AP Psychology Practice Exam 2

A psychologist is conducting a study on the effects of social support on stress reduction. Which of the following is an operational definition for social support?

• The number of friends a person has

• The amount of time spent with family members

• The number of people a person can rely on for help

• The level of income a person has

A psychologist is conducting a study on the effects of caffeine on reaction time. The independent variable in this study is:

• The amount of caffeine consumed

• The reaction time

• The type of activity

• The demographic characteristics of the participants

A researcher is interested in studying the effects of a new therapy on anxiety. The researcher randomly assigns participants to the experimental and control groups to ensure that:

• The experimental group is more anxious than the control group

• The control group is more anxious than the experimental group

• The participants in both groups are similar in terms of anxiety level

• The participants in both groups have different levels of anxiety

• The participants in both groups have different demographic characteristics

A psychologist is conducting a study on the effects of mindfulness meditation on stress reduction. Which research design would be most effective in determining the effectiveness of this intervention?

• Correlational study

• Experimental study

• Case study

• Survey research

• Observational study

A researcher is interested in studying the relationship between exercise and depression. Which of the following research designs is most appropriate for this study?

• Correlational study

• Experimental study

• Case study

• Survey research

• Observational study

A researcher is studying the effects of a new drug on the brain. Which technique would be most appropriate for measuring changes in brain activity?

• EEG

• PET

• MRI

• CAT

• fMRI

What is the function of the pituitary gland?

• To regulate body temperature

• To control muscle movement

• To secrete hormones

• To filter waste products from the blood

• To store nutrients for the body

Which neurotransmitter is responsible for controlling muscle movement and plays a role in reward and motivation?

• Dopamine

• Serotonin

• Acetylcholine

• GABA

• Endorphins

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

• To process visual information

• To regulate emotions

• To control movement and motor coordination

• To process auditory information

• To process information related to touch and sensation

Which part of the brain is responsible for processing language and speech?

• Temporal lobe

• Frontal lobe

• Parietal lobe

• Occipital lobe

• Thalamus