Psychology Practice Test Questions with
Solutions
Instructions
This practice test includes 15 multiple-choice questions covering core psychology topics, de-
signed to prepare students for exams like the AP Psychology exam or GRE Subject Test in
Psychology. Each question includes four answer choices and a detailed explanation of the cor-
rect answer. Read each question carefully, select the best answer, and review the explanations
to enhance your understanding.
1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Which school of psychology emphasizes the role of unconscious desires in shaping
personality?
A. Behaviorism
B. Humanistic psychology
C. Psychoanalysis
D. Cognitive psychology
Correct Answer: C. Psychoanalysis
Explanation: Psychoanalysis, developed by Sigmund Freud, focuses on unconscious de-
sires, thoughts, and conflicts that shape personality and behavior. Techniques like dream
analysis and free association explore these processes. Behaviorism (A) emphasizes ob-
servable behaviors, humanistic psychology (B) focuses on personal growth, and cognitive
psychology (D) studies mental processes like memory.
2. In classical conditioning, what is the term for a stimulus that naturally elicits a re-
sponse without prior learning?
A. Conditioned stimulus
B. Unconditioned stimulus
C. Conditioned response
D. Unconditioned response
Correct Answer: B. Unconditioned stimulus
Explanation: An unconditioned stimulus (UCS) naturally triggers an unconditioned re-
sponse (UCR) without prior learning, such as food causing salivation in Pavlov’s experi-
ments. A conditioned stimulus (A) elicits a conditioned response (C) after learning, while
the unconditioned response (D) is the natural reaction to the UCS.
3. A researcher studying the impact of a new drug on brain activity is operating at
which level of explanation?
A. Social
B. Cultural
C. Biological
D. Interpersonal
Correct Answer: C. Biological
Explanation: The biological level of explanation examines physiological processes like
brain activity and neurotransmitters. Studying a drug’s effect on the brain involves bio-
1
, logical mechanisms. Social (A) and interpersonal (D) levels focus on group or individual
interactions, while cultural (B) examines societal influences.
4. Ani believes her actions and attitudes determine her life’s outcomes. This belief is
associated with:
A. Low self-efficacy
B. A strong superego
C. An internal locus of control
D. Low self-esteem
Correct Answer: C. An internal locus of control
Explanation: An internal locus of control reflects the belief that one’s actions influence
outcomes, unlike an external locus where fate or luck dominates. Low self-efficacy (A)
involves doubting one’s abilities, a strong superego (B) relates to moral standards, and
low self-esteem (D) involves negative self-perception.
5. Which of the following is a core symptom of dissociative identity disorder (DID)?
A. Panic attacks
B. Impulses to commit socially unacceptable behaviors
C. Presence of two or more distinct identities
D. Intense hallucinations
Correct Answer: C. Presence of two or more distinct identities
Explanation: DID is characterized by two or more distinct identities controlling behav-
ior at different times. Panic attacks (A) and impulses (B) are not core symptoms, and
hallucinations (D) are more associated with schizophrenia.
6. Dr. Akbar asks her patients about childhood memories and dreams. She is most
likely a:
A. Humanistic therapist
B. Psychodynamic therapist
C. Behaviorist therapist
D. Cognitive therapist
Correct Answer: B. Psychodynamic therapist
Explanation: Psychodynamic therapy, rooted in psychoanalysis, explores childhood ex-
periences and dreams to uncover unconscious influences. Humanistic therapists (A) focus
on self-actualization, behaviorists (C) on observable behaviors, and cognitive therapists
(D) on thought patterns.
7. The representativeness heuristic can lead to which cognitive error?
A. Confirmation bias
B. Base rate fallacy
C. Availability heuristic
D. Anchoring bias
Correct Answer: B. Base rate fallacy
Explanation: The representativeness heuristic involves judging likelihood based on pro-
totypes, often ignoring base rates, leading to the base rate fallacy. Confirmation bias (A)
seeks confirming evidence, the availability heuristic (C) relies on recall, and anchoring
bias (D) overemphasizes initial information.
8. Which neurotransmitter is most associated with schizophrenia when present in ex-
cess?
A. Serotonin
2
Solutions
Instructions
This practice test includes 15 multiple-choice questions covering core psychology topics, de-
signed to prepare students for exams like the AP Psychology exam or GRE Subject Test in
Psychology. Each question includes four answer choices and a detailed explanation of the cor-
rect answer. Read each question carefully, select the best answer, and review the explanations
to enhance your understanding.
1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Which school of psychology emphasizes the role of unconscious desires in shaping
personality?
A. Behaviorism
B. Humanistic psychology
C. Psychoanalysis
D. Cognitive psychology
Correct Answer: C. Psychoanalysis
Explanation: Psychoanalysis, developed by Sigmund Freud, focuses on unconscious de-
sires, thoughts, and conflicts that shape personality and behavior. Techniques like dream
analysis and free association explore these processes. Behaviorism (A) emphasizes ob-
servable behaviors, humanistic psychology (B) focuses on personal growth, and cognitive
psychology (D) studies mental processes like memory.
2. In classical conditioning, what is the term for a stimulus that naturally elicits a re-
sponse without prior learning?
A. Conditioned stimulus
B. Unconditioned stimulus
C. Conditioned response
D. Unconditioned response
Correct Answer: B. Unconditioned stimulus
Explanation: An unconditioned stimulus (UCS) naturally triggers an unconditioned re-
sponse (UCR) without prior learning, such as food causing salivation in Pavlov’s experi-
ments. A conditioned stimulus (A) elicits a conditioned response (C) after learning, while
the unconditioned response (D) is the natural reaction to the UCS.
3. A researcher studying the impact of a new drug on brain activity is operating at
which level of explanation?
A. Social
B. Cultural
C. Biological
D. Interpersonal
Correct Answer: C. Biological
Explanation: The biological level of explanation examines physiological processes like
brain activity and neurotransmitters. Studying a drug’s effect on the brain involves bio-
1
, logical mechanisms. Social (A) and interpersonal (D) levels focus on group or individual
interactions, while cultural (B) examines societal influences.
4. Ani believes her actions and attitudes determine her life’s outcomes. This belief is
associated with:
A. Low self-efficacy
B. A strong superego
C. An internal locus of control
D. Low self-esteem
Correct Answer: C. An internal locus of control
Explanation: An internal locus of control reflects the belief that one’s actions influence
outcomes, unlike an external locus where fate or luck dominates. Low self-efficacy (A)
involves doubting one’s abilities, a strong superego (B) relates to moral standards, and
low self-esteem (D) involves negative self-perception.
5. Which of the following is a core symptom of dissociative identity disorder (DID)?
A. Panic attacks
B. Impulses to commit socially unacceptable behaviors
C. Presence of two or more distinct identities
D. Intense hallucinations
Correct Answer: C. Presence of two or more distinct identities
Explanation: DID is characterized by two or more distinct identities controlling behav-
ior at different times. Panic attacks (A) and impulses (B) are not core symptoms, and
hallucinations (D) are more associated with schizophrenia.
6. Dr. Akbar asks her patients about childhood memories and dreams. She is most
likely a:
A. Humanistic therapist
B. Psychodynamic therapist
C. Behaviorist therapist
D. Cognitive therapist
Correct Answer: B. Psychodynamic therapist
Explanation: Psychodynamic therapy, rooted in psychoanalysis, explores childhood ex-
periences and dreams to uncover unconscious influences. Humanistic therapists (A) focus
on self-actualization, behaviorists (C) on observable behaviors, and cognitive therapists
(D) on thought patterns.
7. The representativeness heuristic can lead to which cognitive error?
A. Confirmation bias
B. Base rate fallacy
C. Availability heuristic
D. Anchoring bias
Correct Answer: B. Base rate fallacy
Explanation: The representativeness heuristic involves judging likelihood based on pro-
totypes, often ignoring base rates, leading to the base rate fallacy. Confirmation bias (A)
seeks confirming evidence, the availability heuristic (C) relies on recall, and anchoring
bias (D) overemphasizes initial information.
8. Which neurotransmitter is most associated with schizophrenia when present in ex-
cess?
A. Serotonin
2
