The Discipline of Psycholog Part 2

67. In Thorndike’s experiment on trial and error learning, the cat would escape a puzzle box faster and faster on progressive trials. In other words, the cat ____. a. acquired faster nerve impulses on successive trials b. became more physically fit c. memorized the solution to the puzzle d. repeated effective behaviors and abandoned ineffective ones ANS: D 68. B. F. Skinner, a leading behaviorist who explored operant conditioning, believed that inner, private states such as thinking and feeling existed and ____. a. should be analyzed based on introspection b. viewed them as behaviors that followed the same rules as public behaviors c. viewed them as behaviors that should be attended to through psychodynamic therapy d. are a part of what makes a person inherently human and good ANS: B 69. Skinner generalized his findings to complex human behaviors even though his subject pool was limited to ____. a. rats and pigeons c. graduate students b. children d. dogs and cats ANS: A 70. Which of the following is an application of Skinner’s behaviorism? a. Dr. Monson provides humane living conditions for the mice in his research laboratory. b. Doug needs to lose a few pounds, and has a rule that if he eats a dessert, he must go for a five-mile run. c. Sandra is learning a new surgical procedure by observing several operations performed by other physicians. d. Dylan is delaying vaccinations for his young son because of his concerns regarding autism. ANS: B 71. By the 1950s, the behaviorists’ disinterest in mental states and activity was challenged by scientists from diverse fields, including linguistics and computer science, leading to ____. a. psychodynamic theory c. a new appreciation of humanism b. client-centered therapy d. a cognitive revolution ANS: D 72. Who is a leading cognitive psychologist? a. Carl Rogers b. Jean Piaget ANS: C c. Ulric Neisser d. Edward Thorndike 73. Which of the following refers to the very private and internal mental processes that the behaviorists avoided studying—information processing, thinking, reasoning, and problem solving? a. client-centered therapy c. Cognition b. self-actualization d. study of the id ANS: C 74. Which of the following best represents a cognitive approach to childhood language learning? a. Children acquire language in response to parental approval. b. Children are born with distinct physical features that facilitate learning the language of their parents. c. Children are born with innate mechanisms for learning language. d. Children acquire language in response to being understood. ANS: C 75. Many of the big questions tackled by behaviorists are now examined through the lens of the ____ perspective. a. cognitive or biological c. evolutionary or cross-cultural b. structural or historical d. psychodynamic or humanistic ANS: A 76. With the exception of occasional bursts of insight from the Egyptians and Greeks, the most common view of psychological disorders over the course of history has been that they____. a. originated in childhood from repressive parenting b. resulted from the actions of evil spirits or other external, magical forces c. originated from guilt for condemned behaviors d. resulted from malfunctions of the human body ANS: B 77. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, supernatural explanations for psychological disorders began to give way to two scientific approaches: ____. a. functionalism and behaviorism b. a cognitive model and a behavioral model c. a medical model and a psychological model d. psychodynamic theory and humanism ANS: C 78. Edward has a fear of being contaminated when shaking hands with others, touching doorknobs, and being in crowded public spaces such as subway cars. He washes his hands roughly 100 times a day. His doctor has recently prescribed an antidepressant to increase his level of serotonin. Which approach to psychological disorders does this exemplify? a. The psychotherapeutic model c. The psychological model b. The medical model d. The self-actualization model ANS: B 79. Valerie recently lost her sister to suicide. She is having difficulty sleeping, feels hopeless about the future, and is easily startled or frightened. Her doctor recommends that she participate in a discussion group led by a social worker to connect with others who are going through a similar experience. Which approach to psychological disorders does this exemplify? a. The psychological model c. The self-actualization model b. The behavioral model d. The medical model ANS: A 80. Who contributed ideas about the unconscious mind, the development of sexuality, dream analysis, psychological roots of abnormal behavior, personality, and therapy? a. Abraham Maslow c. Sigmund Freud b. Carl Rogers d. Noam Chomsky ANS: C 81. Freud’s psychodynamic theory and its applications to the treatment of psychological disorders dominated much of psychological thinking for the ____. a. first half of the 19th century c. first half of the 20th century b. second half of the 19th century d. second half of the 20th century ANS: C 82. Which of the following statements about Freud’s work is true? a. His theories do not lend themselves to experimentation. b. His patients were primarily working class men and therefore not representative of the broader population. c. His theories were based exclusively on animal studies. d. His psychoanalytic techniques are replicated in their original form today. ANS: A 83. An approach to psychology that sees people as inherently good and motivated to learn and improve is called ____. a. behaviorism c. Freudian psychology b. humanistic psychology d. Gestalt psychology ANS: B 84. Humanistic psychologists believed that ____. a. human behavior is on a continuum with animal behavior b. society acts to civilize humans who are otherwise innately selfish and aggressive c. people only behave badly when corrupted by society d. the true motivation for humans to be successful is to see others fail ANS: C 85. A leading humanist thinker who introduced a major theory of motivation with a goal of selfactualization is ____. a. Abraham Maslow c. Herbert Simon b. Alan Newell d. Carl Rogers ANS: A 86. Carl Rogers, a leading humanist, developed the approach of ____. a. psychoanalysis c. behavioral therapy b. cognitive therapy d. client-centered therapy ANS: D 87. Which of the following statements is an example of humanistic influence? a. Capital punishment serves a protective role in a liberal society. b. “I hear what you’re saying.” c. Parental love should mirror the behavior of the child. d. “Do as I say, not as I do.” ANS: B 88. What was a major shortcoming of early psychologists? a. They overgeneralized their findings. b. They abandoned the scientific method. c. They diluted their efforts by diverging into several psychological specializations. d. They tried to establish theories without a large body of experimental data. ANS: D 89. By the second half of the 20th century, the majority of psychologists were pursuing an understanding of behavior from the ____. a. centrist approach c. perspectives approach b. divergent approach d. dualistic approach ANS: C 90. When psychologists examine psychological phenomena from different perspectives, it ____. a. implies disagreement on basic principles b. represents a lack of awareness of alternative perspectives c. indicates different points of view about behavior d. reflects changing trends in psychology ANS: C 91. What is the psychological perspective that focuses on the relationships between mind, behavior, and their underlying biological processes, including genetics, biochemistry, anatomy, and physiology? a. evolutionary psychology c. cognitive psychology b. developmental psychology d. biological psychology ANS: D 92. In the 1970s, what initiated an explosion of knowledge about the connections between brain and behavior? a. New methods for observing brain activity b. Looser government regulations on human experimentation c. A focus away from animal research toward human research d. The advent of the statistical method ANS: A 93. Which of the following is most likely to be the topic of research of a biological psychologist? a. Did contagious yawning provide a survival advantage in early societies? b. Do stress hormones due to abuse in early childhood affect the ability to form memories? c. At what age can a child correctly separate the vocabulary and grammar of two languages? d. Will a study participant obey an authority figure even in violation of her own moral code? ANS: B 94. The psychological perspective that investigates how physical structure and behavior have been shaped by their contributions to survival and reproduction is called ____ psychology. a. biological c. evolutionary b. social d. clinical ANS: C 95. An evolutionary psychologist would be most interested in the question of ____. a. whether gambling affects brain chemistry and fosters addiction b. how best to assist a person to reduce a propensity to gamble c. whether attraction to gambling varies over the lifespan d. whether there is an adaptive reason why men tend to gamble more than women ANS: D 96. The psychological perspective that investigates information processing, thinking, reasoning, and problem solving is called ____. a. evolutionary psychology c. cognitive psychology b. the individual differences perspective d. developmental psychology ANS: C 97. Which of the following research questions is most likely to be asked by a cognitive psychologist? a. To what extent is student learning influenced by the socio-cultural makeup of the class? b. Do students learn material better when the learning takes place over time or when they “cram” for an exam? c. Which stress reduction techniques are most effective for college students to reduce the stress of balancing academic and social demands? d. Are there common characteristics among students who graduate in the top one percent of their class? ANS: B 98. The psychological perspective that examines the effects of the social environment on the behavior of individuals is called ____ psychology. a. evolutionary c. cultural b. social d. clinical ANS: B 99. What limited the understanding of the mind by early psychologists? a. They focused on behavior rather than biology. b. They approached psychological questions from their own sociocultural context. c. They did not appreciate the complexity of the mind. d. They tried to understand perspectives to which they could not relate. ANS: B 100. Our judicial system relies heavily on eyewitness testimony; however, as ____ informs us, eyewitness testimony can be shaped by a community’s perceptions of race. a. clinical psychology c. developmental psychology b. the individual differences perspective d. social psychology ANS: D 101. The psychological perspective that examines the normal changes in behavior that occur across the lifespan is called ____. a. social psychology c. developmental psychology b. the individual differences perspective d. evolutionary psychology ANS: C 102. Using the developmental perspective, a psychologist might look at whether the loss of a parent ____. a. affects the storage and retrieval of memories contemporaneous with the loss b. triggers changes in brain chemistry, temporarily or permanently c. is experienced differently at different ages d. is experienced differently depending on family size ANS: C 103. The psychological perspective that seeks to explain, define, and treat abnormal behaviors is called ____. a. the individual differences perspective c. developmental psychology b. clinical psychology d. evolutionary psychology ANS: B 104. More recently, clinical and counseling psychologists have expanded their perspective to include ____. a. the promotion of general well-being b. the influences of evolutionary adaptation on behavior c. monitoring chemical changes in the brain in response to treatment d. brain scans in the course of therapeutic treatment ANS: A 105. An approach to psychology that investigates variations in behavior from one person to the next is called ____. a. clinical psychology c. socio-cultural psychology b. individual differences d. evolutionary psychology ANS: B 106. Recognizing individual differences is especially important to psychologists interested in variations in an individual’s characteristic way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. This is referred to as ____. a. personality c. type b. cognition d. psyche ANS: A 107. Entering the 21st century and armed with in-depth research results compiled in the various perspectives, psychologists are returning to ____. a. the structuralist view of the mind b. viewing the mind as a set of building blocks based on introspection c. viewing the “the whole as greater than the sum of its parts” d. a more comprehensive view of the mind ANS: D 108. The authors of this text believe that the future of psychology will ____. a. depend upon the development of independent, individual perspectives b. draw from the success of existing perspectives c. turn increasingly to cross-cultural studies d. combine and integrate new and existing perspectives ANS: D 109. Alejandro is developing a preliminary research study to address the question of whether four-year-olds who are asked to delay gratification (e.g., to delay eating candy) perform differently in solitude than with other four-year-olds. Which combination of research perspectives would be best for this preliminary study? a. biological psychology and the individual differences approach b. developmental psychology and social psychology c. cognitive psychology and evolutionary psychology d. evolutionary psychology and clinical psychology ANS: B 110. Many of the new ways of looking at the mind will take advantage of the revolution in techniques for studying the brain; for example, ____ currently investigate the biological factors that vary along with people’s feelings and experience of social inclusion, rejection, or loneliness. a. social neuroscientists c. clinical psychologists b. cognitive neuroscientists d. behavioral neuroscientists ANS: A 111. If we restrict our thinking about an aspect of mind to the information provided by one perspective, at worst, the result may ____. a. be incomplete c. lead us in the wrong direction b. lack depth d. be overly simplistic ANS: C 112. A biological psychologist studies the effects of amphetamine on aggression in rhesus monkeys. However, to the researcher’s surprise, the experimental results differ for isolated monkeys versus monkeys in a colony. What is missing from this experiment? a. The social psychology perspective b. Human controls c. Physiological measurements d. An integration between biology and psychology ANS: A 113. The diversity of career pathways for those with degrees in psychology reflects, in relation to other disciplines, that psychology is a(n) “____.” a. epicenter c. hub b. pathway d. vocation ANS: C 114. Harold is trying to decide between teaching at the nearby community college or obtaining a therapist’s license. What degree is the minimum degree required for these positions? a. master’s degree c. doctoral degree b. bachelor’s degree d. associate’s degree ANS: A 115. Petra will soon complete her doctoral degree in psychology. She, like the highest percentage of doctoral level psychologists, will work ____. a. as a university professor c. as a therapist b. in business d. in government ANS: C 116. Walter is applying to graduate programs in psychology and is curious about current trends in the field. What trend is occurring in many psychology graduate school programs? a. Students are trained in specific specializations. b. Students are trained in combined specialties. c. There is a movement away from animal research. d. There is a movement away from using human subjects. ANS: B 117. The clinical or counseling specialty includes extensive internships and supervised training prior to ____ that usually add at least one year to students’ graduate studies. a. working with children c. a human subject committee review b. government-regulated licensure d. commencement of dissertation research ANS: B 118. Josh has a doctoral degree in psychology and is a therapist in New York. His sister Sarah has a medical degree and is in a residency program for psychiatry. Currently, the biggest difference between the two professions is that, in contrast to Josh, Sarah can ____. a. prescribe medication b. conduct research c. conduct psychotherapy d. peer review the work of other researchers ANS: A 119. Beth has always enjoyed solving theoretical problems, is very good at math and statistics, and is excited to learn more about experimental design. She may be most interested in the ____ track of psychology. a. therapy c. Experimental b. applied d. Developmental ANS: C 120. Eric has held a part-time job in a community mental health clinic throughout college. He values his interactions with the clients and is known for remaining calm during high stress situations at the clinic. He may be most interested in the ____ track of psychology. a. applied c. Social b. therapist d. Experimental ANS: B 121. Amber is fascinated by forensic psychology, the application of psychology to the study of crime and the legal system. This is an example of a(n) ____ track of psychology. a. applied c. Experimental b. therapist d. Cognitive ANS: A ESSAY 1. What are the two major roots of the psychology family tree? Describe their relationship. What areas of interest do they share? ANS: The psychology family tree includes two major roots: philosophy and the physical sciences. Psychologists answer questions traditionally posed by philosophers by borrowing the methods of the physical sciences. Philosophers and psychologists share an interest in questions regarding the nature of the self, the effects of early experience, the existence of free will, and the origin of knowledge. Both disciplines consider the relative balance of biological factors (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) in the end product of human behavior. Both attempt to determine the relationships between self-interest and the welfare of the community, between body and mind, and between humans and the other species with whom we share the planet. Although we typically consider questions of the unconscious mind and abnormal behavior to be the realm of the psychologist, philosophers investigated these issues thousands of years before the first psychologist was born. 2. In a famous speech given in 1926, John B. Watson made the following claim: Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select—a doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and yes, even into beggarman and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations and race of his ancestors. Place this statement in historical perspective. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your reasoning. ANS: John B. Watson (1878-1958) was a behaviorist. Psychologists following the behaviorist perspective concentrated on observable, measurable behaviors and dominated psychology for the first half of the 20th century. Watson echoed the “blank slate” approach of the British empiricist philosophers in his emphasis on the role of experience in forming behavior. By the 1950s, the behaviorists’ disinterest in mental states and activity was challenged by scientists from diverse fields, including linguistics and computer science, leading to a cognitive revolution. In addition, the work of Freud and of humanists provided new perspectives. Students should discuss whether they agree or disagree with Watson’s statement in reference to the nature versus nurture debate. As the text notes, contemporary psychology views the mind as being a function of interactions between inborn characteristics and experiences, not a product of just nature or just nurture. 3. Briefly discuss the phenomenon of drug abuse in the context of the seven psychological perspectives. ANS: The text notes that to understand the phenomenon of drug abuse, many perspectives can contribute to our understanding, but no one specialty offers a complete explanation. Biological psychologists approach drug abuse by tracing pathways in the brain correlated with cravings. Behaviorists focus on the reinforcing qualities of the experience. Behaviorist techniques regarding the use of reward and punishment to shape behavior are also relevant to efforts to stop drug use. Developmental and social psychologists consider the family and peer influences. In each case, something valuable is learned about drug abuse, but understanding the “whole” requires zooming out for a more comprehensive perspective. The text also notes that there are highly different patterns of use for different drugs. Drawing on multiple perspectives can provide a fuller understanding of the patterns, which may also aid in reducing problematic drug use. Students might also consider whether other perspectives contribute to an understanding of drug abuse, such as evolutionary, clinical, and individual differences. For example, did an enhanced reaction to natural drug ingredients provide a survival advantage in the past? Clinicians who treat persons with drug addictions may have a wealth of knowledge based on individual cases that may provide a basis for developing hypotheses. Studying individuals who are most or least affected by certain drugs may provide additional information.