WGU C180 Foundations of Psychology
FULL TEST BANK (2026/2027 Edition)
PART 1: DIAGNOSTIC QUIZ (Questions 1-20)
Use this quick quiz to test your baseline knowledge before attempting the full exam.
1. According to the psychodynamic perspective, problematic behavior is primarily driven by:
A. Logical consequences and reinforcement histories
B. Unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences
C. Irrational thoughts and cognitive distortions
D. Free will and the drive for self-actualization
2. A researcher watches children interact on a playground without interfering. This is an example of:
A. A case study
B. A survey
C. Naturalistic observation
D. Correlational research
3. Which of the following correctly lists the sequence of memory processing?
A. Retrieval → Encoding → Storage
B. Encoding → Storage → Retrieval
C. Storage → Encoding → Retrieval
D. Encoding → Retrieval → Storage
4. Which lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for processing auditory information and language
comprehension?
A. Frontal lobe
B. Parietal lobe
C. Temporal lobe
D. Occipital lobe
5. In classical conditioning, the "Conditioned Response (CR)" is:
A. The automatic response to an unlearned stimulus (e.g., food)
B. The originally neutral stimulus that triggers a response after learning
C. The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus
D. The disappearance of a response when the US is removed
6. Which scenario best illustrates "Subliminal Perception"?
A. You flinch when a balloon pops near you.
,B. A sound is played so quietly you don't consciously hear it, but it influences your drink choice.
C. You stare at a painting for 30 seconds and then see an afterimage.
D. You recall a traumatic event while undergoing hypnosis.
7. The "Big Five" personality trait that describes curiosity, creativity, and a preference for novelty is
known as:
A. Conscientiousness
B. Agreeableness
C. Neuroticism
D. Openness to Experience
8. A dog learns that if it sits, it receives a treat. This increases the behavior of sitting. This is an
example of:
A. Positive Punishment
B. Positive Reinforcement
C. Negative Reinforcement
D. Negative Punishment
9. Which Neurotransmitter is most implicated in the regulation of mood, sleep, and appetite? Low
levels are associated with depression.
A. Dopamine
B. GABA
C. Serotonin
D. Acetylcholine
10. What is the main difference between "Proactive" and "Retroactive" interference?
A. Proactive is memory loss for events before trauma; Retroactive is after trauma.
B. Proactive is old info blocks new info; Retroactive is new info blocks old info.
C. Proactive is forgetting names; Retroactive is forgetting skills.
D. Proactive deals with explicit memory; Retroactive deals with implicit memory.
11. Which component of the endocrine system is known as the "master gland" because it influences
all other hormone-secreting glands?
A. Thyroid
B. Hypothalamus
C. Pituitary Gland
D. Adrenal Gland
12. According to Piaget, a child in the "Concrete Operational Stage" (7-11 years) is capable of:
A. Abstract logic and hypothetical reasoning
B. Understanding the concept of conservation (mass/volume stays the same despite shape change)
C. Object permanence
D. Egocentrism
13. The Stanford Prison Experiment (Zimbardo) demonstrated the power of:
A. Obedience to authority figures
B. Situational roles and deindividuation
, C. Conformity to incorrect group norms
D. Cognitive dissonance reduction
14. In operant conditioning, a "Negative Reinforcement" involves:
A. Adding an unpleasant stimulus to stop a behavior.
B. Removing a pleasant stimulus to stop a behavior.
C. Adding a pleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.
D. Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.
15. Which psychological perspective focuses on how we encode, process, and store information;
comparing the mind to a computer?
A. Behaviorism
B. Humanism
C. Cognitive Psychology
D. Biological Psychology
16. A test that consistently yields the same results every time it is administered is considered:
A. Valid
B. Standardized
C. Reliable
D. Normalized
17. Damage to Broca's area in the frontal lobe would most likely result in:
A. Inability to understand spoken language
B. Inability to produce fluent speech (slow, labored speech)
C. Loss of vision in the left visual field
D. Uncontrollable emotional outbursts
18. "Groupthink" occurs when:
A. A group performs better on a task than an individual.
B. The desire for harmony in a group overrides realistic appraisal of alternatives.
C. Individuals exert less effort in a group than alone.
D. People conform to the majority opinion due to physical pressure.
19. Which schedule of reinforcement produces the highest, most steady response rate with virtually
no pause after reinforcement (common in gambling)?
A. Fixed Ratio
B. Fixed Interval
C. Variable Ratio
D. Variable Interval
20. The "Whole Number" or "Magic Number" associated with the capacity of Short-Term Memory is:
A. 3 ± 1
B. 7 ± 2
C. 12 ± 3
D. Unlimited
FULL TEST BANK (2026/2027 Edition)
PART 1: DIAGNOSTIC QUIZ (Questions 1-20)
Use this quick quiz to test your baseline knowledge before attempting the full exam.
1. According to the psychodynamic perspective, problematic behavior is primarily driven by:
A. Logical consequences and reinforcement histories
B. Unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences
C. Irrational thoughts and cognitive distortions
D. Free will and the drive for self-actualization
2. A researcher watches children interact on a playground without interfering. This is an example of:
A. A case study
B. A survey
C. Naturalistic observation
D. Correlational research
3. Which of the following correctly lists the sequence of memory processing?
A. Retrieval → Encoding → Storage
B. Encoding → Storage → Retrieval
C. Storage → Encoding → Retrieval
D. Encoding → Retrieval → Storage
4. Which lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for processing auditory information and language
comprehension?
A. Frontal lobe
B. Parietal lobe
C. Temporal lobe
D. Occipital lobe
5. In classical conditioning, the "Conditioned Response (CR)" is:
A. The automatic response to an unlearned stimulus (e.g., food)
B. The originally neutral stimulus that triggers a response after learning
C. The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus
D. The disappearance of a response when the US is removed
6. Which scenario best illustrates "Subliminal Perception"?
A. You flinch when a balloon pops near you.
,B. A sound is played so quietly you don't consciously hear it, but it influences your drink choice.
C. You stare at a painting for 30 seconds and then see an afterimage.
D. You recall a traumatic event while undergoing hypnosis.
7. The "Big Five" personality trait that describes curiosity, creativity, and a preference for novelty is
known as:
A. Conscientiousness
B. Agreeableness
C. Neuroticism
D. Openness to Experience
8. A dog learns that if it sits, it receives a treat. This increases the behavior of sitting. This is an
example of:
A. Positive Punishment
B. Positive Reinforcement
C. Negative Reinforcement
D. Negative Punishment
9. Which Neurotransmitter is most implicated in the regulation of mood, sleep, and appetite? Low
levels are associated with depression.
A. Dopamine
B. GABA
C. Serotonin
D. Acetylcholine
10. What is the main difference between "Proactive" and "Retroactive" interference?
A. Proactive is memory loss for events before trauma; Retroactive is after trauma.
B. Proactive is old info blocks new info; Retroactive is new info blocks old info.
C. Proactive is forgetting names; Retroactive is forgetting skills.
D. Proactive deals with explicit memory; Retroactive deals with implicit memory.
11. Which component of the endocrine system is known as the "master gland" because it influences
all other hormone-secreting glands?
A. Thyroid
B. Hypothalamus
C. Pituitary Gland
D. Adrenal Gland
12. According to Piaget, a child in the "Concrete Operational Stage" (7-11 years) is capable of:
A. Abstract logic and hypothetical reasoning
B. Understanding the concept of conservation (mass/volume stays the same despite shape change)
C. Object permanence
D. Egocentrism
13. The Stanford Prison Experiment (Zimbardo) demonstrated the power of:
A. Obedience to authority figures
B. Situational roles and deindividuation
, C. Conformity to incorrect group norms
D. Cognitive dissonance reduction
14. In operant conditioning, a "Negative Reinforcement" involves:
A. Adding an unpleasant stimulus to stop a behavior.
B. Removing a pleasant stimulus to stop a behavior.
C. Adding a pleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.
D. Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.
15. Which psychological perspective focuses on how we encode, process, and store information;
comparing the mind to a computer?
A. Behaviorism
B. Humanism
C. Cognitive Psychology
D. Biological Psychology
16. A test that consistently yields the same results every time it is administered is considered:
A. Valid
B. Standardized
C. Reliable
D. Normalized
17. Damage to Broca's area in the frontal lobe would most likely result in:
A. Inability to understand spoken language
B. Inability to produce fluent speech (slow, labored speech)
C. Loss of vision in the left visual field
D. Uncontrollable emotional outbursts
18. "Groupthink" occurs when:
A. A group performs better on a task than an individual.
B. The desire for harmony in a group overrides realistic appraisal of alternatives.
C. Individuals exert less effort in a group than alone.
D. People conform to the majority opinion due to physical pressure.
19. Which schedule of reinforcement produces the highest, most steady response rate with virtually
no pause after reinforcement (common in gambling)?
A. Fixed Ratio
B. Fixed Interval
C. Variable Ratio
D. Variable Interval
20. The "Whole Number" or "Magic Number" associated with the capacity of Short-Term Memory is:
A. 3 ± 1
B. 7 ± 2
C. 12 ± 3
D. Unlimited
