Deck 1: Psychology and Scientific Thinking

Question 1

What early American psychologist wanted to identify the basic elements of psychology in order to create a 'map' or 'periodic table' of consciousness?

A) Edward Titchener
B) Sigmund Freud
C) B.F. Skinner
D) William James

Answer 1

Edward Titchener

Question 2

Which individual is often credited with establishing the first psychological laboratory, thus establishing psychology as an experimental science?

A) Sigmund Freud
B) Wilhelm Wundt
C) William James
D) John B. Watson

Answer 2

Wilhelm Wundt

Question 3

Suppose you were one of the early students in the new field of psychology. Your mentor is interested in answers to questions such as "Why do we see in colour?" "Why do people cry when they are sad?" and "Why do we dream?" Your mentor's approach is most consistent with the __________ perspective.

A) psychoanalytic
B) behaviourist
C) functionalist
D) structuralist

Answer 3

functionalist

Question 4

The term __________ refers to the use of everyday or commonsense sources to understand and explain human behaviour.

A) counselling psychology
B) psychology
C) popular psychology
D) experimental psychology

Question 5

Prior to the late 1800s, Psychology was difficult to distinguish from which of the following disciplines?

A) Theology
B) Journalism
C) Philosophy
D) Biology

Question 6

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind, brain, and

A) illness
B) society
C) behaviour
D) common sense

Question 7

Dr. Ortega is a researcher in Spain, where she conducts research on how Spanish culture shapes body image in young Spanish teenaged girls. Dr. Ortega is using which approach to cross-cultural psychology?

A) etic
B) emic
C) reciprocal determinism
D) western

Question 8

What early psychologist was most concerned with developing answers to basic questions about our mental experiences, such as how long it takes us to react to a sound?

A) Wilhelm Wundt
B) John B. Watson
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Alfred Binet

Question 9

Which of the following topics in psychology would focus on 'individual differences'?

A) How personality affects job preferences.
B) How neurons transmit signals.
C) How colour vision works.
D) How sleep deprivation affects attention.

Question 10

Which of the following phenomena caused a problem for structuralism, because it demonstrated that some aspects of psychology are outside of conscious awareness?

A) introspection
B) insight
C) imageless thought
D) natural selection

Question 11

When students begin to read through their introductory psychology textbook, they are often surprised to learn that

A) common-sense explanations are essential in the field of psychology.
B) many of their beliefs about the causes of thoughts and behaviours are incorrect.
C) psychology is a unique field of study separate from philosophy and biology.
D) psychologists do not study people's everyday behaviours.

Question 12

What technique involves trained observers who carefully reflect and report on their own mental experiences?

A) Spiritualism
B) Introspection
C) Experimentalism
D) Empiricism

Question 13

Which level of psychological analysis would focus on the experience of anxiety or anger?

A) neurological
B) psychological
C) social and cultural
D) biological

Question 14

Which level of analysis in psychology would focus on your relationships with friends and family?

A) biological
B) social-cultural
C) psychological
D) neurological

Question 15

Which of the following is a lasting contribution by the school of thought known as structuralism?

A) It defined psychology as the study of behaviour.
B) It emphasized the need for systematic observation.
C) It established the map of consciousness that we still use today.
D) It focused on the purpose of behaviour.

Question 16

Janet is very friendly and outgoing, and she makes friends very easily. People are typically very nice to Janet, because of her friendliness, and as a result Janet is even more likely to be friendly. Which of the following terms is illustrated by this example?

A) Mutual exclusion
B) Kin selection
C) Reciprocal determinism
D) Naive realism

Question 17

What influence did psychology need to break away from in order to establish itself as a discipline and be free of associations with studying the spirit or soul?

A) Spiritualism
B) Philosophy
C) Psychicism
D) Introspection

Question 18

With its study of the adaptive purpose of various psychological systems, evolutionary psychology is most like which early psychological school of thought?

A) Behaviourism
B) Structuralism
C) Psychoanalysis
D) Functionalism

Question 19

Which of the following research questions would be most interesting to a psychologist who studies anxiety from the biological perspective?

A) Do all people experience anxiety in the same way?
B) Do hormone changes affect the experience of anxiety?
C) Do most people experience more anxiety in crowds than when alone?
D) Are more people anxious about physical threats or social threats?

Question 20

Which of the following fields was most influenced by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection?

A) psychoanalysis
B) behaviourism
C) functionalism
D) structuralism

Question 21

Early thinkers in philosophy and psychology believed that we are shaped exclusively by our environments and we are born with a "blank state". These thinkers would endorse which of the following concepts?

A) Natural selection
B) Tabula rasa
C) Imprinting
D) Imageless thought

Question 22

Nico is meeting with his academic adviser. He wishes to pursue a career where he'll work to diagnose and treat mental disorders. Nico aspires to be a(n)

A) clinical psychologist.
B) school psychologist.
C) experimental psychologist.
D) forensic psychologist.

Question 23

The greatest proportion of psychologists are found working

A) in K-12 schools.
B) in self-employed, clinical practices.
C) for a governmental agency.
D) at universities and colleges.

Question 24

According to evolutionary psychologists, which of the following explains why men and women tend to have slightly different approaches to sex and relationships?

A) Socialization differences
B) Life-span differences
C) Differences in the 'cost' of mating
D) Differences in personality

Question 25

Which of the following provides strong evidence against the 'blank slate' concept of psychology?

A) Evidence that early childhood experiences influence adult behaviour.
B) Evidence that genes influence traits like intelligence and personality.
C) Evidence that reward and punishment are important determinants of behaviour.
D) Evidence that there are individual differences for most psychological traits.

Question 26

The key to understanding human behaviour, according to Sigmund Freud, was to focus on __________ and the __________ level of the human mind.

A) external factors; unconscious
B) external factors; conscious
C) internal psychological processes; unconscious
D) internal psychological processes; conscious

Question 27

The phrase "black box psychology" is associated with which theoretical framework?

A) Functionalism.
B) Psychoanalysis.
C) Behaviourism.
D) Structuralism.

Question 28

A researcher who studies the relationship between brain functioning and various thought processes, such as remembering or planning, would belong to what field of psychology?

A) Evolutionary psychology
B) Cognitive neuroscience
C) Psychoanalysis
D) Behaviourism

Question 29

In which of the following is the theorist matched to the correct school of thought?

A) Structuralism - Charles Darwin
B) Behaviourism - Jean Piaget
C) Functionalism - William James
D) Cognitivism - John B. Watson

Question 30

All types of psychology involve

A) interactions between patients and therapists.
B) studying the brain.
C) the use of scientific methods.
D) replicating what is already known via common sense.

Question 31

What psychological school of thought was most concerned with the influence of learning on a person's actions or thoughts?

A) Behaviourism
B) Structuralism
C) Cognitivism
D) Psychoanalysis

Question 32

Which of the following is consistent with B.F. Skinner's argument that free will is an illusion?

A) Most of people's behaviour is deliberate and controlled.
B) Recent brain imaging studies have shown that readiness potential and conscious intention to behave co-occur.
C) We select when, where, and how to engage in one behaviour rather than in another.
D) People often lack direct understanding of the causes of their own behaviour.

Question 33

Anxiety is an important emotion because it helps us to detect and avoid danger. Which field of psychology is most consistent with this sort of statement?

A) cognitivism
B) psychoanalysis
C) behaviourism
D) evolutionary psychology

Question 34

Which theoretical framework proposed that our interpretation of rewards and punishments is a crucial determinant of our behaviour?

A) Behaviourism
B) Psychoanalysis
C) Structuralism
D) Cognitivism

Question 35

Which theoretical approach argues that we conceptualize the world in different ways and, thinking, interpretation and insight are central to psychology.

A) Cognitivism
B) Behaviourism
C) Functionalism
D) Psychoanalysis

Question 36

You are listening in on a discussion among a group of psychology majors. One major says that field will only move forward if we use objective methods for understanding the principles that guide publicly observable human actions. This statement is most consistent with

A) functionalism.
B) psychoanalysis.
C) behaviourism.
D) structuralism.

Question 37

One person interprets eye contact as friendly, and another person interprets it as threatening. Which of the following fields is most interested in this difference of interpretation?

A) psychoanalysis.
B) cognitivism.
C) structuralism.
D) behaviourism.

Question 38

Which theoretical framework proposed that our lives are full of symbols, or things that represent other things?

A) Cognitivism
B) Behaviourism
C) Functionalism
D) Psychoanalysis

Question 39

Which perspective was among the first to focus on the need for objective, rather than subjective, evidence?

A) Cognitivism
B) Behaviourism
C) Functionalism
D) Psychoanalysis

Question 40

Which theoretical school of thought focused on early childhood experience as a major influence on behaviour?

A) structuralism
B) functionalism
C) cognitivism
D) psychoanalysis

Question 41

Suppose Dr. Fish has a hypothesis that dogs make people happy. He supports his hypothesis by interviewing people at the dog park who are smiling and laughing. This demonstrates

A) the availability heuristic.
B) the hindsight bias.
C) the confirmation bias.
D) belief perseverance.

Question 42

Imagine that someone winks at you and you wonder "do they have a crush on me?" So you start to observe their behaviour with others, to see if they wink or flirt in other circumstances. In this case, your question about a possible crush could be considered

A) a theory.
B) a prediction.
C) a hypothesis.
D) an outcome.

Question 43

Milo and Shirley have been happily married for 20 years. They believe they made it to this milestone because they know each other so well. They recently did a quiz that showed them that they don't know each other as well as they thought! This evidence didn't change their minds, however, and they still believe that their love is because they know nearly everything about each other. This is an example of

A) the representativeness heuristic.
B) the hindsight bias.
C) belief perseverance.
D) the availability heuristic.

Question 44

When a psychologist mentions the term scientific theory, he or she is referring to something that

A) explains a single event.
B) is no better an explanation than another person's opinion.
C) refers to an educated guess.
D) explains a wide range of observations.

Question 45

When you like someone, you tend to notice all of the good things about that person and minimize their flaws. While this might help your relationships, it is also an example of

A) belief perseverance.
B) the availability heuristic.
C) healthy skepticism.
D) confirmation bias.

Question 46

Some people believe that the earth is flat, because that's what they can observe when they look out at the world. Which of the following terms is illustrated by this sort of error?

A) the confirmation bias.
B) naive realism.
C) logical fallacies.
D) communalism.

Question 47

In Alice in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat tells Alice that "most everyone's mad here." And Alice protests, "But how do you know I'm mad?!" "Because," says the Cat, "if you weren't, you wouldn't have come here." What does this example illustrate?

A) belief perseverance.
B) the availability heuristic.
C) confirmation bias.
D) the anchoring and adjustment heuristic.

Question 48

Douglas believes that women are more polite and respectful than men. He easily recalls examples of this and constantly points out situations to others that support this belief. However, he often ignores evidence to the contrary. Douglas's belief about gender differences in social behaviour is maintained through

A) the representativeness heuristic.
B) the confirmation bias.
C) belief perseverance.
D) the hindsight bias.

Question 49

To explain a wide range of observations, a psychologist would use

A) a rational hypothesis.
B) an empirical hypothesis.
C) an empirical theory.
D) a scientific theory.

Question 50

Which of the following is described in the textbook as being the 'mother of all biases' that is most important for scientists to counteract?

A) the confirmation bias
B) the availability heuristic
C) belief perseverance
D) the hindsight bias

Question 51

When people watch a debate, they often point out the internal contradictions, flaws in logic, and hypocrisy in positions they oppose while glossing over the same shortcomings for positions they support. This is an example of

A) belief perseverance.
B) the availability heuristic.
C) healthy skepticism.
D) confirmation bias.

Question 52

In science, an explanatory device that connects multiple scientific findings is called a(n)

A) scientific theory.
B) scientific hypothesis.
C) metaphysical claim.
D) rationalization.

Question 53

Which of the following makes psychology a scientific discipline?

A) a systematic approach to evidence
B) including the study of the brain
C) staying away from 'soft' topics like emotion
D) embracing naïve realism

Question 54

In science, a scientific theory is defined as a(n)

A) personal understanding of natural laws.
B) testable prediction about the natural world.
C) explanation for a large number of findings
D) educated opinion about the natural world.

Question 55

When conducting research, it is important to look for evidence that could disprove your hypothesis. This helps researchers avoid

A) hindsight bias
B) confirmation bias
C) naive realism
D) availability heuristic

Question 56

Empiricism is an important part of psychological science. What does empiricism require?

A) that we rely on logical decision-making
B) that we acquire knowledge through observation
C) that we use systematic diagnostic procedures
D) that we are completely subjective at all times

Question 57

Police interrogators often assume that people brought in for questioning have important knowledge about the crime in question. If an interrogator asks questions that assume the guilt of a suspect rather than asking questions that would exonerate the suspect, then __________ may occur.

A) belief perseverance
B) the availability heuristic
C) confirmation bias
D) the anchoring and adjustment heuristic

Question 58

__________ are general explanations, whereas __________ are specific predictions derived from these explanations.

A) hypotheses; theories
B) theories; hypotheses
C) biases; heuristics
D) heuristics; biases

Question 59

The tendency to look for supportive evidence rather than actively seeking out contradictory evidence is known as

A) the availability heuristic.
B) the hindsight bias.
C) the confirmation bias.
D) belief perseverance.

Question 60

To believe that everyone admitted to hospital is necessarily ill (or they wouldn't be there) demonstrates

A) belief perseverance.
B) the availability heuristic.
C) healthy skepticism.
D) confirmation bias.

Question 61

Unlike science and pseudoscience, metaphysics involves claims that are always

A) unjustifiable.
B) unfalsifiable.
C) derived from rational thought.
D) derived from empirical observation.

Question 62

What does science have that pseudoscience lacks?

A) Safeguards against confirmation bias and belief perseverance.
B) Technical terminology or jargon.
C) The ability to investigate metaphysical claims.
D) Referring to 'proof' rather than 'evidence'.

Question 63

Suppose a teacher hears from the principal at the start of the school year that an especially "weak" student will be admitted to their class. From September to October, the teacher indeed sees that this student struggles with assignments. In November, the principal states that the student admitted to the class was actually quite strong. But even after knowing this, the teacher still grades the student poorly. This is an example of

A) the representativeness heuristic.
B) the hindsight bias.
C) belief perseverance.
D) the availability heuristic.

Question 64

Despite the fact that scientific research has found no support or basis for the belief of "the hot hand" for winning streaks in baseball, basketball, or golf, the idea still persists among athletes, sports commentators, and fans. This is a classic example of

A) belief perseverance.
B) scientific illiteracy.
C) the hindsight bias.
D) gullibility.

Question 65

When attempting to differentiate between useful and useless information from popular psychology, what is a good rule to follow?

A) Trust nothing that you read or hear in the media about psychology.
B) Insist on evidence to accurately evaluate all claims.
C) All popular psychology claims are misinformation.
D) Common sense is often correct; go with your gut.

Question 66

__________ represents a set of claims that seem scientific but really are not.

A) Pseudoscience
B) Metaphysics
C) Metacognition
D) Religion

Question 67

Proponents of speed-reading courses or facilitated communication hold stubbornly to their beliefs despite contradictory evidence. Which warning sign of pseudoscience does this illustrate?

A) Exaggerated claims
B) Overreliance on anecdotes
C) Lack of self-correction
D) Absence of connectivity

Question 68

__________ offers safeguards against cognitive biases; __________ does not.

A) Natural science like physics; pseudoscience.
B) Natural science like physics; social science like psychology
C) Pseudoscience; science in general
D) Science in general; pseudoscience

Question 69

Imagine that you are a participant in a study on math skills, and after several trials, the experimenter gives you feedback that you are a "wizard" at math and score better than the average student. You are then asked to complete a few more math problems. At the end of the study, the experimenter tells you that the feedback was bogus and your performance was average and around the same level as everyone else who has participated in the study. Despite this, you are still convinced that you were better at math than other participants. In this example, you would be engaging in

A) confirmation bias.
B) disinterestedness.
C) belief perseverance.
D) the disconfirmation bias.

Question 70

Claims that involve the existence of God, the soul, or the afterlife reflect __________ claims that are __________.

A) religious; replicable
B) metaphysical; unfalsifiable
C) pseudoscientific; correlations
D) scientific; risky predictions

Question 71

Which of the following makes it so important for people who read popular psychology to be able to distinguish real from bogus claims?

A) Psychological research is rare.
B) The popular psychology industry has no quality control.
C) Popular psychology is more straightforward than research psychology.
D) There are no reliable internet resources about psychology.

Question 72

Suppose you hear that Mr. Banker was arrested for stealing money; to your friends, you have few good things to say about Mr. Banker. But at the trial, the charges are shown to be false. However, you are still suspicious and wary of Mr. Banker. This is an example of

A) the representativeness heuristic.
B) the hindsight bias.
C) belief perseverance.
D) the availability heuristic.

Question 73

Which of the following categories involves claims that are always untestable (and therefore unfalsifiable)?

A) Philosophy
B) Metaphysics
C) Science
D) Psychology

Question 74

The major difference between pseudoscience and science is that

A) pseudoscience lacks the general level of public support that characterizes science.
B) pseudoscience addresses different questions than science.
C) pseudoscience is less similar to popular psychology than science is.
D) pseudoscience lacks the safeguards against cognitive biases that characterize science.

Question 75

Which of the following is a metaphysical claim?

A) We have guardian angels.
B) Specific vitamins can cure cancer.
C) There are no sex differences in emotion.
D) Intelligent people are more likely to swear.

Question 76

According to your textbook, what percentage of self-help books contain claims that are scientifically untested?

A) 30
B) 45
C) 70
D) 95

Question 77

Dr. Boliba develops a herbal supplement that he claims increases memory abilities but other researchers have been unable to replicate his findings. In response to these criticisms, Dr. Boliba argues that clinical trials won't show the effects of his supplement because the environment is too intimidating for participants. In this example, which warning sign of pseudoscience is evident?

A) Ad hoc immunizing
B) Exaggerated claims
C) Overreliance on anecdotes
D) Evasion of peer review

Question 78

Why do scientists say things like "evidence suggests" or "this supports our hypothesis" rather than saying "we have proven"?

A) Because scientists are worried about being sued.
B) Because scientists know that their methods are weak.
C) Because scientists know that new evidence could change their understanding.
D) Because scientists are trained in humility.

Question 79

Unlike science, pseudoscience lacks safeguards against __________ and __________.

A) correlation-causation fallacy; extraordinary claims
B) Occam's razor; Oberg's dictum
C) confirmation bias; belief perseverance
D) replicability; falsifiability

Question 80

Recall from your text that researchers gave students false feedback about their abilities to distinguish between false and real documents. At the conclusion of the study, the researchers informed the students that their feedback was in no way related to their actual performance. However, on a subsequent task where the students had to estimate their performance on a similar task, they used this false feedback to guide their estimates. This is an example of

A) belief perseverance.
B) overconfidence.
C) confirmation bias.
D) the hindsight bias.