PSY 121 MSU Exam 1

The school of psychology called structuralism used a technique called ________, which involved "looking inward" and reporting the contents of consciousness to study a person's experiences.

introspection

_______________ established the first psychological laboratory in 1879.

Wilhelm Wundt

Professor Thomas approaches questions about human behavior from a perspective that emphasizes unconscious processes within the individual, such as inner forces or conflicts. It is most likely that she accepts which of the following psychological approaches?

Psychodynamic approach

The _______________ perspective is a psychological approach that emphasizes the mental processes in perception, memory, language, and problem solving.

cognitive

Which of the following professionals is NOT a mental health practitioner?

Industrial organizational psychologist

______________ usually divide their time between supervising and teaching students, completing administrative tasks, and carrying out psychological research.

Academic psychologists

The first step in any scientific investigation is ________.

identifying the question

"Children who watch violent cartoons will become more aggressive." According to the scientific method, this statement is most likely a ________.

hypothesis

After you have identified a problem you want to study, the next step in the scientific method is to ____________.

conduct background research

A way of processing information in which we examine assumptions, evaluate evidence, look for hidden agendas, and assess conclusions is called __________________.

critical thinking

If you are reading a review of a product and discover that the person writing the review is a part owner of the product's company, you might question the reviewer's claims based on which of the following?

The underlying motive of the writer

Joaquin went to McDonald's to observe people eating in fast-food restaurants. He brought a camera crew and bright lights, and they all wore yellow jump suits. Joaquin said he wanted to do a naturalistic observation but may have had some problems because of ________.

reactivity

When you watch dogs play in the park, or watch how your professors conduct their classes, you are engaging in a form of ________.

naturalistic observation

A case study would be the most appropriate method to investigate which of these topics?

The development of a male baby raised as a female after a surgical error destroyed his penis

A detailed description of a particular individual being studied or treated is called a ________.

case study

Which of the following questions could be answered best by using the survey method?

Do students prefer a grading system with or without pluses and minuses?

A group of randomly selected participants for a study that matches the population on important characteristics such as age and sex is called ________.

a representative sample

Drinking orange juice is negatively correlated with the risk of cancer. Based on this information, which of the following statements is true?

The more orange juice you drink, the lower your risk of cancer.

Which of the following statements is correct concerning correlation coefficients?

A correlation of +.89 and -.89 are both strong and equally so.

Which of the following correlation coefficients represents the strongest relationship between two variables?

-.75

The higher your self-esteem, the lower your chance of depression. This means that:

Self-esteem and depression are related but we don't know what causes the relationship.

As poverty increases, crime rates also tend to increase. Which of the following statements is true?

There is a relationship between poverty and crime rates.

Which correlation coefficient is most likely to describe the relationship between brushing one's teeth and the number of cavities one gets?

-.62

Paul records data that indicate that the number of hot chocolates sold at the concession stand increases as temperature outside decreases (for example, more hot chocolates are purchased during late fall than late spring). Which of the following statements is the most accurate depiction of this finding?

There is a negative correlation between the two variables.

All of the following variables, except for ________, would likely show a positive correlation.

alcohol consumption and scores on a driving test

A study shows that the correlation between shoe size and intelligence is .05. This means that _____________.

there is no relationship between shoe size and intelligence score.

Golf skill is negatively correlated with golf scores. Based on this information, which of the following statements is true?

The more skilled you are at golf, the lower your golf score.

Which of the following correlation coefficients represents the weakest relationship between two variables?

+.05

The variables of stress and depression are positively correlated. This means _______________.

we cannot determine causality with a correlation

Which research method will allow researchers to determine the cause of a behavior?

Experiment

Dr. Edwards wants to show a causal relationship between practicing meditation and stress levels. Dr. Edwards should:

Conduct an experiment in which some people meditate and other people use a different form of relaxation.

A researcher is interested in investigating the effects of exercise on weight. He divides people into two groups and has one group engage in regular exercise while the second group watches television. What are the independent and dependent variables in this experiment?

The dependent variable is weight; the independent variable is exercise.

In a study designed to test the impact of nicotine on driving ability, smokers are asked to "drive" using a computerized driving simulator equipped with a stick shift and a gas pedal. Some of the participants smoke a real cigarette immediately before climbing into the driver's seat. Others smoke a fake cigarette without nicotine. You are interested in comparing how many collisions the two groups have. In this study, which participants were in the experimental group and which were in the control group?

The participants who smoke a cigarette without nicotine comprise the control group; the participants who smoke a cigarette with nicotine comprise the experimental group.

The administration of Midwest State University wants to know if the arrangement of chairs affects student participation in classrooms. They arrange the chairs in two different ways (theater style and circular) and then measure participation. In this study, ________ is the independent variable, and _________ is the dependent variable.

arrangement of chairs; student participation

Experiments are more valuable than other research methods because they _______________________.

allow a determination of cause-effect relationships

In a laboratory, children are given either a beverage with sugar or one without sugar. The experimenter measures the level of hyperactivity in the children following consumption of the beverage. The experimental group in this scenario consists of children who ____________________.

drink the beverage with sugar

Isabella is planning on studying the influence of intelligence on the ability to recall events from the 1960s. If Isabella does not account for variables such as age, which could also influence one's ability to recall these events, age could be considered a(n) ________ variable.

confounding

Which of the following is CORRECT concerning random assignment?

In random assignment, each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to each condition.

Which early movement of psychology investigated how our minds help us adapt to the world around us?

Functionalism

What advice might John B. Watson have offered to psychologists of his time?

"Focus on observable behavior."

Evolutionary psychology might suggest that certain cognitive strategies and goals are built into the brain because ____________________.

they help humans adapt to their natural environment

You attend a lecture by a psychologist who uses terms such as free will and self-actualization. Which psychological perspective is most consistent with the points the psychologist presented?

Humanism

If you are interested in how patterns, beliefs, and customs influence behavior, you are interested in the ________ perspective.

sociocultural

Which of the following is NOT an example of applied psychology?

A health psychologist researches a potential link between depression and brain tumors.

___________ psychologists interview patients, give diagnostic tests, provide psychotherapy, and design and implement behavioral modification programs

Clinical

A psychology student had to use the steps of the scientific method for a class project. He first decided to study the effect of age on clothing choices. He then formulated a hypothesis that older people would prefer more conservative clothing than younger people. Where did he go wrong?

He did not conduct background research before developing his hypothesis.

Ashley is using the scientific method to test whether male children are more violent than female children. What will she most likely do first?

Research previous scientific studies about children, gender roles, and violence.

Testing a hypothesis is the ______ step in a scientific investigation.

fourth

Which of the following is an example of critical thinking?

Considering alternative explanations for a study's results

A large automobile company says the cars the company makes are the safest in the world. You have driven one of these vehicles for a week and have not had any accidents or problems. Therefore, you believe the company's claim about safety. This error in critical thinking is related to which of the following steps?

Avoid using emotions or personal experiences when evaluating the claim

____________ occurs in situations where a research participant's behavior is different than normal because the participant is being observed.

Reactivity

Dr. Littman-Smith is conducting research in Kenya into the ways that mothers and their toddlers interact throughout the day. Given the purpose of her study, she most likely is engaged in ________.

naturalistic observation

Sam conducted a naturalistic observation as a project for a psychology class. He observed the interactions of parents and children at a restaurant. He believes many parents spoil their children in today's society. He observed many parents allowing children to get away with bad behavior such as being rude to the wait staff. When Sam described his work to his teacher, she suggested he find out more about the ________.

observer effect

Dr. Sardonicus wants to know whether or not the first three years of life are critical for acquiring language. She decides to study a child who was tragically deprived of human language by her parents. This type of research is called a(n):

case study.

Which of the following is a limitation of a case study?

It is difficult to generalize to other people or situations based on a case study.

Jana conducts a study in which she calls participants and asks them questions about their opinions. She is conducting a:

survey.

Dr. Wiseman wants to know about the alcohol consumption patterns among college juniors in the United States. He should ________.

draw a representative sample among college juniors

Julie finds that the more she sleeps on the eve of an exam, the higher the score she gets on the exam. There is _______________ correlation between the amount Julie sleeps and her exam scores.

a positive

All of the following variables would likely be negatively correlated EXCEPT _______.

calories consumed and weight gain

Correlations do not show ________.

causal relationships.

You read online that people who make more money are also healthier. Your friends says, "I guess money can even buy good health now." You respond with:

"Just because those variables are correlated doesn't mean that one caused the other."

Independent variable is to dependent variable as ________.

manipulate is to measure

A researcher wants to know whether eating chocolate makes people nervous. Some participants are given two bars of chocolate to eat, and some are given no chocolate at all, and then all of the participants are tested for nervousness an hour later. In this experiment, the participants who eat the chocolate are in the __________ group, while the people who did not eat any chocolate are in the __________ group.

experimental; control

A research hypothesis proposes that consuming a low carbohydrate diet results in increased weight loss. One group of participants follows a low-carb diet for 3 weeks, whereas a second group follows a high-carb diet containing the same number of calories for 3 weeks. The average number of pounds lost for each group is then is compared. What is the dependent variable?

Number of pounds lost

________ is an experiment in which neither the participants nor the individuals running the experiment know if participants are in the experimental or the control group until after the results are tallied.

The double-blind study

Which of the following is NOT an ethical principle for psychological research?

Avoid any deception

Researchers designed an experiment that tested the impact of drinking alcohol on test taking abilities. They gave one group a drink with vodka and the other group a drink with tonic water. Neither group knew which drink they received. One interesting result of the experiment was that several members of the group who received the drink with the tonic water acted as if they were impaired. This result is called the _______________.

placebo effect

The approach suggesting our memory works like an administrative assistant that encodes, stores, and retrieves information is called the ____________.

information-processing approach

According to Atkinson and Shiffrin, the structure of memory can be divided into three distinct types. What are these three aspects of memory?

Sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory

Atkinson and Shiffrin used the example of a __________ to help describe memory in their 1968 theory.

computer

According to the connectionist model of memory, memory is viewed as a set of interconnected _______ in the brain.

neural networks

When someone says the words "ice cream," most people will have numerous images pop into their head. Those images may be common like a picture of an ice cream cone as well as more specific like their favorite flavor. This is an example of which model of memory?

Parallel distributed processing model

Choose the answer that identifies the correct order of the structures and processes of a model of memory.

Sensory memory --> Attention --> Working memory --> Elaborative rehearsal --> Long-term memory

You are doing poorly in a game that requires you to remember random strings of letters and then rearrange them into a word in your mind. You tell your friend that you have a problem with your short-term memory and they say, "No, I think it is your working memory that has a problem." How are short-term memory and working memory different?

Short-term memory is viewed as a passive place to store memories for a short time, whereas working memory is seen as actively processing information obtained from the environment.

Strategies that include ___________ and _____________ will be the most effective for promoting learning and memory because they involve ____________ processing of the information.

practicing test questions; organizing information; deep

Iconic memory is a type of _______ memory and handles our _______ senses.

sensory; visual

Echoic memory lasts for _______?

3-4 seconds

What is the duration of short-term memory?

15-30 seconds

Working memory is said to be used for more complex _______ tasks, while short term memory functions as primarily a __________ facility.

cognitive; storage

Henna is having difficulty with her psychology class. She visited with her professor and she told her to try to understand and remember the meaning of a concept by connecting that concept to a personal story. What is this strategy called?

Elaborative rehearsal

Shania needed to remember to pick up seven items at the grocery store. She didn't want to write it down so she made up a story in her head imagining herself walking through her house and visualizing each item in a different room in the house. This is called the _______ technique.

method of loci

The memory of a student's first semester of college, when they were stressed and anxious, is considered what type of long-term memory?

Episodic

Howard has not ridden a bike in 10 years. He first learned to ride a bike when he was 5 years old and enjoyed riding throughout his childhood. He recently bought a new bike and had no problem riding it around the block. The type of memory that allows him to recall this skill is called?

Procedural

Leeann was telling her friend about a movie with her favorite actor. She wanted her friend to guess his name so she gave her friend the first initial to his first and last name. Leeann provided a ___________ for her friend.

retrieval cue

____________ states that context is encoded along with information and therefore memories are most easily retrieved when the context of the retrieval matches the context of the encoding.

Encoding specificity

Aashna remembers exactly where she was, what she was wearing, and who she was with when she first heard the news of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Aashna has a ____________.

flashbulb memory

Spencer believes he learned about the famous "Stanford Prison Experiment" from his psychology class. His professor tells him they haven't covered that topic yet so he must have heard about it from someone else. Spencer experienced a ____________.

source monitoring error

Selma witnessed a robbery at a convenience store. She watched various news reports about the robbery prior to being interviewed by police. When she was interviewed, she remembered some inaccurate details. Selma has experienced ______________.

the misinformation effect

Given what you know about Ebbinghaus's research on forgetting, what advice about studying would you give your friend?

Don't cram—engaging in distributed practice over a few days or weeks is more effective.

Trent just moved and has to list all addresses on a job application. He has no problem remembering the new address, but when the application requests his old address he cannot remember it. Trent is experiencing which type of interference?

Retroactive interference

What is it called when some people work to actively forget memories of trauma or abuse?

Motivated forgetting

Caroline has dementia and can no longer remember the names of her grandchildren. She is experiencing which type of amnesia?

Retrograde

The famous patient known as H.M. developed anterograde amnesia after having his temporal lobes removed. This led to him no longer being able to create _______ memories, but his _______ memory remained functional.

long-term; working

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the storage of memories in the brain?

Memories are stored in various parts of the brain.

The ______________ is an important area of the brain for the creation of long-term, explicit memories, whereas the _____________ is involved in the creation of long-term, implicit memories.

hippocampus ; cerebellum

The creation of __________, long-term memories takes place primarily in the hippocampus, whereas the creation of _____________, long-term memories takes place primarily in the cerebellum and basal ganglia.

explicit; implicit

Long-term memories are developed as a result of ___________ changes in the neuron that involve a strengthening of neural connections and ___________ changes that include the development of additional receptors on the receiving neuron.

functional; structural

The biology of the development of long-term memories involves structural changes, which refers to the ____________________ and functional changes, which involve ________________________.

growth of new receptors; a strengthening of the connection between neurons

Short-term memory or working memory has been localized in the ________ and the ____________.

hippocampus; frontal lobe

Which parts of the brain are necessary for procedural memories and habits related to movement ?

Cerebellum; basal ganglia