PSY 101 Exam 1 V3 | PSY 101 Foundations
of Psychology | StraighterLine | Q&A with
Rationale (StraighterLine PSY101 Exam 1)
1. Which psychological perspective focuses on how people process, store, and retrieve
information?
A. Behaviorism
B. Humanism
C. Psychoanalysis
D. Cognitive Psychology
Answer: D
Rationale: Cognitive psychology is centered on internal mental processes such as memory,
perception, and problem-solving. This field emerged as a reaction to behaviorism, which
ignored internal states in favor of observable actions. Understanding how the mind
encodes and decodes information is the hallmark of this approach.
2. In an experiment designed to study the effects of caffeine on alertness, what is the
‘alertness’ score considered to be?
A. Independent variable
B. Control variable
C. Dependent variable
,D. Confounding variable
Answer: C
Rationale: The dependent variable is the factor being measured or tested in a scientific
experiment. In this scenario, alertness is expected to change based on the manipulation of
caffeine intake. The independent variable would be the caffeine dosage provided by the
researcher.
3. Which part of the neuron is responsible for receiving signals from other neurons?
A. Axon
B. Dendrites
C. Myelin sheath
D. Terminal buttons
Answer: B
Rationale: Dendrites are the branch-like structures that extend from the cell body to
receive electrochemical messages. These signals are then passed toward the soma or cell
body for processing. Without functional dendrites, a neuron would be unable to gather
information from its neighbors.
4. Wilhelm Wundt is often called the ‘father of psychology’ because he established the first
psychology laboratory in what year?
A. 1859
, B. 1900
C. 1920
D. 1879
Answer: D
Rationale: The year 1879 marks the formal beginning of psychology as an independent
experimental science. Wundt founded his laboratory at the University of Leipzig in
Germany to study the structure of the human mind. His work transitioned psychology from
philosophy into a measurable scientific discipline.
5. Which division of the nervous system is responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response?
A. Sympathetic nervous system
B. Somatic nervous system
C. Parasympathetic nervous system
D. Central nervous system
Answer: A
Rationale: The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for action during stressful
or emergency situations. It increases heart rate, dilates pupils, and redirects blood flow to
essential muscles. Conversely, the parasympathetic system works to calm the body and
conserve energy once the threat has passed.
of Psychology | StraighterLine | Q&A with
Rationale (StraighterLine PSY101 Exam 1)
1. Which psychological perspective focuses on how people process, store, and retrieve
information?
A. Behaviorism
B. Humanism
C. Psychoanalysis
D. Cognitive Psychology
Answer: D
Rationale: Cognitive psychology is centered on internal mental processes such as memory,
perception, and problem-solving. This field emerged as a reaction to behaviorism, which
ignored internal states in favor of observable actions. Understanding how the mind
encodes and decodes information is the hallmark of this approach.
2. In an experiment designed to study the effects of caffeine on alertness, what is the
‘alertness’ score considered to be?
A. Independent variable
B. Control variable
C. Dependent variable
,D. Confounding variable
Answer: C
Rationale: The dependent variable is the factor being measured or tested in a scientific
experiment. In this scenario, alertness is expected to change based on the manipulation of
caffeine intake. The independent variable would be the caffeine dosage provided by the
researcher.
3. Which part of the neuron is responsible for receiving signals from other neurons?
A. Axon
B. Dendrites
C. Myelin sheath
D. Terminal buttons
Answer: B
Rationale: Dendrites are the branch-like structures that extend from the cell body to
receive electrochemical messages. These signals are then passed toward the soma or cell
body for processing. Without functional dendrites, a neuron would be unable to gather
information from its neighbors.
4. Wilhelm Wundt is often called the ‘father of psychology’ because he established the first
psychology laboratory in what year?
A. 1859
, B. 1900
C. 1920
D. 1879
Answer: D
Rationale: The year 1879 marks the formal beginning of psychology as an independent
experimental science. Wundt founded his laboratory at the University of Leipzig in
Germany to study the structure of the human mind. His work transitioned psychology from
philosophy into a measurable scientific discipline.
5. Which division of the nervous system is responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response?
A. Sympathetic nervous system
B. Somatic nervous system
C. Parasympathetic nervous system
D. Central nervous system
Answer: A
Rationale: The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for action during stressful
or emergency situations. It increases heart rate, dilates pupils, and redirects blood flow to
essential muscles. Conversely, the parasympathetic system works to calm the body and
conserve energy once the threat has passed.
