Deck 1: An Introduction to Psychology

Question 1

Which of these individuals is LEAST likely to be a psychologist?

A)Dionne, who holds a PhD degree
B)Everett, who has an MD degree
C)Fallon, who graduated with a PsyD degree
D)Each of these individuals is equally likely to be a psychologist.

Answer 1

Everett, who has an MD degree

Question 2

Organizing and making sense of behavioral observations is central to psychology's goal of:

A)description.
B)prediction.
C)control.
D)explanation.

Answer 2

explanation.

Question 3

Which statement BEST expresses the relationship between psychology and the study of behavior?

A)The study of behavior is part of psychology.
B)Psychology does not include the study of behavior. It focuses on the mind.
C)The study of behavior is the same thing as psychology.
D)At one time, psychology was defined as the study of behavior. It is now considered the science of the mind.

Answer 3

The study of behavior is part of psychology.

Question 4

Psychology is defined as the:

A)study of mental processes.
B)scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
C)study of mental disorders and their treatment.
D)science of behavior.

Question 5

The largest area of specialization in psychology is _____ psychology.

A)developmental
B)clinical/counseling
C)educational
D)social/personality

Question 6

Whether a field of study is a science is determined by the:

A)credentials of those who specialize in the field.
B)methods used to collect information in the field.
C)technological sophistication of the equipment used in the field.
D)subject matter of the field.

Question 7

In the context of psychology's goals, observe is to describe as understand is to:

A)analyze.
B)predict.
C)control.
D)explain.

Question 8

With respect to the goals of psychology, understanding behavior is to applying findings as _____ is to _____.

A)describing; controlling
B)explaining; controlling
C)explaining; describing
D)controlling; explaining

Question 9

Which proportion BEST approximates the percentage of psychologists who provide therapy?

A)one-quarter
B)one-third
C)one-half
D)three-quarters

Question 10

Beatriz has just received her doctoral degree in psychology. In which setting is she MOST likely to find employment, all else being equal?

A)academia
B)a hospital
C)the military
D)a large corporation

Question 11

With respect to the goals of psychology; prediction is to projecting outcomes as _____ is to _____.

A)explanation; making observations
B)explanation; applying findings
C)description; making observations
D)description; applying findings

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT one of the goals of psychology?

A)explain
B)analyze
C)predict
D)control

Question 13

Brenda says, "Psychology is the study of behavior." Chase responds, "No, psychologists study emotions." Which statement BEST evaluates these two remarks?

A)Brenda's statement is too broad; Chase's is too narrow.
B)Brenda's statement is too narrow; Chase's is correct
C)Brenda's statement is correct; Chase's is incorrect.
D)Brenda's statement is too narrow. Chase's is also too narrow.

Question 14

When psychologists describe behavior, they:

A)project future behavior.
B)shape desirable behavior.
C)observe behavior systematically.
D)make sense of behavior.

Question 15

MD is to PhD as _____ is to _____.

A)psychiatrist; clinical psychologist
B)clinical psychologist; psychiatrist
C)clinical psychologist; counseling psychologist
D)counseling psychologist; clinical psychologist

Question 16

Shaping and modifying behavior is the essence of psychology's _____ goal.

A)control
B)predict
C)explain
D)describe

Question 17

Akira has declared psychology as his major. He will be studying:

A)mental processes.
B)behavior.
C)mental disorders and their treatment.
D)behavior and mental processes.

Question 18

Which professional is MOST likely to have a master's degree as her most advanced credential?

A)a psychiatrist
B)a counseling psychologist
C)a mental health counselor
D)a clinical psychologist

Question 19

Research focused on changing behaviors or outcomes is called _____ research.

A)basic
B)practical
C)experimental
D)applied

Question 20

The textbook describes the plight of 33 trapped Chilean miners. Which aspect(s) of this situation would most interest a psychologist, and why?

A)the miners' actions, such as praying or screaming; Psychology is the science of behavior
B)the miners' thoughts and feelings; Psychology is the study of mental processes
C)the potential for the miners to develop post-traumatic stress disorder; Psychology emphasizes mental disorders
D)all of these aspects; Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes

Question 21

It is the year 2029. At the American Psychological Association's annual conference, a special keynote address commemorates the 150ᵗʰ anniversary of an historic event in psychology's early days. What event is celebrated in the address?

A)Wundt founding the first psychology laboratory
B)Calkins becoming the first female president of the APA
C)Titchener opening a lab at Cornell
D)Watson establishing behaviorism

Question 22

The saying "mind over matter" reflects a philosophical view called _____, which is associated with _____.

A)dualism; Descartes
B)empiricism; Aristotle
C)dualism; Aristotle
D)empiricism; Descartes

Question 23

A psychologist is pursuing psychology's _____ goal when she observes aggressive behavior among patrons in a bar.

A)describe
B)predict
C)explain
D)control

Question 24

The title of the American jazz classic, "Body and Soul" echoes a view known as dualism, a view associated MOST prominently with the philosopher:

A)Plato.
B)Descartes.
C)Aristotle.
D)Fechner.

Question 25

Lassandra takes a sip of cola. "Sweet . . . cold, wet, tingly . . . slightly bitter," she reports. Lassandra is:

A)introspecting.
B)interviewing.
C)suffering a stroke.
D)taking an intelligence test.

Question 26

Wundt began operating the first psychology lab in:

A)1829.
B)1839.
C)1859.
D)1879.

Question 27

The Renaissance philosopher John Locke argued that our knowledge is acquired solely through experience. Locke's position reflects the legacy of the Greek philosopher:

A)Plato.
B)Socrates.
C)Aristotle.
D)Hippocrates.

Question 28

Dr. Leleux asserts that psychologists should attempt to identify the fundamental attributes of mental experience. Dr. Leleux appears most sympathetic to psychology's school of:

A)humanism.
B)behaviorism.
C)structuralism.
D)functionalism.

Question 29

Planning research, making observations, and communicating findings are all part of psychology's _____ goal.

A)describe
B)explain
C)predict
D)control

Question 30

The formal beginning of psychology is associated with:

A)James.
B)Wundt.
C)Titchener.
D)Descartes.

Question 31

A procedure in which an observer describes the simple elements of a complex experience in as much detail as possible is called:

A)inner perception.
B)subjective perception.
C)internal observation.
D)introspection.

Question 32

_____ offered an alternative to structuralism in the early days of scientific psychology.

A)Humanism
B)The cognitive perspective
C)Functionalism
D)The psychoanalytic perspective

Question 33

Which statement BEST expresses the aim of functionalism?

A)It seeks to identify what the mind contains.
B)It seeks to understand the purpose of the mind.
C)It seeks to determine how mental experience is organized.
D)It seeks to understand the influence of the unconscious mind.

Question 34

"He wanted to do for psychology what the Periodic Table of the Elements did for chemistry," lectures a psychology professor. To whom is the professor MOST likely referring?

A)Titchener
B)James
C)Freud
D)Maslow

Question 35

Which of the following statements BEST expresses the fate of structuralism in psychology?

A)It triumphed over alternative ones.
B)It was supplanted by other views.
C)Its importance has waned slightly, but it remains highly influential today.
D)It continues to coexist with other views in psychology.

Question 36

Which location is associated with the formal beginning of psychology?

A)Vienna, Austria
B)Berlin, Germany
C)Leipzig, Germany
D)Cambridge, England

Question 37

Which choice correctly pairs a philosopher with the concept with which he is associated?

A)Plato - empiricism
B)Aristotle - nativism
C)Aristotle - dualism
D)Descartes - dualism

Question 38

A psychologist advises a petroleum company on selecting offshore oil rig workers likely to comply with safety regulations. The psychologist is pursuing psychology's goal of:

A)description.
B)prediction.
C)explanation.
D)control.

Question 39

Which activity is NOT part of psychology's goal of explanation?

A)shaping behavior
B)noticing patterns
C)seeking clues in the literature
D)identifying causes

Question 40

Whereas the philosopher _____ believed that humans possessed some innate knowledge, the philosopher _____ believed that all knowledge is derived from experience.

A)Plato; Aristotle
B)Aristotle; Plato
C)Aristotle; Descartes
D)Descartes; Plato

Question 41

Which choice correctly pairs a pioneering woman in psychology with a "first"?

A)Mamie Phipps Clark - first woman of color to be awarded a PhD in Psychology
B)Mamie Phipps Clark - first female president of the APA
C)Margaret Floy Washburn - first woman of color to be awarded a PhD in Psychology
D)Mary Whiton Calkins - first woman to earn a PhD in psychology

Question 42

Perhaps the broadest, most integrative approach in psychology is the _____ perspective.

A)biological
B)psychoanalytic
C)humanistic
D)biopsychosocial

Question 43

The cognitive perspective may be said to represent a reaction to the _____ view.

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

Question 44

Dr. Petrovic's goal is to help his clients channel their motivation for positive growth and to realize their potential. He is MOST likely a _____ therapist.

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

Question 45

With respect to the psychology of emotion, William James would be MOST interested in the:

A)contribution of unconscious memories to one's emotional experience.
B)observable behaviors associated with emotion.
C)way in which emotions aid one's adaptation to the environment.
D)basic nature of an emotional feeling or experience.

Question 46

Which psychologist is incorrectly matched with an associated perspective?

A)Maslow - humanistic
B)Skinner - behavioral
C)Vygotsky - biological
D)Freud - psychoanalytic

Question 47

Currently, women earn ____ percent of the advanced psychology degrees in the United States.

A)50
B)65
C)75
D)90

Question 48

The advent of brain-imaging techniques has been a boon for the biological and the _____ perspectives in modern-day psychology.

A)psychoanalytic
B)sociocultural
C)cognitive
D)humanistic

Question 49

At the heart of the humanistic perspective is the concept of:

A)free will.
B)environmental determinism.
C)natural selection.
D)unconscious conflict.

Question 50

The humanistic perspective represents a reaction to both the _____ and the ______ views.

A)psychoanalytic; cognitive
B)psychoanalytic; behavioral
C)behavioral; cognitive
D)behavioral; sociocultural

Question 51

Owen is asked if he can identify a suspect in a lineup. He thinks his fear at the time of the crime may have impaired his memory for the perpetrator. This hypothesis would MOST likely be tested by a _____ psychologist.

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

Question 52

Which early female psychologist might be considered a developmental psychologist?

A)Mary Whiton Calkins
B)Margaret Floy Washburn
C)Mamie Phipps Clark
D)Elizabeth Loftus

Question 53

Which contemporary perspective is correctly matched with its description?

A)psychoanalytic perspective - emphasizes people's motivation to grow and develop
B)cognitive perspective - emphasizes underlying conflicts
C)behavioral perspective - emphasizes learning through association, reinforcement, and observation
D)humanistic perspective - emphasizes the mental processes guiding behavior

Question 54

Dr. Franklin is examining the association between the experience of discrimination and self-esteem among children and adolescents. Her research reflects the pioneering work of _____, one of psychology's "founding mothers."

A)Elizabeth Loftus
B)Margaret Floy Washburn
C)Margaret Whiton Calkins
D)Mamie Phipps Clark

Question 55

Penny is a recovering drug addict. Her treatment program emphasizes the influence of stimuli and reinforcers in the environment-"people, places, and things"-on her use of her drug of choice. Her program reflects the _____ perspective in psychology.

A)sociocultural
B)cognitive
C)behavioral
D)psychoanalytic

Question 56

Dr. Greenway argues that psychology should focus on observable, measurable behavior. Dr. Cech suggests that psychology should study how people think and process information. Which option correctly pairs the psychologists with their respective perspectives?

A)Dr. Greenway - behavioral perspective; Dr. Cech - cognitive perspective
B)Dr. Greenway - cognitive perspective; Dr. Cech - behavioral perspective
C)Dr. Greenway - psychoanalytic perspective; Dr. Cech - cognitive perspective
D)Dr. Greenway - behavioral perspective; Dr. Cech - psychoanaytic perspective

Question 57

Noreen asserts that our behavior often reflects unconscious motives and conflicts. This viewpoint is MOST consistent with the _____ perspective in psychology.

A)psychoanalytic
B)cognitive
C)humanistic
D)biological

Question 58

In recent years, psychologists have identified potential differences in the brain anatomy of gay men and their straight counterparts. This finding supports the _____ perspective in psychology

A)psychoanalytic
B)biological
C)sociocultural
D)cognitive

Question 59

Which psychologist helped pioneer the cognitive perspective?

A)George Miller
B)John Watson
C)Carl Rogers
D)Lev Vygotsky

Question 60

In the 1980s, research began questioning whether psychology's findings could be applied universally. This research sparked the ____ perspective.

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

Question 61

Dr. Jensen is organizing and evaluating the evidence concerning aggression in children. Dr. Jensen is engaged in ______ thinking.

A)pseudopsychological
B)critical
C)empirical
D)scientific

Question 62

An advertisement touts the muscle-building benefits of a new herbal supplement. Jana investigates the credentials of the individuals testifying to its benefits and performs some research on the company that manufactures the supplement. In addition, she searches the scientific literature for any controlled research that might attest to the action of the supplement. Jana is engaged in _____ thinking.

A)logical
B)analytical
C)high-level
D)critical

Question 63

The process of weighing, synthesizing, and evaluating evidence is called _____ thinking.

A)critical
B)scientific
C)empirical
D)experimental

Question 64

"Opposites attract." "Birds of a feather flock together." These aphorisms are:

A)hypotheses.
B)variables.
C)theories.
D)operational definitions.

Question 65

The process psychologists use to conduct research is called:

A)critical thinking.
B)informed speculation.
C)the scientific method.
D)educated guessing.

Question 66

Madame Oolong claims that she can answer questions about one's career, finances, and relationships by reading tea leaves. Madame Oolong practices:

A)psychology.
B)critical thinking.
C)pseudopsychology.
D)parapsychology.

Question 67

When asked to define "popularity," Brianna offers, "It's when everyone likes you." Chrissy suggests, "It's basically the number of friends you have." How do the two girls' definitions differ?

A)They don't, really.
B)Brianna's is an operational definition; Chrissy's is not.
C)Brianna's is a procedural definition; Chrissy's is not.
D)Chrissy's is an operational definition; Brianna's is not.

Question 68

According to your text, numerology cannot tell us what will happen in the future. It therefore fails to achieve psychology's goal of:

A)describing.
B)predicting.
C)explaining.
D)controlling.

Question 69

Andrea is reading a general, comprehensive account 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 70

The first step in the scientific method is:

A)developing a hypothesis.
B)publishing findings.
C)developing a question.
D)designing a study.

Question 71

Research suggests that nearly _____% of college students have trouble distinguishing between pseudosciences and real sciences.

A)25
B)35
C)50
D)75

Question 72

A hypothesis is BEST defined as a:

A)statement that can be used to test a prediction.
B)broad, general explanation of the phenomenon of interest.
C)specification of the precise manner in which a variable will be measured.
D)behavior, event, or other characteristic that can assume different values.

Question 73

Numerology is:

A)a critical psychology.
B)part of psychology.
C)a pseudopychology.
D)a parapsychology.

Question 74

Prediction is to explanation as _____ is to______.

A)hypothesis; theory
B)theory; hypothesis
C)experiment; theory
D)experiment; hypothesis

Question 75

What is the relationship among psychology, pseudopsychology, and critical thinking?

A)Critical thinking is important in pseudopsychology but absent from psychology.
B)Critical thinking is important in psychology but absent from pseudopsychology.
C)Critical thinking is important in both psychology and pseudopsychology.
D)Psychology, pseudopsychology, and critical thinking are three different ways of understanding behavior.

Question 76

Which of the following statements BEST expresses the relationship between a theory and a hypothesis?

A)A theory is more specific than a hypothesis.
B)A theory is broader than a hypothesis.
C)A theory is the same thing as a hypothesis.
D)A theory is unrelated to a hypothesis.

Question 77

An approach that attempts to explain behavior but is without empirical support is labeled a:

A)parapsychology.
B)pop psychology.
C)pseudopsychology.
D)critical psychology.

Question 78

Numerology is a:

A)science, because it seeks to identify patterns.
B)science, because its predictions are empirically verified.
C)pseudopsychology, because its predictions are not supported by observation.
D)pseudopsychology, because it does not share psychology's goals of prediction and explanation.

Question 79

Which of the following is NOT an operational definition of happiness?

A)a feeling of joy or contentment
B)the number of times an individual smiles in an hour
C)an individual's self-rating on a 10-point happiness scale
D)the ratio of positive to negative emotion words a person uses when describing how they feel

Question 80

In a study cited in your textbook, researchers at Haifa University examined the relationship between handwriting and deception. What did the researchers find?

A)There was no association between deception and the physical characteristics of handwriting.
B)Writers used larger strokes and applied more pressure when they were lying.
C)Writers used smaller, lighter strokes when they were lying.
D)Writers attempted to modify the style of their handwriting when they were lying.