Q5 form A

Question 1

Research with Skinner’s behaviour management techniques has generally shown that:

a. punishment tends to improve learning for people with high levels of anxiety.
b. differences in temperament affect the manner in which people respond to behaviour management techniques.
c. behaviour management techniques change behaviour only if people are motivated to change.
d. behaviour management techniques are typically less effective than hypnosis in treating drug addiction.

Answer 1

b. differences in temperament affect the manner in which people respond to behaviour management techniques.

Question 2

John Watson argued that:

a. the goal of psychology should be the prediction and control of behaviour.
b. psychologists should be primarily concerned with why people act as they do.
c. psychology should be limited to the study of consciousness.
d. psychology is not and cannot be a science.

Answer 2

a. the goal of psychology should be the prediction and control of behaviour.

Question 3

With what schedule of reinforcement is an organism reinforced for the first response following a designated period of time?

a. continuous
b. fixed-ratio
c. variable-ratio
d. fixed-interval
e. variable-interval

Answer 3

d. fixed-interval

Question 4

Skinner believed that passive resistance is most likely to be used:

a. before the strategy of escape.
b. prior to revolt.
c. in conjunction with physical restraint.
d. after escape and revolt have failed.
e. as a form of negative reinforcement.

Answer 4

d. after escape and revolt have failed.

Question 5

What Freud saw as unconsciously motivated defense mechanisms, Skinner viewed as:

a. consciously motivated defense mechanisms.
b. attempts to protect the self-concept against anxiety.
c. inappropriate behaviours shaped by environmental contingencies.
d. unsuccessful attempts to defend the ego against guilt.

Answer 5

c. inappropriate behaviours shaped by environmental contingencies.

Question 6

Bandura holds that reinforcement is:

a. cognitively mediated.
b. automatic.
c. a function of the environment.
d. a function of the individual’s history.
e. an unnecessary concept for learning theory.

Answer 6

a. cognitively mediated.

Question 7

Gian Capara and colleagues (2003) have investigated self-efficacy and shyness. They found that:

a. women had higher rates of positive self-efficacy than did men.
b. dispositional shyness was not influenced at all by self-efficacy.
c. self-efficacy through self-reflection positively changed dispositional shyness.
d. interpersonal self-efficacy was positively related to shyness.

Answer 7

c. self-efficacy through self-reflection positively changed dispositional shyness.

Question 8

Bandura believes that motivation to change dysfunctional behaviour is enhanced by:

a. setting realistic goals.
b. receiving feedback on performance.
c. a continuous schedule of positive reinforcements.
d. setting realistic goals and receiving feedback on performance.
e. receiving feedback on performance and a continuous schedule of positive reinforcemt

Answer 8

d. setting realistic goals and receiving feedback on performance.

Question 9

According to Bandura, ______________ is a person’s expectations that he or she can or cannot execute the behaviour necessary to effect a successful change in a particular situation.

a. self-efficacy
b. self-regulation
c. locus of control
d. disengagement of internal control

Answer 9

a. self-efficacy

Question 10

According to Bandura, in self-regulation, we may judge the worth of our actions on the basis of:

a. personal standards.
b. performance attribution.
c. a standard of reference.
d. the value we place on those actions.
e. all the above choices are correct.

Answer 10

e. all the above choices are correct.

Question 11

In Mischel and Shoda’s personality system, behaviour is shaped by people’s specific cognitive and affective processes plus:

a. their previous experiences with reinforcement.
b. the unique situation.
c. their personal dispositions.
d. their motivation.

Answer 11

c. their personal dispositions.

Question 12

According to Rotter, people with high internal locus of control believe that:

a. they can do well in nearly everything.
b. luck is the principal determiner of success.
c. there will always be wars, no matter how hard people try to prevent them.
d. the source of control is generally within themselves.

Answer 12

d. the source of control is generally within themselves.

Question 13

Mischel’s early research led him to believe that behaviour is mostly a function of:

a. chance and fortuitous events.
b. the situation.
c. relatively stable personal traits.
d. a person’s motivation.
e. none of the above choices are correct.

Answer 13

b. the situation.

Question 14

According to Rotter, reinforcement that satisfies a strong need generally:

a. is more highly valued than one that satisfies a weak need.
b. tends to be negatively valued by the individual.
c. is less likely to be valued than one that satisfies a weak need.
d. tends to be negatively valued by society.

Answer 14

a. is more highly valued than one that satisfies a weak need.

Question 15

Rotter insisted that an adequate theory of personality must take into consideration the assumption that people are:

a. capable of anticipating events.
b. motivated primarily by drive reduction.
c. controlled in the same manner as animals.
d. only motivated by unconscious mental processes.

Answer 15

a. capable of anticipating events.

Question 16

With Kelly’s fixed-role therapy:

a. the client and therapist work out a predetermined role for the client to play.
b. the construction systems of other people are anticipated.
c. the client tries to become another person while acting out the role.
d. all of the above choices are true.
e. both a and b are true.

Answer 16

e. both a and b are true.

Question 17

According to Kelly, facts:

a. determine a person’s future.
b. are determined by past events.
c. dictate our view of the world.
d. carry meaning for us to discover.
e. are acquired solely through the scientific method.

Answer 17

d. carry meaning for us to discover.

Question 18

Kelly’s theory of personal constructs can most accurately be called:

a. a behavioral theory.
b. a metatheory.
c. an existential theory.
d. a cognitive theory.

Answer 18

b. a metatheory.

Question 19

Kelly’s fragmentation corollary:

a. assumes the rigidity of behaviour.
b. accounts for all behaviours not explained by his other corollaries.
c. is his fundamental postulate.
d. accounts for the fact that people can hold seemingly incompatible beliefs.

Answer 19

d. accounts for the fact that people can hold seemingly incompatible beliefs.

Question 20

The purpose of Kelly’s Rep test is to:

a. reconstruct obsolete personal constructs.
b. discover ways in which clients construe significant people in their lives.
c. provide the therapist with a differential diagnosis of patients.
d. uncover previously repressed conflicts.

Answer 20

b. discover ways in which clients construe significant people in their lives.

Question 21

Describe Bandura’s approach to understanding dysfunctional behavior.

Answer 21

One way that he saw dysfunctional behavior was the result of unrealistic goals that people set for themselves. He mainly categorized dysfunctional behavior into 3 categories: depression, phobias and aggression.

Depression may be caused by faultiness perceptions in the areas of

1) self observation,
- undervalue their accomplishments or put too much emphasis around failures or slip ups

2) judgmental processes
make bad life decisions: perhaps an example might be engaging in self-destructive behavior

3) self reactions

extra harsh self judgment

He saw phobias as hard to extinguish because people tend to avoid putting themselves into situations that elicit anxiety.

He saw aggression as something that was learned. He illustrated it in the Bobbo doll experiment where children are exposed to adults being violent with the doll, The children then repeat this behavior, which they have observed. He criticized violent television shows for similar results.

Question 22

State Kelly’s philosophical position of constructive alternativism

Answer 22

This is the idea that people are not victim of circumstances in terms of how they perceive their reality. They have the freedom to change their world view because things are in constant flux.

Certain view points like Freud’s seduction theory were discarded or adapted as Freud progressed on his path of understanding the human psyche. Constructive alternativism allows for this movement.

It’s a way to make sense out of what ever is happening in your life that allows for more personal freedom.

I may have injured my back and cannot work at a physically demanding job. I may change my goal structure and outlook and decide to spend the time studying psychology.

Question 23

Discuss Kelly’s view on psychotherapy.

Answer 23

Kelly was interested in helping people become aware and to reconfigure and imagine constructs systems that were limiting them towards their goals.

Fixed-role therapy was one method whereby the client could imagine themselves as a different person with new or seldom expressed characteristics and traits. It was a form of play acting with the therapist. They’d also discuss how people in the client’s life may respond, and then how that would be counter-responded to by the client. This would help the client expand their construct repertoire and allow for more personal freedom in interpersonal situations.

Another technique was using “preposterous interpretations” such as interpreting their current situation via Freud’s Oedipal complex. He often saw improvements when people had a new perspective and frameworks, so kept going with it.

Finally, the rep test was a way to categorize/describe people in the clients’ lives that would also allow for a widening in construct. If a woman was having trouble with her boss, this exercise may help her to identify that her boss reminded her of her older brother, thus illuminating her responses and feelings about her boss.

Question 24

Critique Mischel’s notion of the consistency paradox.

Answer 24

Although some people have consistent traits that manifest most of the time, different situations will bring about different behaviors.

For eg: A man I know who is very dominant and narcissistic enjoys bullying people around him. His dominant, aggressive traits are the norm, though when in the presence of his mother in law, he cowers and assumes a subservient role.

The consistency paradox is in response to the big 5 trait theory. Mischel sees this system as a taxonomy that is sterile and does not take into account various situations.

Question 25

Explain Skinner’s philosophy of science.

Answer 25

Skinner rejected psychoanalytic emphasis on needs, instincts, or motives, as they were too theoretical and not adequately scientifically provable.

He saw psychologists such as Freud and Adler as expressing interpretation/opinion and not true explanation.

He emphasized the notion that science is: cumulative, empirical/falsifiable and stressed the need for order.

• reject authority and focus on what the studies are telling us
• strive for honesty in testing… try as much as possible to eliminate any bias in testing
• peer review is of utmost import

Like Watson he argued that prediction, control, and description of human behaviour is the main goal of the scientific journey.