PSYC 210 | PSYC210 Exam 1: Abnormal Psychology
Updated and Latest Questions and Correct
Answers with Rationale - Portage Learning
1. Which of the following describes ‘dysfunction’ in the context of the four D’s of abnormal
behavior?
A. Behavior that is statistically rare in a specific culture
B. An internal feeling of emotional pain or suffering
C. Behavior that interferes with a person’s daily social or occupational functioning
D. A pattern of behavior that poses a threat to the safety of others
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Choice B is correct because dysfunction specifically refers to the inability to
perform expected roles in daily life. Choice A describes deviance, which focuses on societal
norms rather than functional ability. Choice C refers to distress, which is the subjective
experience of pain. Choice D describes danger, representing the risk of harm. Clinicians use
dysfunction to assess if a disorder requires professional intervention.
2. According to the psychodynamic model, what is the primary cause of psychological
disorders?
A. Imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin
B. Maladaptive thought patterns and cognitive distortions
C. Learned behaviors through classical and operant conditioning
D. Unconscious internal conflicts rooted in early childhood
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Choice C is correct as psychodynamic theory emphasizes unconscious
motives and childhood experiences. Choice A is the biological perspective which looks at
brain chemistry and genetics. Choice B represents the cognitive model focusing on how
people process information. Choice D identifies the behavioral model’s focus on
environmental learning. Understanding these roots helps therapists decide between
insight-oriented or action-oriented treatments.
3. A therapist believes a patient’s depression is caused by a ‘negative cognitive triad.’ Which
model is this therapist using?
A. The Sociocultural Model
B. The Biological Model
C. The Cognitive Model
,D. The Humanistic Model
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Choice B is correct because Aaron Beck’s cognitive triad involves negative
views of the self, world, and future. Choice A is incorrect as sociocultural models look at
environmental and societal influences. Choice C is wrong because it would focus on
neurological deficits rather than thought structures. Choice D is incorrect because
humanistic models emphasize self-actualization and free will. This framework is essential
for implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
4. Which term refers to the consistency of a diagnostic assessment tool across different
administrators?
A. Concurrent Validity
B. Internal Consistency
C. Predictive Validity
D. Inter-rater Reliability
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Choice C is correct because inter-rater reliability ensures different clinicians
reach the same diagnosis for one patient. Choice A is incorrect because validity measures if
a test measures what it claims to measure. Choice B relates to whether different parts of
the same test produce similar results. Choice D involves the test’s ability to forecast future
behavior or symptoms. Reliable tools are fundamental for standardizing psychiatric care.
5. The DSM-5-TR uses a ‘categorical’ approach to classification, but it has increasingly
incorporated which other approach?
A. Idiographic approach
B. Philosophical approach
C. Dimensional approach
D. Anecdotal approach
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Choice A is correct because the DSM-5-TR now uses severity scales to reflect
the spectrum of symptoms. Choice B is incorrect as philosophy is not a scientific
classification method used in the manual. Choice C refers to focusing on a single
individual’s unique history, which is not the DSM’s primary structure. Choice D is incorrect
because anecdotal evidence lacks the scientific rigor required for diagnostic manuals. This
shift helps clinicians better account for variations in symptom intensity.
, 6. In the behavioral model, what process occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated
with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a response?
A. Classical Conditioning
B. Modeling
C. Operant Conditioning
D. Systematic Desensitization
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Choice C is correct as it describes Pavlovian association between stimuli.
Choice A is incorrect because operant conditioning relies on rewards and punishments to
change behavior. Choice B refers to learning by observing others, which is part of social
learning theory. Choice D is a specific treatment technique rather than a basic learning
mechanism. Classical conditioning is often used to explain the development of phobias.
7. Which neurotransmitter is most commonly associated with the ‘pleasure’ system and
implicated in schizophrenia?
A. GABA
B. Serotonin
C. Dopamine
D. Acetylcholine
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Choice B is correct as dopamine levels are highly linked to reward processing
and psychotic symptoms. Choice A is incorrect because GABA is an inhibitory
neurotransmitter primarily linked to anxiety. Choice C is wrong as serotonin is most
frequently associated with mood and depression. Choice D is incorrect as acetylcholine is
primarily involved in muscle movement and memory. Understanding neurotransmitters is
a core component of the biological model.
8. A clinician uses a series of ambiguous inkblots to uncover a patient’s unconscious conflicts.
What type of test is this?
A. A Projective Test
B. A Neurological Test
C. An Objective Test
D. A Psychophysiological Test
Correct Answer: A
Updated and Latest Questions and Correct
Answers with Rationale - Portage Learning
1. Which of the following describes ‘dysfunction’ in the context of the four D’s of abnormal
behavior?
A. Behavior that is statistically rare in a specific culture
B. An internal feeling of emotional pain or suffering
C. Behavior that interferes with a person’s daily social or occupational functioning
D. A pattern of behavior that poses a threat to the safety of others
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Choice B is correct because dysfunction specifically refers to the inability to
perform expected roles in daily life. Choice A describes deviance, which focuses on societal
norms rather than functional ability. Choice C refers to distress, which is the subjective
experience of pain. Choice D describes danger, representing the risk of harm. Clinicians use
dysfunction to assess if a disorder requires professional intervention.
2. According to the psychodynamic model, what is the primary cause of psychological
disorders?
A. Imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin
B. Maladaptive thought patterns and cognitive distortions
C. Learned behaviors through classical and operant conditioning
D. Unconscious internal conflicts rooted in early childhood
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Choice C is correct as psychodynamic theory emphasizes unconscious
motives and childhood experiences. Choice A is the biological perspective which looks at
brain chemistry and genetics. Choice B represents the cognitive model focusing on how
people process information. Choice D identifies the behavioral model’s focus on
environmental learning. Understanding these roots helps therapists decide between
insight-oriented or action-oriented treatments.
3. A therapist believes a patient’s depression is caused by a ‘negative cognitive triad.’ Which
model is this therapist using?
A. The Sociocultural Model
B. The Biological Model
C. The Cognitive Model
,D. The Humanistic Model
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Choice B is correct because Aaron Beck’s cognitive triad involves negative
views of the self, world, and future. Choice A is incorrect as sociocultural models look at
environmental and societal influences. Choice C is wrong because it would focus on
neurological deficits rather than thought structures. Choice D is incorrect because
humanistic models emphasize self-actualization and free will. This framework is essential
for implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
4. Which term refers to the consistency of a diagnostic assessment tool across different
administrators?
A. Concurrent Validity
B. Internal Consistency
C. Predictive Validity
D. Inter-rater Reliability
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Choice C is correct because inter-rater reliability ensures different clinicians
reach the same diagnosis for one patient. Choice A is incorrect because validity measures if
a test measures what it claims to measure. Choice B relates to whether different parts of
the same test produce similar results. Choice D involves the test’s ability to forecast future
behavior or symptoms. Reliable tools are fundamental for standardizing psychiatric care.
5. The DSM-5-TR uses a ‘categorical’ approach to classification, but it has increasingly
incorporated which other approach?
A. Idiographic approach
B. Philosophical approach
C. Dimensional approach
D. Anecdotal approach
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Choice A is correct because the DSM-5-TR now uses severity scales to reflect
the spectrum of symptoms. Choice B is incorrect as philosophy is not a scientific
classification method used in the manual. Choice C refers to focusing on a single
individual’s unique history, which is not the DSM’s primary structure. Choice D is incorrect
because anecdotal evidence lacks the scientific rigor required for diagnostic manuals. This
shift helps clinicians better account for variations in symptom intensity.
, 6. In the behavioral model, what process occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated
with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a response?
A. Classical Conditioning
B. Modeling
C. Operant Conditioning
D. Systematic Desensitization
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Choice C is correct as it describes Pavlovian association between stimuli.
Choice A is incorrect because operant conditioning relies on rewards and punishments to
change behavior. Choice B refers to learning by observing others, which is part of social
learning theory. Choice D is a specific treatment technique rather than a basic learning
mechanism. Classical conditioning is often used to explain the development of phobias.
7. Which neurotransmitter is most commonly associated with the ‘pleasure’ system and
implicated in schizophrenia?
A. GABA
B. Serotonin
C. Dopamine
D. Acetylcholine
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Choice B is correct as dopamine levels are highly linked to reward processing
and psychotic symptoms. Choice A is incorrect because GABA is an inhibitory
neurotransmitter primarily linked to anxiety. Choice C is wrong as serotonin is most
frequently associated with mood and depression. Choice D is incorrect as acetylcholine is
primarily involved in muscle movement and memory. Understanding neurotransmitters is
a core component of the biological model.
8. A clinician uses a series of ambiguous inkblots to uncover a patient’s unconscious conflicts.
What type of test is this?
A. A Projective Test
B. A Neurological Test
C. An Objective Test
D. A Psychophysiological Test
Correct Answer: A
