Question 1

Which of the following best describes the primary focus of psychology as a scientific discipline?

Accepted Answer

The study of mental processes and behavior through systematic observation and experimentation.

Question 2

A psychologist is interested in whether breast-fed babies are more alert than bottle-fed babies. Which characteristic makes this question scientific?

Accepted Answer

It can be tested with empirical data.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of confirmation bias?

Accepted Answer

Ignoring evidence that contradicts your beliefs and only seeking information that supports them.

Question 4

Naive realism is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

The belief that our perceptions of the world are always accurate and objective.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is an example of a testable scientific question?

Accepted Answer

Do people talk more after drinking alcohol than when they are sober?

Question 6

A student claims, 'The earth seems flat, so it must be flat.' This is an example of which psychological concept?

Accepted Answer

Naive realism

Question 7

Which of the following best illustrates the perseverance effect?

Accepted Answer

Continuing to believe a myth about memory even after being shown scientific evidence to the contrary.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a reliable way to gain knowledge according to scientific psychology?

Accepted Answer

Appeal to authority

Question 9

A researcher wants to know if jogging leads to a positive mood. Which of the following would be the best scientific approach?

Accepted Answer

Conduct an experiment measuring mood before and after jogging.

Question 10

Which of the following best describes the difference between science and religion/spirituality as discussed in the study materials?

Accepted Answer

Science relies on testable data, while religion/spirituality relies on untestable data.

Question 11

Which of the following proverbs best illustrates the concept of 'confirmation bias' when used to support a pre-existing belief?

Accepted Answer

'Birds of a feather flock together' when used to justify why similar people become friends.

Question 12

A psychologist is skeptical of a claim that 'actions speak louder than words.' What is the most scientific way to evaluate this claim?

Accepted Answer

Test the claim by collecting data on how people respond to actions versus words in real-life situations.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of a hypothesis that can be tested using the scientific method?

Accepted Answer

People who sleep more than 8 hours a night have better memory recall.

Question 14

If a person believes that everyone sees the world exactly as they do, which psychological concept are they demonstrating?

Accepted Answer

Naive realism

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the scientific approach to understanding human behavior?

Accepted Answer

Using systematic observation and empirical evidence to test hypotheses.

Question 16

A student insists that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' is always true, despite evidence to the contrary. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Perseverance effect

Question 17

Which of the following is a key safeguard against confirmation bias in scientific research?

Accepted Answer

Using systematic observation and peer review.

Question 18

A researcher wants to know if people are more moral now than in the past. Why is this question difficult to answer scientifically?

Accepted Answer

It is difficult to operationally define and measure morality across different times.

Question 19

Which of the following best illustrates the use of the scientific method in psychology?

Accepted Answer

Formulating a hypothesis, collecting data, analyzing results, and drawing conclusions.

Question 20

If a psychologist wants to test whether 'two heads are better than one,' which of the following would be the most appropriate scientific approach?

Accepted Answer

Conduct an experiment comparing problem-solving performance of individuals and pairs.

Introduction to Psychology: Foundations and Scientific Thinking

Study Guide - Practice Questions