psych 101 lesson 1 quiz

Which of the following is the best definition of psychological science?

The study of mental activity, physiological activity, behavior, and their interrelationships

Psychological science is based on critical thinking. This means that psychological scientists ______.

evaluate information before they accept it

Dr. Clark just read a study indicating a new surgical technique might significantly help some kinds of depression. Dr. Clark thinks this is very interesting, but she would like to see more evidence that the technique works. Dr. Clark’s attitude exemplifies _______.

amiable skepticism

Which of the following statements best characterizes the difference between psychology and sociology?

Psychology is more focused on individual behavior, while sociology is more focused on group behavior.

Sy believes that if people are bad it is because they were born that way. June disagrees. She feels that poor treatment by others makes people turn out bad. Their disagreement reflects ______.

the nature/nurture debate

Renee believes that although the mind and body are linked, they have separate distinct functions. Her view reflects _______.

dualism

Stuart believes that each person has a soul that is distinct from the person’s body. He wonders, however, about the relationship between soul and body. Stuart’s interests reflect ______.

the mind/body problem

Who established the first psychology laboratory and institute in Leipzig, Germany?

Wundt

If you believe that the mind is not made of discrete elements but rather is flowing, changing, and continuous, your beliefs are most similar to those of _______.

James

John Stuart Mill is credited with helping shape the way the scope of psychology is currently defined. He promoted the idea that psychology should be a ______.

science of observation and experiment

William James argued that psychology should focus on how the mind allows people to adapt to the environment. What is the term used to describe this historical school of thought in psychology?

Functionalism

Beliefs, values, norms, rules, and customs that people learn from those who share their language or environment comprise ______.

a culture

Marwan has been relatively shy his whole life, and he is not sure what underlies this trait. Marwan might find some answers by examining the subfield called ______ psychology.

social-personality

Dr. Cohen believes that the study of psychology should be limited to stimuli that can be measured and responses that can be observed. Which term describes this approach?

Behaviorism

Dr. Johnson is a modern psychologist who studies the ways in which specific types of memory are tied to activity in specific parts of the brain. Dr. Johnson’s research exemplifies ______.

cognitive neuroscience

What was the critical finding from Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s groundbreaking work on self-esteem and segregation?

School segregation was associated with decreased self-esteem for African American children.

Who was the first woman to receive a PhD in psychology?

Margaret Floy Washburn

Dr. Tucker is researching the onset of speech in children. Which of the following psychological paradigms is she in?

Developmental psychology

What is the best definition of the interdisciplinary approach to psychological science?

Working on the same question across scientific fields

Modern psychologists focus on multiple levels of analysis in understanding human behavior. Which is the most common theoretical perspective?

The biopsychosocial model