Unit 1 Bio. Psych.
Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system results in which of the following?
A. An increase in pupil dilation
B. An increase in respiratory rate
C. A decrease in digestion
D. A decrease in heart rate
D. A decrease in heart rate
Kaori is traveling on an airplane for the first time. As the plane takes off, she watches the automobiles driving on the freeway below. Even though the automobiles seem to get smaller as the airplane gains altitude, Kaori does not perceive the cars as shrinking but still perceives them to be their normal size. Which perceptual principle best describes this phenomenon?
A. Constancy
B. Absolute threshold
C. Contrast
D. Illusion
A. Constancy
Research indicates that a toddler with a secure attachment style is most likely to do which of the following when left with a caregiver, such as a babysitter, for the first time?
A. Show distress when left, calm down and play, and run to the mother when she returns.
B. Cry when left and continue to cry until the mother returns
C. Not notice when the mother leaves and not seek attention from the mother when she returns
D. Show distress when the mother leaves and not seek attention when the mother returns
A. Show distress when left, calm down and play, and run to the mother when she returns
Chris believed he did well on his exam because he was lucky. Which psychological concept applies to Chris’s explanation?
A. Humanistic psychology
B. Internal locus of control
C. External locus of control
D. Self-serving bias
D. External locus of control
is the belief that outcomes in life are primarily determined by factors outside of one's own control, such as luck, fate, or the actions of others.
When four-year-old Chris grabs a toy car from two-year-old Pat because Chris wants to play with the toy, Chris is demonstrating
A. hostile aggression
B. instrumental aggression
C. social facilitation
D. social inhibition
B. Instrumental aggression
is a aggressive behavior used as a means to achieve a specific goal or outcome, rather than being motivated by anger or a desire to cause harm
Based on its effects on the central nervous system, alcohol can be classified as which of the following concepts?
A. A hallucinogen
B. a depressant
C. an antagonist
D. a neurotransmitter
B. A depressant
Substance (not pill) that can slow or stop neural firing.
When Amy was seven years of age, she had a babysitter from France. During this time Amy learned to speak a little French. Years later, when Amy got to college, she signed up for a beginning French class. Amy learned the material in her French class much more quickly than her classmates did. Amy’s rapid learning was most likely due to
A. implicit memory
B. episodic memory
C. spontaneous recovery
D. fluid intelligence
A. implicit memory
is a type of long-term memory that operates unconsciously and influences behavior without intentional recall.
Four-year-old Maria knows that she has eaten all her peanuts, but she also realizes that Robbie, who cannot see inside her bag, may not know the peanuts are gone. Her awareness demonstrates that Maria has
A. a self-concept
B. formal operational thought
C. theory of mind
D. egocentric thinking
C. theory of mind
is the ability to understand and infer the thoughts, beliefs, and emotions of others
a self-concept - a psychological term referring to the beliefs, attitudes, and opinions an individual holds about themselves
formal operational thought - characterized by the ability to think abstractly, hypothetically, and logically
egocentric thinking - the tendency to view the world and events from one's own perspective and to believe that others share the same thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as oneself.
Chuck asked Jane out on a date and he offered her two possible options—to see a movie or to go ice skating. Jane felt a bit stressed about making the decision because she liked both activities. Which of the following conflicts was Jane experiencing?
A. Avoidance-avoidance
B. Approach-avoidance
C. Approach-approach
D. Unconscious
C. Approach-approach
a psychological situation where one must choose between two equally desirable but incompatible alternatives.
Rational-emotive therapy would propose that which of the following is the source of psychological problems?
A. are due to unconscious, internal conflicts
B. are due to irrational thinking
C. should be treated with exposure therapy
D. should be treated with client-centered therapy
B. are due to irrational thinking
As a child, Annie experienced a serious fall that damaged her cerebellum. Which of the following memory systems would be most affected by this?
A. Prospective
B. Echoic
C. Semantic
D. Procedural
D. Procedural
Alice is shopping with her daughter when she hears the word “mom.” Alice answers, only to realize that the sales clerk said “ma’am” to a customer. This inaccurate perception can be attributed to
A. perceptual set
B. the Law of Effect
C. Weber’s law
D. sound localization
A. perceptual set
a psychological term referring to a predisposition to perceive things in a certain way, influenced by prior knowledge, expectations, and context
A nine-year-old girl first learning about her capabilities on the playground and in the classroom would be in which of Erikson’s stage of development?
A. Industry vs. Inferiority
B. Identity vs. role confusion
C. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
D. Integrity vs. despair
A. Industry vs. Inferiority
Which of the following ethical considerations is typically raised by research on conformity?
A. It is typically not possible to debrief participants in this type of study.
B. Participants often cannot be told the true purpose at the start of the study.
C. Institutional Review Boards will not approve research that studies conformity.
D. Confidentiality of data from individual participants cannot be ensured with this type of study.
B. Participants often cannot be told the true purpose at the start of the study.
Many common antidepressants ease symptoms of depression by
A. inhibiting serotonin reuptake, which makes serotonin more available
B. inhibiting serotonin reuptake, which makes serotonin less available
C. releasing endorphins, which makes endorphins more available
D. inhibiting dopamine reuptake, which makes dopamine more available
A. inhibiting serotonin reuptake, which makes serotonin more available
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) block this reuptake, making more serotonin available to pass further messages.
Which of the following research approaches would be best for testing the hypothesis that the presence of certain odors causes people to gamble more?
A. Experimental
B. Observational
C. Correlational
D. Case study
A. Experimental
Agueda witnessed a theft from a clothing store. The police would like to interview her, but unfortunately, Agueda has anterograde amnesia.
Which of the following characteristic memory issues is Agueda likely to experience?
A. Remembering a crime she witnessed in childhood because there are too many similarities with this recent crime
B. Recalling her name and home address when asked by a police officer.
C. Remembering the crime as something she saw on television instead of something she personally witnessed
D. Recalling the details of the crime because she cannot transfer the information from short-term to long-term memory
D. Recalling the details of the crime because she cannot transfer the information from short-term to long-term memory
Four-year-old Craig understands that birds build nests in trees. In his front yard, Craig notices an unusually large nest. He is scared to go near it, fearing that some large bird may attack him. Craig’s father explains to him that squirrels also build nests and that the nest in the front yard is that of a squirrel. Craig changes his thinking to now include the fact that squirrels build nests. Jean Piaget would say that Craig’s new way of thinking about nests is an example of
A. insight
B. accommodation
C. an algorithm
D. a heuristic
B. accommodation
is a a process where an individual modifies their existing mental schemas (or frameworks) to accommodate new information that doesn't fit neatly into their current understanding
insight - a patient's ability to recognize and understand their mental illness and its impact, including the need for treatment
An algorithm - a step-by-step, rule-based process for solving a problem or making a decision, guaranteeing a correct solution if followed precisely
heuristic - a mental shortcut or rule of thumb used to simplify decision-making and problem-solving
Hans grew up in Germany and later moved to Japan for a job opportunity. Back at home, he never had issues making friends or had interpersonal issues with colleagues at work, but in his new home, Hans is having difficulty interacting with his colleagues. According to psychologists who study how culture influences behavior, his difficulties most likely stem from
A. Hans’s prior colleagues and friends having been overly accommodating of his rude tendencies
B. cultural differences in emotional expression and body language between Japan and Germany
C. Japan having a more individualistic culture than Germany
D. Hans interacting with an abnormally large number of individuals with socio-emotional or personality disorders
B. cultural differences in emotional expression and body language between Japan and Germany
Which of the following approaches to treating psychological disorders includes free association and dream analysis?
A. Psychodynamic
B. Humanistic
C. Behavioral
D. Cognitive
A. Psychodynamic
The area of the brain stem that is important in controlling breathing is the
A. cerebellum
B. limbic system
C. medulla
D. hippocampus
C. medulla
During English class, Caleb is worried about an unfinished history project he needs to turn in later in the day. While the English teacher and other students discuss a short story the class just read, Caleb’s attention is focused on how to finish the history project. The next day he is unable to recall the short story details presented in English class. The recall problem is most likely due to
A. retroactive interferenceretroactive interference - no response given
B. Proactive interference
C. encoding failure
D. retrieval failure
Inability to transfer information into long-term memory
Children of authoritative parents tend to be
A. immature
B. indecisive
C. independent
D. withdrawn
C. independent
Certain cultures often place more emphasis on group instead of personal achievement. One result of this may be that people of these cultures are more likely to develop which type of self system?
A. Collectivist
B. Social-cognitive
C. Individualistic
D. Intrinsic
A. Collectivist
is a worldview where social behavior is guided by goals shared by a collective, such as a family, tribe, work group, or nation
A goal of cognitive therapists is to help their clients
A. understand the symbolism in their dream.
B. modify the irrational interpretations of their experiences
C. develop ego strength to resist urges from the id
D. experience a release of emotion after recalling a traumatic event
B. modify the irrational interpretations of their experiences