Question 1

Which of the following is one of the major biases in thinking described in the text?

Accepted Answer

A) misunderstanding or not using statistics 
B) seeing relationships that do not exist 
C) judging a book by its cover 
D) ignoring other people's perspectives

Question 2

The idea that the mind and body are separate but intertwined describes the viewpoint of

Accepted Answer

A) dualism. 
B) structuralism. 
C) introspection. 
D) behaviorism.

Question 3

The area of science that focuses on studying the working brain is called

Accepted Answer

A) psychological science. 
B) biological science. 
C) psychobiological science. 
D) neuroscience.

Question 4

Gestalt psychology is best seen as a reaction against the approach.

Accepted Answer

A) functionalist 
B) humanistic 
C) psychoanalytic 
D) structuralist

Question 5

An educated consumer of psychological science must be willing to research findings and their beliefs.

Accepted Answer

A) evaluate; update 
B) challenge; defend 
C) discredit; confirm 
D) accept; ignore

Question 6

According to the text, which of the following represents a current area of growth for careers in psychology?

Accepted Answer

A) working with preschool-aged children 
B) working with older adults 
C) working with patients with severe mental illness 
D) working with technology companies

Question 7

Which area of psychology studies how shared ideas and behaviors are passed from one generation to the next?

Accepted Answer

A) biological 
B) individual 
C) cultural 
D) clinical

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of research done at the individual level of analysis?

Accepted Answer

A) examining how neurotransmitters change when recalling a painful memory 
B) studying how different personality traits can influence job success 
C) testing whether people perform an easy skill better alone or in front of a group 
D) exploring how the country one grows up in influences how one interprets nonverbal cues

Question 9

A media report indicates that a new brain imaging test has been developed for detecting depression. As a critical thinker, you would

Accepted Answer

A) dismiss the finding because it was reported in the popular media. 
B) call your friend who has been feeling down and suggest getting a brain scan immediately. 
C) learn more about the methods of the study so that you can evaluate the strength of the conclusions. 
D) approach the findings with an open mind and assume that they are probably true.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

A) the contribution of unconscious memories to one's emotional experience. 
B) the basic nature of an emotional feeling or experience. 
C) how emotions aid one's adaptation to the environment. 
D) one's subjective interpretation of one's emotions.

Question 11

General Mills wants to design new cereal packaging that is easy for parents to open but hard for infants to open.To make sure it understands the capabilities and limitations of both age groups, it should hire an) psychologist.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 12

Dr.Scott is testing whether cultural norms about emotion influence neural responses to different emotional expressions.Dr.Scott's research is in the area of

Accepted Answer

A) evolutionary psychology. 
B) sociobiology. 
C) social psychology. 
D) cultural neuroscience.

Question 13

Which of the following is the best definition of psychological science?

Accepted Answer

A) the study of the brain and its function 
B) the study of the mind, the brain, and thought processes 
C) the study of the mind, the brain, and behavior 
D) the study of the mind, the psyche, and behavior

Question 14

Lucinda is afraid of dogs.Her psychologist, Dr.Lee, believes her fear is part of an adaptive response that has helped our species survive.Which psychological approach does Dr.Lee follow?

Accepted Answer

A) psychoanalysis 
B) behaviorism 
C) social 
D) evolutionary

Question 15

On his way to the basketball game, Tom says he cannot predict who will win.After his team wins the game, however, Tom says he knew they were going to win because their defense always plays well together.This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A) taking mental shortcuts. 
B) the hindsight bias. 
C) the self-serving bias. 
D) the confirmation bias.

Question 16

The idea that the mind came into existence over the course of human evolution is the viewpoint of

Accepted Answer

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

Question 17

A recent survey found that 80 percent of high school students believed that they were above average on reading, writing, and math skills.Given that only 50 percent of any group can be above average on any dimension, this is an example of

Accepted Answer

A) hindsight bias. 
B) difficulty recognizing weaknesses. 
C) confirmation bias. 
D) egocentric thinking.

Question 18

Which type of psychologist studies how people are affected by the presence of others?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 19

Which of the following is true about the history of psychology?

Accepted Answer

A) Women did not play a role in psychological discovery prior to World War II. 
B) Prior to the advent of brain imaging, psychologists thought of the mind as a "black box" because they could not measure mental activity. 
C) The shift from functionalism to structuralism at the turn of the twentieth century signaled a renewed interest in brain anatomy. 
D) Psychology was influenced by theoretical developments in philosophy and biology.

Question 20

According to the structuralists, the goal of psychology is to

Accepted Answer

A) uncover the unconscious determinants of behavior. 
B) focus on observable behavior itself. 
C) identify the elements of conscious experience. 
D) identify the purposes of our behavior and mental processes.

Exam 1: The Science of Psychology