1.

Before psychology became a recognized academic discipline, matters of the mind were
undertaken by those in ________.

a. biology
b. chemistry
c. philosophy
d. physics

2. In the scientific method, a hypothesis is a(n) ________.

a. observation
b. measurement
c. test
d. proposed explanation

3. ________ is most well-known for proposing his hierarchy of needs.

a. Noam Chomsky
b. Carl Rogers
c. Abraham Maslow
d. Sigmund Freud

4. Rogers believed that providing genuineness, empathy, and ________ in the therapeutic
environment for his clients was critical to their being able to deal with their problems.

a. structuralism
b. functionalism
c. Gestalt
d. unconditional positive regard

5. The operant conditioning chamber (aka ________ box) is a device used to study the principles
of operant conditioning.

a. Skinner
b. Watson
c. James
d. Koffka

Terms to know:
behaviorism
focus on observing and controlling behavior
functionalism
focused on how mental activities helped an organism adapt to its environment
humanism
perspective within psychology that emphasizes the potential for good that is innate to all
humans
introspection
process by which someone examines their own conscious experience in an attempt to break
it into its component parts
psychoanalytic theory
focus on the role of the unconscious in affecting conscious behavior
structuralism
understanding the conscious experience through introspection

6. A researcher interested in how changes in the cells of the hippocampus (a structure in the brain
related to learning and memory) are related to memory formation would be most likely to identify
as a(n) ________ psychologist.

a. biological
b. health
c. clinical
d. social

7. An individual’s consistent pattern of thought and behavior is known as a(n) ________.

a. psychosexual stage
b. object permanence
c. personality
d. perception

8. In Milgram’s controversial study on obedience, nearly ________ of the participants were willing
to administer what appeared to be lethal electrical shocks to another person because they were
told to do so by an authority figure.

a. 1/3
b. 2/3
c. 3/4
d. 4/5

9. Scientific hypotheses are ________ and falsifiable.

a. observable
b. original
c. provable
d. testable

10. Scientific knowledge is ________.

a. intuitive
b. empirical
c. permanent
d. subjective

Terms to know:
deductive reasoning
results are predicted based on a general premise
empirical
grounded in objective, tangible evidence that can be observed time and time again,
regardless of who is observing
fact
 objective and verifiable observation, established using evidence collected through empirical
research
falsifiable
able to be disproven by experimental results
hypothesis
(plural: hypotheses) tentative and testable statement about the relationship between two or
more variables
inductive reasoning
conclusions are drawn from observations
opinion
personal judgments, conclusions, or attitudes that may or may not be accurate
theory
well-developed set of ideas that propose an explanation for observed phenomena

11. Sigmund Freud developed his theory of human personality by conducting in-depth interviews
over an extended period of time with a few clients. This type of research approach is known as
a(n): ________.

a. archival research
b. case study
c. naturalistic observation
d. survey

12. The major limitation of case studies is ________.

a. the superficial nature of the information collected in this approach

b. the lack of control that the researcher has in this approach
c. the inability to generalize the findings from this approach to the larger population
d. the absence of inter-rater reliability

13. Height and weight are positively correlated. This means that:

a. There is no relationship between height and weight.

b. Usually, the taller someone is, the thinner they are.
c. Usually, the shorter someone is, the heavier they are.
d. As height increases, typically weight increases.

14. Which statement best illustrates a negative correlation between the number of hours spent
watching TV the week before an exam and the grade on that exam?

a. Watching too much television leads to poor exam performance.

b. Smart students watch less television.
c. Viewing television interferes with a student’s ability to prepare for the upcoming exam.
d. Students who watch more television perform more poorly on their exams.

15. ________ means that everyone in the population has the same likelihood of being asked to
participate in the study.

a. operationalizing
 b. placebo effect
c. random assignment
d. random sampling

16. The ________ is controlled by the experimenter, while the ________ represents the information
collected and statistically analyzed by the experimenter.

a. dependent variable; independent variable

b. independent variable; dependent variable
c. placebo effect; experimenter bias
d. experiment bias; placebo effect

Terms to know:
cause-and-effect relationship
changes in one variable cause the changes in the other variable; can be determined only
through an experimental research design
confirmation bias
tendency to ignore evidence that disproves ideas or beliefs
confounding variable
unanticipated outside factor that affects both variables of interest, often giving the false
impression that changes in one variable causes changes in the other variable, when, in
actuality, the outside factor causes changes in both variables
control group
serves as a basis for comparison and controls for chance factors that might influence the
results of the study—by holding such factors constant across groups so that the
experimental manipulation is the only difference between groups
correlation
relationship between two or more variables; when two variables are correlated, one variable
changes as the other does
correlation coefficient
number from -1 to +1, indicating the strength and direction of the relationship between
variables, and usually represented by r
dependent variable
variable that the researcher measures to see how much effect the independent variable had
double-blind study
experiment in which both the researchers and the participants are blind to group
assignments
experimental group
group designed to answer the research question; experimental manipulation is the only
difference between the experimental and control groups, so any differences between the two
are due to experimental manipulation rather than chance
experimenter bias
researcher expectations skew the results of the study
illusory correlation
seeing relationships between two things when in reality no such relationship exists
independent variable
variable that is influenced or controlled by the experimenter; in a sound experimental study,
the independent variable is the only important difference between the experimental and
control group
negative correlation
two variables change in different directions, with one becoming larger as the other becomes
smaller; a negative correlation is not the same thing as no correlation
placebo effect
people's expectations or beliefs influencing or determining their experience in a given
situation
positive correlation
two variables change in the same direction, both becoming either larger or smaller
random assignment
method of experimental group assignment in which all participants have an equal chance of
being assigned to either group
random sample
subset of a larger population in which every member of the population has an equal chance
of being selected
reliability
consistency and reproducibility of a given result
replicate
repeating an experiment using different samples to determine the research’s reliability
single-blind study
experiment in which the researcher knows which participants are in the experimental group
and which are in the control group
statistical analysis
determines how likely any difference between experimental groups is due to chance
validity
accuracy of a given result in measuring what it is designed to measure

17. ________ refers to a person’s genetic makeup, while ________ refers to a person’s physical
characteristics.

a. Phenotype; genotype
b. Genotype; phenotype
c. DNA; gene
d. Gene; DNA

18. Humans have ________ pairs of chromosomes.

a. 15
b. 23
c. 46
d. 78

Terms to know:
epigenetics
study of gene-environment interactions, such as how the same genotype leads to different
phenotypes
fraternal twins
twins who develop from two different eggs fertilized by different sperm, so their genetic
material varies the same as in non-twin siblings
gene
sequence of DNA that controls or partially controls physical characteristics
genetic environmental correlation
 view of gene-environment interaction that asserts our genes affect our environment, and our
environment influences the expression of our genes

19. The ________ receive(s) incoming signals from other neurons.

a. soma
b. terminal buttons
c. myelin sheath
d. dendrites

20. Our ability to make our legs move as we walk across the room is controlled by the ________
nervous system.

a. autonomic
b. somatic
c. sympathetic
d. parasympathetic

21. The central nervous system is comprised of ________.

a. sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

b. organs and glands
c. somatic and autonomic nervous systems
d. brain and spinal cord

22. Sympathetic activation is associated with ________.

a. pupil dilation
b. storage of glucose in the liver
c. increased heart rate
d. both A and C

Terms to know:
autonomic nervous system
controls our internal organs and glands
central nervous system (CNS)
brain and spinal cord
fight or flight response
activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, allowing access to
energy reserves and heightened sensory capacity so that we might fight off a given threat or
run away to safety
homeostasis
state of equilibrium—biological conditions, such as body temperature, are maintained at
optimal levels
parasympathetic nervous system
associated with routine, day-to-day operations of the body
somatic nervous system
relays sensory and motor information to and from the CNS
sympathetic nervous system
involved in stress-related activities and functions
23. The ________ is a sensory relay station where all sensory information, except for smell, goes
before being sent to other areas of the brain for further processing.

a. amygdala
b. hippocampus
c. hypothalamus
d. thalamus

24. Which of the following is not a structure of the forebrain?

a. thalamus
b. hippocampus
c. amygdala
d. substantia nigra

Terms to know:
amygdala
structure in the limbic system involved in our experience of emotion and tying emotional
meaning to our memories
cerebellum
hindbrain structure that controls our balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills, and
it is thought to be important in processing some types of memory
cerebral cortex
surface of the brain that is associated with our highest mental capabilities
corpus callosum
thick band of neural fibers connecting the brain’s two hemispheres
forebrain
largest part of the brain, containing the cerebral cortex, the thalamus, and the limbic system,
among other structures
frontal lobe
part of the cerebral cortex involved in reasoning, motor control, emotion, and language;
contains motor cortex
hindbrain
division of the brain containing the medulla, pons, and cerebellum
hippocampus
structure in the temporal lobe associated with learning and memory
hypothalamus
forebrain structure that regulates sexual motivation and behavior and a number of
homeostatic processes; serves as an interface between the nervous system and the
endocrine system
limbic system
collection of structures involved in processing emotion and memory
medulla
hindbrain structure that controls automated processes like breathing, blood pressure, and
heart rate
midbrain
division of the brain located between the forebrain and the hindbrain; contains the reticular
formation
pons
hindbrain structure that connects the brain and spinal cord; involved in regulating brain
activity during sleep
prefrontal cortex
 area in the frontal lobe responsible for higher-level cognitive functioning
reticular formation
midbrain structure important in regulating the sleep/wake cycle, arousal, alertness, and
motor activity
thalamus
sensory relay for the brain

25. The two major hormones secreted from the pancreas are:

a. estrogen and progesterone

b. norepinephrine and epinephrine
c. thyroxine and oxytocin
d. glucagon and insulin

26. The body’s biological clock is located in the ________.

a. hippocampus
b. thalamus
c. hypothalamus
d. pituitary gland

27. _______ is one way in which people can help reset their biological clocks.

a. Light-dark exposure
b. coffee consumption
c. alcohol consumption
d. napping

28. ________ appears to be especially important for enhanced performance on recently learned
tasks.

a. melatonin
b. slow-wave sleep
c. sleep deprivation
d. growth hormone

Terms to know:
stage 1 sleep
first stage of sleep; transitional phase that occurs between wakefulness and sleep; the period
during which a person drifts off to sleep
stage 2 sleep
second stage of sleep; the body goes into deep relaxation; characterized by the appearance
of sleep spindles
stage 3 sleep
third stage of sleep; deep sleep characterized by low frequency, high amplitude delta waves
stage 4 sleep
fourth stage of sleep; deep sleep characterized by low frequency, high amplitude delta
waves
29. ________ refers to the minimum amount of stimulus energy required to be detected 50% of the
time.

a. absolute threshold
b. difference threshold
c. just noticeable difference
d. transduction

30. ________ occurs when sensory information is organized, interpreted, and consciously
experienced.

a. sensation
b. perception
c. transduction
d. sensory adaptation

31. ________ operate best under bright light conditions.

a. cones
b. rods
c. retinal ganglion cells
d. striate cortex

32. Which of the following is involved in maintaining balance and body posture?

a. auditory nerve
b. nociceptors
c. olfactory bulb
d. vestibular system

33. ________ is another name for short-term memory.

a. sensory memory
b. episodic memory
c. working memory
d. implicit memory

34. The storage capacity of long-term memory is ________.

a. one or two bits of information

b. seven bits, plus or minus two
c. limited
d. essentially limitless

35. When you are learning how to play the piano, the statement “Every good boy does fine” can help
you remember the notes E, G, B, D, and F for the lines of the treble clef. This is an example of a
(an) ________.

a. jingle
b. acronym
c. acrostic
 d. acoustic

1. ________ is another name for short-term memory. a. sensory memory b. episodic memory c.
working memory d. implicit memory

2. The storage capacity of long-term memory is ________. a. one or two bits of information b. seven
bits, plus or minus two c. limited d. essentially limitless

3. The three functions of memory are ________. a. automatic processing, effortful processing, and
storage b. encoding, processing, and storage c. automatic processing, effortful processing, and
retrieval d. encoding, storage, and retrieval

12. Memory aids that help organize information for encoding are ________. a. mnemonic devices b.
memory-enhancing strategies c. elaborative rehearsal d. effortful processing