Test Bank for Understanding Psychology 9th
Edition by Morris
Chapter 1: The Science of Psychology
Multiple-Choice
What Is Psychology?
Learning Objectives
● Define psychology and describe the major subfields within psychology.
● Describe the five enduring issues that cut across the subfields of psychology.
● Explain what psychology has in common with other sciences, how psychologists use the
scientific method, and the difference between theories and hypotheses.
● Apply critical thinking to an article in a magazine or newspaper.
1. Psychology is the scientific study of .
a. how personality can be determined by the size and shape of one's head
b. behavior and mental processes
c. the physiological functions of the brain
d. how cultures and societies develop and interact with each other
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
2. Psychologists are interested in .
a. every aspect of human thought and behavior
Correct: The different perspectives of psychology encompass every aspect of human thoughts,
feelings, and actions.
b. aspects of human behavior, but not human thought
Incorrect: Behavior is absolutely crucial to the study of psychology, but so too is the concept of
human thought.
c. aspects of human thought, but not human behavior
d. only major aspects of human thought and behavior
Answer: a
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
,3. Psychology .
a. rarely redefines itself, and when it does, it does so more narrowly
b. virtually never redefines itself
,Incorrect: The field of psychology is very introspective, making sure to redefine itself as often as
is necessary.
c. continually redefines itself more narrowly
d. continually redefines itself more broadly
Correct: New research methods, areas of inquiry, and collaborations with other sciences allows
psychology to continually redefine itself.
Answer: d
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
4. Psychology is .
a. is a single, unified field of study
Incorrect: There is no single, unifying definition of psychology; rather, it is a combination of
many different areas of academic pursuit.
b. is an "umbrella" for a loose amalgamation of different subfields
Correct: The fact that there is no single unifying definition of psychology suggests that it is a
combination of many sub-disciplines.
c. is comprised of two distinct subfields
d. not a field of study at all
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
5. Each of the following is a specialty area within developmental psychology EXCEPT
.
a. lifespan psychology
b. psychobiology
c. child psychology
d. adolescent psychology
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
6. If I ran a TV station and wanted a consultant to advise me on children's programming, I would
most likely hire a(n) psychologist.
a. experimental
b. developmental
, Correct: /iA/idevelopmental /ipsychologist /iwould /ibe /ian /iexpert /iin /ithe /icognitive /idevelopment /iof
/ichildren, /iso /iwould /ihave /igood /iinformation /ion /ihow /ito /istructure /ichildren’s /itelevision
/iprogramming.
c. personality
d. clinical
Incorrect: /iA /iclinical /ipsychologist /imight, /iindeed, /iwork /iwith /ichildren /iwith /ivarious /ilevels /iof
/ipsychopathology, /ibut /ithe /ibest /ianswer /ihere /iis /ian /iexpert /ion /ichildren’s /idevelopment, /ior /ia
/idevelopmental /ipsychologist.
Answer: /ib
Difficulty: /i1 4 /iyr.: /i90% / i r /i= /i.31
Page /iReference: /i4
Topic: /iWhat /iIs /iPsychology?
/iSkill: /iA
7. Life-span /ipsychologists /ifocus /imainly /ion /istudying .
a. adolescent /ichanges /iand /idevelopment
b. the /iadult /iyears
c. the /ientire /idevelopmental /ispectrum /ifrom /iinfancy /ithrough /iadulthood
d. infancy /iand /ichildhood /idevelopment
Answer: /ib
/iDifficulty: /i2
Page /iReference: /i4
Topic: /iWhat /iIs /iPsychology?
/iSkill: /iF
8. The/iAmerican /iPsychological /iAssociation /iis /imade /iup /iof /iabout divisions.
a. 10
b. 30
c. 70
d. 50
Answer: /id
/iDifficulty: /i2
Page /iReference: /i4
Topic: /iWhat /iIs /iPsychology?
/iSkill: /iF
9. A /igroup /iof /ipsychologists /istudy /ihuman, /imental, /iand /iphysical /igrowth /ifrom /ithe /iprenatal
/iperiod /ithrough /ichildhood, /iadolescence, /iadulthood, /iand /iold /iage. /iThey /iare /imost /ilikely /i
/ipsychologists.
a. developmental
Correct: /iDevelopmental /ipsychologists /istudy /iall /iaspects /iof /igrowth /iand /ichange /ifrom /iconception
/ithrough /ideath.
b. social
Edition by Morris
Chapter 1: The Science of Psychology
Multiple-Choice
What Is Psychology?
Learning Objectives
● Define psychology and describe the major subfields within psychology.
● Describe the five enduring issues that cut across the subfields of psychology.
● Explain what psychology has in common with other sciences, how psychologists use the
scientific method, and the difference between theories and hypotheses.
● Apply critical thinking to an article in a magazine or newspaper.
1. Psychology is the scientific study of .
a. how personality can be determined by the size and shape of one's head
b. behavior and mental processes
c. the physiological functions of the brain
d. how cultures and societies develop and interact with each other
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
2. Psychologists are interested in .
a. every aspect of human thought and behavior
Correct: The different perspectives of psychology encompass every aspect of human thoughts,
feelings, and actions.
b. aspects of human behavior, but not human thought
Incorrect: Behavior is absolutely crucial to the study of psychology, but so too is the concept of
human thought.
c. aspects of human thought, but not human behavior
d. only major aspects of human thought and behavior
Answer: a
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
,3. Psychology .
a. rarely redefines itself, and when it does, it does so more narrowly
b. virtually never redefines itself
,Incorrect: The field of psychology is very introspective, making sure to redefine itself as often as
is necessary.
c. continually redefines itself more narrowly
d. continually redefines itself more broadly
Correct: New research methods, areas of inquiry, and collaborations with other sciences allows
psychology to continually redefine itself.
Answer: d
Difficulty: 2
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
4. Psychology is .
a. is a single, unified field of study
Incorrect: There is no single, unifying definition of psychology; rather, it is a combination of
many different areas of academic pursuit.
b. is an "umbrella" for a loose amalgamation of different subfields
Correct: The fact that there is no single unifying definition of psychology suggests that it is a
combination of many sub-disciplines.
c. is comprised of two distinct subfields
d. not a field of study at all
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 3
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: C
5. Each of the following is a specialty area within developmental psychology EXCEPT
.
a. lifespan psychology
b. psychobiology
c. child psychology
d. adolescent psychology
Answer: b
Difficulty: 1
Page Reference: 4
Topic: What Is Psychology?
Skill: F
6. If I ran a TV station and wanted a consultant to advise me on children's programming, I would
most likely hire a(n) psychologist.
a. experimental
b. developmental
, Correct: /iA/idevelopmental /ipsychologist /iwould /ibe /ian /iexpert /iin /ithe /icognitive /idevelopment /iof
/ichildren, /iso /iwould /ihave /igood /iinformation /ion /ihow /ito /istructure /ichildren’s /itelevision
/iprogramming.
c. personality
d. clinical
Incorrect: /iA /iclinical /ipsychologist /imight, /iindeed, /iwork /iwith /ichildren /iwith /ivarious /ilevels /iof
/ipsychopathology, /ibut /ithe /ibest /ianswer /ihere /iis /ian /iexpert /ion /ichildren’s /idevelopment, /ior /ia
/idevelopmental /ipsychologist.
Answer: /ib
Difficulty: /i1 4 /iyr.: /i90% / i r /i= /i.31
Page /iReference: /i4
Topic: /iWhat /iIs /iPsychology?
/iSkill: /iA
7. Life-span /ipsychologists /ifocus /imainly /ion /istudying .
a. adolescent /ichanges /iand /idevelopment
b. the /iadult /iyears
c. the /ientire /idevelopmental /ispectrum /ifrom /iinfancy /ithrough /iadulthood
d. infancy /iand /ichildhood /idevelopment
Answer: /ib
/iDifficulty: /i2
Page /iReference: /i4
Topic: /iWhat /iIs /iPsychology?
/iSkill: /iF
8. The/iAmerican /iPsychological /iAssociation /iis /imade /iup /iof /iabout divisions.
a. 10
b. 30
c. 70
d. 50
Answer: /id
/iDifficulty: /i2
Page /iReference: /i4
Topic: /iWhat /iIs /iPsychology?
/iSkill: /iF
9. A /igroup /iof /ipsychologists /istudy /ihuman, /imental, /iand /iphysical /igrowth /ifrom /ithe /iprenatal
/iperiod /ithrough /ichildhood, /iadolescence, /iadulthood, /iand /iold /iage. /iThey /iare /imost /ilikely /i
/ipsychologists.
a. developmental
Correct: /iDevelopmental /ipsychologists /istudy /iall /iaspects /iof /igrowth /iand /ichange /ifrom /iconception
/ithrough /ideath.
b. social
