Question 1

Which of the following best describes the main goals of psychology?

Accepted Answer

To observe, describe, explain, predict, and control behavior and mental processes.

Question 2

A researcher wants to test whether a new teaching method improves student performance. She randomly assigns students to two groups: one uses the new method, the other uses the traditional method. At the end of the semester, she compares their test scores. In this experiment, what is the independent variable?

Accepted Answer

The teaching method used

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a criterion for critical thinking in psychology?

Accepted Answer

Accepting claims based on authority alone

Question 4

A psychologist is interested in the relationship between hours of sleep and academic performance. She finds that as hours of sleep increase, academic performance also increases. What type of correlation is this, and how is it represented mathematically?

Accepted Answer

Positive correlation; $$r \u003e 0$$

Question 5

Which brain structure is primarily responsible for regulating basic life functions such as breathing and heart rate?

Accepted Answer

Medulla (in the brain stem)

Question 6

A patient suffers damage to the occipital lobe. Which function is most likely to be affected?

Accepted Answer

Vision

Question 7

Which of the following best illustrates top-down processing in perception?

Accepted Answer

Recognizing a friend's face in a crowd based on prior knowledge

Question 8

Which sleep disorder is characterized by sudden, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the day?

Accepted Answer

Narcolepsy

Question 9

According to Freud, the manifest content of a dream refers to:

Accepted Answer

The actual storyline and events of the dream

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of negative reinforcement?

Accepted Answer

Taking away chores when a teenager gets good grades

Question 11

A person learns to associate the sound of a bell with food, eventually salivating at the sound alone. In classical conditioning, what is the bell after conditioning?

Accepted Answer

Conditioned stimulus

Question 12

Which brain imaging method is best for detecting changes in brain activity over time by measuring blood flow?

Accepted Answer

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Question 13

Which of the following best describes learned helplessness?

Accepted Answer

Failing to escape from a negative situation due to repeated exposure to uncontrollable events

Question 14

A researcher wants to generalize her findings to all college students in the U.S. She selects a group of 200 students from various universities. In research terminology, what is this group called?

Accepted Answer

Sample

Question 15

Which schedule of reinforcement produces the highest and most consistent rate of responding?

Accepted Answer

Variable ratio

Question 16

Which of the following is a key ethical principle in psychological research involving human subjects?

Accepted Answer

Participants must give informed consent

Question 17

Which type of neuron carries information from the senses to the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Sensory neuron

Question 18

Which of the following best illustrates the difference between sensation and perception?

Accepted Answer

Sensation is the detection of physical energy by sensory receptors; perception is the interpretation of that energy.

Question 19

Which of the following drugs is classified as a depressant and is known to slow down the activity of the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Alcohol

Question 20

A child observes her older sibling being praised for cleaning their room and then begins to clean her own room. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Observational learning

Comprehensive Study Notes: Foundations of Psychology (Chapters 1–5)

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards