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WGU C180 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY OBJECTIVE
ASSESSMENT ACTUAL EXAM PREP 2026 ALL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
|RATED A+ |HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY EXPERTS |NEW
AND REVISED
1. Which school of psychology emphasizes the purpose of consciousness
and behavior rather than its structure?
A) Structuralism
B) Functionalism
C) Behaviorism
D) Psychoanalysis
Rationale: Functionalism, led by William James, focused on the
purpose and function of consciousness and behavior, influenced by
Darwin's theory of evolution. Structuralism (Titchener) focused on the
structure of consciousness through introspection. Behaviorism
(Watson, Skinner) focused on observable behavior, and
psychoanalysis (Freud) focused on the unconscious mind.
2. A researcher is interested in determining if there is a relationship
between the number of hours students study and their exam scores.
Which research method would be MOST appropriate?
A) Case study
B) Naturalistic observation
C) Correlational study
D) Experimental study
Rationale: A correlational study examines the relationship between
two or more variables to determine if they are associated. The
researcher would collect data on study hours and exam scores without
,2|P a g e
manipulating any variables. An experimental study would involve
manipulating the independent variable (study hours) and measuring
the dependent variable (exam scores).
3. A student is trying to remember a list of vocabulary words for an
exam. The student repeats the words over and over. This strategy is
known as:
A) Elaborative rehearsal
B) Chunking
C) Maintenance rehearsal
D) Deep processing
Rationale: Maintenance rehearsal involves repeating information over
and over to keep it active in short-term memory. Elaborative rehearsal
involves connecting new information to existing knowledge. Chunking
is grouping information into meaningful units. Deep processing
involves semantic encoding.
4. A patient is experiencing difficulty forming new memories after a
head injury. However, the patient can still recall memories from before
the injury. This is MOST consistent with damage to the:
A) Amygdala
B) Cerebellum
C) Hippocampus
D) Prefrontal cortex
Rationale: The hippocampus is critical for the formation of new long-
term memories (anterograde amnesia). Damage to the hippocampus
typically does not affect memories that were already formed before the
injury (retrograde amnesia). The amygdala is involved in emotional
memory, the cerebellum in procedural memory, and the prefrontal
cortex in working memory.
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5. A child learns to associate the sound of a bell with the arrival of food,
causing the child to salivate at the sound of the bell. This is an example
of:
A) Operant conditioning
B) Observational learning
C) Classical conditioning
D) Latent learning
Rationale: Classical conditioning (Pavlov) involves learning by
association, where a neutral stimulus (bell) becomes associated with
an unconditioned stimulus (food) to elicit a conditioned response
(salivation). Operant conditioning (Skinner) involves learning through
consequences. Observational learning (Bandura) involves learning by
watching others.
6. A client is undergoing therapy and the therapist says, "Your
depression is likely due to unresolved conflicts from your childhood."
This approach is MOST consistent with which perspective?
A) Behaviorism
B) Humanism
C) Cognitive psychology
D) Psychoanalysis
Rationale: Psychoanalysis (Freud) emphasizes the role of unconscious
conflicts, often rooted in childhood experiences, as the cause of
psychological problems. Behaviorism focuses on observable behavior.
Humanism emphasizes self-actualization and free will. Cognitive
psychology focuses on mental processes.
7. A student is trying to remember a complex concept by breaking it
down into smaller, more manageable pieces. This strategy is known as:
A) Chunking
B) Mnemonics
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C) The method of loci
D) Elaborative rehearsal
Rationale: Chunking is the process of organizing information into
meaningful units or chunks to improve memory. Mnemonics and the
method of loci are other memory strategies. Elaborative rehearsal
involves connecting new information to existing knowledge.
8. The "fight-or-flight" response is primarily controlled by the:
A) Parasympathetic nervous system
B) Somatic nervous system
C) Sympathetic nervous system
D) Enteric nervous system
Rationale: The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the
"fight-or-flight" response, which prepares the body for action in
response to a perceived threat. The parasympathetic nervous system is
responsible for "rest and digest" functions. The somatic nervous
system controls voluntary movements.
9. A researcher finds that as the temperature increases, the number of ice
cream cones sold also increases. This is an example of a:
A) Positive correlation
B) Negative correlation
C) Zero correlation
D) Causal relationship
Rationale: A positive correlation means that as one variable increases,
the other variable also increases. A negative correlation means that as
one variable increases, the other decreases. A zero correlation means
there is no relationship. Correlation does not imply causation.
10. A patient suffers a stroke and is unable to produce fluent speech but
can understand language. This is MOST consistent with damage to:
WGU C180 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY OBJECTIVE
ASSESSMENT ACTUAL EXAM PREP 2026 ALL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
|RATED A+ |HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY EXPERTS |NEW
AND REVISED
1. Which school of psychology emphasizes the purpose of consciousness
and behavior rather than its structure?
A) Structuralism
B) Functionalism
C) Behaviorism
D) Psychoanalysis
Rationale: Functionalism, led by William James, focused on the
purpose and function of consciousness and behavior, influenced by
Darwin's theory of evolution. Structuralism (Titchener) focused on the
structure of consciousness through introspection. Behaviorism
(Watson, Skinner) focused on observable behavior, and
psychoanalysis (Freud) focused on the unconscious mind.
2. A researcher is interested in determining if there is a relationship
between the number of hours students study and their exam scores.
Which research method would be MOST appropriate?
A) Case study
B) Naturalistic observation
C) Correlational study
D) Experimental study
Rationale: A correlational study examines the relationship between
two or more variables to determine if they are associated. The
researcher would collect data on study hours and exam scores without
,2|P a g e
manipulating any variables. An experimental study would involve
manipulating the independent variable (study hours) and measuring
the dependent variable (exam scores).
3. A student is trying to remember a list of vocabulary words for an
exam. The student repeats the words over and over. This strategy is
known as:
A) Elaborative rehearsal
B) Chunking
C) Maintenance rehearsal
D) Deep processing
Rationale: Maintenance rehearsal involves repeating information over
and over to keep it active in short-term memory. Elaborative rehearsal
involves connecting new information to existing knowledge. Chunking
is grouping information into meaningful units. Deep processing
involves semantic encoding.
4. A patient is experiencing difficulty forming new memories after a
head injury. However, the patient can still recall memories from before
the injury. This is MOST consistent with damage to the:
A) Amygdala
B) Cerebellum
C) Hippocampus
D) Prefrontal cortex
Rationale: The hippocampus is critical for the formation of new long-
term memories (anterograde amnesia). Damage to the hippocampus
typically does not affect memories that were already formed before the
injury (retrograde amnesia). The amygdala is involved in emotional
memory, the cerebellum in procedural memory, and the prefrontal
cortex in working memory.
,3|P a g e
5. A child learns to associate the sound of a bell with the arrival of food,
causing the child to salivate at the sound of the bell. This is an example
of:
A) Operant conditioning
B) Observational learning
C) Classical conditioning
D) Latent learning
Rationale: Classical conditioning (Pavlov) involves learning by
association, where a neutral stimulus (bell) becomes associated with
an unconditioned stimulus (food) to elicit a conditioned response
(salivation). Operant conditioning (Skinner) involves learning through
consequences. Observational learning (Bandura) involves learning by
watching others.
6. A client is undergoing therapy and the therapist says, "Your
depression is likely due to unresolved conflicts from your childhood."
This approach is MOST consistent with which perspective?
A) Behaviorism
B) Humanism
C) Cognitive psychology
D) Psychoanalysis
Rationale: Psychoanalysis (Freud) emphasizes the role of unconscious
conflicts, often rooted in childhood experiences, as the cause of
psychological problems. Behaviorism focuses on observable behavior.
Humanism emphasizes self-actualization and free will. Cognitive
psychology focuses on mental processes.
7. A student is trying to remember a complex concept by breaking it
down into smaller, more manageable pieces. This strategy is known as:
A) Chunking
B) Mnemonics
, 4|P a g e
C) The method of loci
D) Elaborative rehearsal
Rationale: Chunking is the process of organizing information into
meaningful units or chunks to improve memory. Mnemonics and the
method of loci are other memory strategies. Elaborative rehearsal
involves connecting new information to existing knowledge.
8. The "fight-or-flight" response is primarily controlled by the:
A) Parasympathetic nervous system
B) Somatic nervous system
C) Sympathetic nervous system
D) Enteric nervous system
Rationale: The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the
"fight-or-flight" response, which prepares the body for action in
response to a perceived threat. The parasympathetic nervous system is
responsible for "rest and digest" functions. The somatic nervous
system controls voluntary movements.
9. A researcher finds that as the temperature increases, the number of ice
cream cones sold also increases. This is an example of a:
A) Positive correlation
B) Negative correlation
C) Zero correlation
D) Causal relationship
Rationale: A positive correlation means that as one variable increases,
the other variable also increases. A negative correlation means that as
one variable increases, the other decreases. A zero correlation means
there is no relationship. Correlation does not imply causation.
10. A patient suffers a stroke and is unable to produce fluent speech but
can understand language. This is MOST consistent with damage to:
