PSY 370 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS & VERIFIED ANSWERS
personality - Answers - An individual's unique and relatively consistent patterns of
thinking, feeling, and behaving.
thoughts, feelings, behaviors - Answers - what 3 characterisitics make up the
psychological triad?
consistency, causation, organization - Answers - what 3 priniciples explain personality?
central - Answers - part of a personality dichotomy: belief that traits are present in most
people, most of the time
peripheral - Answers - part of the dichotomoy that states that traits are specific to
individuals, cultures, or situations
unique/typical, central/peripheral, stable/evolving, normal/abnormal, nature/nurture,
active/reactive - Answers - name all 6 of the personality dichotomies
active - Answers - the personality dichotomy describing behavior that is predictable
reactive - Answers - part of a personality dichotomoy: the belief that behavior that is
unpredictable
theory - Answers - a group of ideas that guide thinking in a particular area
marshmallow experiments - Answers - a series of studies of delayed gratification in
children
scientfic method - Answers - the process of collecting information to test hypotheses
and form theories
empirical evidence, parsimonious, falsifiable - Answers - what are the 3 criteria for a
good scientific theory?
parsimonious - Answers - the simplest explanation is usually the best
natural science - Answers - the field that is concerned with the description, prediction,
and understanding of natural phenomena
physical science, biological science - Answers - what are the 2 key branches of natural
science?
,neuroscience, evolutionary science, genetics - Answers - what 3 branches make up the
biological sciences?
anatomy and biochemistry - Answers - what 2 branches make up neuroscience
anatomy - Answers - structure and function of the brain and body parts
biochemistry - Answers - the effects of neurotransmitters and hormones on brain
processes
Charles Whitman - Answers - UT Austin Tower shooter. An autopsy revealed that he
had a tumor that was pressing up against his amygdala. The amygdala is responsible
for assessing whether something is a threat or reward, and is implicated in emotions
such as anger and fear
hypergraphia - Answers - what disorder did Charles Whitman develop as a result of his
brain tumor?
amygdala - Answers - what part of Charles Whitman's brain was damaged due to the
tumor?
amygdala - Answers - part of the brain that links perceptions and thoughts with
emotional meaning
amygdala - Answers - part of the brain that assesses whether something is a threat or a
reward
anterior cingulate - Answers - part of the brain that is important for experiencing emotion
and controls emotional responses and behavior impulses by communicating with the
amygdala
chronic traumatic encephalophathy - Answers - brain damage suffered in many football
players due to repetitive micro-concussions
frontal lobe - Answers - which part of the brain:
-memory formation
-emotional expression
-decision making/reasoning
-social understanding
-impulse control
-attention
phineas gage - Answers - who was the victim of an unexpected explosion that caused a
42 inch long, 1.2 inch wide, metal rod to be blown right up through his skull and out the
top?
, neurotransmitters - Answers - chemicals that enable neurotransmission between cells
neurotransmitters - Answers - how our brain cells communicate with one another to
shape our behavior and personality
dopamine - Answers - the nuerotransmitter that regulates the brain's reward and
pleasure centers
dopamine - Answers - the neurotransmitter related to socialability, general activity level,
novelty seeking, extraversion, and openness.
serotonin - Answers - the neurotransmitter that plays a role in inhibition of behavioral
impulses
serotonin - Answers - the neurotransmitter that may play a role in balancing mood
serotonin - Answers - the neurotransmitter related to conscientiousness, agreeableness,
and neuroticism
evolutionary science - Answers - explains how large populations of organsims evolve
over time
Darwin's theory of evolution - Answers - "it is not the strongest of the species that
survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change"
evolutionary personality psychology - Answers - field that addresses how patterns of
behavior may have originated from our ancient ancestors
survival value - Answers - the assumption of evolutionary personality psychology is that
characteristics with more ___________ ___________ are more likely to be passed on
through generations
men - Answers - men or women:
-more partners
-less faithful
-less picky
women - Answers - men or women:
-more selective
-greater desire for monogamy and stable relationships
aggression - Answers - according to evolutionary personality psychology, this trait is
said to improve social status, protect property and possessions
altruism - Answers - aiding and protecting others, especially family members, may help
ensure their survival
personality - Answers - An individual's unique and relatively consistent patterns of
thinking, feeling, and behaving.
thoughts, feelings, behaviors - Answers - what 3 characterisitics make up the
psychological triad?
consistency, causation, organization - Answers - what 3 priniciples explain personality?
central - Answers - part of a personality dichotomy: belief that traits are present in most
people, most of the time
peripheral - Answers - part of the dichotomoy that states that traits are specific to
individuals, cultures, or situations
unique/typical, central/peripheral, stable/evolving, normal/abnormal, nature/nurture,
active/reactive - Answers - name all 6 of the personality dichotomies
active - Answers - the personality dichotomy describing behavior that is predictable
reactive - Answers - part of a personality dichotomoy: the belief that behavior that is
unpredictable
theory - Answers - a group of ideas that guide thinking in a particular area
marshmallow experiments - Answers - a series of studies of delayed gratification in
children
scientfic method - Answers - the process of collecting information to test hypotheses
and form theories
empirical evidence, parsimonious, falsifiable - Answers - what are the 3 criteria for a
good scientific theory?
parsimonious - Answers - the simplest explanation is usually the best
natural science - Answers - the field that is concerned with the description, prediction,
and understanding of natural phenomena
physical science, biological science - Answers - what are the 2 key branches of natural
science?
,neuroscience, evolutionary science, genetics - Answers - what 3 branches make up the
biological sciences?
anatomy and biochemistry - Answers - what 2 branches make up neuroscience
anatomy - Answers - structure and function of the brain and body parts
biochemistry - Answers - the effects of neurotransmitters and hormones on brain
processes
Charles Whitman - Answers - UT Austin Tower shooter. An autopsy revealed that he
had a tumor that was pressing up against his amygdala. The amygdala is responsible
for assessing whether something is a threat or reward, and is implicated in emotions
such as anger and fear
hypergraphia - Answers - what disorder did Charles Whitman develop as a result of his
brain tumor?
amygdala - Answers - what part of Charles Whitman's brain was damaged due to the
tumor?
amygdala - Answers - part of the brain that links perceptions and thoughts with
emotional meaning
amygdala - Answers - part of the brain that assesses whether something is a threat or a
reward
anterior cingulate - Answers - part of the brain that is important for experiencing emotion
and controls emotional responses and behavior impulses by communicating with the
amygdala
chronic traumatic encephalophathy - Answers - brain damage suffered in many football
players due to repetitive micro-concussions
frontal lobe - Answers - which part of the brain:
-memory formation
-emotional expression
-decision making/reasoning
-social understanding
-impulse control
-attention
phineas gage - Answers - who was the victim of an unexpected explosion that caused a
42 inch long, 1.2 inch wide, metal rod to be blown right up through his skull and out the
top?
, neurotransmitters - Answers - chemicals that enable neurotransmission between cells
neurotransmitters - Answers - how our brain cells communicate with one another to
shape our behavior and personality
dopamine - Answers - the nuerotransmitter that regulates the brain's reward and
pleasure centers
dopamine - Answers - the neurotransmitter related to socialability, general activity level,
novelty seeking, extraversion, and openness.
serotonin - Answers - the neurotransmitter that plays a role in inhibition of behavioral
impulses
serotonin - Answers - the neurotransmitter that may play a role in balancing mood
serotonin - Answers - the neurotransmitter related to conscientiousness, agreeableness,
and neuroticism
evolutionary science - Answers - explains how large populations of organsims evolve
over time
Darwin's theory of evolution - Answers - "it is not the strongest of the species that
survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change"
evolutionary personality psychology - Answers - field that addresses how patterns of
behavior may have originated from our ancient ancestors
survival value - Answers - the assumption of evolutionary personality psychology is that
characteristics with more ___________ ___________ are more likely to be passed on
through generations
men - Answers - men or women:
-more partners
-less faithful
-less picky
women - Answers - men or women:
-more selective
-greater desire for monogamy and stable relationships
aggression - Answers - according to evolutionary personality psychology, this trait is
said to improve social status, protect property and possessions
altruism - Answers - aiding and protecting others, especially family members, may help
ensure their survival
