Nature and Scope of Psychology

Psychology is best defined as the study of the

• mental health.

• consciousness and intuition.

• mental processes and behavior.

• learning and developmental delay.

The idea that children are born with no knowledge or “content” whatsoever and are “filled” by life experiences is called

• rationalism.

• determinism.

• tabula rasa.

• nature vs. nurture.

How is natural selection related to psychology?

• All organisms have been shown to be capable of learning.

• Humans behave as they do in part because that behavior promotes survival.

• Survival depends on environment just as much as it depends on genes.

• Animals share many genes with human beings.

The year 1879 might be thought of as the beginning of psychology as a science because that is the year

• Edward Thorndike conducted his first puzzle box experiments.

• Margaret Floy Washburn wrote The Animal Mind.

• Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species.

• Wilhelm Wundt developed and opened the first psychology laboratory.

Which of the following perspectives argues that human behavior develops in certain ways because it serves a useful purpose?

• Psychoanalysis

• Cognitive psychology

• Behaviorism

• Functionalism

Which of the following approaches to psychology did Edward Titchener advocate in the late 1800s?

• Humanistic psychology

• Psychoanalysis

• Functionalism

• Structuralism

A researcher presents his participant with a series of flashing lights at varying intervals. After each presentation of a light, he asks the participant to fully describe her internal experiences, a method known as

• functionalism.

• introspection.

• behaviorism.

• psychoanalysis.

What is a mainstream psychologist most likely to think about Sigmund Freud?

• Freudian theory is untestable and not grounded in science.

• Freud, a great pioneer in psychology, discovered the unconscious.

• Freud was a complete fraud who barely rates a mention in psychology textbooks.

• Rigorous research has proven that most of Freud’s theories were correct.

Your uncle tells you about an interesting magazine article explaining that humans use only 10 percent of their brains. As a student of psychology, your response should be:

• “I know! Isn’t that just astonishing?”

• “Well, research actually shows that almost all of the brain is continually active.”

• “The data aren’t conclusive on that yet, but most psychologists would agree with you.”

• “In fact, most neuroscientists would say the figure is closer to 5 percent.”

Which statement reflects a reasonable attitude for a good student of psychology to have toward any claim about human behavior?

• The older an idea is, the more likely it is to be correct.

• It is fine to accept an idea until it is proven wrong.

• The more popular an idea is, the more likely it is to be correct.

• Skepticism is advisable until an idea is proven right.