Question 1

The origins of psychology as a science began in the discipline of

Accepted Answer

The field of psychology emerged from the discipline of philosophy, particularly the study of consciousness and the mind-body problem. Many early psychologists, such as Wilhelm Wundt, were originally trained in philosophy before turning their attention to the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes.

Question 2

According to the discipline of psychology, which of the following is a mental process?

Accepted Answer

Swimming and reading out loud are physical activities, while feeling proud and crying are mental processes related to emotions. Therefore, option B, feeling proud, is the correct answer.

Question 3

According to the discipline of psychology, which of the following is NOT a behavior?

Accepted Answer

In psychology, behavior refers to observable actions or responses. Nervous thoughts are internal cognitive processes, not observable behaviors.

Question 4

According to the discipline of psychology, which of the following is NOT a mental process?

Accepted Answer

Writing down the answer to a long division problem is a physical action, not a mental process. The other options all describe mental processes such as feeling, wanting, and deciding.

Question 5

Early researchers from which school of thought asked participants to report sensations they were experiencing?

Accepted Answer

Structuralism focused on breaking down consciousness into its basic components through introspection, in which participants reported their sensations and perceptions.

Question 6

Who conducted the first psychological experiment in 1879?

Accepted Answer

Wilhelm Wundt is widely considered to be the father of experimental psychology, and he conducted the first psychological experiment in 1879. He established the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig in Germany, where he conducted experiments that focused on introspection and sensation and perception.

Question 7

According to the discipline of psychology, which of the following is NOT a behavior?

Accepted Answer

Being overweight is not a behavior, but rather a characteristic or state of being. The other options all describe observable actions or reactions.

Question 8

Of the following experimental situations, which one reflects the method of introspection and might be conducted by a structuralist?

Accepted Answer

Introspection is the process of looking inward at one's own mental processes and experiences. Structuralists were interested in understanding the basic elements of consciousness, and they believed that this could best be accomplished by asking individuals to describe their subjective experiences. Therefore, documenting subjects' descriptions of an experience reflects the method of introspection and is consistent with the approach taken by structuralists.

Question 9

Which of the following is a topic that would be explored by researchers who believe in positive psychology?

Accepted Answer

Positive psychology focuses on promoting happiness and well-being, so topics like hope would be explored. Depression, retribution, and envy are not typically studied within the framework of positive psychology.

Question 10

Psychologists rely on ________ which is the process of thinking reflectively and actively, and evaluating evidence.

Accepted Answer

Psychologists rely on critical thinking, which is the process of thinking reflectively and actively, and evaluating evidence. Metacognition refers to the ability to think about one's own thought processes, comprehension refers to understanding a concept, and selective wisdom is not a recognized term in psychology.

Question 11

Rena's boss just informed her that the next election would be won by the incumbent. She proceeded to ask him where he got his information and did he know if the data was based on a random sampling of potential voters. Rena is exhibiting

Accepted Answer

Rena is exhibiting critical thinking by questioning the source and validity of the information provided by her boss. She is not accepting the information at face value and is showing a willingness to analyze and evaluate the data before making any conclusions.

Question 12

The positive psychology movement focuses on

Accepted Answer

The positive psychology movement prioritizes research on topics related to happiness, optimism, and positive emotions.

Question 13

Professor Schjott is observing children on the playground as they take turns on the new jungle gym. He is recording how many times a child complains to the teacher about not getting a turn. Which goal of psychological science is he utilizing?

Accepted Answer

Professor Schjott is utilizing the goal of "describe" as he is observing and recording the behavior of children to understand what is happening in the playground setting.

Question 14

In trying to understand mental processes, researchers Will and Megan attempted to analyze the mind in terms of its basic elements. Their approach is most closely related to

Accepted Answer

Will and Megan's approach of analyzing the mind in terms of its basic elements is most closely related to structuralism. Structural psychologists attempted to break down mental processes into their most basic components to understand how the mind works.

Question 15

If you were a psychologist who was labeled a structuralist, you would be interested in the ________ of the mind, and you would use ________ as your primary research method.

Accepted Answer

Structuralism was a psychological movement in the late 19th century that sought to identify the basic elements or "structures" of consciousness through introspection. Therefore, if you were a structuralist psychologist, you would be interested in studying the structures of the mind and would use introspection as your primary research method. Choice A is incorrect because function is not the focus of structuralism, and behaviorism is not a method used by structuralists. Choice B is incorrect because while structuralism does focus on structures, the method used is introspection rather than behaviorism. Choice C is incorrect because while introspection is the primary method used by structuralists, the focus is on identifying structures rather than functions of the mind.

Question 16

Who is most responsible for the rather narrow view of psychology held by the majority of the population?

Accepted Answer

The psychoanalytic theory of Freud has dominated psychology for many years, and its emphasis on unconscious conflicts and sexual impulses has created a narrow view of psychology in the popular imagination.

Question 17

Many colleges use students' S.A.T. scores to determine who they will accept into their programs. Which goal of psychological science are they utilizing?

Accepted Answer

Utilizing S.A.T. scores to determine who they will accept is an example of predicting student success in their program based on their test performance.

Question 18

With which school of psychology is Wilhelm Wundt associated?

Accepted Answer

Wilhelm Wundt is primarily associated with the school of structuralism, which focused on breaking down mental processes into their component parts for study and analysis. Wundt is often considered the father of modern psychology for his role in establishing psychology as a separate scientific discipline.

Question 19

Behavior is ________ while mental processes are ________.

Accepted Answer

Behavior refers to observable actions, while mental processes are thoughts, feelings, and other internal experiences, which are not observable to others and are considered private.

Question 20

Who is demonstrating psychological skepticism?

Accepted Answer

Lindsey is demonstrating psychological skepticism because she is questioning the claim that memory can be improved overnight by taking a pill.

Quiz 1: Science of Psychology

The origins of psychology as a science began in the discipline of

According to the discipline of psychology, which of the following is a mental process?

According to the discipline of psychology, which of the following is NOT a behavior?

According to the discipline of psychology, which of the following is NOT a mental process?

Early researchers from which school of thought asked participants to report sensations they were experiencing?

Who conducted the first psychological experiment in 1879?

According to the discipline of psychology, which of the following is NOT a behavior?

Of the following experimental situations, which one reflects the method of introspection and might be conducted by a structuralist?

Which of the following is a topic that would be explored by researchers who believe in positive psychology?

Psychologists rely on ________ which is the process of thinking reflectively and actively, and evaluating evidence.

Rena's boss just informed her that the next election would be won by the incumbent. She proceeded to ask him where he got his information and did he know if the data was based on a random sampling of potential voters. Rena is exhibiting

The positive psychology movement focuses on

Professor Schjott is observing children on the playground as they take turns on the new jungle gym. He is recording how many times a child complains to the teacher about not getting a turn. Which goal of psychological science is he utilizing?

In trying to understand mental processes, researchers Will and Megan attempted to analyze the mind in terms of its basic elements. Their approach is most closely related to

If you were a psychologist who was labeled a structuralist, you would be interested in the of the mind, and you would use as your primary research method.

Who is most responsible for the rather narrow view of psychology held by the majority of the population?

Many colleges use students' S.A.T. scores to determine who they will accept into their programs. Which goal of psychological science are they utilizing?

With which school of psychology is Wilhelm Wundt associated?

Behavior is while mental processes are .

Who is demonstrating psychological skepticism?