New York Examination for Professional
Practice in Psychology (EPPP) Practice
Exam Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales
2025|2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf
1. Which neurotransmitter is most associated with the regulation of
mood, appetite, and sleep?
a) Dopamine
b) Norepinephrine
c) Serotonin
d) Acetylcholine
Rationale: Serotonin regulates mood, sleep, and appetite; deficits are
linked to depression.
2. Piaget’s stage in which abstract thinking and hypothetical reasoning
first appear is:
a) Concrete operational
, b) Preoperational
c) Formal operational
d) Sensorimotor
Rationale: The formal operational stage (around age 12+) involves
abstract, logical, and hypothetical thought.
3. In classical conditioning, extinction occurs when:
a) The conditioned response increases
b) The conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned
stimulus
c) Reinforcement is removed after a response
d) A new neutral stimulus is introduced
Rationale: Extinction happens when the CS is repeatedly presented
without the US, weakening the CR.
4. The tendency to attribute others’ behavior to internal factors while
underestimating situational factors is called:
a) Self-serving bias
b) Actor-observer effect
c) Fundamental attribution error
d) Confirmation bias
Rationale: Fundamental attribution error is the overemphasis of
dispositional causes for others’ actions.
5. Which brain structure is primarily responsible for consolidation of new
memories?
, a) Thalamus
b) Hippocampus
c) Amygdala
d) Basal ganglia
Rationale: The hippocampus consolidates short-term into long-term
declarative memories.
6. A patient presents with persistent intrusive thoughts and repetitive
behaviors to reduce anxiety. The most likely DSM-5 diagnosis is:
a) Generalized Anxiety Disorder
b) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
c) Panic Disorder
d) Acute Stress Disorder
Rationale: OCD involves obsessions (intrusive thoughts) and
compulsions (repetitive acts to reduce distress).
7. According to Erikson, the primary psychosocial conflict during
adolescence is:
a) Intimacy vs. isolation
b) Initiative vs. guilt
c) Identity vs. role confusion
d) Autonomy vs. shame
Rationale: Adolescents (ages 12–18) face identity development and
risk role confusion.
, 8. Which type of validity refers to the degree to which a test predicts
future performance?
a) Content validity
b) Construct validity
c) Predictive validity
d) Concurrent validity
Rationale: Predictive validity assesses how well test scores forecast
future behavior or performance.
9. In research, a Type II error occurs when:
a) A true null hypothesis is rejected
b) A false null hypothesis is accepted
c) Results are due to chance alone
d) The sample size is too large
Rationale: Type II error is failing to reject a false null hypothesis
(false negative).
10. Which schedule of reinforcement produces the highest response
rate?
a) Fixed interval
b) Fixed ratio
c) Variable interval
d) Variable ratio
Rationale: Variable ratio schedules (e.g., gambling) create high,
steady response rates resistant to extinction.
Practice in Psychology (EPPP) Practice
Exam Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales
2025|2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf
1. Which neurotransmitter is most associated with the regulation of
mood, appetite, and sleep?
a) Dopamine
b) Norepinephrine
c) Serotonin
d) Acetylcholine
Rationale: Serotonin regulates mood, sleep, and appetite; deficits are
linked to depression.
2. Piaget’s stage in which abstract thinking and hypothetical reasoning
first appear is:
a) Concrete operational
, b) Preoperational
c) Formal operational
d) Sensorimotor
Rationale: The formal operational stage (around age 12+) involves
abstract, logical, and hypothetical thought.
3. In classical conditioning, extinction occurs when:
a) The conditioned response increases
b) The conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned
stimulus
c) Reinforcement is removed after a response
d) A new neutral stimulus is introduced
Rationale: Extinction happens when the CS is repeatedly presented
without the US, weakening the CR.
4. The tendency to attribute others’ behavior to internal factors while
underestimating situational factors is called:
a) Self-serving bias
b) Actor-observer effect
c) Fundamental attribution error
d) Confirmation bias
Rationale: Fundamental attribution error is the overemphasis of
dispositional causes for others’ actions.
5. Which brain structure is primarily responsible for consolidation of new
memories?
, a) Thalamus
b) Hippocampus
c) Amygdala
d) Basal ganglia
Rationale: The hippocampus consolidates short-term into long-term
declarative memories.
6. A patient presents with persistent intrusive thoughts and repetitive
behaviors to reduce anxiety. The most likely DSM-5 diagnosis is:
a) Generalized Anxiety Disorder
b) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
c) Panic Disorder
d) Acute Stress Disorder
Rationale: OCD involves obsessions (intrusive thoughts) and
compulsions (repetitive acts to reduce distress).
7. According to Erikson, the primary psychosocial conflict during
adolescence is:
a) Intimacy vs. isolation
b) Initiative vs. guilt
c) Identity vs. role confusion
d) Autonomy vs. shame
Rationale: Adolescents (ages 12–18) face identity development and
risk role confusion.
, 8. Which type of validity refers to the degree to which a test predicts
future performance?
a) Content validity
b) Construct validity
c) Predictive validity
d) Concurrent validity
Rationale: Predictive validity assesses how well test scores forecast
future behavior or performance.
9. In research, a Type II error occurs when:
a) A true null hypothesis is rejected
b) A false null hypothesis is accepted
c) Results are due to chance alone
d) The sample size is too large
Rationale: Type II error is failing to reject a false null hypothesis
(false negative).
10. Which schedule of reinforcement produces the highest response
rate?
a) Fixed interval
b) Fixed ratio
c) Variable interval
d) Variable ratio
Rationale: Variable ratio schedules (e.g., gambling) create high,
steady response rates resistant to extinction.
