Psychology – Exam Q&A for All Major
Topics
Date: June 12, 2025
Instructions
This practice test features 15 advanced multiple-choice questions covering all major psychology
topics, including biological, cognitive, developmental, social, abnormal, and research methods,
to prepare for exams like AP Psychology or GRE Subject Test in Psychology. Each question
includes four answer choices and a detailed rationale to enhance understanding and exam per-
formance. Read questions carefully, select the best answer, and review rationales to master key
concepts and strategies.
1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Which neurotransmitter is primarily involved in modulating mood and is implicated
in depression when deficient?
A. Dopamine
B. Serotonin
C. GABA
D. Acetylcholine
Correct Answer: B. Serotonin
Rationale: Serotonin regulates mood, sleep, and appetite, and its deficiency is linked
to depression. Dopamine (A) influences reward, GABA (C) inhibits neural activity, and
acetylcholine (D) supports memory. Exam Tip: Associate neurotransmitters with specific
disorders for quick recall.
2. A person recalls a traumatic event but cannot remember details of the surrounding
context. This is an example of:
A. Retrograde amnesia
B. Anterograde amnesia
C. Source amnesia
D. Dissociative amnesia
Correct Answer: D. Dissociative amnesia
Rationale: Dissociative amnesia involves memory loss tied to trauma, often sparing con-
textual details. Retrograde amnesia (A) affects past memories, anterograde amnesia (B)
new memory formation, and source amnesia (C) misattributing memory origins. Exam
Tip: Link amnesia types to their triggers.
3. According to Vygotsky’s theory, what facilitates cognitive development in children?
A. Sensorimotor exploration
B. Zone of proximal development
C. Formal operational thinking
D. Preoperational egocentrism
Correct Answer: B. Zone of proximal development
Rationale: Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD) describes tasks a child can
perform with guidance, fostering cognitive growth. Sensorimotor exploration (A) and
1
, formal operational thinking (C) are Piaget’s concepts, and egocentrism (D) is a preoper-
ational limitation. Exam Tip: Differentiate developmental theories by their core mecha-
nisms.
4. In a group setting, an individual fails to help a victim because others are present.
This is known as:
A. Groupthink
B. Bystander effect
C. Social loafing
D. Deindividuation
Correct Answer: B. Bystander effect
Rationale: The bystander effect occurs when individuals are less likely to help in a group
due to diffusion of responsibility, as in Darley and Latané’s studies. Groupthink (A)
involves conformity, social loafing (C) reduced effort, and deindividuation (D) loss of
self-awareness. Exam Tip: Match social phenomena to situational cues.
5. Which disorder is characterized by excessive fear of social scrutiny?
A. Panic disorder
B. Social anxiety disorder
C. Agoraphobia
D. Specific phobia
Correct Answer: B. Social anxiety disorder
Rationale: Social anxiety disorder involves intense fear of social judgment or scrutiny.
Panic disorder (A) features sudden panic attacks, agoraphobia (C) fear of public spaces,
and specific phobia (D) fear of specific objects. Exam Tip: Categorize anxiety disorders
by their focus.
6. A researcher manipulates sleep duration to study its effect on memory. What is the
dependent variable?
A. Sleep duration
B. Memory performance
C. Participant age
D. Study duration
Correct Answer: B. Memory performance
Rationale: The dependent variable is measured to assess the effect of the independent
variable (sleep duration). Participant age (C) and study duration (D) are potential controls.
Exam Tip: Identify variables by their role in experiments.
7. Which brain imaging technique provides the best spatial resolution for studying
brain structures?
A. EEG
B. PET
C. fMRI
D. CT
Correct Answer: C. fMRI
Rationale: Functional MRI (fMRI) offers high spatial resolution, pinpointing brain ac-
tivity and structures. EEG (A) measures electrical activity, PET (B) metabolic activity,
and CT (D) structural images with less detail. Exam Tip: Compare imaging techniques
by resolution type.
8. In Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment, what factor most influenced children’s aggres-
2
Topics
Date: June 12, 2025
Instructions
This practice test features 15 advanced multiple-choice questions covering all major psychology
topics, including biological, cognitive, developmental, social, abnormal, and research methods,
to prepare for exams like AP Psychology or GRE Subject Test in Psychology. Each question
includes four answer choices and a detailed rationale to enhance understanding and exam per-
formance. Read questions carefully, select the best answer, and review rationales to master key
concepts and strategies.
1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Which neurotransmitter is primarily involved in modulating mood and is implicated
in depression when deficient?
A. Dopamine
B. Serotonin
C. GABA
D. Acetylcholine
Correct Answer: B. Serotonin
Rationale: Serotonin regulates mood, sleep, and appetite, and its deficiency is linked
to depression. Dopamine (A) influences reward, GABA (C) inhibits neural activity, and
acetylcholine (D) supports memory. Exam Tip: Associate neurotransmitters with specific
disorders for quick recall.
2. A person recalls a traumatic event but cannot remember details of the surrounding
context. This is an example of:
A. Retrograde amnesia
B. Anterograde amnesia
C. Source amnesia
D. Dissociative amnesia
Correct Answer: D. Dissociative amnesia
Rationale: Dissociative amnesia involves memory loss tied to trauma, often sparing con-
textual details. Retrograde amnesia (A) affects past memories, anterograde amnesia (B)
new memory formation, and source amnesia (C) misattributing memory origins. Exam
Tip: Link amnesia types to their triggers.
3. According to Vygotsky’s theory, what facilitates cognitive development in children?
A. Sensorimotor exploration
B. Zone of proximal development
C. Formal operational thinking
D. Preoperational egocentrism
Correct Answer: B. Zone of proximal development
Rationale: Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD) describes tasks a child can
perform with guidance, fostering cognitive growth. Sensorimotor exploration (A) and
1
, formal operational thinking (C) are Piaget’s concepts, and egocentrism (D) is a preoper-
ational limitation. Exam Tip: Differentiate developmental theories by their core mecha-
nisms.
4. In a group setting, an individual fails to help a victim because others are present.
This is known as:
A. Groupthink
B. Bystander effect
C. Social loafing
D. Deindividuation
Correct Answer: B. Bystander effect
Rationale: The bystander effect occurs when individuals are less likely to help in a group
due to diffusion of responsibility, as in Darley and Latané’s studies. Groupthink (A)
involves conformity, social loafing (C) reduced effort, and deindividuation (D) loss of
self-awareness. Exam Tip: Match social phenomena to situational cues.
5. Which disorder is characterized by excessive fear of social scrutiny?
A. Panic disorder
B. Social anxiety disorder
C. Agoraphobia
D. Specific phobia
Correct Answer: B. Social anxiety disorder
Rationale: Social anxiety disorder involves intense fear of social judgment or scrutiny.
Panic disorder (A) features sudden panic attacks, agoraphobia (C) fear of public spaces,
and specific phobia (D) fear of specific objects. Exam Tip: Categorize anxiety disorders
by their focus.
6. A researcher manipulates sleep duration to study its effect on memory. What is the
dependent variable?
A. Sleep duration
B. Memory performance
C. Participant age
D. Study duration
Correct Answer: B. Memory performance
Rationale: The dependent variable is measured to assess the effect of the independent
variable (sleep duration). Participant age (C) and study duration (D) are potential controls.
Exam Tip: Identify variables by their role in experiments.
7. Which brain imaging technique provides the best spatial resolution for studying
brain structures?
A. EEG
B. PET
C. fMRI
D. CT
Correct Answer: C. fMRI
Rationale: Functional MRI (fMRI) offers high spatial resolution, pinpointing brain ac-
tivity and structures. EEG (A) measures electrical activity, PET (B) metabolic activity,
and CT (D) structural images with less detail. Exam Tip: Compare imaging techniques
by resolution type.
8. In Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment, what factor most influenced children’s aggres-
2
