Psychological Science Quiz

What does psychological science study?

• The study of physical health and diseases

• The study of mind, brain, and behavior

• The study of environmental changes

• The study of technological advancements

What does the term 'mind' refer to in psychological science?

• The totality of observable actions

• The memories, thoughts, feelings, and perceptual experiences

• The biological processes within the brain

• The physical health of an individual

What does 'behavior' describe in psychological science?

• The biochemical processes within the brain

• The totality of observable human (or animal) actions

• The mental activity of an individual

• The physical health and fitness of an individual

Why did psychologists focus on behavior rather than mental states for many years?

• Because behavior was more interesting

• Because they had few objective techniques for assessing the mind

• Because mental states were not important

• Because behavior was easier to study

What has enabled psychologists to study mental states and led to a fuller understanding of human behavior?

• The advent of technology to observe the working brain in action

• The development of new psychological theories

• The study of physical health and diseases

• The focus on environmental changes

What does the text say about media reports of psychological research?

• They can be distorted or even flat-out wrong.

• They are always accurate and reliable.

• They are only published in scientific journals.

• They are not relevant to psychological science.

What is one of the hallmarks of a good scientist or a savvy consumer of scientific research?

• Blind faith

• Amiable skepticism

• Quick decision-making

• Emotional reasoning

What have psychologists discovered about people's intuitions?

• They are always correct

• They are often wrong

• They are never influenced by biases

• They are always based on evidence

What does being a critical thinker involve?

• Accepting information without questioning

• Looking for holes in evidence, using logic and reasoning, and considering alternative explanations

• Believing information that fits personal or political agendas

• Ignoring new findings that require reevaluation

What is the main reason our minds are constantly analyzing information, according to the text?

• To ignore irrelevant information

• To make sense of events that involve us

• To avoid making mistakes

• To increase our intelligence