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WGU C180 – Introduction to Psychology OA EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT VERIFIED SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS
YEAR – JUST RELEASED
WGU C180 – Introduction to Psychology OA Exam
10-Line Exam Coverage Outline
1. Foundations & Research Methods (15-20%) – Definition of psychology, historical schools
(structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism, humanism, psychodynamic, cognitive),
scientific method, hypothesis testing, operational definitions, research designs
(correlational, experimental, naturalistic observation, case studies, surveys),
independent/dependent variables, correlation vs. causation, ethical guidelines
2. Biological Perspectives (~15%) – Neuron structure (dendrites, soma, axon, myelin
sheath), action potential, neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate,
acetylcholine), central/peripheral nervous systems, brain structures (limbic system,
amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, cerebellum, frontal/occipital lobes), endocrine
system, hormones
3. Learning Theories (15%) – Classical conditioning (Pavlov, UCS, UCR, CS, CR), operant
conditioning (Skinner, positive/negative reinforcement, positive/negative punishment,
reinforcement schedules), observational learning (Bandura, Bobo doll), stimulus
generalization/discrimination, extinction, spontaneous recovery
4. Memory (10%) – Three-stage model (sensory, short-term/working, long-term), encoding
strategies (maintenance vs. elaborative rehearsal), retrieval types (recall, recognition),
amnesia (retrograde, anterograde), forgetting theories, memory
construction/eyewitness testimony
5. Intelligence (~5%) – Theories of intelligence (Spearman's g, Gardner's multiple
intelligences, Sternberg's triarchic), IQ testing, reliability/validity, nature vs. nurture
influences, intellectual disability/giftedness
6. Developmental Psychology (10%) – Prenatal development, Piaget's stages
(sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational), object
permanence, conservation, egocentrism, Erikson's psychosocial stages (trust vs.
mistrust, identity vs. role confusion), attachment, parenting styles, aging/cognitive
decline
7. Emotion, Motivation, & Personality (15-20%) – Maslow's hierarchy of needs, drive-
reduction theory, arousal theory, James-Lange/Cannon-Bard/Schachter-Singer emotion
theories, Freud's psychodynamic theory (id, ego, superego, defense mechanisms),
humanistic perspective (Maslow, Rogers, self-actualization), trait theory (Big Five), social-
cognitive perspective, projective/objective personality assessments
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8. Social Psychology (10-15%) – Social cognition, attitudes, cognitive dissonance,
attribution theory (dispositional vs. situational), fundamental attribution error,
conformity (Asch), obedience (Milgram), group polarization, groupthink,
prejudice/discrimination, prosocial behavior, social facilitation/loafing
9. Psychological Disorders (15%) – DSM-5 classification, anxiety disorders (GAD, panic
disorder, phobias, OCD), mood disorders (major depression, bipolar disorder),
schizophrenia (symptoms, types), dissociative disorders, personality disorders,
somatoform disorders, etiology (biological, psychological, social factors)
10. Treatment of Disorders (5-10%) – Psychotherapy types (psychodynamic,
humanistic/client-centered, cognitive-behavioral/CBT, behavior therapy), biomedical
treatments (antipsychotics, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications), electroconvulsive
therapy, effectiveness, deinstitutionalization
250 MCQ Questions with Rationales
Questions 1-25: Foundations & Research Methods
Q1. A psychologist who studies how behavior changes in response to rewards and punishments
is operating from which psychological perspective?
A) Cognitive
B) Behavioral
C) Humanistic
D) Psychodynamic
Answer: B
Rationale: Behaviorism, associated with figures like B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson, focuses
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exclusively on observable behavior and how it is shaped by environmental consequences such
as reinforcement and punishment, rather than internal mental states .
Q2. Which of the following best represents the formal definition of psychology as a scientific
discipline?
A) The study of human evolution and cultural development across societies
B) The scientific study of the mind and observable behavior in humans and animals
C) The analysis of social structures and their influence on group dynamics
D) The examination of brain structure and function exclusively
Answer: B
Rationale: Psychology is formally defined as the scientific study of both mental processes
(thoughts, emotions, perceptions) and observable behaviors. The key elements are that it is
"scientific" (empirically based) and covers both internal mental life and external actions .
Q3. A researcher formulates a specific, testable prediction about the relationship between study
time and exam performance. This prediction is called a:
A) Theory
B) Hypothesis
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C) Correlation
D) Operational definition
Answer: B
Rationale: A hypothesis is a precise, falsifiable prediction about the relationship between two or
more variables. It translates a theory's general principles into specific expectations that can be
tested through empirical research .
Q4. According to the psychodynamic perspective, depression is most likely viewed as resulting
from:
A) Negative thought patterns and cognitive distortions about oneself
B) Suppressed aggressive drives turned inward against the self
C) Chemical imbalances in brain neurotransmitters like serotonin
D) Learned helplessness from repeated environmental failures
Answer: B
Rationale: From the psychodynamic perspective (Freud), depression is viewed as the result of
suppressed aggressive drives turned inward against the self. This reflects the theory's emphasis
on unconscious conflicts and drives rather than cognitive or biological explanations .
WGU C180 – Introduction to Psychology OA EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT VERIFIED SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS
YEAR – JUST RELEASED
WGU C180 – Introduction to Psychology OA Exam
10-Line Exam Coverage Outline
1. Foundations & Research Methods (15-20%) – Definition of psychology, historical schools
(structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism, humanism, psychodynamic, cognitive),
scientific method, hypothesis testing, operational definitions, research designs
(correlational, experimental, naturalistic observation, case studies, surveys),
independent/dependent variables, correlation vs. causation, ethical guidelines
2. Biological Perspectives (~15%) – Neuron structure (dendrites, soma, axon, myelin
sheath), action potential, neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate,
acetylcholine), central/peripheral nervous systems, brain structures (limbic system,
amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, cerebellum, frontal/occipital lobes), endocrine
system, hormones
3. Learning Theories (15%) – Classical conditioning (Pavlov, UCS, UCR, CS, CR), operant
conditioning (Skinner, positive/negative reinforcement, positive/negative punishment,
reinforcement schedules), observational learning (Bandura, Bobo doll), stimulus
generalization/discrimination, extinction, spontaneous recovery
4. Memory (10%) – Three-stage model (sensory, short-term/working, long-term), encoding
strategies (maintenance vs. elaborative rehearsal), retrieval types (recall, recognition),
amnesia (retrograde, anterograde), forgetting theories, memory
construction/eyewitness testimony
5. Intelligence (~5%) – Theories of intelligence (Spearman's g, Gardner's multiple
intelligences, Sternberg's triarchic), IQ testing, reliability/validity, nature vs. nurture
influences, intellectual disability/giftedness
6. Developmental Psychology (10%) – Prenatal development, Piaget's stages
(sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational), object
permanence, conservation, egocentrism, Erikson's psychosocial stages (trust vs.
mistrust, identity vs. role confusion), attachment, parenting styles, aging/cognitive
decline
7. Emotion, Motivation, & Personality (15-20%) – Maslow's hierarchy of needs, drive-
reduction theory, arousal theory, James-Lange/Cannon-Bard/Schachter-Singer emotion
theories, Freud's psychodynamic theory (id, ego, superego, defense mechanisms),
humanistic perspective (Maslow, Rogers, self-actualization), trait theory (Big Five), social-
cognitive perspective, projective/objective personality assessments
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8. Social Psychology (10-15%) – Social cognition, attitudes, cognitive dissonance,
attribution theory (dispositional vs. situational), fundamental attribution error,
conformity (Asch), obedience (Milgram), group polarization, groupthink,
prejudice/discrimination, prosocial behavior, social facilitation/loafing
9. Psychological Disorders (15%) – DSM-5 classification, anxiety disorders (GAD, panic
disorder, phobias, OCD), mood disorders (major depression, bipolar disorder),
schizophrenia (symptoms, types), dissociative disorders, personality disorders,
somatoform disorders, etiology (biological, psychological, social factors)
10. Treatment of Disorders (5-10%) – Psychotherapy types (psychodynamic,
humanistic/client-centered, cognitive-behavioral/CBT, behavior therapy), biomedical
treatments (antipsychotics, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications), electroconvulsive
therapy, effectiveness, deinstitutionalization
250 MCQ Questions with Rationales
Questions 1-25: Foundations & Research Methods
Q1. A psychologist who studies how behavior changes in response to rewards and punishments
is operating from which psychological perspective?
A) Cognitive
B) Behavioral
C) Humanistic
D) Psychodynamic
Answer: B
Rationale: Behaviorism, associated with figures like B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson, focuses
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exclusively on observable behavior and how it is shaped by environmental consequences such
as reinforcement and punishment, rather than internal mental states .
Q2. Which of the following best represents the formal definition of psychology as a scientific
discipline?
A) The study of human evolution and cultural development across societies
B) The scientific study of the mind and observable behavior in humans and animals
C) The analysis of social structures and their influence on group dynamics
D) The examination of brain structure and function exclusively
Answer: B
Rationale: Psychology is formally defined as the scientific study of both mental processes
(thoughts, emotions, perceptions) and observable behaviors. The key elements are that it is
"scientific" (empirically based) and covers both internal mental life and external actions .
Q3. A researcher formulates a specific, testable prediction about the relationship between study
time and exam performance. This prediction is called a:
A) Theory
B) Hypothesis
, Page 4 of 143
C) Correlation
D) Operational definition
Answer: B
Rationale: A hypothesis is a precise, falsifiable prediction about the relationship between two or
more variables. It translates a theory's general principles into specific expectations that can be
tested through empirical research .
Q4. According to the psychodynamic perspective, depression is most likely viewed as resulting
from:
A) Negative thought patterns and cognitive distortions about oneself
B) Suppressed aggressive drives turned inward against the self
C) Chemical imbalances in brain neurotransmitters like serotonin
D) Learned helplessness from repeated environmental failures
Answer: B
Rationale: From the psychodynamic perspective (Freud), depression is viewed as the result of
suppressed aggressive drives turned inward against the self. This reflects the theory's emphasis
on unconscious conflicts and drives rather than cognitive or biological explanations .
