PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICE EXAM
REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The Gestalt psychologists believed that breaking a whole perception into its building
blocks, as advocated by the structuralists, would result in the loss of ____. - Answer-
Important psychological information
Who contributed ideas about the unconscious mind, the development of sexuality,
dream analysis, the psychological roots of abnormal behavior, personality, and therapy?
- Answer-Sigmund Freud
An approach to psychology that features the study and careful measurement of
observable behaviors is called ____. - Answer-Behaviorism
Wilhelm Wundt's student, Edward Titchener, developed an approach in which the mind
is broken into the smallest elements of mental experience. What was this called? -
Answer-Structuralism
Who is the American psychologist who proposed the functionalist approach and whose
textbook Principles of Psychology dominated the field of psychology for 50 years after
its publication? - Answer-William James
Describe Gestalt theory? - Answer-The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Which of the following statements about Freud's work is true? - Answer-His theories
don't lend themselves to experimentation
A leading behaviorist who first explored classical conditioning was ____. - Answer-Ivan
Petrovich Pavlov
Titchener's approach to psychology paralleled which of the following trends of his day? -
Answer-Efforts in chemistry to break molecules into elements
Throughout his discussions of mental processes and behavior, William James
emphasized the role of ____. - Answer-Evolution
William and Max are discussing how younger and older people respond to lighter or
darker skin on a person. William says they should use fMRI (functional magnetic
resonance imaging) to study older and younger participants' brains to find out which
areas are "firing" when they see images of people with darker skin and lighter skin.
Max believes only looking at participants' brains will result in a loss of some important
details that might also affect the participants, such as their level of income and exposure
,to people from different cultures. Which of the following is a true statement about these
students? - Answer-Max is espousing Gestalt psychology
Humanistic psychologists believed that ____. - Answer-people behave badly only when
corrupted by society
What is the psychological perspective that focuses on the relationships among mind,
behavior, and their underlying biological processes, including genetics, biochemistry,
anatomy, and physiology? - Answer-Biological psychology
The psychological perspective that investigates how physical structure and behavior
have been shaped by their contributions to survival and reproduction is called ____
psychology. - Answer-Evolutionary
The psychological perspective that investigates information processing, thinking,
reasoning, and problem solving is called ____. - Answer-Cognitive psychology
The psychological perspective that examines the effects of one's environment on the
behavior of individuals is called ____ psychology. - Answer-Social
The psychological perspective that examines the normal changes in behavior that occur
across the life span is called ____. - Answer-Developmental psychology
The psychological perspective that seeks to explain, define, and treat abnormal
behaviors is called ____. - Answer-Clinical psychology
In the 1970s, what initiated an explosion of knowledge about the connections between
brain and behavior? - Answer-New methods for observing brain activity
An evolutionary psychologist would be most interested in the question of ____. -
Answer-Whether there is an adaptive reason why men tend to gamble more than
women
Our judicial system relies heavily on eyewitness testimony; however, ________ would
say that eyewitness testimony can be shaped by a community's perceptions of race and
culture.
A - Answer-Social psychology
Using the developmental perspective, a psychologist might look at whether the loss of a
parent ____. - Answer-Is experienced differently at different ages
More recently, clinical and counseling psychologists have expanded their perspective to
include ____. - Answer-The promotion of general well-being
, Sam is an evolutionary psychologist. Which of the following is likely to be a study he
would author? - Answer-
Many of the new ways of looking at the mind take advantage of the revolution in
techniques for studying the brain; for example, ____ currently investigate the biological
factors that vary along with people's feelings and experiences of social inclusion,
rejection, or loneliness. - Answer-Social neuroscientists
Alejandro is developing a research study to address the question of whether 4-year-olds
who are asked to delay gratification (e.g., to delay eating candy) perform differently in
solitude compared with a setting in which they are with other 4-year-olds. Which
combination of research perspectives would be best for this study? - Answer-
Developmental psychology and social psychology
When you think of a person visiting a psychologist, sitting on a couch, and talking about
a problem he is experiencing, you're thinking about which type of psychology? -
Answer-Clinical
The mapping done by Kevin Boyack and colleagues shows that psychology is one of
the major hub sciences, with strong connections to the ____. - Answer-Medical
sciences, the social sciences, and education
Walter is applying to graduate programs in psychology and is curious about current
trends in the field. What trend is occurring in many psychology graduate school
programs? - Answer-Students are being trained in combined specialties.
Susan is trying to decide between teaching at the nearby community college or
obtaining a therapist's license. What is the minimum degree required for these
positions? - Answer-Master's degree
The diversity of career pathways for those with degrees in psychology reflects, in
relation to other disciplines, that psychology is ____. - Answer-A hub
The highest percentage of doctoral-level psychologists work ____. - Answer-As
therapists
Josh has a doctoral degree in psychology and is a therapist in New York. His sister
Sarah has a medical degree and is in a residency program for psychiatry. Currently, the
biggest difference between the two professions is that, in contrast to Josh, Sarah can
____. - Answer-Prescribe medication
Eric has held a part-time job in a community mental health center throughout college.
He values his interactions with the clients and is known for remaining calm during high-
stress situations at the clinic. He may be most interested in the ____ track of
psychology. - Answer-Clinical or Counseling
REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The Gestalt psychologists believed that breaking a whole perception into its building
blocks, as advocated by the structuralists, would result in the loss of ____. - Answer-
Important psychological information
Who contributed ideas about the unconscious mind, the development of sexuality,
dream analysis, the psychological roots of abnormal behavior, personality, and therapy?
- Answer-Sigmund Freud
An approach to psychology that features the study and careful measurement of
observable behaviors is called ____. - Answer-Behaviorism
Wilhelm Wundt's student, Edward Titchener, developed an approach in which the mind
is broken into the smallest elements of mental experience. What was this called? -
Answer-Structuralism
Who is the American psychologist who proposed the functionalist approach and whose
textbook Principles of Psychology dominated the field of psychology for 50 years after
its publication? - Answer-William James
Describe Gestalt theory? - Answer-The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Which of the following statements about Freud's work is true? - Answer-His theories
don't lend themselves to experimentation
A leading behaviorist who first explored classical conditioning was ____. - Answer-Ivan
Petrovich Pavlov
Titchener's approach to psychology paralleled which of the following trends of his day? -
Answer-Efforts in chemistry to break molecules into elements
Throughout his discussions of mental processes and behavior, William James
emphasized the role of ____. - Answer-Evolution
William and Max are discussing how younger and older people respond to lighter or
darker skin on a person. William says they should use fMRI (functional magnetic
resonance imaging) to study older and younger participants' brains to find out which
areas are "firing" when they see images of people with darker skin and lighter skin.
Max believes only looking at participants' brains will result in a loss of some important
details that might also affect the participants, such as their level of income and exposure
,to people from different cultures. Which of the following is a true statement about these
students? - Answer-Max is espousing Gestalt psychology
Humanistic psychologists believed that ____. - Answer-people behave badly only when
corrupted by society
What is the psychological perspective that focuses on the relationships among mind,
behavior, and their underlying biological processes, including genetics, biochemistry,
anatomy, and physiology? - Answer-Biological psychology
The psychological perspective that investigates how physical structure and behavior
have been shaped by their contributions to survival and reproduction is called ____
psychology. - Answer-Evolutionary
The psychological perspective that investigates information processing, thinking,
reasoning, and problem solving is called ____. - Answer-Cognitive psychology
The psychological perspective that examines the effects of one's environment on the
behavior of individuals is called ____ psychology. - Answer-Social
The psychological perspective that examines the normal changes in behavior that occur
across the life span is called ____. - Answer-Developmental psychology
The psychological perspective that seeks to explain, define, and treat abnormal
behaviors is called ____. - Answer-Clinical psychology
In the 1970s, what initiated an explosion of knowledge about the connections between
brain and behavior? - Answer-New methods for observing brain activity
An evolutionary psychologist would be most interested in the question of ____. -
Answer-Whether there is an adaptive reason why men tend to gamble more than
women
Our judicial system relies heavily on eyewitness testimony; however, ________ would
say that eyewitness testimony can be shaped by a community's perceptions of race and
culture.
A - Answer-Social psychology
Using the developmental perspective, a psychologist might look at whether the loss of a
parent ____. - Answer-Is experienced differently at different ages
More recently, clinical and counseling psychologists have expanded their perspective to
include ____. - Answer-The promotion of general well-being
, Sam is an evolutionary psychologist. Which of the following is likely to be a study he
would author? - Answer-
Many of the new ways of looking at the mind take advantage of the revolution in
techniques for studying the brain; for example, ____ currently investigate the biological
factors that vary along with people's feelings and experiences of social inclusion,
rejection, or loneliness. - Answer-Social neuroscientists
Alejandro is developing a research study to address the question of whether 4-year-olds
who are asked to delay gratification (e.g., to delay eating candy) perform differently in
solitude compared with a setting in which they are with other 4-year-olds. Which
combination of research perspectives would be best for this study? - Answer-
Developmental psychology and social psychology
When you think of a person visiting a psychologist, sitting on a couch, and talking about
a problem he is experiencing, you're thinking about which type of psychology? -
Answer-Clinical
The mapping done by Kevin Boyack and colleagues shows that psychology is one of
the major hub sciences, with strong connections to the ____. - Answer-Medical
sciences, the social sciences, and education
Walter is applying to graduate programs in psychology and is curious about current
trends in the field. What trend is occurring in many psychology graduate school
programs? - Answer-Students are being trained in combined specialties.
Susan is trying to decide between teaching at the nearby community college or
obtaining a therapist's license. What is the minimum degree required for these
positions? - Answer-Master's degree
The diversity of career pathways for those with degrees in psychology reflects, in
relation to other disciplines, that psychology is ____. - Answer-A hub
The highest percentage of doctoral-level psychologists work ____. - Answer-As
therapists
Josh has a doctoral degree in psychology and is a therapist in New York. His sister
Sarah has a medical degree and is in a residency program for psychiatry. Currently, the
biggest difference between the two professions is that, in contrast to Josh, Sarah can
____. - Answer-Prescribe medication
Eric has held a part-time job in a community mental health center throughout college.
He values his interactions with the clients and is known for remaining calm during high-
stress situations at the clinic. He may be most interested in the ____ track of
psychology. - Answer-Clinical or Counseling
