NPE Practice Exam Questions and
Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 |
Correct & Verified
What is the primary goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)?
✔✔To help clients identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors.
How does classical conditioning explain phobia development?
✔✔A neutral stimulus becomes associated with a fearful response through repeated pairing.
What is the main function of the amygdala in emotional processing?
✔✔It regulates fear, threat detection, and emotional memory.
How does operant conditioning differ from classical conditioning?
✔✔Operant conditioning involves learning through rewards and punishments, while classical
conditioning involves associations between stimuli.
What is the ethical principle of beneficence in psychology?
✔✔To act in ways that promote the well-being and best interests of clients.
1
,Which defense mechanism involves redirecting unacceptable impulses toward a safer target?
✔✔Displacement
What is the main purpose of a psychological assessment?
✔✔To evaluate cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning for diagnosis or treatment
planning.
How does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explain human motivation?
✔✔Individuals are motivated to fulfill basic physiological needs before higher-level
psychological and self-actualization needs.
What is the difference between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement?
✔✔Positive reinforcement adds a rewarding stimulus to increase behavior, while negative
reinforcement removes an aversive stimulus to increase behavior.
Which brain structure is most associated with memory consolidation?
✔✔Hippocampus
2
, How does attachment theory explain early childhood development?
✔✔Secure attachment forms through consistent caregiver responsiveness, promoting healthy
social and emotional development.
What is the primary function of the prefrontal cortex?
✔✔Executive functions, decision-making, planning, and impulse control.
How do psychologists differentiate between reliability and validity in assessments?
✔✔Reliability refers to consistency of results, while validity refers to whether the test measures
what it is intended to measure.
Which type of memory is responsible for conscious recall of facts and events?
✔✔Declarative (explicit) memory
What is the role of neurotransmitters in behavior?
✔✔They transmit signals between neurons and influence mood, cognition, and behavior.
3
Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 |
Correct & Verified
What is the primary goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)?
✔✔To help clients identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors.
How does classical conditioning explain phobia development?
✔✔A neutral stimulus becomes associated with a fearful response through repeated pairing.
What is the main function of the amygdala in emotional processing?
✔✔It regulates fear, threat detection, and emotional memory.
How does operant conditioning differ from classical conditioning?
✔✔Operant conditioning involves learning through rewards and punishments, while classical
conditioning involves associations between stimuli.
What is the ethical principle of beneficence in psychology?
✔✔To act in ways that promote the well-being and best interests of clients.
1
,Which defense mechanism involves redirecting unacceptable impulses toward a safer target?
✔✔Displacement
What is the main purpose of a psychological assessment?
✔✔To evaluate cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning for diagnosis or treatment
planning.
How does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explain human motivation?
✔✔Individuals are motivated to fulfill basic physiological needs before higher-level
psychological and self-actualization needs.
What is the difference between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement?
✔✔Positive reinforcement adds a rewarding stimulus to increase behavior, while negative
reinforcement removes an aversive stimulus to increase behavior.
Which brain structure is most associated with memory consolidation?
✔✔Hippocampus
2
, How does attachment theory explain early childhood development?
✔✔Secure attachment forms through consistent caregiver responsiveness, promoting healthy
social and emotional development.
What is the primary function of the prefrontal cortex?
✔✔Executive functions, decision-making, planning, and impulse control.
How do psychologists differentiate between reliability and validity in assessments?
✔✔Reliability refers to consistency of results, while validity refers to whether the test measures
what it is intended to measure.
Which type of memory is responsible for conscious recall of facts and events?
✔✔Declarative (explicit) memory
What is the role of neurotransmitters in behavior?
✔✔They transmit signals between neurons and influence mood, cognition, and behavior.
3
