Unit 1 Chapter 1 Flashcards
Which two disciplines provided foundations for the field of psychology?
a. physiology and theology
b. physiology and sociology
c. philosophy and physiology
d. sociology and philosophy
c. philosophy and physiology
While the term “psychology” has existed since at least the early 1700s, when did psychology come to
be considered a science?
a. the 1750s
b. the early 1800s
c. the late 1800s
d. the 1940s
c. the late 1800s
Which event marked the “birth” of psychology as a science?
a. Wilhelm Wundt established the first laboratory for psychological research.
b. Sigmund Freud first described the unconscious.
c. Charles Darwin published the theory of natural selection.
d. William James published the textbook Principles of Psychology.
a. Wilhelm Wundt established the first laboratory for psychological research.
How did Wilhelm Wundt define psychology?
a. the scientific study of the unconscious
b. the scientific study of conscious experience
c. the scientific study of behaviour
d. the scientific study of the brain
b. the scientific study of conscious experience
Which of the following is NOT one of the major contributions of G. Stanley Hall?
a. He established the first research laboratory for psychology in America.
b. He was the first president of the American Psychological Association.
c. He received the first Ph.D. in psychology in America.
d. He established the first American psychological journal.
c. He received the first Ph.D. in psychology in America.
Who was the psychologist who established the first psychology research laboratory in America,
founded the first American psychological journal, and was the first president of the American
Psychological Association?
a. John Watson
b. G. Stanley Hall
c. William James
d. Wilhelm Wundt
b. G. Stanley Hall
Which school of psychology stated that the task of psychology is to analyze conscious experience into
its basic elements?
a. functionalism
b. psychoanalysis
c. behaviourism
d. structuralism
d. structuralism
What did both Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener believe should be the focus of psychology?
a. observable behaviour
b. the function or purpose of consciousness
c. unconscious determinants of behaviour
d. basic elements of conscious experience
d. basic elements of conscious experience
Which technique would you be using if you take a sip of a soft drink and concentrate on what you are
experiencing (cold, bubbly, sweet, etc.)?
a. empiricism
b. behaviourism
c. introspection
d. functionalism
c. introspection
What technique would you be using if, while watching a sunset, you stop and analyze your sensations,
thoughts, and feelings?
a. behaviourism
b. introspection
c. psychoanalysis
d. functionalism
b. introspection
What did William James believe should be the focus of psychology?
a. the function or purpose of consciousness
b. basic elements of conscious experience
c. observable behaviour
d. unconscious determinants of behaviour
a. the function or purpose of consciousness
Which individual is known as the founder of functionalism?
a. Sigmund Freud
b. John Watson
c. Wilhelm Wundt
d. William James
d. William James
Which school of psychology stated that consciousness developed in humans because it serves a useful
purpose?
a. humanism
b. functionalism
c. behaviourism
d. structuralism
b. functionalism
Which individual provided a significant influence for William James’s perspective on psychology?
a. Sigmund Freud
b. Plato
c. Aristotle
d. Charles Darwin
d. Charles Darwin
Which of the following schools of thought was most influenced by Charles Darwin’s theory of natural
selection?
a. functionalism
b. psychoanalysis
c. behaviourism
d. structuralism
a. functionalism
Which school of psychology had a practical focus and was interested in how people adapted their
behaviour to the demands of the world?
a. functionalism
b. behaviourism
c. psychoanalysis
d. structuralism
a. functionalism
Which individual is associated with the concept of “stream of consciousness”?
a. William James
b. Wilhelm Wundt
c. Sigmund Freud
d. John Watson
a. William James
Two scientists from another planet, Poz and Zog, visit earth and are attempting to study our computers.
Poz focuses on how the computer is used for conducting business, communicating with others, and
playing games, while Zog concentrates on the construction of the hard-drive, monitor, keyboard, and
mouse. If you were to compare their approaches to the original schools of psychology, which of the
following analogies is most accurate?
a. Poz’s approach is similar to functionalism.
b. Zog’s approach is similar to behaviourism.
c. Zog’s approach is similar to psychoanalysis.
d. Poz’s approach is similar to structuralism.
a. Poz’s approach is similar to functionalism.
Which of the following most accurately describes the enduring influence of structuralism and
functionalism on psychology today?
a. Neither structuralism nor functionalism exerted a long-lasting influence on psychology.
b. Both structuralism and functionalism exerted a long-lasting influence on psychology.
c. Only structuralism exerted a long-lasting influence on psychology.
d. Only functionalism exerted a long-lasting influence on psychology.
d. Only functionalism exerted a long-lasting influence on psychology.
Who is known as the founder of behaviourism?
a. John Watson
b. Carl Rogers
c. Wilhelm Wundt
d. Sigmund Freud
a. John Watson
How did John Watson define psychology?
a. the scientific study of the brain
b. the scientific study of the unconscious
c. the scientific study of behaviour
d. the scientific study of conscious experience
c. the scientific study of behaviour
Which school of psychology made a clear distinction between observable behaviours and
unobservable thoughts and feelings?
a. functionalism
b. behaviourism
c. psychoanalysis
d. structuralism
b. behaviourism
What did John Watson believe should be the focus of psychology?
a. unconscious determinants of behaviour
b. observable behaviour
c. basic elements of conscious experience
d. the function or purpose of consciousness
b. observable behaviour
Which psychological approach is often referred to as stimulus-response (S-R) psychology?
a. psychoanalytic theory
b. structuralism
c. evolutionary psychology
d. behaviourism
d. behaviourism
If Dr. Meharry is a behaviourist, which of the following would he most likely say is the cause of a
child’s disruptive behaviour in school?
a. a combination of his genetic inheritance and his prior experiences
b. his prior experiences
c. his genetic inheritance
d. a learning disability
b. his prior experiences
Which of the following schools of psychology was most influential in increasing the use of animals in
psychological research?
a. structuralism
b. humanism
c. behaviourism
d. animalism
c. behaviourism
Which of the following individuals would be most likely to focus on your thoughts, memories, and
desires that are beyond the control of conscious rational processes?
a. B. F. Skinner
b. Sigmund Freud
c. John Watson
d. Abraham Maslow
b. Sigmund Freud
What did Sigmund Freud believe should be the focus of studies of personality, motivation, and mental
disorders?
a. observable behaviour
b. basic elements of conscious experience
c. unconscious determinants of behaviour
d. the function or purpose of consciousness
c. unconscious determinants of behaviour
You act impulsively, and then wonder why. What would Sigmund Freud say is the cause of your
behaviour?
a. your unconscious mind
b. your lack of rational thought
c. your conscious mind
d. your inability to think quickly
a. your unconscious mind
Which of the following did NOT have a significant influence on the development of Sigmund Freud’s
theory?
a. the results of his experimental research
b. his observation of the slips of the tongue people tend to make
c. knowledge gained from his examination of his own anxieties, conflicts, and desires
d. knowledge gained as a result of working with patients
a. the results of his experimental research
What did Sigmund Freud believe prevented us from being totally in control of our own minds?
a. the physiological functioning of our bodies
b. environmental influences acting on us
c. the unconscious
d. introspection
c. the unconscious
Which of the following was NOT one of the reasons that psychoanalysis was controversial when it
was first developed?
a. its focus on the unconscious
b. its lack of experimental research
c. its emphasis on sexual issues
d. its focus on abnormal behaviour
d. its focus on abnormal behaviour
Which of the following statements is most accurate, regarding experimental psychology’s eventual
reaction to psychoanalytic theory?
a. Psychoanalytic theory was rejected by experimental psychologists.
b. Psychoanalytic theory was accepted by experimental psychologists.
c. Experimental psychologists began to reject behaviourism.
d. Experimental psychologists tested psychoanalytic hypotheses.
d. Experimental psychologists tested psychoanalytic hypotheses.
In the 1950s, of which school of psychology did B. F. Skinner argue that psychology should return to a
strict interpretation?
a. humanism
b. behaviourism
c. psychoanalysis
d. functionalism
b. behaviourism
Which of the following behaviourists was known for his concept of radical behaviourism?
a. B. F. Skinner
b. Ivan Pavlov
c. Edward Thorndike
d. John B. Watson
a. B. F. Skinner
Which psychologist believed that organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes?
a. Sigmund Freud
b. B. F. Skinner
c. William James
d. Carl Rogers
b. B. F. Skinner
According to B. F. Skinner, if you study “extra hard” for your first psychology midterm and earn an
“A,” what would you do for your next psychology midterm?
a. reduce your study time by approximately 50 percent
b. continue to study “extra hard”
c. devote all of your study time to your other courses
d. reduce your study time by approximately 25 percen
b. continue to study “extra hard”
If you wish to teach a child to pick up his toys, which of the following theorist’s principles and
techniques would be most useful?
a. Wilhelm Wundt
b. William James
c. B. F. Skinner
d. Abraham Maslow
c. B. F. Skinner
Lisa taught her son to buckle his seat belt in the car by allowing him to play one of his CDs on the car
stereo only after he was buckled up. Which school of psychology would most endorse this method?
a. cognitive psychology
b. humanism
c. biological psychology
d. behaviourism
d. behaviourism
Which of the following statements would Skinner disagree with?
a. Organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes.
b. Organisms tend not to repeat responses that lead to neutral or negative outcomes.
c. All behaviour is governed by external consequences.
d. Individuals have free will.
d. Individuals have free will.
Upon reflecting upon your own behaviour, you come to the conclusion that you behave in a very
predictable fashion. You feel that you don’t really choose your behaviours freely or consciously.
Rather, you believe that your behaviour is controlled by what has happened to you in the past. Which
of the following theorists would be most likely to agree with you?
a. B. F. Skinner
b. Edward Titchener
c. Carl Rogers
d. Sigmund Freud
a. B. F. Skinner
Which school of psychology developed in the 1950s?
a. psychoanalysis
b. behaviourism
c. functionalism
d. humanism
d. humanism
Which school of psychology believes people have a basic need to fulfill their potential for personal
growth and experience free will?
a. psychoanalysis
b. cognitive psychology
c. humanism
d. behaviourism
c. humanism
Which school of psychology would be least likely to compare humans to other animals?
a. behaviourism
b. functionalism
c. humanism
d. evolutionary psychology
c. humanism
Which of the following would both Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow agree with?
a. People have a basic need to fulfill their potential for personal growth.
b. Human behaviour is entirely shaped by environmental events.
c. People are not masters of their own destiny.
d. Human behaviour is largely determined by primitive sexual urges.
a. People have a basic need to fulfill their potential for personal growth.
As a young psychologist, your major goal is to help people reach their potential. Which school of
psychology do you endorse?
a. structuralism
b. humanism
c. psychoanalysis
d. behaviourism
b. humanism
Where was the first experimental psychology laboratory in Canada established?
a. University of Toronto
b. Dalhousie University
c. University of Alberta
d. McGill University
a. University of Toronto
Why was the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) established?
a. to promote the training of psychiatric residents
b. to assist psychologists in setting up new private practices and getting start-up grants
c. to provide public education on the importance of psychology in applied settings
d. to advance psychology as a science
d. to advance psychology as a science
What is the focus of applied psychology?
a. diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems
b. unique qualities of people
c. practical problems
d. mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge
c. practical problems
Tracey is conducting research on children’s learning styles, and her research is used to help create new
teaching activities in daycare centres. Which category would Tracey’s research fit into best?
a. clinical psychology
b. applied psychology
c. behaviourism
d. functionalism
b. applied psychology
Which area of psychology is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems
and disorders?
a. applied psychology
b. clinical psychology
c. medical psychology
d. research psychology
b. clinical psychology
Which of the following major historical events influenced the development of psychology as a
profession?
a. World War II
b. the Cold War of the 1950s
c. World War I
d. the Great Depression of the 1930s
a. World War II
What did many psychologists begin to specialize in after World War II?
a. clinical psychology
b. experimental psychology
c. industrial psychology
d. research psychology
a. clinical psychology
Which type of psychology best categorizes the research on bullying described in the Featured Study?
a. behavioural psychology
b. cognitive psychology
c. experimental psychology
d. applied psychology
d. applied psychology
Dr. LeBlanc became a psychologist in 1925. Which of the following types of psychologists is Dr.
LeBlanc most likely to be?
a. a counselling psychologist
b. an experimental psychologist
c. an applied psychologist
d. a clinical psychologist
b. an experimental psychologist
Which pair of terms reflects the observation that “psychology returned to its roots” in the latter part of
the 20th century?
a. cognitive perspective and humanism
b. cognitive perspective and biological perspective
c. biological perspective and humanism
d. cultural perspective and biological perspective
b. cognitive perspective and biological perspective
Which psychological perspective emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, and reflected a renewed interest in
the study of the mind or consciousness?
a. mental perspective
b. philosophical perspective
c. biological perspective
d. cognitive perspective
d. cognitive perspective
If you were to ask a cognitive psychologist about her current research, which of the following is most
likely to be the topic?
a. unconscious emotional conflicts
b. problem-solving
c. the influence of hormones on behaviour
d. common attitudes across cultures
b. problem-solving
Which type of psychologist is most likely to study decision making, reasoning, problem solving, and
language?
a. an evolutionary psychologist
b. a cognitive psychologist
c. a behavioural psychologist
d. a biological psychologist
b. a cognitive psychologist
Which psychological perspective emerged in the 1950s and 1960s and reflected a renewed interest in
the study of the physiological bases of behaviour?
a. philosophical perspective
b. biological perspective
c. mental perspective
d. cognitive perspective
b. biological perspective
Which of the following psychological perspectives is most likely to focus on the interrelations among
the mind, body, and behaviour?
a. physiological perspective
b. cognitive perspective
c. behavioural perspective
d. evolutionary perspective
a. physiological perspective
According to the physiological perspective, what must psychologists focus on in order to fully
understand behaviour?
a. the interrelations among the mind, body, and behaviour
b. internal mental events
c. the adaptive value of a behaviour
d. the role of the unconscious
a. the interrelations among the mind, body, and behaviour
Which of the following is partly responsible for Donald Hebb’s tremendous impact on the field of
psychology?
a. his discovery that the hemispheres of the brain are specialized for different tasks
b. his collaborative work with Roger Sperry
c. his focus on the study of children’s development
d. his book, The Organization of Behavior: A Neuropsychological Theory
d. his book, The Organization of Behavior: A Neuropsychological Theory
Imagine that you are a graduate student in Montreal in the 1940s. You work under the supervision of a
very influential researcher who published The Organization of Behavior, which provided an
integrative approach to psychology. Which of the following are you likely to be researching?
a. history and systems of psychology
b. child development
c. brain mechanisms of behaviour
d. memory and problem solving
c. brain mechanisms of behaviour
Which of the following represents a major focus of psychology in both the 19th century and now?
a. the role of unconscious conflicts
b. a focus on physiological bases for behaviour
c. identifying the smallest units of conscious experience
d. striving for self-actualization
b. a focus on physiological bases for behaviour
Which of the following is likely to be true if a researcher’s work is ethnocentric?
a. The participants all experience the same experimental manipulation.
b. The research focuses on similarities among age groups.
c. The participants all come from the same cultural background.
d. The research focuses on differences between nations.
d. The research focuses on differences between nations.
Which of the following has become a recent focus of attention for psychologists?
a. unconscious mechanisms
b. intelligence
c. emotions
d. culture
d. culture
Based on the results of the Featured Study on bullying in Canadian schoolyards, which of the
following situations is most typical of bullying?
a. A student is bullied in isolation by someone with a reputation for aggression.
b. A group of students is bullied by a single individual.
c. A group of students is bullied by a much older group of students.
d. A student is bullied by someone, while other peers either take part or observe.
d. A student is bullied by someone, while other peers either take part or observe.
What do evolutionary psychologists focus on when they study behavioural processes?
a. adaptive value
b. influence on intelligence
c. hormonal substrate
d. cognitive correlates
a. adaptive value
Which area of psychology are your questions most consistent with if you wonder about the adaptive
purpose of a common behaviour (such as toddlers following their mothers around or teenagers wanting
more independence from their parents)?
a. humanism
b. cultural psychology
c. biological psychology
d. evolutionary psychology
d. evolutionary psychology
Dr. Tanaka is a researcher who has stated the hypothesis that men and women should differ in their
skills related to different types of video games. He suggests that men will outperform women in games
that require great hand-eye coordination, whereas women should outperform men in games that
require excellent memory for social interactions. Dr. Tanaka’s hypothesis is related to other research
suggesting that our ancestors lived in environments where men had more children if they were
successful hunters, and women had more children if they could foster strong social relationships. What
type of psychologist is Dr. Tanaka?
a. anthropological
b. cognitive
c. humanist
d. evolutionary
d. evolutionary
Terry is interested in doing research on creativity. She really wants to be able to help people develop
their creativity, so that they can improve their own lives. Which of the following terms describes
Terry’s area of interest?
a. educational psychology
b. positive psychology
c. functional psychology
d. clinical psychology
b. positive psychology
In promoting positive psychology, what did Seligman suggest had been the historical focus of the field
of psychology?
a. pathology, weakness, and damage
b. genetic and physiological influences
c. animal, child, and disordered behaviour
d. behaviourism and psychoanalysis
a. pathology, weakness, and damage
In addition to being a science, what is the other aspect of the field of psychology according to your
text’s definition?
a. career
b. profession
c. philosophy
d. art
b. profession
Which of the following is NOT included in your text’s definition of psychology?
a. Psychology is a profession that solves practical problems.
b. Psychology is a science.
c. Psychology studies behaviour including physiological and cognitive processes.
d. Psychology studies primarily the unconscious mind.
d. Psychology studies primarily the unconscious mind.
What percentage of Canadian psychologists work in colleges and universities?
a. 10 percent
b. 30 percent
c. 50 percent
d. 70 percent
b. 30 percent
Which of the following is NOT a major area of specialization in research psychology?
a. industrial/organizational
b. social
c. personality
d. psychometrics
a. industrial/organizational
What are currently the two largest areas of specialization in research-oriented psychology?
a. clinical and counselling
b. developmental and clinical
c. social and counselling
d. developmental and social
d. developmental and social
Which type of psychologist is concerned with changes in behaviour throughout the life span?
a. social
b. developmental
c. personality
d. cognitive
b. developmental
A newspaper article reported a study by a psychologist in which the attitudes of men and women
toward traditional sex roles were studied. Which type of psychologist likely conducted the study?
a. developmental
b. cognitive
c. social
d. counselling
c. social
Which area of research specialization in psychology studies many of the traditional topics in
psychology (such as sensation, learning, and motivation)?
a. psychometrics
b. experimental psychology
c. cognitive psychology
d. educational psychology
b. experimental psychology
Jane’s thyroid gland has become inactive, and, as a result, she is becoming lethargic and gained
weight. Which branch of psychology would include studies on these sorts of effects?
a. medical
b. physiological
c. experimental
d. clinical
b. physiological
Which of the following would be most interesting to a psychologist who specializes in psychometrics?
a. the development of techniques to monitor the functioning of the nervous system
b. explaining development across the life span
c. the development of psychological tests to measure intelligence or personality traits
d. conducting psychotherapy in a clinical setting
c. the development of psychological tests to measure intelligence or personality traits
Which of the following is NOT a major area of specialization of professional psychology?
a. industrial and organizational psychology
b. counselling psychology
c. school psychology
d. personality psychology
d. personality psychology
What is the largest specialization in professional psychology?
a. counselling psychology
b. industrial/organizational psychology
c. clinical psychology
d. developmental psychology
c. clinical psychology
Which specialization in applied psychology is primarily involved in the treatment of less severe
problems of everyday life?
a. social psychology
b. counselling psychology
c. cognitive psychology
d. clinical psychology
b. counselling psychology
Which of the following areas of specialization in psychology is involved with the development of
curricula and the training of teachers?
a. school psychology
b. experimental psychology
c. industrial/organizational psychology
d. educational psychology
d. educational psychology
Which psychologists work in schools and primarily help individual children having difficulties in
school, or aid parents and teachers in solving school-related problems?
a. educational psychologists
b. counselling psychologists
c. school psychologists
d. social psychologists
c. school psychologists
As the result of a breakdown in communication, morale is low among employees in a local factory.
Which type of psychologist would be most likely to be helpful in restoring communication and
improving morale?
a. clinical psychologist
b. social psychologist
c. educational psychologist
d. industrial/organizational psychologist
d. industrial/organizational psychologist
Which of the following professionals is a medical doctor?
a. physiological psychologist
b. clinical psychologist
c. psychiatrist
d. counselling psychologist
c. psychiatrist
Which of the following professionals could provide a prescription for antidepressant medication?
a. physiological psychologist
b. clinical psychologist
c. psychiatrist
d. counseling psychologist
c. psychiatrist
Your text describes seven unifying themes that provide continuity throughout psychology. What are
the two primary divisions of those themes?
a. psychology as a way of studying behaviour and the things that influence behaviour
b. psychology is a science, and psychology utilizes theories
c. psychology as a science and psychology as a profession
d. psychology studies behaviour, and people are subjective
a. psychology as a way of studying behaviour and the things that influence behaviour
Your text’s unifying theme that “psychology is empirical” implies that psychologists base their
conclusions on which of the following?
a. logical reasoning
b. direct observations
c. speculation
d. common sense
b. direct observations
Which of the following premises means that knowledge should be acquired through observation?
a. philosophy
b. empiricism
c. subjectivity
d. introspection
b. empiricism
Which of your text’s unifying themes is emphasized by John Watson proposing that psychology
should study only observable behaviours and not consciousness?
a. Behaviour is influenced by multiple causes.
b. Psychology should use theories.
c. Psychology should be empirical.
d. People’s experience of the world is highly subjective.
c. Psychology should be empirical.
What is a theory?
a. the premise that knowledge should be acquired through logical reasoning
b. a statement of fact that describes a set of observations
c. the premise that knowledge should be acquired through observation
d. a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations
d. a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations
Which of the following is implied by your text’s unifying theme that “psychology is theoretically
diverse”?
a. Psychology has not, as yet, focused on empirical observations.
b. Psychology values all opinions, and treats different views as equally valid.
c. Psychology can only be described as a social science, rather than a pure science.
d. There are often several ways to interpret a set of observations
d. There are often several ways to interpret a set of observations
While Sigmund Freud might explain an individual’s depression by focusing on the person’s
unconscious thoughts, a physiological psychologist might focus instead on a chemical imbalance in the
brain. Which of your text’s unifying themes is illustrated by this example?
a. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
b. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context.
c. Psychology is empirical.
d. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
d. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
Which of the following is one of your text’s unifying themes related to psychology as a field of study?
a. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
b. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context.
c. Behaviour is determined by multiple causes.
d. People’s experience of the world is highly subjective.
b. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context
Which of the following is NOT one of the text’s unifying themes related to psychology as a field of
study?
a. Psychology is empirical.
b. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
c. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
d. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context.
b. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
Which of the following is implied by your text’s unifying theme that “psychology evolves in a
sociohistorical context”?
a. Knowledge should be acquired through observation.
b. Dense interconnections exist between what happens in psychology and in society at large.
c. Shared customs, beliefs, and values are transmitted socially across generations.
d. There are often several ways to interpret a set of observations.
b. Dense interconnections exist between what happens in psychology and in society at large.
Which of the following best describes the unifying theme that “psychology evolves in a sociohistorical
context”?
a. Social trends and values have an impact on personal behaviour.
b. Social trends and values have an impact on psychology.
c. Psychology and society both influence each other.
d. Psychological research and theories have an impact on society
c. Psychology and society both influence each other.
During the last few decades people have become more aware of the sexual abuse of children by adults,
and psychologists have devoted more research attention to the long-term effects of childhood sexual
abuse. These observations best reflect which unifying theme in psychology?
a. People’s experience of the world is highly subjective.
b. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
c. Behaviour is determined by multiple causes.
d. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context.
d. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context.
Taken as a whole, your text’s review of the early schools of psychology best reflects which one
unifying theme in psychology?
a. Behaviour is shaped by cultural heritage.
b. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
c. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
d. People’s experience of the world is highly subjective.
c. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
Which of the following is one of your text’s unifying themes related to the subject matter of
psychology?
a. Psychology is empirical.
b. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context.
c. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
d. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
c. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
Which of the following is NOT one of your text’s unifying themes related to the subject matter of
psychology?
a. Psychology is theoretically consistent.
b. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
c. Behaviour is determined by multiple causes.
d. People’s experience of the world is highly subjective.
a. Psychology is theoretically consistent.
Which of the following reflects psychology’s view of behaviour?
a. It has an objective cause.
b. It has a single cause.
c. It has subjective causes.
d. It has multiple causes.
d. It has multiple causes.
Your text’s two unifying themes of “our behaviour is shaped by our cultural heritage” and “heredity
and environment jointly influence behaviour” both describe more specialized statements of which
other theme?
a. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context.
b. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
c. People’s experience of the world is highly subjective.
d. Behaviour is determined by multiple causes.
d. Behaviour is determined by multiple causes.
Which of the following includes the widely shared customs, beliefs, values, norms, institutions, and
other products of a community that are transmitted socially across generations?
a. cultural heritage
b. legal heritage
c. religious heritage
d. sociohistorical heritage
a. cultural heritage
If you normally use a knife, fork, and spoon to eat dinner, what does that reflect?
a. evolutionary background
b. subjective thoughts concerning proper behaviour
c. objective thoughts concerning proper behaviour
d. cultural heritage
d. cultural heritage
Which of the following phrases reflects your text’s unifying theme of “heredity and environment
jointly influence behaviour”?
a. man versus nature
b. nature versus nurture
c. parent versus child
d. biology versus psychology
b. nature versus nurture
When John Watson claimed, “Give me a dozen healthy infants …”what was he arguing that behaviour
is strongly influenced by?
a. environmental factors
b. heredity factors
c. cultural factors
d. subjective factors
a. environmental factors
Which of your text’s unifying themes is reflected in the fact that people sometimes see what they
either “want to see” or “expect to see”?
a. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
b. People’s experience of the world is highly subjective.
c. Behaviour is shaped by cultural heritage.
d. People’s experience of the world is empirical.
b. People’s experience of the world is highly subjective.
The unifying theme “people’s experience of the world is highly subjective” most directly impacts
which other unifying theme?
a. Psychology is empirical.
b. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context.
c. Behaviour is shaped by cultural heritage.
d. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour.
a. Psychology is empirical.
Which of the following is NOT good advice for developing sound study habits?
a. Find a place to study where you can concentrate.
b. Set up a schedule for studying.
c. Reward yourself for studying.
d. Avoid taking study breaks while studying.
d. Avoid taking study breaks while studying.
How would you describe cramming for an exam as a study strategy for most students?
a. ineffective
b. effective
c. beneficial
d. time efficient
a. ineffective
Which of the following is the best advice when faced with a major assignment such as a term paper?
a. Set aside a large block of time (for example, an entire weekend) to devote to the
assignment.
b. Break the assignment down into smaller components.
c. Start the assignment with a clear idea of your conclusion in mind.
d. Postpone beginning the assignment until shortly before the due date in order to incorporate
information from the instructor’s lectures into the project.
b. Break the assignment down into smaller components
What is the SQ3R study system designed to promote?
a. effective writing of themes and essays
b. effective reading of course material
c. effective test-taking strategies
d. effective note taking of course lectures
b. effective reading of course material
What is the correct order of the steps in the SQ3R method?
a. survey, question, read, review, recite
b. summarize, question, read, recite, review
c. survey, question, read, recite, review
d. summarize, question, read, review, recite
c. survey, question, read, recite, review
Which type of student is the SQ3R method most helpful for?
a. those with medium to high reading ability
b. those with low to medium reading ability
c. those with extremely low reading ability
d. those with extremely high reading ability
b. those with low to medium reading ability
Based on empirical studies, which of the following students would you expect to have the poorest
attendance during the semester?
a. Tom, who earned an A
b. Sue, who earned a B
c. Ashley, who earned a C+
d. Steve, who earned a D
d. Steve, who earned a D
Which of the following is good advice for getting more out of class lectures?
a. Concentrate on writing down the definitions of terms.
b. Read along in the text as the instructor is lecturing.
c. Read the relevant pages in the text before the lecture.
d. Avoid interrupting the instructor by asking questions.
c. Read the relevant pages in the text before the lecture.
Which of the following is NOT good advice for improving your test-taking ability?
a. Don’t waste too much time pondering difficult-to-answer questions.
b. Review the test if you have time left after completing the test.
c. Check for hidden complexities in simple-looking questions.
d. Make sure you use your time efficiently and have enough time to complete the test.
c. Check for hidden complexities in simple-looking questions.
Which of the following is good advice for taking multiple-choice exams?
a. Remember that options that use broad generalizations such as “always, never, and must”
tend to be correct.
b. Remember to continue to read all options even after you find your anticipated answer.
c. Remember that if “all of the above” is an option, it must be correct.
d. Remember that options that use qualified statements such as “often, sometimes, and may”
tend to be incorrect.
b. Remember to continue to read all options even after you find your anticipated answer.
Which questions should you answer first on an essay test?
a. the ones that are worth the most points
b. the ones that are listed first on the exam
c. the ones that cover material that was most recently discussed in class
d. the ones that you know best
d. the ones that you know best
Which of the following is NOT part of critical thinking?
a. working systematically toward a desired goal
b. originally believing that the stated position on a topic is incorrect
c. generating multiple solutions to problems
d. using principles of likelihood when dealing with probabilistic events
b. originally believing that the stated position on a topic is incorrect
Which of the following seems to be true about the skills and attitudes involved in critical thinking?
a. They naturally develop during early adulthood.
b. They develop only in individuals trained in scientific disciplines.
c. They need to be specifically taught to individuals.
d. They naturally develop during adolescence.
c. They need to be specifically taught to individuals.
Which of the following is consistent with your text’s suggestions for improving academic performance
by improving your reading, getting more out of lectures, and improving test-taking strategies?
a. subjective thinking skills
b. accepted thinking skills
c. critical thinking skills
d. objective thinking skills
c. critical thinking skills
Which of the following observations weakens the evolutionary explanation of gender differences in
spatial abilities?
a. There frequently was a sex-based division of labour in ancient hunting and gathering
societies.
b. Males are encouraged to engage in activities that provide more practice with spatial tasks.
c. Males frequently perform slightly better than females on tasks involving mental rotation of
images and navigation in space.
d. Females perform slightly better than males on tasks involving memory for locations.
b. Males are encouraged to engage in activities that provide more practice with spatial tasks.
Which of the following would you find if you were to compare and contrast the six contemporary
theoretical perspectives in psychology described in your text?
a. Psychoanalytic theory is the only approach that examines the role of thoughts and feelings.
b. The earlier approaches (pre-1950s) are very similar to one another, whereas the later
approaches are dramatically different from one another.
c. The structuralist approach permeates all contemporary theoretical perspectives.
d. The psychoanalytic, humanistic, and cognitive perspectives are very different from the
others with regard to focus on the human species.
d. The psychoanalytic, humanistic, and cognitive perspectives are very different from the
others with regard to focus on the human species.
Alex is a psychologist who is studying the way that various animals communicate with one another.
Alex believes that language and other forms of communication are useful to a species in many ways
that allow individuals in the species to survive and thrive in their environment. One particular line of
research involves comparing communication among raccoons with human language. Alex is trying to
determine whether raccoons are capable of learning to associate particular symbols with the identities
of other raccoons, similar to the way that humans learn names for each other. As part of his research,
he trains the raccoons to respond to particular symbols by pushing a button on a computer monitor.
Each time a raccoon makes the “correct” response, it gets a treat. Alex is also training students to do
this type of research. In particular, he sits down with each student to go over the data and shows him or
her how to determine whether the hypothesis was supported or disconfirmed. In this way, Alex can
help the next generation of scientists learn how to use the scientific method and to learn to carefully
evaluate information and ideas.
When Alex trains raccoons to respond to symbols, with which of the following psychologists are his
methods most consistent with?
a. Ms. Brenda Milner
b. Mr. Donald Hebb
c. Mr. B. F. Skinner
d. Mr. William James
c. Mr. B. F. Skinner
Which type of psychologist would be least interested in Alex’s research?
a. a cognitive psychologist
b. a humanist
c. a functionalist
d. a behaviourist
b. a humanist
Which of the following types of psychologists would be most interested in Alex’s research?
a. a clinical psychologist
b. a structuralist
c. an evolutionary psychologist
d. a humanist
c. an evolutionary psychologist
Which of your text’s themes is illustrated when Alex collects data in order to evaluate his ideas?
a. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
b. Psychology is empirical.
c. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context.
d. Behaviour is determined by multiple causes.
b. Psychology is empirical.
When Alex trains his students, which skill is he emphasizing?
a. critical thinking
b. structuralism
c. positive psychology
d. statistical training
a. critical thinking
Which of the following individuals is responsible for establishing psychology as an
independent discipline with its own subject matter?
a. Wilhelm Wundt
b. G. Stanley Hall
c. René Descartes
d. William James
a. Wilhelm Wundt
According to historians, when and where did the “birth” of psychology occur?
a. 1859 in England
b. 1879 in Germany
c. 1883 in the United States
d. 1909 in Austria
b. 1879 in Germany
According to Wilhelm Wundt, what was the focus of psychology?
a. to understand functions of behaviour
b. to understand unconscious motivation
c. the scientific study of observable behaviour
d. the scientific study of conscious experience
d. the scientific study of conscious experience
What did Wilhelm Wundt believe the focus of psychology should be?
a. studying stimulus-response associations
b. questioning the nature of existence
c. examining people’s awareness of their immediate experience
d. determining people’s unconscious motivation for behaviour
c. examining people’s awareness of their immediate experience
Who established the first psychological research laboratory in the United States and launched
that country’s first psychology journal?
a. William James
b. G. Stanley Hall
c. John Watson
d. Edward Titchener
b. G. Stanley Hall
Who was the first president of the American Psychological Association (APA)?
a. G. Stanley Hall
b. John Watson
c. William James
d. Sigmund Freud
a. G. Stanley Hall
What is the world’s largest organization devoted to the advancement of psychology?
a. Psychologists of North America
b. Western Psychological Society
c. World Psychology Organization
d. American Psychological Association
d. American Psychological Association
What were the first two major schools of psychology?
a. functionalism and behaviourism
b. behaviourism and psychoanalytic theory
c. behaviourism and Gestalt psychology
d. structuralism and functionalism
d. structuralism and functionalism
Which school of psychology focused on identifying and examining the fundamental
components of conscious experience, such as sensations, feelings, and images?
a. humanism
b. structuralism
c. functionalism
d. behaviourism
b. structuralism
Which type of psychologist was most likely to use the technique of introspection?
a. structuralist
b. behaviourist
c. cognitive
d. humanist
a. structuralist
Mariska is participating in a study in which she is asked to carefully observe and report her
conscious reactions to several stimuli. Which type of psychologist is most likely to conduct a
study like this?
a. structuralist
b. humanist
c. behaviourist
d. psychoanalytic
a. structuralist
Isabel is listening to a piece of classical music and tape recording all her feelings and
impressions as she experiences them. Which school of psychology was well-known for using
this sort of technique?
a. humanism
b. structuralism
c. functionalism
d. behaviourism
b. structuralism