Exam 7 Tough Questions Flashcards
Instrumental aggression usually first appears in children by the time they are ____ of age and then peaks at _____ of age.
A. 1 year; 2 years
B. 3 years; 4 years
C. 5 years; 7 years
D. 7 years; 9 years
Answer A is correct. The purpose of instrumental aggression is to achieve a goal, most often to gain attention or obtain an object (e.g., to get a toy from another child). For most children, it first appears by the time they are one year of age and peaks at about two years of age when they begin to be better able to negotiate verbally.
An achievement test has been given to 1,000 middle-school students. The scores obtained by the students are normally distributed and have a mean of 150 and standard deviation of 15. Given this information, you can conclude that ____% of students obtained scores above 165.
A. 32
B. 16
C. 5
D. 2.5
Answer B is correct. In a normal distribution, 68% of scores fall between the scores that are one standard deviation below and above the mean, and the remaining 32% of scores are divided between the positive and negative tails of the distribution: 16% of scores are below the score that is one standard deviation below the mean and 16% are above the score that is one standard deviation above the mean. In the distribution described in the question, the score of 165 is one standard deviation above the mean, which means that 16% of scores fall above this score.
Research has linked ADHD to which of the following?
A. smaller-than-normal caudate nucleus and putamen and larger-than-normal amygdala
B. smaller-than-normal amygdala and larger-than-normal caudate nucleus and putamen
C. smaller-than-normal caudate nucleus, putamen, and amygdala
D. larger-than-normal caudate nucleus, putamen, and amygdala
Answer C is correct. Individuals with ADHD tend to have a smaller volume in five brain structures: caudate nucleus, putamen, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and hippocampus (Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 2017).
Use of utility analysis to evaluate the usefulness of a newly developed test for selecting job applicants provides an estimate of which of the following?
A. the percentage of newly hired applicants who will be successful on the job when the test is used to make hiring decisions
B. the probability that a particular applicant will be successful on the job when the test is used to make hiring decisions
C. the monetary gain that can be expected when the test is used to make hiring decisions
D. the incremental validity that can be expected when the test is added to the current hiring procedure
Answer C is correct. Utility analysis is used to estimate the economic benefit that would be achieved by using a selection test or other procedure to assist with hiring and other personnel decisions.
The Brogden-Cronbach-Gleser formula is commonly used to assess the utility of a selection technique, and it transforms the validity coefficient of the selection technique into an estimate of the technique’s monetary value. Note that utility analysis and cost-utility analysis are not the same thing:
Utility analysis (which is described in the organizational psychology content summary) is used in organizations to determine the economic gain that a procedure produces in terms of worker productivity (e.g., the dollar value of performance gains obtained by using a new selection test to hire job applicants).
Cost-utility analysis (which is described in the clinical psychology content summary) is used to compare the effects of two or more healthcare interventions on quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) or disability-adjusted life-years (DALY).
Cognitive therapy for suicide prevention (CT-SP) has been found to be effective for reducing suicidal ideation, repeat suicide attempts, and depression in adolescents and adults who recently attempted suicide. As described by Bryan (2019), the primary targets of the three stages of CT-SP are, in order:
A. risk assessment, skills training, and safety planning.
B. emotion regulation, cognitive flexibility, and relapse prevention.
C. crisis management, cognitive flexibility, and safety planning.
D. cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and relapse prevention.
Answer B is correct. As described by Bryan, emotion regulation and cognitive flexibility are essential mechanisms for reducing suicidal behaviors and, consequently, are the primary targets of the first and second phases of CT-SP, respectively. Then, when a client has acquired emotion regulation and cognitive flexibility skills, the third phase begins and focuses on relapse prevention. Although risk assessment, skills training, cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and safety planning are often included as elements of cognitive therapy for suicide prevention and cognitive-behavioral therapy for suicide prevention, they are not the primary targets of the three stages identified by Bryan.
Scarr and McCartney (1983) distinguish between three gene-environment correlations. Niche-picking is another name for which of these correlations?
A. passive genotype-environment
B. evocative genotype-environment
C. reactive genotype-environment
D. active genotype-environment
Answer D is correct. Answers A, B, and D are the three gene-environment correlations identified by Scarr and McCartney. [Reactive genotype-environment correlation (answer C) is another name for evocative genotype-environment correlation.] As described by these investigators, the active genotype-environment correlation is the association between an individual’s genetic predisposition and the niches (environments) the individual chooses. Consequently, this correlation is also referred to as niche-picking and niche-building.
Which of the following best describes ethical guidelines for using obsolete tests and test results?
A. Psychologists may use obsolete tests and test results in certain circumstances.
B. Psychologists may use obsolete tests in certain situations but must never use obsolete test results.
C. Psychologists may use obsolete test results in certain situations but must never use obsolete tests.
D. Psychologists must never use obsolete tests or test results.
Answer A is correct. Standard 9.08 of the APA Ethics Code and Principle II.13 of the Canadian Code of Ethics apply to the use of obsolete tests and outdated test results. These requirements imply that using obsolete tests or outdated test results may be acceptable when doing so is appropriate for the purposes of the current evaluation. For example, it would be acceptable to use a previous version of a test when it has norms for a client’s racial/ethnic group, but the newest version does not yet have norms for that group.
Functional family therapy (FFT) is an evidence-based intervention for:
A. families with a history of domestic violence.
B. families that include a member with schizophrenia.
C. children and adolescents with anorexia or bulimia and their families.
D. adolescents with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder and their families.
Answer D is correct. FFT is an evidence-based intervention for families that include adolescents who present with or are at risk for delinquency, substance use, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, or other serious behavioral problems.
Use of the ________ heuristic tends to intensify a person’s emotional reaction to a negative event that has already occurred.
A. simulation
B. availability
C. representativeness
D. anchoring and adjustment
Answer A is correct. When using the simulation heuristic, a person imagines alternatives to a negative event that has already occurred, and the imagined alternatives can cause the person to have a stronger negative emotional reaction to the actual event.
we judge the likelihood of an event based on how easy it is to imagine (mentally simulate) the event happening to us or others: Events that are more easily imagined are judged to be more likely to occur. The simulation heuristic differs from other heuristics because, in addition to affecting our judgment about the probability that an event will occur, it affects how we feel or think others feel about the event.
Research on which of the following has found that retrieval memory is optimal when conditions are the same at the time of learning and the time of retrieval.
A. levels of processing
B. encoding specificity
C. elaborative rehearsal
D. practice testing
Answer B is correct. According to the encoding specificity hypothesis, retrieval from long-term memory is maximized when the conditions at the time of learning (encoding) new information are the same as the conditions when the information must be recalled. The conditions can be external circumstances (e.g., the same room) or internal states (the same mood).
The most likely side effects of buspirone (BuSpar) include which of the following?
A. lethargy, ataxia, tremor, visual disturbances, and impaired concentration
B. weakness, unsteadiness, impaired memory, anticholinergic effects, and sexual dysfunction
C. dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, nervousness, blurred vision, and trouble sleeping
D. hypertension, tremors, headaches, confusion, and cardiac arrhythmia
Answer C is correct. The symptoms listed in this answer are side effects of buspirone, which is an anxiolytic drug used to treat anxiety disorders. Answer A lists side effects of anticonvulsant drugs,
answer B lists side effects of benzodiazepines, and
answer D describes rebound effects that may occur when the beta-blocker propranolol is abruptly discontinued.
Requiring psychology students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs to participate in individual or group therapy may be acceptable if:
A. students are allowed to select their own providers.
B. students are allowed to select providers from mental health professionals not affiliated with the program.
C. students are provided with a list of providers who have been screened and approved by the program.
D. students have the choice of participating in therapy or an alternative activity.
Answer B is correct. Standards 3.05 and 7.05 of the APA’s Ethics Code and the Values Statement for Principle III and Principles III.30 and III.37 of the Canadian Code of Ethics apply to this issue. Answer B is the best answer because it is most similar to the requirements of Standard 7.05(a), which states that, “when individual or group therapy is a program or course requirement, psychologists responsible for that program allow students in undergraduate and graduate programs the option of selecting such therapy from practitioners unaffiliated with the program.” Answer D can be eliminated because the Ethics Code does not require that students be provided with an alternative to participation in therapy.
Which of the following best describes classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT)?
A. CTT and IRT are both test based.
B. CTT and IRT are both item based.
C. CTT is test based and IRT is item based.
D. CTT is item based and IRT is test based.
Answer C is correct. One difference between CTT and IRT is that CTT is best described as “test based” while IRT is best described as “item based.” CTT focuses on total test scores, and tests based on CTT do not provide a basis for predicting how an examinee or group of examinees will respond to a particular test item. In contrast, IRT focuses on responses to individual test items and provides the information needed to determine the probability that a particular examinee or group of examinees will correctly answer any specific item.
In a normal distribution, a T-score of ___ is equivalent to a percentile rank of: 84.
A. 40
B. 50
C. 60
D. 70
Answer C is correct. To identify the correct answer to this question, you need to know that, in a normal distribution, a percentile rank of 84 and a T-score of 60 are both one standard deviation above the mean.
Research on which of the following has found that people tend to hate losses about twice as much as they enjoy gains?
A. scarcity trap
B. loss aversion
C. gain/loss theory
D. gambler’s fallacy
Answer B is correct. Loss aversion is the tendency of people to weigh losses more heavily than gains. For example, Kahneman and Tversky (1979) found that the aggravation caused by losing a specific amount of money is about twice as intense as the satisfaction caused by gaining the same amount of money.
A client says he feels unhappy about not having any close relationships. However, additional questioning of the client reveals that he’s often suspicious of the motives of other people, is anxious when he’s around other people, and prefers to keep to himself because he doesn’t feel like he “fits in” with other people. These symptoms are most characteristic of which personality disorder?
A. avoidant
B. schizotypal
C. schizoid
D. borderline
Answer B is correct. The personality disorders listed in the answers all involve problems with social relationships. However, schizotypal personality disorder is the best answer because people with this disorder may say that they’re unhappy about their lack of relationships, but they have few close friends beyond first-degree relatives, are anxious around other people (usually because they’re suspicious of their motives), and prefer being alone. People with avoidant personality disorder (answer A) say they’d like to have close relationships but avoid them because of their fear of being criticized, embarrassed, or rejected. People with schizoid personality disorder (answer C) have limited desire for close relationships and do not derive pleasure from them. People with borderline personality disorder (answer D) have unstable, intense relationships that fluctuate between overidealizing and devaluing other people.
When a predictor has a criterion-related validity coefficient of _____, this means that 64% of variability in scores on the criterion is explained by variability in scores on the predictor.
A. .80
B. .64
C. .40
D. .36
Answer A is correct. A criterion-related validity coefficient, like other correlation coefficients for two different variables, can be interpreted by squaring it to obtain a measure of shared variability. This question gives you the squared number, so you have to take its square root to get the validity coefficient: The square root of .64 is .80. (Note: If there are any questions on the exam that require you to calculate a square root, the numbers will be easy ones like the one in this question – e.g., .81, .49, .36.)
Glick and Fiske’s (2001) theory of ambivalent sexism distinguishes between __________ components of sexism.
A. reactive and proactive
B. cognitive, affective, and behavioral
C. interpersonal and intrapersonal
D. hostile and benevolent
Answer D is correct. According to Glick and Fiske, ambivalent sexism consists of two distinct but co-existing and complementary components: Hostile sexism is characterized by a negative attitude toward women who have not accepted traditional female roles (e.g., women who challenge male dominance), while benevolent sexism is characterized by a positive attitude toward women who adhere to traditional roles (e.g., women who accept the belief that they need to be protected by men).
During her first therapy session, Renee, age 21, tells you she’s “depressed a lot” but that she also sometimes feels “really good.” After questioning Renee about her depression, you determine she has experienced several episodes that meet the diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode. You are considering a diagnosis of bipolar II disorder for Renee and, to confirm this diagnosis, you will want to determine if her periods of feeling good meet the diagnostic criteria for:
A. one or more manic episodes.
B. two or more manic episodes.
C. one or more hypomanic episodes.
D. two or more hypomanic episodes.
Answer C is correct. For a DSM diagnosis of bipolar II disorder, a person must have had at least one hypomanic episode and one major depressive episode.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been linked to which of the following?
A. low brain and blood levels of serotonin
B. high brain and blood levels of serotonin
C. high brain level and low blood level of serotonin
D. low brain level and high blood level of serotonin
Answer D is correct. Studies have found that individuals with ASD typically have lower-than-normal levels of serotonin in several areas of the brain, while some also have higher-than-normal blood levels of serotonin. One explanation for this difference is that blood serotonin enters the fetal brain during the early stages of development before the blood-brain barrier is fully mature, which causes reduced development of or damage to serotonergic neurons in the brain (Whitaker-Azmitia, 2005).
All of the following are “red flags” that suggest a young child should be referred for a speech/language evaluation except:
A. no canonical babbling (e.g., bababa) by 5 months of age.
B. no first words by 19 months of age.
C. no meaningful two-word combinations (e.g., juice gone) by 28 months of age.
D. no appropriate pronoun use by 42 months of age.
Answer A is correct. The reported ages for language milestones vary somewhat from source to source, but most sources list canonical babbling as occurring by 6 to 8 months of age, first words by 15 months, meaningful two-word combinations by 24 months of age, and appropriate pronoun use by 36 months of age. Therefore, answer A is the best answer because no canonical babbling at 5 months is not unusual and, therefore, does not suggest a child should be referred for a speech/language evaluation. See, e.g., H. M. Feldman and C. Messick, Assessment of language and speech, in M. L. Wolrich, D. D. Drotar, P. H. Dworkin, and E. C. Perrin (Eds.), Behavioral pediatrics: Evidence and practice (pp. 177-190), Philadelphia, Mosby-Elsevier, 2008.
The goal of APA accreditation is best described as:
A. providing status to graduates of accredited schools.
B. protecting the wellbeing of the public and the interests of students.
C. establishing minimum standards of competence.
D. protecting the profession of psychology and its practitioners.
Answer B is correct. The APA provides several descriptions of the goal of APA accreditation, but all identify benefiting or protecting the public and some also identify protecting students as the goal: For example, the APA accreditation website states that “the ultimate goal of APA accreditation is to graduate psychologists who are uniquely qualified to protect the wellbeing of the public by providing quality psychological service” (https://www.accreditation.apa.org/why-accreditation-matters). In addition, the APA’s Standards for Accreditation for Health Service Psychology and Accreditation Operating Procedures states that “accreditation is intended to protect the interests of students, benefit the public, and improve the quality of teaching, learning, research, and practice in health service psychology” (2018, p. 3).
In most people, Broca’s area is located in the __________ and Wernicke’s area is located in the __________.
A. left inferior frontal gyrus; left superior temporal gyrus
B. right inferior frontal gyrus; right superior temporal gyrus
C. left anterior cingulate gyrus; left posterior cingulate gyrus
D. right anterior cingulate gyrus; right posterior cingulate gyrus
Answer A is correct. Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas are the major language areas of the brain. Knowing that the left hemisphere is dominant for language in most people and that Broca’s area is located in the frontal lobe and Wernicke’s area is located in the temporal lobe would have helped you identify the correct answer to this question. Also, knowing that the cingulate gyrus is part of the cingulate cortex and that the cingulate cortex is one of the structures of the limbic system would have helped you eliminate answers C and D. (A gyrus is a ridge on the surface of the cerebral cortex.)
John Watson used which of the following procedures to establish Little Albert’s fear response to white rats?
A. backwards conditioning
B. trace conditioning
C. delay conditioning
D. simultaneous conditioning
Answer C is correct. Watson first presented the white rat (CS) to Albert and then, while the white rat was still present, presented an unexpected loud noise (the US) that naturally elicited a startle response in Albert. After doing this numerous times, presentation of the white rat alone elicited a startle response. Presentation of the CS so that it precedes and overlaps presentation of the US is referred to as delay conditioning.