Deck 1: Introduction to the Science of Psychology

Question 1

Cicely is trying to prevent teenage inner-city boys from joining gangs.She has set up a program in the boys' neighborhood to teach job skills.Cicely is most likely a ____ psychologist.

A) clinical
B) community
C) counseling
D) social

Answer 1

community

Question 2

Dr.Jamison is conducting a study examining the emotional and behavioral changes that occur during puberty.Dr.Jamison is especially interested in how these changes are associated with changes in hormones.The subfield of psychology Dr.Jamison is likely interested in is ____ psychology.

A) clinical
B) personality
C) biological
D) social

Answer 2

biological

Question 3

The focus on what goes right,on the things that make life worth living,has become known as ____.

A) clinical psychology
B) biological psychology
C) cognitive psychology
D) positive psychology

Answer 3

positive psychology

Question 4

Dr.Cassidy researches how teachers can most effectively teach grammar principles to elementary school students.Dr.Cassidy's research is most appropriate for which subfield of psychology?

A) developmental
B) social
C) school
D) educational

Question 5

A creative team wants to design a web site that users can navigate intuitively and that has a logical flow of information.This team would benefit most from the expertise of a(n)____ psychologist.

A) clinical
B) community
C) engineering
D) humanistic

Question 6

Dr.Vance is attempting to discover where emotional experience is localized in the brain by using brain imaging technology.Dr.Vance works in the subfield of ____ psychology.

A) personality
B) educational
C) forensic
D) biological

Question 7

Community psychologists are primarily interested in the ____ of psychological disorders.

A) treatment
B) prevention
C) observation
D) analysis

Question 8

Tim is telling his parents about his classes this semester.One of his classes,Introductory Psychology,has made him think about becoming a psychologist.His parents ask him what exactly it is that psychologists do.Tim could best answer this by stating that all psychologists are involved in _____ some aspect of behavior and mental processes.

A) studying, coding, improving, or manipulating
B) studying, predicting, improving, or explaining
C) manipulating, explaining, coding, or rationalizing
D) manipulating, predicting, rationalizing, or explaining

Question 9

A cognitive psychologist would be most likely to design a study of ____.

A) how people influence each other
B) what processes are involved in decision making
C) which characteristics make humans unique
D) how we can best analyze psychological data

Question 10

Vicki is working as an educational psychologist.Whatwill Vicki focus on most in her job?

A) determining how interior design affects student productivity
B) studying the effectiveness of new learning techniques
C) investigating how personality traits predict behavior
D) diagnosing students with learning disabilities

Question 11

Dr.Bashir meets with clients who are dealing with a range of psychological disorders.He discusses strategies for changing behaviors and thoughts and assists his clients in the process of overcoming their problems.Dr.Bashir most likely works in the ____ subfield of psychology.

A) experimental
B) cognitive
C) personality
D) counseling

Question 12

Dr.O'Bryan works with children,trying to understand the changes that occur in their play activities as they grow older.Dr.O'Bryan is a(n)____ psychologist.

A) developmental
B) educational
C) personality
D) environmental

Question 13

Maggie is a graduate student in human factors.She is working with a local grocery store to improve their customer service while reducing costs to the consumers.Most likely,Maggie will ____.

A) administer personality tests to all of the employees
B) complete a job analysis for each job position to eliminate redundancies
C) find ways to make shopping aisles more colorful and cheery for customers
D) help design a self-checkout system that is intuitive and logical

Question 14

Cognitive psychologists are primarily interested in ____.

A) what makes people unique.
B) studying and treating abnormal functioning.
C) thechanges in behavior or mental processes that occur over an individual's lifetime.
D) studying judgment, decision making, problem solving, and other aspects of human thought.

Question 15

Dr.Foust studies the causes and treatment of schizophrenia.Dr.Foust is most likely a(n)__________ psychologist.

A) quantitative
B) experimental
C) clinical
D) eclectic

Question 16

If you wanted to choose a book that best described the whole scientific field of psychology,what book title would be most appropriate?

A) A Closer Look at Intelligence
B) Learning: From Birth to Old Age
C) Abnormalities: The Brain Revealed
D) Understanding Behavior and Mental Processes

Question 17

Psychologists in which subfield would be most interested in researching changes in human behavioral,emotional,and mental processes over time?

A) social psychology
B) personalitypsychology
C) cognitive psychology
D) developmentalpsychology

Question 18

While relaxing in the park,Dilbert decides to read his new book on the study of positive psychology.This book will primarily focus on ____.

A) positive correlations in behavior
B) what makes life worth living
C) an individual's strengths, not weaknesses
D) what causes people to be similar to one another

Question 19

Calisha and Renata are discussing arsonists.Calisha has been reading the work of a ____ psychologist and believes that fire-setting behavior might be linked to hormonal imbalances.Renata has been reading the work of a ____ psychologist and believes that fire-setting is a behavior that is influenced by other people.

A) developmental; cognitive
B) developmental; social
C) biological; cognitive
D) biological; social

Question 20

Psychology is best defined as the ____.

A) search for the most successful mental health treatments.
B) use of scientific methods to examine human consciousness
C) study of the human experience from birth to old age
D) science of behavior and mental processes

Question 21

Edward and his team develop architectural designs for university residence halls.The goal of their designs is to promote collaborative learning among students while maintaining a sense of individual privacy and comfort.To ensure his plans will meet his goals,Edward has most likely consulted with a(n)____ psychologist.

A) personality
B) environmental
C) community
D) industrial and organizational

Question 22

Although psychology contains diverse subfields and approaches,two factors provide unity.One of these factors is that ____.

A) psychologists' interests, activities, and values are not unified
B) every psychologist performs research in many subfields of psychology
C) psychologists in every subfield draw on and contribute to knowledge from other subfields
D) psychologists use speculative methods instead of empirical methods

Question 23

Scientific psychology is empirical because it relies on information from ____.

A) experience and observation
B) deductive reasoning
C) reflection
D) mathematical proofs

Question 24

J.B.,a tennis player,finds it difficult to concentrate when playing against a higher ranked opponent.Whom should J.B.hire to help him focus his attention?

A) A cognitive psychologist
B) A sport psychologist
C) An environmentalpsychologist
D) A personalitypsychologist

Question 25

Julene is applying to graduate school in psychology.She wants to study ways to test children for learning disabilities so that they can be placed into special education programs.Julene should apply to graduate programs that specialize in ____ psychology.

A) developmental
B) school
C) human factors
D) cognitive

Question 26

Dr.McGufficke's research indicates that twenty minutes of exercise done three times a week positively affects people's emotions as well as their overall fitness.Dr.McGufficke is a(n)____ psychologist.

A) cognitive
B) developmental
C) health
D) industrial and organizational

Question 27

Dr.Bothwell's research finds a correlation between frequency of touching another person during conversations and perceived attractiveness of the person doing the touching.You would most likely find Dr.Bothwell's work reported in a journal that publishes research in ____ psychology.

A) biological
B) developmental
C) personality
D) social

Question 28

To attempt to discover why some adolescents begin using drugs and alcohol,a social psychologist would most likely study the ____.

A) effects of peer pressure and the influence of media role models on adolescents' decision-making processes
B) internal conflicts and struggles within substance-abusing adolescents
C) chromosomal pattern of substance abusers to determine if there is a genetic predisposition to substance abuse
D) personality profile of adolescents engaged in substance abuse

Question 29

Lola is conducting research on the intersection of psychology and law.Specifically,she wants to know how eyewitness testimony can be affected by the way that police officers and attorneys phrase their questions.Lola is interested in the ____ subfield of psychology.

A) clinical
B) developmental
C) forensic
D) cognitive

Question 30

Dr.Branaman's study investigates the relationship between offices with large windows and workers' productivity.Dr.Branaman is most likely a(n)____ psychologist.

A) educational
B) counseling
C) environmental
D) community

Question 31

The tasks of a(n)____ psychologist include improving supervisors' leadership skills,creating maximum-efficiency work groups,and suggesting other research-based programs designed to increase efficiency.

A) industrial and organizational
B) clinical
C) experimental
D) developmental

Question 32

As an undergraduate psychology major,Carl has developed a strong desire to study behavior and mental processes,in particular human performance.During an internship at a local business,Carl is intrigued with how a manager's interpersonal style can affect the workers' motivation.The field of ____ psychology would be most applicable to Carl's interests.

A) personality
B) industrial and organizational
C) cognitive
D) educational

Question 33

The difference between a school psychologist and an educational psychologist is that a school psychologist ____.

A) is more likely to conduct research on effective curricula
B) focuses on how community programs are likely to lead to academic achievement
C) is more directly involved with individual students
D) has little involvement with students' mental health problems

Question 34

For the summer,Hailey obtains an assistant position for a research team of health psychologists.The focus of their research will most likely investigate the relationship between____.

A) genetic and environmental influences on major depression
B) coping with cancer and the effect on family relationships
C) resilience and the presence of strong neighborhood communities
D) creativity and the cognitive process that underlie it

Question 35

Chandra has gathered data from several studies investigating the relative effects of heredity and environment on an individual's level of well-being.Chandra uses various statistical methods on the data in hopes of finding significant results.Chandra must be a ____ psychologist.

A) quantitative
B) human factors
C) forensic
D) cognitive

Question 36

As a biological psychologist,Dr.Arztoften collaborates with his colleagues in the fields of genetics,computer science,and neurophysiology.These researchers from different disciplines all work within the larger field of ____.

A) neuroscience
B) psychoneuroimmunology
C) communitypsychology
D) physiologicalpsychology

Question 37

A high profile murder has taken place in the town of Rolling River.At the criminal trial,a ____psychologist testifies that the defendant fits the profile for the crime committed.

A) social
B) forensic
C) experimental
D) biological

Question 38

Camara just took a test that attempts to identify people who are likely to be honest and trustworthy employees.Camara's test was most likely created by a____ psychologist.

A) clinical
B) developmental
C) personality
D) cognitive

Question 39

A psychologist who wants to know what relaxation techniques improve athletic ability is most likely a(n)____ psychologist.

A) experimental
B) biological
C) personality
D) sport

Question 40

A researcher interested in measuring characteristics such as agreeableness or openness to experience would probably be a ____ psychologist.

A) developmental
B) social
C) clinical
D) personality

Question 41

Zorica studies social influences on consumer behavior.Pat researches the effect of chemical imbalances on the onset of depression.Zorica and Pat study different topics and may use different methods,but like the majority of psychologists,they both ____.

A) work in more than one subfield
B) emphasize empirical research
C) publish articles on their research
D) engage in speculative research

Question 42

Functional analysis of behavior was developed by B.F.Skinner to understand how punishment and reward ____.

A) shape and maintain behavior
B) create a whole that is more than the sum of their parts
C) underlie the study of structuralism
D) occur outside of conscious awareness

Question 43

As a homework assignment,you choose to research the concept of introspection from your psychology textbook.You would first explain that introspection is the ____.

A) act of observing your own mental processes
B) scientific study of sensory systems and perceptual processes
C) philosophical view that holds that we are the product of our experiences
D) first therapeutic technique developed by Edward Titchener

Question 44

Meghan says to Jamal,"Instead of trying to break down consciousness into little pieces,we should look at it from the whole perspective.Like how people experience a full motion movie from thousands of still pictures.That is what's important to know!" Meghan clearly supports the work of ____ psychologists.

A) human factors
B) Freudian
C) developmental
D) Gestalt

Question 45

Brianna wishes to understand how consciousness helps people to cope with their environment.To study this,she observes people and conducts experiments dealing with memory and the changing pattern of images and sensations people experience.She would most likely be classified as a ____.

A) structuralist
B) functionalist
C) behaviorist
D) Gestaltist

Question 46

Greg believes that conscious experience (what people think and feel)cannot be studied scientifically.Which approach to consciousness does Greg represent?

A) behavioral
B) functionalist
C) structuralist
D) nihilist

Question 47

To understand why a problem child behaves as she does,Dr.Saldeen maps out the details of how rewards and punishments shape,maintain,and change the child's behavior.Dr.Saldeen is performing a(n)_____ of behavior.

A) psychoanalysis
B) sociobiological analysis
C) adaptive analysis
D) functionalanalysis

Question 48

In attempting to explain behavior,B.F.Skinner focused on ____.

A) internal motivational variables
B) self-image
C) childhood experiences
D) environmental stimuli

Question 49

The group of psychologists who focused on the whole of consciousness rather than its component parts were the ____.

A) structuralists
B) Gestalt psychologists
C) behaviorists
D) functionalists

Question 50

You are asked to be on a panel of experts investigating the nature of consciousness.While the other experts are content to rely on speculation regarding consciousness,you demand that the evidence be based on experience and observation.Your approach is known as ____.

A) functionalism
B) empiricism
C) reductionism
D) rationalism

Question 51

Roger and Amanda are attempting to define consciousness."What is consciousness? What does consciousness consist of?" asks Roger.Amanda says,"I think it would be more helpful to think about the purpose of consciousness.For example,how does it help us adapt to our environment?" Roger takes a____ approach to defining consciousness,while Amanda takes a____ approach.

A) structuralist; behavioral
B) behavioral; structuralist
C) functionalist; structuralist
D) structuralist; functionalist

Question 52

"The whole of conscious experience is not the same as the sum of its parts" is a belief proposed by which view of psychology?

A) Gestalt
B) psychodynamic
C) behavioral
D) humanist

Question 53

The chapter in your textbook on consciousness would be of least interest to someone advocating ____.

A) functionalism
B) behaviorism
C) cognitive psychology
D) structuralism

Question 54

If you were to study consciousness by having your friends use introspection and report the results to you,your research method would be most similar to that used by ____.

A) structuralists
B) functionalists
C) psychoanalysts
D) cognitive psychologists

Question 55

A psychologist blindfolds a subject and then places the subject's hand into a dish of water.The psychologist asks the subject to report whether his hand feels colder or warmer than before being placed in the water.Which psychologist was most likely to have conducted this study?

A) Wilhelm Wundt
B) John B. Watson
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Abraham Maslow

Question 56

William James believed the focus of research should be on how mental images,sensations,and memories come together as a function of experience.Before him,Titchener believed it was important to define the _____.

A) process of introspection
B) unconscious motivations for our actions
C) general laws of learning
D) structure of consciousness

Question 57

You are marooned on a tropical island with a dangerous criminal.In your suitcase are four books written by psychologists.If you believe that the criminal's behavior was mostly the result of unconscious conflicts within his mind,which author should you choose to best elaborate on this idea?

A) Sigmund Freud
B) William James
C) John Watson
D) Wilhelm Wundt

Question 58

Wundt's approach to psychology is called structuralism because he stressed that ____.

A) childhood experiences structure later adult development
B) all conscious experience is built up of complicated combinations of elemental sensations
C) the structure of overt behavior is the only appropriate subject matter for psychology
D) the whole of the structure is different from its elemental parts

Question 59

The modern age of psychology began when ____.

A) Sigmund Freud first uttered the phrase, "Tell me about your dreams"
B) B. F. Skinner used shaping to teach birds to play ping pong
C) Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology research laboratory at the University of Leipzig
D) Ivan Pavlov conditioned dogs to salivate at the tone of a bell

Question 60

"Anything that cannot be observed and measured directly is not worth studying." Which psychologists are most likely to agree with this statement?

A) Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson
B) John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner
C) William James and Wilhelm Wundt
D) Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg

Question 61

Barry is looking for a journal article on childhood resilience that supports the biological approach to psychology.Which keyword(s)will be most helpful to Barry in his search?

A) environment
B) genetic influence
C) overt behavior
D) cognition

Question 62

Your friend claims that altruism,cooperation,aggression,and other social behaviors increase the chances of human survival and are genetically encoded and passed on from generation to generation.Your friend is supporting the ____ approach.

A) psychoneuroimmunological
B) psychobiological
C) sociopsychological
D) evolutionary

Question 63

In research on depression,Dr.Calhoun has subjects keep track of their negative and pessimistic thoughts so those thoughts can be examined to determine how realistic they actually are.Dr.Calhoun is using a(n)____ approach.

A) humanistic
B) psychodynamic
C) cognitive
D) eclectic

Question 64

Sharya believes that people's patterns of thoughts and judgments motivate them to behave in certain ways.Sharya's views are most consistent with the ____ approach to psychology.

A) psychodynamic
B) evolutionary
C) cognitive
D) behavioral

Question 65

Erick is a psychologist who depends on methods and strategies from more than one discipline of psychology.In other words,Erick takes a(n)____ approach to the study of psychology.

A) empirical
B) evolutionary
C) environmental
D) eclectic

Question 66

Keith believes that his behavior reflects his unconscious struggles to satisfy his desires for sex and food and the need to abide by the restrictions of society.His roommate thinks his behavior reflects an excessive amount of hormones.Keith's approach regarding his behavior is ____,and his roommate has a(n)____ approach.

A) biological; biological
B) evolutionary; psychodynamic
C) psychodynamic; biological
D) psychodynamic; evolutionary

Question 67

A psychologist with a humanistic approach would state that behavior is driven by ____.

A) choices
B) instincts
C) genetics
D) rewards

Question 68

Adzure and Anton are identical twins,each born with a special ability.Adzure is able to dispense two aspirin from the bottle without any difficulty.Anton is able to find mates-easily and often.According to natural selection,if all other attributes are equal,who is more likely to survive,and why?

A) Adzure; his ability is an example of a positive fixed action pattern.
B) Anton; his ability will increase his opportunities to pass on his genes.
C) Adzure; his ability will decrease his chances of falling ill.
D) Neither will be more or less likely to survive.

Question 69

Hank the hummingbird has been isolated since birth.When he is released into the company of an attractive female hummingbird,he almost immediately begins the courtship ritual.Hank's behavior shows that ____.

A) you can'tdistinguish animal behavior from human behavior
B) fixed action patterns have a strong learned component
C) you can't keep a good hummingbird down
D) species-specific behaviors are unlearned, inherited patterns

Question 70

During lunch,Tara says,"I am reading this book called On the Origin of Species,and the author has some really bizarre ideas about why we think and act as we do." Thom replies,"Yeah,I read that book.It was written by Charles Darwin.I liked the discussion on ____."

A) functionalism
B) structuralism
C) introspection
D) naturalselection

Question 71

Within a scientific discipline,the focus of investigation is often cyclical in nature.In psychology,the cycle is represented by an emphasis on the study of ____ in the 1880s and on the study of ____ in the 1980s.

A) overt behavior; physiological reactions
B) conscious experience; cognitive processes
C) perception; sensation
D) consciousness; overt behavior

Question 72

Six-year-old Jean hits another child and steals the child's lunch money.A psychologist who takes a psychodynamic approach would suggest that Jean ____.

A) learned that hitting someone would result in a reward
B) has an unconscious drive for aggression, causing her to act out
C) asserted herself, an example of bettering herself as a person
D) hit the child for food, an adaptive mechanism to survive

Question 73

Achmed claims that men are more aggressive than women because in the past,being aggressive increased men's reproductive chances.Clarisse argues that this difference is a result of men being rewarded and women being punished for being aggressive.Achmed is taking the ____ approach,while Clarisse is taking the ____ approach to understanding aggressiveness.

A) evolutionary; behavioral
B) behavioral; biological
C) humanistic; biological
D) biological; behavioral

Question 74

Ogun was constantly fearful and tense.He went to a psychiatrist to receive treatment.Although Ogun expected to talk his problems over with the psychiatrist,the doctor talked only briefly to Ogun and prescribed a pill to help him relax.The doctor was treating Ogun with a ____ approach.

A) biological
B) psychodynamic
C) behavioral
D) cognitive

Question 75

Aaron believes that drug abuse occurs because abusers produce more of certain brain chemicals and because they perceive drugs to be their salvation.Aaron advocates which two approaches in psychology?

A) psychodynamic and cognitive
B) behavioral and biological
C) behavioral and cognitive
D) biological and humanistic

Question 76

Debi notices that her seven-year-old daughter often gives wrong answers before giving the right answers when playing word games.Debi suspects her daughter does this for several reasons; her brain is still forming,she has learned it will earn her attention,and her problem-solving skills are ever-changing.Debi's explanation best reflects a(n)____ approach to psychology.

A) psychodynamic
B) cognitive
C) humanistic
D) eclectic

Question 77

A philosopher who claims that "life is directed by one's thoughts" would be stating a position most consistent with the ____ approach to psychology.

A) humanistic
B) evolutionary
C) cognitive
D) behavioral

Question 78

Jorie thinks that the attention her little brother gets when he has tantrums actually encourages him to have more tantrums.Jorie's explanation is based on a____ approach.

A) psychodynamic
B) cognitive
C) humanistic
D) behavioral

Question 79

Dr.Allera studies how brain activity is related to depressed and anxious behavior in college students.Dr.Allera probably takes the ____ approach to psychology.

A) behavioral
B) psychodynamic
C) cognitive
D) biological

Question 80

Researchers have found that infants may have an innate ability to respond to faces.These researchers suggest that an interest in human faces may have developed because it helps newborns focus on their only source of food and care.These researchers are most likely following a(n)____ approach.

A) behavioral
B) evolutionary
C) cognitive
D) biological