PSYC101 Practice Exam – Modules 1–3 Questions
And Answers With Rationales 2026
1. Who is considered the "father of psychology"?
A. Wilhelm Wundt
B. Sigmund Freud
C. William James
D. John Watson
Italicized rationale: Wundt established the first psychology lab
in 1879, marking psychology as a separate scientific discipline.
2. Which approach in psychology focuses on the unconscious
mind?
A. Humanistic
B. Psychodynamic
C. Behavioral
D. Cognitive
Psychodynamic theory, developed by Freud, emphasizes
unconscious processes influencing behavior.
3. Which school of psychology emphasized studying observable
behavior?
A. Structuralism
B. Functionalism
C. Behaviorism
D. Humanism
Behaviorism, championed by Watson and Skinner, focused on
observable and measurable behaviors.
4. Who founded the first American psychology laboratory?
A. G. Stanley Hall
B. John Locke
C. Edward Titchener
, D. Carl Rogers
Hall established the first U.S. lab at Johns Hopkins University in
1883.
5. Which perspective emphasizes free will and personal growth?
A. Psychodynamic
B. Cognitive
C. Humanistic
D. Behavioral
Humanistic psychology, led by Carl Rogers and Abraham
Maslow, emphasizes personal potential and self-actualization.
6. Functionalism in psychology was primarily concerned with:
A. Structure of consciousness
B. Purpose of mental processes
C. Observable behavior
D. Dreams and the unconscious
Functionalists, like William James, studied how mental
processes help individuals adapt to their environment.
7. Structuralism aimed to study:
A. Basic elements of consciousness
B. Behavior modification
C. Emotional intelligence
D. Adaptive functions of the mind
Structuralism, led by Titchener, used introspection to analyze
conscious experience.
8. Which psychologist is associated with behaviorist conditioning
experiments with dogs?
A. John Watson
B. Ivan Pavlov
C. B.F. Skinner
D. Edward Thorndike
, Pavlov is famous for classical conditioning experiments with
salivating dogs.
9. Psychology is defined as the scientific study of:
A. The mind only
B. Behavior and mental processes
C. The brain only
D. Emotions only
Modern psychology studies both observable behavior and
internal mental processes.
10. The debate of nature vs. nurture focuses on:
A. Conscious vs. unconscious mind
B. Biology vs. environment influences
C. Behaviorism vs. cognitivism
D. Structuralism vs. functionalism
Nature refers to genetic inheritance, and nurture refers to
environmental influences on development.
Module 2: Research Methods in Psychology
11. What is the primary goal of descriptive research?
A. Determine cause and effect
B. Observe and describe behavior
C. Test hypotheses
D. Manipulate variables
Descriptive research aims to describe phenomena without
establishing causation.
12. Which method uses in-depth analysis of a single
individual or group?
A. Survey
B. Experiment
C. Case study
And Answers With Rationales 2026
1. Who is considered the "father of psychology"?
A. Wilhelm Wundt
B. Sigmund Freud
C. William James
D. John Watson
Italicized rationale: Wundt established the first psychology lab
in 1879, marking psychology as a separate scientific discipline.
2. Which approach in psychology focuses on the unconscious
mind?
A. Humanistic
B. Psychodynamic
C. Behavioral
D. Cognitive
Psychodynamic theory, developed by Freud, emphasizes
unconscious processes influencing behavior.
3. Which school of psychology emphasized studying observable
behavior?
A. Structuralism
B. Functionalism
C. Behaviorism
D. Humanism
Behaviorism, championed by Watson and Skinner, focused on
observable and measurable behaviors.
4. Who founded the first American psychology laboratory?
A. G. Stanley Hall
B. John Locke
C. Edward Titchener
, D. Carl Rogers
Hall established the first U.S. lab at Johns Hopkins University in
1883.
5. Which perspective emphasizes free will and personal growth?
A. Psychodynamic
B. Cognitive
C. Humanistic
D. Behavioral
Humanistic psychology, led by Carl Rogers and Abraham
Maslow, emphasizes personal potential and self-actualization.
6. Functionalism in psychology was primarily concerned with:
A. Structure of consciousness
B. Purpose of mental processes
C. Observable behavior
D. Dreams and the unconscious
Functionalists, like William James, studied how mental
processes help individuals adapt to their environment.
7. Structuralism aimed to study:
A. Basic elements of consciousness
B. Behavior modification
C. Emotional intelligence
D. Adaptive functions of the mind
Structuralism, led by Titchener, used introspection to analyze
conscious experience.
8. Which psychologist is associated with behaviorist conditioning
experiments with dogs?
A. John Watson
B. Ivan Pavlov
C. B.F. Skinner
D. Edward Thorndike
, Pavlov is famous for classical conditioning experiments with
salivating dogs.
9. Psychology is defined as the scientific study of:
A. The mind only
B. Behavior and mental processes
C. The brain only
D. Emotions only
Modern psychology studies both observable behavior and
internal mental processes.
10. The debate of nature vs. nurture focuses on:
A. Conscious vs. unconscious mind
B. Biology vs. environment influences
C. Behaviorism vs. cognitivism
D. Structuralism vs. functionalism
Nature refers to genetic inheritance, and nurture refers to
environmental influences on development.
Module 2: Research Methods in Psychology
11. What is the primary goal of descriptive research?
A. Determine cause and effect
B. Observe and describe behavior
C. Test hypotheses
D. Manipulate variables
Descriptive research aims to describe phenomena without
establishing causation.
12. Which method uses in-depth analysis of a single
individual or group?
A. Survey
B. Experiment
C. Case study
