PSY 102 Exam 3 V3 | PSY 102 General Psychology | Actual Q&A with
Rationale (PSY102 Exam 3) | Grand Canyon University
1. According to Jean Piaget, during which stage do children begin to understand the concept
of conservation?
A. Concrete operational stage
B. Preoperational stage
C. Sensorimotor stage
D. Formal operational stage
Answer: A
Rationale: The concrete operational stage occurs roughly between ages 7 and 11. During
this time, children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about
concrete events. They finally grasp the concept of conservation, which is the understanding
that properties such as mass and volume remain the same despite changes in form.
2. Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory suggests that the primary task of adolescence is dealing
with which conflict?
A. Trust vs. Mistrust
B. Initiative vs. Guilt
C. Identity vs. Role Confusion
D. Generativity vs. Stagnation
Answer: C
Rationale: Adolescents are in the fifth stage of Erikson’s developmental theory. This stage
focuses on developing a sense of self and personal identity through exploration. Success
leads to an ability to stay true to oneself, while failure leads to role confusion and a weak
sense of self.
3. Which personality trait in the Big Five model describes someone who is organized, careful,
and disciplined?
A. Openness
B. Conscientiousness
C. Extraversion
D. Agreeableness
E. Neuroticism
,Answer: B
Rationale: Conscientiousness is a measure of reliability and work ethic. People high in this
trait tend to be very organized and mindful of details. They plan ahead and think about how
their behavior affects others, making them very disciplined workers.
4. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, what must be met first before a person can focus on safety
needs?
A. Physiological needs
B. Self-actualization needs
C. Love and belongingness needs
D. Esteem needs
Answer: A
Rationale: Physiological needs are the most basic requirements for human survival, such
as air, water, and food. Maslow argued that these biological needs are the foundation of his
hierarchy. Only when these basic survival needs are satisfied can a person progress to
higher-level needs like safety and security.
5. The James-Lange theory of emotion suggests that:
A. Emotion and physical arousal occur at exactly the same time.
B. The thalamus sends signals to the cortex and organs simultaneously.
C. Cognitive labeling of arousal determines the emotion.
D. Physical arousal precedes the experience of emotion.
Answer: D
Rationale: This theory proposes that our experience of emotion is our awareness of our
physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli. For example, we feel sorry because
we cry, or angry because we strike. The physical reaction effectively causes the conscious
feeling of the emotion according to James and Lange.
6. Which developmental researcher is famous for studying attachment styles using the
‘Strange Situation’ procedure?
A. Diana Baumrind
B. Mary Ainsworth
C. Lev Vygotsky
D. Lawrence Kohlberg
Answer: B
, Rationale: Mary Ainsworth designed the ‘Strange Situation’ to observe attachment
relationships between a caregiver and a child. This procedure allowed her to categorize
children as having secure, avoidant, or resistant attachment styles. Her findings highlights
the importance of caregiver responsiveness in early development.
7. Freud’s structure of personality that operates on the ‘pleasure principle’ is the:
A. Ego
B. Superego
C. Idealized Self
D. Id
Answer: D
Rationale: The id is the primitive and instinctive component of personality. It consists of
all the inherited biological components and operates entirely in the unconscious mind. Its
primary goal is the immediate gratification of all desires, wants, and needs, regardless of
social consequences.
8. Which parenting style is characterized by high warmth but low control/discipline?
A. Permissive
B. Authoritarian
C. Authoritative
D. Uninvolved
Answer: A
Rationale: Permissive parents tend to be very loving and provide few guidelines or rules.
They generally treat their children more like friends than subjects of authority. While this
can foster creativity, it often results in children who struggle with self-regulation and
authority.
9. In the context of intelligence, what does ‘g’ stand for according to Charles Spearman?
A. General intelligence
B. Group intelligence
C. Genius factor
D. Growth mindset
Answer: A
Rationale: Spearman believed that a single factor, which he called general intelligence (g),
underlies all specific mental abilities. He observed that people who score high in one area,
Rationale (PSY102 Exam 3) | Grand Canyon University
1. According to Jean Piaget, during which stage do children begin to understand the concept
of conservation?
A. Concrete operational stage
B. Preoperational stage
C. Sensorimotor stage
D. Formal operational stage
Answer: A
Rationale: The concrete operational stage occurs roughly between ages 7 and 11. During
this time, children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about
concrete events. They finally grasp the concept of conservation, which is the understanding
that properties such as mass and volume remain the same despite changes in form.
2. Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory suggests that the primary task of adolescence is dealing
with which conflict?
A. Trust vs. Mistrust
B. Initiative vs. Guilt
C. Identity vs. Role Confusion
D. Generativity vs. Stagnation
Answer: C
Rationale: Adolescents are in the fifth stage of Erikson’s developmental theory. This stage
focuses on developing a sense of self and personal identity through exploration. Success
leads to an ability to stay true to oneself, while failure leads to role confusion and a weak
sense of self.
3. Which personality trait in the Big Five model describes someone who is organized, careful,
and disciplined?
A. Openness
B. Conscientiousness
C. Extraversion
D. Agreeableness
E. Neuroticism
,Answer: B
Rationale: Conscientiousness is a measure of reliability and work ethic. People high in this
trait tend to be very organized and mindful of details. They plan ahead and think about how
their behavior affects others, making them very disciplined workers.
4. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, what must be met first before a person can focus on safety
needs?
A. Physiological needs
B. Self-actualization needs
C. Love and belongingness needs
D. Esteem needs
Answer: A
Rationale: Physiological needs are the most basic requirements for human survival, such
as air, water, and food. Maslow argued that these biological needs are the foundation of his
hierarchy. Only when these basic survival needs are satisfied can a person progress to
higher-level needs like safety and security.
5. The James-Lange theory of emotion suggests that:
A. Emotion and physical arousal occur at exactly the same time.
B. The thalamus sends signals to the cortex and organs simultaneously.
C. Cognitive labeling of arousal determines the emotion.
D. Physical arousal precedes the experience of emotion.
Answer: D
Rationale: This theory proposes that our experience of emotion is our awareness of our
physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli. For example, we feel sorry because
we cry, or angry because we strike. The physical reaction effectively causes the conscious
feeling of the emotion according to James and Lange.
6. Which developmental researcher is famous for studying attachment styles using the
‘Strange Situation’ procedure?
A. Diana Baumrind
B. Mary Ainsworth
C. Lev Vygotsky
D. Lawrence Kohlberg
Answer: B
, Rationale: Mary Ainsworth designed the ‘Strange Situation’ to observe attachment
relationships between a caregiver and a child. This procedure allowed her to categorize
children as having secure, avoidant, or resistant attachment styles. Her findings highlights
the importance of caregiver responsiveness in early development.
7. Freud’s structure of personality that operates on the ‘pleasure principle’ is the:
A. Ego
B. Superego
C. Idealized Self
D. Id
Answer: D
Rationale: The id is the primitive and instinctive component of personality. It consists of
all the inherited biological components and operates entirely in the unconscious mind. Its
primary goal is the immediate gratification of all desires, wants, and needs, regardless of
social consequences.
8. Which parenting style is characterized by high warmth but low control/discipline?
A. Permissive
B. Authoritarian
C. Authoritative
D. Uninvolved
Answer: A
Rationale: Permissive parents tend to be very loving and provide few guidelines or rules.
They generally treat their children more like friends than subjects of authority. While this
can foster creativity, it often results in children who struggle with self-regulation and
authority.
9. In the context of intelligence, what does ‘g’ stand for according to Charles Spearman?
A. General intelligence
B. Group intelligence
C. Genius factor
D. Growth mindset
Answer: A
Rationale: Spearman believed that a single factor, which he called general intelligence (g),
underlies all specific mental abilities. He observed that people who score high in one area,
