STUDENT SOLUTIONS GUIDE
,OpenStax Psychology 2e
Student Solutions Guide
This document contains the answers to the odd-numbered review and critical-thinking exercises from
the end of each chapter in OpenStax Psychology. The critical thinking questions are open-ended, and
the provided answers offer sample information or representative information.
We suggest you use this guide as a resource to check your own work while you study and review.
This file and its contents are copyright 2020, OpenStax/Rice University. It is distributed under a Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC-BY).
,Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychology
Review Questions
1. Which of the following was mentioned as a skill to which psychology students would be
exposed?
Answer
D. all of the above
3. In the scientific method, a hypothesis is a(n) .
Answer
D. proposed explanation
5. is most well-known for proposing his hierarchy of needs.
Answer
C. Abraham Maslow
7. The operant conditioning chamber (aka box) is a device used to study the principles of
operant conditioning.
Answer
A. Skinner
9. An individual’s consistent pattern of thought and behavior is known as a(n) .
Answer
C. personality
11. A researcher interested in what factors make an employee best suited for a given job would
most likely identify as a(n) psychologist.
Answer
D. I-O
For additional free and open resources, visit http://www.openstax.org/.
,13. The places less emphasis on research and more emphasis on application of
therapeutic skills.
Answer
B. PsyD
15. One would need at least a(n) degree to serve as a school psychologist.
Answer
C. master’s
Critical Thinking Questions
17. Why do you think many people might be skeptical about psychology being a science?
Answer
One goal of psychology is the study of the mind. Science cannot directly study the mind, because it is not
a form of matter or energy. This might create some skepticism about the scientific nature of psychology.
19. In part, what aspect of psychology was the behaviorist approach to psychology a reaction to?
Answer
Behaviorists studied objectively observable behavior partly in reaction to the psychologists of the mind
who were studying things that were not directly observable.
21. What are the potential ethical concerns associated with Milgram’s research on obedience?
Answer
Many people have questioned how ethical this particular research was. Although no one was actually
harmed in Milgram’s study, many people have questioned how the knowledge that you would be willing
to inflict incredible pain and/or death to another person, simply because someone in authority told you
to do so, would affect someone’s self-concept and psychological health. Furthermore, the degree to
which deception was used in this particular study raises a few eyebrows.
For additional free and open resources, visit http://www.openstax.org/.
,23. Other than a potentially greater salary, what would be the reasons an individual would continue
on to get a graduate degree in psychology?
Answer
The graduate degree would be a stronger guarantee of working in a psychology-related field and one
would have greater control over the specialty of that work. It would allow one to practice in a clinical
setting. In general, it would allow someone to work in a more independent or supervisory capacity.
For additional free and open resources, visit http://www.openstax.org/.
, Chapter 2: Psychological Research
Review Questions
1. Scientific hypotheses are and falsifiable.
Answer
D. testable
3. Scientific knowledge is .
Answer
B. empirical
5. Sigmund Freud developed his theory of human personality by conducting in-depth interviews over an
extended period of time with a few clients. This type of research approach is known as a(n): .
Answer
B. case study
7. The major limitation of case studies is .
Answer
C. the inability to generalize the findings from this approach to the larger population
9. Using existing records to try to answer a research question is known as .
Answer
D. archival research
11. A(n) is a list of questions developed by a researcher that can be administered in paper
form.
Answer
For additional free and open resources, visit http://www.openstax.org/.
,OpenStax Psychology 2e
Student Solutions Guide
This document contains the answers to the odd-numbered review and critical-thinking exercises from
the end of each chapter in OpenStax Psychology. The critical thinking questions are open-ended, and
the provided answers offer sample information or representative information.
We suggest you use this guide as a resource to check your own work while you study and review.
This file and its contents are copyright 2020, OpenStax/Rice University. It is distributed under a Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC-BY).
,Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychology
Review Questions
1. Which of the following was mentioned as a skill to which psychology students would be
exposed?
Answer
D. all of the above
3. In the scientific method, a hypothesis is a(n) .
Answer
D. proposed explanation
5. is most well-known for proposing his hierarchy of needs.
Answer
C. Abraham Maslow
7. The operant conditioning chamber (aka box) is a device used to study the principles of
operant conditioning.
Answer
A. Skinner
9. An individual’s consistent pattern of thought and behavior is known as a(n) .
Answer
C. personality
11. A researcher interested in what factors make an employee best suited for a given job would
most likely identify as a(n) psychologist.
Answer
D. I-O
For additional free and open resources, visit http://www.openstax.org/.
,13. The places less emphasis on research and more emphasis on application of
therapeutic skills.
Answer
B. PsyD
15. One would need at least a(n) degree to serve as a school psychologist.
Answer
C. master’s
Critical Thinking Questions
17. Why do you think many people might be skeptical about psychology being a science?
Answer
One goal of psychology is the study of the mind. Science cannot directly study the mind, because it is not
a form of matter or energy. This might create some skepticism about the scientific nature of psychology.
19. In part, what aspect of psychology was the behaviorist approach to psychology a reaction to?
Answer
Behaviorists studied objectively observable behavior partly in reaction to the psychologists of the mind
who were studying things that were not directly observable.
21. What are the potential ethical concerns associated with Milgram’s research on obedience?
Answer
Many people have questioned how ethical this particular research was. Although no one was actually
harmed in Milgram’s study, many people have questioned how the knowledge that you would be willing
to inflict incredible pain and/or death to another person, simply because someone in authority told you
to do so, would affect someone’s self-concept and psychological health. Furthermore, the degree to
which deception was used in this particular study raises a few eyebrows.
For additional free and open resources, visit http://www.openstax.org/.
,23. Other than a potentially greater salary, what would be the reasons an individual would continue
on to get a graduate degree in psychology?
Answer
The graduate degree would be a stronger guarantee of working in a psychology-related field and one
would have greater control over the specialty of that work. It would allow one to practice in a clinical
setting. In general, it would allow someone to work in a more independent or supervisory capacity.
For additional free and open resources, visit http://www.openstax.org/.
, Chapter 2: Psychological Research
Review Questions
1. Scientific hypotheses are and falsifiable.
Answer
D. testable
3. Scientific knowledge is .
Answer
B. empirical
5. Sigmund Freud developed his theory of human personality by conducting in-depth interviews over an
extended period of time with a few clients. This type of research approach is known as a(n): .
Answer
B. case study
7. The major limitation of case studies is .
Answer
C. the inability to generalize the findings from this approach to the larger population
9. Using existing records to try to answer a research question is known as .
Answer
D. archival research
11. A(n) is a list of questions developed by a researcher that can be administered in paper
form.
Answer
For additional free and open resources, visit http://www.openstax.org/.
