Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychology

MULTIPLE CHOICE1. The term psychology comes from the Greek words psyche, meaning ____, and logos, meaning ____.

a. character, study c. mind, bodyb. mind, study d. character, body

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-1a MSC: Factual2. ____ is the scientific study of mental processes and behavior.

a. Psycholinguistics c. Psychiatryb. Psychology d. Psychobiology

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-1a MSC: Factual3. What field of study uses scientific methods to understand how we think, feel, and act?

a. Psychology c. Psychiatryb. Behaviorism d. Cognition

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-1a MSC: Conceptual4. Which field, practiced by physicians, is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological

disorders?

a. Abnormal psychology c. Psychiatryb. Clinical psychology d. Psychoanalysis

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-1a MSC: Factual5. You are being treated for a psychotic episode. What type of physician is most likely your doctor?

a. Psychiatrist c. Counseling psychologistb. Psychotherapist d. Clinical psychologist

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-1a MSC: Applied6. If you believe that you wore your red hat today because you were genetically predisposed to wear it,

what belief would you be embracing?

a. Introspection c. Conscious awarenessb. Free will d. Determinism

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-1b MSC: Applied7. Which of the following terms best suits the definition of determinism?

a. Lawful patterns c. Randomnessb. Determination d. No limitations

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-1b MSC: Conceptual8. French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes argued that people, but not animals, have free

will. What did he mean by free will?

a. The belief that they have absolutely unlimited power of free choiceb. The belief that all psychological phenomena occur with regularity that is not randomc. The belief that all behavior is totally randomd. The belief that although all events have causes, you are still free to choose within the

limits of these causes

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-1b MSC: Factual9. ____ is the belief that human behavior is no different from any other physical action.

a. Structuralism c. Determinismb. Functionalism d. Introspection

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-1b MSC: Conceptual10. The belief that there are no limitations on people’s power of free choice is called ____.

a. free will c. determinismb. psychiatry d. structuralism

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-1b MSC: Conceptual11. Although the free will versus determinism debate is still discussed, which of the following terms

classifies most of today’s social scientists and psychologists in this area?

a. Structuralists c. Behavioristsb. Functionalists d. Probabilistic determinists

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-1b MSC: Conceptual12. Imagine you are a psychologist who believes that psychological phenomena are not totally random, do

occur with some regularity, and can be reasonably understood using scientific methods. By what “term” would you classify your belief?

a. Probabilistic determinism c. Probabilistic behaviorismb. Probabilistic functionalism d. Probabilistic structuralism

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-1b MSC: Conceptual13. The year is 1879, and you are on your way to Germany to study at the first institute for research in

experimental psychology. What professor do you hope to study with at the University of Leipzig?

a. Wilhelm Wundt c. Hugo Munsterbergb. Viktor Henri d. Carl Jung

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2a MSC: Factual14. The “world’s first psychologist” is a title given to which person?

a. William James c. Sigmund Freudb. James Watson d. Wilhelm Wundt

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-2a MSC: Factual15. You and several of your colleagues were stuck in an elevator for several hours. Later, sitting around

the conference table, you each begin to describe in detail your feelings and fears about the ordeal. What technique are you most likely using?

a. Pragmatic examination c. Sensory adaptationb. Introspection d. Consciousness

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2a MSC: Applied16. What method was used by structuralists to understand conscious experiences?

a. Perception c. Introspectionb. Intuition d. Experimentation

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-2a MSC: Factual17. Edward Titchener renamed Wundt’s model of consciousness using what term?

a. Structuralism c. Logical positivismb. Introspection d. Functionalism

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2a MSC: Factual18. What is structuralism?

a. Theory that sought to identify the components of the conscious mindb. Theory that sought to identify the organization and mapping of the brainc. Theory that sought to identify the structures of the braind. Theory that sought to identify the factors implicated in the unconscious mind

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2a MSC: Factual19. Which of the following names is most associated with functionalism?

a. William James c. Karen Horneyb. James McKeen d. G. Stanley Hall

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2b MSC: Factual20. William James did not embrace Wundt’s approach of identifying the mind’s components. What was

James’s desire?

a. To understand how the mind affects what people feelb. To understand how the mind organizes stimuli into coherent wholesc. To scientifically study observable behaviord. To understand how the mind affects what people do

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-2b MSC: Conceptual21. Which approach to psychology studies how the conscious mind helps humans survive and successfully

adapt to their environment?

a. Functionalism c. Structuralismb. Behaviorism d. Analysis

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2b MSC: Factual22. William James described his philosophy, known as ____, as a “philosophy without humbug.”

a. determinism c. humanismb. probabilistic determinism d. pragmatism

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-2b MSC: Factual23. Freud developed his approach to psychology through what method?

a. Teaching c. Survey researchb. Clinical practice d. Experimentation

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2c MSC: Factual24. Why was Freud’s theory in sharp contrast to the theories of Wundt and James?

a. Freud’s theory was on observable behaviors.b. Freud’s theory was on biological determinants.c. Freud’s theory was on the unconscious mind.d. Freud’s theory was on the conscious mind.

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-2c MSC: Applied25. You tell your friend that you are having recurring dreams about falling off a cliff. Your friends are

most likely to suggest that you visit which of the following individuals to understand the meaning of this dream?

a. A psychoanalyst c. A gestaltistb. An evolutionist d. A behaviorist

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2c MSC: Applied26. Which approach to psychology studies how the unconscious mind shapes behavior?

a. Psychoanalysis c. Introspectionb. Pragmatism d. Behaviorism

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2c MSC: Factual27. What impeded the development of psychoanalysis as a scientific theory?

a. Freud’s reluctance to submit psychoanalysis to critical examinationb. Freud’s emphasis on the unconscious mind as opposed to observable behaviorc. Freud’s desire to exclude all but psychiatrists to the fieldd. Freud’s belief that psychoanalysis was in the experimental stage

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2c MSC: Factual28. What viewpoint does a psychologist most likely possess if he or she is mainly interested in a person’s

observable behavior, rather than a person’s mental processes?

a. Gestaltist c. Psychoanalyticb. Behaviorist d. Structuralist

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2d MSC: Factual29. According to John Watson, which of the following would be a proper study of psychology?

a. Introspection c. The feeling of happinessb. Playing football d. Imagery

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2d MSC: Applied30. What is the theoretical goal of psychology according to early behaviorists?

a. Prediction and control of behaviorb. Identifying the complex components of the conscious mindc. Defining the behavioral differences between man and animal responsesd. Analyzing the structure, content, and function of the mind

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2d MSC: Conceptual31. An approach to psychology that studies observable behavior rather than hidden mental processes is

called ____.

a. behaviorism c. psychoanalysisb. Gestalt psychology d. functionalism

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2d MSC: Conceptual32. What was the philosophy underlying the behaviorist belief that all knowledge should be expressed in

terms that can be verified empirically or through direct observation?

a. Probabilistic determinism c. Pragmatic examination

b. Logical positivism d. Existentialism

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2d MSC: Conceptual33. Which area in psychology gained prominence primarily as an alternative to structuralism?

a. Social psychology c. Individualismb. Behaviorism d. Gestalt psychology

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-2e MSC: Applied34. What school of thought criticized structuralism for attempting to understand the conscious mind by

identifying and analyzing its components?

a. Behaviorism c. Gestalt psychologyb. Psychoanalysis d. Humanistic psychology

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-2e MSC: Conceptual35. Who was the founder of the Gestalt school of psychology?

a. Kurt Koffka c. Alfred Adlerb. John Watson d. Max Wertheimer

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-2e MSC: Factual36. Which of the following “truisms” best suits a Gestalt psychologist?

a. Seeing is believing.b. The whole is different from the sum of its parts.c. Your glass isn’t half empty; it’s half full.d. Laughter is the best medicine.

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2e MSC: Applied37. What approach to psychology studies how the mind actively organizes stimuli into coherent wholes?

a. Analytical psychology c. Organizational psychologyb. Gestalt psychology d. Convergent psychology

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2e MSC: Factual38. The comparison of a melody formed by the combination of individual notes is analogous to what type

of psychology?

a. Gestalt psychology c. Comparative psychologyb. Social psychology d. Analytic psychology

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2e MSC: Applied39. Kurt Lewin and his students were instrumental in shaping the development of a new area of

specialization in psychology. What was it called?

a. Developmental psychology c. Narrative psychologyb. Social psychology d. Transpersonal psychology

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2e MSC: Factual40. Kurt Lewin applied what psychological approach to social behavior to develop social psychology?

a. Gestalt psychology c. Cognitive psychologyb. Analytic psychology d. Individual psychology

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2e MSC: Factual

41. Which of the following is a finding of the research conducted by Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clarke?

a. They found that about one-third of the Black children preferred the white-colored doll.b. They found that about two-thirds of the White children preferred the black-colored doll.c. They found that about two-thirds of the Black children preferred the white-colored doll.d. They found the White children calling the black-colored dolls “bad.”

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f | Psychological ApplicationsMSC: Factual

42. What was the underlying premise of Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s research on children’s racial awareness and preferences?

a. Racially integrated schooling is likely to instigate political debate.b. Racially segregated schooling helps to maintain a sense of ethnic identity among Black

children.c. Racially segregated schooling instills a sense of inferiority among Black children.d. Racially integrated schooling decreases the average IQ among schoolchildren.

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f | Psychological ApplicationsMSC: Factual

43. According to Kenneth and Mamie Clark, racial awareness develops by what age?

a. Three c. Fiveb. Never fully develops d. Seven

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f | Psychological ApplicationsMSC: Factual

44. The year is 1895, and you have just defended your doctoral dissertation at Harvard. It was hailed as “the most brilliant examination for the Ph.D. that we have had at Harvard,” but you were not awarded your Ph.D. Who are you?

a. Mary Calkins c. Jean Piagetb. Margaret Washburn d. Barbel Inhelder

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Factual45. Why was Mary Calkins not given her Ph.D. in psychology at Harvard when she defended her

dissertation in 1895?

a. She accepted her Ph.D. from Harvard’s sister college, Radcliffe.b. Unknown at the time, she had not completed all of her required coursework.c. Mary Calkins received her Ph.D. from Harvard in education, not psychology.d. Harvard did not grant degrees to women at that time.

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Conceptual46. Which of the following women established one of the first psychology labs in the United States,

pioneered research in short-term memory, and in 1905 became the first woman president of the American Psychological Association?

a. Mamie Phipps Clark c. Barbel Inhelderb. Margaret Washburn d. Mary Calkins

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Factual47. Who was the first woman to actually receive her doctorate in psychology?

a. Inez Prosser c. Mary Calkins

b. Margaret Washburn d. Mamie Phipps Clark

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Factual48. Although Jean Piaget is a common name in most psychological circles, most students of psychology

do not know the name of the woman who collaborated with Piaget on eight books and provided significant contributions to much of his work. Who is she?

a. Barbel Inhelder c. Inez Prosserb. Mamie Phipps d. Jena Guthrie

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Conceptual49. Who was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in psychology?

a. Mamie Phipps Clark c. Kenneth Clarkb. Gilbert Jones d. Inez Prosser

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Factual50. Who was the first African-American woman to receive her doctorate in psychology?

a. Inez Prosser c. Eleanor Jack Gibsonb. Mary Whiton Calkins d. Jacqueline Jarrett Goodnow

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Factual51. Whose research provided the scientific justification for the U.S. Supreme Court to end the practice of

racially segregated education in the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision?

a. Inez Prosser and Jean Piaget c. Mary Calkins and Margaret Washburnb. Mamie and Kenneth Clark d. Edward and Helen Brown

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Factual52. Who was the first African American to be elected president of the American Psychological

Association?

a. William James c. Gilbert Jonesb. Robert Scott d. Kenneth Clark

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Factual53. Which of the following is true regarding women and minorities in the field of psychology?

a. Women make up about two-thirds of new doctoral degrees.b. Ethnic minorities make up about 16 percent of new doctoral degrees.c. Almost half of all Ph.D.s are now women.d. All of the above

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Factual54. The influence of Gestalt psychology is seen in which of the following modern specialty areas?

a. Cognitive and social psychologyb. Psychiatry and clinical psychologyc. Paranormal and holistic psychologyd. Psychoanalysis and individual psychology

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3 MSC: Conceptual55. Although significantly altered, which of the five early schools of psychology have survived as

contemporary perspectives?

a. Psychoanalysis and behaviorism c. Behaviorism and Gestalt psychologyb. Behaviorism and functionalism d. Gestalt psychology and psychoanalysis

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3 MSC: Factual56. Which psychologist’s writings have influenced the contemporary psychoanalysts, who have rejected

Freud’s view that personality development, for all practical purposes, is complete by age 5?

a. William James c. Stanley Hallb. Erik Erikson d. James McKeen Cattell

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3a MSC: Conceptual57. During Freud’s reign, sexual drives were emphasized to explain personality. Today, many

psychoanalysts deemphasize sexual desires and instead focus on what area to explain personality?

a. Cultural experiences c. Reward and punishmentb. Conscious choice d. The innate capacity for personal growth

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3a MSC: Conceptual58. In contrast to Freud, which psychoanalyst asserted that personality continues to be shaped and changed

throughout life?

a. B.F. Skinner c. Abraham Maslowb. Erik Erikson d. John Watson

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3a MSC: Conceptual59. Today, if you were inspired to follow a behaviorist approach to psychology, which contemporary

figure most likely played a role in your decision?

a. B. F. Skinner c. Abraham Maslowb. Carl Rogers d. Alfred Adler

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3a MSC: Factual60. On Monday you were praised for helping Mrs. Martin with her groceries, on Tuesday you were given

$2.00 for helping Mr. Scott plant begonias, and on Wednesday you were given cookies for helping Mrs. Jones find her cat. What theory provides the best explanation for this behavior?

a. Freud’s theory of pleasure versus painb. Adler’s theory of adolescent helping behaviorsc. You abide by the “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” rule of thumb.d. Skinner’s theory that behaviors followed by positive consequences will be repeated

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3a MSC: Applied61. Which psychological perspective played a key role in insisting that psychologists precisely define and

objectively measure the concepts they study?

a. Behaviorism c. Humanistic psychologyb. Gestalt psychology d. Psychoanalysis

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3a MSC: Conceptual62. During the 1950s, many psychologists were dissatisfied with both the psychoanalytic and behavioristic

views of human nature. Which force exerted its influence on the psychology of that time?

a. The humanistic perspective c. The cognitive perspectiveb. The sociocultural perspective d. The evolutionary perspective

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual

63. The ____ perspective is an approach to psychology that emphasizes human beings’ innate capacity for personal growth and their ability to make conscious choices.

a. Gestalt c. psychoanalyticb. behaviorist d. humanistic

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual64. What perspective are you embracing if you feel you have an innate capacity for personal growth and

can consciously make your own choices?

a. Naturalistic perspective c. Cognitive perspectiveb. Humanistic perspective d. Sociocultural perspective

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual65. Your roommate believes that psychology should focus on helping individuals better use their inborn

capacity to personally grow and make choices. Which contemporary perspective shares your roommate’s view?

a. Gestalt perspective c. Psychoanalytic perspectiveb. Sociocultural perspective d. Humanistic perspective

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Applied66. Which of the following pairs believed that psychology should study people’s unique subjective mental

experiences of the world?

a. Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow c. Erik Erikson and B. F. Skinnerb. Sigmund Freud and Charles Darwin d. William James and John Watson

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Factual67. Humanistic psychology served as the intellectual inspiration of which movement?

a. Social psychology movement c. People for people movementb. People-oriented movement d. Human potential movement

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual68. Humanistic psychology has had a broad impact by stressing the important role that ____ play in

people’s lives.

a. interpersonal relationships c. negative experiencesb. positive life experiences d. significant life experiences

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual69. Which psychological approach has been criticized as the least scientifically based of all contemporary

perspectives?

a. Cognitive c. Humanisticb. Evolutionary d. Sociocultural

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Factual70. Which of the contemporary perspectives within psychology has promoted the scientific study of self-

awareness, love, helping behaviors, and positive personality growth?

a. Cognitive perspective c. Humanistic perspectiveb. Psychoanalytic perspective d. Sociocultural perspective

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual

71. Within the past 10 years, a new psychological perspective called ____ has emerged, which can be characterized as a direct descendant of the humanistic perspective.

a. positive psychology c. developmental psychologyb. experimental psychology d. narrative psychology

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual72. Positive psychology is a(n) ____ to studying optimal human functioning that asserts that the normal

functioning of human beings cannot be accounted for within purely negative frames of reference.

a. traditional approach c. behaviorist approachb. universal approach d. scientific approach

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual73. Why is positive psychology considered to be in a better position to shape the future direction of

psychology?

a. It is more firmly grounded in rigorous scientific methodology.b. It is based on the strength of traditional practices.c. It is a descendant of the humanistic perspective.d. There are few criticisms of this perspective.

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual74. What are proponents of positive psychology currently studying?

a. How long it takes for a person to feel comfortable in a new environmentb. What it means to be a well-adapted personc. How people interact with other members of their societyd. How people interact with their surroundings

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Factual75. Teaching people to avoid harmful self-deceptions while still maintaining a sense of realistic optimism

about life is one of the goals of ____.

a. cognitive psychology c. social psychologyb. positive psychology d. psychoanalysis

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual76. As a scientist, you are continually uncovering phenomena that capture your attention and that are

difficult to explain without reintroducing the concept of consciousness. What happened in the 1960s to help you?

a. The theoretical center of gravity in psychology shifted from behaviorism to cognitive psychology.

b. The theoretical center of gravity in psychology shifted from behaviorism to humanism.c. The theoretical center of gravity in psychology shifted from evolutionary to cognitive

psychology.d. The theoretical center of gravity in psychology shifted from Freud’s unconscious mind to

Maslow’s conscious mind.

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3c MSC: Conceptual77. The word cognitive comes from the Latin word meaning what?

a. “To know” c. “To perceive”b. “To turn” d. “To study”

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3c MSC: Factual78. An approach to psychology that attempts to understand behavior by studying how the mind organizes

perceptions, processes information, and interprets experiences is termed as____.

a. humanistic psychology c. positive psychologyb. cognitive psychology d. Gestalt psychology

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3c MSC: Conceptual79. Professor Ping Hohman is a psychologist who attempts to understand behavior by studying how the

mind organizes perceptions, processes information, and interprets experiences. Professor Hohman is a(n) ____ psychologist.

a. cognitive c. humanisticb. developmental d. evolutionary

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3c MSC: Applied80. What is one area of importance stressed in the cognitive perspective of psychology?

a. Introspection and self-awarenessb. Personal emotions such as love, hate, and fearc. Stimulus-response measuresd. Information processing

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3c MSC: Conceptual81. What coincided with the cognitive perspective making a name for itself?

a. Discovery of human DNAb. The development of the computerc. Advances in intelligence testingd. The successful separation of the brain hemispheres

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3c MSC: Factual82. The metaphor comparing the mind to the computer is attributed to what area of psychology?

a. Cognitive psychology c. Humanistic psychologyb. Psychometric psychology d. Gestalt psychology

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3c MSC: Conceptual83. Behaviorist John Watson once described the brain as “a black box forever mysterious.” What field’s

valuable insights and discoveries helped to disprove this statement?

a. Gestalt psychology c. Clinical psychologyb. Humanistic psychology d. Cognitive psychology

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3c MSC: Conceptual84. What approach to psychology studies how the brain communicates with itself and other bodily organs?

a. Neuroscience perspective c. Developmental perspectiveb. Medical perspective d. Comparative perspective

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3d MSC: Factual85. Neuroscientists conduct most of their research using ____.

a. humans with damaged brains c. animals with simpler brains than humansb. animals with relatively complex brains d. humans with normal brains

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3d MSC: Conceptual86. While a graduate student, you assist a psychologist studying Alzheimer’s disease by grafting rat brain

fetus tissue into the brains of elderly rats to see if there is a change in the older rats. With what type of psychologist are you most likely working?

a. Comparative psychologist c. Developmental psychologistb. Experimental psychologist d. Neuroscientist

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3d MSC: Applied87. A recurring debate in psychology related to biological explanations of behavior involves the degree to

which individual differences are due to inborn biological processes versus ____.

a. environmental influences c. demographical influencesb. geographical influences d. behavioral influences

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3d MSC: Conceptual88. As a staunch follower of Plato and his teachings, what side of the nature-nurture debate do you likely

embrace?

a. Individuals are a product of both nature and nurture.b. Individual differences are largely inborn and due to heredity.c. The nature-nurture debate was not one of Plato’s teachings.d. Individuals are pretty much a blank slate, and environment is the key.

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3d MSC: Conceptual89. Sitting at the feet of Aristotle, you adopt his perspective on human nature. What is it that you believe

about individual differences?

a. I believe that individual differences are a combination of both heredity and life experiences.

b. I believe that individual differences are largely inborn and due to heredity.c. I believe that similar behaviors found among humans and other animals suggest the

operation of similar biological processes.d. I believe in the importance of environmental factors and that the mind is a blank slate to

be filled in with life experiences.

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3d MSC: Conceptual90. One of the most classic arguments in psychology has been the nature-nurture debate. What is all the

fuss about?

a. It is a debate about whether individual differences are due to inborn biological processes or environmental factors.

b. It is a debate about whether an individual’s personality develops mainly because of a mother’s influence (nurture) or a father’s influence (nature).

c. The debate continues because many psychologists believe that something other than nature or nurture contributes to behavior.

d. It is a debate about whether it is better to teach individuals what is necessary to survive in life or to let the individuals learn in their own way.

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3d MSC: Conceptual91. What position emphasizes how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior are shaped by the rewards

and punishments they receive from their immediate surroundings?

a. Nature c. Neurologicalb. Nurture d. Cause and effect

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3d MSC: Conceptual92. What position emphasizes that similar behaviors found among humans and other animals suggests the

operation of similar biological processes?

a. Neurobiological c. Nurtureb. Behaviorism d. Nature

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3d MSC: Factual93. A perspective that emphasizes that behavior is at least partly influenced by the effects of evolution is

known as ____.

a. critical psychology c. developmental psychologyb. evolutionary psychology d. humanistic psychology

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual94. Who of the following is most closely associated with the evolutionary perspective?

a. William James c. John Watsonb. Charles Darwin d. Sigmund Freud

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Factual95. What psychological perspective is based on the principle of natural selection?

a. Naturalistic perspective c. Evolutionary perspectiveb. Sociocultural perspective d. Cognitive perspective

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Factual96. What is the process by which organisms with inherited traits best suited to the environment reproduce

more successfully than less well adapted organisms over a number of generations?

a. Survival of the fittest c. Natural selectionb. Selective reproduction d. Evolution

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Factual97. Animals with white, thick fur that live in arctic climates with a lot of snow are examples of what

evolutionary process?

a. Environmental psychology c. Process of eliminationb. Natural selection d. Warmth inheritance

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Applied98. Animals that look white are more likely than darker-appearing members of their species to blend in

with the snow, which may protect them from predators or make them more stealthy hunters of prey. This explains ____.

a. adaptation c. acclimatizationb. manifestation d. evolution

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual99. What is the term we use to describe the genetic changes that occur in a species over generations due to

natural selection?

a. Probabilistic determinism c. Gestaltismb. Evolution d. Reproduction

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Factual100. What is most central to the process of natural selection?

a. Genetic changes c. Environmental factorsb. Reproduction d. Inherited traits

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual101. By the late 1840s, people began to see much darker versions of light-colored peppered moths in

heavily industrialized regions of Britain. This was a consequence of ____.

a. adaptation of the species c. the industrial revolutionb. the greenhouse effect d. the occurrence of acid rain

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual102. The peppered moth story is an example of how ____ can affect changes in the natural selection of

species.

a. nature c. breeding patternsb. hunting d. human activity

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual103. The key feature of the evolutionary process involves the degree to which an organism’s ____ help it

adapt to its current environment.

a. reproductive failures c. breeding patternsb. inborn traits d. stimulus reactions

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual104. The peppered moth story illustrates that ____.

a. altered environmental conditions can cause danger to some speciesb. species can adapt themselves to the surroundings only oncec. reproduction is staggered when there is a change in the environmentd. a maladaptive trait can become extremely adaptive

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual105. Individuals play a role in evolution by interacting with the environment and having their ____

screened by natural selection.

a. traits c. behaviorb. characteristics d. genes

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual106. Individuals contribute to a change in their species’ population by their own successes or failures in

____.

a. co-existing c. adaptingb. reproducing d. habituating

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual107. How do the evolutionary and sociocultural perspectives differ in their explanations of human

behavior?

a. The first involves selection of the fittest, while the second embraces society’s collective involvement.

b. The first involves inherited genes, while the second emphasizes the roles that social and cultural factors play.

c. The first involves adapting to the environment, while the second involves adapting to the philosophies of a civilization.

d. The first involves biological norms, while the second emphasizes societal norms.

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e | 1-3f MSC: Factual108. Which of the following terms describes a shared system of ideas about the characteristics of the world

and is made up of rules governing how people should think, feel, and act within that world?

a. Society c. Cultureb. Citizenship d. Civilization

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Conceptual109. Throughout existence, individuals’ innate desire to pass their genes on to the next generation pushes

them toward selfish, self-serving actions that can potentially threaten not only the individual, but the survival of the individuals’ group. By what process have we found a delicate balance between these tendencies?

a. Cultural belief c. Collectivismb. Individualism d. Natural selection

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Applied110. I live in a society that accepts my choice to be my own person. I generally do not need anyone to help

me do what I want to do, and I am self-assured, unique, and quite diverse. What philosophy does my society most likely embrace?

a. Individualism c. Egoismb. Self-actualization d. Egocentricism

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Applied111. Cross-cultural studies indicate that 70 percent of the world’s population lives in cultures with what

type of orientation?

a. Collectivist c. Industrializationb. Socialization d. Individualism

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Factual112. Individualism is largely a manifestation of the mind-set of people living in which societies?

a. Rural c. Egalitarianb. Industrialized d. Traditional

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Conceptual113. In which of the following societies do people develop a belief in their own uniqueness and diversity?

a. Long power distance c. Collectivistb. Egocentric d. Individualist

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Conceptual114. Which of the following observations is true?

a. Individualist tendencies tend to be stronger in rural settings.b. Within individualist societies, childrearing practices tend to emphasize conformity,

obedience, and knowing one’s proper place.

c. The United States, Canada, Australia, and Western European societies are located more toward the individualist end of a cultural continuum.

d. Collectivist tendencies are more pronounced in large urban settings.

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Factual115. According to the text, name two traits that are often seen as impediments to proper self-growth in a

collectivist society?

a. Uniqueness and individual differences c. Agreeableness and dependenceb. Conformity and obedience d. Goodness and generosity

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Factual116. A growing number of theorists think of individualism and collectivism as reflecting two seemingly

universal and common human needs: the ____ and the ____.

a. need for groups; need to be left aloneb. need for autonomy; need for communionc. need for education; need for entrepreneurshipd. need for leadership; need for autonomy

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Conceptual117. Why do some psychologists believe that the sociocultural and evolutionary perspectives are

compatible?

a. Today’s psychologists do not believe that these diverse perspectives are compatible.b. Some psychologists argue that the culture of a people is based on their relationship with

the environment and that evolution is the story of how we adapted to that environment.c. Some psychologists believe that sociocultural and evolutionary forces have only recently

begun to work together to shape behaviors, and they are now developing a single perspective that encompasses the two.

d. Both b and c

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3f MSC: Applied118. What approach to psychology attempts to understand behavior by examining physiological processes,

especially those occurring in the brain?

a. Experimental perspective c. Comparative perspectiveb. Cognitive perspective d. Neuroscience perspective

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Conceptual119. What is the primary goal of a research psychologist?

a. To study behaviors by examining physiological processes, especially those in the brainb. To conduct experimental research on the basic psychological processes, such as learning,

motivation, sensation, and a multitude of othersc. To study how people mature and change physically, mentally, and socially throughout

their lifetimed. To acquire psychological knowledge through scientific methods and to teach this

knowledge to students

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Conceptual120. Which of the following is also referred to as behavioral neuroscience?

a. Comparative psychology c. Experimental psychologyb. Developmental psychology d. Psychobiology

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Factual121. What branch of psychology studies behavior by examining physiological processes that occur in the

brain?

a. Clinical psychology c. Experimental psychologyb. Behaviorism d. Psychobiology

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Factual122. Which of the following types of psychologists is most likely to study how people mature and change

physically, cognitively, and socially throughout the life span?

a. Comparative psychologists c. Cognitive psychologistsb. Gerontology psychologists d. Developmental psychologists

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Factual123. Your professor wants you to design a research project on motivation and learning that you will later

“try out” on volunteers from other psychology courses. Since this is your professor’s area of expertise, in what field of research psychology does she most likely specialize?

a. Educational psychology c. Comparative psychologyb. Experimental psychology d. Developmental psychology

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Applied124. What type of psychologist is most interested in studying species’ typical behaviors?

a. Comparative psychologists c. Cognitive psychologistsb. Experimental neuropsychologists d. Psychometricians

ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Conceptual125. You are a professor at Harvard University. You teach and conduct research in your particular area of

specialization, which focuses on how people are influenced by relatively stable internal traits. What course do you most likely teach?

a. Psychology of Learning and Memory c. Psychology of Social Behaviorsb. Psychology of Personality d. Psychology of Cognition

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Applied126. What type of psychologist uses existing psychological knowledge to solve and prevent problems?

a. Research psychologist c. Applied psychologistb. Positive psychologist d. Cognitive psychologist

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Factual127. What types of psychologists most often work in mental health centers, schools, industries,

governmental agencies, or private practice?

a. Educational psychologists c. Applied psychologistsb. Counseling psychologists d. Research psychologists

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Factual128. Which of the following subfields in psychology would be classified as an area of applied psychology?

a. Industrial-organizational psychology c. Educational psychologyb. Counseling psychology d. All of the above

ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Conceptual

129. You are depressed, and you are also hearing voices in your head telling you to eat the flowers out of your garden and dance naked in the street. Your family wants you to make an appointment with a psychologist at the local mental health clinic. What kind of psychologist would you most likely see?

a. Behavioral psychologist c. Counseling psychologistb. Clinical psychologist d. Personality psychologist

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Applied130. Your marriage is on the rocks, and your spouse keeps bringing up your lack of social skills as a factor.

You had better get to what type of psychologist quickly?

a. Organizational psychologist c. Counseling psychologistb. Developmental psychologist d. Social psychologist

ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Applied131. What type of psychologist do you most likely make an appointment with if you need some serious help

in the area of career planning?

a. Social psychologist c. Developmental psychologistb. Counseling psychologist d. Clinical psychologist

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Factual132. ____ psychology focuses on ways to select, motivate, and evaluate employees, as well as to improve

management structure and working conditions. a. Motivational c. Managementb. Industrial/organizational d. Structural

ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Factual

ESSAY1. Explain and contrast the five early perspectives in psychology.

ANS:The five early perspectives in psychology are:

Structuralism: Wilhelm Wundt’s model of consciousness sought to identify the components of the conscious mind.

Functionalism: William James’s approach to psychology tried to understand how the mind affects what people do rather than to merely identify its components.

Psychoanalysis: Sigmund Freud theorized that all human behavior is determined by hidden or unconscious motives and desires that are sexual in nature. Freud’s emphasis on the unconscious mind stood in sharp contrast to Wundt and James’s studies of conscious experience.

Behaviorism: John Watson believed that, rather than studying hidden psychological processes, psychology should study observable behavior. Underlying behaviorism was a philosophy known as logical positivism, which contended that all knowledge should be expressed in terms that can be verified empirically or through direct observation.

Gestalt psychology: Max Wertheimer contended that our perceptions are not to be understood as the mind passively responding to a simple combination of individual elements but, rather, as the mind actively organizing stimuli into coherent wholes. It gained prominence primarily as a critique of—and an alternative to—structuralism.

PTS: 1 REF: 1-2a to 1-2e MSC: Conceptual2. Explain Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis theory.

ANS:Sigmund Freud developed a theory that all human behavior is determined by hidden or unconscious motives and desires that are sexual in nature. He developed his theory through clinical practice with patients who had ailments that had no known physical causes. He contended that part of our personality never matures, and that the “adult” side of our personality struggles to control the “infant” side, with only limited success. Freud’s emphasis on the unconscious mind stood in sharp contrast to Wundt and James’s studies of conscious experience. He and his followers developed therapy techniques and personality tests designed to reveal the unconscious mind.PTS: 1 REF: 1-2c MSC: Conceptual

3. Explain the prejudice and discrimination that many women and ethnic minorities were subjected to during the earliest years of psychology, and compare that time with today.ANS:Due to institutionalized sexism and racism during the first 75 years of psychology’s existence, women and minorities were generally excluded from graduate education. Those fortunate enough to be allowed to pursue a career in psychology generally had a substandard environment in which to conduct their research. Even when women found a place within psychology, their contributions often went unrecognized by contemporaries. Similar obstacles also impeded the careers of ethnic minorities.

During the past quarter century, career opportunities for women and ethnic minorities in psychology have expanded. Although the majority of new doctorates in psychology today are women, men are still far more likely than women to hold the most powerful positions of authority in university psychology departments. It is also true that there are still far too few ethnic minorities in the discipline, compared to their numbers in the general population.PTS: 1 REF: 1-2f MSC: Factual

4. Explain briefly how B. F. Skinner shaped contemporary behaviorism, and give a personal example of the role of consequences in controlling behavior.ANS:B. F. Skinner stressed the role of consequences in controlling behavior. His research found that people and other animals tend to repeat behaviors that are followed by positive consequences and tend to avoid behaviors that bring negative consequences. Skinner’s research influenced other behaviorist researchers’ and other psychologists’ research by showing the importance of precisely defining and objectively measuring the concepts they studied.

In order to answer the second part of the question, students will have to give a personal example of the role of consequences in controlling behavior.PTS: 1 REF: 1-3a MSC: Conceptual

5. Explain which perspective developed out of dissatisfaction with the psychoanalytic and behavioristic views of human nature.ANS:The humanistic perspective developed out of dissatisfaction with the psychoanalytic and behavioristic views of human nature. It emphasizes people’s innate capacity for personal growth and their ability to make conscious choices. Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow were the primary architects of this perspective, and both contended that psychology should study people’s unique subjective mental experience of the world. In the 1960s, humanistic psychology served as the intellectual inspiration of the human potential movement, which became a loosely knit social movement striving to help individuals achieve their full human potential.PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual

6. Describe the new branch of psychology that is descended from the humanistic perspective.ANS:

Positive psychology can be characterized as a descendant of the humanistic perspective. Positive psychology is a scientific approach to studying optimal human functioning that asserts that the normal functioning of human beings cannot be accounted for within purely negative frames of reference. Because this new perspective is more firmly grounded in rigorous scientific methodology than is the traditional humanistic perspective, positive psychology may be in a better position to shape the future direction of psychology. Researchers adhering to this new perspective study what it means to be a well-adapted person.PTS: 1 REF: 1-3b MSC: Conceptual

7. Describe the concept of natural selection using the example of the peppered moth.ANS:Species that experience a great deal of change in their environment, such as the peppered moth, evolve faster than those that live in stable environments. Individual organisms do not evolve; populations evolve. Individuals play a role in evolution by interacting with the environment and having their genes screened by natural selection.

Before the industrial revolution, the vast majority of peppered moths in Britain were light-colored. By the late 1840s, people began to see much darker versions in heavily industrialized regions of the country. Industrial pollutants had darkened the tree bark in the surrounding forests, making the lighter-colored ones much more vulnerable to predatory birds. Under these conditions, the darker moths survived and reproduced in greater numbers. In the 1960s, Britain began legislating tougher environmental laws. As the air in industrialized regions became cleaner, forest tree bark also lightened in color, resulting in lighter-colored moths becoming more prevalent once again.PTS: 1 REF: 1-3e MSC: Conceptual

8. Briefly explain the four major applied psychology specialties.ANS:The four major applied psychology specialties are:

Clinical psychology: Diagnoses and treats people with psychological disorders, such as depression, acute anxiety, and schizophrenia, as well as seeks to determine the causes for these disorders.

Counseling psychology: Diagnoses and treats people with personal problems that do not involve psychological disorders; includes marriage counseling, social skills training, and career planning.

Industrial/organizational psychology: Focuses on ways to select, motivate, and evaluate employees, as well as to improve management structure and working conditions.

Educational and school psychology: Assesses and treats both students and the educational environment in order to facilitate children’s learning and adjustment in school.PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Factual

9. Explain the seven areas of specialization for research psychologists.ANS:The seven areas of specialization for research psychologists are:

Psychobiology: Studies behavior by examining physiological processes, especially those occurring in the brain. Psychobiologists are increasingly investigating the genetic bases of thought and action.

Developmental psychology: Studies how people mature and change physically, cognitively, and socially throughout the life span, from conception to old age.

Experimental psychology: Studies basic psychological processes such as sensation, perception, learning, motivation, emotion, and states of consciousness. Keep in mind, however, that experiments are used by psychologists in every area of psychology.

Comparative psychology: Studies similarities and differences in the physiology, behavior, abilities, and genetic makeup of different species, including humans.

Cognitive psychology: Studies all aspects of thinking, including problem solving, decision making, memory, reasoning, mental imagery, and language.

Personality psychology: Studies the consistent and distinct ways in which people think, feel, and behave, including how these characteristics originated and developed.

Social psychology: Studies how people think about and influence one another in social settings, including how the social settings and the cultural beliefs of the individuals shape the interaction.PTS: 1 REF: 1-3g MSC: Factual