PSY 102 Exam 1 V1 | PSY 102 General
Psychology | Actual Q&A with Rationale
(PSY102 Exam 1) | Grand Canyon
University
1. Who is often referred to as the ‘Father of Psychology’ for establishing the first
psychological laboratory in 1879?
A. Sigmund Freud
B. William James
C. Wilhelm Wundt
D. John B. Watson
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Wilhelm Wundt established the first formal laboratory for psychological
research at the University of Leipzig. This event is widely considered the birth of
psychology as an independent, scientific discipline. His work focused on structuralism and
the use of introspection to study the conscious experience.
2. Which of the following early schools of thought in psychology focused on how mental and
behavioral processes enable organisms to adapt, survive, and flourish?
A. Structuralism
B. Behaviorism
,C. Functionalism
D. Psychoanalysis
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Functionalism was heavily influenced by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution
and sought to understand the purpose of consciousness. William James, the leading figure
of this school, argued that thinking developed because it was adaptive for human survival.
This shifted the focus of psychology from the structure of the mind to its practical
functions.
3. Select All That Apply (SATA): Which of the following are considered essential components
of an ethical research study involving human participants?
A. Informed Consent
B. Right to Withdraw
C. Deception in all circumstances
D. Confidentiality
E. Debriefing
F. Mandatory participation
Correct Answer: A, B, D, E
Rationale: Ethical guidelines established by organizations like the APA require researchers
to obtain informed consent and ensure participants know they can leave the study at any
, time. Confidentiality must be maintained to protect the privacy of those involved in the
research. Debriefing is required after the study to explain the true nature of the
experiment, especially if any mild deception was used.
4. In a psychological experiment, the variable that is manipulated by the researcher to
observe its effect is known as the:
A. Dependent Variable
B. Confounding Variable
C. Independent Variable
D. Control Variable
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The independent variable is the factor that the experimenter changes or
controls to see if it causes a change in another variable. For example, if testing a drug’s
effectiveness, the dosage would be the independent variable. Researchers look for changes
in the dependent variable as a result of these manipulations.
5. A researcher finds a correlation coefficient of -0.85 between the amount of exercise and
the level of stress reported. How should this result be interpreted?
A. There is a weak positive relationship.
B. Exercise causes stress to decrease.
C. There is no relationship between the variables.
Psychology | Actual Q&A with Rationale
(PSY102 Exam 1) | Grand Canyon
University
1. Who is often referred to as the ‘Father of Psychology’ for establishing the first
psychological laboratory in 1879?
A. Sigmund Freud
B. William James
C. Wilhelm Wundt
D. John B. Watson
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Wilhelm Wundt established the first formal laboratory for psychological
research at the University of Leipzig. This event is widely considered the birth of
psychology as an independent, scientific discipline. His work focused on structuralism and
the use of introspection to study the conscious experience.
2. Which of the following early schools of thought in psychology focused on how mental and
behavioral processes enable organisms to adapt, survive, and flourish?
A. Structuralism
B. Behaviorism
,C. Functionalism
D. Psychoanalysis
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Functionalism was heavily influenced by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution
and sought to understand the purpose of consciousness. William James, the leading figure
of this school, argued that thinking developed because it was adaptive for human survival.
This shifted the focus of psychology from the structure of the mind to its practical
functions.
3. Select All That Apply (SATA): Which of the following are considered essential components
of an ethical research study involving human participants?
A. Informed Consent
B. Right to Withdraw
C. Deception in all circumstances
D. Confidentiality
E. Debriefing
F. Mandatory participation
Correct Answer: A, B, D, E
Rationale: Ethical guidelines established by organizations like the APA require researchers
to obtain informed consent and ensure participants know they can leave the study at any
, time. Confidentiality must be maintained to protect the privacy of those involved in the
research. Debriefing is required after the study to explain the true nature of the
experiment, especially if any mild deception was used.
4. In a psychological experiment, the variable that is manipulated by the researcher to
observe its effect is known as the:
A. Dependent Variable
B. Confounding Variable
C. Independent Variable
D. Control Variable
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The independent variable is the factor that the experimenter changes or
controls to see if it causes a change in another variable. For example, if testing a drug’s
effectiveness, the dosage would be the independent variable. Researchers look for changes
in the dependent variable as a result of these manipulations.
5. A researcher finds a correlation coefficient of -0.85 between the amount of exercise and
the level of stress reported. How should this result be interpreted?
A. There is a weak positive relationship.
B. Exercise causes stress to decrease.
C. There is no relationship between the variables.
