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PSYC 331 Exam 2 Questions and
Answers Latest 2026
What is the main focus of behaviorism? Ans: The study
of observable behavior rather than internal mental
processes
Who is considered the founder of Russian objective
psychology? Ans: Ivan Sechenov
What did Ivan Sechenov propose about thoughts and
behavior? Ans: Thoughts do not cause behavior; rather,
behaviors are reflexive and result from external
stimulation
What is the significance of Sechenov's book 'Reflexes of
the Brain'? Ans: It asserted that higher functions are
interleaved between sensory and motor components of
reflexes, allowing for inhibitory control.
What key concept did Sechenov's work confirm? Ans: The
idea that excitation and inhibition of reflexive behavior
could explain all human behavior.
What discovery did Ivan Pavlov make during his research
on digestion? Ans: He discovered innate salivary
responses in dogs, which he termed 'psychic secretions'.
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, 2 | Page
What is a conditioned reflex according to Pavlov? Ans: A
learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that
has been associated with an unconditioned stimulus.
What are the two types of stimuli involved in classical
conditioning? Ans: Unconditioned stimulus (US) and
conditioned stimulus (CS).
What is an unconditioned response (UR)? Ans: An innate
response triggered by an unconditioned stimulus, such as
salivation in response to food.
What happens during the extinction of a conditioned
response? Ans: The conditioned response diminishes
when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the
unconditioned stimulus.
What is spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning?
Ans: The re-emergence of a conditioned response after a
period of extinction when the conditioned stimulus is
presented again.
What is generalization in the context of classical
conditioning? Ans: The elicitation of a conditioned
response by stimuli that are similar to the original
conditioned stimulus.
What is differentiation in classical conditioning? Ans: The
ability to distinguish between similar stimuli, where only
one elicits a conditioned response.
What did Pavlov mean by 'experimental neurosis'? Ans: A
breakdown in behavior caused by conflicting excitatory
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
and inhibitory processes when stimuli are difficult to
differentiate.
How did Pavlov's work influence the understanding of
abnormal behavior? Ans: He suggested that differences in
responses to conflict could be linked to variations in
types of nervous systems.
What was the impact of Thorndike's work on
behaviorism? Ans: Thorndike's laws of learning from
animal research were applied to human behavior,
contributing to the behaviorist movement.
What was the primary conflict in psychology during the
behaviorist revolution? Ans: The conflict between
introspection-based approaches and the objective study
of behavior.
What did Pavlov initially think about the field of
psychology? Ans: He considered it unscientific and was
hesitant to associate his work with it.
What role did Ivan Pavlov hold at St. Petersburg's Military
Academy? Ans: He was a professor of physiology.
What was the significance of Pavlov's Nobel Prize? Ans: It
brought widespread recognition to his work on classical
conditioning.
What physiological discovery did Eduard Weber make
that influenced Sechenov? Ans: He discovered that
stimulation of the vagus nerve could slow a frog's heart
rate.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4 | Page
What did Sechenov's definition of reflexes include? Ans:
All muscle movements caused by prior events.
How did behaviorism differ from structuralism and
functionalism? Ans: Behaviorism focused solely on
observable behavior, while structuralism and
functionalism included introspective methods.
What is the relationship between excitation and inhibition
in the central nervous system according to Pavlov? Ans:
All activity can be characterized as either excitation or
inhibition.
What did Pavlov's experiments reveal about the nature of
conditioned responses? Ans: Conditioned responses can
be influenced by the context and nature of stimuli.
What was the primary method used by early behaviorists
to study behavior? Ans: Objective measurement of
observable behaviors.
What did the behaviorist revolution emphasize in
psychological research? Ans: The importance of empirical
evidence and observable phenomena over introspection.
What are the two types of central nervous system activity
identified by Pavlov? Ans: Excitation and inhibition
What term did Pavlov use to describe the pattern of brain
activity? Ans: Cortical mosaic
What happens during the process of extinction in
classical conditioning? Ans: The conditioned response
© 2025 All rights reserved
PSYC 331 Exam 2 Questions and
Answers Latest 2026
What is the main focus of behaviorism? Ans: The study
of observable behavior rather than internal mental
processes
Who is considered the founder of Russian objective
psychology? Ans: Ivan Sechenov
What did Ivan Sechenov propose about thoughts and
behavior? Ans: Thoughts do not cause behavior; rather,
behaviors are reflexive and result from external
stimulation
What is the significance of Sechenov's book 'Reflexes of
the Brain'? Ans: It asserted that higher functions are
interleaved between sensory and motor components of
reflexes, allowing for inhibitory control.
What key concept did Sechenov's work confirm? Ans: The
idea that excitation and inhibition of reflexive behavior
could explain all human behavior.
What discovery did Ivan Pavlov make during his research
on digestion? Ans: He discovered innate salivary
responses in dogs, which he termed 'psychic secretions'.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
What is a conditioned reflex according to Pavlov? Ans: A
learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that
has been associated with an unconditioned stimulus.
What are the two types of stimuli involved in classical
conditioning? Ans: Unconditioned stimulus (US) and
conditioned stimulus (CS).
What is an unconditioned response (UR)? Ans: An innate
response triggered by an unconditioned stimulus, such as
salivation in response to food.
What happens during the extinction of a conditioned
response? Ans: The conditioned response diminishes
when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the
unconditioned stimulus.
What is spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning?
Ans: The re-emergence of a conditioned response after a
period of extinction when the conditioned stimulus is
presented again.
What is generalization in the context of classical
conditioning? Ans: The elicitation of a conditioned
response by stimuli that are similar to the original
conditioned stimulus.
What is differentiation in classical conditioning? Ans: The
ability to distinguish between similar stimuli, where only
one elicits a conditioned response.
What did Pavlov mean by 'experimental neurosis'? Ans: A
breakdown in behavior caused by conflicting excitatory
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
and inhibitory processes when stimuli are difficult to
differentiate.
How did Pavlov's work influence the understanding of
abnormal behavior? Ans: He suggested that differences in
responses to conflict could be linked to variations in
types of nervous systems.
What was the impact of Thorndike's work on
behaviorism? Ans: Thorndike's laws of learning from
animal research were applied to human behavior,
contributing to the behaviorist movement.
What was the primary conflict in psychology during the
behaviorist revolution? Ans: The conflict between
introspection-based approaches and the objective study
of behavior.
What did Pavlov initially think about the field of
psychology? Ans: He considered it unscientific and was
hesitant to associate his work with it.
What role did Ivan Pavlov hold at St. Petersburg's Military
Academy? Ans: He was a professor of physiology.
What was the significance of Pavlov's Nobel Prize? Ans: It
brought widespread recognition to his work on classical
conditioning.
What physiological discovery did Eduard Weber make
that influenced Sechenov? Ans: He discovered that
stimulation of the vagus nerve could slow a frog's heart
rate.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4 | Page
What did Sechenov's definition of reflexes include? Ans:
All muscle movements caused by prior events.
How did behaviorism differ from structuralism and
functionalism? Ans: Behaviorism focused solely on
observable behavior, while structuralism and
functionalism included introspective methods.
What is the relationship between excitation and inhibition
in the central nervous system according to Pavlov? Ans:
All activity can be characterized as either excitation or
inhibition.
What did Pavlov's experiments reveal about the nature of
conditioned responses? Ans: Conditioned responses can
be influenced by the context and nature of stimuli.
What was the primary method used by early behaviorists
to study behavior? Ans: Objective measurement of
observable behaviors.
What did the behaviorist revolution emphasize in
psychological research? Ans: The importance of empirical
evidence and observable phenomena over introspection.
What are the two types of central nervous system activity
identified by Pavlov? Ans: Excitation and inhibition
What term did Pavlov use to describe the pattern of brain
activity? Ans: Cortical mosaic
What happens during the process of extinction in
classical conditioning? Ans: The conditioned response
© 2025 All rights reserved
