PSY 120 LATEST 2026 CORE EXAM TEST QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔stimulus discrimination - ✔✔the tendency to respond differently to two or more
similar stimuli, in classical conditioning, it occurs when a stimulus similar to the CS fails
to evoke the CR
✔✔consciousness - ✔✔awareness of objects, events & activities in the world and in
your own body and brain
✔✔biological rhythms - ✔✔regular fluctuations in biological systems causing variations
in body temperature, blood pressure, hormonal secretions
✔✔circadian rhythms - ✔✔24 hour cycles in the physiological processes of living beings
✔✔circadian rhythms adaptation - ✔✔helps us adjust to earths rotation and the
changes this causes in light level, temperature, etc
✔✔chronobiology - ✔✔the study of biological rhythms, founded by jurgen aschoff
✔✔chronobiology experiments - ✔✔underground bunkers, lack of external cues
(zietgebers/time givers)
✔✔superchiasmatic nuclei (SCN) - ✔✔location of the biological clock, responds to
changes in light and dark & regulates levels of some neurotrasmitters and hormones
✔✔effects of internal clock desynchronnization - ✔✔cognitive impairment, mood
disregulation, tiredness, digestive disorders, d e a t h
✔✔lark chronotype - ✔✔early birds
✔✔owl chronotype - ✔✔do their best work at night
✔✔premenstrual syndrome - ✔✔physical symptoms, cramps, water retention, fatigue
and breast tenderness
✔✔Electroencephalogram (EEG) - ✔✔measures brain wave patterns using recording
electrodes attached to scalp
✔✔stage 1 sleep - ✔✔theta waves 4-7cps, last 1-7 mins, muscles release tension,
hypnic jerks, temp drops & heart rate slows down
✔✔stage 2 sleep - ✔✔mixed waves, sleep spindles, 10-25min, brain waves get slower
& higher in amplitude
, ✔✔stage 3-4 - ✔✔delta waves, <4cps, "slow wave sleep". usually 30mins, if youre
waken youre confused and disoriented, cycle back to stage 1 after this
✔✔REM sleep - ✔✔paradoxical sleep, brain waves look like theyre awake, eyes move,
vivid dreams happen, physiological arousal
✔✔functions of sleep - ✔✔occurs across diverse taxonomic groups, recovery or
rebound period for body, negative consequences if deprived
✔✔lack of sleep consequences - ✔✔increase cortisol production, impaired learning,
reduced neurogenesis, mood disturbances, hallucinations, attention deficits
✔✔chronic sleep deprivation risks - ✔✔low energy, hormonal irregularities, impaired
immune function, higher risk of disease, organ failure & death
✔✔fatal familial insomnia (FFI) - ✔✔rare genetic disorder that is caused by a mutation
on the dominant autosomal gene, high heritable & mainly affects thalamus
✔✔insomnia - ✔✔recurring problems in falling or staying asleep
✔✔delayed sleep phase disorder - ✔✔sleep & wake up much later than usual, can
disrupt professional life
✔✔advanced sleep phase disorder - ✔✔sleep and wake up much earlier than usual,
can disrupt social life
✔✔non-24 hour sleep-wake disorder - ✔✔sleep cycle longer than 24 hours, non
regulated circadian rhythm
✔✔problem-focused dream theory - ✔✔says that the purpose of dreaming is to express
ongoing concerns of waking life and/or resolve current concerns and problems, some
theorists are skeptical about our ability to resolve problems during sleep
✔✔cognitive theory - ✔✔states that the purpose of dreaming is the same as in waking
life, to express concerns and interests, but some specific claims remain to be tested
✔✔activation-synthesis theory - ✔✔says that there is no purpose to dreaming, that they
occur because of random brain-stem signals, though cortical interpretations of those
signals may reflect concerns and conflicts but this theory doesnt explain coherent or
non-REM dreams
✔✔effects of hypnosis - ✔✔heightened suggestibility, unquestioningly believe hypnosis,
readily respond to suggestions, reduced sensitivity to pain, disinhibited
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔stimulus discrimination - ✔✔the tendency to respond differently to two or more
similar stimuli, in classical conditioning, it occurs when a stimulus similar to the CS fails
to evoke the CR
✔✔consciousness - ✔✔awareness of objects, events & activities in the world and in
your own body and brain
✔✔biological rhythms - ✔✔regular fluctuations in biological systems causing variations
in body temperature, blood pressure, hormonal secretions
✔✔circadian rhythms - ✔✔24 hour cycles in the physiological processes of living beings
✔✔circadian rhythms adaptation - ✔✔helps us adjust to earths rotation and the
changes this causes in light level, temperature, etc
✔✔chronobiology - ✔✔the study of biological rhythms, founded by jurgen aschoff
✔✔chronobiology experiments - ✔✔underground bunkers, lack of external cues
(zietgebers/time givers)
✔✔superchiasmatic nuclei (SCN) - ✔✔location of the biological clock, responds to
changes in light and dark & regulates levels of some neurotrasmitters and hormones
✔✔effects of internal clock desynchronnization - ✔✔cognitive impairment, mood
disregulation, tiredness, digestive disorders, d e a t h
✔✔lark chronotype - ✔✔early birds
✔✔owl chronotype - ✔✔do their best work at night
✔✔premenstrual syndrome - ✔✔physical symptoms, cramps, water retention, fatigue
and breast tenderness
✔✔Electroencephalogram (EEG) - ✔✔measures brain wave patterns using recording
electrodes attached to scalp
✔✔stage 1 sleep - ✔✔theta waves 4-7cps, last 1-7 mins, muscles release tension,
hypnic jerks, temp drops & heart rate slows down
✔✔stage 2 sleep - ✔✔mixed waves, sleep spindles, 10-25min, brain waves get slower
& higher in amplitude
, ✔✔stage 3-4 - ✔✔delta waves, <4cps, "slow wave sleep". usually 30mins, if youre
waken youre confused and disoriented, cycle back to stage 1 after this
✔✔REM sleep - ✔✔paradoxical sleep, brain waves look like theyre awake, eyes move,
vivid dreams happen, physiological arousal
✔✔functions of sleep - ✔✔occurs across diverse taxonomic groups, recovery or
rebound period for body, negative consequences if deprived
✔✔lack of sleep consequences - ✔✔increase cortisol production, impaired learning,
reduced neurogenesis, mood disturbances, hallucinations, attention deficits
✔✔chronic sleep deprivation risks - ✔✔low energy, hormonal irregularities, impaired
immune function, higher risk of disease, organ failure & death
✔✔fatal familial insomnia (FFI) - ✔✔rare genetic disorder that is caused by a mutation
on the dominant autosomal gene, high heritable & mainly affects thalamus
✔✔insomnia - ✔✔recurring problems in falling or staying asleep
✔✔delayed sleep phase disorder - ✔✔sleep & wake up much later than usual, can
disrupt professional life
✔✔advanced sleep phase disorder - ✔✔sleep and wake up much earlier than usual,
can disrupt social life
✔✔non-24 hour sleep-wake disorder - ✔✔sleep cycle longer than 24 hours, non
regulated circadian rhythm
✔✔problem-focused dream theory - ✔✔says that the purpose of dreaming is to express
ongoing concerns of waking life and/or resolve current concerns and problems, some
theorists are skeptical about our ability to resolve problems during sleep
✔✔cognitive theory - ✔✔states that the purpose of dreaming is the same as in waking
life, to express concerns and interests, but some specific claims remain to be tested
✔✔activation-synthesis theory - ✔✔says that there is no purpose to dreaming, that they
occur because of random brain-stem signals, though cortical interpretations of those
signals may reflect concerns and conflicts but this theory doesnt explain coherent or
non-REM dreams
✔✔effects of hypnosis - ✔✔heightened suggestibility, unquestioningly believe hypnosis,
readily respond to suggestions, reduced sensitivity to pain, disinhibited
