Which of the following subfields of psychology is correctly matched with a sample topic?

• A. Social psychology: Exploring the effects of neurotransmitters on memory formation
• B. Cognitive psychology: Treating phobias using exposure therapy
• C. Clinical psychology: Investigating the neural basis of visual perception
• D. Developmental psychology: Studying how children acquire language skills over time

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the main focus of each psychology subfield mentioned. Social psychology studies how people interact and influence each other, cognitive psychology focuses on mental processes like memory and perception, clinical psychology deals with diagnosing and treating mental disorders, and developmental psychology examines how people grow and change over their lifespan.
2. Step 2: Analyze the sample topics given for each subfield to see if they align with the subfield's focus. For example, neurotransmitters and memory formation relate to brain chemistry and cognition, which fits cognitive or biological psychology rather than social psychology.
3. Step 3: Evaluate the example of treating phobias using exposure therapy. This is a therapeutic technique, which fits clinical psychology rather than cognitive psychology, which is more about understanding mental processes than treatment.
4. Step 4: Consider the investigation of the neural basis of visual perception. This topic involves brain function and sensory processing, which aligns more with cognitive or biological psychology rather than clinical psychology.
5. Step 5: Confirm that studying how children acquire language skills over time fits developmental psychology, as it involves understanding changes and growth in behavior and abilities across the lifespan.