300-question practice exam for The Science
of Psychology: An Appreciative View, 6th
Edition by Laura A. King.
Section 1: What is Psychology? (Q1–Q25)
1. Psychology is formally defined as:
A) The study of the human brain
B) The subjective study of human behavior
C) The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
D) The exclusive study of abnormal behavior
Answer: C. Rationale: Psychology is the scientific study of behavior (observable actions) and
mental processes (internal thoughts, feelings, and perceptions).
2. Which of the following is NOT one of the four goals of psychology?
A) Description
B) Explanation
C) Prediction
D) Monetization
Answer: D. Rationale: The four goals of psychology are description, explanation, prediction, and
control (or change). Monetization is not a goal of psychology.
3. Dr. Patel is conducting a study to determine if students who chew gum during lectures
perform better on exams than those who do not. This demonstrates the goal of:
A) Description
B) Explanation
C) Prediction
D) Control
Answer: C. Rationale: Prediction involves identifying factors that indicate when a behavior is
likely to occur. Dr. Patel is trying to predict that chewing gum will lead to better exam
performance.
4. The psychological perspective that emphasizes free will, personal growth, and the innate
tendency toward self-actualization is the:
A) Psychodynamic perspective
B) Behavioral perspective
C) Humanistic perspective
D) Cognitive perspective
Answer: C. Rationale: The humanistic perspective, associated with Carl Rogers and Abraham
Maslow, emphasizes free will, self-actualization, and the inherent goodness of people.
,5. Which of the following is considered the "father of psychology" for establishing the first
psychological laboratory in 1879?
A) Sigmund Freud
B) William James
C) Wilhelm Wundt
D) John B. Watson
Answer: C. Rationale: Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental psychology laboratory
at the University of Leipzig in 1879, marking psychology's emergence as a separate scientific
discipline.
6. The psychological perspective that focuses on mental processes such as thinking, memory,
and problem-solving is the:
A) Psychodynamic perspective
B) Behavioral perspective
C) Humanistic perspective
D) Cognitive perspective
Answer: D. Rationale: The cognitive perspective focuses on mental processes including
perception, memory, thinking, language, and problem-solving.
7. Mary Whiton Calkins is historically significant in psychology for:
A) Being the first woman to earn a PhD in psychology
B) Being the first woman president of the American Psychological Association (APA)
C) Discovering classical conditioning
D) Developing the theory of operant conditioning
Answer: B. Rationale: Mary Whiton Calkins completed all requirements for a PhD at Harvard but
was denied the degree because she was a woman. She became the first woman president of
the APA in 1905.
8. The behavioral perspective in psychology emphasizes:
A) Unconscious motives
B) Observable behaviors
C) Free will
D) Mental processes
Answer: B. Rationale: The behavioral perspective focuses solely on observable behaviors,
discounting the importance of mental activity.
9. The psychodynamic perspective was developed by:
A) B.F. Skinner
B) Carl Rogers
C) Sigmund Freud
D) William James
Answer: C. Rationale: Sigmund Freud developed the psychodynamic perspective, which
emphasizes unconscious motives and conflicts.
,10. The scientific study of behavior and mental processes is called:
A) Sociology
B) Anthropology
C) Psychology
D) Biology
Answer: C. Rationale: Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
11. Which perspective emphasizes the role of biology and genetics in behavior?
A) Behavioral
B) Biological
C) Humanistic
D) Cognitive
Answer: B. Rationale: The biological perspective focuses on the brain, nervous system, and
genetics.
12. The sociocultural perspective in psychology emphasizes:
A) Individual differences
B) Social and cultural influences on behavior
C) Unconscious drives
D) Observable behavior
Answer: B. Rationale: The sociocultural perspective examines how social and cultural factors
influence behavior.
13. The evolutionary perspective in psychology focuses on:
A) How behavior is shaped by natural selection
B) How behavior is learned
C) How behavior is unconscious
D) How behavior is culturally determined
Answer: A. Rationale: The evolutionary perspective applies principles of evolution to explain
behavior.
14. The eclectic approach in psychology involves:
A) Using only one perspective
B) Using multiple perspectives
C) Ignoring all perspectives
D) Using only the behavioral perspective
Answer: B. Rationale: The eclectic approach draws from multiple perspectives to understand
behavior.
15. Which of the following is a subfield of psychology?
A) Clinical psychology
B) Astrophysics
C) Geology
, D) Botany
Answer: A. Rationale: Clinical psychology is a subfield that focuses on diagnosis and treatment
of psychological disorders.
16. The first woman to earn a PhD in psychology was:
A) Mary Whiton Calkins
B) Margaret Floy Washburn
C) Anna Freud
D) Karen Horney
Answer: B. Rationale: Margaret Floy Washburn was the first woman to earn a PhD in
psychology.
17. The "nature vs. nurture" debate concerns:
A) Whether behavior is determined by biology or environment
B) Whether psychology is a science
C) Whether behavior is conscious or unconscious
D) Whether psychology should be clinical or experimental
Answer: A. Rationale: The debate concerns the relative contributions of genetics (nature) and
environment (nurture) to behavior.
18. The functionalist approach to psychology was associated with:
A) Wilhelm Wundt
B) William James
C) Sigmund Freud
D) John B. Watson
Answer: B. Rationale: William James was a key figure in functionalism, which focused on the
functions of behavior.
19. Structuralism, an early school of psychology, focused on:
A) The structure of the mind through introspection
B) Observable behavior
C) Unconscious motives
D) Cultural influences
Answer: A. Rationale: Structuralism used introspection to identify the basic elements of mental
experience.
20. The cognitive revolution in psychology emphasized:
A) Observable behavior only
B) Mental processes such as thinking and memory
C) Unconscious drives
D) Cultural relativism
Answer: B. Rationale: The cognitive revolution brought attention back to mental processes.
21. A psychologist who studies how people change and grow over the lifespan is a:
of Psychology: An Appreciative View, 6th
Edition by Laura A. King.
Section 1: What is Psychology? (Q1–Q25)
1. Psychology is formally defined as:
A) The study of the human brain
B) The subjective study of human behavior
C) The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
D) The exclusive study of abnormal behavior
Answer: C. Rationale: Psychology is the scientific study of behavior (observable actions) and
mental processes (internal thoughts, feelings, and perceptions).
2. Which of the following is NOT one of the four goals of psychology?
A) Description
B) Explanation
C) Prediction
D) Monetization
Answer: D. Rationale: The four goals of psychology are description, explanation, prediction, and
control (or change). Monetization is not a goal of psychology.
3. Dr. Patel is conducting a study to determine if students who chew gum during lectures
perform better on exams than those who do not. This demonstrates the goal of:
A) Description
B) Explanation
C) Prediction
D) Control
Answer: C. Rationale: Prediction involves identifying factors that indicate when a behavior is
likely to occur. Dr. Patel is trying to predict that chewing gum will lead to better exam
performance.
4. The psychological perspective that emphasizes free will, personal growth, and the innate
tendency toward self-actualization is the:
A) Psychodynamic perspective
B) Behavioral perspective
C) Humanistic perspective
D) Cognitive perspective
Answer: C. Rationale: The humanistic perspective, associated with Carl Rogers and Abraham
Maslow, emphasizes free will, self-actualization, and the inherent goodness of people.
,5. Which of the following is considered the "father of psychology" for establishing the first
psychological laboratory in 1879?
A) Sigmund Freud
B) William James
C) Wilhelm Wundt
D) John B. Watson
Answer: C. Rationale: Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental psychology laboratory
at the University of Leipzig in 1879, marking psychology's emergence as a separate scientific
discipline.
6. The psychological perspective that focuses on mental processes such as thinking, memory,
and problem-solving is the:
A) Psychodynamic perspective
B) Behavioral perspective
C) Humanistic perspective
D) Cognitive perspective
Answer: D. Rationale: The cognitive perspective focuses on mental processes including
perception, memory, thinking, language, and problem-solving.
7. Mary Whiton Calkins is historically significant in psychology for:
A) Being the first woman to earn a PhD in psychology
B) Being the first woman president of the American Psychological Association (APA)
C) Discovering classical conditioning
D) Developing the theory of operant conditioning
Answer: B. Rationale: Mary Whiton Calkins completed all requirements for a PhD at Harvard but
was denied the degree because she was a woman. She became the first woman president of
the APA in 1905.
8. The behavioral perspective in psychology emphasizes:
A) Unconscious motives
B) Observable behaviors
C) Free will
D) Mental processes
Answer: B. Rationale: The behavioral perspective focuses solely on observable behaviors,
discounting the importance of mental activity.
9. The psychodynamic perspective was developed by:
A) B.F. Skinner
B) Carl Rogers
C) Sigmund Freud
D) William James
Answer: C. Rationale: Sigmund Freud developed the psychodynamic perspective, which
emphasizes unconscious motives and conflicts.
,10. The scientific study of behavior and mental processes is called:
A) Sociology
B) Anthropology
C) Psychology
D) Biology
Answer: C. Rationale: Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
11. Which perspective emphasizes the role of biology and genetics in behavior?
A) Behavioral
B) Biological
C) Humanistic
D) Cognitive
Answer: B. Rationale: The biological perspective focuses on the brain, nervous system, and
genetics.
12. The sociocultural perspective in psychology emphasizes:
A) Individual differences
B) Social and cultural influences on behavior
C) Unconscious drives
D) Observable behavior
Answer: B. Rationale: The sociocultural perspective examines how social and cultural factors
influence behavior.
13. The evolutionary perspective in psychology focuses on:
A) How behavior is shaped by natural selection
B) How behavior is learned
C) How behavior is unconscious
D) How behavior is culturally determined
Answer: A. Rationale: The evolutionary perspective applies principles of evolution to explain
behavior.
14. The eclectic approach in psychology involves:
A) Using only one perspective
B) Using multiple perspectives
C) Ignoring all perspectives
D) Using only the behavioral perspective
Answer: B. Rationale: The eclectic approach draws from multiple perspectives to understand
behavior.
15. Which of the following is a subfield of psychology?
A) Clinical psychology
B) Astrophysics
C) Geology
, D) Botany
Answer: A. Rationale: Clinical psychology is a subfield that focuses on diagnosis and treatment
of psychological disorders.
16. The first woman to earn a PhD in psychology was:
A) Mary Whiton Calkins
B) Margaret Floy Washburn
C) Anna Freud
D) Karen Horney
Answer: B. Rationale: Margaret Floy Washburn was the first woman to earn a PhD in
psychology.
17. The "nature vs. nurture" debate concerns:
A) Whether behavior is determined by biology or environment
B) Whether psychology is a science
C) Whether behavior is conscious or unconscious
D) Whether psychology should be clinical or experimental
Answer: A. Rationale: The debate concerns the relative contributions of genetics (nature) and
environment (nurture) to behavior.
18. The functionalist approach to psychology was associated with:
A) Wilhelm Wundt
B) William James
C) Sigmund Freud
D) John B. Watson
Answer: B. Rationale: William James was a key figure in functionalism, which focused on the
functions of behavior.
19. Structuralism, an early school of psychology, focused on:
A) The structure of the mind through introspection
B) Observable behavior
C) Unconscious motives
D) Cultural influences
Answer: A. Rationale: Structuralism used introspection to identify the basic elements of mental
experience.
20. The cognitive revolution in psychology emphasized:
A) Observable behavior only
B) Mental processes such as thinking and memory
C) Unconscious drives
D) Cultural relativism
Answer: B. Rationale: The cognitive revolution brought attention back to mental processes.
21. A psychologist who studies how people change and grow over the lifespan is a:
