Psychology – Exam Practice Q&A for
Distinction
Date: June 12, 2025
Instructions
This practice test includes 15 advanced multiple-choice questions designed to prepare students
for distinction-level performance on psychology exams, such as AP Psychology or GRE Subject
Test in Psychology. Each question includes four answer choices and a detailed rationale to foster
deep understanding and exam mastery. Read questions carefully, select the best answer, and
review rationales to refine critical thinking and application skills.
1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Which phenomenon explains why a person might overestimate the likelihood of a
plane crash after watching news coverage of one?
A. Representativeness heuristic
B. Availability heuristic
C. Anchoring bias
D. Confirmation bias
Correct Answer: B. Availability heuristic
Rationale: The availability heuristic leads individuals to overestimate the probability of
events based on how easily examples come to mind, such as vivid news coverage of a plane
crash. The representativeness heuristic (A) involves judging based on prototypes, an-
choring bias (C) relies on initial information, and confirmation bias (D) seeks confirming
evidence. Exam Tip: Distinguish heuristics by their cognitive mechanism—availability
focuses on recall ease.
2. In Skinner’s operant conditioning, which schedule of reinforcement produces the
most persistent behavior?
A. Fixed-interval
B. Variable-ratio
C. Continuous
D. Fixed-ratio
Correct Answer: B. Variable-ratio
Rationale: Variable-ratio reinforcement, where rewards are given after an unpredictable
number of responses (e.g., slot machines), produces the most persistent behavior due to
uncertainty. Fixed-interval (A) rewards after set times, continuous (C) rewards every
response, and fixed-ratio (D) rewards after set responses. Exam Tip: Link reinforcement
schedules to real-world examples for clarity.
3. Lesions in which brain area would most likely impair emotional regulation and fear
responses?
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Amygdala
C. Hippocampus
D. Thalamus
1
, Correct Answer: B. Amygdala
Rationale: The amygdala processes emotions, particularly fear and threat responses. Le-
sions here impair emotional regulation. The prefrontal cortex (A) handles executive func-
tions, the hippocampus (C) memory, and the thalamus (D) sensory relay. Exam Tip:
Associate brain structures with specific functions for precision.
4. A person blames their poor exam performance on difficult questions rather than
lack of preparation. This reflects:
A. Fundamental attribution error
B. Self-serving bias
C. Actor-observer bias
D. Hindsight bias
Correct Answer: B. Self-serving bias
Rationale: Self-serving bias attributes failures to external factors (e.g., difficult questions)
and successes to internal factors to protect self-esteem. Fundamental attribution error
(A) overemphasizes personality in others, actor-observer bias (C) differentiates self/other
attributions, and hindsight bias (D) assumes predictability after outcomes. Exam Tip:
Focus on attribution patterns to differentiate biases.
5. Which symptom is most characteristic of schizophrenia’s positive symptoms?
A. Flat affect
B. Social withdrawal
C. Delusions
D. Catatonia
Correct Answer: C. Delusions
Rationale: Positive symptoms of schizophrenia add abnormal experiences, such as delu-
sions (false beliefs) and hallucinations. Flat affect (A), social withdrawal (B), and cata-
tonia (D) are negative or disorganized symptoms. Exam Tip: Categorize symptoms as
positive (added) or negative (reduced) for accuracy.
6. A therapist uses systematic desensitization to treat a phobia. This technique is rooted
in:
A. Classical conditioning
B. Operant conditioning
C. Cognitive restructuring
D. Humanistic principles
Correct Answer: A. Classical conditioning
Rationale: Systematic desensitization, developed by Wolpe, uses classical conditioning
to replace fear responses with relaxation through gradual exposure. Operant conditioning
(B) involves rewards, cognitive restructuring (C) targets thoughts, and humanistic prin-
ciples (D) emphasize growth. Exam Tip: Identify the learning theory behind therapeutic
techniques.
7. Which cognitive process is most impaired in patients with Alzheimer’s disease dur-
ing early stages?
A. Long-term memory retrieval
B. Short-term memory encoding
C. Procedural memory
D. Sensory memory
Correct Answer: B. Short-term memory encoding
2
Distinction
Date: June 12, 2025
Instructions
This practice test includes 15 advanced multiple-choice questions designed to prepare students
for distinction-level performance on psychology exams, such as AP Psychology or GRE Subject
Test in Psychology. Each question includes four answer choices and a detailed rationale to foster
deep understanding and exam mastery. Read questions carefully, select the best answer, and
review rationales to refine critical thinking and application skills.
1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Which phenomenon explains why a person might overestimate the likelihood of a
plane crash after watching news coverage of one?
A. Representativeness heuristic
B. Availability heuristic
C. Anchoring bias
D. Confirmation bias
Correct Answer: B. Availability heuristic
Rationale: The availability heuristic leads individuals to overestimate the probability of
events based on how easily examples come to mind, such as vivid news coverage of a plane
crash. The representativeness heuristic (A) involves judging based on prototypes, an-
choring bias (C) relies on initial information, and confirmation bias (D) seeks confirming
evidence. Exam Tip: Distinguish heuristics by their cognitive mechanism—availability
focuses on recall ease.
2. In Skinner’s operant conditioning, which schedule of reinforcement produces the
most persistent behavior?
A. Fixed-interval
B. Variable-ratio
C. Continuous
D. Fixed-ratio
Correct Answer: B. Variable-ratio
Rationale: Variable-ratio reinforcement, where rewards are given after an unpredictable
number of responses (e.g., slot machines), produces the most persistent behavior due to
uncertainty. Fixed-interval (A) rewards after set times, continuous (C) rewards every
response, and fixed-ratio (D) rewards after set responses. Exam Tip: Link reinforcement
schedules to real-world examples for clarity.
3. Lesions in which brain area would most likely impair emotional regulation and fear
responses?
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Amygdala
C. Hippocampus
D. Thalamus
1
, Correct Answer: B. Amygdala
Rationale: The amygdala processes emotions, particularly fear and threat responses. Le-
sions here impair emotional regulation. The prefrontal cortex (A) handles executive func-
tions, the hippocampus (C) memory, and the thalamus (D) sensory relay. Exam Tip:
Associate brain structures with specific functions for precision.
4. A person blames their poor exam performance on difficult questions rather than
lack of preparation. This reflects:
A. Fundamental attribution error
B. Self-serving bias
C. Actor-observer bias
D. Hindsight bias
Correct Answer: B. Self-serving bias
Rationale: Self-serving bias attributes failures to external factors (e.g., difficult questions)
and successes to internal factors to protect self-esteem. Fundamental attribution error
(A) overemphasizes personality in others, actor-observer bias (C) differentiates self/other
attributions, and hindsight bias (D) assumes predictability after outcomes. Exam Tip:
Focus on attribution patterns to differentiate biases.
5. Which symptom is most characteristic of schizophrenia’s positive symptoms?
A. Flat affect
B. Social withdrawal
C. Delusions
D. Catatonia
Correct Answer: C. Delusions
Rationale: Positive symptoms of schizophrenia add abnormal experiences, such as delu-
sions (false beliefs) and hallucinations. Flat affect (A), social withdrawal (B), and cata-
tonia (D) are negative or disorganized symptoms. Exam Tip: Categorize symptoms as
positive (added) or negative (reduced) for accuracy.
6. A therapist uses systematic desensitization to treat a phobia. This technique is rooted
in:
A. Classical conditioning
B. Operant conditioning
C. Cognitive restructuring
D. Humanistic principles
Correct Answer: A. Classical conditioning
Rationale: Systematic desensitization, developed by Wolpe, uses classical conditioning
to replace fear responses with relaxation through gradual exposure. Operant conditioning
(B) involves rewards, cognitive restructuring (C) targets thoughts, and humanistic prin-
ciples (D) emphasize growth. Exam Tip: Identify the learning theory behind therapeutic
techniques.
7. Which cognitive process is most impaired in patients with Alzheimer’s disease dur-
ing early stages?
A. Long-term memory retrieval
B. Short-term memory encoding
C. Procedural memory
D. Sensory memory
Correct Answer: B. Short-term memory encoding
2
