Psychology 100 Exam 2 / Actual Q&A, 2026/2027 2026/2027 | Page 1 | Passing Score: 80%
PSYCHOLOGY 100
Psychology 100 Exam 2 / Actual Q&A, 2026/2027
2026/2027 Edition · Official Exam 2026/2027
75 80% N/A
QUESTIONS PASSING SCORE RECERTIFICATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 Learning and Conditioning Q1-Q15
Section 2 Memory and Cognition Q16-Q30
Section 3 Motivation and Emotion Q31-Q45
Section 4 Developmental Psychology Q46-Q60
Section 5 Personality Theories Q61-Q75
Instructions: Select the single best answer for each question. This exam is designed for Psychology 100 certification
preparation. Passing score: 80% (60 questions correct).
Psychology 100 Exam 2 — 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 1 of 41
, SECTION 1 | Learning and Conditioning | Q1-Q15 | Psychology 100 Exam 2 2026/2027
Q1 Question 1 of 75
A 7-year-old boy develops a fear of dogs after being bitten by a neighbor's German
shepherd. Now he cries and runs away whenever he sees any dog, regardless of breed or
size. This change in behavior is best explained by which process?
A. Stimulus generalization
B. Stimulus discrimination
C. Second-order conditioning
D. Latent learning
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Stimulus generalization occurs when a conditioned response elicited by one stimulus also occurs in
response to similar stimuli. The boy's fear now extends beyond the original German shepherd to all dogs,
demonstrating generalization. Discrimination would mean he fears only German shepherds, not other
breeds.
Q2 Question 2 of 75
A college student studies for her psychology exam and receives an A. The positive grade
increases the likelihood that she will study for future exams. This is an example of which type
of operant conditioning?
A. Positive reinforcement
B. Negative reinforcement
C. Positive punishment
D. Negative punishment
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Positive reinforcement involves presenting a desirable stimulus (the A grade) after a behavior (studying),
which increases the frequency of that behavior. Negative reinforcement would involve removing an
aversive stimulus to increase behavior, which does not match this scenario.
Psychology 100 Exam 2 — 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 2 of 41
,Q3 Question 3 of 75
A rat in a Skinner box learns that pressing a lever delivers food only when a green light is on
but not when a red light is on. The rat eventually presses the lever only during the green light.
This behavior demonstrates which process?
A. Stimulus generalization
B. Stimulus discrimination
C. Shaping
D. Latent learning
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Stimulus discrimination occurs when an organism learns to respond to one stimulus but not to others. The
rat has learned to discriminate between the green and red lights, responding only to the one associated
with reinforcement. Generalization would involve responding to both lights similarly.
Q4 Question 4 of 75
A toddler watches her older brother get a time-out for hitting, and subsequently refrains from
hitting her playmates. This is best described as an example of which concept?
A. Classical conditioning
B. Vicarious punishment
C. Latent learning
D. Insight learning
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Vicarious punishment occurs when observing someone else being punished for a behavior reduces the
observer's tendency to engage in that same behavior. The toddler learned through observation without
directly experiencing punishment herself, which is distinct from classical conditioning that requires direct
pairing of stimuli.
Psychology 100 Exam 2 — 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 3 of 41
, Q5 Question 5 of 75
A man hears a specific song that was playing during his first date with his wife, and he
immediately feels warm and happy. The song has become a conditioned stimulus through
which process?
A. Operant shaping through successive approximations
B. Classical conditioning pairing the song with emotional responses
C. Observational learning from the dating partner
D. Cognitive mapping of the dating experience
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The song was originally a neutral stimulus that became paired with the positive emotional experience of
the date, and through repeated association it became a conditioned stimulus that now elicits the
conditioned emotional response on its own. This is classical conditioning, not operant or observational
learning.
Q6 Question 6 of 75
A pigeon is trained to peck a disk for food. After training, the food dispenser breaks and no
longer delivers food when the disk is pecked. The pigeon continues to peck for a while but
gradually stops. Which phenomenon describes the gradual cessation of the behavior?
A. Spontaneous recovery
B. Extinction
C. Stimulus generalization
D. Avoidance learning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Extinction in operant conditioning occurs when a previously reinforced behavior decreases in frequency
because reinforcement is no longer provided. The pigeon's pecking gradually diminishes because it no
longer produces food. Spontaneous recovery is the temporary return of an extinguished response after a
rest period.
Psychology 100 Exam 2 — 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 4 of 41
PSYCHOLOGY 100
Psychology 100 Exam 2 / Actual Q&A, 2026/2027
2026/2027 Edition · Official Exam 2026/2027
75 80% N/A
QUESTIONS PASSING SCORE RECERTIFICATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 Learning and Conditioning Q1-Q15
Section 2 Memory and Cognition Q16-Q30
Section 3 Motivation and Emotion Q31-Q45
Section 4 Developmental Psychology Q46-Q60
Section 5 Personality Theories Q61-Q75
Instructions: Select the single best answer for each question. This exam is designed for Psychology 100 certification
preparation. Passing score: 80% (60 questions correct).
Psychology 100 Exam 2 — 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 1 of 41
, SECTION 1 | Learning and Conditioning | Q1-Q15 | Psychology 100 Exam 2 2026/2027
Q1 Question 1 of 75
A 7-year-old boy develops a fear of dogs after being bitten by a neighbor's German
shepherd. Now he cries and runs away whenever he sees any dog, regardless of breed or
size. This change in behavior is best explained by which process?
A. Stimulus generalization
B. Stimulus discrimination
C. Second-order conditioning
D. Latent learning
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Stimulus generalization occurs when a conditioned response elicited by one stimulus also occurs in
response to similar stimuli. The boy's fear now extends beyond the original German shepherd to all dogs,
demonstrating generalization. Discrimination would mean he fears only German shepherds, not other
breeds.
Q2 Question 2 of 75
A college student studies for her psychology exam and receives an A. The positive grade
increases the likelihood that she will study for future exams. This is an example of which type
of operant conditioning?
A. Positive reinforcement
B. Negative reinforcement
C. Positive punishment
D. Negative punishment
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Positive reinforcement involves presenting a desirable stimulus (the A grade) after a behavior (studying),
which increases the frequency of that behavior. Negative reinforcement would involve removing an
aversive stimulus to increase behavior, which does not match this scenario.
Psychology 100 Exam 2 — 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 2 of 41
,Q3 Question 3 of 75
A rat in a Skinner box learns that pressing a lever delivers food only when a green light is on
but not when a red light is on. The rat eventually presses the lever only during the green light.
This behavior demonstrates which process?
A. Stimulus generalization
B. Stimulus discrimination
C. Shaping
D. Latent learning
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Stimulus discrimination occurs when an organism learns to respond to one stimulus but not to others. The
rat has learned to discriminate between the green and red lights, responding only to the one associated
with reinforcement. Generalization would involve responding to both lights similarly.
Q4 Question 4 of 75
A toddler watches her older brother get a time-out for hitting, and subsequently refrains from
hitting her playmates. This is best described as an example of which concept?
A. Classical conditioning
B. Vicarious punishment
C. Latent learning
D. Insight learning
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Vicarious punishment occurs when observing someone else being punished for a behavior reduces the
observer's tendency to engage in that same behavior. The toddler learned through observation without
directly experiencing punishment herself, which is distinct from classical conditioning that requires direct
pairing of stimuli.
Psychology 100 Exam 2 — 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 3 of 41
, Q5 Question 5 of 75
A man hears a specific song that was playing during his first date with his wife, and he
immediately feels warm and happy. The song has become a conditioned stimulus through
which process?
A. Operant shaping through successive approximations
B. Classical conditioning pairing the song with emotional responses
C. Observational learning from the dating partner
D. Cognitive mapping of the dating experience
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The song was originally a neutral stimulus that became paired with the positive emotional experience of
the date, and through repeated association it became a conditioned stimulus that now elicits the
conditioned emotional response on its own. This is classical conditioning, not operant or observational
learning.
Q6 Question 6 of 75
A pigeon is trained to peck a disk for food. After training, the food dispenser breaks and no
longer delivers food when the disk is pecked. The pigeon continues to peck for a while but
gradually stops. Which phenomenon describes the gradual cessation of the behavior?
A. Spontaneous recovery
B. Extinction
C. Stimulus generalization
D. Avoidance learning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Extinction in operant conditioning occurs when a previously reinforced behavior decreases in frequency
because reinforcement is no longer provided. The pigeon's pecking gradually diminishes because it no
longer produces food. Spontaneous recovery is the temporary return of an extinguished response after a
rest period.
Psychology 100 Exam 2 — 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 4 of 41
