Psychology Practice Exam
Questions with Verified Answers
For Advanced Psychology Students
Prepared for Comprehensive Exam Preparation
Date: June 11, 2025
This document provides a comprehensive set of exam-style questions and detailed,
verified answers for psychology students at moderate to very advanced levels. It covers
key psychological theories, research, and applications to ensure academic success.
, Contents
1 Introduction 3
2 Questions and Answers 3
2.1 Moderate: What is the distinction between classical and operant condi-
tioning? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.2 Moderate: Define cognitive dissonance and provide a real-world example. 3
2.3 Advanced: How does Baddeley’s working memory model improve upon
Atkinson and Shiffrin’s multi-store model? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.4 Very Advanced: Critically assess the limitations of the central executive
in Baddeley’s working memory model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.5 Moderate: What are the four stages of Piaget’s cognitive development
theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.6 Advanced: Contrast Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory with Piaget’s cogni-
tive development theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.7 Very Advanced: Analyze the empirical evidence for Vygotsky’s ZPD in
contemporary educational interventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.8 Moderate: What is the bystander effect, and what factors contribute to it? 5
2.9 Advanced: How does social identity theory account for group behavior in
conflict situations? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.10 Very Advanced: Evaluate the effectiveness of social identity theory-based
interventions in reducing workplace discrimination. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.11 Moderate: What is the difference between semantic and episodic memory? 5
2.12 Advanced: How does the dual-process theory explain cognitive biases in
judgment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.13 Very Advanced: Critically examine the neural correlates of dual-process
theory in decision-making. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.14 Moderate: What are the diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder
in the DSM-5? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.15 Advanced: Compare the efficacy of exposure therapy and SSRIs for treat-
ing anxiety disorders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.16 Very Advanced: Discuss the neuroplasticity mechanisms underlying expo-
sure therapy for anxiety disorders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.17 Moderate: What is the function of the hippocampus in memory formation? 7
2.18 Advanced: How does the amygdala-hippocampus interaction influence
emotional memory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.19 Very Advanced: Critically evaluate the role of amygdala-hippocampus
connectivity in PTSD memory dysfunction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.20 Moderate: What is the double-blind procedure in psychological research? 7
2.21 Advanced: How does publication bias affect the reliability of psychological
research? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.22 Very Advanced: Analyze the impact of publication bias on meta-analyses
in clinical psychology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.23 Moderate: What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and how does it apply to
motivation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.24 Advanced: How does self-determination theory differ from Maslow’s hier-
archy in explaining motivation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1
Questions with Verified Answers
For Advanced Psychology Students
Prepared for Comprehensive Exam Preparation
Date: June 11, 2025
This document provides a comprehensive set of exam-style questions and detailed,
verified answers for psychology students at moderate to very advanced levels. It covers
key psychological theories, research, and applications to ensure academic success.
, Contents
1 Introduction 3
2 Questions and Answers 3
2.1 Moderate: What is the distinction between classical and operant condi-
tioning? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.2 Moderate: Define cognitive dissonance and provide a real-world example. 3
2.3 Advanced: How does Baddeley’s working memory model improve upon
Atkinson and Shiffrin’s multi-store model? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.4 Very Advanced: Critically assess the limitations of the central executive
in Baddeley’s working memory model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.5 Moderate: What are the four stages of Piaget’s cognitive development
theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.6 Advanced: Contrast Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory with Piaget’s cogni-
tive development theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.7 Very Advanced: Analyze the empirical evidence for Vygotsky’s ZPD in
contemporary educational interventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.8 Moderate: What is the bystander effect, and what factors contribute to it? 5
2.9 Advanced: How does social identity theory account for group behavior in
conflict situations? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.10 Very Advanced: Evaluate the effectiveness of social identity theory-based
interventions in reducing workplace discrimination. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.11 Moderate: What is the difference between semantic and episodic memory? 5
2.12 Advanced: How does the dual-process theory explain cognitive biases in
judgment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.13 Very Advanced: Critically examine the neural correlates of dual-process
theory in decision-making. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.14 Moderate: What are the diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder
in the DSM-5? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.15 Advanced: Compare the efficacy of exposure therapy and SSRIs for treat-
ing anxiety disorders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.16 Very Advanced: Discuss the neuroplasticity mechanisms underlying expo-
sure therapy for anxiety disorders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.17 Moderate: What is the function of the hippocampus in memory formation? 7
2.18 Advanced: How does the amygdala-hippocampus interaction influence
emotional memory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.19 Very Advanced: Critically evaluate the role of amygdala-hippocampus
connectivity in PTSD memory dysfunction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.20 Moderate: What is the double-blind procedure in psychological research? 7
2.21 Advanced: How does publication bias affect the reliability of psychological
research? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.22 Very Advanced: Analyze the impact of publication bias on meta-analyses
in clinical psychology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.23 Moderate: What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and how does it apply to
motivation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.24 Advanced: How does self-determination theory differ from Maslow’s hier-
archy in explaining motivation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1
