1 - Introduction to Psychology Flashcards
Which of the following best defines psychology?
a) The study of mental illness and its treatments.
b) The scientific study of thought and behavior.
c) The study of human emotions and personality traits.
d) The study of how to optimize mental performance.
e) The study of human and animal consciousness.
Answer: (b) The scientific study of thought and behavior.
Why is psychology considered a science?
a) It relies on controlled experiments and systematic observation.
b) It relies solely on introspection and subjective experiences.
c) It does not use hypotheses or theories.
d) It cannot be tested or falsified.
e) It is based on ancient philosophical reasoning.
Answer: (a) It relies on controlled experiments and systematic observation.
Which of the following is NOT a requirement of the scientific method?
a) Open-mindedness to new ideas.
b) Testing and criticizing all ideas.
c) Accepting intuition and gut feelings as facts.
d) Basing conclusions on empirical evidence.
e) Using controlled experiments when possible.
Answer: (c) Accepting intuition and gut feelings as facts.
Which statement about psychological theories is TRUE?
a) Theories cannot be tested using scientific methods.
b) Theories provide a framework for understanding behavior.
c) Theories must be proven correct before being accepted.
d) Theories are just opinions and have no scientific value.
e) Theories do not change over time.
Answer: (b) Theories provide a framework for understanding behavior.
Which of the following best explains why the same stimulus can lead to different behaviors in different people?
a) All stimuli have the same meaning for everyone.
b) Individual differences and context influence perception.
c) The brain processes all stimuli automatically and uniformly.
d) The stimulus itself determines behavior, regardless of perception.
e) The scientific method cannot be applied to human behavior.
Answer: (b) Individual differences and context influence perception.
Which of the following best illustrates a stimulus-response relationship?
a) A person studies for an exam because they want to learn.
b) A loud noise causes a person to jump.
c) A person reflects on past events and makes a decision.
d) A person creates a long-term career plan.
e) A person chooses a friend based on personality traits.
Answer: (b) A loud noise causes a person to jump.
Which early psychological perspective focused on analyzing the structure of the mind through introspection?
a) Functionalism
b) Behaviorism
c) Structuralism
d) Gestalt Psychology
e) Psychoanalysis
Answer: (c) Structuralism
Which psychological perspective argues that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”?
a) Behaviorism
b) Structuralism
c) Psychoanalysis
d) Gestalt Psychology
e) Functionalism
Answer: (d) Gestalt Psychology
Which perspective emphasized that behaviors serve adaptive functions for survival?
a) Structuralism
b) Psychoanalysis
c) Behaviorism
d) Functionalism
e) Social Psychology
Answer: (d) Functionalism
Which of the following is an example of confirmation bias?
a) A researcher carefully analyzes all available evidence.
b) A person only remembers information that supports their pre-existing beliefs.
c) A scientist updates their theory when new data contradicts it.
d) A person refuses to make a judgment without sufficient evidence.
e) A person evaluates both supporting and opposing arguments before making a decision.
Answer: (b) A person only remembers information that supports their pre-existing beliefs.
The illusion of causality occurs when:
a) People believe two unrelated events are causally linked.
b) Researchers conduct well-controlled experiments.
c) People ignore patterns in random events.
d) People avoid drawing conclusions from limited data.
e) Scientists use meta-analysis to verify results.
Answer: (a) People believe two unrelated events are causally linked.
A forensic psychologist would most likely study:
a) The effects of brain damage on memory.
b) How people make economic decisions.
c) How jurors form impressions of defendants.
d) The role of genetics in mental disorders.
e) The effects of meditation on stress reduction.
Answer: (c) How jurors form impressions of defendants.
Which branch of psychology focuses on improving workplace environments and productivity?
a) Clinical psychology
b) Industrial-organizational psychology
c) Forensic psychology
d) Developmental psychology
e) Evolutionary psychology
Answer: (b) Industrial-organizational psychology
Which of the following statements best reflects the bandwagon fallacy?
a) “Everyone believes this, so it must be true.”
b) “A scientist discovered this, so it must be true.”
c) “This idea has existed for centuries, so it must be true.”
d) “If we can’t disprove it, it must be true.”
e) “If I haven’t seen it, it must not be real.”
Answer: (a) “Everyone believes this, so it must be true.”
Which of the following is an example of apophenia?
a) Believing that a horoscope accurately predicts life events.
b) Carefully evaluating all possible explanations before drawing a conclusion.
c) Ignoring coincidences as random events.
d) Changing one’s opinion when presented with strong evidence.
e) Recognizing a cause-and-effect relationship in a controlled experiment.
Answer: (a) Believing that a horoscope accurately predicts life events.
Which of the following would be an example of social psychology research?
a) Studying how personality traits influence behavior.
b) Investigating how people conform to group pressure.
c) Examining the neural basis of language processing.
d) Testing how a new therapy affects depression symptoms.
e) Studying how toddlers develop problem-solving skills.
Answer: (b) Investigating how people conform to group pressure.
The bystander effect refers to:
a) The tendency for people to help others in emergencies.
b) The tendency for individuals to conform to a group’s opinions.
c) The reduced likelihood of helping behavior when others are present.
d) The likelihood of acting aggressively in a group setting.
e) The belief that someone else will take responsibility in a crisis.
Answer: (c) The reduced likelihood of helping behavior when others are present.
