Previous Exam Questions Flashcards
Alexandra is told that research supports the value of cosmetic surgery for boosting self-esteem. Belinda is told that the esteem-enhancing value of cosmetic surgery has been refuted by research. Both women consider the research findings to be common sense. This best illustrates the power of
Hindsight bias
In reporting the effect of drinking alcohol on self-consciousness, psychological researchers would specify exactly how they measured self-consciousness. They are thereby providing a(n)
operational definition
Which of the following correlations expresses the strongest degree of relationship between two variables?
.1, -.67, .58
-.67 because it’s the closest to 1 or -1
Which technique involves the use of magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of the brain’s soft tissues?
MRI
Which technique involves the use of magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of the brain’s soft tissues?
epigenetic molecules
Compared with children raised in Westernized cultures, children in many Asian cultures grow up with a strong sense of
family self
Three-month-old Andrew was obviously startled by the first ring of the telephone, but with each subsequent ring he seemed to become less reactive. This best illustrates the process of
habituation
Kristen is a normal, healthy newborn. Research indicates that
she has the most brain cells she is ever going to have
Adjusting current schemas to make sense of new information is called
accomodation
Five-year-old Tammy mistakenly believes that her short, wide glass contains less soda than her brother’s tall, narrow glass. Actually, both glasses contain the same amount of soda. This illustrates that Tammy lacks the concept of
conservation
Detection is to interpretation as sensation is to
perception
When you enter an old password to retrieve your email, rather than entering your new password, you are demonstrating __________ interference. On the other hand, not being able to recall your old phone number is an example of __________ interference.
proactive;retroactive
After reading her horoscope in the morning newspaper, Sabrina readily interpreted many experiences that day as clear verifications of its accuracy. This best illustrates the dangers of
perceptual set
It wasn’t until Clara heard some of her classmates laughing loudly during history class that she began to perceive the professor’s ongoing lecture to be very funny. This provides an illustration of
context effects
After suffering stroke damage to specific areas of her brain, Mrs. M. cannot visually perceive the motion of objects, though she can visually perceive their form, color, and depth. Her experience best illustrates the role of ________ in visual perception.
parallel processing
The letters Y, M, O, M, R, E are presented. Jill remembers them by rearranging them to spell the word “MEMORY.” This provides an illustration of
chunking
People more easily detect male discrimination against women than female discrimination against men because the former more closely resembles their discrimination
prototype
Anika resisted changing her answer to a test question after reminding herself that “it’s always best to stick with your first answer.” Anika’s decision best illustrates the use of
heuristic
Bronfman has administered her new 100-item test of abstract reasoning to a large sample of students. She is presently comparing their scores on the odd-numbered questions with those on the even-numbered questions in an effort to
determine the tests reliability
After learning about his low score on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Gunter complained, “I don’t believe that test is a measure of intelligence at all.” Gunter’s statement is equivalent to saying that the WAIS lacks
validity
Whether we feel angry or depressed in response to a low exam grade depends on whether we attribute the poor grade to an unfair test or to our own low intelligence. This best illustrates that emotions are influenced by
cognitive appraisals
A television producer believes that violent TV programs provide viewers an opportunity to reduce their own anger through fantasy. The producer appears to accept the
catharsis hypothesis
__________ ____________ is the part of the brain that, if damaged, might impair your ability to speak If you damage __________ ____________, you might impair your ability to understand language.
Wernicke’s area; Broca’s area
Broca’s area; Wernicke’s area
Medulla Oblongata; Language Acquisition Device
None of the above
Broca’s area; Wernicke’s area
A friend’s mother has been injured in an automobile accident. To help the family, you organize a walk-a-thon at a local park, raising funds for the mother’s care. The benefits of this kind of help are supported by the _______ hypothesis.
stress buffering
One reason some people feel nauseated before doing something that they are afraid of—like giving a class presentation—is that activation of the sympathetic nervous system
slows down digestion
George often acts on impulse, without taking time to consider the consequences. A psychoanalyst would suggest that George shows signs of a
weak ego
During adulthood, people’s level of openness tends to ________ slightly and their level of agreeableness tends to ______.
decrease ; increase
Brenda has never cheated on a psychology test, but she often does so on chemistry tests. She recently stole some merchandise from a local store, but she also returned a lost billfold along with $28 to its rightful owner. This pattern of behavior should make psychologists more cautious about emphasizing the consistent impact of ________ on behavior.
personality traits
