C) behavioral; learned
D) biological; sociocultural

Question 22

The process of thinking reflectively and productively and evaluating the evidence before making a decision is known as ______.

A) commonsense reasoning
B) precognition
C) critical thinking
D) introspection

Question 23

________ is defined as the tendency to doubt the validity of claims in the absence of evidence.

A) Implacability
B) Egocentrism
C) Gullibility
D) Skepticism

Question 24

Based upon the textbook's discussion evaluating the validity of claims about behavior, which person is the MOST skeptical?

A) "I'll believe it when I hear it from someone else."
B) "There is no way that can happen."
C) "Maybe it's true and maybe it's not. I'll wait until I see some reliable evidence for it."
D) "I'll believe it when I read it in the newspaper or hear about it on TV."

Question 25

You see on television a very impressive demonstration of ESP. Critically thinking about what you saw demands that you:

A) accept the demonstration as proof that ESP exists in everyone if s/he is trained properly.
B) consider the person demonstrating the ESP to be a true psychic.
C) believe that people differ in their psychic ability.
D) consider alternative explanations for the demonstration

Question 26

You see an article describing a dramatic and sensational discovery concerning the real cause of depression. Maybe the information is accurate and maybe it isn't. Being a sophisticated consumer, you think that the person's primary motive in writing the article might be to:

A) perform a service to the public by keeping them up-to-date on the latest research.
B) win an award from a national association of psychologists.
C) present the most objective and accurate summary of the discovery.
D) make people buy the magazine.

Question 27

According to your textbook, there is no scientific evidence for the existence of:

A) ghosts
B) precognition
C) UFOs
D) any of the above

Question 28

"Wow, this is incredible!" This person has just realized that an astrological prediction made for him has come true. Which of the following is MOST likely to be the astrology prediction that came true?

A) A meteor will fall on your car.
B) You will meet someone new this week.
C) On April 29^th, a famous singer will take you out for lunch.
D) You will win the multimillion-dollar lottery and buy a professional baseball team.

Question 29

Now that Jesse has had a psychology class in college, he recognizes astrology as:

A) a recognized science within the social sciences.
B) having no scientific evidence supporting its existence.
C) a valid tool for predicting future behavior.
D) a way to seek wisdom and guidance for one's life.

Question 30

Tara is driving down the freeway when suddenly she is passed by a car going well beyond the speed limit. "Wow," thinks Tara, "that guy is a real jerk!" Based upon critical thinking strategies, what error has Tara committed?

A) She has assumed the driver is male.
B) Tara is describing behavior rather than interpreting behavior.
C) She is interpreting rather than describing the driver's behavior.
D) Tara, in fact, wants to drive that fast, but is experiencing a value conflict.

Question 31

An accurate description of behavior should include:

A) personality labels.
B) subjective interpretations.
C) a person's motivation.
D) a person's actions.

Question 32

When Garth asked his boss why certain procedures were used in the factory, she replied, "That's just the way we do things around here." That made Garth remember something he learned about critical thinking. What was it?

A) being civil toward others
B) the tendency to interpret behavior
C) failing to practice ethical sensitivity
D) the importance of questioning assumptions

Question 33

When he is at his job, Seth exhibits assertive behavior, but he appears more passive when in the company of his parents. This difference in Seth's behavior illustrates the importance of _________ on behavior.

A) context
B) his personality
C) his genetic make-up
D) birth order position

Question 34

Imagine a UFO landed on the Earth and aliens began to observe humans. To understand human behavior, the aliens would need to keep in mind

A) our civility.
B) our inclination to seek the viewpoints of others.
C) the role that context and culture plays in behavior.
D) our tendency to describe versus explain behavior.

Question 35

Which of the following BEST illustrates the influence of context on behavior?

A) You act the same way no matter where you are.
B) Your behavior is a function of the situation.
C) Behavior is consistent across all situations.
D) Behavior seldom changes regardless of the circumstances.

Question 36

Understanding the importance of seeking other viewpoints is helpful in __________, according to the textbook.

A) interpersonal conflicts
B) pseudopsychology
C) making subjective assumptions
D) overcoming skepticism

Question 37

Three undecided voters watch the presidential debates. One thought the Democratic candidate performed better, one thought the Republican candidate did better, and one saw the debate as a tie. If these friends are critical thinkers, they will listen to the others' observations because they:

A) want to be able to convince the other two to vote for his/her candidate.
B) recognize the importance of multiple perspectives.
C) realize that only one perspective can be correct.
D) like to argue.

Question 38

Critical thinkers are more likely to:

A) accept individual and group stereotypes.
B) avoid self-reflection.
C) accept individual and group differences.
D) explain behavior than to describe it.

Question 39

By thinking about our motives, values, preferences, and eccentricities, we are engaging in

A) civility.
B) self-validation.
C) self-reflection.
D) self-absorption.

Question 40

Diener (2003) found that college students rate _______ as very/extremely important in all 41 countries he has studied.

A) life satisfaction
B) money
C) long life
D) success and fame in their careers

Question 41

Subjective well-being is the scientific term for how people evaluate their lives in terms of their:

A) success in their chosen career.
B) happiness and life satisfaction.
C) spiritual well-being.
D) social relationships.

Question 42

Diener found that the people with the greatest long-term happiness were people who had:

A) been wealthy from birth.
B) been very poor all their lives.
C) won the lottery or obtained a substantial inheritance after years of poverty.
D) enough money to buy life's necessities.

Question 43

According to your textbook, people who rated themselves as high in positive emotions over time:

A) had good social relationships.
B) were more likely to be male.
C) were more introverted and self-absorbed.
D) had higher educational degrees.

Question 44

Which of the following factors was found to have the strongest link with subjective well-being?

A) spirituality and faith
B) age and gender
C) educational level
D) parenthood

Question 45

Gloria is a very attractive college student, who makes excellent grades but tends to be very introverted. Although average in his physical attractiveness, George did not go to college but has a good job, a close circle of friends, and a strong religious faith. According to the research presented in your textbook, how would each of these people most likely rate his/her overall happiness?

A) Gloria will probably be happier than George.
B) George will probably be happier than Gloria.
C) They will probably be equally happy.
D) Both will probably be equally unhappy.

Question 46

Amy is young, attractive person with a college degree, who has just moved away from home to a new city to start her first professional job. Peter is a healthy, retired businessman, who volunteers regularly and has a close circle of friends. According to the research presented in your textbook, how would each of these people most likely rate his/her overall happiness?

A) Amy will probably be happier than Peter.
B) Peter will probably be happier than Amy.
C) They will probably be equally happy.
D) Both will probably be equally unhappy.

Question 47

Gabriel believes that you can't assume something is true just because it makes sense. What will Gabriel find out in psychology class with regard to his belief?

A) Psychology is not a real science.
B) Common sense is a useful tool for explaining human nature.
C) Most of what psychology discovers is just common sense anyway.
D) Collecting evidence and testing an idea are important in psychology even when the idea makes sense?

Question 48

Psychology can best be defined as the scientific study of _______

A) abnormal behavior.
B) reactions and coping.
C) groups and social institutions.
D) behavior and mental processes.

Question 49

According to your textbook, what are the goals of psychology?

A) to observe, describe, explain, and predict behavior and mental processes
B) to observe, describe, and control behavior and mental process
C) to analyze and predict behavior and mental processes
D) to study, learn, and modify behavior and mental processes

Question 50

Of the following, which is the BESTdefinition of behavior as presented in your textbook?

A) Everything we do that can be directly observed.
B) Conclusions that we draw from observations.
C) Inner and outer processes that must be inferred.
D) Inner processes that can be directly observed.

Question 51

Jason and Jennifer are comparing notes over today's lecture on the definition of psychology. In the margins of her notes, Jennifer writes, "mental processes are thoughts and feelings." To be accurate, Jason should

A) agree with Jennifer's definition.
B) agree with Jennifer and add, "Behaviors also include thoughts and feelings."
C) argue that Jennifer's notes are incorrect.
D) claim that mental processes must be directly observable

Question 52

Behavior is to mental processes as __________ is to __________.

A) internal; external
B) observed; inferred
C) external; observed
D) described; predicting

Question 53

Leigh is explaining something to Juanita. Juanita nods her head, leans forward, and makes eye contact with Leigh. Leigh assumes that Juanita is paying attention. Leigh is ______ after observing Juanita's behaviors.

A) using introspection
B) using self-reflection
C) making an inference
D) making a prediction

Question 54

Ramon and Brad are conducting research for a psychology professor. Which of the following is likely to present the MOST difficulty for Ramon and Brad?

A) making accurate observations
B) forming a hypothesis
C) drawing inferences about the behavior
D) recording the context in which the behavior occurs

Question 55

We make and test inferences through:

A) common sense reasoning.
B) scientific study
C) introspection
D) pseudopsychology

Question 56

Adopting a scientific attitude requires a person to:

A) be objective in one's observations.
B) use numerous personal observations in developing a conclusion.
C) make the best personal judgments possible.
D) practice common sense reasoning about the world.

Question 57

A set of closely related ideas that attempts to organize observations and connect observations and research is known as a:

A) hypothesis.
B) predicted outcome.
C) theory.
D) law.

Question 58

The scientific method involves a prediction that can be tested. This prediction is called a(n):

A) theoretical conclusion.
B) analytical variable.
C) extraneous variable.
D) hypothesis.

Question 59

In James Pennebaker's experiment on catharsis, the use of statistical procedures occurred during which part of the four-step scientific method?

A) drawing conclusions
B) collecting research data
C) analyzing data
D) conceptualizing the problem

Question 60

Which part of the scientific method was being utilized when James Pennebaker and his associate told one group of participants to write about an upsetting experience and another group to write about a topic unrelated to an emotional event?

A) drawing conclusions
B) collecting research data
C) analyzing data
D) conceptualizing the problem

Question 61

Which of the following is one of Pennebaker's recommendations for writing to improve your health?

A) Write about the traumatic issues in your past that caused you pain.
B) Keep this cathartic writing like a journal, writing each day.
C) Show your writing to a close friend to make sure you are being objective.
D) None of the above is a recommendation from Pennebaker.

Question 62

Which of the following research studies can establish TRUE cause and effect relationships?

A) an experiment
B) a survey
C) a correlational study
D) all of the above

Question 63

The _________ variable is manipulated by the experimenter to determine its effect on another variable.

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

Question 64

The _________ variable is a measure of the results of an experiment.

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

Question 65

In an experiment, the cause is the ________ variable, and the effect is the _______ variable.

A) independent; extraneous
B) extraneous; independent
C) independent; dependent
D) dependent; independent

Question 66

In his experiment, Pennebaker wanted to find out if writing about emotions would cause improvements in a person's physical health. Writing about emotions would be the:

A) dependent variable.
B) independent variable.
C) extraneous variable.
D) control variable.

Question 67

In his experiment, Pennebaker wanted to find out if writing about emotions reduced the number of visits that the participants made to the college health center. The number of visits to the college health center would be the _____ variable in this experiment.

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

Question 68

If an experimenter wanted to find out if teaching students time management training would improve their semester grades, the time management training would be the ________ variable.

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

Question 69

If an experimenter wanted to find out if teaching students time management would improve their semester grades, the students' semester grades would be the ________ variable.

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

Question 70

If an experimenter wanted to find out if taking a multi-vitamin daily reduced the number of colds experienced by students during the fall semester of school, taking the daily multi-vitamin would be the _______ variable.

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

Question 71

If an experimenter wanted to find out if taking a multi-vitamin daily reduced the number of colds experienced by students during the fall semester of school, the number of colds experienced by the students would be the _______ variable.

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

Question 72

In an experiment, the group of subjects that receives the independent variable or treatment is called the ______ group.

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

Question 73

In an experiment, the _______ group does not receive the independent variable but serves as a comparison group or baseline against which the effects of the manipulated condition can be compared.

A) control
B) dependent
C) correlational
D) extraneous

Question 74

In the Pennebaker experiment concerned with the effects of emotional writing on physical health, the group of participants that wrote about their emotional experiences was the _______ group.

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

Question 75

In the Pennebaker experiment concerned with the effects of emotional writing on physical health, the group of participants that wrote only about non-emotional topics was the _______ group.

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

Question 76

In an experiment to determine if taking an aspirin a day reduces circulatory problems, the control group would take:

A) an aspirin a day.
B) two aspirins a day.
C) an aspirin every other day.
D) no aspirin.

Question 77

An experimenter wants to determine whether students who are trained to use memory aids make better scores on a memory test than students who are not trained to use memory aids. The experimenter provides two hours of training to one group of subjects. This group that received the training is the _______ group.

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

Question 78

In order to reduce the likelihood that the experiment's results will be due to any preexisting differences between groups, the participants in a study are placed in the experimental and control based on:

A) personality tests.
B) intelligence tests.
C) their answers to survey questions.
D) chance.

Question 79

Jeffery wanted to make sure that the preexisting condition of motivation would not affect his experiment on the effects of study skills on grades. He should:

A) allow the subjects to volunteer to be in the experimental and control groups
B) use personality tests to place subjects in the experimental and control groups
C) use random assignment of subjects to the experimental and control groups
D) teach both groups study skills and see which group actually utilized the skills

Question 80

If there is a correlation between self-esteem and success, we can conclude that:

A) self-esteem causes success.
B) success causes self-esteem.
C) there is an association between these two factors.
D) there is no relationship between these two factors.