General Psychology: Practice Exam 3

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____ 1. Research on the role of the amygdala in the modulation of emotion has focused mainly on which of the
following emotions?
a. Fear
b. Sadness
c. Surprise
d. Happiness

____ 2. If she is using the defense mechanism of projection, a mother who actually hates her son would MOST likely
be both unaware of her hatred and
a. direct her hatred toward her daughter.
b. act in an extremely loving way toward her son.
c. act in an extremely critical way toward her son.
d. believe that her son hated her.

____ 3. Psychologists who take an evolutionary view argue that natural selection favors behaviors that maximize an
individual's
a. self-actualization.
b. acquisition of territory.
c. reproductive success.
d. material wealth.

____ 4. When anthropologists compare ancient artifacts from South America, Europe, and Australia, they often find
similarities among the images that are depicted. Based on Jung's analytical psychology, some of these
apparent similarities may stem from
a. the preconscious.
b. reciprocal determinism.
c. manifest consciousness.
d. the collective unconscious.

____ 5. What is the main reason we tend to make attributions about the causes of events, others' behavior, and our
own behavior?
a. We have a strong need to understand our experiences.
b. Attribution making was selected for at some point in our ancestral past.
c. We have an unconscious urge to psychoanalyze the behavior of others.
d. Having access to information about others tends to fulfill our need for power.

____ 6. ____ is a statistical procedure used by researchers to identify closely related clusters of variables.
a. Chi-square
b. Factor analysis
c. Deviation analysis
d. Analysis of variance

____ 7. A father suggests that his son's low marks in school are due to the child's laziness. The father has made
a. an external attribution.
b. a distinctive attribution.
 c. an internal attribution.
d. a situational attribution.

____ 8. Erik Erikson's developmental stages are organized around potential turning points called
a. fixation points.
b. psychosocial crises.
c. developmental tasks.
d. psychosexual crises.

____ 9. Jamal recently completed an intelligence test and was told that his IQ score was 135. Based on the standard
practices in most school districts, Jamal would
a. be considered gifted and would be eligible for gifted programs.
b. not meet the criterion for giftedness unless he was also highly creative.
c. be mainstreamed and would attend regular classes for most of the day.
d. need to show superior potential in at least three other areas to be eligible for gifted
programs.

____ 10. Criterion-related validity is

a. estimated by correlating subjects' scores on a test with their scores on an independent
criterion (another measure) of the trait assessed by the test.
b. the degree to which the content of a test is representative of the domain it's supposed to
cover.
c. the measurement consistency of a test.
d. the extent to which there is evidence that a test measures a particular hypothetical
construct.

____ 11. Wayne was a highly motivated teacher, who really tried to make a difference in the lives of his students.
However, the constant budget cutbacks and the long hours that he puts in have taken their toll. He has become
disillusioned with teaching, and he often calls in sick. In this case, it is quite likely that Wayne is experiencing
a. amotivational syndrome.
b. burnout.
c. posttraumatic stress disorder.
d. general adaptation syndrome.

____ 12. Which of the following emotions are ALL emotions that people are generally successful in identifying in
photographs?
a. Sadness, anger, remorse
b. Happiness, love, surprise
c. Anger, fear, disgust
d. Disappointment, sadness, fear

____ 13. LaPiere's study from the 1930s concerning whether restaurants would serve a Chinese couple demonstrated
that
a. attitudes did not predict behavior very well.
b. attitudes did predict behavior very well.
c. while attitudes did predict behavior, behavior did not predict attitudes.
d. attitudes did predict behavior and behavior did predict attitudes.

____ 14. According to Freud, unresolved unconscious conflicts often produce

a. pleasure.
b. fixation.
 c. archetypes.
d. anxiety.

____ 15. According to the James-Lange theory of emotions, one's conscious experience of emotion results from one's
perception of
a. others' emotions.
b. autonomic arousal.
c. skin conductancy.
d. tension in the facial muscles.

____ 16. Lewis has agreed to proofread a long legal brief that Trudy has written, even though he doesn't really like
Trudy. Lewis knows that he will not receive any additional pay for his extra work, and he thinks that
proofreading is one of the most boring jobs there is. However, after the legal brief is finished, Lewis decides
that proofreading isn't such a bad job after all; he feels that at times he actually enjoyed the exacting work.
The change in attitude that Lewis has experienced can BEST be explained using
a. the matching hypothesis.
b. a self-serving bias.
c. cognitive dissonance theory.
d. the fundamental attribution error.

____ 17. In his studies on conformity, Asch found that if a group of people espouse an opinion contradictory to one's
own opinion, one is most likely to
a. voice the group's opinion.
b. echo the opinion of the nearest group member.
c. voice one's own opinion, even though it's contradictory.
d. show mild symptoms of learned helplessness.

____ 18. Obedience is a form of compliance in which people change their behavior in response to
a. direct commands.
b. implied pressure.
c. requests from others.
d. persuasive communications.

____ 19. Jose is one of the top baseball players in his league, but last week, he struck out on an easy pitch. When this
happened, he smashed the water cooler in the dugout with his bat. According to Freud, Jose may be
unconsciously dealing with his anger at himself by using the defense mechanism of
a. projection.
b. reaction formation.
c. rationalization.
d. displacement.

____ 20. Which of the following traits is MOST likely to be associated with high levels of productivity in a job setting?
a. Neuroticism
b. Extraversion
c. Conscientiousness
d. Agreeableness

____ 21. Preschool children who had secure attachments during infancy tend to display all of the following
characteristics EXCEPT
a. greater curiosity.
b. better peer relationships.
 c. higher levels of moral reasoning.
d. more self-reliance.

____ 22. If a psychological test does, in fact, measure what it was designed to measure, the test has
a. accuracy.
b. validity.
c. reliability.
d. generalizability.

____ 23. Next semester, John needs to take one required course to complete his history major. The two sections of the
course are offered at 8:00 a.m. (not ideal for John, who likes to sleep until 10:00 a.m.) and at noon with a
professor usually referred to as Dr. Dull. As John decides on his schedule, he will MOST likely experience an
____ conflict.
a. avoidance-avoidance
b. approach-avoidance
c. attack-avoidance
d. approach-approach

____ 24. Which technique analyzes correlations among many variables to identify closely related clusters?
a. Standard deviation
b. Central tendency
c. Factor analysis
d. Thematic apperception

____ 25. In explaining behavior, social learning theorist Walter Mischel is most interested in the influence of
a. personality traits.
b. unconscious forces.
c. the situation.
d. instincts.

____ 26. A person who tends to be selfish, demanding, and oblivious to the rights of other people would appear to have
a stronger ____ than ____.
a. ego; superego
b. unconscious; conscious
c. superego; id
d. id; superego

____ 27. The id can be BEST described as having which of the following statements as its motto?
a. Mom always liked you best
b. Do the right thing
c. We can work it out
d. If it feels good, do it

____ 28. The primary explanation(s) suggested to explain the behavior of the prison guards and prisoners in the
Stanford Prison Simulation was
a. obedience.
b. conformity and situational factors.
c. group polarization.
d. social roles and situational factors.

____ 29. According to drive theorists, the foremost motivation for all organisms is to
a. achieve self-actualization.
 b. maintain homeostasis.
c. ensure their own survival and the survival of their species.
d. experience as much pleasant stimulation as possible.

____ 30. Which of the following represents the strongest test-retest reliability for a test?
a. 0.00
b. -0.75
c. +0.70
d. +0.90

____ 31. Nikolas is a nonconformist who is daring and likes to try new things. He is extremely imaginative and has a
wide range of interests. Based on the five-factor model of personality, Nikolas would probably score
a. high in openness.
b. low in neuroticism.
c. high in extraversion.
d. high in agreeableness.

____ 32. Which of the following is NOT one of the eight types of intelligence described by Gardner?
a. Mechanical
b. Spatial
c. Logical-mathematical
d. Musical

____ 33. According to Piaget, during the formal operational period of cognitive development, children begin to
a. acquire the concept of conservation.
b. understand the nature of hierarchical classification.
c. think primarily in terms of concrete objects or situations.
d. think in terms of abstract principles and hypothetical possibilities.

____ 34. Observers tend to attribute actors' behavior to ____ factors, and actors tend to attribute their own behavior to
____ factors.
a. situational; dispositional
b. dispositional; situational
c. dispositional; dispositional
d. situational; situational

____ 35. Assume that personality researchers have isolated a new trait they call "prajna." If these researchers report
that fraternal twins reared together are more similar in this trait than identical twins reared apart, it would
indicate that
a. genetics has a larger influence than environment in the expression of prajna.
b. neither genetics nor environment influences the expression of prajna.
c. environment has a larger influence than genetics in the expression of prajna.
d. genetics and environment exert equivalent influences in the expression of prajna.

____ 36. The studies by Asch and by Milgram indicate that both conformity to group pressure and obedience to
commands are reduced by
a. group cohesiveness.
b. group polarization.
c. the presence of a dissenter.
d. centralized communication.

____ 37. The Thematic Apperception Test is considered ____ test.

 a. an aptitude
b. a projective
c. an achievement
d. a criterion-based

____ 38. An internal state of tension that precedes behavior designed to reduce that tension is referred to as a
a. fugue.
b. drive.
c. need.
d. biostate.

____ 39. Imagine a neighborhood in which a hurricane has caused extensive flooding. Many of the residents have had
their homes damaged or destroyed. At the time, however, the material loss is unimportant as the residents
think only of escaping the flood. Maslow would say this is because the residents' ____ needs are threatened.
a. physiological
b. safety and security
c. esteem
d. self-actualization

____ 40. For children, in which Piagetian stage might we be correct with the old expression, "Out of sight is out of
mind"?
a. Concrete operational
b. Preoperational
c. Sensorimotor
d. Formal operations

____ 41. Water is poured from a short, broad beaker into a tall, skinny beaker. Is there more or less water now? A child
answers that it's the same amount, only it's taller. The child is in which stage of cognitive development?
a. Sensorimotor
b. Concrete operational
c. Preoperational
d. Preconventional

____ 42. A change in your marital status, a job change, moving, having a baby, and getting promoted are all examples
of
a. chronic stressors.
b. acute stressors.
c. life changes.
d. conflicts.

____ 43. In Festinger and Carlsmith's classic study of cognitive dissonance, which group of subjects experienced both a
high level of cognitive dissonance and exhibited more attitude change?
a. Subjects who were offered $1 to "lie" and accepted the offer
b. Subjects who were offered $1 to "lie" and refused the offer
c. Subjects who were offered $20 to "lie" and accepted the offer
d. Subjects who were offered $20 to "lie" and refused the offer

____ 44. Tina recently lost over half the money she had put away for her retirement. If Webster concludes that Tina lost
the money because the stock market took a significant downturn, he has
a. made an internal attribution.
b. made the fundamental attribution error.
 c. been influenced by an illusory correlation.
d. made an external attribution.

____ 45. Widely held beliefs about groups of people based on their group membership defines
a. cognitive structuring.
b. cultural direction.
c. stereotypes.
d. schematizing.

____ 46. Jeff, Greg, Dan, and Ray all watched as the building across the street burned to the ground. They kept waiting
for the fire trucks to show up, even though none of them had called 911. In this case, the fact that none of the
four friends phoned to report the fire illustrates the phenomenon known as
a. social loafing.
b. a self-fulfilling prophecy.
c. group polarization.
d. the bystander effect.

____ 47. (Mental age/chronological age)  100 yields

a. a Binet quotient.
b. an achievement quotient.
c. a maturity quotient.
d. an intelligence quotient.

____ 48. Craig is two years old and likes to put on his own coat and shoes. However, his mother often becomes
impatient waiting for him to get ready, so she usually finishes zipping his coat and tying his shoes for him.
Based on Erikson's theory, it is likely that Craig will develop
a. a general sense of mistrust.
b. feelings of shame and doubt.
c. a sense of inferiority.
d. feelings of autonomy.

____ 49. Five-year-old Samuel often tells his older sister, "I can't wait to grow up, so I can marry mommy." Samuel is
most likely in the stage of personality development that Freud referred to as the
a. anal stage.
b. oral stage.
c. phallic stage.
d. latency stage.

____ 50. If a test yields nearly identical scores when it is retaken after a two-month interval, the test is said to be
a. valid.
b. reliable.
c. significant.
d. standardized

____ 51. Suggesting that a poor man who stole food to feed his family was right because human life takes precedence
over rules is an example of
a. postconventional moral reasoning.
b. preconventional moral reasoning.
c. concrete operational thought.
d. conventional moral reasoning.

____ 52. According to parental investment theory, human males can maximize their reproductive potential by
 a. actively contributing to the care of their offspring.
b. seeking partners who have strength and agility.
c. being highly selective in mating.
d. mating with as many females as possible.

____ 53. Ainsworth’s strategy for studying infant attachment to caregivers is known as the __________ procedure.
a. secure-avoidant
b. shared inhibition
c. attachment probing
d. Strange Situation

____ 54. Constructive coping includes all of the following EXCEPT

a. confronting a problem directly.
b. inhibiting emotional reactions to stress.
c. reliance on the use of defense mechanisms.
d. making reasonably realistic appraisals of coping resources.

____ 55. Conventional thinking in moral development bases morality (right or wrong) on
a. the risk of punishment.
b. society's laws.
c. personal principles.
d. the potential rewards.
General Psychology: Practice Exam 3
Answer Section

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: The Elements of Emotional Experience

OBJ: 10.15 KEY: Factual
2. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Psychodynamic Perspectives
OBJ: 12.5 KEY: Critical Thinking
3. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Sexual Motivation and Behavior
OBJ: 10.9 KEY: Factual
4. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Psychodynamic Perspectives
OBJ: 12.6 KEY: Concept/Applied
5. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Attribution Processes: Explaining Behavior
OBJ: 13.4 KEY: Factual
6. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 78%
REF: The Nature of Personality OBJ: 12.2 TOP: WWW
KEY: Factual
7. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 37%
REF: Attribution Processes: Explaining Behavior OBJ: 13.4
KEY: Concept/Applied
8. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Personality and Cognitive Development in Childhood
OBJ: 11.7 KEY: Factual
9. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Extremes of Intelligence
OBJ: 9.14 KEY: Concept/Applied
10. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Key Concepts in Psychological Testing
OBJ: 9.4 KEY: Factual
11. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: The Effects of Stress on Psychological Functioning
OBJ: 14.9 KEY: Concept/Applied
12. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: The Elements of Emotional Experience
OBJ: 10.16 KEY: Factual
13. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Attitudes: Making Social Judgments
OBJ: 13.1 KEY: Factual
14. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Psychodynamic Perspectives
OBJ: 12.5 KEY: Factual
15. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Theories of Emotion
OBJ: 10.18 KEY: Factual
16. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Attitudes: Making Social Judgments
OBJ: 13.13 KEY: Concept/Applied
17. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Conformity and Obedience: Yielding to Others
OBJ: 13.14 KEY: Factual
18. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 85%
REF: Conformity and Obedience: Yielding to Others OBJ: 13.15
KEY: Factual
19. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Psychodynamic Perspectives
 OBJ: 12.5 KEY: Concept/Applied
20. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: The Nature of Personality
OBJ: 12.3 KEY: Critical Thinking
21. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Emotional and Motor Development in Childhood
OBJ: 11.6 KEY: Factual
22. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Key Concepts in Psychological Testing
OBJ: 9.4 KEY: Factual
23. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: The Nature of Stress
OBJ: 14.3 KEY: Concept/Applied
24. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: The Evolution of Intelligence Testing
OBJ: 9.7 KEY: Factual
25. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Behavioral Perspectives
OBJ: 12.1 KEY: Factual
26. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Psychodynamic Perspectives
OBJ: 12.4 KEY: Concept/Applied
27. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Psychodynamic Perspectives
OBJ: 12.4 KEY: Critical Thinking
28. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Conformity and Obedience: Yielding to Others
OBJ: 13.17 KEY: Factual
29. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Motivational Theories and Concepts
OBJ: 10.1 KEY: Factual
30. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 78%
REF: Key Concepts in Psychological Testing OBJ: 9.3
KEY: Concept/Applied
31. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: The Nature of Personality
OBJ: 12.2 KEY: Concept/Applied
32. ANS: A PTS: 1
REF: New Directions in the Assessment and Study of Intelligence
OBJ: 9.22 KEY: Factual
33. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 64%
REF: Personality and Cognitive Development in Childhood OBJ: 11.8
KEY: Factual
34. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Attribution Processes: Explaining Behavior
OBJ: 13.5 KEY: Factual
35. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Biological Perspectives
OBJ: 12.17 KEY: Critical Thinking
36. ANS: C PTS: 1 KEY: Integrative
37. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Achievement: In Search of Excellence
OBJ: 10.12 KEY: Factual
38. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Motivational Theories and Concepts
OBJ: 10.1 KEY: Factual
39. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Humanistic Perspectives
OBJ: 12.14 KEY: Concept/Applied
40. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 72%
REF: Personality and Cognitive Development in Childhood OBJ: 11.8
KEY: Concept/Applied
41. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 80%
REF: Personality and Cognitive Development in Childhood OBJ: 11.8
KEY: Concept/Applied
42. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: The Nature of Stress
OBJ: 14.4 KEY: Concept/Applied
43. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Attitudes: Making Social Judgments
OBJ: 13.13 KEY: Critical Thinking
44. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Attribution Processes: Explaining Behavior
OBJ: 13.4 KEY: Concept/Applied
45. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 94%
REF: Person Perception: Forming Impressions of Others OBJ: 13.2
KEY: Factual
46. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Behavior in Groups: Joining with Others
OBJ: 13.18 KEY: Concept/Applied
47. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 77%
REF: The Evolution of Intelligence Testing OBJ: 9.6
KEY: Factual
48. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Personality and Cognitive Development in Childhood
OBJ: 11.7 KEY: Concept/Applied
49. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Psychodynamic Perspectives
OBJ: 12.5 KEY: Concept/Applied
50. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Key Concepts in Psychological Testing
OBJ: 9.3 KEY: Concept/Applied
51. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 81%
REF: Personality and Cognitive Development in Childhood OBJ: 11.1
KEY: Concept/Applied
52. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Sexual Motivation and Behavior
OBJ: 10.8 KEY: Factual
53. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Emotional and Motor Development in Childhood
OBJ: 11.6 KEY: Factual
54. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 59%
REF: Responding to Stress OBJ: 14.8 KEY: Concept/Applied
55. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 72%
REF: Personality and Cognitive Development in Childhood OBJ: 11.1
KEY: Concept/Applied