University of Wisconsin–Madison
LANIF · 101 YSP
★
College of Letters & Science — Department of Psychology
NUMEN LUMEN
EST. 1848
NUMEN LUMEN · GOD, OUR LIGHT
PSY 101 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
FO U N DAT I O N S O F PSYC H O LO G Y · K E Y T H E O R I STS · CO N C E PTS · R E S E A R C H F I N D I N G S
INSTITUTION University of Wisconsin–Madison COURSE CODE PSY 101
PROGRAM Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of ACADEMIC YEAR
Science — Psychology
EXAM TITLE PSY 101 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE TOTAL QUESTIONS 76 Questions
COURSE TITLE Introduction to Psychology FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the
Single Best Answer
STUDY GUIDE INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer for each question.
▸ Questions cover major theorists, psychological concepts, memory, development, social psychology, and
stress/health.
▸ Understanding definitions, key experiments, and theoretical frameworks is emphasized.
▸ Correct answers and rationales appear below each question for self-assessment.
▸ All content reflects PSY 101 learning objectives and standard introductory psychology curriculum.
, SECTION I — KEY THEORISTS, CONCEPTS & RESEARCH
Questions 1 – 76
IN PSYCHOLOGY
1. Gross motor skills involve the use of large muscle groups to control arms and legs for large
body movements. Which of the following is the best example of a gross motor skill?
A. Threading a needle
B. Running across a playground
C. Writing with a pencil
D. Picking up a small bead
CORRECT ANSWER B — Running across a playground
RATIONALE Gross motor skills use large muscle groups for large body movements — running,
jumping, climbing. Fine motor skills (A, C, D) use smaller muscles in fingers, toes,
and eyes for precise actions. Gross motor development precedes fine motor
development in children. This distinction is important in developmental
psychology for assessing motor milestones.
2. Personality is defined as:
A. Temporary emotional states that change frequently
B. Long-standing traits and patterns that propel individuals to consistently think, feel, and
behave in specific ways
C. The unconscious mind only
D. External behaviors without internal processes
CORRECT ANSWER B — Long-standing traits and patterns that propel individuals to
consistently think, feel, and behave in specific ways
RATIONALE Personality encompasses enduring characteristics that produce consistent
patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving across situations and over time. It is
not temporary (A), limited to the unconscious (C), or solely external (D).
Personality psychology studies trait theories (Big Five), psychodynamic
perspectives (Freud), humanistic approaches (Maslow, Rogers), and social-
cognitive theories (Bandura).
,3. The three fundamental functions of memory are:
A. Sensory, short-term, and long-term
B. Encoding, storage, and retrieval
C. Recall, recognition, and relearning
D. Iconic, echoic, and haptic
CORRECT ANSWER B — Encoding, storage, and retrieval
RATIONALE The three core memory processes are: encoding (getting information in), storage
(retaining it over time), and retrieval (getting it back out). Option A describes
memory stages/types (Atkinson-Shiffrin model). Option C describes measures of
memory retention. Option D describes sensory memory subtypes. Encoding,
storage, and retrieval are the foundational functions that all memory models
address.
4. Solomon Asch's classic conformity experiment demonstrated that:
A. People will obey authority figures even when instructed to harm others
B. People are strongly influenced by the thoughts and behaviors of others, often conforming
to an obviously incorrect group judgment
C. Group performance is always superior to individual performance
D. Social loafing occurs in group tasks
CORRECT ANSWER B — People are strongly influenced by the thoughts and behaviors of
others, often conforming to an obviously incorrect group judgment
RATIONALE Asch's line-judgment experiment showed that participants frequently conformed
to the group's clearly wrong answer, demonstrating the power of normative social
influence. Option A describes Milgram's obedience study. Option C is not always
true (groupthink, social loafing). Option D describes a different phenomenon.
Asch found that about 76% of participants conformed at least once, illustrating
the pressure to conform even against one's own perception.
, 5. A cognitive script (also called an event schema) is best defined as:
A. A random set of behaviors with no predictable pattern
B. A set of behaviors that are performed the same way each time in a given situation
C. A biological reflex
D. An unconscious defense mechanism
CORRECT ANSWER B — A set of behaviors that are performed the same way each time in a
given situation
RATIONALE A cognitive script (event schema) is a predictable sequence of behaviors for
familiar situations — like what you do when entering a restaurant (wait to be
seated, order, eat, pay). These scripts guide behavior automatically, reducing
cognitive load. They are learned through experience and culture. Zimbardo's
Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrated how powerful these scripts can be
when participants quickly adopted prisoner and guard roles.
6. Research indicates that low levels of social support are associated with:
A. Improved immune function
B. Greater risk of mortality, especially from cardiovascular disorders
C. Better survival rates following breast cancer
D. Faster recovery from surgery
CORRECT ANSWER B — Greater risk of mortality, especially from cardiovascular disorders
RATIONALE Low social support is a significant health risk factor, associated with higher
mortality rates, particularly from cardiovascular disease. Social isolation
increases stress, blood pressure, and inflammation. High social support (C, D) is
protective and linked to better health outcomes, including improved cancer
survival rates. This demonstrates the powerful connection between social
relationships and physical health.
LANIF · 101 YSP
★
College of Letters & Science — Department of Psychology
NUMEN LUMEN
EST. 1848
NUMEN LUMEN · GOD, OUR LIGHT
PSY 101 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
FO U N DAT I O N S O F PSYC H O LO G Y · K E Y T H E O R I STS · CO N C E PTS · R E S E A R C H F I N D I N G S
INSTITUTION University of Wisconsin–Madison COURSE CODE PSY 101
PROGRAM Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of ACADEMIC YEAR
Science — Psychology
EXAM TITLE PSY 101 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE TOTAL QUESTIONS 76 Questions
COURSE TITLE Introduction to Psychology FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the
Single Best Answer
STUDY GUIDE INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer for each question.
▸ Questions cover major theorists, psychological concepts, memory, development, social psychology, and
stress/health.
▸ Understanding definitions, key experiments, and theoretical frameworks is emphasized.
▸ Correct answers and rationales appear below each question for self-assessment.
▸ All content reflects PSY 101 learning objectives and standard introductory psychology curriculum.
, SECTION I — KEY THEORISTS, CONCEPTS & RESEARCH
Questions 1 – 76
IN PSYCHOLOGY
1. Gross motor skills involve the use of large muscle groups to control arms and legs for large
body movements. Which of the following is the best example of a gross motor skill?
A. Threading a needle
B. Running across a playground
C. Writing with a pencil
D. Picking up a small bead
CORRECT ANSWER B — Running across a playground
RATIONALE Gross motor skills use large muscle groups for large body movements — running,
jumping, climbing. Fine motor skills (A, C, D) use smaller muscles in fingers, toes,
and eyes for precise actions. Gross motor development precedes fine motor
development in children. This distinction is important in developmental
psychology for assessing motor milestones.
2. Personality is defined as:
A. Temporary emotional states that change frequently
B. Long-standing traits and patterns that propel individuals to consistently think, feel, and
behave in specific ways
C. The unconscious mind only
D. External behaviors without internal processes
CORRECT ANSWER B — Long-standing traits and patterns that propel individuals to
consistently think, feel, and behave in specific ways
RATIONALE Personality encompasses enduring characteristics that produce consistent
patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving across situations and over time. It is
not temporary (A), limited to the unconscious (C), or solely external (D).
Personality psychology studies trait theories (Big Five), psychodynamic
perspectives (Freud), humanistic approaches (Maslow, Rogers), and social-
cognitive theories (Bandura).
,3. The three fundamental functions of memory are:
A. Sensory, short-term, and long-term
B. Encoding, storage, and retrieval
C. Recall, recognition, and relearning
D. Iconic, echoic, and haptic
CORRECT ANSWER B — Encoding, storage, and retrieval
RATIONALE The three core memory processes are: encoding (getting information in), storage
(retaining it over time), and retrieval (getting it back out). Option A describes
memory stages/types (Atkinson-Shiffrin model). Option C describes measures of
memory retention. Option D describes sensory memory subtypes. Encoding,
storage, and retrieval are the foundational functions that all memory models
address.
4. Solomon Asch's classic conformity experiment demonstrated that:
A. People will obey authority figures even when instructed to harm others
B. People are strongly influenced by the thoughts and behaviors of others, often conforming
to an obviously incorrect group judgment
C. Group performance is always superior to individual performance
D. Social loafing occurs in group tasks
CORRECT ANSWER B — People are strongly influenced by the thoughts and behaviors of
others, often conforming to an obviously incorrect group judgment
RATIONALE Asch's line-judgment experiment showed that participants frequently conformed
to the group's clearly wrong answer, demonstrating the power of normative social
influence. Option A describes Milgram's obedience study. Option C is not always
true (groupthink, social loafing). Option D describes a different phenomenon.
Asch found that about 76% of participants conformed at least once, illustrating
the pressure to conform even against one's own perception.
, 5. A cognitive script (also called an event schema) is best defined as:
A. A random set of behaviors with no predictable pattern
B. A set of behaviors that are performed the same way each time in a given situation
C. A biological reflex
D. An unconscious defense mechanism
CORRECT ANSWER B — A set of behaviors that are performed the same way each time in a
given situation
RATIONALE A cognitive script (event schema) is a predictable sequence of behaviors for
familiar situations — like what you do when entering a restaurant (wait to be
seated, order, eat, pay). These scripts guide behavior automatically, reducing
cognitive load. They are learned through experience and culture. Zimbardo's
Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrated how powerful these scripts can be
when participants quickly adopted prisoner and guard roles.
6. Research indicates that low levels of social support are associated with:
A. Improved immune function
B. Greater risk of mortality, especially from cardiovascular disorders
C. Better survival rates following breast cancer
D. Faster recovery from surgery
CORRECT ANSWER B — Greater risk of mortality, especially from cardiovascular disorders
RATIONALE Low social support is a significant health risk factor, associated with higher
mortality rates, particularly from cardiovascular disease. Social isolation
increases stress, blood pressure, and inflammation. High social support (C, D) is
protective and linked to better health outcomes, including improved cancer
survival rates. This demonstrates the powerful connection between social
relationships and physical health.
