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A midterm exam or practice questions for an introductory psychology course. It covers a wide range of topics in psychology, including the history of the field, research methods, the nervous system, sleep and dreams, drug use and addiction, and developmental psychology. The questions test the student's understanding of key concepts, theories, and research findings in these areas. The document could be useful for university students taking an introductory psychology course as study notes, lecture notes, or exam preparation material. It provides a comprehensive overview of the core topics typically covered in an intro psych class and could help students review and reinforce their knowledge before a midterm or final exam.
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The early school of thought that used introspection to reveal the mind's makeup was called A. behaviorism B. cognitive neuroscience C. structuralism D. evolutionary psychology - C. structuralism Wilhelm Wundt's laboratory work involved experimental studies of A. personality development. B. social influence. C. animal intelligence. D. mental processes. - D. mental processes. Correlational research is most useful for purposes of A. explanation. B. control. C. replication. D. prediction. - D. prediction. In a psychological experiment, the experimental factor that is manipulated by the investigator is called the ________ variable. A. dependent B. independent C. control D. experimental - B. independent
Our tendency to believe we know more than we do best illustrates A. critical thinking. B. overconfidence. C. curious skepticism. D. creativity. - B. overconfidence. The view that psychology should be an objective science that studies observable human activity without reference to mental processes is known as A. behaviorism. B. positive psychology. C. cognitive neuroscience. D. humanistic psychology. - A. behaviorism. This subfield works to create social and physical environments that are healthy for all. A. Clinical psychologist B. Psychiatrist C. Community psychologists D. Marriage and family therapists - C. Community psychologists A hypothesis is a(n) A. testable prediction that gives direction to research. B. set of principles that organizes observations and explains newly discovered facts. C. unprovable assumption about the unobservable processes that underlie psychological functioning. D. observable relationship between specific independent and dependent variables. - A. testable prediction that gives direction to research. The case study is a research method in which
A. organisms are carefully observed in a laboratory environment. B. a representative sample of people are questioned regarding their opinions or behaviors. C. an investigator manipulates one or more variables that might affect behavior. D. a single individual or group is studied in great depth. - D. a single individual or group is studied in great depth. Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow promoted a historically significant approach known as A. cognitive neuroscience. B. behavior genetics. C. behaviorism. D. humanistic psychology. - D. humanistic psychology. The hindsight bias refers to people's tendency to A. dismiss the value of skepticism. B. overestimate the extent to which others share their opinions. C. exaggerate their ability to have foreseen an outcome. D. reject any ideas that can't be scientifically tested. - C. exaggerate their ability to have foreseen an outcome. The survival of organisms best suited to a particular environment is known as A. functionalism. B. behavior genetics. C. natural selection. D. structuralism. - C. natural selection. The specialist most likely to have a medical degree is a A. personality psychologist. B. developmental psychologist. C. clinical psychologist.
D. psychiatrist. - D. psychiatrist. What are the three key elements of the scientific attitude? A. Assumption, overconfidence, guessing B. Assumption, overconfidence, testing C. Curiosity, skepticism, humility D. Humility, curiosity, assumption - C. Curiosity, skepticism, humility The illusion that uncontrollable events are correlated with our actions is facilitated by a phenomenon known as A. the correlation coefficient. B. random assignment. C. regression toward the mean. D. replication. - C. regression toward the mean. A theory is an explanation using an integrated set of principles that ________ observations and ________ behaviors or events. A. questions; surveys B. replicates; controls C. organizes; predicts D. randomly samples; randomly assigns - C. organizes; predicts Testing hypotheses and refining theories is central to A. debriefing. B. regression toward the mean. C. the scientific method. D. informed consent. - C. the scientific method.
Which of the following processes typically takes place shortly after people complete their participation in a research study? A. random assignment B. informed consent C. the double-blind procedure D. debriefing - D. debriefing Governor Donovan was greeted by large, enthusiastic crowds at all of his political rallies. As a result, he became overconfident about his chances of reelection. In this instance, the governor needs to be alerted to the value of A. replication. B. random sampling. C. experimental control. D. naturalistic observation. - B. random sampling. Ethical principles developed by psychologists urge investigators to A. avoid the use of animals in experimental research. B. minimize the use of the double-blind procedure with human research participants. C. treat information about individual research participants confidentially. D. avoid the use of financial incentives in any kind of research. - C. treat information about individual research participants confidentially. The motor cortex is located in the ________ lobes. A. occipital B. temporal C. frontal D. parietal - C. frontal
Neurotransmitters are released from knob-like terminals at the end of the A. dendrites. B. cell body. C. axon. D. myelin sheath. - C. axon. The occipital lobes are to ________ as the temporal lobes are to ________. A. hearing; sensing movement B. seeing; sensing touch C. seeing; hearing D. speaking; hearing - C. seeing; hearing SSRIs relieve depression by partially blocking the reuptake of A. acetylcholine. B. serotonin. C. dopamine. D. glutamate. - B. serotonin. The chemical messengers released into the spatial junctions between neurons are called A. hormones. B. neurotransmitters. C. synapses. D. genes. - B. neurotransmitters. Hormones are the chemical messengers of the A. autonomic nervous system. B. somatic nervous system.
C. endocrine system. D. central nervous system. - C. endocrine system. The classic case of railroad worker Phineas Gage best illustrated that frontal lobe damage can A. trigger muscle spasms. B. enhance moral reasoning skills. C. alter one's personality. D. facilitate neurogenesis. - C. alter one's personality. The corpus callosum is a wide band of axon fibers that A. enables the left hemisphere to control the right side of the body. B. transmits information between the cerebral hemispheres. C. controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs. D. transfers neural impulses from the somatosensory cortex to the motor cortex. - B. transmits information between the cerebral hemispheres. Simple reflexes are controlled by the A. cerebral cortex. B. spinal cord. C. amygdala D. pons. - B. spinal cord. An action potential is generated by the movement of A. glial cells. B. glands. C. vesicles. D. ions. - D. ions.
Where is the temporal lobe located? A. behind the forehead B. at the back of the head C. on the top of the head D. just above the ears - D. just above the ears The function of dendrites is to A. receive incoming signals from other neurons. B. control pain through the release of opiate-like chemicals into the brain. C. release neurotransmitters into the spatial junctions between neurons. D. coordinate the activation of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. - A. receive incoming signals from other neurons. Phrenology highlighted the presumed functions of A. specific brain regions. B. synaptic gaps. C. endorphins. D. the myelin sheath. - A. specific brain regions. Which lobes of the brain receive the input that enables you to feel someone scratching your back? A. parietal B. temporal C. occipital D. frontal - A. parietal The autonomic nervous system most directly controls A. speech production.
B. thinking and memory. C. movement of the arms and legs. D. bladder contractions. - D. bladder contractions. An axon is A. a cell that serves as the basic building block of the nervous system. B. a layer of fatty tissue that encases the fibers of many neurons. C. a molecule that blocks neurotransmitter receptor sites. D. the extension of a neuron that carries messages away from the cell body. - D. the extension of a neuron that carries messages away from the cell body. Speech is processed primarily in the right hemisphere by the ________ of those who are left-handed and by the ________ of those who are right-handed. A. minority; minority B. majority; majority C. minority; majority D. majority; minority - A. minority; minority The two major divisions of the nervous system are the central and the ________ nervous systems. A. autonomic B. sympathetic C. somatic D. peripheral - D. peripheral Reuptake refers to the A. movement of neurotransmitter molecules across a synaptic gap. B. release of hormones into the bloodstream. C. inflow of positively charged ions through an axon membrane.
D. reabsorption of excess neurotransmitter molecules by a sending neuron. - D. reabsorption of excess neurotransmitter molecules by a sending neuron. The amygdala is responsible for the regulation of A. survival mechanisms. B. hunger. C. balance. D. emotion. - D. emotion. Consciousness is defined as A. the ability to solve problems, reason, and remember. B. the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information. C. our awareness of ourselves and our environment. D. effortless processing of incidental information into memory. - C. our awareness of ourselves and our environment. The simultaneous processing of information at both conscious and unconscious levels is called A. the popout phenomenon. B. the cocktail party effect. C. dual processing. D. selective attention. - C. dual processing. A condition in which a person can response to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it is called A. parallel processing. B. inattentional blindness. C. blindsight. D. the cocktail party effect. - C. blindsight.
The periodic, natural loss of consciousness is called A. sleep B. coma C. hibernation D. REM - A. sleep Circadian rhythm refers to A. the cycle of four distinct stages that we experience during a normal night's sleep. B. the pattern of emotional ups and downs we routinely experience. C. a pattern of biological functioning that occurs on a roughly 24-hour cycle. D. the experience of sleep apnea following a lengthy transoceanic plane flight. - C. a pattern of biological functioning that occurs on a roughly 24-hour cycle. Fast and jerky movements of the eyes are especially likely to be associated with A. sleep apnea. B. narcolepsy. C. sleep spindles. D. REM sleep. - D. REM sleep. Sleep deprivation ________ the production of body fat by ________ levels of the stress hormone cortisol. A. stimulates; increasing B. stimulates; decreasing C. inhibits; decreasing D. inhibits; increasing - A. stimulates; increasing College and university students are especially sleep deprived; 69% in one national survey reported
A. narcolepsy and nightmares B. feeling tired or having little energy on more days in the last two weeks C. REM rebound. D. sleep apnea. - B. feeling tired or having little energy on more days in the last two weeks A sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, occurs during NREM-3 sleep, within 2 or 3 hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered is called A. narcolepsy B. insomnia C. sleep apnea D. night terrors - D. night terrors Depressants are drugs such as A. nicotine and caffeine. B. cocaine and amphetamines. C. marijuana and LSD. D. barbiturates and opiates. - D. barbiturates and opiates. The discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or behavior is called A. addiction B. tolerance C. withdrawal D. depressants - C. withdrawal Research on the use of addictive drugs indicates that A. less than one-third of Americans who have ever smoked cigarettes have ever quit.
B. regular marijuana smokers typically need to take progressively larger doses to feel the same effect. C. many people do voluntarily stop using addictive drugs without any treatment. D. the majority of people who try cocaine become addicted within 10 years of first use. - C. many people do voluntarily stop using addictive drugs without any treatment. During sleep, memories stored in the ________ are moved to permanent storage in areas of the cortex. A. thalamus B. suprachiasmatic nucleus C. amygdala D. hippocampus - D. hippocampus While driving to work, John was so focused on his cell-phone conversation that he inadvertently drove through a red light and hit another vehicle. John's experience best illustrates the impact of A. blindsight. B. popout. C. the cocktail party effect. D. selective attention. - D. selective attention. Which of the following is a psychedelic drug? A. LSD B. cocaine C. heroin D. nicotine - A. LSD Narcolepsy is a disorder in which a person A. temporarily stops breathing during sleep. B. has sudden uncontrollable seizures.
C. experiences uncontrollable attacks of overwhelming sleepiness. D. has difficulty falling and staying asleep. - C. experiences uncontrollable attacks of overwhelming sleepiness. Sitting up in bed, talking nonsense, and appearing highly distressed during REM-3 sleep is most characteristic of A. narcolepsy. B. sleep apnea. C. night terrors. D. REM rebound. - C. night terrors. Chronic sleep deprivation is most likely to contribute to A. weight loss. B. increased creativity. C. suppression of the immune system. D. decreased blood pressure. - C. suppression of the immune system. François was dismayed to discover that some of his football teammates were using drugs to enhance their footwork and endurance on the playing field. Which of the following drugs were the players most likely using? A. morphine derivatives B. marijuana C. amphetamines D. barbiturates - C. amphetamines After suffering a trauma, people commonly report nightmares. One of the benefits of these nightmares is that they help A. prevent paradoxical sleep. B. reduce sleep apnea.
C. increase REM rebound. D. extinguish daytime fears. - D. extinguish daytime fears. Social learning theory is A. the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind. B. the study of how the structure and function of genes interact with our environment to influence behavior. C. the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior. D. the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished. - D. the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished. Twin studies suggest that the risk of having autism spectrum disorder is influenced by A. chromosomes. B. free-floating stress hormones. C. heredity. D. organic methyl molecules. - C. heredity. Gender identity refers to A. a person's biological sex. B. the sense of being male or female. C. the set of expected behaviors for males or for females. D. how masculine a boy is or how feminine a girl is. - B. the sense of being male or female. By puberty, ________ results in a massive loss of unused neural connections. A. the pruning process B. genetic predisposition C. plasticity
D. a selection effect - A. the pruning process A human egg contains ________ chromosome and a human sperm contains ________ chromosome. A. a Y; either an X or a Y B. either an X or a Y; an X C. an X; either an X or a Y D. either an X or a Y; a Y - C. an X; either an X or a Y Cathy is an emotionally intense infant and unpredictable in her sleeping schedule. Christine is a very relaxed infant and predictable in her sleeping schedule. The two children most clearly differ in A. epigenetic marks. B. heritability. C. temperament. D. extraversion. - C. temperament. Children in adoptive homes are ________ likely than average to experience parental neglect and abuse. They have typically grown up to be ________ altruistic than average. A. more; less B. more; more C. less; less D. less; more - D. less; more Identical twins originate from the fertilization of A. a single egg cell by a single sperm cell. B. two egg cells by a single sperm cell. C. a single egg cell by two sperm cells. D. two egg cells by two sperm cells. - A. a single egg cell by a single sperm cell.
Our shared human genome is the complete A. collection of sexual characteristics common to both women and men. B. range of biological and behavioral traits that contribute to reproductive success. C. genetic profile common to all humanity. D. set of interactions between our shared genes and our shared environments. - C. genetic profile common to all humanity. When Libby was conceived, both of her parents contributed an X chromosome, which defined her ________. As she grew up, she experienced herself as being a typical young woman, which defined her ________. A. primary sex characteristics: secondary sex characteristics B. gender schema; sexual orientation C. intersex condition; secondary sex characteristics D. sex; gender - D. sex; gender The biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes are called A. genes. B. embryos. C. epigenetic molecules. D. neurotransmitters. - A. genes. Males have ________ and females have ________. A. one X chromosome; one Y chromosome B. one Y chromosome; one X chromosome C. one X chromosome; two X chromosomes D. one Y chromosome; two Y chromosomes - C. one X chromosome; two X chromosomes
If chronic child abuse alters a victim's gene expression in such a fashion as to trigger depression, this would be said to illustrate A. a reactive temperament. B. an epigenetic effect. C. high serotonin levels. D. the building blocks of development. - B. an epigenetic effect. Diets laden with hormone-mimicking chemicals are suspected of contributing to girls' earlier development of A. androgyny. B. gender identity. C. secondary sex characteristics. D. gender schemas. - C. secondary sex characteristics. Bree has been raised in an individualist society. Which of the following is best associated with her upbringing? A. maintain connections B. interdependent C. express one's uniqueness D. morality is defined by social networks - C. express one's uniqueness Children raised in the same family are not especially likely to have similar personalities. This most clearly implies that we should be cautious about attributing personality to A. gender schemas. B. parental influences. C. androgyny. D. peer influences. - B. parental influences.
Compared with lesbians, gay men report ________ responsiveness to visual sexual stimuli and ________ interest in their partner's physical attractiveness. A. more; less B. less; more C. more; more D. less; less - C. more; more A gender role refers to A. one's biological sex. B. a sense of being male or female. C. a set of expected behaviors and traits for males or for females. D. a sense of being homosexual or heterosexual. - C. a set of expected behaviors and traits for males or for females. People living in a culture that promotes collectivism are more likely than those in individualist cultures to report experiencing A. happiness. B. family obligations. C. personal freedom. D. marital romance. - B. family obligations. During prenatal development, a genetically female newborn was exposed to unusually high levels of testosterone. As a result, she developed male-appearing genitals. The newborn most clearly showed signs of A. androgyny. B. being transgender. C. secondary sex characteristics. D. an intersex condition. - D. an intersex condition.
Five-year-old Kevin can't remember any events from a family vacation in Hawaii when he was 2-1/ years old. This best illustrates A. stranger anxiety. B. an insecure attachment. C. infantile amnesia. D. egocentrism. - C. infantile amnesia. Erikson would have suggested that adolescents can most effectively develop a sense of identity by A. seeking a lifelong romantic relationship. B. severing the emotional ties between themselves and their childhood friends. C. investigating the personal suitability of various occupational and social roles. D. adopting whatever values and expectations their parents recommend. - C. investigating the personal suitability of various occupational and social roles. Erikson suggested that adolescents who simply take on their parents' values or conform to their parents' expectations have failed to work on A. developing a sense of basic trust. B. delaying gratification. C. achieving a conventional morality. D. refining their sense of identity. - D. refining their sense of identity. Immediately after birth, newborns prefer their own mother's voice to another woman's voice. This is best explained by the interaction of heredity and environment that takes place inside the A. mother's egg. B. placenta. C. teratogen. D. uterus. - D. uterus.
According to Piaget, children come to understand that the volume of a substance remains constant despite changes in its shape during the ________ stage. A. sensorimotor B. preoperational C. concrete operational D. formal operational - C. concrete operational Although Adam didn't care for the taste of fried green tomatoes, he began eating them when he saw that his classmates were doing so. His behavior best illustrates the impact of A. temperament. B. role confusion. C. a pruning process. D. peer influence. - D. peer influence. According to Erikson, achieving a sense of identity is the special task of the A. toddler. B. preschooler. C. elementary schoolchild. D. adolescent. - D. adolescent. Mallory, a single 23-year-old, has moved back into his parents' house after graduating from college so that he can afford to pursue a full-time graduate school program in business administration. His situation best illustrates a life phase called A. postconventional morality. B. a rite of passage. C. formal operations. D. emerging adulthood. - D. emerging adulthood.
Parents who are neither demanding nor responsive are said to be A. authoritarian. B. permissive. C. negligent. D. authoritative. - C. negligent. Human sperm cells ________ than egg cells. A. are larger B. contain more genes C. are smaller D. contain fewer genes - C. are smaller Evidence that easy, relaxed infants develop secure attachments more readily than difficult, emotionally intense babies would illustrate the importance of A. egocentrism. B. temperament. C. conservation. D. object permanence. - B. temperament. Distinguishing between very gradual and very abrupt developmental changes over the life span is most central to the major issue of A. prenatal and postnatal development. B. stability and change. C. continuity and stages. D. nature and nurture. - C. continuity and stages. The Harlows' infant monkeys used an artificial cloth mother as a secure base for A. conservation.
B. delay of gratification. C. exploration. D. object permanence. - C. exploration. Difficult babies with an intense temperament tend to be A. intelligent and imaginative. B. irritable and unpredictable. C. fearless and assertive. D. extraverted and cheerful. - B. irritable and unpredictable. From ages 3 to 6, the brain's neural networks are sprouting most rapidly in the A. frontal lobes. B. hypothalamus. C. cerebellum. D. brainstem. - A. frontal lobes. According to Piaget, egocentrism is to conservation as the ________ stage is to the ________ stage. A. concrete operational; preoperational B. sensorimotor; preoperational C. concrete operational; formal operational D. preoperational; concrete operational - D. preoperational; concrete operational A failure to practice important motor skills can result in a loss of agility because unused neural connections A. become insecurely attached. B. assimilate. C. accommodate.
D. are pruned. - D. are pruned. Learning to delay gratification promotes A. maturation. B. preconventional morality. C. impulse control. D. an intuitionist perspective. - C. impulse control. There is very little relationship between the age of an adult and his or her A. risk of neurocognitive disorder. B. ability to recall meaningless information. C. level of life satisfaction. D. risk of accidental physical injury. - C. level of life satisfaction. After living together for a year without any long-term commitment to their relationship, Sylvia and Yefim have decided to marry. Research on premarital cohabitation most strongly suggests that A. they have more positive attitudes toward the institution of marriage than the average couple. B. their marriage will have a higher-than-average probability of being successful. C. most of their college friends and acquaintances have viewed their cohabitation negatively. D. their marriage will have a higher-than-average probability of ending in divorce. - D. their marriage will have a higher-than-average probability of ending in divorce. Our sense of hearing is known as A. the vestibular sense. B. kinesthesia. C. audition. D. tinnitus. - C. audition.
Certain stroke victims report seeing nothing when shown a series of sticks, yet they are able to correctly report whether the sticks are vertical or horizontal. This best illustrates A. relative luminance. B. the phi phenomenon. C. accommodation. D. blindsight. - D. blindsight. Our eyes receive light energy and ________ it into neural messages. A. transduce B. change C. move D. send - A. transduce Sensory nerve endings that respond to stimuli are called A. perception. B. sensory receptors. C. sensory stimulation. D. transduction. - B. sensory receptors. The philosopher John Locke believed that people A. learn to perceive the world through experience. B. are endowed at birth with perceptual skills. C. perceive whole figures as greater than the sum of their parts. D. are unable to adapt to an inverted visual world. - A. learn to perceive the world through experience. Hypnosis involves a state of