PSYC 2301 Exam #1 Questions with
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Section 1: History & Schools of Thought (Questions 1–20)
1. Who is credited with establishing the first experimental
psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany in 1879?
A. William James
B. Sigmund Freud
C. Wilhelm Wundt
D. John B. Watson
Correct Answer: C – Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology
laboratory in 1879, marking psychology's emergence as a separate
scientific discipline.
2. The school of psychology that focused on identifying the basic
elements (structures) of conscious experience using introspection is
called:
A. Functionalism
B. Structuralism
C. Behaviorism
,D. Psychoanalysis
Correct Answer: B – Structuralism (Titchener, influenced by Wundt)
aimed to break down consciousness into its basic components.
3. William James and John Dewey were major figures in which
school of psychology that emphasized the adaptive purpose of
consciousness?
A. Structuralism
B. Functionalism
C. Gestalt psychology
D. Behaviorism
Correct Answer: B – Functionalism (influenced by Darwin's evolution)
focused on how mental processes help organisms adapt to their
environment.
4. The statement "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" is
a core principle of which school of psychology?
A. Structuralism
B. Behaviorism
C. Gestalt psychology
D. Psychoanalysis
Correct Answer: C – Gestalt psychology (Wertheimer, Köhler, Koffka)
emphasized that perception is organized into wholes, not just the sum of
sensory parts.
5. Which psychologist is most associated with behaviorism and the
"Little Albert" experiment?
,A. B.F. Skinner
B. John B. Watson
C. Ivan Pavlov
D. Edward Thorndike
Correct Answer: B – Watson founded behaviorism and demonstrated
conditioned fear in the "Little Albert" experiment with Rosalie Rayner.
6. Sigmund Freud is best known for his theory of:
A. Operant conditioning
B. The unconscious mind, psychosexual stages, and defense mechanisms
C. Self-actualization
D. Cognitive dissonance
Correct Answer: B – Freud's psychoanalytic theory emphasized
unconscious drives, childhood sexuality, and defense mechanisms.
7. Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers are associated with which
school of psychology?
A. Behaviorism
B. Psychoanalysis
C. Humanistic psychology
D. Cognitive psychology
Correct Answer: C – Humanistic psychology focused on free will, self-
actualization, and the inherent drive toward growth.
8. The cognitive revolution in psychology (1950s–1960s) shifted
focus back to:
A. Observable behavior only
, B. Mental processes such as memory, thinking, and problem-solving
C. Unconscious drives
D. Brain structure only
Correct Answer: B – Cognitive psychology returned to the study of
mental processes, influenced by computer science and neuroscience.
9. Who is considered the father of modern behaviorism known for
operant conditioning (reinforcement and punishment)?
A. John B. Watson
B. Ivan Pavlov
C. B.F. Skinner
D. Edward Thorndike
Correct Answer: C – Skinner developed operant conditioning,
emphasizing how consequences (reinforcers, punishers) shape behavior.
10. Which perspective in psychology emphasizes the role of
genetics, neurotransmitters, and brain structures in behavior?
A. Behavioral perspective
B. Biological (neuroscience) perspective
C. Humanistic perspective
D. Psychodynamic perspective
Correct Answer: B – The biological perspective examines physiological,
genetic, and evolutionary bases of behavior.
11. Mary Whiton Calkins is known for:
A. First female president of the APA
B. Research on memory and the self
Correct Answers and Rationales | Instant
Pdf Download 2026
Section 1: History & Schools of Thought (Questions 1–20)
1. Who is credited with establishing the first experimental
psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany in 1879?
A. William James
B. Sigmund Freud
C. Wilhelm Wundt
D. John B. Watson
Correct Answer: C – Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology
laboratory in 1879, marking psychology's emergence as a separate
scientific discipline.
2. The school of psychology that focused on identifying the basic
elements (structures) of conscious experience using introspection is
called:
A. Functionalism
B. Structuralism
C. Behaviorism
,D. Psychoanalysis
Correct Answer: B – Structuralism (Titchener, influenced by Wundt)
aimed to break down consciousness into its basic components.
3. William James and John Dewey were major figures in which
school of psychology that emphasized the adaptive purpose of
consciousness?
A. Structuralism
B. Functionalism
C. Gestalt psychology
D. Behaviorism
Correct Answer: B – Functionalism (influenced by Darwin's evolution)
focused on how mental processes help organisms adapt to their
environment.
4. The statement "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" is
a core principle of which school of psychology?
A. Structuralism
B. Behaviorism
C. Gestalt psychology
D. Psychoanalysis
Correct Answer: C – Gestalt psychology (Wertheimer, Köhler, Koffka)
emphasized that perception is organized into wholes, not just the sum of
sensory parts.
5. Which psychologist is most associated with behaviorism and the
"Little Albert" experiment?
,A. B.F. Skinner
B. John B. Watson
C. Ivan Pavlov
D. Edward Thorndike
Correct Answer: B – Watson founded behaviorism and demonstrated
conditioned fear in the "Little Albert" experiment with Rosalie Rayner.
6. Sigmund Freud is best known for his theory of:
A. Operant conditioning
B. The unconscious mind, psychosexual stages, and defense mechanisms
C. Self-actualization
D. Cognitive dissonance
Correct Answer: B – Freud's psychoanalytic theory emphasized
unconscious drives, childhood sexuality, and defense mechanisms.
7. Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers are associated with which
school of psychology?
A. Behaviorism
B. Psychoanalysis
C. Humanistic psychology
D. Cognitive psychology
Correct Answer: C – Humanistic psychology focused on free will, self-
actualization, and the inherent drive toward growth.
8. The cognitive revolution in psychology (1950s–1960s) shifted
focus back to:
A. Observable behavior only
, B. Mental processes such as memory, thinking, and problem-solving
C. Unconscious drives
D. Brain structure only
Correct Answer: B – Cognitive psychology returned to the study of
mental processes, influenced by computer science and neuroscience.
9. Who is considered the father of modern behaviorism known for
operant conditioning (reinforcement and punishment)?
A. John B. Watson
B. Ivan Pavlov
C. B.F. Skinner
D. Edward Thorndike
Correct Answer: C – Skinner developed operant conditioning,
emphasizing how consequences (reinforcers, punishers) shape behavior.
10. Which perspective in psychology emphasizes the role of
genetics, neurotransmitters, and brain structures in behavior?
A. Behavioral perspective
B. Biological (neuroscience) perspective
C. Humanistic perspective
D. Psychodynamic perspective
Correct Answer: B – The biological perspective examines physiological,
genetic, and evolutionary bases of behavior.
11. Mary Whiton Calkins is known for:
A. First female president of the APA
B. Research on memory and the self
