Deck 1: What Is Psychology

Question 1

People who support the idea of free will OPPOSE the concept that

A) the mind and brain are separate entities.
B) people can sometimes change their opinions.
C) all behaviors have causes that scientists can study.
D) people have a conscious mind.

Answer 1

all behaviors have causes that scientists can study.

Question 2

Using positron-emission tomography (PET), researchers are able to demonstrate

A) the existence of free will.
B) that different behaviors elicit different areas of the brain activation
C) which functions are controlled by the mind and which are controlled by the brain.
D) the role of genetics in controlling behavior.

Answer 2

that different behaviors elicit different areas of the brain activation

Question 3

The word psychology was derived from the Greek words psyche, meaning __________, and logos, meaning __________.

A) mind...body
B) word...study
C) normal...abnormal
D) mind...word

Answer 3

mind...word

Question 4

Someone who supports the position of determinism (as opposed to free will) believes that

A) people can change their own behavior if they try hard enough.
B) the development of behavior depends more on the environment than on genetics.
C) every behavior has a cause.
D) the only way to find out why people act as they do is simply to ask them.

Question 5

Which of the following research questions is most closely related to the mind-brain problem?

A) Why do the people in some countries drink more alcohol than others?
B) Why do boys and girls play with different kinds of toys?
C) Are different areas of the brain more or less active during different behaviors?
D) Are certain kinds of behavior unpredictable or random?

Question 6

What do psychologists and philosophers mean by the term mind-body question?

A) "Is the mind separate from or identical with the physical brain?"
B) "Which is stronger, the mind or the body?"
C) "Is the mind aware of anything that goes on in the body?"
D) "Do you mind what I do with your body?"

Question 7

According to the adherents of determinism, why is it sometimes impossible to predict people's behavior accurately?

A) People have a free will.
B) Some behaviors have causes but others do not.
C) Sometimes the causes are so complex that it is impossible to predict some behaviors.
D) The experimental method is appropriate only for the physical sciences, not for the behavioral sciences.

Question 8

The philosophical position that every behavior has a cause is known as

A) free will.
B) determinism.
C) hereditarianism.
D) environmentalism.

Question 9

Psychology is best defined as the study of

A) abnormality.
B) social influences.
C) behavior and experience.
D) consciousness.

Question 10

The mind-brain (or mind-body) problem refers to the question:

A) Which is more important in controlling behavior, the mind or the brain?
B) How is the mind related to the brain and does one control the other?
C) What causes the mind to undergo "out-of-body" experiences?
D) Which part of the mind controls the body?

Question 11

Positron-emission tomography (PET) is used to measure the

A) changes in a child's brain from one year to the next.
B) amount of activity in various portions of the brain.
C) effects of radiation on behavior.
D) similarity in behavior emitted by people with various genetic makeups.

Question 12

Some investigators try to determine the relationship between physical/chemical processes and our conscious experiences. They are said to be investigating the

A) nature-nurture issue.
B) question of free will and determinism.
C) question of internal versus external locus of control.
D) mind-body problem.

Question 13

"In a universe composed of matter and energy, why is there such a thing as consciousness?" This question relates most closely to the philosophical issue of

A) nature and nurture
B) free will and determinism
C) ethics and consequences
D) mind and brain

Question 14

The adherents of free will disagree with the adherents of determinism with regard to whether behavior is

A) useful
B) inherited.
C) persistent.
D) predictable.

Question 15

Which of the following (if true) would most seriously contradict the assumptions of determinism?

A) Some behaviors are controlled mostly by heredity and others mostly by environment.
B) Two parts of the brain control the same aspects of behavior.
C) Despite being very determined to succeed, people with low levels of intelligence are unable to accomplish as much as people with high intelligence.
D) Certain behaviors are completely unpredictable.

Question 16

A psychologist offers people three pairs of shoes and investigates whether their choices are predictable. The results are likely to be relevant to which of these issues?

A) free will versus determinism
B) the mind-brain problem
C) the nature-nurture issue
D) the ethics of behavior modification

Question 17

Someone who believes that all behaviors have a physical cause is an adherent of which philosophical position?

A) hereditarianism
B) environmentalism
C) free will
D) determinism

Question 18

People who support the concept of free will believe that

A) heredity plays a critical role in the development of behavior.
B) some choices go beyond the realm that science could study or predict.
C) different parts of the brain control different types of behavior.
D) behavior is basically predictable.

Question 19

A psychologist who attempts to test the assumptions of determinism is most likely to investigate

A) the role of heredity in the development of behavior.
B) whether it is possible to predict behaviors.
C) whether different parts of the brain have different functions in behavior.
D) why certain people seem so much more determined to achieve their goals than other people are.

Question 20

According to the position known as determinism,

A) after engaging in any behavior, a person feels an urge to engage in the opposite behavior.
B) people can choose for themselves what kind of people they want to be.
C) development of any behavior depends equally on hereditary and environmental determinants.
D) every behavior has a cause.

Question 21

If you become skillful at basketball because your friends encourage you to play and you have practiced a lot, your behavior is influenced primarily by __________. If you are good at basketball mainly because you are very tall, as have been all of the members of your family for generations, your behavior is influenced primarily by __________.

A) nature...nurture
B) nurture...nature
C) nature...nature
D) nurture...nurture

Question 22

Dr. Domuch is a psychologist who helps a company train people for jobs, select good employees, and organize the workplace to maximize workers' productivity and satisfaction level. Dr. Domuch is probably a/an __________ psychologist.

A) clinical
B) industrial/organizational
C) cognitive
D) developmental

Question 23

The field of psychology known as ergonomics or human factors concentrates on

A) facilitating cooperation between groups of people with a history of hostility.
B) understanding the evolution of the human mind.
C) design of machinery and instructions so people can understand them better.
D) improving education for children who learn slowly or differently from others.

Question 24

One of the main activities of an industrial/organizational psychologist is to

A) represent the interests of employees when they are in conflict with management.
B) provide counseling for workers who are distressed about their job.
C) advise a company's personnel office on how to select among job applicants.
D) provide therapy for those individuals who experience "job burnout".

Question 25

Which of these is NOT a typical activity for industrial-organizational psychologists?

A) designing or redesigning jobs
B) advising employers on how to select among jobs
C) recommending incentives to improve work motivation
D) counseling employees who have emotional disorders

Question 26

What kind of psychologist should you hire if you run a company and want to find ways to increase the levels of productivity and satisfaction among your employees?

A) forensic psychologist
B) clinical psychologist
C) personality psychologist
D) industrial/organizational psychologist

Question 27

The nature-nurture issue is the question of how the development of behavior depends on

A) heredity and environment.
B) the external situation and an internal will.
C) the physical environment and the social environment.
D) health and nutrition.

Question 28

The primary concern in the field of ergonomics is to

A) understand the attitudes of people at work.
B) improve the design of machines so that people can use them more effectively.
C) choose the people who can most effectively learn how to operate machines.
D) redesign jobs so that more work can be done automatically and less by employees.

Question 29

What educational degree does a psychiatrist hold?

A) M.S.
B) M.D.
C) Ph.D.
D) B.A.

Question 30

The field of ergonomics is also known as:

A) industrial-organizational psychology.
B) school psychology.
C) human factors.
D) artificial intelligence.

Question 31

__________ provide advice and consultation to police, lawyers, and courts.

A) Forensic psychologists
B) Counseling psychologists
C) Developmental psychologists
D) Psychiatrist

Question 32

Brain researchers would probably be most comfortable with which of the following statements?

A) The mind controls thought and the brain controls behavior.
B) Mental activity causes brain activity.
C) Brain activity and mental activity are completely independent.
D) Brain activity and mental activity are the same thing.

Question 33

Ergonomics is the field within psychology that concentrates largely on

A) helping to design equipment so that people can use it easily.
B) measuring people's muscle activity during various tasks.
C) understanding the relationship between workers' performance and the pay scale.
D) providing counseling to workers whose personal problems interfere with job performance.

Question 34

If you ran a large corporation and you wanted to hire a psychologist to help ensure that you hired people who were well-suited for the jobs you have, you would be best advised to hire a/an __________ psychologist.

A) counseling
B) forensic
C) social
D) industrial/organizational

Question 35

The nature-nurture issue is the question of the relationship between

A) mind and brain.
B) heredity and environment.
C) free will and determinism.
D) conscious and unconscious.

Question 36

The nature-nurture issue can best be defined as the study of

A) how brain activity causes mental activity.
B) whether or not behavior is predictable or random.
C) how differences in behavior relate to differences in heredity and environment
D) how the mind directs free will.

Question 37

A difference between a PhD degree and a PsyDdegree is

A) Clinical psychologists are more likely to have a PsyD than research psychologists are.
B) The PsyD degree requires more research experience.
C) In the US, psychologists get a PhD; in Canada, psychologists get a PsyD.
D) A PhD requires two more years of training than a PsyD does.

Question 38

Which of the following research questions is most directly related to the nature-nurture issue?

A) Are some areas of the brain more active than others during a given behavior?
B) Are certain behaviors completely random or unpredictable?
C) Are the behavioral differences between boys and girls due to differences in their genes?
D) Is personality consistent from one situation to another?

Question 39

One thing that a psychiatrist does that a clinical psychologist is not allowed to do in most states is

A) prescribe drugs.
B) conduct research.
C) analyze dreams.
D) hypnotize people.

Question 40

Industrial/Organizational psychologists observe and study

A) how people influence one another.
B) people at work.
C) individual problems.
D) educational problems.

Question 41

A cognitive psychologist studies

A) the relationship between brain and behavior.
B) the influence of the social environment on behavior.
C) the behavior of infants.
D) thinking and acquiring knowledge.

Question 42

A specialist in the psychological condition of students is known as a(n)

A) ergonomist
B) school psychologist.
C) forensic psychologist.
D) counseling social worker.

Question 43

A cognitive psychologist who tries to explain differences in performance among individuals will probably concentrate on how those individuals differ in their

A) knowledge and thinking.
B) social influences.
C) emotions.
D) age

Question 44

Which of the following types of psychologists is NOT typically considered a service provider to an organization?

A) industrial-organizational
B) school psychology
C) ergonomics
D) cognitive

Question 45

Which type of psychologist is most interested in improving communication between people and machines?

A) psychometrician
B) environmental psychologist
C) forensic psychologist
D) ergonomist

Question 46

A person who specializes in the study of thought and knowledge?

A) quantitative psychologist
B) cognitive psychologist
C) behaviorist
D) physiological psychologist

Question 47

When a food is paired with a later illness, people often develop an aversion to that food. Which is true about that aversion?

A) It will develop only if it was actually the food that made you ill, and you know it was the food that made you ill.
B) It will develop only if it was actually the food that made you ill, even if you thought something else caused the illness.
C) It is most likely to occur if you are unfamiliar with the food that preceded the illness.
D) It is most likely to occur with foods you eat often but think taste bland.

Question 48

Which of the following would be the best example of the ergonomic principle of compatibility?

A) Two people are more likely to fall in love if they share many common interests.
B) A drug that produces a mild effect, produces a stronger effect when combined with a second drug.
C) A knob that is turned clockwise moves a machine to the right; the machine moves to the left when the knob is turned counterclockwise.
D) People who are good at learning one task will probably be good at learning another one also.

Question 49

When you eat something and later get sick, you may form a strong aversion to that food. This is especially likely to happen if the food was

A) sweet.
B) salty.
C) fattening.
D) unfamiliar.

Question 50

A teacher needing help to determine the optimal methods for increasing learning and retention in his special needs classroom would most likely consult a/an

A) ergonomic specialist.
B) forensic psychologist.
C) school psychologist.
D) behavioral neuroscientist.

Question 51

Donna is likely to reject vanilla tastes if

A) her adrenal glands have been damaged.
B) she has drunk a substantial amount of distilled water.
C) she once became nauseated from riding a roller coaster shortly after eating vanilla ice cream.
D) she has recently lost a great deal of blood.

Question 52

In which way would a cognitive psychologist be most likely to try to help a slow-learning child?

A) teach better problem-solving strategies
B) test the child's vision and hearing
C) administer drugs or prescribe a special diet to alter brain chemistry
D) measure the child's IQ

Question 53

Which of the following jobs is a school psychologist most likely to perform?

A) consult with the teacher about how to best meet the educational needs of a troubled student
B) prescribe and administer medications for students who need them
C) advise a parole board about which students are most likely to be dangerous
D) conduct study sessions for students who need help with their homework

Question 54

A psychologist who specializes in ergonomics would be most likely to try to create a better

A) gear shift lever for a bicycle.
B) test to measure exam anxiety.
C) definition of addiction.
D) method of analysis.

Question 55

Ergonomists and Industrial psychologists usually provide their services to

A) children and adolescents.
B) companies.
C) other psychologists.
D) adults.

Question 56

Teachers seeking advice on how to cope with the special needs of students in the classroom would most likely consult a

A) psychiatrist.
B) social worker.
C) ergonomist.
D) school psychologist.

Question 57

You go to an amusement park. While there, you try a food you've never eaten before: a corndog. Later you ride the "Screaming Turtle" roller coaster, and get quite ill. What is likely to happen in the future?

A) You will feel nauseated at the sight of roller coasters.
B) You will feel nauseated at the sight of turtles.
C) You will feel nauseated at the sight of corndogs.
D) You will develop a craving for corndogs when you ride on roller coasters.

Question 58

An individual can typically practice school psychology in the U.S. with a

A) bachelor's degree.
B) master's degree or doctoral degree.
C) doctoral degree only.
D) high school diploma and a recommendation from a school counselor.

Question 59

Cognition can best be defined as

A) emotional attachment.
B) intense concentration.
C) how we think and acquire knowledge.
D) transmission between neurons.

Question 60

A program that studies ergonomics (human factors) may be found in either the psychology department or the __________ department of some universities.

A) biology
B) religion
C) sociology
D) engineering

Question 61

Which of the following is a biopsychologist least likely to investigate?

A) effects of drugs on behavior
B) effects of brain damage on behavior
C) effects of genetics on behavior
D) effects of unconscious thoughts on behavior

Question 62

Which type of psychologist would be most interested in studying built-in behavior tendencies that serve adaptive functions?

A) cognitive
B) behaviorist
C) evolutionary
D) psychoanalytic

Question 63

A biopsychologist tries to relate behavior to

A) interactions between conscious and unconscious thought processes.
B) experiences early in life.
C) electrical and chemical activities in the body.
D) the influences of other people.

Question 64

Which kind of psychologist is most concerned with how behavior is influenced by other people?

A) cognitive psychologist
B) evolutionary psychologist
C) quantitative psychologist
D) social psychologist

Question 65

The main interest of social psychologists is

A) how behavior develops as a function of age.
B) how behavior is influenced by other people.
C) the role of learning and memory in behavior.
D) how human behavior has changed over the course of history.

Question 66

Because people expect a particular individual to succeed, they treat that person differently and thereby cause the success they expected. This phenomenon is likely to be studied by which kind of psychologist?

A) physiological psychologist
B) comparative psychologist
C) social psychologist
D) quantitative psychologist

Question 67

Evolutionary explanations

A) are useful only for animal species other than humans.
B) are useful for humans, but not for other species.
C) can account for the physical appearance, but not the behavior, in an animal species.
D) can account for the physical appearance and the behavior in an animal species.

Question 68

Which of the following kinds of psychological researcher would be most likely to study the effects of conformity and self-fulfilling prophecies on people's behavior?

A) ergonomists
B) psychoanalysts
C) social psychologists
D) biological psychologists

Question 69

A _________ is most likely to study the effects of brain damage on behavior.

A) biopsychologist
B) behaviorist
C) evolutionary psychologist
D) industrial-organizational psychologist

Question 70

Which type of psychologist would be most interested in studying the reasons why men are more jealous than women in all known cultures?

A) evolutionary psychologist
B) industrial/organizational psychologist
C) cognitive psychologist
D) forensic psychologist

Question 71

A person's taste preferences may be determined by:

A) genetics.
B) abnormal conditions in the body.
C) dietary deficiencies.
D) all of these

Question 72

Which of the following is most likely to lead to an increased preference for salty tastes?

A) prolonged experience with a low-fat diet
B) repeated nausea
C) damage to the adrenal glands
D) damage to the lateral hypothalamus

Question 73

Which of the following correctly states how a particular type of psychologist would probably approach the differences in behavior between boys and girls?

A) A cognitive psychologist would try to explain it in terms of differences in the brains of boys and girls.
B) A psychoanalyst would try to measure the differences without necessarily trying to explain them.
C) A behaviorist would try to understand the different thought processes of boys and girls.
D) A social psychologist would try to understand how children are affected by the expectations adults have for boys and girls.

Question 74

A Japanese student is planning to spend his junior year abroad, and wants to minimize any distress that might result from the new experiences. Research suggests his likelihood of becoming homesick will depend on the __________ of the new culture.

A) foods
B) religion
C) dating customs
D) family life

Question 75

An increased need for sodium salts in the body can be caused by damage to the

A) ventromedial hypothalamus.
B) lateral hypothalamus.
C) thyroid gland.
D) adrenal gland.

Question 76

Research indicates that we are most likely to enjoy foods that are

A) spicy.
B) novel.
C) familiar.
D) either cold or hot.

Question 77

One cause for a strong craving for salty tastes is

A) high levels of insulin.
B) low blood glucose.
C) damage to the corpus callosum.
D) damage to the adrenal glands.

Question 78

Damage to the adrenal gland can lead to an increased need for ____ in the diet.

A) calcium
B) protein
C) salt
D) carbohydrates

Question 79

When someone has a deficiency of salt in the body, he or she is likely to show

A) an increased preference for salty tastes.
B) a decreased preference for salty tastes.
C) an increased preference for sweet tastes.
D) a decreased preference for sweet tastes.

Question 80

Which type of psychologist would be most interested in the genetic makeup of an individual?

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