Question 1

In America, Wilhelm Wundt's ideas were popularized by one of his students, _______________, who gave Wundt's approach the name "structuralism."

Accepted Answer

A)  Sigmund Freud 
B)  John Watson 
C)  William James 
D)  Edward Titchener

Question 2

Which of the following is the best conclusion to draw from the massing versus spacing experiment discussed in the textbook?

Accepted Answer

A)  Massing is better than spacing for all types of learning. 
B)  Massing is better than spacing for studying vocabulary. 
C)  Spacing is better than massing for all types of learning. 
D)  Spacing is better than massing for studying vocabulary.

Question 3

Jana uses research about how we cope with stress in order to help people with psychological disorders. Jana is probably ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  an empiricist 
B)  a supporter of eugenics 
C)  a clinical psychologist 
D)  a phrenologist

Question 4

A good hypothesis is one that is stated in the most general terms possible.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

In the late 20th century, psychology __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  expanded dramatically 
B)  stagnated 
C)  contracted slightly 
D)  contracted dramatically

Question 6

A therapist is interested in interpreting dreams and in having clients relate their thoughts without modifying them. This therapist is most likely to be a

Accepted Answer

A)  client-centered therapist. 
B)  psychoanalyst. 
C)  cognitive therapist. 
D)  behavior therapist.

Question 7

Charles Darwin revolutionized biology by offering natural selection as an explanation for how physical characteristics of species evolved. How has his work influenced contemporary psychology?

Accepted Answer

A)  It shows that the biological approach to studying psychology is most important. 
B)  Natural selection has encouraged people to think more scientifically in general. 
C)  Evolutionary thought shows that psychology must be limited to study of humans. 
D)  Darwin applied his theory to behaviors such as emotional expressions, showing that natural selection is an important factor in understanding psychology.

Question 8

Psychoanalysis emphasizes the influence of unconscious urges and memories on behavior.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Dr. Patel is a school psychologist who has noticed that a 5th grade student has recently begun to misbehave and fall behind academically. He decides there must be a reason for the student's sudden problems and decides to try to figure out what it is. Dr. Patel's belief that the student's behavior is the result of some unknown cause is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  determinism. 
B)  parsimony. 
C)  skepticism. 
D)  empiricism.

Question 10

Kelly notes that Roger's reported stress headache and feeling "out of sorts" might be relieved if he were exposed over time to magnets. This idea would be congruent with which physician below?

Accepted Answer

A)  Franz Mesmer 
B)  Sigmund Freud 
C)  Paul Broca 
D)  Karl Wernicke

Question 11

Nico is meeting with his academic adviser. He wishes to pursue a career where he'll work to diagnose and treat mental disorders. Nico aspires to be a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  clinical psychologist. 
B)  experimental psychologist. 
C)  forensic psychologist. 
D)  school psychologist.

Question 12

A testable prediction about processes that can be observed and measured is referred to as a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  theory 
B)  hypothesis 
C)  opinion 
D)  hunch

Question 13

Behavior is influenced by:

Accepted Answer

A)  personality. 
B)  situational characteristics. 
C)  individual interpretations of unique situations. 
D)  all of the above

Question 14

Which individual is usually credited with establishing the first scientific psychological laboratory?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 15

In science, a theory can be defined as

Accepted Answer

A)  an educated guess. 
B)  an explanation that explains and integrates numerous findings and observations into a coherent whole. 
C)  a personal understanding of natural laws. 
D)  a testable prediction.

Question 16

A friend of yours has 30 Spanish vocabulary words to learn by tomorrow. Which of the following is the best way for her to use flashcards to study?

Accepted Answer

A)  Study each card only once. 
B)  Divide the cards into five piles and then study each pile four times before moving on to the next pile. 
C)  Go through the entire pile of 25 cards four times. 
D)  Divide the cards into 10 piles and then study each pile four times before moving on to the next pile.

Question 17

Ms. Patel is a 3rd grade teacher. Several children in her class have been having trouble concentrating and sitting still in her class, so she finds several articles from psychology journals on hyperactivity and attention in young children. Although she is not a scientist, Ms. Patel is able to understand the articles and then use the information to redesign her classroom schedule to help improve attention. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  the scientific method. 
B)  the biopsychosocial model. 
C)  scientific literacy. 
D)  empiricism.

Question 18

Brenda is a participant in an experiment. She is told to watch a series of lights and to identify which one is the brightest. It is likely that Brenda is participating in a(n) ________________ experiment.

Accepted Answer

A)  psychophysics 
B)  anthropometric 
C)  phrenology 
D)  eugenics

Question 19

Huang is considering whether to take a cholesterol-reducing medicine that has been recommended by his physician, so he inquires about its effectiveness and safety. His physician explains that the government agency that oversee medications-the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-has approved the medication after dozens of scientific studies had been conducted on their usefulness and safety. Which aspect of critical thinking does this best represent?

Accepted Answer

A)  Huang is examining the nature and source of the evidence. 
B)  Huang is simply curious. 
C)  Huang is not considering alternative viewpoints. 
D)  Huang is avoiding overly emotional thinking.

Question 20

When a psychologist uses the term scientific theory, he or she is referring to something that

Accepted Answer

A)  is guaranteed to be true. 
B)  explains a wide range of observations. 
C)  is no more or less plausible than any other theory. 
D)  is an educated guess.

Exam 1: Introducing Psychological Science