AP Psych: Unit 8-9 Test Questions

When given a drug that produced general arousal, research participants placed in a room with a happy confederate described their emotional state as happy, while those placed in a room with an angry confederate described their emotional state as angry. Which theory of emotion best explains these results? a. James-Lange b. Ekman c. Cannon-Bard d. Schachter-Singer e. opponent-process

Incentive theories of motivation explain the desire of people to achieve goals in terms of a. maintenance of physiological equilibrium b. internal states of tension that need to be resolved c. external stimuli that have the capacity to affect behavior d. tendencies that strike a balance between biological and social needs e. resolution of cognitive dissonance

Which of the following findings about emotions is well supported by research? a. there are several universal emotions b. anger is a cognitive state with no physiological correlates c. the polygraph is highly effective at detecting lies d. emotional intelligence is highly correlated with Type A personality e. the cerebellum is the origin of most emotional experience in the brain

Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer view emotion as resulting from a. biochemical changes in the pituitary b. cognitive labels of physiological changes c. instinctual behavior d. level of arousal e. need for affiliation

Drive reduction as a motivational concept is best exemplified by which of the following? a. the sweet taste of chocolate b. electric stimulation to the pleasure center of the brain c. a monkey using its tail as a fifth limb to climb higher in a tree d. the injection of heroin by an addict to avoid withdrawal symptoms e. the enjoyment of a frightening movie

According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the need to have respect for ourselves and to be valued by others is classified within the category of a. physiological needs b. safety needs c. belongingness needs d. esteem needs e. self-actualization needs

Theories of motivation that assert the existence of biological motives to maintain the body in a steady state are called a. mechanistic b. homeostatic c. reductionistic d. genetic e. instinctual

Research has shown that the optimal arousal level of an individual performing a given task is a. the level at which the person feels most comfortable b. the level at which the person feels least comfortable c. seldom an intermediate level d. related to task difficulty e. unrelated to task difficulty

According to Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer's theory of emotion, which of the following is true? a. The same physiological response can produce different emotions, depending on the context within which the response occurs and a person's interpretation of that context. b. Environmental events trigger physiological responses from the muscles, which in turn activate specific emotional states. c. Emotional experiences and physiological responses are initiated at the same time. d. Specific hormonal release patterns determine particular emotions. e. Feedback from our facial expressions determines our emotions.

Paul Ekman found that when Japanese students watched films of surgery, they masked their expressions of disgust with a smile when an authority figure entered the room but not when alone. American students maintained their expressions of disgust both alone and in the presence of an authority figure. Ekman's findings illustrate what he calls a. the facial feedback hypothesis b. display rules c. phlegmatic personalities d. the two-factor theory e. adaptation-level phenomenon

Which of the following concepts provides the best explanation for why people seek to put on warmer clothing when they start to feel cold? a. Set-point theory b. Homeostasis c. Self-serving bias d. Refractory period e. Assimilation

A genetically programmed action pattern is the ethologist's definition of a. habit b. instinct c. adaptation d. altruism e. releasing mechanism

Which of the following correctly lists Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs from bottom to top? a. Safety, physiological, esteem b. Basic, subordinate, intermediate c. Basic, subordinate, superordinate d. Physiological, safety, esteem, belonging, self-actualization e. Physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, self-actualization

An example of a primary drive is a. sleeping b. having a job c. earning money d. receiving grades e. owning a car

Which of the following are the stages in Hans Selye's general adaptation syndrome? a. Appraisal, stress response, coping b. Shock, anger, self-control c. Anxiety, fighting, adapting d. Alarm, resistance, exhaustion e. Attack, flight, defense

The view that human emotions are universal has been supported by studies of a. facial expressions b. body language c. linguistic structures d. hedonic relevance e. biological symmetry

Individuals exhibiting a hostile type A personality pattern are at an increased risk for a. Alzheimer's disease b. cardiovascular disease c. schizophrenia d. substance abuse e. anorexia nervosa

Which of the following is the best example of a homeostatic process? a. Manny decides that he is overweight and goes on a diet. b. Cathy drinks a large amount of water to reduce thirst after a long race. c. Bert eats nothing but fruits and grains for a week before a huge holiday dinner. d. Edesa stays up later than normal to study for a test. e. Lian becomes angry after sitting in traffic for an hour and a half.

Pam works hard in school because her parents give her ten dollars for every A she receives. Pam's parents are attempting to influence her academic efforts by capitalizing on a. instinctive needs b. primary needs c. extrinsic motivation d. intrinsic motivation e. reactance

Hans Selye's general adaptation syndrome is an attempt to explain a. personality traits b. artificial intelligence c. memory organization d. organic retardation e. reactions to stress

Stanley Schachter's explanation of emotions places emphasis on a. simultaneous arousal and emotional experience b. the role of the hypothalamus c. the range of emotions that are genetically inherited d. a cognitive appraisal of physiological arousal e. an optimistic explanatory style

An animal will gain weight when a. it establishes homeostasis b. its ventromedial hypothalamus is damaged c. it reaches its set point d. its basal metabolism rate increases e. releasing factors are present

After school, George and his friends complain of intense hunger. They go to George's home and immediately open his refrigerator to look for a snack. Which of the following is a theory of motivation that best explains their behavior? a. Arousal b. Social learning c. Self-determination theory d. Drive reduction e. Achievement motivation

A tumor that destroys the ventromedial hypothalamus is likely to produce which of the following? a. Total lack of interest in food b. Changes in the taste of food, but no change in the amount eaten c. Changes in stomach volume and less-frequent eating d. Frequent eating and obesity e. Reduced production of fat

According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which of the following statements is true? a. Individuals may have peak experiences when meeting physiological needs. b. Self-actualization will always precede the meeting of needs for esteem. c. There are cultural differences in the rate at which individuals attain self-actualization. d. Women are more likely to reach self-actualization than men are. e. Physiological needs must be met before an individual achieves self-actualization.

Carla tutors other students because she likes to be helpful, whereas Jane tutors classmates strictly for pay. Their behaviors demonstrate the difference between a. primary and secondary drives b. instinctive and derived drives c. appetitive and aversive motivation d. intrinsic and extrinsic motivation e. positive and negative reinforcement

One of the consistent research findings in the area of facial expressions and emotion is the a. universality of facial expressions across cultures b. vast differences in facial expressions between males and females c. ease with which people can learn to change their facial expressions under differing circumstances d. way children's facial expressions differ from adults' e. way in which individuals' facial expressions change as they get older

Which of the following theories suggests that a physiological need creates a state of tension that motivates an organism to satisfy the need? a. Opponent-process b. Drive-reduction c. Incentive d. Arousal e. Gate-control

According to cognitive dissonance theory, human beings are motivated to a. Respond to an inborn need to pass their genes to the next generation b. Maintain an optimal level of arousal c. Satisfy basic needs such as hunger before proceeding to higher needs such as self-actualization d. Reduced tensions produced by inconsistent thoughts e. Satisfy needs resulting from tissue deficits

Students who enjoyed solving a puzzle were rewarded for doing so. Later, they played less with the puzzle than did their counterparts who were not rewarded for the same task. This illustrates which of the following principles? a. Latent learning b. Self-fulfilling prophecy c. Intermittent reinforcement d. The overjustification effect e. The law of effect

In the James-Lange theory of emotion, which of the following immediately precedes an emotion? a. Observation of the external stimulus b. Recollection of similar past experiences c. Experience of physiological changes d. Appraisal of cognitive factors e. Initiation of a fixed-action pattern

Which of the following situations poses an approach-approach conflict for a person who listens only to classical music? a. Having to sit through a good friend's rehearsal for a violin recital b. Attending a classical music event c. Being offered a cash bonus for ushering at an all-Beethoven concert d. Having to choose between an all-Beethoven concert and a punk-rock concert e. Choosing to study with one of two friends, both of whom listen to classical music while studying

Which of the following argues that physiological needs create aroused psychological states that cause us to try to satisfy those needs? a. Instinct theory b. Drive theory c. Arousal theory d. Incentive theory e. Hierarchy of needs

What would a graph depict the relation between performance and arousal?

Which of the following situations describes an approach-avoidance conflict? a. Mark must decide which of two attractive job offers to accept. b. Nine-year-old Carl must decide which of two distasteful chores to do to avoid being punished by his parents. c. Fred must select one menu item from among several at a popular restaurant. d. Anna must decide whether to buy a used car that is in her price range but has several mechanical problems. e. Sarah must decide how to spend the money she recently won in a lottery.

A brain tumor that results in obesity would most likely be located in the a. left frontal lobe b. base of the brain stem c. area of the hypothalamus d. reticular activating system e. somatosensory cortex

Judy believes that her fate is determined by her own actions. Judy's belief best illustrates a. self-actualization b. psychological reactance c. a preoperational schema d. the basis for psychological determinism e. an internal locus of control

Melvin, a server at a restaurant, is in the middle of a lunch rush. He is completing orders, serving customers, and seating new guests. He has adapted to this level of stress and is coping. Which of the following terms identifies a stage in Hans Selye's general adaptation syndrome that Melvin is currently experiencing? a. Resistance b. Exhaustion c. Withdrawal d. Alarm e. Pressure

A hostile person with a type A personality is most at risk for developing which of the following? a. Phobias b. Heart disease c. Bulimia nervosa d. Multiple personality e. Antisocial personality

Which of the following best supports the hypothesis that basic human emotions, such as sadness, are innate? a. Individuals typically experience a rise in blood pressure when they are afraid or angry. b. Most individuals can distinguish between expressions of different basic emotions during the sensorimotor period. c. Basic emotions are understood and expressed in a similar fashion by individuals from diverse cultures. d. Most individuals can identify their own emotional states from their physiological symptoms and the context of their present situation. e. Infants and young animals cry when they are hungry.

Shaquille is 25 years old and is actively dating in order to find someone to settle down with. Which of the following theorists would best be able to explain Shaquille's behavior? a. Erik Erikson b. Lawrence Kohlberg c. Carol Gilligan d. Sigmund Freud e. B. F. Skinner

Researchers want to study the effects of teratogens. They should conduct a. an experiment using pregnant rats b. correlational research on an adolescent rat and a prenatal rat's exposure to teratogens c. an experiment on adolescent rats d. an experiment using pregnant humans e. correlational research on an infant's exposure to teratogens and the developmental delays the infant experiences

Modern research on Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development indicates that a. Piaget underestimated children's abilities b. Piaget overestimated children's abilities c. Piaget accurately reported children's abilities d. the order of Piaget's stages is correct for boys only e. the order of Piaget's stages is correct for girls only

Which parenting style is characterized by high demands for obedience and low warmth? a. Permissive b. Authoritarian c. Authoritative d. Neglectful e. Indulgent

Jeremy happily played with his colorful blocks while his mother was nearby. When his mother left the room, he became upset, but he quickly stopped crying and began to play with the blocks again. When his mother returned, he greeted her happily. Which of the following patterns of attachment reflects Jeremy's actions? a. Avoidant b. Anxious ambivalent c. Resistant d. Secure e. Disorganized disoriented

Bobby is seventeen and has been engaging in risky behaviors, such as reckless driving, skipping class, and breaking curfew. Which of the following is an explanation for Bobby's actions that most psychologists support? a. Bobby is still developing new neural connections in his brain. b. Bobby is rebelling against his peers because he feels left out. c. Bobby's temperament makes him prone to risk-taking behavior. d. Bobby's parents have an authoritative parenting style. e. Bobby is depressed, as most adolescents are.

A nine-year-old girl first learning about her capabilities on the playground and in the classroom would be in which of Erikson's stage of development? a. Industry vs. Inferiority b. Identity vs. role confusion c. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt d. Integrity vs. despair e. Trust vs. mistrust

The results of Harry Harlow's experiments with infant monkeys and surrogate mothers show that a. contact comfort was the primary basis of attachment for the infant monkeys b. female infant monkeys are more independent than male infant monkeys c. female infant monkeys are more obedient than male infant monkeys d. food outranked all other factors in the development of the infant monkeys' attachment to the mother e. infant monkeys mimic the surrogate mothers 'behavior

According to Jean Piaget, what is the earliest stage at which a child is capable of using simple logic to think about objects and events? a. Sensorimotor b. Preoperational c. Symbolic d. Concrete operational e. Formal operational

Psychologists characterize parents who consistently demand their children's compliance without discussion as a. indifferent b. permissive c. indulgent d. authoritative e. authoritarian

In Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which of the following best exemplifies the concept of accommodation? a. A newborn touched lightly on the right cheek turns his head to the right. b. An infant reaches out toward the moon as if to grasp it. c. An infant stops reaching for a toy as soon as it is covered by a cloth. d. An infant acquires a fear of heights after learning to crawl. e. An infant trying unsuccessfully to suck her fist opens her mouth wider and is successful.

Preschoolers often have trouble buttoning shirts due to less-developed a. visual acuity b. fine motor skills c. balance d. gross motor skills e. hemispheric specialization

Of the following cognitive milestones, which ability tends to be acquired last? a. Telegraphic speech b. Use of schemas c. Object permanence d. Hypothetical thinking e. Assimilation

Harry Harlow's experiments with rhesus monkeys suggest which of the following as most important for infants when establishing an attachment to their mothers? a. The amount of time spent with the mother b. The mother's ability to protect the infant from physical harm c. The mother's ability to provide nourishment to the infant d. The tactile characteristics of the mother e. The particular vocalizations of the mother

Rik, who is an adolescent, was always studious and quiet throughout childhood. His parents are concerned because he suddenly dyed his hair, pierced his tongue, and started hanging out with a different crowd. A few months later, he tried out for the football team and became so active in sports that he neglected his schoolwork. According to psychologists, which of the following would best explain Rik's changes in behavior? a. His parents had an authoritarian parenting style as he was growing up, so he is confused. b. He is having a difficult time getting along with peers. c. He is going through the process of exploring his identity that many adolescents experience. d. The neural pathways in his cerebellum are not fully developed. e. He is the middle child in his sibling group.

Understanding that things continue to exist even when they are not within view is called a. mental representation b. deep structure c. a schema d. object permanence e. assimilation

Egocentrism, animism, and artificialism are characteristic of which of Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development? a. Sensorimotor b. Preoperational c. Postformal d. Concrete operations e. Formal operations

Trinna and Suzanne are identical twins who were the same length at birth. They were adopted by different families at birth and then reconnected in their early thirties. Trinna is two inches shorter and was a severely selective eater as a child. A researcher was conducting an investigation about twins separated at birth. What research method and explanation best fit this scenario? a. A longitudinal study, because heredity is much more important than environment in determining length and height. b. A case study, because environment is much more important than heredity in determining length and height. c. A case study, because both heredity and environment are important in determining length and height. d. A longitudinal study, because environment is much less important than heredity in determining height in early childhood. e. A correlational study, because parents' height levels have little correlation with their children's length and height.

Which of the following describes the different emotional dispositions of infants? a. Imprinting b. Temperament c. Mental set d. Instinct e. Attachment

Hypothetical and deductive thinking are characteristic of which of Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development? a. Preoperational b. Operational c. Conservation d. Concrete operations e. Formal operations

In Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation experiment, infants who were classified as securely attached were more likely to a. have a tantrum when the mother left the room b. express happiness when the mother returned to the room c. prevent the mother from leaving the room d. try to play with the stranger when the mother left the room e. not notice when the mother returned to the room

According to Erik Erikson, in late adulthood the individual reaches the eighth and final stage of the life span in which one reviews and evaluates one's life and the choices one has made. Erikson labeled this stage a. initiative versus guilt b. integrity versus despair c. generativity versus stagnation d. identity versus role confusion e. intimacy versus isolation

Eleanor Gibson and Richard Walk used a visual cliff with a glass-covered drop-off to examine behavior in crawling infants. Even when coaxed by their mothers to crawl out onto the glass covering, most infants refused to do so, indicating that they had developed which of the following? a. Depth perception b. Selective attention c. Perceptual constancy d. Procedural memory e. Sensory adaptation

In trying to replicate Lawrence Kohlberg's research, several college psychology students observed four-year-olds in five prekindergarten classes. Their observations most likely indicated that these children were a. preconventional b. preoperational c. conventional d. postconventional e. postformal

Darien's father dictated who Darien's friends should be and what classes he should take, and he set an extremely early curfew. If Darien went against his father's wishes, the repercussions were harsh and swift. What type of parenting did Darien experience? a. Permissive b. Rejecting-neglecting c. Authoritative d. Authoritarian e. Self-regulation

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley are very strict with their children. They do not spend a lot of time talking with them, except to tell them what to do. Which of the following theorists would be most likely to study this type of parenting behavior? a. Albert Bandura b. Konrad Lorenz c. Harry Harlow d. Mary Ainsworth e. Diana Baumrind

Gender stereotypes are developed as a result of a. societal norms and other environmental factors b. heredity and other biological factors c. both environmental and biological factors d. the development of gender identity e. the development of gender constancy

When ten-month-old Frances throws her toy out of sight, she looks to see where it falls. Developmental psychologists would say that Frances' behavior indicates that she has developed a. centration b. conservation c. egocentrism d. object permanence e. accommodation

To study differences in the cognitive processing of younger and older adults, Genevieve assessed a group of 30 year olds and a group of 60 year olds using the same cognitive task. She found no significant difference in cognitive processing between the two groups. Which of the following is a true statement that best explains her findings? a. Researchers have not documented changes in cognitive ability over the human life span. b. Genevieve's participants were most likely women, who do not decline cognitively as they age. c. Genevieve's task involved semantic memory, which does not typically show decline among people of the ages she tested. d. Most decline in cognitive ability is associated with dementia, which would not yet have occurred in the participants at age 60. e. Genevieve's older participants were most likely taking memory medications that prolong the ability to be proficient in cognitive tasks.

Which developmental milestone must be reached before an infant experiences separation anxiety? a. Imprinting b. Theory of mind c. Conservation d. Egocentrism e. Object permanence

Which psychologist reported that infant attachment to another goes beyond the satisfaction of the need for nourishment? a. Albert Bandura b. Jean Piaget c. Harry Harlow d. Erik Erikson e. Konrad Lorenz

Which of the following did Erik Erikson say was the primary conflict through which a teenager needs to work? a. Autonomy versus shame and doubt b. Initiative versus guilt c. Identity versus role confusion d. Intimacy versus isolation e. Generativity versus stagnation

When parents set few controls on their children's television viewing, allowing the children freedom to set individual limits, make few demands, and do not punish for improper television viewing, the parents exemplify a parenting style referred to as a. permissive b. authoritative c. authoritarian d. rejecting-neglecting e. pessimistic

Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation paradigm is typically used to test young children's a. ego strength b. intelligence c. reaction time d. attachment e. incidental learning

Which of the following behaviors is most clearly associated with Jean Piaget's concrete operational stage? a. Sally thinks everyone's favorite color is blue, because it is her favorite color. b. Tom received the highest grade in his philosophy course. c. Gracie forgets about her toy because it is under her blanket. d. Nikos can consider both the height and width of a container. e. Ava does not like being around unfamiliar people.

Harry Harlow found that when infant monkeys were startled or frightened, they preferred a cloth surrogate mother over a wire mother who had food. The baby monkeys' response indicated that a. the amygdala develops earlier in rhesus monkeys than in humans b. contact comfort was more important to them than food c. rhesus monkeys do not develop normally with artificial food sources d. being raised with a terry cloth mother leads to an insecure attachment style e. they had not developed object permanence

Carol Gilligan's criticism of Lawrence Kohlberg's development theory is based on the argument that Kohlberg's a. work has been invalidated by changes in the structure of families in the United States b. stages are too limited in their critical-period parameters c. theory underestimates the capabilities of infants and children d. stage do not apply equally well to all racial and ethnic groups e. theory fails to account sufficiently for differences between males and females

Carol Gilligan's critique of Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development focuses primarily on a. the order in which stages of moral development occur b. the key events that mark the transitions between stages of moral development c. the number of stages in moral development d. how the course of moral development might be altered within certain cultures e. differences between males and females in the course of moral development

Paul and Sally, who met and married in their mid-20s, have been married for 25 years. Their youngest child recently graduated from high school and has left for college. Which of the following is most likely true of this couple? a. They are both experiencing a hormone surge. b. Sally's hormones are declining, and Paul's are surging. c. Their marital relationship will not change. d. Their marital relationship will decline. e. Their marital relationship will improve.

A conscientious objector refuses to engage in combat because he cannot support the taking of human life. His reasoning best illustrates which stage in Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development? a. Authoritative b. Postconventional c. Concrete operational d. Conventional e. Egocentric

Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning is best described by which of the following? a. Personal conscience is innate and all human beings develop it at the same rate. b. By adulthood, all people judge moral issues in terms of self-chosen principles. c. Ethical principles are defined by ideals of reciprocity and human equality in individualistic societies, but by ideals of law and order in collectivistic societies. d. Children grow up with morals similar to those of their parents. e. Children progress from a morality based on punishment and reward to one defined by convention, and ultimately to one defined by abstract ethical principles.

The most well-adjusted and socially competent children tend to come from homes where parents employ which of the following parental styles? a. Minimal supervision b. Authoritarian c. Authoritative d. Indulgent e. Permissive

Which of the following scenarios best describes what Erik Erikson thought someone might experience in early adulthood? a. Frances was a good student who socialized mostly with other good students, but recently she has started socializing with a different crowd and places less importance on her grades. b. Liz has tried to do things independently but has not been successful, so now she feels bad about herself. c. Mohammed has dated a few people but has not been very successful, so he has decided to give up on dating. d. Thomas has a difficult time trusting people. e. Jazmin feels like she is unfulfilled and living a mundane life.

Which of the following is true about gender roles in children? a. Children often develop traditional gender roles despite parents discouragement of such roles. b. Children are often confused about gender roles when parents discourage them to avoid traditional gender roles. c. Children often do not develop gender roles that are similar to those held in their society. d. Children most often do not develop specific gender roles. e. Research indicates there is a large biological basis for gender roles.

According to Jean Piaget, children cease to exhibit egocentrism during which of the following stages? a. Sensorimotor b. Preoperational c. Concrete operational d. Post-conventional e. Pre-conventional

A baby looks under the sofa for a ball that has just rolled underneath it. According to Jean Piaget, the baby's action shows development of a. conservation of mass b. reversibility c. object permanence d. logical thinking e. metacognition

Seven-year-old Maria helps her mother wash the dishes, while her nine-year-old-brother helps their father with the yard work. This involvement of the children in helping activities directly illustrates the process of a. identity diffusion b. gender-role development c. preconventional morality development d. classical conditioning of sex roles e. evolutionary determinism

The fact that imprinting is most certain to occur if the opportunity for imprinting is presented to the organism at a very specific age indicates the existence of a. a schema b. a reflex c. an archetype d. a critical period e. an unconscious inference

The concept of habituation is best exemplified by which of the following situations? a. An infant recognizes her father's voice. b. A college student is no longer kept awake by her roommate's late-night typing. c. A kitten avoids a couch after being reprimanded for sitting on it. d. A rat learns to press a bar for food when a red light is flashed. e. A motorist drives at the speed limit when there is a police officer in sight on the highway.

Lawrence Kohlberg used which of the following techniques to illustrate the stages of his theory? a. Presenting people with the three mountain task b. Presenting people with a conservation task c. Having people solve moral dilemmas d. Having people study a law case e. Having people think about how they felt about a certain issue