Introduction to Psychology

Question 1

Empiricism is:

a. the understanding of the self through reflection and meditation
b. the idea that all knowledge comes from experience
c. the study of how one person influences another
d. the practice of selective breeding to promote desired traits

Answer 1

b. the idea that all knowledge comes from experience

Question 2

James, Hall, and Cattell were part of a group that embraced ______ and was influenced by evolutionary theory

a. structuralism
b. behaviorism
c. functionalism
d. empiricism

Answer 2

c. functionalism

Question 3

What was the role of women in research psychology in the US in the first half of the 1900s?

a. Women were prohibited from research until 1930.
b. Women could study psychology but could not work professionally.
c. Women did more research than men.
d. Some women participated, but faced many barriers.

Answer 3

d. Some women participated, but faced many barriers.

Question 4

Ivan Pavlov advanced behaviorism by showing that behavior could be explained without reference to ______ and was instead controlled by events in the environment.

a. learning
b. the mind
c. the organism’s biology
d. psychology

Answer 4

b. the mind

Question 5

Why is it important for Gestalt to look at the whole than the parts?

a. it is more scientific
b. it is more meaningful
c. it is more valid
d. it is more consistent

Answer 5

b. it is more meaningful

Question 6

How does a researcher know which methods she should use to test her hypotheses in psychological research?

a. The method that is used should be determined by what the researcher feels is her strongest area of expertise and knowledge.
b. The source of the financial support for the research will tell the researcher what type of methodology to employ in the study.
c. The best method depends on the question being asked as well as the resources that are available to the researcher.
d. The research method being used will depend on the number of research participants that have been recruited for the study.

Answer 6

c. The best method depends on the question being asked as well as the resources that are available to the researcher.

Question 7

Markus is in a study examining the impact of vitamin C on vision. Some participants take 100mg. of vitamin C every day while others take placebo. Markus doesn’t know which group he’s in, but he is given eye exams measuring his vision each month. What is the dependent variable?

a. Participant’s vision, in this case, Markus’.
b. The day on which the eye exams are administered.
c. The amount of vitamin C a participant takes.
d. The number of participants in the study.

Answer 7

a. Participant’s vision, in this case, Markus’.

Question 8

Barbara is complaining that she has terrible abdominal pains. Several physicians have found nothing wrong with her. One physician gives Barbara a prescription for tablets with no real medication in them. “I think that this new medication will be very helpful for your abdominal infection,” the physician tells Barbara. Within 24 hours of taking the fake medication Barbara reports that her abdominal pains have disappeared. This is called a ______.

a. naturalistic study
b. confounding variable
c. placebo effect
d. double-blind study

Answer 8

c. placebo effect

Question 9

Dr. Magill is conducting research on whether giving monkeys ice cold water in the morning will cause them to be less aggressive during the day. He has several graduate students observing the monkeys and he regularly comments to the students that ice water is “definitely making a difference.” As a result, the graduate students are less likely to rate minor aggressive incidents as true aggression. The research in this example has been compromised by ______.

a. experimenter expectations
b. unclear operational definitions
c. the placebo effect
d. confounds

Answer 9

a. experimenter expectations

Question 10

What kind of research would be most useful in investigating whether saving for retirement improves with age?

a. a correlational design
b. an experimental design
c. a survey
d. a quasi-experimental design

Answer 10

a. a correlational design

Question 11

What distinguishes an experiment from a quasi-experimental research design?

a. A quasi-experiment utilizes a correlational coefficient and an experiment does not.
b. An experiment involves random assignment and a quasi-experiment does not.
c. A quasi-experiment involves random assignment and an experiment does not.
d. A quasi-experiment is immune to the effects of confounds and an experiment is not.

Answer 11

b. An experiment involves random assignment and a quasi-experiment does not.

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of an empirical question that could be tested using systematic observation?

a. Do native English-speaking Canadians take longer to learn Chinese or to learn Spanish?
b. Is Japanese a prettier language than German?
c. What is the meaning of life?
d. Are humans inherently good or bad?

Answer 12

a. Do native English-speaking Canadians take longer to learn Chinese or to learn Spanish?

Question 13

What is one reason why scientific psychologists follow a specific set of guidelines to help them make decisions when doing research?

a. To help researchers publish research findings that are of interest to the public.
b. To certify researcher’s professional credentials as a researcher in the field of psychology.
c. To ensure that the topics of study are objective and in no way relate to researcher’s own values.
d. To ensure they protect research participants from potential harm.

Answer 13

d. To ensure they protect research participants from potential harm.

Question 14

____________ is important to obtain before starting a research study to ensure people know they are involved in the study, what will happen in the study, and understand they can choose to stop participating at any time.

a. Informed consent
b. Forced agreement
c. Privacy notice
d. Confidential security

Answer 14

a. Informed consent

Question 15

What is one example of why researchers must take into consideration the benefits of their research?

a. People will not want to participate if they don’t benefit from the study.
b. A study with benefits will ensure that participants are compensated for their participation.
c. A study without applicable benefits will not make a contribution to society.
d. A study should only be conducted if the study’s benefits outweigh the risks.

Answer 15

d. A study should only be conducted if the study’s benefits outweigh the risks.

Question 16

Hermann von Helmholtz studied the physiology of vision and hearing. Given the physical nature of his work, why is he considered important to the development of psychology as a discipline?

a. Helmholtz used objective introspection to determine the structure of people’s consciousness based on their physical perceptions.
b. He noted that the mind could be measured using scientific methods.
c. He demonstrated that there is actually no connection between physical stimuli and our perceptions of them.
d. Helmholtz was able to show that even though we appear to have different sensory systems, they are all processed in the same part of the brain.

Answer 16

b. He noted that the mind could be measured using scientific methods.

Question 17

Darla is a student studying the relationship between physical stimuli and peoples’ perceptions of those stimuli. In which academic area is Darla earning her degree?

a. psychophysics
b. biological psychology
c. neurocognition
d. behavioral genetics

Answer 17

a. psychophysics

Question 18

Why is Wilhelm Wundt often credited as being responsible for the initial development of modern psychology?

a. He was the first to suggest that there might be physical causes to psychological disorders, shifting the field away from its previous roots in demonology.
b. He promoted the idea that psychology could be studied scientifically and provided classes, textbooks, and a laboratory for training students.
c. He founded and was elected the first president of the American Psychological Association.
d. He was the first to travel outside of his own country to “rally” other psychologists to the cause of working together to establish a new scientific discipline.

Answer 18

b. He promoted the idea that psychology could be studied scientifically and provided classes, textbooks, and a laboratory for training students.

Question 19

Emilio has taught himself to savor each bite of his meals. He closes his eyes, focuses intensely on the flavors of his food, and maximizes his enjoyment of every bite. His ability to focus intently on the sensation and perception of taste is similar to Wilhelm Wundt’s procedure of ________.

a. experimentation
b. introspection
c. empiricism
d. projection

Answer 19

b. introspection

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the difference between structuralism and functionalism?

a. They are two words for the same concept; North Americans use the word “functionalism” while Europeans use the word “structuralism.”
b. Structuralists are interested in what the mind is and functionalists are interested in what the mind does.
c. Structuralists are interested in what the mind does and functionalists are interested in what the mind is.
d. They are two words for the same concept; North Americans use the word “structuralism” while Europeans use the word “functionalism.”

Answer 20

b. Structuralists are interested in what the mind is and functionalists are interested in what the mind does.

Question 21

With which research question would psychologist James McKeen Cattell be most likely to write an article or conduct a study?

a. “Can we understand things that cannot be seen, verified, and quantified?”
b. “Is the whole more, less, or the same as the sum of its parts?”
c. “Is society better when the unintelligent among us are prohibited from having children?”
d. “In what manner is one’s awareness of their environment constructed?”

Answer 21

c. “Is society better when the unintelligent among us are prohibited from having children?”

Question 22

Gestalt psychology, with its emphasis on topics such as learning and perception, was an important early precursor to the rise of ________ psychology in America.

a. psychodynamic
b. behavioral
c. humanistic
d. cognitive

Answer 22

d. cognitive

Question 23

What general description can you create about the development of Psychology in the Philippines?

a. It is intended for the general public
b. It is mostly influenced by the need of the industry
c. It focused on the discovery of Filipino identity
d. It emerged mostly in the academic setting

Answer 23

d. It emerged mostly in the academic setting

Question 24

What is the importance pure psychology?

a. Criticize the way practitioners do their job.
b. Dominate the teaching of Psychology
c. Consolidate knowledge based on scientific rigor
d. Identify where they can apply their discipline

Answer 24

c. Consolidate knowledge based on scientific rigor