WorksheetsWGU C180 Practice Test
Total questions: 103
Worksheet time: 52mins
Tyler has major depression. He has decided it is time to seek therapy. Tyler is working on identifying his negative thinking and developing healthier, more accurate thinking. Which type of therapy?
Psychodynamic therapy
Cognitive therapy
Behavioral therapy
Humanistic therapy
Rhonda has developed a conditioned response of anxiety to hearing music by the rock band The Rolling Stones. If she were to have the same response to any rock and roll music, this would be called:
Positive Reinforcement
Negative Punishment
Extinction
Generalization
The fundamental attribution error occurs when we overestimate the ______ and underestimate the _______.
a person's situation, person's disposition
In-Group bias, Social Facilitation
Person's disposition, person's situation
Social facilitation, in-group bias
Arvind has driven his car so many times it's almost automatic, like muscle memory. Which type of memory does this most closely reflect?
Conscious
Explicit
Implicit
Semantic
Matt is very afraid of heights. The psychologist tells him that his anxiety disorder can be defined as an irrational and overt fear reaction, usually connected to a specific trigger. Which anxiety disorder does Matt have?
Panic disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Phobia
Damion realizes that he does way better on his online proctored exams when he takes exams at the kitchen table, the same place where he studies and learns course material. This better memory retrieval can be explained by:
Encoding memory
Sensory Memory
Context-dependent memory
State-dependent memory
On a busy highway, a car is on the side of the road, broken down as cars drive by and no one stops to help and no one calls 911. What is this an example of:
Group think
Social facilitation
Bystander effect
Frustration-aggression hypothesis
Nancy gets $1 every time she takes out the trash. Nancy's parents are using:
negative reinforcement
negative punishment
positive punishment
positive reinforcement
What type of research design looks for associations between variables?
Descriptive
Correlational
Experimental
Cross-sectional
Aaron was playing football when he suffered head trauma. He now struggles with hearing and producing language properly. Which of the following lobes most likely sustained the most damage during the incident?
Frontal
Parietal
Temporal
Occipital
What is the name of the chemical that relays signals across the synapses to the next neuron?
Thalamus
Neurotransmitter
Dendrite
Neural Button
Dr. Pete predicts that participating in an after school reading program will improve students reading scores at the end of the school year. This prediction is his:
hypothesis
theory
population
Sample
Arjun is anxious a lot more than he would like to be. He worries most every day, and it makes him hard to function sometimes. Which anxiety disorder does Arjun most likely have?
Panic disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Phobia
If Albert does not invite fans of the Los Angeles Rams to his Superbowl party, this behavior is an example of:
Prejudice
Discrimination
Stereotyping
none of the above
If a person is described as moody and hostile, which of the Big Five personality traits would best describe the primary trait of this person?
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
Conscientiousness
Extroversion
Mike takes away his daughter's iPad when she gets in trouble at school. This might be an example of:
Negative Reinforcement
Negative Punishment
Positive Reinforcement
Positive Punishment
Amanda does remember Lake Tahoe, and she also remembers going on the boat. Which part of Amanda's brain is involved in having these long term memories?
Corpus callosum
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Cerebellum
What part of the brain connects the two hemispheres?
Cerebellum
Corpus Callosum
Amygdala
Frontal lobe
What is an independent variable?
The factor that the researcher changes, controls, or uses to group participants to test its effect on another variable.
The outcome (result) that is measured to see if it changes in response to the independent variable.
The factor that is tested to see if it causes a change in the dependent variable.
The variable whose value does not depend on any other variable in the experiment.
What is a dependent variable?
The factor that the researcher changes, controls, or uses to group participants to test its effect on another variable.
The outcome (result) that is measured to see if it changes in response to the independent variable.
The variable that is measured in an experiment to see if it changes in response to the independent variable.
Any variable that remains constant throughout the entire experiment and never changes.
According to the session, which strategy helps reduce the effects of memory decay?
Rehearsing and reviewing regularly
Linking ideas to emotions
Studying in noisy environments
Testing yourself only once
A person cannot recall events from before a car accident. This is an example of:
Flashbulb memory
Anterograde amnesia
Retrograde amnesia
Implicit memory
Which scenario illustrates proactive interference?
Using your old email password instead of your new one
Forgetting your friend’s name at a party
Remembering your wedding day in great detail
Getting distracted during a lecture
What type of forgetting occurs when new information disrupts your ability to recall old information?
Retroactive interference
Decay
Retrograde amnesia
Proactive interference
A student remembers more facts during an exam because the room smells like the candle they used while studying. This is an example of:
Context-dependent memory
State-dependent memory
Flashbulb memory
Retroactive interference
If you're asked to write down everything you remember from a lecture without any prompts, you're relying on:
Recall
Semantic memory
Recognition
Flashbulb memory
Which of the following is an example of implicit memory?
Typing on a keyboard without thinking
Remembering your high school graduation
Recalling the capital of France
Memorizing a list of vocabulary words
Sensory memory is best described as:
A brief, initial stage of memory lasting only moments
A permanent store of life events
A memory system with unlimited capacity
A type of implicit memory
You study psychology by connecting new terms to personal experiences. This method improves memory because it:
enhances meaningful encoding
reduces decay
uses shallow processing
avoids interference
Which of the following best describes the process of encoding?
Taking in and processing information
Storing information for future use
Accessing information from memory
Forgetting irrelevant information
Whenever Marcus cleans up after dinner, his parents stop nagging him. He now cleans up more regularly. This is an example of:
Negative reinforcement
Negative punishment
Positive reinforcement
Positive punishment
After arriving late to practice several times, Mia had to run five extra laps. She now makes sure to arrive on time. This is an example of:
Positive punishment
Positive reinforcement
Negative punishment
Negative reinforcement
Every time Casey takes the stairs instead of the elevator, she avoids the loud buzzing noise near the elevator doors. This makes her more likely to take the stairs in the future. This is an example of:
Negative reinforcement
Negative punishment
Positive reinforcement
Positive punishment
After Alex lied about finishing their homework, their parents took away their video game privileges for the weekend. This is an example of:
Negative punishment
Negative reinforcement
Positive punishment
Positive reinforcement
Jalen kept interrupting in class, so the teacher gave him extra homework. He interrupted less the next day. This is an example of:
Positive punishment
Positive reinforcement
Negative punishment
Negative reinforcement
When Maya finished all her chores without being asked, her parents gave her extra screen time. This encouraged her to do her chores again the next day. This is an example of:
Positive reinforcement
Positive punishment
Negative reinforcement
Negative punishment
What is a token economy?
A system where tokens are earned and traded for rewards
A financial reward system for adults
A chart that tracks behavior goals
A therapy that replaces unwanted thoughts
Why is partial reinforcement more resistant to extinction?
The behavior is not reinforced every time, so it's more persistent
It builds weaker associations
It delays rewards
It uses primary reinforcers
Which reinforcement schedule builds behavior quickly but is easily extinguished?
Continuous reinforcement
Partial reinforcement
Delayed reinforcement
Random reinforcement
Which of the following is a primary reinforcer?
Food
Praise
Money
Stickers
A teen loses their phone after staying out past curfew. This is an example of:
Negative punishment
Negative reinforcement
Positive punishment
Positive reinforcement
Which term describes removing something unpleasant to increase a behavior?
Negative reinforcement
Positive punishment
Negative punishment
Positive reinforcement
What is the goal of punishment in operant conditioning?
To decrease a specific behavior
To teach new behavior
To increase desirable behavior
To ignore unwanted behavior
In Skinner’s operant conditioning experiments, what increased the rate of lever pressing in rats?
Providing a pellet after pressing the lever
Shocking the rat
Removing food
Playing loud noises
Which of the following is an example of positive reinforcement?
A child receives candy for doing chores
A student is scolded for being late
A teen loses their video game privileges
A dog stops barking when the doorbell noise ends
Thorndike’s “Law of Effect” suggests that:
Behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to recur
All behavior is learned through observation
Consequences have no effect on future behavior
Reinforcement only works with humans
In a food aversion example, the conditioned response would be:
Feeling nauseated at the sight of the food
Eating spoiled food
The bacteria in the hamburger
Throwing away the hamburger
In classical conditioning, what type of behavior is typically involved?
Involuntary and automatic
Conscious and deliberate
Accidental and random
Aggressive and emotional
Which of the following is an example of classical conditioning?
A child flinches when they hear the dentist’s drill
A student studies hard to earn an A
A dog rolls over to get a treat
A person checks their phone after hearing a text notification
Which of the following best describes extinction?
The conditioned response weakens when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus
The behavior becomes stronger with repetition
The response shifts to another stimulus
The response spreads to new stimuli
Generalization occurs when:
A learned response spreads to similar stimuli
A response fades over time
A behavior is repeated voluntarily
A behavior is reinforced
In the Little Albert experiment, what was the conditioned stimulus?
White rat
Loud noise
Crying
Rabbit
After repeated pairings with food, a bell causes a dog to salivate. In this example, the bell is a:
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
Unconditioned Stimulus
Unconditioned Response
Which of the following is an example of an unconditioned stimulus?
The smell of food
A bell before feeding
A leash on the floor
A treat after a trick
Who is most associated with the discovery of classical conditioning?
Ivan Pavlov
B.F. Skinner
John Watson
Albert Bandura
In classical conditioning, learning occurs through the association of:
Two stimuli
A behavior and its consequence
Two voluntary behaviors
A reward and punishment
You're taking deep breaths and focusing on them. As you try to relax, which of the following parts of the body are you attempting to activate?
Parasympathetic nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
Pancreas
Thyroid
Which of the following parts of the body is responsible for activating your startle response?
Sympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic nervous system
Pancreas
Thyroid
The brain is a part of which component of the nervous system?
Central Nervous System
Somatic Nervous System
Peripheral Nervous System
Endocrine Nervous System
Which of the glands in the endocrine system is called the "master gland"?
Pituitary
Pancreas
Thyroid
Ovaries and testes (gonads)
Which of the following is the most accurate description of the endocrine system?
A messenger system comprised of feedback loops between glands and the substances they excrete.
A system of organs that regulate your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
A messenger system comprised of feedback loops between organs and glands.
The body’s major regulatory and communication system.
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD), also known as dwarfism, is a condition caused by insufficient amounts of growth hormone in the body. Which of the following glands is most likely involved in this condition?
Pituitary
Pancreas
Thyroid
Testes and ovaries (gonads)
During puberty, large levels of hormones called androgens and estrogens are released by the endocrine system. Which gland or glands are most involved in the release of these hormones?
Testes and ovaries (gonads)
Pituitary
Adrenal
Thyroid
A counseling psychologist is most likely to:
Help clients manage stress, relationships, or life transitions
Prescribe medications to treat mental illness
Study how memory works in the brain
Conduct research on animal learning
The cognitive revolution introduced a focus on:
Memory and mental processes
Cultural norms
Drug-based treatments
Reflexes and conditioning
Which school of thought highlights free will and self-actualization?
Humanistic Psychology
Behaviorism
Psychodynamic Theory
Structuralism
Which psychologist emphasized unconscious processes and childhood experiences?
Sigmund Freud
Carl Rogers
B.F. Skinner
William James
The phrase “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” best represents which approach?
Gestalt Psychology
Functionalism
Behaviorism
Cognitive Psychology
According to behaviorists, psychology should focus on:
Observing and measuring behaviors
Cultural and social norms
Personal growth and self-actualization
Introspection and inner thoughts
Who is most associated with functionalism?
William James
Sigmund Freud
Max Wertheimer
Wilhelm Wundt
Structuralism is most concerned with:
The elements and structure of mental processes
The unconscious mind and its desires
Observable behaviors in response to stimuli
Helping people reach their full potential
Which method is central to the practice of psychology as a science?
The scientific method
Guesswork
Personal intuition
Case Study
What is psychology primarily defined as?
The scientific study of the mind and behavior
The study of emotions and dreams
The study of brain chemistry and illness
The study of personality and intelligence
Which psychological perspective emphasizes the importance of the unconscious mind and childhood experiences in shaping personality?
Humanism
Structuralism
Psychodynamic
Behaviorism
A researcher is conducting a study to see if a new drug causes a reduction in anxiety. Which type of research approach must they use to establish this cause-and-effect relationship?
Correlational
Descriptive
Case Study
Experimental
The structure that is primarily responsible for memory formation in the brain is the:
Amygdala
Cerebellum
Hippocampus
Thalamus
Which type of therapist would provide a client with unconditional positive regard and empathy to help them achieve self-actualization?
Cognitive Therapist
Behavioral Therapist
Psychodynamic Therapist
Humanistic (Insight-Oriented) Therapist
If a scatterplot shows that as the number of hours studied increases, exam scores tend to increase as well, this illustrates a:
Negative Correlation
Zero Correlation
Positive Correlation
Causal Relationship
In the context of the nervous system, the "fight or flight" response is primarily activated by the:
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Somatic Nervous System
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Sympathetic Nervous System
A memory of a personally experienced event, such as a high school graduation or a recent vacation, is known as a(n):
Semantic Memory
Implicit Memory
Episodic Memory
Flashbulb Memory
Which term describes the discomfort experienced when an individual holds two conflicting thoughts or beliefs?
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Cognitive Dissonance
Fundamental Attribution Error
Implicit Prejudice
A client with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is told to touch a doorknob (the trigger) but is then prevented from washing their hands (the compulsive behavior). This behavioral therapy technique is called:
Systematic Desensitization
Stimulus Control
Exposure with Response Prevention
Behavior Modification
According to the Big Five personality model, the acronym OCEAN represents:
Optimism, Consciousness, Excitement, Affiliation, Neuroticism
Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Confluence
Openness, Curiosity, Extraversion, Affiliation, Neuroticism
Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism
The phenomenon where an individual's performance on an easy task improves when an audience is present is known as:
Group Polarization
Social Loafing
Groupthink
Social Facilitation
GABA is an important neurotransmitter known for its:
Excitatory effects on learning and memory
Role in movement, pleasure, and reward
Influence on mood, sleep, and appetite
Inhibitory effect, calming the nervous system
The main difference between the Independent Variable (IV) and the Dependent Variable (DV) is:
The DV is manipulated, and the IV is used to group participants.
The IV is a broader explanation, and the DV is a testable prediction.
The IV is manipulated, and the DV is measured to see if it changes.
The IV is the control group, and the DV is the experimental group.
Learning where a behavior is influenced by its consequences (rewards or punishments) is the definition of:
Classical Conditioning
Social Learning
Operant Conditioning
Cognitive Learning
What are the three levels of analysis used to examine the causes and influences of psychological disorders?
Level of the Culture, Society, and Self
Level of the Environment, Thoughts, and Emotions
Level of the Brain, Person, and Group
Level of the Conscious, Preconscious, and Unconscious
What is the smallest amount of a stimulus that a person can detect 50% of the time?
Difference Threshold
Dichotic Listening
Cocktail Party Phenomenon
Absolute Threshold
When you interpret an object by relying on your prior knowledge, experiences, and expectations rather than just the raw sensory data, you are using:
Bottom-Up Processing
Top-Down Processing
Sensation
Dichotic Listening
The ability to focus on one voice in a crowded, noisy environment (like a busy restaurant) is an example of the:
Absolute Threshold
Sensation vs. Perception distinction
Cocktail Party Phenomenon
Top-Down Processing
A severe psychological disorder characterized by distorted thinking, hallucinations, and delusions is defined as:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Bipolar Disorder
Schizophrenia
The Diathesis-Stress Model explains that a psychological disorder is triggered by the combination of a predisposition (diathesis) and what other factor?
Biological influence (Genetics)
Specific factors (Stress)
Sociocultural factors (Environment)
Cognitive factors (Thoughts)
Which cluster of personality disorders is characterized by emotional or dramatic behaviors?
Cluster A (Odd, eccentric)
Cluster B (Emotional, dramatic)
Cluster C (Anxious, fearful)
Cluster D (Psychotic, disorganized)
Which type of medication is considered the safest and first-line treatment option for anxiety-related disorders?
Benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax)
SNRIs (e.g., Effexor)
SSRIs (e.g., Zoloft, Lexapro)
Antipsychotics (e.g., Risperidone)
What is the first goal of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)?
To change distorted thinking patterns
To facilitate personal growth and self-actualization
To integrate mindfulness and interpersonal effectiveness
To help clients achieve emotional and behavioral stability (e.g., reducing self-harm)
When a person experiences improvement after receiving a treatment with no active medical ingredients, simply because they believe it will help, they are experiencing the:
Therapeutic Alliance
State-Dependent Effect
Placebo Effect
Regression toward the Mean
Which type of therapy focuses on identifying and challenging distorted thinking and replacing it with more realistic, positive thoughts?
Humanistic Therapy
Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Therapy
EMDR
What is the difference between a Panic Disorder and a Panic Attack?
A Panic Attack is characterized by chronic worry, while a Panic Disorder is a specific fear.
A Panic Attack is a sudden intense fear episode, while Panic Disorder is characterized by repeated Panic Attacks.
A Panic Disorder is a mild form of GAD, while a Panic Attack is linked to a specific phobia.
A Panic Disorder is treated with exposure therapy, while a Panic Attack is treated with medication.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is primarily used as a biologically based treatment for which condition?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Schizophrenia (positive symptoms)
Severe, treatment-resistant depression
What is the function of the dendrite in a neuron?
Sends information to other neurons
Releases neurotransmitters into the synapse
Holds genetic information
Receives information from other neurons
