Module 2: History and Perspectives: Practice Quiz

Psychology is defined as the science of behavior and mental processes because:

• psychology is involved with studying nonmeasurable attributes like consciousness.

• psychologists apply scientific methods to human behaviors and thoughts.

• psychology is now restricted to studying scientific matters like brain anatomy.

• psychology only uses experiments to prove theories.

Which of the following would be considered a mental process?

• running down the hall to get to class

• remembering your best friend's phone number

• flinching at the sound of the fire alarm

• standing in the lunch line

While listening to a radio talk show, Laura heard a guest state that psychology wasn't a science. As a psychology student, which of the following arguments might she make to best contradict this point of view?

• “Psychologists have to earn graduate degrees.”

• “Psychologists are interested in human behavior and mental processes.”

• “Psychologists work at universities and hospitals.”

• “Psychologists systematically collect research data and use statistics to analyze results.”

Guy, a graduate student in psychology, decides to study how reading comic books impacts the ability of elementary school students to read non-fiction text passages they will be tested over later in the year. Which of the following terms best describes this research study?

• basic research

• applied research

• functionalist research

• structuralist research

Which group of early psychologists, led by E.B. Titchener, believed that consciousness could best be understood by analyzing the basic elements of thoughts and sensations?

• functionalists

• psychoanalysts

• structuralists

• behaviorists

Dr. Heinz opposes the idea that by simply analyzing the separate elements of thought you can understand consciousness. He believes that pieces of information must be integrated into meaningful wholes. Which early school of thought does Dr. Heinz oppose and which most closely matches his beliefs?

• structuralism; Gestalt

• functionalism; structuralism

• Gestalt; psychoanalysis

• structuralism; functionalism

Mrs. Thompson believes that her son has learned to play the piano because she consistently rewards his efforts to learn with praise and affection. Her belief best illustrates a(n) ________ perspective.

• behavioral
• evolutionary

• humanistic

• psychoanalytic

The idea that unconscious thoughts and impulses influence thinking and behavior is a key element of which psychological theory?

• functionalism

• structuralism

• psychoanalysis

• Gestalt

Which psychologist was the first American to receive a doctoral degree in psychology, opened the first psychology laboratory in the United States, and was elected to be the first president of the American Psychological Association?

• William James

• Kenneth Clark

• G. Stanley Hall

• John B. Watson

Why was the research of Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clark significant in the history of psychology?

• Their research demonstrated that black and white children used different learning styles in the classroom

• Kenneth and Mamie Clark were the first African-Americans to receive Ph.D.s in psychology

• Findings from their studies showed that children of the same age consistently make the same mistakes on developmental tasks

• The Clarks' findings were used by the Supreme Court to declare segregated schools unconstitutional