PSY 101 Exam 1 V2 | PSY 101 Foundations
of Psychology | StraighterLine | Q&A with
Rationale (StraighterLine PSY101 Exam 1)
1. Which individual is famously credited with establishing the first psychological laboratory in
Leipzig, Germany, in 1879?
A. William James
B. Sigmund Freud
C. Wilhelm Wundt
D. John B. Watson
Answer: C
Rationale: Wilhelm Wundt is widely recognized as the father of modern psychology due to
his creation of the first experimental laboratory. He utilized introspection to study the
conscious experience and the structural components of the mind. This event marked the
official separation of psychology from its philosophical roots into an empirical science.
2. The school of functionalism, which focused on how mental processes enable organisms to
adapt and survive, was primarily championed by which theorist?
A. B.F. Skinner
B. Edward Titchener
C. William James
,D. Carl Rogers
Answer: C
Rationale: William James developed functionalism as a reaction to the structuralist focus
on the static elements of the mind. He was heavily influenced by Charles Darwin’s theory of
evolution and natural selection. James argued that consciousness serves an adaptive
purpose by allowing individuals to adjust to their environment effectively.
3. In a formal experiment, the variable that is manipulated by the researcher to determine its
effect is known as the:
A. Independent variable
B. Dependent variable
C. Control variable
D. Confounding variable
Answer: A
Rationale: The independent variable is the factor that the experimenter changes or
controls to test its influence on a behavior or mental process. By isolating this variable,
researchers can establish a cause-and-effect relationship. In contrast, the dependent
variable is the outcome being measured to see how it responds to the manipulation.
4. A researcher finds a correlation coefficient of -0.85 between stress levels and job
performance. What does this suggest?
A. High stress causes poor job performance.
, B. There is a weak relationship between the variables.
C. As stress increases, job performance also increases.
D. As stress increases, job performance tends to decrease.
Answer: D
Rationale: A correlation of -0.85 indicates a strong negative relationship between the two
studied variables. In a negative correlation, the variables move in opposite directions,
meaning higher values in one are associated with lower values in the other. However, it is
important to remember that correlation does not imply causation, even when the
relationship is strong.
5. To ensure that participants in the experimental and control groups are similar at the start
of a study, researchers use:
A. Naturalistic observation
B. Operational definitions
C. Double-blind procedures
D. Random assignment
Answer: D
Rationale: Random assignment involves placing participants into groups by chance to
minimize pre-existing differences between them. This technique is crucial for internal
validity because it helps control for individual differences that might influence the results.
of Psychology | StraighterLine | Q&A with
Rationale (StraighterLine PSY101 Exam 1)
1. Which individual is famously credited with establishing the first psychological laboratory in
Leipzig, Germany, in 1879?
A. William James
B. Sigmund Freud
C. Wilhelm Wundt
D. John B. Watson
Answer: C
Rationale: Wilhelm Wundt is widely recognized as the father of modern psychology due to
his creation of the first experimental laboratory. He utilized introspection to study the
conscious experience and the structural components of the mind. This event marked the
official separation of psychology from its philosophical roots into an empirical science.
2. The school of functionalism, which focused on how mental processes enable organisms to
adapt and survive, was primarily championed by which theorist?
A. B.F. Skinner
B. Edward Titchener
C. William James
,D. Carl Rogers
Answer: C
Rationale: William James developed functionalism as a reaction to the structuralist focus
on the static elements of the mind. He was heavily influenced by Charles Darwin’s theory of
evolution and natural selection. James argued that consciousness serves an adaptive
purpose by allowing individuals to adjust to their environment effectively.
3. In a formal experiment, the variable that is manipulated by the researcher to determine its
effect is known as the:
A. Independent variable
B. Dependent variable
C. Control variable
D. Confounding variable
Answer: A
Rationale: The independent variable is the factor that the experimenter changes or
controls to test its influence on a behavior or mental process. By isolating this variable,
researchers can establish a cause-and-effect relationship. In contrast, the dependent
variable is the outcome being measured to see how it responds to the manipulation.
4. A researcher finds a correlation coefficient of -0.85 between stress levels and job
performance. What does this suggest?
A. High stress causes poor job performance.
, B. There is a weak relationship between the variables.
C. As stress increases, job performance also increases.
D. As stress increases, job performance tends to decrease.
Answer: D
Rationale: A correlation of -0.85 indicates a strong negative relationship between the two
studied variables. In a negative correlation, the variables move in opposite directions,
meaning higher values in one are associated with lower values in the other. However, it is
important to remember that correlation does not imply causation, even when the
relationship is strong.
5. To ensure that participants in the experimental and control groups are similar at the start
of a study, researchers use:
A. Naturalistic observation
B. Operational definitions
C. Double-blind procedures
D. Random assignment
Answer: D
Rationale: Random assignment involves placing participants into groups by chance to
minimize pre-existing differences between them. This technique is crucial for internal
validity because it helps control for individual differences that might influence the results.
