TESTBANK FOR UNDERSTANDING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
Chapter 1: Abnormal Behavior
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which statement about abnormal psychology is accurate?
a. Abnormal psychology seeks to describe, explain, predict, and modify unusual behaviors.
b. Although abnormal psychology has made several gains in the past 20 years, it is not yet a
scientific field of study.
c. The subject matter of abnormal psychology is restricted to extremely bizarre behavior.
d. Most diagnoses of abnormality are based on two or three basic behavioral factors.
ANS: A REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Factual
2. Psychopathology, or abnormal behavior, results primarily from ____.
a. genetic factors
b. environmental factors
c. sociocultural factors
d. an interaction of many factors
ANS: D REF: Introduction OBJ: 1 MSC: Factual
3. Dr. Thompson collects information in order to describe and draw inferences about an individual's
psychological disorder. Dr. Thompson is engaged in ____. a. therapy
b. predicting dangerousness
c. psychodiagnosis
d. research
ANS: C REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied
4. Dr. Kohn is a psychoanalyst, Dr. Edwards is a humanistic therapist, Dr. Peterson is a cognitive
behavioral therapist, and Dr. James is a Gestalt therapist. Each of them would likely have a
different ____ for a client's abnormality. a. time of onset
b. explanation
c. diagnosis
d. prognosis
ANS: B REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
,1. A. psychologist sa.ys, “Jua.n's a.bnorma.l beha.vior is likely due to a. combina.tion of biology a.nd
ina.dequa.te interpersona.l skills.” The psychologist is ____. a.. predicting the future symptoms of
Jua.n
b. giving Jua.n a. psychodia.gnosis
c. offering a.n expla.na.tion for Jua.n's problem
d. describing how to control Jua.n's symptoms
A.NS: C REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
2. Which sta.tement rega.rding the prediction of a.bnorma.l beha.vior is a.ccura.te?
a. Even experienced professiona.ls tend to overpredict future violence.
b. Psychologists a.re not interested in predicting clients' future beha.vior.
c. Prediction is unrela.ted to understa.nding the ca.use of a.bnorma.lity.
d. Psychologists tend to underpredict future violence.
A.NS: A. REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Conceptua.l
3. One of Seung-Hui Cho's professors reported Cho's frightening beha.vior to ma.ny ca.mpus a.uthorities.
Wha.t rea.son did those a.uthorities give her to expla.in why they could do nothing?
a.. Cho's thera.pist did not feel he posed a. da.nger to others.
b. There wa.s no spa.ce in a.ny of the loca.l menta.l hea.lth fa.cilities to house him.
c. Cho did not ma.ke a.ny overt threa.ts a.ga.inst a.nyone.
d. When compa.red with tha.t of his peer group, Cho's beha.vior wa.s not considered odd.
A.NS: C REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
4. When psychologists ta.lk a.bout modifying a.bnorma.l beha.vior, they mea.n they a.re ____.
a. a.ttempting to understa.nd the underlying ca.use of tha.t beha.vior
b. restricting the freedom of da.ngerous clients
c. a.ttempting to a.nticipa.te the future beha.viors of clients
d. using thera.py to improve client beha.vior
A.NS: D REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Fa.ctua.l
5. Which of the following defines thera.py most a.ccura.tely?
a. A. progra.m of systema.tic intervention designed to a.lter beha.vior, emotion, or thought
b. The scientific study of a.bnorma.l beha.vior.
c. A. system of observing a.bnorma.l beha.vior in a.n a.ttempt to cla.ssify it
, d. The a.pplica.tion of a. theoretica.l model to expla.in the ca.use of a.bnorma.l beha.vior
A.NS: A. REF: 1 OBJ: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
MSC: Fa.ctua.l
6. A. psychologist develops severa.l a.ctivities for clients a.imed a.t helping them become more self-
disciplined a.nd feel more confident a.bout trying new beha.viors. This exa.mple illustra.tes ____. a..
how epidemiologica.l work is done in the field
b. how thera.py ma.y be seen a.s a.n a.ttempt to modify beha.vior
c. the function of providing a.n expla.na.tion for a.bnorma.l beha.vior
d. the essentia.l need for a.ccura.te psychodia.gnosis
A.NS: B REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
7. Clinica.l psychologists usua.lly ha.ve ____ degrees, unlike psychia.trists, who ha.ve ____ degrees. a..
ba.chelor's (B.S.); medica.l (M.D.)
b. medica.l (M.D.); doctora.te (Ph.D.)
c. doctora.te (Ph.D. or Psy.D); medica.l (M.D.)
d. ma.ster's (M.S.); doctora.te (Ph.D.)
A.NS: C REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Fa.ctua.l
8. Ha.rold is a. menta.l hea.lth professiona.l who ha.s a. medica.l degree a.nd prescribes a.ntidepressa.nts
a.nd a.ntipsychotic medica.tion for his pa.tients. A.fter gra.dua.ting from medica.l school, he completed
a. three-yea.r residency in his field. We ca.n guess tha.t Ha.rold is a. ____. a.. socia.l worker
b. psychia.trist
c. clinica.l psychologist
d. psychoa.na.lyst
A.NS: B REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
, 9. Linda., Ja.yne, a.nd Sheryl a.ll a.re ca.lled “doctors.” A.ll a.re menta.l hea.lth professiona.ls. However,
Linda. ha.s a. Psy.D., Ja.yne ha.s a.n M.D., a.nd Sheryl ha.s a. D.S.W. We ca.n predict tha.t ____. a..
Sheryl is a. psychia.trist
b. Linda. is a. socia.l worker
c. Linda. is a. clinica.l psychologist
d. Ja.yne is a. clinica.l psychologist
A.NS: C REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
10. Psychia.trists must ha.ve a.n M.D.; clinica.l psychologists must ha.ve a. Ph.D. or Psy.D.
Psychoa.na.lysts must ha.ve ____.
a. a. ma.ster's (M.S.) degree
b. a.n M.D
c. only a. ba.chelor's (B.S.) degree
d. their own intensive persona.l a.na.lysis from a.n experienced a.na.lyst
A.NS: D REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Fa.ctua.l
11. Joha.nna. is a.n M.D. who received intensive tra.ining in the idea.s of Sigmund Freud. She a.lso went
through her own psychoa.na.lysis a.s pa.rt of this tra.ining. We ca.n guess tha.t Joha.nna. is a. ____. a..
psychoa.na.lyst
b. ma.rria.ge a.nd fa.mily counselor
c. psychia.tric socia.l worker
d. beha.viora.lly oriented counseling psychologist
A.NS: A. REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
12. Isa.bel tells Dr. Pa.z tha.t the spirits she sees of her dea.d gra.ndpa.rents a.re ca.using her a. grea.t dea.l
of a.nxiety, a.lthough they ha.ve motiva.ted her to seek her medica.l degree. Isa.bel lives in Bra.zil. If
Dr. Pa.z dia.gnoses her a.s ha.ving a. psychologica.l disorder, he will likely a.ttribute it to which
criterion? a.. devia.nce
b. distress
c. da.ngerousness
d. dysfunction
A.NS: B REF: Determining A.bnorma.lity OBJ: 2
MSC: A.pplied
Chapter 1: Abnormal Behavior
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which statement about abnormal psychology is accurate?
a. Abnormal psychology seeks to describe, explain, predict, and modify unusual behaviors.
b. Although abnormal psychology has made several gains in the past 20 years, it is not yet a
scientific field of study.
c. The subject matter of abnormal psychology is restricted to extremely bizarre behavior.
d. Most diagnoses of abnormality are based on two or three basic behavioral factors.
ANS: A REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Factual
2. Psychopathology, or abnormal behavior, results primarily from ____.
a. genetic factors
b. environmental factors
c. sociocultural factors
d. an interaction of many factors
ANS: D REF: Introduction OBJ: 1 MSC: Factual
3. Dr. Thompson collects information in order to describe and draw inferences about an individual's
psychological disorder. Dr. Thompson is engaged in ____. a. therapy
b. predicting dangerousness
c. psychodiagnosis
d. research
ANS: C REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Applied
4. Dr. Kohn is a psychoanalyst, Dr. Edwards is a humanistic therapist, Dr. Peterson is a cognitive
behavioral therapist, and Dr. James is a Gestalt therapist. Each of them would likely have a
different ____ for a client's abnormality. a. time of onset
b. explanation
c. diagnosis
d. prognosis
ANS: B REF: The Concerns of Abnormal Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
,1. A. psychologist sa.ys, “Jua.n's a.bnorma.l beha.vior is likely due to a. combina.tion of biology a.nd
ina.dequa.te interpersona.l skills.” The psychologist is ____. a.. predicting the future symptoms of
Jua.n
b. giving Jua.n a. psychodia.gnosis
c. offering a.n expla.na.tion for Jua.n's problem
d. describing how to control Jua.n's symptoms
A.NS: C REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
2. Which sta.tement rega.rding the prediction of a.bnorma.l beha.vior is a.ccura.te?
a. Even experienced professiona.ls tend to overpredict future violence.
b. Psychologists a.re not interested in predicting clients' future beha.vior.
c. Prediction is unrela.ted to understa.nding the ca.use of a.bnorma.lity.
d. Psychologists tend to underpredict future violence.
A.NS: A. REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Conceptua.l
3. One of Seung-Hui Cho's professors reported Cho's frightening beha.vior to ma.ny ca.mpus a.uthorities.
Wha.t rea.son did those a.uthorities give her to expla.in why they could do nothing?
a.. Cho's thera.pist did not feel he posed a. da.nger to others.
b. There wa.s no spa.ce in a.ny of the loca.l menta.l hea.lth fa.cilities to house him.
c. Cho did not ma.ke a.ny overt threa.ts a.ga.inst a.nyone.
d. When compa.red with tha.t of his peer group, Cho's beha.vior wa.s not considered odd.
A.NS: C REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
4. When psychologists ta.lk a.bout modifying a.bnorma.l beha.vior, they mea.n they a.re ____.
a. a.ttempting to understa.nd the underlying ca.use of tha.t beha.vior
b. restricting the freedom of da.ngerous clients
c. a.ttempting to a.nticipa.te the future beha.viors of clients
d. using thera.py to improve client beha.vior
A.NS: D REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Fa.ctua.l
5. Which of the following defines thera.py most a.ccura.tely?
a. A. progra.m of systema.tic intervention designed to a.lter beha.vior, emotion, or thought
b. The scientific study of a.bnorma.l beha.vior.
c. A. system of observing a.bnorma.l beha.vior in a.n a.ttempt to cla.ssify it
, d. The a.pplica.tion of a. theoretica.l model to expla.in the ca.use of a.bnorma.l beha.vior
A.NS: A. REF: 1 OBJ: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
MSC: Fa.ctua.l
6. A. psychologist develops severa.l a.ctivities for clients a.imed a.t helping them become more self-
disciplined a.nd feel more confident a.bout trying new beha.viors. This exa.mple illustra.tes ____. a..
how epidemiologica.l work is done in the field
b. how thera.py ma.y be seen a.s a.n a.ttempt to modify beha.vior
c. the function of providing a.n expla.na.tion for a.bnorma.l beha.vior
d. the essentia.l need for a.ccura.te psychodia.gnosis
A.NS: B REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
7. Clinica.l psychologists usua.lly ha.ve ____ degrees, unlike psychia.trists, who ha.ve ____ degrees. a..
ba.chelor's (B.S.); medica.l (M.D.)
b. medica.l (M.D.); doctora.te (Ph.D.)
c. doctora.te (Ph.D. or Psy.D); medica.l (M.D.)
d. ma.ster's (M.S.); doctora.te (Ph.D.)
A.NS: C REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Fa.ctua.l
8. Ha.rold is a. menta.l hea.lth professiona.l who ha.s a. medica.l degree a.nd prescribes a.ntidepressa.nts
a.nd a.ntipsychotic medica.tion for his pa.tients. A.fter gra.dua.ting from medica.l school, he completed
a. three-yea.r residency in his field. We ca.n guess tha.t Ha.rold is a. ____. a.. socia.l worker
b. psychia.trist
c. clinica.l psychologist
d. psychoa.na.lyst
A.NS: B REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
, 9. Linda., Ja.yne, a.nd Sheryl a.ll a.re ca.lled “doctors.” A.ll a.re menta.l hea.lth professiona.ls. However,
Linda. ha.s a. Psy.D., Ja.yne ha.s a.n M.D., a.nd Sheryl ha.s a. D.S.W. We ca.n predict tha.t ____. a..
Sheryl is a. psychia.trist
b. Linda. is a. socia.l worker
c. Linda. is a. clinica.l psychologist
d. Ja.yne is a. clinica.l psychologist
A.NS: C REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
10. Psychia.trists must ha.ve a.n M.D.; clinica.l psychologists must ha.ve a. Ph.D. or Psy.D.
Psychoa.na.lysts must ha.ve ____.
a. a. ma.ster's (M.S.) degree
b. a.n M.D
c. only a. ba.chelor's (B.S.) degree
d. their own intensive persona.l a.na.lysis from a.n experienced a.na.lyst
A.NS: D REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: Fa.ctua.l
11. Joha.nna. is a.n M.D. who received intensive tra.ining in the idea.s of Sigmund Freud. She a.lso went
through her own psychoa.na.lysis a.s pa.rt of this tra.ining. We ca.n guess tha.t Joha.nna. is a. ____. a..
psychoa.na.lyst
b. ma.rria.ge a.nd fa.mily counselor
c. psychia.tric socia.l worker
d. beha.viora.lly oriented counseling psychologist
A.NS: A. REF: The Concerns of A.bnorma.l Psychology
OBJ: 1 MSC: A.pplied
12. Isa.bel tells Dr. Pa.z tha.t the spirits she sees of her dea.d gra.ndpa.rents a.re ca.using her a. grea.t dea.l
of a.nxiety, a.lthough they ha.ve motiva.ted her to seek her medica.l degree. Isa.bel lives in Bra.zil. If
Dr. Pa.z dia.gnoses her a.s ha.ving a. psychologica.l disorder, he will likely a.ttribute it to which
criterion? a.. devia.nce
b. distress
c. da.ngerousness
d. dysfunction
A.NS: B REF: Determining A.bnorma.lity OBJ: 2
MSC: A.pplied
