Question 1

One of the intellectual precursors to the cognitive revolution was the debate over how children acquire language.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Sigmund Freud believed in the importance of unconscious and childhood experience factors. He based his beliefs on all of the following observations EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A) His patients consistently reported childhood memories of a sexual nature 
B) His patients often improved after "reliving" previously forgotten memories of childhood sexual abuse 
C) He noticed that individuals use defence mechanisms to help cope with anxiety 
D) He noticed how people often engaged in habitual activities with little conscious awareness

Question 3

Levine and colleague's research on whether individuals would marry someone they didn't love most clearly demonstrates the influence of

Accepted Answer

A) culture on what is perceived as normal 
B) types of thinking and reasoning on what is perceived as normal 
C) biology and environment on what is perceived as normal 
D) unconscious factors on what is perceived as normal

Question 4

Imagine that you are curious about how people perceive colour and how well they can detect small changes in colour. You design a slide show in which you slowly manipulate the colour of the light people see (by slowly changing the light's frequency) and you ask them if they can detect the change. Your efforts are most similar to the works of the people in which of the following fields?

Accepted Answer

A) Evolutionary psychology 
B) Psychophysics 
C) Behaviour genetics 
D) Behavioural neuroscience

Question 5

The field of evolutionary psychology is considered to be a part of which psychological perspective?

Accepted Answer

A) Cognitive 
B) Sociocultural 
C) Biological 
D) Behavioural

Question 6

Yvette has been struggling to decide which major she wants to declare. She has asked her friends and family for advice, but their answers have just confused her more. Finally, she decides to see a therapist. Rather than giving her more advice, her therapist says it's all right for her to struggle with these kinds of questions, and that all people have an internal force that moves us toward self-actualization. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

A) Our behaviours are actually affected by what we have learned, and when we're stuck, it's time to learn something new. 
B) We have an innate tendency to grow and reach our own individual potential; we each have to find our own meaning, and the therapist will support the process. 
C) Our brains are a lot like computers, and the best way to see what's going on inside Yvette's mental computer is doing an actual scan of her brain. 
D) We all started out as blank slates, but our environments have made us into who we actually are; if we pay attention, our environments will tell us what's best. 
E) Gaining awareness of our strengths and weaknesses.

Question 7

What criticism has been made AGAINST the sociobiological theory of evolution?

Accepted Answer

A) It overemphasizes innate biological factors at the expense of cultural and social learning factors. 
B) It overemphasizes cultural and social learning factors at the expense of innate biological factors. 
C) It places too much emphasis on early childhood and unconscious factors. 
D) It places too much emphasis on the role of thinking, planning, and reasoning.

Question 8

Your best friend is having trouble dating. You suspect that the problem stems from his past experiences with dating in which he has been constantly turned down when asking someone out on a date. This makes him feel very bad. Which of the following perspectives reflect your suspicion?

Accepted Answer

A) Cognitive 
B) Biological 
C) Behavioural 
D) Psychoanalytic 
E) Cultural

Question 9

The humanistic and behavioural perspectives are similar in that

Accepted Answer

A) both acknowledge the importance of the environment 
B) both acknowledge the importance of aggressive impulses 
C) both focus on unconscious factors 
D) both assume that human nature is essentially good

Question 10

What is cognitive behaviourism? Explain how this perspective blends the behavioural perspective with the cognitive perspective.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is cognitive behaviourism? Explain how this...

Question 11

Despite its emphasis on unconscious factors, the psychodynamic perspective is similar to the behavioural perspective in that they both acknowledge the importance of ________________ in determining human behaviour.

Accepted Answer

A) thoughts 
B) biology and genetics 
C) external and environmental factors 
D) free will and personal choice

Question 12

The notion of "tabula rasa" is most consistent with which of the following statements?

Accepted Answer

A) The environment determines most of our behaviour. 
B) Biology and genetics determine most of our behaviour. 
C) Unconscious forces determine most of our behaviour. 
D) Our innate drive to self-actualize determines most of our behaviour.

Question 13

Interest in the cognitive perspective was reinvigorated in the 1950s by psychologists'

Accepted Answer

A) involvement in political movements 
B) involvement during WW II 
C) research on gender issues 
D) research on evolution

Question 14

Professor Royce studies the influence of an individual's mood on their memory for facts. At what level of analysis is this research?

Accepted Answer

A) Biological 
B) Basic 
C) Cultural 
D) Environmental 
E) Psychological

Question 15

Describe the humanistic, sociocultural, and cognitive perspectives. Mention which level of analysis (biological, psychological, or environmental) the perspectives tend to utilize. Note any major similarities or differences between the perspectives.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the humanistic, sociocultural, and cognitive perspectives....

Question 16

You overhear two psychologists talking about human behaviour. Professor A believes that humans are controlled by inner forces and conflicts while Professor B states that humans are "free-agents" and seek self-actualization. Most likely, Professor A follows the ________ perspective while Professor B follows the ______ perspective.

Accepted Answer

A) psychodynamic; humanistic 
B) behavioural; sociocultural 
C) biological; cognitive 
D) sociocultural; behavioural 
E) cognitive; psychodynamic

Question 17

Explain how the cognitive, psychodynamic and humanist perspectives tend to use the psychological level of analysis.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how the cognitive, psychodynamic and humanist...

Question 18

Dr. Adams is a psychologist who works in the area of animal behaviour. She has a particular interest in crows, and her research is mostly aimed at gaining more information about the behaviours of these birds, such as their mating habits, eating rituals, and so on. Dr. Adams's research is best described as

Accepted Answer

A) Applied research 
B) Basic research 
C) Insight research 
D) Interaction research

Question 19

You overhear two people arguing about whether or not a given actor is talented. The first person says they spent all night finding examples of movies that actor has appeared in which they consider to be great. The second person considers the list and, while agreeing all those movies are great, points out there are far more movies that actor has been featured in that are absolutely terrible. The second person admits they didn't spend any time considering examples of their bad acting. What kind of faulty thinking does this example demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

A) familiarity bias 
B) heuristics 
C) mental shortcuts 
D) distractor devaluation 
E) confirmation bias

Question 20

Wynda is interested in understanding how to design control panels for consumer products (computers, cars, etc.) in such a way that they are as easy and intuitive to use as possible. Which type of research should Wynda pursue?

Accepted Answer

A) observable 
B) applied 
C) basic 
D) consumer 
E) sociocultural

Exam 1: Psychology: the Science of Behaviour