Archive for August 2017

Do people usually think in optimistic or overly ambitious ways when they are setting goals and/or striving to achieve goals?

Do people usually think in optimistic or overly ambitious ways when they are setting goals and/or striving to achieve goals?






a. Yes, they tend to be overly optimistic in both cases.
b. No, they tend to think in realistic ways in both cases.
c. They tend to be overly optimistic when goal setting, but more or less realistic when pursuing goals.
d. They tend to be more or less realistic when goal setting, but optimistic when pursuing goals.




Answer: D

Research indicates that when people are setting goals, they tend to think in a(n) ____ way, and when they are pursuing or striving for goals, they to think in a(n) ____ way.

Research indicates that when people are setting goals, they tend to think in a(n) ____ way, and when they are pursuing or striving for goals, they to think in a(n) ____ way.




a. realistic; realistic
b. realistic; optimistic
c. optimistic; realistic
d. optimistic; optimistic




Answer: B

When people are setting goals, the core question is, ____. When people are pursuing goals, the core question is, ____.

When people are setting goals, the core question is, ____. When people are pursuing goals, the core question is, ____.




a. "Why should I do it?"; "Is it culturally desirable?"
b. "Why should I do it?"; "How do I do it?"
c. "Is it culturally desirable?"; "Why should I do it?"
d. "Is it culturally desirable?"; "How do I do it?"





Answer: B

Research on positive illusions and goal-setting indicates that ____.

Research on positive illusions and goal-setting indicates that ____.




a. when setting goals, most people set aside positive illusions, and are (at least temporarily) realistic
b. most people are overly optimistic and ambitious when setting goals
c. because most people have positive illusions about themselves and their lives, they usually fail to set goals at all (and just assume that things will turn out well)
d. because most people have positive illusions about themselves and their lives, they tend to set goals for the distant future, but not goals for the present or immediate future





Answer: A

Suppose that an annoying co-worker is always making passes at you and trying to ask you out on dates. Research on the panic button effect suggests that you would be less troubled by this person if ____.

Suppose that an annoying co-worker is always making passes at you and trying to ask you out on dates. Research on the panic button effect suggests that you would be less troubled by this person if ____.




a. you thought about how much worse the situation could be
b. you thought about the fact that other people would be flattered by this
c. you felt that you could simply tell the person to stop if you wanted to
d. you felt that this person could be a good "backup" if you ever needed a last-minute date





Answer: C

Suppose that Peter hates his job as a medical assistant. Research on the panic button effect would suggest that Peter would hate his job less if ____.

Suppose that Peter hates his job as a medical assistant. Research on the panic button effect would suggest that Peter would hate his job less if ____.




a. he felt that could quit at any time and get a different job
b. he thought about how much unhappier he would be if he lost his job and became homeless
c. he considered how much his job helped to relieve people's stress and discomfort
d. he thought about how he would feel if he were rushed to the hospital and there was no one there to help him





Answer: A

The so-called panic button effect refers to the tendency for people ____.

The so-called panic button effect refers to the tendency for people ____.




a. to experience automatic, intrusive thoughts about a goal when pursuit of that goal has been interrupted
b. to perceive negative things that happen to them as more stressful or painful than negative things that happen to other people
c. to feel relatively less stress or suffering when they think that they have the option of escaping from a situation (compared to when they think they do not have the option of escaping)
d. to give greater weight to potential losses than to potential gains when making decisions




Answer: C

Research indicates that people who believe that they are acting autonomously, based on intrinsic motivations, are ____ compared people who believe that their behavior is guided by external forces and extrinsic motivations.

Research indicates that people who believe that they are acting autonomously, based on intrinsic motivations, are ____ compared people who believe that their behavior is guided by external forces and extrinsic motivations.




a. happier and often perform better
b. happier but often perform worse
c. no happier but often perform better
d. no happier and no more (or less) likely to perform well




Answer: A

Self-determination theory states that people have an innate need ____.

Self-determination theory states that people have an innate need ____.




a. to set life goals
b. to achieve their goals
c. to feel that they are better than other people
d. to feel at least some degree of autonomy and internal motivation





Answer: D

Research findings suggesting that people become less prosocial when induced to reject their belief in free will most likely indicate that ____.

Research findings suggesting that people become less prosocial when induced to reject their belief in free will most likely indicate that ____.




a. free will really does exist
b. absolute free will does exist, but relative free will does not
c. relative free will does exist, but absolute free will does not
d. the belief in free will affects people's willingness to behave prosocially





Answer: D

Which of the following statements about free will is BEST supported by your text?

Which of the following statements about free will is BEST supported by your text?





a. Absolute free will is important to social behavior.
b. Relative free will is important to social behavior.
c. Absolute free will is not important to social behavior.
d. Relative free will is not important to social behavior.




Answer: B

Among humans, greater freedom is associated with ____.

Among humans, greater freedom is associated with ____.




a. simple decision-making
b. greater behavioral flexibility
c. automatic processing
d. lower self-regulation





Answer: B

According to the text, do most psychologists today believe that people have free will?

According to the text, do most psychologists today believe that people have free will?




a. Yes.
b. No.
c. Psychologists are currently divided on the issue.
d. In the past, most psychologists believed that people had free will. At present, however, virtually all psychologists agree that people do not truly have free will.





Answer: C

Maureen thinks that her abilities are fluid and capable of changing and developing over time. She decides to try to learn to garden. Her first year of planting is a complete failure--nearly every plant dies. She only harvests a few tomatoes. Given what you know about Maureen, what can you predict about her interest in gardening?

Maureen thinks that her abilities are fluid and capable of changing and developing over time. She decides to try to learn to garden. Her first year of planting is a complete failure--nearly every plant dies. She only harvests a few tomatoes. Given what you know about Maureen, what can you predict about her interest in gardening?





a. She will try again the next year and plan to learn from her mistakes.
b. She will probably experience learned helplessness and lose interest in gardening.
c. She will probably be risk averse and not want to garden next year.
d. She will probably plant only the tomatoes because those are what she had success with this year.




Answer: A

Failure will most likely produce learned helplessness for ____.

Failure will most likely produce learned helplessness for ____.



a. entity theorists
b. incremental theorists
c. people engaged in self-regulation
d. people who have high capacity to delay gratification





Answer: A

The experience of learned helplessness is ____.

The experience of learned helplessness is ____.




a. more likely to occur for an entity theorist than an incremental theorist
b. more likely to occur for an incremental theorist than an entity theorist
c. pleasant for an entity theorist, but unpleasant for an incremental theorist
d. unpleasant for an entity theorist, but pleasant for an incremental theorist




Answer: A

Jonah is in his psychology class and has just gotten his third exam score back. It's an "F" again! He hasn't passed one single exam this semester. He decides to quit studying for that class at all since it hasn't seemed to help much. Jonah is exhibiting ____.

Jonah is in his psychology class and has just gotten his third exam score back. It's an "F" again! He hasn't passed one single exam this semester. He decides to quit studying for that class at all since it hasn't seemed to help much. Jonah is exhibiting ____.




a. risk aversion
b. temporal discounting
c. the certainty effect
d. learned helplessness




Answer: D

One advantage of being an incremental theorist rather than an entity theorist is that ____.

One advantage of being an incremental theorist rather than an entity theorist is that ____.



a. you are more likely to believe that you are good at everything
b. you are more likely to persist in the face of challenges and setbacks
c. you are more likely to believe that you are better at things than other people
d. you are more likely to be immediately successful at things when you choose to try them




Answer: B

Research on entity and incremental theorists has shown that, compared to Japanese athletes, American athletes are more likely to be ____ theorists, and thus more likely to view their athletic skills as ____.

Research on entity and incremental theorists has shown that, compared to Japanese athletes, American athletes are more likely to be ____ theorists, and thus more likely to view their athletic skills as ____.



a. incremental; inborn and fixed
b. incremental; flexible and changeable
c. entity; inborn and fixed
d. entity; flexible and changeable





Answer: C

Research on entity and incremental theorists has shown that they tend to make different kinds of attributions for other people's behaviors. Specifically, compared to entity theorists, incremental theorists tend to make more ____, for example suggesting that others' behaviors are the result of ____.

Research on entity and incremental theorists has shown that they tend to make different kinds of attributions for other people's behaviors. Specifically, compared to entity theorists, incremental theorists tend to make more ____, for example suggesting that others' behaviors are the result of ____.




a. internal attributions; their circumstances
b. internal attributions; their personalities
c. external attributions; their circumstances
d. external attributions; their personalities





Answer: C

Rachel has taken French for years and is very good at it. Nonetheless, she just enrolled in Intermediate French (which will be easy for her) rather than Advanced French (which will be slightly challenging but not impossible). It is probably safe to assume that Rachel ____.

Rachel has taken French for years and is very good at it. Nonetheless, she just enrolled in Intermediate French (which will be easy for her) rather than Advanced French (which will be slightly challenging but not impossible). It is probably safe to assume that Rachel ____.




a. is an incremental theorist
b. is an entity theorist
c. is focused on low levels of meaning in identifying this action
d. is focused on high levels of meaning in identifying this action





Answer: B

Compared to incremental theorists, entity theorists show a ____.

Compared to incremental theorists, entity theorists show a ____.



a. stronger preference for doing things at which they are good
b. greater interest in receiving feedback from others (regardless of whether it is positive or negative)
c. greater interest in practicing things that they are not so good at
d. tendency to prefer hard, challenging tasks to easy tasks





Answer: A

Ursula believes that traits and abilities as fixed at birth and remain the same no matter what. By contrast, Yuri believes that people develop their traits and abilities across time, and that they can become better and better with practice. Social psychologists would say that Ursula is a(n) ____ while Yuri is a(n) ____.

Ursula believes that traits and abilities as fixed at birth and remain the same no matter what. By contrast, Yuri believes that people develop their traits and abilities across time, and that they can become better and better with practice. Social psychologists would say that Ursula is a(n) ____ while Yuri is a(n) ____.



a. collectivist; individualist
b. individualist; collectivist
c. incremental theorist; entity theorist
d. entity theorist; incremental theorist






Answer: D

In social psychology, people who regard traits and abilities as fixed and stable are known as ____, while people who believe that it is possible to change and improve traits and abilities are known as ____.

In social psychology, people who regard traits and abilities as fixed and stable are known as ____, while people who believe that it is possible to change and improve traits and abilities are known as ____.




a. entity theorists; incremental theorists
b. incremental theorists; entity theorists
c. individualists; collectivists
d. collectivists; individualists




Answer: A

An old advertisement for Dove ice cream bars touted the bars as "sinfully" delicious—so delicious that they should be banned or forbidden. The advertisement, which sought to make the bars seem as attractive to people as possible, was apparently playing on ____.

An old advertisement for Dove ice cream bars touted the bars as "sinfully" delicious—so delicious that they should be banned or forbidden. The advertisement, which sought to make the bars seem as attractive to people as possible, was apparently playing on ____.




a. reactance
b. the status quo bias
c. the certainty effect
d. risk aversion





Answer: A

One of the common consequences of reactance is ____.

One of the common consequences of reactance is ____.





a. looking to the social environment for approval
b. becoming depressed or withdrawn
c. acting aggressively toward the person who triggered the reactance
d. carefully reassessing all of your options




Answer: C

Some research suggests that when parents are extremely strict, their children become especially tempted to engage in deviant behaviors. For example, when parents forbid their teen children from going to parties, the teens report being even more attracted to parties and even more interested in attending. These findings are most consistent with ____.

Some research suggests that when parents are extremely strict, their children become especially tempted to engage in deviant behaviors. For example, when parents forbid their teen children from going to parties, the teens report being even more attracted to parties and even more interested in attending. These findings are most consistent with ____.




a. social dominance theory
b. error management theory
c. reactance theory
d. temporal bias theory






Answer: C

Suppose that you went out on two dates with someone from one of your classes. You were not crazy about the person, but you did not dislike the person either. You thought that you would just wait and see how things turned out. Surprisingly, however, the person sent you an e-mail after your second date and wrote: "I just don't think we have good chemistry, but it was nice meeting you! Sayonara!" All of a sudden, the person becomes much more attractive to you. You wonder what you did wrong, and you strategize about how to get another chance. You are most likely experiencing ____.

Suppose that you went out on two dates with someone from one of your classes. You were not crazy about the person, but you did not dislike the person either. You thought that you would just wait and see how things turned out. Surprisingly, however, the person sent you an e-mail after your second date and wrote: "I just don't think we have good chemistry, but it was nice meeting you! Sayonara!" All of a sudden, the person becomes much more attractive to you. You wonder what you did wrong, and you strategize about how to get another chance. You are most likely experiencing ____.




a. temporal discounting
b. reactance
c. the reciprocity bias
d. the omission bias





Answer: B

Aimee is moving to a new state and has looked at numerous houses. She is avoiding making a decision on which one to purchase because she knows once she chooses, she may find a better house she would have loved even more. What best explains Aimee's decision avoidance?

Aimee is moving to a new state and has looked at numerous houses. She is avoiding making a decision on which one to purchase because she knows once she chooses, she may find a better house she would have loved even more. What best explains Aimee's decision avoidance?




a. Anticipation of regret
b. Too many choices
c. Genetic tendency for avoidance
d. Risk aversion





Answer: A

What theme(s) best explain decision avoidance?

What theme(s) best explain decision avoidance?




a. The idea that some choices are too difficult and the idea of temporal discounting
b. The idea of anticipated regret and the idea of certainty bias
c. The idea that some choices are too difficult and the idea of anticipated regret
d. The idea of temporal discounting and the idea of certainty bias






Answer: C

Much of the time, people are interested in keeping their options open rather than making restrictive, final decisions. Two biases that help them avoid making decisions are ____.

Much of the time, people are interested in keeping their options open rather than making restrictive, final decisions. Two biases that help them avoid making decisions are ____.



a. the status quo bias and the certainty bias
b. the omission bias and the certainty bias
c. temporal discounting and the certainty bias
d. the status quo bias and the omission bias






Answer: D

The status quo bias is different from the omission bias in that the former is about making decisions that ____, while the latter is about making decisions that ____.

The status quo bias is different from the omission bias in that the former is about making decisions that ____, while the latter is about making decisions that ____.




a. keep things the same; require little effort
b. keep things the same; avoid risks
c. are similar to other people's decisions; require little effort
d. are similar to other people's decisions; avoid risks





Answer: A

Even though Mildred knows that her relationship with her boyfriend is in trouble, she decides not to do anything about it (i.e., she will simply neglect the relationship and let it slowly fall to pieces). Social psychologists would say that her decision to do nothing most reflects ____.

Even though Mildred knows that her relationship with her boyfriend is in trouble, she decides not to do anything about it (i.e., she will simply neglect the relationship and let it slowly fall to pieces). Social psychologists would say that her decision to do nothing most reflects ____.




a. the certainty effect
b. the omission bias
c. risk aversion
d. temporal discounting





Answer: B

The so-called "status quo bias" in decision-making refers to the tendency for people to ____.

The so-called "status quo bias" in decision-making refers to the tendency for people to ____.




a. want to keep things the way they are instead of changing
b. want to do whatever it is that other people are doing
c. place more emphasis on present (immediate) outcomes than on future outcomes
d. place more emphasis on definite outcomes than on probable outcomes




Answer: A

Suppose that Sergej has just asked Georgia whether she would like to study with him for an upcoming English exam. Georgia is struggling in the class, and she knows that Sergej is an excellent English student, so she enthusiastically agrees and says that she is excited to study with him. According to error management theory, it is likely that Sergej will view Georgia's enthusiasm as a sign that ____.

Suppose that Sergej has just asked Georgia whether she would like to study with him for an upcoming English exam. Georgia is struggling in the class, and she knows that Sergej is an excellent English student, so she enthusiastically agrees and says that she is excited to study with him. According to error management theory, it is likely that Sergej will view Georgia's enthusiasm as a sign that ____.



a. she has a crush on him
b. she values his intelligence
c. she is using him
d. she is probably being insincere




Answer: A

Suppose that Sergej has just asked Georgia whether she would like to study with him for an upcoming English exam. Georgia is struggling in the class, and she knows that Sergej is an excellent English student, so she enthusiastically agrees. Meanwhile, Sergej interprets her enthusiasm as a sign that she might have a crush on him, and he therefore suggests that the two of them grab a bite to eat together before studying; "Georgia is very attractive," he thinks to himself, "so why not?" Georgia, meanwhile, who is completely clueless about what is on Sergej mind, muses to herself, "well, that is so nice of him to think that I might be hungry; what a nice study partner!" The fact that Sergej and Georgia interpret things so differently here is most consistent with ____.

Suppose that Sergej has just asked Georgia whether she would like to study with him for an upcoming English exam. Georgia is struggling in the class, and she knows that Sergej is an excellent English student, so she enthusiastically agrees. Meanwhile, Sergej interprets her enthusiasm as a sign that she might have a crush on him, and he therefore suggests that the two of them grab a bite to eat together before studying; "Georgia is very attractive," he thinks to himself, "so why not?" Georgia, meanwhile, who is completely clueless about what is on Sergej mind, muses to herself, "well, that is so nice of him to think that I might be hungry; what a nice study partner!" The fact that Sergej and Georgia interpret things so differently here is most consistent with ____.




a. error management theory
b. self-determination theory
c. reactance theory
d. risk aversion theory




Answer: A

According to error management theory, when it comes to making decisions about dating members of the opposite sex, men will be relatively more prone to ____, while women will be relatively more prone to ____.

According to error management theory, when it comes to making decisions about dating members of the opposite sex, men will be relatively more prone to ____, while women will be relatively more prone to ____.




a. risk aversion; reactance
b. temporal discounting; risk aversion
c. the omission bias; risk aversion
d. reactance; temporal discounting



Answer: B

Recent research has demonstrated that men and women perceive certain behaviors differently: Men are more likely than women to assume that an innocent smile is a sign of flirtation, while women are more likely than men to assume that blatant flirtation is merely a sign of friendliness. These research findings are most consistent with ____.

Recent research has demonstrated that men and women perceive certain behaviors differently: Men are more likely than women to assume that an innocent smile is a sign of flirtation, while women are more likely than men to assume that blatant flirtation is merely a sign of friendliness. These research findings are most consistent with ____.




a. error management theory
b. self-determination theory
c. reactance theory
d. action identification theory




Answer: A

When you are deciding between two apartments, assuming you can afford both of them and they are both adequate for your needs, what feature should you pay most attention to if you want to maximize your satisfaction with the apartment a year after you have moved in?

When you are deciding between two apartments, assuming you can afford both of them and they are both adequate for your needs, what feature should you pay most attention to if you want to maximize your satisfaction with the apartment a year after you have moved in?



a. Rent-choose the cheapest apartment.
b. Neighborhood quality-choose the most pleasant neighborhood.
c. Square footage-choose the biggest apartment.
d. Both rent and square footage should affect your decision equally, and more so than neighborhood quality.




Answer: B

Mark is comparing two jobs. One pays $70,000 per year, but will be very stressful. The other pays $60,000, but will be less stressful. According to research presented in your text on Money Matters, Mark will ____.

Mark is comparing two jobs. One pays $70,000 per year, but will be very stressful. The other pays $60,000, but will be less stressful. According to research presented in your text on Money Matters, Mark will ____.




a. prefer the $70,000 job
b. prefer the $60,000 job
c. decide to take the 70,000 job but the $60,000 job would probably make him happier
d. decide to take the $60,000 job but the $70,000 job would probably make him happier





Answer: C

When participant's in Bazerman et al.'s (1992) study predicted their reaction to only one of two options presented to them for resolving a financial dispute with a neighbor, which option was generally preferred across participants?

When participant's in Bazerman et al.'s (1992) study predicted their reaction to only one of two options presented to them for resolving a financial dispute with a neighbor, which option was generally preferred across participants?




a. The option that paid them $600 and their neighbor $800
b. The option that paid them $800 and their neighbor $600
c. The option that paid both their neighbor and themselves $500
d. They were indifferent as to which option was best.





Answer: C

When participants in Bazerman et al.'s (1992) study compared two options for resolving a dispute with a neighbor, what did they generally prefer?

When participants in Bazerman et al.'s (1992) study compared two options for resolving a dispute with a neighbor, what did they generally prefer?




a. The option that gave them $600 and the neighbor $800
b. The option that gave them $800 and the neighbor $600
c. The option that gave the neighbor and themselves $500 each
d. They were indifferent as to which option was best.





Answer: A

As discussed in the text, when purchasing a car, people end up paying a bit more attention than intended to choices such as color and engine size, and a bit less attention than intended on information such as the chances of fatalities should there be an accident with the car. This pattern can be taken as evidence for ____.

As discussed in the text, when purchasing a car, people end up paying a bit more attention than intended to choices such as color and engine size, and a bit less attention than intended on information such as the chances of fatalities should there be an accident with the car. This pattern can be taken as evidence for ____.



a. the status quo bias
b. the certainty effect
c. risk aversion
d. the Zeigarnik effect





Answer: B

The so-called "certainty effect" in decision-making refers to tendency for people to give greater weight to ____ than to ____.

The so-called "certainty effect" in decision-making refers to tendency for people to give greater weight to ____ than to ____.




a. definite outcomes; probabilities
b. possible positive outcomes; possible negative outcomes
c. immediate (soon-to-happen) outcomes; future (far off) outcomes
d. common outcomes; rare outcomes






Answer: A

What is temporal discounting?

What is temporal discounting?




a. The tendency for people to forget about the time that will be required to achieve things when setting goals
b. The tendency for people to place greater weight on the present over the future in decision-making
c. The tendency for plans to be overly optimistic because the planner does not make allowances for unexpected events
d. The tendency for people to ignore past or historical events when making decisions





Answer: B

Many people do not invest in 401K plans or other retirement plans—even though they are not broke, and could afford to put money aside. One explanation for this is the fact that people tend to engage in ____ when making decisions about how to manage their money.

Many people do not invest in 401K plans or other retirement plans—even though they are not broke, and could afford to put money aside. One explanation for this is the fact that people tend to engage in ____ when making decisions about how to manage their money.



a. reactance
b. the Zeigarnik effect
c. risk aversion
d. temporal discounting






Answer: D

Even though she is not in desperate need of boots, Ellen says that she would rather buy a pair of boots today (for $200) rather than wait two weeks, when they will be on sale for half the price. Ellen's decision most likely involves ____.

Even though she is not in desperate need of boots, Ellen says that she would rather buy a pair of boots today (for $200) rather than wait two weeks, when they will be on sale for half the price. Ellen's decision most likely involves ____.




a. temporal discounting
b. risk aversion
c. the status quo bias
d. the omission bias




Answer: A

People tend to say that they would prefer to have $1000 today rather than $1200 two weeks from now—even though, logically, they would be better off with the $1200 in two weeks. The phenomena underlying this tendency is known as ____.

People tend to say that they would prefer to have $1000 today rather than $1200 two weeks from now—even though, logically, they would be better off with the $1200 in two weeks. The phenomena underlying this tendency is known as ____.




a. risk aversion
b. the certainty effect
c. temporal discounting
d. the status quo bias




Answer: C

MOST people show a tendency ____ when making decisions that require tradeoffs.

MOST people show a tendency ____ when making decisions that require tradeoffs.




a. to give more weight to possible losses than to possible gains
b. to give more weight to possible gains than to possible losses
c. to give more weight to possible losses than to certain gains
d. to give more weight to probable outcomes rather than certain outcomes






Answer: A

Most research focuses on the ____ step of decision-making, which involves ____.

Most research focuses on the ____ step of decision-making, which involves ____.



a. first; whittling the full range of choices down to a limited few
b. first; carefully considering a few top options.
c. second; whittling the full range of choices down to a limited few
d. second; carefully considering a few top options






Answer: D

Research on decision-making indicates that there are two main steps in making choices. They are ____.

Research on decision-making indicates that there are two main steps in making choices. They are ____.




a. ruling out the "losers" in the full range of choices and then focusing in on selecting a "winning" option.
b. whittling the full range of choices down to a limited few and then carefully considering these remaining few options.
c. making a preliminary choice, and then reviewing your choice to be certain that you are satisfied with it.
d. establishing your priorities, and then identifying the choice that best complements your priorities.




Answer: B

Research suggests that when athletes who are preparing for a big game visualize themselves training really hard for the game, they ____; when they visualize themselves actually winning the game, they ____.

Research suggests that when athletes who are preparing for a big game visualize themselves training really hard for the game, they ____; when they visualize themselves actually winning the game, they ____.



a. tend to actually train less than usual and thus perform worse; in fact perform better.
b. tend to actually train less than usual and thus perform worse; also actually tend to perform worse.
c. tend to train harder than usual and thus perform better; in fact tend to perform worse.
d. tend to train harder than usual and thus perform better; also tend to perform a little better.





Answer: D

Joe has a big Spanish exam coming up next week. Will it help him if he visualizes himself acing the exam? What about if he visualizes himself studying really hard for the exam?

Joe has a big Spanish exam coming up next week. Will it help him if he visualizes himself acing the exam? What about if he visualizes himself studying really hard for the exam?




a. Neither of these things will help him.
b. Both of these things will help him about equally.
c. Both of these things will help him—but visualizing himself acing the exam (the true end goal) will help more than visualizing himself studying really hard.
d. Both of these things will help him—but visualizing himself studying really hard (which will likely lead to him actually studying harder) will help more than visualizing himself acing the exam.




Answer: D

William James, the father of American psychology, once wrote: "Thinking is for doing." What did he mean by this?

William James, the father of American psychology, once wrote: "Thinking is for doing." What did he mean by this?





a. The human brain probably developed its current cognitive abilities in large part to enable effective decision-making and to facilitate behavior.
b. People typically engage in conscious thought only when engaged in a task (e.g., only when solving a puzzle, trying to construct an argument, or making a decision about something).
c. Every behavior that a person engages in implies a particular thought or set of thoughts; researchers can therefore infer thoughts from behaviors.
d. Because the primary role of thoughts is simply to plan behaviors, the proper focus of study for psychologists is behaviors themselves (and not thoughts).



Answer: A

Psychology Intelligence Multiple Choice Questions

In considering the nature of intelligence, experts would most likely agree that intelligence should be defined as a(n):

A. inborn ability to perform well on standard intelligence tests
B. ability to learn from experience
C. general trait that underlies success on nearly any task
D. multiple array of completely independent adaptive traits

Answer: D

Factor analysis is a statistical procedure that can be used to:

A. derive IQ scores by comparing mental age with chronological age
B. extract test norms from a standardization example
C. identify clusters of closely related test items
D. provide a quantitative estimate of heritability


Answer: C

Spearman's g factor refers to: 

A. the genetic contribution to intelligence
B. a general intelligence that underlies successful performance on a wide variety of tasks
C. a highly developed skill or talent possessed by an otherwise retarded person
D. the ability to understand and regulate emotions


Answer: B

Twenty-five-year old Alexandra is mentally handicapped and can neither read nor write. However, after hearing lengthy, unfamiliar, and complex musical selections just once, she can reproduce them precisely on the piano. It is likely that Alexandra is:

A. gifted with a superior level of Spearman's g factor
B. demonstrating a high level of emotional intelligence
C. above average in her capacity for divergent thinking
D. someone with savant syndrome


Answer: D

Those who define intelligence as academic aptitude are most likely to criticize:

A. Spearman's concept of general intelligence
B. Binet's concept of mental age
C. Gardner's concept of multiple intelligences
D. Sternberg's concept of analytical intelligence


Answer: C

Howard Gardner is most likely to agree that the concept of intelligence includes:

A. minimizing one's negative emotions
B. spatially analyzing visual input
C. experiencing positive self-esteem
D. behaving morally


Answer: B

When Professor McGuire asks her students to answer questions in class, she can quickly tell from their facial expressions whether they are happy to participate. Professor McGuire's perceptual skill best illustrates: 

A. analytical intelligence
B. divergent thinking
C. emotional intelligence
D. factor analysis


Answer: C

Generating multiple possible answers to a problem illustrates: 

A. neural plasticity
B. factor analysis
C. predictive validity
D. divergent thinking


Answer: D

As adults age, the size of their brains ________ and their nonverbal intelligence test scores _________. 

A. increase; decrease
B. decrease; increase
C. increase; increase
D. decrease; decrease


Answer: D

Postmortem brain analyses reveal that highly educated people have ________ when they die than do their less educated counterparts.

A. less neural plasticity
B. more synapses
C. less gray matter
D. more reification


Answer: B

Research on intelligence and brain functioning indicates that highly intelligent children demonstrate ________ than their less intelligent counterparts. 

A. smaller synaptic gaps
B. longer axons
C. greater neural plasticity
D. higher dopamine levels


Answer: C

Precocious 12 to 14-year-old college students with unusually high levels of verbal intelligence are most likely to: 

A. retrieve information from memory at an unusually rapid speed
B. perform at only an average level on tests of mathematical aptitude
C. experience less loneliness and achieve happier marriages than the average college student
D. demonstrate unusually high levels of the practical managerial intelligence common to successful business executives


Answer: A

Studies suggest that there is a positive correlation between intelligence and the brain's:

A. rate of glucose consumption
B. production of endorphins
C. neural processing speed
D. ability to process language in the right rather than the left hemisphere


Answer: C

Binet and Simon designed a test of intellectual abilities in order to:

A. provide a quantitative estimate of inherited intellectual potential
B. distinguish between academic and practical intelligence
C. identify children likely to have dfficulty learning in regular school classes
D. assess general capacity for goal-directed adaptive behavior


Answer: C

To assess mental age, Binet and Simon measured children's:

A. head size
B. reasoning skills
C. muscular power
D. neural processing speed


Answer: B

Five-year-old Wilbur performs on an intelligence test at a level characteristic of an average 4-year-old. Wilbur's mental age is: 

A. 4
B. 4.5
C. 5
D. 80


Answer: A

The eugenics movement would have been most likely to encourage:

A. selective breeding of highly intelligent people
B. creation of special education programs for intellectually inferior children
C. construction of culturally and racially unbiased tests of intelligence
D. use of factor analysis for identification of various types of intelligence


Answer: A

In the early twentieth century, the U.S. government developed intelligence tests to evaluate newly arriving immigrants. Poor test scores among immigrants who were not of Anglo-Saxon heritage were attributed by some psychologists of that day to:

A. stereotype threat
B. innate mental inferiority
C. savant syndrome
D. divergent thinking


Answer: B

Tests designed to predict ability to learn new skills are called:

A. interest inventories
B. factor analytic measures
C. standardized assessments
D. aptitude tests


Answer: D

Achievement tests are designed to:

A. measure desire and potential capacity to successfully meet challenges
B. assess ability to produce novel and valuable ideas
C. compare an individual's personality with those of highly successful people
D. assess learned knowledge or skills


Answer: D

The written exam for a driver's license would most likely be considered a(n) ________ test. 

A. achievement
B. reliability
C. aptitude
D. intelligence


Answer: A

If a test is standardized, this means that:

A. it accurately measures what it is intended to measure
B. a person's test performance can be compared with that of a representative pretested group
C. most test scores will cluster near the average
D. the test will yield consistent results when administered on different occasions


Answer: B

The distribution of intelligence test scores in the general population forms a bell-shaped pattern. This pattern is called a:

A. standardization sample
B. reliability coefficient
C. factor analysis
D. normal curve


Answer: D

It would be reasonable to suggest that the Flynn effect is due in part to:

A. the deteriorating quality of parental involvement in children's education
B. increasingly improved childhood health and nutrition
C. the decreasing reliance on a single test score as an index of mental aptitudes


Answer: B

If a test yields consistent results every time it is used, it has a high degree of: 

A. standardization
B. predictive validity
C. reliability
D. content validity


Answer: C

A measure of intelligence based on head size is likely to have a ________ level of reliability and a ________ level of validity.

A. low; low
B. low; high
C. high; low
D. high; high


Answer: C

Your psychology professor has announced that the next test will asses your understanding of sensation and perception. When you receive the test, however, you find that very few questions actually relate to these topics. In this instance, you would be most concerned about the ________ of the test.

A. reliability
B. factor analysis
C. standardization
D. validity


Answer: D

Sasha is mildly mentally retarded. She has achieved the equivalent of a fifth-grade education and will soon begin vocational training so that she can earn a living. Sasha's intelligence scores is most likely between:

A. 5 and 19
B. 20 and 34
C. 35 and 49
D. 50 and 70


Answer: D

Sorting children into "gifted child" education programs is most likely to be criticized for:

A. overemphasizing the genetic determinants of giftedness
B. widening the achievement gap between higher and lower ability groups
C. Claiming that intelligence test scores can predict children's academic success
D. underestimating the extent to which a g factor underlies success in a wide variety of tasks


Answer: B

"Gifted child" programs can lead to ________ by implicitly labeling some students as "ungifted" and isolating them from an enriched educational environment.

A. divergent thinking
B. the Flynn effect
C. factor analysis
D. self-fulfilling prophecies


Answer: D

The similarity between the intelligence test scores of identical twins raised apart is:

A. less than that between children and their biological parents
B. equal to that between identical twins reared together
C. equal to that between fraternal twins reared together
D. greater than that between ordinary siblings reared together


Answer: D

With increasing age, adopted children's intelligence test scores become ________ like their adoptive parents' scores and ________ similar to their biological parents' scores.

A. more; more
B. less; less
C. more; less
D. less; more


Answer: D

The heritability of intelligence refers to:

A. the extent to which an individual's intelligence is attributable to genetic factors
B. the percentage of variation in intelligence within a group that is attributable to genetic factors
C. the extent to which a group's intelligence is attributable to genetic factors
D. a general underlying intelligence factor that is measured by every task on an intelligence test


Answer: C

The importance of environmental influences on intelligence is provided by evidence that:

A. fraternal twins have more similar intelligence test scores than do ordinary siblings
B. intellectual development of neglected children in impoverished environments is often retarded
C. Head Start programs for disadvantaged children can decrease the likelihood of their having to repeat a grade in school
D. all of the above are true


Answer: B

On average, the intelligence test scores of the Dingbats are much higher than those of the Dodes. The difference in the average test scores of the two groups might be a product of:

A. genetic differences between two groups with similar environments
B. environmental differences between two groups with similar genetics
C. genetic and environmental differences between the two groups
D. any of the above


Answer: D

Girls are most likely to outperform boys in a(n):

A. spelling bee
B. math test
C. computer programming contest
D. chess tournament


Answer: A

Males are most likely to outnumber females in a class designed for high school students gifted in: 

A. reading
B. speech
C. mathematics
D. a foreign language


Answer: C

Research on gender and emotional intelligence suggests that women are more skilled than men at:

A. avoiding the experience of emotional ambivalence
B. preventing emotions from distorting reasoning
C. interpreting others' facial expressions of emotion
D. delaying emotional gratification in pursuit of long-term goals


Answer: C

Everyone would agree that intelligence tests are "biased" in the sense that:

A. test performance is influenced by cultural experiences
B. the reliability of intelligence tests is close to zero
C. the heritability of intelligence is very high
D. numerical scores of intelligence serve to dehumanize individuals


Answer: A

Experts who defend intelligence tests against the charge of being culturally biased and discriminatory would be most likely to highlight the ________ of intelligence tests.

A. factor analysis
B. content validity
C. predictive validity
D. reliability

Answer: C

When completing a verbal aptitude test, members of an ethnic minority group are particularly likely to perform below their true ability levels if they believe that the test:

A. is a measure of emotional intelligence as well as academic intelligence
B. assesses their interests as well as their abilities
C. is biased against members of their own ethnic group
D. results in a distribution of scores that form a bell-shaped curve


Answer: C

Jim, age 55, plays basketball with much younger adults and is concerned that his teammates might consider his age to be a detriment to their game outcome. His concern actually undermines his athletic performance. This best illustrates the impact of:



A. the Flynn effect
B. divergent thinking
C. extrinsic motivation
D. stereotype threat


Answer: D
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)