PSY 102 Exam 3 V2 | PSY 102 General Psychology | Actual Q&A with
Rationale (PSY102 Exam 3) | Grand Canyon University
1. According to Piaget, in which stage does a child develop the capacity for hypothetical-
deductive reasoning?
A. Sensorimotor
B. Formal Operational
C. Concrete Operational
D. Preoperational
Answer: B
Rationale: The formal operational stage begins at approximately age 12 and continues into
adulthood. During this time, individuals develop the ability to think about abstract concepts
and test hypotheses systematically. This stage represents the pinnacle of cognitive
development in Piaget’s theory.
2. Which of Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development corresponds to adolescence?
A. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
B. Industry vs. Inferiority
C. Generativity vs. Stagnation
D. Identity vs. Role Confusion
Answer: D
Rationale: Identity vs. Role Confusion occurs during the teenage years as individuals seek
to establish a sense of self. Adolescents explore different roles, values, and goals to
determine who they are and where they fit in society. Success leads to the virtue of fidelity
and a strong sense of identity.
3. What is the primary focus of Kohlberg’s preconventional level of moral reasoning?
A. Social contracts and individual rights
B. Universal ethical principles
C. Maintaining social order and laws
D. Self-interest and avoidance of punishment
Answer: D
,Rationale: At the preconventional level, morality is externally controlled by the
consequences of actions. Children at this stage make decisions based on whether they will
be punished or rewarded for their behavior. It is the most basic level of moral
development, often observed in young children.
4. In Mary Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation,’ a child who ignores the mother when she returns
is displaying which attachment style?
A. Secure
B. Anxious-ambivalent
C. Disorganized
D. Avoidant
Answer: D
Rationale: Avoidant attachment is characterized by an infant’s tendency to show little
emotion when the caregiver leaves or returns. These infants often treat strangers similarly
to the caregiver and do not seek comfort from the parent. This behavior is often linked to
caregivers who are consistently emotionally unavailable or rejecting.
5. What is a teratogen?
A. A beneficial nutrient for fetal development
B. An agent that causes harm to the embryo or fetus
C. A type of genetic mutation
D. A reflex present at birth
Answer: B
Rationale: Teratogens include substances like alcohol, drugs, viruses, and environmental
toxins that can interfere with normal prenatal development. Exposure during critical
periods can lead to birth defects or developmental disabilities. Understanding these risks is
crucial for maternal health and prenatal care.
6. The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen is known
as:
A. Conservation
B. Egocentrism
C. Object permanence
D. Reversibility
Answer: C
, Rationale: Object permanence is a key developmental milestone in Piaget’s sensorimotor
stage, typically emerging around 8 months. Before this stage, infants believe that out of
sight means out of existence. Developing this concept allows children to realize that the
world is stable even when not perceived.
7. Which parenting style is characterized by high warmth and low control?
A. Authoritative
B. Authoritarian
C. Permissive
D. Neglectful
Answer: C
Rationale: Permissive parents are very nurturing and communicative but provide very
little structure or discipline. They often behave more like friends than authority figures,
allowing the child to make their own decisions without limits. This can sometimes lead to
children struggling with self-regulation later in life.
8. The tendency to overemphasize internal factors and underemphasize situational factors
when explaining others’ behavior is called:
A. Self-serving bias
B. Cognitive dissonance
C. Fundamental attribution error
D. Confirmation bias
Answer: C
Rationale: The fundamental attribution error describes our inclination to judge people
based on their character rather than their circumstances. For example, if someone cuts us
off in traffic, we might assume they are rude rather than considering they might be in an
emergency. This bias is a core concept in social psychology’s study of social perception.
9. In Solomon Asch’s classic study, what was being investigated?
A. Obedience to authority
B. Conformity
C. Altruism
D. Aggression
Answer: B
Rationale: Asch used a line-length task to see if individuals would give a wrong answer to
match the majority opinion of the group. He found that a significant number of participants
Rationale (PSY102 Exam 3) | Grand Canyon University
1. According to Piaget, in which stage does a child develop the capacity for hypothetical-
deductive reasoning?
A. Sensorimotor
B. Formal Operational
C. Concrete Operational
D. Preoperational
Answer: B
Rationale: The formal operational stage begins at approximately age 12 and continues into
adulthood. During this time, individuals develop the ability to think about abstract concepts
and test hypotheses systematically. This stage represents the pinnacle of cognitive
development in Piaget’s theory.
2. Which of Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development corresponds to adolescence?
A. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
B. Industry vs. Inferiority
C. Generativity vs. Stagnation
D. Identity vs. Role Confusion
Answer: D
Rationale: Identity vs. Role Confusion occurs during the teenage years as individuals seek
to establish a sense of self. Adolescents explore different roles, values, and goals to
determine who they are and where they fit in society. Success leads to the virtue of fidelity
and a strong sense of identity.
3. What is the primary focus of Kohlberg’s preconventional level of moral reasoning?
A. Social contracts and individual rights
B. Universal ethical principles
C. Maintaining social order and laws
D. Self-interest and avoidance of punishment
Answer: D
,Rationale: At the preconventional level, morality is externally controlled by the
consequences of actions. Children at this stage make decisions based on whether they will
be punished or rewarded for their behavior. It is the most basic level of moral
development, often observed in young children.
4. In Mary Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation,’ a child who ignores the mother when she returns
is displaying which attachment style?
A. Secure
B. Anxious-ambivalent
C. Disorganized
D. Avoidant
Answer: D
Rationale: Avoidant attachment is characterized by an infant’s tendency to show little
emotion when the caregiver leaves or returns. These infants often treat strangers similarly
to the caregiver and do not seek comfort from the parent. This behavior is often linked to
caregivers who are consistently emotionally unavailable or rejecting.
5. What is a teratogen?
A. A beneficial nutrient for fetal development
B. An agent that causes harm to the embryo or fetus
C. A type of genetic mutation
D. A reflex present at birth
Answer: B
Rationale: Teratogens include substances like alcohol, drugs, viruses, and environmental
toxins that can interfere with normal prenatal development. Exposure during critical
periods can lead to birth defects or developmental disabilities. Understanding these risks is
crucial for maternal health and prenatal care.
6. The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen is known
as:
A. Conservation
B. Egocentrism
C. Object permanence
D. Reversibility
Answer: C
, Rationale: Object permanence is a key developmental milestone in Piaget’s sensorimotor
stage, typically emerging around 8 months. Before this stage, infants believe that out of
sight means out of existence. Developing this concept allows children to realize that the
world is stable even when not perceived.
7. Which parenting style is characterized by high warmth and low control?
A. Authoritative
B. Authoritarian
C. Permissive
D. Neglectful
Answer: C
Rationale: Permissive parents are very nurturing and communicative but provide very
little structure or discipline. They often behave more like friends than authority figures,
allowing the child to make their own decisions without limits. This can sometimes lead to
children struggling with self-regulation later in life.
8. The tendency to overemphasize internal factors and underemphasize situational factors
when explaining others’ behavior is called:
A. Self-serving bias
B. Cognitive dissonance
C. Fundamental attribution error
D. Confirmation bias
Answer: C
Rationale: The fundamental attribution error describes our inclination to judge people
based on their character rather than their circumstances. For example, if someone cuts us
off in traffic, we might assume they are rude rather than considering they might be in an
emergency. This bias is a core concept in social psychology’s study of social perception.
9. In Solomon Asch’s classic study, what was being investigated?
A. Obedience to authority
B. Conformity
C. Altruism
D. Aggression
Answer: B
Rationale: Asch used a line-length task to see if individuals would give a wrong answer to
match the majority opinion of the group. He found that a significant number of participants
