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AP Psychology Midterm Review

Total questions: 104

Worksheet time: 1hrs 4mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A disadvantage of longitudinal studies is that

a)

participants who drop out during the course of the study may be different in important ways from ones who do not drop out

b)

differences observed among participants of different ages are usually due to differences in the environment in which they were reared

c)

men and women confront different developmental crises in the course of their lives because of their different social roles

d)

personality traits do not remain constant across the life span

e)

unfamiliarity with testing situations can put older participants at a disadvantage

2.

An illusory correlation is best defined as a

a)

correlation of 0

b)

causal relationship

c)

correlation of −1.0

d)

perceived relationship where one does not exist

e)

correlation of +1.0

3.

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the neural chain of events set in motion by an environmental stimulus?

a)

Receptors, efferent neurons, interneurons, afferent neurons, effectors

b)

Effectors, interneurons, receptors, afferent neurons, efferent neurons

c)

Effectors, receptors, afferent neurons, efferent neurons, interneurons

d)

Interneurons, effectors, receptors, afferent neurons, efferent neurons

e)

Receptors, afferent neurons, interneurons, efferent neurons, effectors

4.

Students from a journalism class ask only their friends to participate in a school newspaper survey and neglect to ask the rest of the student body. The journalism students' data may not be generalizable due to...

a)

A lack of debriefing

b)

Sampling bias

c)

Participant bias

d)

Social desirability bias

e)

Placebo effects

5.
a)
Cerebellum
b)
Brain Stem
c)
Occipital Lobe
d)
Temporal Lobe
6.

In the figure above, where do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have their initial effect?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

e)

E

7.

A sound is often detected by one ear more intensely and a fraction of a second earlier than it is detected by the other ear. These cues help individuals determine the

a)

pitch

b)

absolute threshold

c)

location of the source

d)

frequency

8.

If you are expecting an important text message, you are much more likely to notice the sound as soon as the message arrives. This best illustrates...

a)

priming

b)

signal detection theory

c)

difference threshold

d)

absolute threshold

e)

Weber's law

9.
What does this picture show?
a)
similarity
b)
closure
c)
figure ground
d)
Connectedness
10.

Which of the following types of cells are located in the brain's occipital lobe?

a)

cochlea cells

b)

feature detectors

c)

rods and cones

d)

bipolar cells

11.

Frequency theory best explains _______, while place theory best explains ________.

a)

how we process red, green, and blue light; why we experience color afterimages

b)

how we perceive low-pitched sounds; how we perceive high-pitched sounds

c)

how touch sensations involve more than tactile stimulation; why stroking a pressure spot leads to the sensation of a tickle

d)

how phantom limb sensations occur; how stimulation of the larger fibers in the spinal cord stop pain

12.

what Gestalt rule makes these black shapes look like a panda with no connecting lines?

a)

Proximity

b)

continuity

c)

closure

d)

similarity

13.

In which stage do vivid dreams occur?

a)

REM

b)

NREM-1

c)

NREM-2

d)

NREM-3

14.

If a road test for a driver's license adequately samples the tasks a driver routinely faces, the test is said to

a)

have content validity.

b)

be reliable.

c)

have a normal distribution.

d)

have predictive validity.

15.

What is cognitive psychology?

a)

the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits.

b)

the study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking.

c)

the scientific study of all mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

d)

the study of the evolution of behavior and mind, using principles of natural selection.

16.

Which of the following perspectives is most likely to address how the encoding, storing, and retrieval of information might alter our thoughts?

a)

Behavioral

b)

Psychodynamic

c)

Cognitive

d)

Biological

17.

After the student council election, a friend tells you he has known for weeks who would be elected president. What does this seem to illustrate?

a)

Skepticism

b)

Critical Thinking

c)

Hindsight bias

d)

Overconfidence

18.

Which of the following correlation coefficients represents the strongest relationship between two variables?

a)

+.30

b)

+.75

c)

+1.3

d)

-.85

19.

The arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores.

a)

Median

b)

Mean

c)

Mode

d)

Descriptive Statistics

20.

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.

a)

Dendrites

b)

Axon

c)

Myelin

d)

Action Potential

21.

Luke does not feel like getting out of bed, has lost his appetite, and feels tired for most of the day. Which of the following neurotransmitters likely is in short supply for Luke?

a)

Dopamine

b)

Serotonin

c)

Acetylcholine

d)

Glutamate

22.

Which of the following brain areas is responsible for regulating thirst?

a)

Hypothalamus

b)

Hippocampus

c)

Brainstem

d)

Reticular activating system

23.

The transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina.

a)

hue

b)

retina

c)

lens

d)

pupil

24.

Ashton is washing his hands and adjusts the faucet handle until the water feels just slightly hotter than it did before. Ashton's adjustment until he feels a difference is an example of

a)

Weber's Law

b)

an absolute threshold

c)

a difference threshold

d)

signal detection

25.

The process of getting information out of memory storage.

a)

Encoding

b)

Sensory memory

c)

Retrieval

d)

Storage

26.

Harry, a singer, is asked to remember his former band mates names. What measure of retention will Harry use to answer this question?

a)

Recognition

b)

Relearning

c)

Recall

d)

Storage

27.

Fill in the blank: A survey is not a method, but a ______ used within research.

a)

tool

b)

experiment

c)

observation

d)

analysis

28.

Fill in the blank: Identical twins share ________ of their genes, making them a key focus in studies of heredity.

a)

25%

b)

50%

c)

75%

d)

100%

29.

Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with pain relief?

a)

Dopamine

b)

Endorphins

c)

Serotonin

d)

GABA

30.

Which is NOT true of statistical significance?

a)

It is an inferential statistic

b)

It refers to the probability that results of a study are most likely not due to chance

c)

It means that there is a difference between the experimental and control groups

d)

It means that the study had a large effect size

31.

Which of the following would best explain why those born blind have sensitive hearing or why people who lose a limb experience phantom sensations in the missing limb?

a)

Neuroplasticity

b)

Tolerance

c)

Reuptake

d)

Stimulus threshold

32.

The opponent-process theory of color vision (choose more than one)

a)

explains how some cones are sensitive to blue light, some to red light, and some to green light



b)

offers a more complete explanation compared to the trichromatic theory

c)

explains why we experience after images

d)

asserts that cones come in opposite pairs such as red-green, black-white, and blue-yellow.

33.

Without ___________ we would have trouble detecting light, and therefore transduction would be impaired.

a)

the cochlea

b)

rods and cones in the retina

c)

olfactory receptors

d)

papillae

34.

Psychological perspective concerned with individual potential for growth and the role of unique perceptions in growth toward one’s potential.

a)

behavioral

b)

biological

c)

socio-cultural

d)

humanistic

35.

Psychological perspective concerned with physiological and biochemical factors that determine behavior and mental processes.

a)

behavioral

b)

biological

c)

psychodynamic

d)

evolutionary

36.

Psychological perspective concerned with how cultural differences affect behavior.

a)

evolutionary

b)

humanistic

c)

behavioral

d)

socio-cultural

37.

The psychological perspective concerned with how unconscious instincts, conflicts, motives, and defenses influence behavior.

a)

functionalism

b)

behavioral

c)

psychoanalytic

d)

humanistic

38.

•When you hear familiar words in your native language, it is virtually impossible not to register the meanings of the words. This best illustrates the importance of:

a)

A. chunking.

b)

B. flashbulb memory.

c)

C. automatic processing.

d)

D. iconic memory.

39.

•According to the serial position effect, you will remember more:

a)

A. items at the beginning and end of a list, than in the middle.

b)

B. items in the middle of a list, than at the beginning and end.

c)

C. vocabulary words if you process them visually.

d)

D. vocabulary words if you process them acoustically.

40.

•Which of the following processes is likely to result in the best memory for words?

a)

A. visual encoding

b)

B. acoustic encoding

c)

C. rote memorization

d)

D. semantic encoding

41.

•Memories of emotional events are especially likely to be facilitated by activation of the:

a)

A. amygdala

b)

B. hypothalamus

c)

C. sensory cortex

d)

D. motor cortex

42.

Priming refers to:

a)

A. the sense that one has been in a particular situation before.

b)

B. better recall for experiences that are consistent with one’s current mood.

c)

C. attributing a memory to an erroneous source.

d)

D. the activation of associations in memory.

43.

After suffering a brain injury in a motorcycle accident, Adam cannot form new memories. He can, however, remember his life experiences before the accident. Adam's memory difficulty most clearly illustrates:

a)

A. repression

b)

B. retroactive interference

c)

C. encoding failure

d)

D. source amnesia

44.

•You are used to driving a car with a standard shift (stick shift). Today you are driving a friend’s car that has an automatic transmission. As you drive, you keep trying to shift gears, but there is no shift. This tendency is most likely due to:

a)

A. retroactive interference

b)

B. proactive interference

c)

C. motivated forgetting

d)

D. encoding failure

45.

Positively Skewed

a)

A distribution of scores in which scores are concentrated in the low end of the distribution

b)

A distribution of scores in which scores are concentrated in the high end of the distribution

46.

Normal Distribution/Curve

a)

A special frequency polygon, shaped like a bell, in which the scores are symmetrically distributed around the mean, and the mean, median, and mode are all located on the same point on the curve with scores decreasing as the curve extends from the mean

b)

A distribution of scores in which scores are concentrated in the high end of the distribution

c)

A distribution of scores in which scores are concentrated in the low end of the distribution

47.

Scatterplot

a)
b)
c)
d)
48.

Normal Distribution / Normal Curve

a)
b)
c)
49.

Our mental image that best represents a category is called a...

a)

Insight

b)

Heuristic

c)

Prototype

d)

Algorithm

e)

Retrieval

50.

Which type of creative thinking expands the number of possible problem solutions?

a)

Divergent Thinking

b)

Convergent Thinking

c)

Intrinsic Motivation

d)

Availability Heuristic

e)

Representative Heuristic

51.

Which type of problem solving technique is methodical, logical, and will always lead to a correct answer if there is one?

a)

Heuristic

b)

Insight

c)

Algorithm

d)

Convergent Thinking

e)

Divergent Thinking

52.

Which type of problem solving strategy allows us to make an estimate on the likelihood of events based on how much that event matches a prototype?

a)

Intuition

b)

Insight

c)

Availability Heuristic

d)

Representativeness Heuristic

e)

Algorithm

53.

What is our tendency to think we know or can perform better or more accurately than we really can?

a)

Confirmation Bias

b)

Overconfidence

c)

Intuition

d)

Insight

e)

Algorithm

54.

In trying to solve a potentially complicated problem quickly, we are most likely to rely on

a)

prototypes.

b)

heuristics.

c)

phonemes.

d)

algorithms.

e)

framing.

55.
Pablo vainly searches for a screwdriver while failing to recognize that a readily available coin in his pocket would turn the screw. His oversight best illustrates: 
a)
functional fixedness.
b)
the availability heuristic.
c)
belief perseverance.
d)
the representativeness heuristic.
56.

Despite overwhelming and highly publicized evidence that Senator McEwan was guilty of serious political corruption and misconduct, many who had supported her in past elections remained convinced of her political integrity. Their reaction best illustrates

a)

fixation.

b)

the representativeness heuristic.

c)

belief perseverance.

d)

the availability heuristic.

e)

the framing effect.

57.

Mr.Anderson wants to conduct an experiment with 30 of his students to see how does music affect student's memory. Which of the following is the best way to select his students for the experiment?

a)

Pick 30 students that he feels are the best for the experiment

b)

Send out an invitation to his favorite class, and the first 30 students that accepted the invitation will be a part of the experiment

c)

Pick the first and last 15 students in the alphabet

d)

Give each student name a number and use a number generator to select the students

58.

Which of the followings is a positive correlation?

a)

Jennie gains more muscle after she loses weight

b)

As the temperature increases, people tend to go to the beach more

c)

As Devin studies less, he achieves lower grades

d)

When the price goes up, people are less likely to buy it

59.

Which of the following is not one of the 6 ethical guidelines?

a)

Researchers must keep the participants' identity confidential

b)

Participants are allowed to withdraw at any moment during the research

c)

Researchers must debrief the participants about the true nature of the study after the study is done

d)

Researchers must never deceive the participants during the research

60.

Which of the followings is not a measure of central tendency?

a)

mean

b)

mode

c)

range

d)

median

61.

A belief that infertile couples become more likely to conceive a child after adopting a baby is best considered to be what?

a)

Hypothesis

b)

Theory

c)

Hindsight bias

d)

Illusory correlation

62.

A researcher wants to know how different types of teaching style affect student's test score. What method should be used?

a)

Naturalistic observation

b)

Experiment

c)

Case Study

d)

Survey

63.

How many percent of people fall within 1 standard deviation on either side of the mean on a normal curve?

a)

34%

b)

13.5%

c)

95%

d)

68%

64.

which of the following is a strength of correlational research method?

a)

It requires only one participant.

b)

It specifies cause and effect.

c)

It works with large groups of data.

d)

All the variables are controlled.

65.

Which of the following best demonstrates a double-blind procedure?

a)

Neither the research staff nor the participants know who is getting the treatment.

b)

Only the research staff know who is getting the treatment.

c)

Only the participants know who is getting the treatment.

d)

Both the research staff and participants know who is getting the treatment.

66.
An aptitude test attempts to measure
a)
potential for future learning
b)
how much a person already knows
c)
a person's genetic makeup
d)
kinesthetic intelligence
67.
Validity means that 
a)
a test measures what it is supposed to measure
b)
that a test has been tested on many subjects
c)
a test measures both aptitude and acheivement
d)
scores are the same no matter who grades the test
68.

Fluid intelligence refers most directly to a person's

a)

ability to assume the perspective of others.

b)

ability to utilize diffuse brain regions for storing memories.

c)

accumulated knowledge.

d)

ability to reason speedily and abstractly.

69.
When a person's test performance can be compared with that of a representative and pretested sample of people, the test is said to be
a)
reliable
b)
standardized
c)
valid
d)
normally distributed
70.
The fact that identical twins' IQ scores are so close together (highly correlated) even when they are raised apart suggests
a)
intelligence is strongly genetic
b)
intelligence has a strong environmental component
c)
Identical twins attend better schools than fraternal twins
d)
Adopted parents have a positive effect on intelligence.
71.
Factors that cause differences between the experimental group and control group other than the independent variable. 
a)
control group
b)
population
c)
confounding variables
72.
The factor the researcher manipulates in a controlled experiment
a)
dependent variable
b)
independent variable
c)
confounding variable
73.
Division of the sample into groups so that every individual has an equal chance of being put in any group or condition.
a)
single blind
b)
double blind
c)
random assignment
d)
random sampling
74.
The subgroup of the sample that receives the independent variable.
a)
experimental group
b)
control group
c)
population
75.
Suggested rules for acting responsible and morally when conducting research.
a)
ethics
b)
guidelines
c)
rules
76.
Measures the average difference between each score and the mean of the data set.
a)
median
b)
range
c)
standard deviation
77.
Correlational research where one  specific group of people or person is studied in detail through interviews, file reviews, etc.  Not generalizable. 
a)
case study
b)
naturalistic evaluation
c)
experiment
78.
A response to the belief that the independent variable will have an effect on the subjects when they haven't been given the independent variable. 
a)
placebo effect
b)
case study
c)
experiment
79.
Careful observations of humans or animals in real life situations
a)
case study
b)
survey
c)
naturalistic observation
80.

Our mental image that best represents a category is called a...

a)

Insight

b)

Heuristic

c)

Prototype

d)

Algorithm

e)

Retrieval

81.
The marketing agent for a professional sports franchise conducts a survey asking people how much they support the construction of a new sports stadium. Almost everyone who takes part in the survey indicates they are strongly in favor of a new stadium; there are just a few respondents who think a new stadium would be a bad idea.  When the results from the survey are plotted in a histogram, the distribution will be 
a)
positively skewed
b)
symmetrical
c)
impossible to predict without more information
d)
negatively skewed
82.
Dr. Kleiman gives an exam where most of the students receive failing grades and only a few students receive high scores.  When the exam scores are plotted, the distribution will be
a)
positively skewed
b)
negatively skewed
c)
symmetrical
d)
impossible to predict without more information
83.

When scores are "bunched up"in the center of a distribution, the

a)

mean will be relatively low

b)

standard deviation will be relatively low

c)

correlation coefficiaent will be a negative number

d)

standard deviation will be relatively high

84.

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the weakest degree of relationship between two variables?

a)

-0.12

b)

+1.00

c)

-0.99

d)

+0.25

e)

-0.50

85.

The difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.

a)

standard deviation

b)

variance

c)

range

d)

dependent variable

86.

The score that occurs most frequently

a)

mean

b)

median

c)

mode

d)

standard deviation

87.

Which of the following is the mode for the data set: 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9?

a)

4

b)

7

c)

9

88.

Which of the following is the range for the data set: 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9?

a)

5

b)

7

c)

9

89.

Which brain area controls the expression of language?

a)

Broca’s area

b)

Wernicke’s area

c)

Temporal lobe

d)

Auditory cortex

90.
Julia has an IQ of 130.  If the mean for IQ is 100 with a standard deviation of 15, what percentage of the population has an IQ greater that Julia's (assume a normal distribution)?
a)
0 percent
b)
2.5 percent
c)
32 percent
d)
50 percent
91.
Which of the following is a "Big Five" personality factor?
a)
Seriousness
b)
Neuroticism
c)
Dutifulness
d)
Dominance
92.

what are the big five factors?

a)
emotional stability
b)
openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism
c)
kindness
d)

quiet,

greedy,

narcissist,

evil,

nonchalant

93.

Match the following

a)

ID

1.

primal desires

b)

Ego

2.

the self

c)

Super-ego

3.

internalized set of ideals

94.

Which of the following focuses on healthy people striving for self-actualization?

a)

Psychology

b)

Humanistic

c)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

d)

Psychoanalysis

95.

self actualization can be reached by the feeling of

a)

being a part of a basketball team

b)

passing traditions on to grandchildren

c)

having a house to live in

d)

getting married

96.

What is the third level in Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

a)

self actualization

b)

esteem

c)

love and belonging

d)

safety

e)

physiological

97.

What is the last level in Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

a)

safety

b)

love and belonging

c)

physiological

d)

self actulization

e)

esteem

98.

A person's judgement about whether he or she can do something; it is an estimate of ability relative to a task.

a)

Self Efficacy

b)

Mastery Experience

c)

Vicarious Experience

d)

Verbal Persuasion

99.

According to self-determination theory, what are the three basic psychological needs that drive behavior?

a)

Competence, autonomy, and relatedness

b)

Competence, independence, and achievement

c)

Autonomy, mastery, and purpose

d)

Autonomy, relatedness, and achievement

100.
The unconscious mind influences everything we do.
a)
Biological perspective
b)
Behavioral perspective
c)
Cognitive perspective
d)
Psychodynamic perspective
101.
If a child is behaving poorly, it is likely because this behavior has been rewarded somehow.
a)
Social-cultural perspective
b)
Behavioral perspective
c)
Biological perspective
d)
Psychodynamic perspective
102.

Personality is best defined as an individual's

a)

characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

b)

most noticeable characteristics.

c)

biologically inherited temperament.

d)

hidden thoughts and emotions.

103.

Carl Rogers emphasized the importance of __________ in regards to healthy personality development.

a)

the collective unconscious

b)

unconditional positive regard

c)

reciprocal determinism.

d)

the primary care giver

104.

Identical twins are more likely to have the same eating disorders than fraternal twins.

a)

True

b)

False