Chapter1:The Science of Psychology
Multiple-Choice
What Is Psychology?
Learning Objectives
● Define psychology and describe the major subfields within psychology.
● Describe the five enduring issues that cut across the subfields of psychology.
● Explain what psychology has in common with other sciences, how psychologists use the
scientific method, and the difference between theories and hypotheses.
● Apply critical thinking to an article in a magazine or newspaper.
1. Psychology is the scientific study of .
a. how personality can be determined by the size and shape of one's head
b. behavior and mental processes
c. the physiological functions of the brain
d. how cultures and societies develop and interact with each other
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
2. Psychologists are interested in .
a. every aspect of human thought and behavior
Correct: The different perspectives of psychology encompass every aspect of human thoughts,
feelings, and actions.
b. aspects of human behavior, but not human thought
Incorrect: Behavior is absolutely crucial to the study of psychology, but so too is the concept of
human thought.
c. aspects of human thought, but not human behavior
d. only major aspects of human thought and behavior
Answer: a
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
3. Psychology .
a. rarely redefines itself, and when it does, it does so more narrowly
b. virtually never redefines itself
,Incorrect: The field of psychology is very introspective, making sure to redefine itself as often asis
necessary.
c. continually redefines itself more narrowly
d. continually redefines itself more broadly
Correct: New research methods, areas of inquiry, and collaborations with other sciences allows
psychology to continually redefine itself.
Answer: d
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
4. Psychology is .
a. is a single, unified field of study
Incorrect: There is no single, unifying definition of psychology; rather, it is a combination ofmany
different areas of academic pursuit.
b. is an "umbrella" for a loose amalgamation of different subfields
Correct: The fact that there is no single unifying definition of psychology suggests that it is a
combination of many sub-disciplines.
c. is comprised of two distinct subfields
d. not a field of study at all
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
5. Each of the following is a specialty area within developmental psychology EXCEPT
.
a. lifespan psychology
b. psychobiology
c. child psychology
d. adolescent psychology
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
6. If I ran a TV station and wanted a consultant to advise me on children's programming, I would
most likely hire a(n) psychologist.
a. experimental
b. developmental
,Correct: A developmental psychologist would be an expert in the cognitive development of
children, so would have good information on how to structure children’s television
programming.
c. personality
d. clinical
Incorrect: A clinical psychologist might, indeed, work with children with various levels of
psychopathology, but the best answer here is an expert on children’s development, or a
developmental psychologist.
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1 4 yr.: 90% r = .31
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: A
7. Life-span psychologists focus mainly on studying .
a. adolescent changes and development
b. the adult years
c. the entire developmental spectrum from infancy through adulthood
d. infancy and childhood development
Answer: b
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
8. The American Psychological Association is made up of about divisions.
a. 10
b. 30
c. 70
d. 50
Answer: d
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
9. A group of psychologists study human, mental, and physical growth from the prenatal period
through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. They are most likely
psychologists.
a. developmental
Correct: Developmental psychologists study all aspects of growth and change from conception
through death.
b. social
, Incorrect: Social psychologists study the bidirectional effects that people have on each other,
including thoughts, feelings, and actions.
c. personality
d. organizational
Answer: a
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: A
10. Child psychology, adolescent psychology, and lifespan psychology are specialty areas within
the field of psychology known as psychology.
a. health
b. physiological
c. personality
d. developmental
Answer: d
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
11. investigate the impact of heredity on both normal and abnormal traits and
behavior.
a. Behavioral geneticists
Correct: Behavioral geneticists focus on how genetics influence the traits and behaviors we
develop throughout life.
b. Experimental psychologists
c. Neuropsychologists
d. Psychobiologists
Incorrect: A behavioral geneticist is a type of psychobiologist, but the best answer is abehavioral
geneticist.
Answer: a
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 5
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
12. are interested in the workings of the brain and the nervous system.
a. Experimental psychologists
b. Psychobiologists
Incorrect: A neuropsychologist is a type of psychobiologist, but the best answer is a
neuropsychologist.
Multiple-Choice
What Is Psychology?
Learning Objectives
● Define psychology and describe the major subfields within psychology.
● Describe the five enduring issues that cut across the subfields of psychology.
● Explain what psychology has in common with other sciences, how psychologists use the
scientific method, and the difference between theories and hypotheses.
● Apply critical thinking to an article in a magazine or newspaper.
1. Psychology is the scientific study of .
a. how personality can be determined by the size and shape of one's head
b. behavior and mental processes
c. the physiological functions of the brain
d. how cultures and societies develop and interact with each other
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
2. Psychologists are interested in .
a. every aspect of human thought and behavior
Correct: The different perspectives of psychology encompass every aspect of human thoughts,
feelings, and actions.
b. aspects of human behavior, but not human thought
Incorrect: Behavior is absolutely crucial to the study of psychology, but so too is the concept of
human thought.
c. aspects of human thought, but not human behavior
d. only major aspects of human thought and behavior
Answer: a
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
3. Psychology .
a. rarely redefines itself, and when it does, it does so more narrowly
b. virtually never redefines itself
,Incorrect: The field of psychology is very introspective, making sure to redefine itself as often asis
necessary.
c. continually redefines itself more narrowly
d. continually redefines itself more broadly
Correct: New research methods, areas of inquiry, and collaborations with other sciences allows
psychology to continually redefine itself.
Answer: d
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
4. Psychology is .
a. is a single, unified field of study
Incorrect: There is no single, unifying definition of psychology; rather, it is a combination ofmany
different areas of academic pursuit.
b. is an "umbrella" for a loose amalgamation of different subfields
Correct: The fact that there is no single unifying definition of psychology suggests that it is a
combination of many sub-disciplines.
c. is comprised of two distinct subfields
d. not a field of study at all
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
5. Each of the following is a specialty area within developmental psychology EXCEPT
.
a. lifespan psychology
b. psychobiology
c. child psychology
d. adolescent psychology
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
6. If I ran a TV station and wanted a consultant to advise me on children's programming, I would
most likely hire a(n) psychologist.
a. experimental
b. developmental
,Correct: A developmental psychologist would be an expert in the cognitive development of
children, so would have good information on how to structure children’s television
programming.
c. personality
d. clinical
Incorrect: A clinical psychologist might, indeed, work with children with various levels of
psychopathology, but the best answer here is an expert on children’s development, or a
developmental psychologist.
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1 4 yr.: 90% r = .31
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: A
7. Life-span psychologists focus mainly on studying .
a. adolescent changes and development
b. the adult years
c. the entire developmental spectrum from infancy through adulthood
d. infancy and childhood development
Answer: b
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
8. The American Psychological Association is made up of about divisions.
a. 10
b. 30
c. 70
d. 50
Answer: d
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
9. A group of psychologists study human, mental, and physical growth from the prenatal period
through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. They are most likely
psychologists.
a. developmental
Correct: Developmental psychologists study all aspects of growth and change from conception
through death.
b. social
, Incorrect: Social psychologists study the bidirectional effects that people have on each other,
including thoughts, feelings, and actions.
c. personality
d. organizational
Answer: a
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: A
10. Child psychology, adolescent psychology, and lifespan psychology are specialty areas within
the field of psychology known as psychology.
a. health
b. physiological
c. personality
d. developmental
Answer: d
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
11. investigate the impact of heredity on both normal and abnormal traits and
behavior.
a. Behavioral geneticists
Correct: Behavioral geneticists focus on how genetics influence the traits and behaviors we
develop throughout life.
b. Experimental psychologists
c. Neuropsychologists
d. Psychobiologists
Incorrect: A behavioral geneticist is a type of psychobiologist, but the best answer is abehavioral
geneticist.
Answer: a
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 5
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
12. are interested in the workings of the brain and the nervous system.
a. Experimental psychologists
b. Psychobiologists
Incorrect: A neuropsychologist is a type of psychobiologist, but the best answer is a
neuropsychologist.
