PSYCH 1100 MIDTERM 1-- MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026 UPDATE | 100% CORRECT.

Ace your PSYCH 1100 Introduction to Psychology midterm with this comprehensive 2026 exam study guide. Featuring multiple-choice questions and 100% correct answers, this resource covers foundational psychology concepts, research methods, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, and consciousness – perfect for college-level introductory psychology students. What's Inside: Research Methods & Scientific Thinking: Empiricism – knowledge through observation Hypothesis – falsifiable prediction Reactivity – people behave differently when studied Reliability – consistent measurements Demand characteristics – aspects causing people to behave as they think they should Double-blind observation – purpose hidden from both observer and participant Mean, median, mode, range – measures of central tendency and distribution Correlation coefficient – direction and strength of relationship Third-variable correlation – why correlation ≠ causation Internal validity – allows causal conclusions External validity – realistic operational definitions Ethical requirements – truthful reporting, credit sharing, data availability Biological Psychology (Neurons & Nervous System): Neuron functions: processing information, communication, sending messages to organs/muscles (NOT nutritional provision) Dendrites – receive signals from other neurons Synapse – transmission point between neurons Sensory neuron – receives external information, conveys to brain via spinal cord Action potential – electric signal conducted along axon Neurotransmitters – chemicals transmitting information across synapse Autonomic nervous system – automatically controls body organs Cerebellum – coordinates fine motor skills (hindbrain) Midbrain – involved in movement and arousal Hypothalamus – regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, sexual behavior Neuron plasticity – explains beneficial effects of cardiovascular exercise on brain function Cerebral cortex – greatest development during embryonic brain growth First true CNS – appeared in flatworms Genetics & Brain Imaging: Range of variation – genes set this within given environment Brain imaging – best for identifying brain areas involved in specific processing Frontal lobe damage – difficulty with decisions and planning Amygdala – fear experience in limbic system Refractory period – time after firing when new activity cannot be initiated Parasympathetic → Sympathetic → Parasympathetic – nervous system activation order (calm reading → threat response → recovery) Sensation & Perception: Sensation = stimulation; Perception = interpretation Transduction – converts physical signals into neural signals Absolute threshold – smallest intensity to barely detect stimulus Retina – links external light to internal vision Cone cells – enable color vision Area V1 (primary visual cortex) – encodes and maps visual scene Feature integration theory – explains how we combine details into unified objects Modular view – specialized brain areas represent particular object classes Perceptual constancy – perception remains consistent despite changing sensory signals Object identification – problem addressed by image-based and parts-based theories Monocular cues – relative size and linear perspective Pitch – determined by sound wave frequency Ear placement (opposite sides of head) – crucial for localizing sound sources Somatosensory cortex – indicates location and type of pain Smell's powerful effects – involvement of brain centers for emotions and memories Accommodation – lens changes shape to focus image (taking off glasses to read large text) Interposition – monocular depth cue (heads blocking view of burritos) Image-based object recognition – searching memory for matching template Consciousness: Basic properties: intentionality, selectivity, transcience (NOT disunity) Unconscious processes – unexperienced mental processes giving rise to thoughts and behavior Cognitive unconscious – subliminal and unconscious processes influence thought Circadian rhythm – sleep and waking cycle Sleep needs – decrease over lifespan During dreaming – dreamer uncritically accepts changes in emotion, thought, sensation Activation-synthesis model – dreams produced when mind makes sense of random neural activity fMRI studies of dreaming brain – increased sensitivity to emotions, visual activation, prevention of movement (NOT increased planning capacity) Psychoactive drugs – influence consciousness by altering neurotransmitters Tolerance – larger doses required over time for same effect Stimulants – heighten arousal and activity level (affect CNS) Alcohol expectancy – people's beliefs about how alcohol will influence them Hypnosis – proven to have analgesic effect (pain reduction) Meditation and religious ecstasy – occur naturally or through special practices Research Scenarios (Exam Application): Reactivity – sleep lab study with limited generalizability (Margaret) Validity – operational definition of cancer symptom exacerbation lacking accuracy (Barb) Matched samples – controlling for confounding third variable (Tom) Confidentiality – keeping participant information private (Andrew) Absolute threshold – volume level where roommate first hears music (Charles) Accommodation – lens changing shape to focus (Missy) Interposition – depth perception with one eye closed (Afton) Image-based object recognition – identifying never-before-seen object (Christina) Updated for 2026, this guide mirrors the PSYCH 1100 midterm format with 100% correct solutions. Perfect for university introductory psychology students and anyone mastering psychology fundamentals.