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GRE PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT TEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Ablation - correct answer- A surgically induced brain lesion.
Absolute refractory period - correct answer- The period that
follows the onset of an action potential. During this period, a
nerve impulse cannot be initiated
Absolute threshold - correct answer- The minimum of stimulus
energy needed to activate a sensory system.
Accommodation - correct answer- A principle of Piaget's theory
of cognitive development. It occurs when cognitive structures
are modified because new information or new experiences do
not fit into existing cognitive structures.
Acetylcholine - correct answer- A neurotransmitter found in both
central and peripheral nervous systems linked to Alzheimer's
disease and used to transmit nerve impulses to the muscles,
respectively.
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Acrophobia - correct answer- A specific phobia that is an
irrational fear of heights.
ACT model (Adaptive Control of Thought) - correct answer- A
model that describes memory in terms of procedural and
declarative memory.
Actor-observer effect - correct answer- The tendency of actors
to see observer behavior as due to external factors (situational
factors) and the tendency of observers to attribute actors'
behaviors to internal characteristics (dispositional
characteristics).
Adrenaline - correct answer- A hormone that increases energy
available for "fight or flight" reactions (also known as
epinephrine).
Afterimages - correct answer- A visual sensation that appears
after prolonged or intense exposure to a stimulus.
Agnosia - correct answer- Impairments in perceptual
recognition.
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Agoraphobia - correct answer- An irrational fear of being in
places or situations where escape might be difficult.
All-or-none law - correct answer- A law about nerve impulses
stating that when depolarization reaches the critical threshold (-
50 millivolts) the neuron is going to fire, each time, every time.
Alternate-form method - correct answer- In psychometrics, it is
the method of using two or more different forms of a test to
determine the reliability of a particular test.
Altruism - correct answer- A form of helping behavior where the
person's intent is to benefit someone else at some cost to him-
or herself.
Amnesia - correct answer- A dissociative disorder where
individuals are unable to recall past experience, but this inability
is not due to a neurological disorder.
Analogy of inoculation - correct answer- McGuire's analogy that
people can be psychologically inoculated against the "attack" of
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persuasive communications by first exposing them to a
weakened attack.
Analyses of Variance (anovas) - correct answer- A statistical
method to compare the means of more than two groups by
comparing the between-group variance to the within-group
variance.
Anchoring - correct answer- A cognitive term (a heuristic) that
refers to the tendency of people to make decisions based on
reference points, or standards used to make judgements.
Anima (animus) - correct answer- An archetype from Jung's
theory referring to the feminine behaviors in males, and the
masculine behaviors in females.
Anorexia nervosa - correct answer- An eating disorder
characterized by a refusal to maintain a minimal normal body
weight.
Anterograde amnesia - correct answer- Memory loss for new
information following brain injury.
GRE PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT TEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Ablation - correct answer- A surgically induced brain lesion.
Absolute refractory period - correct answer- The period that
follows the onset of an action potential. During this period, a
nerve impulse cannot be initiated
Absolute threshold - correct answer- The minimum of stimulus
energy needed to activate a sensory system.
Accommodation - correct answer- A principle of Piaget's theory
of cognitive development. It occurs when cognitive structures
are modified because new information or new experiences do
not fit into existing cognitive structures.
Acetylcholine - correct answer- A neurotransmitter found in both
central and peripheral nervous systems linked to Alzheimer's
disease and used to transmit nerve impulses to the muscles,
respectively.
,2 | Page
Acrophobia - correct answer- A specific phobia that is an
irrational fear of heights.
ACT model (Adaptive Control of Thought) - correct answer- A
model that describes memory in terms of procedural and
declarative memory.
Actor-observer effect - correct answer- The tendency of actors
to see observer behavior as due to external factors (situational
factors) and the tendency of observers to attribute actors'
behaviors to internal characteristics (dispositional
characteristics).
Adrenaline - correct answer- A hormone that increases energy
available for "fight or flight" reactions (also known as
epinephrine).
Afterimages - correct answer- A visual sensation that appears
after prolonged or intense exposure to a stimulus.
Agnosia - correct answer- Impairments in perceptual
recognition.
,3 | Page
Agoraphobia - correct answer- An irrational fear of being in
places or situations where escape might be difficult.
All-or-none law - correct answer- A law about nerve impulses
stating that when depolarization reaches the critical threshold (-
50 millivolts) the neuron is going to fire, each time, every time.
Alternate-form method - correct answer- In psychometrics, it is
the method of using two or more different forms of a test to
determine the reliability of a particular test.
Altruism - correct answer- A form of helping behavior where the
person's intent is to benefit someone else at some cost to him-
or herself.
Amnesia - correct answer- A dissociative disorder where
individuals are unable to recall past experience, but this inability
is not due to a neurological disorder.
Analogy of inoculation - correct answer- McGuire's analogy that
people can be psychologically inoculated against the "attack" of
, 4 | Page
persuasive communications by first exposing them to a
weakened attack.
Analyses of Variance (anovas) - correct answer- A statistical
method to compare the means of more than two groups by
comparing the between-group variance to the within-group
variance.
Anchoring - correct answer- A cognitive term (a heuristic) that
refers to the tendency of people to make decisions based on
reference points, or standards used to make judgements.
Anima (animus) - correct answer- An archetype from Jung's
theory referring to the feminine behaviors in males, and the
masculine behaviors in females.
Anorexia nervosa - correct answer- An eating disorder
characterized by a refusal to maintain a minimal normal body
weight.
Anterograde amnesia - correct answer- Memory loss for new
information following brain injury.
