Psychology Test Bank:
Comprehensive Exam Questions
For Advanced Psychology Students
Prepared for Academic Excellence
Date: June 11, 2025
This document provides a comprehensive test bank of exam-style questions and
detailed, verified answers for psychology students at moderate to very advanced levels.
It covers core and specialized topics to ensure success in university exams.
, Contents
1 Introduction 3
2 Questions and Answers 3
2.1 Moderate: What differentiates classical conditioning from operant condi-
tioning? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.2 Moderate: What is cognitive dissonance, and how is it typically resolved? 3
2.3 Advanced: How does Baddeley’s working memory model improve upon
the multi-store model of memory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.4 Very Advanced: Critically assess the empirical limitations of the central
executive in Baddeley’s working memory model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.5 Moderate: What are the four stages of Piaget’s cognitive development
theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.6 Advanced: How does Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory contrast with Pi-
aget’s cognitive development theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.7 Very Advanced: Evaluate the challenges of implementing Vygotsky’s ZPD
in large-scale educational systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.8 Moderate: What is the bystander effect, and what factors contribute to it? 4
2.9 Advanced: How does social identity theory account for intergroup conflict? 5
2.10 Very Advanced: Critically analyze social identity theory’s role in reducing
intergroup conflict in organizational settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.11 Moderate: What distinguishes semantic from episodic memory? . . . . . 5
2.12 Advanced: How does dual-process theory explain cognitive biases in judg-
ment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.13 Very Advanced: Critically examine the neural correlates of dual-process
theory in ethical decision-making. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.14 Moderate: What are the DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder? . 6
2.15 Advanced: Compare the efficacy of CBT and SSRIs for major depressive
disorder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.16 Very Advanced: Discuss the neurobiological mechanisms of CBT in treat-
ing depression. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.17 Moderate: What is the amygdala’s role in emotional processing? . . . . . 6
2.18 Advanced: How does the prefrontal cortex modulate amygdala activity in
emotion regulation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.19 Very Advanced: Critically evaluate PFC-amygdala connectivity in gener-
alized anxiety disorder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.20 Moderate: What is the placebo effect in psychological research? . . . . . 7
2.21 Advanced: How does experimenter bias affect psychological research out-
comes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.22 Very Advanced: Assess the impact of experimenter bias on neuroimaging
studies of cognition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.23 Moderate: What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and how does it explain
motivation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.24 Advanced: How does self-determination theory advance beyond Maslow’s
hierarchy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.25 Very Advanced: Critically evaluate SDT’s applicability to workplace mo-
tivation in collectivist cultures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1
Comprehensive Exam Questions
For Advanced Psychology Students
Prepared for Academic Excellence
Date: June 11, 2025
This document provides a comprehensive test bank of exam-style questions and
detailed, verified answers for psychology students at moderate to very advanced levels.
It covers core and specialized topics to ensure success in university exams.
, Contents
1 Introduction 3
2 Questions and Answers 3
2.1 Moderate: What differentiates classical conditioning from operant condi-
tioning? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.2 Moderate: What is cognitive dissonance, and how is it typically resolved? 3
2.3 Advanced: How does Baddeley’s working memory model improve upon
the multi-store model of memory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.4 Very Advanced: Critically assess the empirical limitations of the central
executive in Baddeley’s working memory model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.5 Moderate: What are the four stages of Piaget’s cognitive development
theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.6 Advanced: How does Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory contrast with Pi-
aget’s cognitive development theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.7 Very Advanced: Evaluate the challenges of implementing Vygotsky’s ZPD
in large-scale educational systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.8 Moderate: What is the bystander effect, and what factors contribute to it? 4
2.9 Advanced: How does social identity theory account for intergroup conflict? 5
2.10 Very Advanced: Critically analyze social identity theory’s role in reducing
intergroup conflict in organizational settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.11 Moderate: What distinguishes semantic from episodic memory? . . . . . 5
2.12 Advanced: How does dual-process theory explain cognitive biases in judg-
ment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.13 Very Advanced: Critically examine the neural correlates of dual-process
theory in ethical decision-making. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.14 Moderate: What are the DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder? . 6
2.15 Advanced: Compare the efficacy of CBT and SSRIs for major depressive
disorder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.16 Very Advanced: Discuss the neurobiological mechanisms of CBT in treat-
ing depression. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.17 Moderate: What is the amygdala’s role in emotional processing? . . . . . 6
2.18 Advanced: How does the prefrontal cortex modulate amygdala activity in
emotion regulation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.19 Very Advanced: Critically evaluate PFC-amygdala connectivity in gener-
alized anxiety disorder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.20 Moderate: What is the placebo effect in psychological research? . . . . . 7
2.21 Advanced: How does experimenter bias affect psychological research out-
comes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.22 Very Advanced: Assess the impact of experimenter bias on neuroimaging
studies of cognition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.23 Moderate: What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and how does it explain
motivation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.24 Advanced: How does self-determination theory advance beyond Maslow’s
hierarchy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.25 Very Advanced: Critically evaluate SDT’s applicability to workplace mo-
tivation in collectivist cultures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1
