1. According to Beck's cognitive theory, automatic thoughts are:
• A) Unconscious defense mechanisms
• B) Rapid, evaluative thoughts that occur spontaneously
• C) Thoughts that require conscious effort to generate
• D) Memories from early childhood
ANSWER : B - Automatic thoughts are rapid, spontaneous evaluations that
occur without conscious effort and often contribute to emotional responses.
2. The best predictor of future violence is:
• A) Diagnosis of schizophrenia
• B) History of past violence
• C) Low socioeconomic status
• D) Substance abuse alone
ANSWER : B - Past violent behavior is consistently the strongest predictor of
future violence across research studies.
Developmental Psychology
3. Piaget's concrete operational stage (ages 7-11) is characterized by:
• A) Abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking
• B) Egocentric thought patterns
• C) Conservation and logical thinking about concrete objects
• D) Sensorimotor exploration
ANSWER : C - Children in this stage can perform logical operations on
concrete objects and understand conservation.
,4. Ainsworth's "Strange Situation" procedure assesses:
• A) Cognitive development
• B) Attachment style
• C) Moral reasoning
• D) Language acquisition
ANSWER : B - This procedure evaluates the quality of infant-caregiver
attachment through separation and reunion episodes.
Social Psychology
5. The fundamental attribution error refers to:
• A) Overestimating situational factors in explaining others' behavior
• B) Overestimating dispositional factors in explaining others' behavior
• C) Underestimating our own role in negative outcomes
• D) Accurately assessing personality traits
ANSWER : B - We tend to attribute others' behavior to their personality while
underestimating situational influences.
6. Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when attitudes and behaviors
conflict, people:
• A) Always change their behavior
• B) Experience psychological discomfort and are motivated to reduce it
• C) Ignore the inconsistency
• D) Become more rigid in their beliefs
ANSWER : B - Cognitive dissonance creates uncomfortable tension that
motivates people to restore consistency.
Biological Bases of Behavior
7. Damage to Broca's area typically results in:
, • A) Fluent aphasia with poor comprehension
• B) Non-fluent aphasia with relatively intact comprehension
• C) Memory impairment
• D) Visual processing deficits
ANSWER : B - Broca's aphasia involves difficulty producing speech while
comprehension remains relatively preserved.
8. The neurotransmitter primarily associated with Parkinson's disease is:
• A) Serotonin
• B) GABA
• C) Dopamine
• D) Acetylcholine
ANSWER : C - Parkinson's involves degeneration of dopamine-producing
neurons in the substantia nigra.
Assessment & Diagnosis
9. A test that measures what it claims to measure has:
• A) Reliability
• B) Validity
• C) Standardization
• D) Normative data
ANSWER : B - Validity refers to whether a test actually measures the
construct it's designed to measure.
10. In DSM-5, a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder requires
symptoms to be present for at least:
• A) One week
• B) Two weeks
• C) One month
• D) Six months
, ANSWER : B - Symptoms must be present for at least 2 weeks for a Major
Depressive Episode.
Psychological Treatment
11. Systematic desensitization is based on the principle of:
• A) Operant conditioning
• B) Classical conditioning and reciprocal inhibition
• C) Cognitive restructuring
• D) Psychodynamic conflict resolution
ANSWER : B - This technique uses classical conditioning principles, pairing
relaxation with feared stimuli.
12. The therapeutic technique of "reflecting feelings" is most associated
with:
• A) Psychoanalysis
• B) Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• C) Person-centered therapy
• D) Behavior therapy
ANSWER : C - Carl Rogers emphasized reflecting clients' feelings to
demonstrate empathic understanding.
Research Methods & Statistics
13. A Type I error occurs when:
• A) The null hypothesis is incorrectly rejected
• B) The null hypothesis is incorrectly retained
• C) Sample size is too small
• D) Variables are not operationalized
ANSWER : A - Type I error (false positive) means rejecting the null
hypothesis when it's actually true.
• A) Unconscious defense mechanisms
• B) Rapid, evaluative thoughts that occur spontaneously
• C) Thoughts that require conscious effort to generate
• D) Memories from early childhood
ANSWER : B - Automatic thoughts are rapid, spontaneous evaluations that
occur without conscious effort and often contribute to emotional responses.
2. The best predictor of future violence is:
• A) Diagnosis of schizophrenia
• B) History of past violence
• C) Low socioeconomic status
• D) Substance abuse alone
ANSWER : B - Past violent behavior is consistently the strongest predictor of
future violence across research studies.
Developmental Psychology
3. Piaget's concrete operational stage (ages 7-11) is characterized by:
• A) Abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking
• B) Egocentric thought patterns
• C) Conservation and logical thinking about concrete objects
• D) Sensorimotor exploration
ANSWER : C - Children in this stage can perform logical operations on
concrete objects and understand conservation.
,4. Ainsworth's "Strange Situation" procedure assesses:
• A) Cognitive development
• B) Attachment style
• C) Moral reasoning
• D) Language acquisition
ANSWER : B - This procedure evaluates the quality of infant-caregiver
attachment through separation and reunion episodes.
Social Psychology
5. The fundamental attribution error refers to:
• A) Overestimating situational factors in explaining others' behavior
• B) Overestimating dispositional factors in explaining others' behavior
• C) Underestimating our own role in negative outcomes
• D) Accurately assessing personality traits
ANSWER : B - We tend to attribute others' behavior to their personality while
underestimating situational influences.
6. Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when attitudes and behaviors
conflict, people:
• A) Always change their behavior
• B) Experience psychological discomfort and are motivated to reduce it
• C) Ignore the inconsistency
• D) Become more rigid in their beliefs
ANSWER : B - Cognitive dissonance creates uncomfortable tension that
motivates people to restore consistency.
Biological Bases of Behavior
7. Damage to Broca's area typically results in:
, • A) Fluent aphasia with poor comprehension
• B) Non-fluent aphasia with relatively intact comprehension
• C) Memory impairment
• D) Visual processing deficits
ANSWER : B - Broca's aphasia involves difficulty producing speech while
comprehension remains relatively preserved.
8. The neurotransmitter primarily associated with Parkinson's disease is:
• A) Serotonin
• B) GABA
• C) Dopamine
• D) Acetylcholine
ANSWER : C - Parkinson's involves degeneration of dopamine-producing
neurons in the substantia nigra.
Assessment & Diagnosis
9. A test that measures what it claims to measure has:
• A) Reliability
• B) Validity
• C) Standardization
• D) Normative data
ANSWER : B - Validity refers to whether a test actually measures the
construct it's designed to measure.
10. In DSM-5, a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder requires
symptoms to be present for at least:
• A) One week
• B) Two weeks
• C) One month
• D) Six months
, ANSWER : B - Symptoms must be present for at least 2 weeks for a Major
Depressive Episode.
Psychological Treatment
11. Systematic desensitization is based on the principle of:
• A) Operant conditioning
• B) Classical conditioning and reciprocal inhibition
• C) Cognitive restructuring
• D) Psychodynamic conflict resolution
ANSWER : B - This technique uses classical conditioning principles, pairing
relaxation with feared stimuli.
12. The therapeutic technique of "reflecting feelings" is most associated
with:
• A) Psychoanalysis
• B) Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• C) Person-centered therapy
• D) Behavior therapy
ANSWER : C - Carl Rogers emphasized reflecting clients' feelings to
demonstrate empathic understanding.
Research Methods & Statistics
13. A Type I error occurs when:
• A) The null hypothesis is incorrectly rejected
• B) The null hypothesis is incorrectly retained
• C) Sample size is too small
• D) Variables are not operationalized
ANSWER : A - Type I error (false positive) means rejecting the null
hypothesis when it's actually true.
