Psychology Clep Practice Test 90+ Questions
and Answers A+ Guide
Which of the following is the philosophical approach to studying human
behavior that emphasizes the purpose or usefulness of behavior?
A. Structuralism
B. Behaviorism
C. Functionalism
D. Psychoanalysis
E. Humanism - correct answers✅✅(C) Functionalists focus on the value
that behaviors and other psychological characteristics have for an organism's
adaptation to its environment. Structuralists focus on what those behaviors
and characteristics are, and on finding the basic components that make
them up.
Which of the following approaches is used by a psychologist who studies
depression by examining levels of a certain neurotransmitter in the brains of
depressed and non-depressed people?
A. psychoanalytic
B. behavioral
C. humanistic
D. cognitive
,Psychology Clep Practice Test 90+ Questions
and Answers A+ Guide
E. biological - correct answers✅✅(E) The biological perspective
emphasizes the roles of hormones, neurotransmitters, and other biological
and physiological agents in determining behavior. Psychoanalysts emphasize
unconscious wishes and fears; behaviorists emphasize learning; humanists
emphasize authenticity of one's self; and cognitivists emphasize thought
processes
Which of the following approaches is used by a psychologist who emphasizes
the power of rewards and punishments to influence behavior?
A. behavioral
B. cognitive
C. humanistic
D. psychoanalytic
E. biological - correct answers✅✅(A) Using rewards (or reinforcers) and
punishment to change behavior is called "operant conditioning." Operant
conditioning is a form of learning, which is central to the behavioral approach
to psychology.
A researcher wants to know whether failure at a task causes aggression. As
part of her study, some subjects are told they have failed at a task, whereas
others are told they have succeeded. Failing or not at the task would be
A. a placebo.
,Psychology Clep Practice Test 90+ Questions
and Answers A+ Guide
B. the independent variable.
C. a within-subjects manipulation.
D. the dependent variable.
E. a counterbalancing procedure. - correct answers✅✅(B) Experiments
test cause-and-effect relationships by manipulating the presumed cause (the
independent variable) and measuring the effect in terms of differences in
behavior (the dependent variable) across the experimental and control
groups.
Which of the following correlation coefficients represents the strongest
relationship between two variables?
A. 0.31
B. -.06
C. 0.73
D. -.81
E. 0.5 - correct answers✅✅(D) Correlation coefficients provide two pieces
of information: the direction of a relationship between two variables and the
magnitude of that relationship. The magnitude can range from 0 to 1 and,
regardless of the direction of the relationship, higher numbers indicate
stronger relationships.
, Psychology Clep Practice Test 90+ Questions
and Answers A+ Guide
"Nature" is to "nurture" as _______ is to _______.
A. genetics; environment
B. biology; physiology
C. physiology; genetics
D. upbringing; social status
E. social status; biology - correct answers✅✅(A) "Nature" has to do with
inborn, genetic, biological reasons for behavior, whereas "nurture" has to do
with behaviors, or changes in behaviors, that are the product of experiences.
Which of the following areas of the brain, located at the top of the spinal
cord, regulates breathing, waking, and heartbeat?
A. Thalamus
B. Reticular formation
C. Parietal lobe
D. Medulla
and Answers A+ Guide
Which of the following is the philosophical approach to studying human
behavior that emphasizes the purpose or usefulness of behavior?
A. Structuralism
B. Behaviorism
C. Functionalism
D. Psychoanalysis
E. Humanism - correct answers✅✅(C) Functionalists focus on the value
that behaviors and other psychological characteristics have for an organism's
adaptation to its environment. Structuralists focus on what those behaviors
and characteristics are, and on finding the basic components that make
them up.
Which of the following approaches is used by a psychologist who studies
depression by examining levels of a certain neurotransmitter in the brains of
depressed and non-depressed people?
A. psychoanalytic
B. behavioral
C. humanistic
D. cognitive
,Psychology Clep Practice Test 90+ Questions
and Answers A+ Guide
E. biological - correct answers✅✅(E) The biological perspective
emphasizes the roles of hormones, neurotransmitters, and other biological
and physiological agents in determining behavior. Psychoanalysts emphasize
unconscious wishes and fears; behaviorists emphasize learning; humanists
emphasize authenticity of one's self; and cognitivists emphasize thought
processes
Which of the following approaches is used by a psychologist who emphasizes
the power of rewards and punishments to influence behavior?
A. behavioral
B. cognitive
C. humanistic
D. psychoanalytic
E. biological - correct answers✅✅(A) Using rewards (or reinforcers) and
punishment to change behavior is called "operant conditioning." Operant
conditioning is a form of learning, which is central to the behavioral approach
to psychology.
A researcher wants to know whether failure at a task causes aggression. As
part of her study, some subjects are told they have failed at a task, whereas
others are told they have succeeded. Failing or not at the task would be
A. a placebo.
,Psychology Clep Practice Test 90+ Questions
and Answers A+ Guide
B. the independent variable.
C. a within-subjects manipulation.
D. the dependent variable.
E. a counterbalancing procedure. - correct answers✅✅(B) Experiments
test cause-and-effect relationships by manipulating the presumed cause (the
independent variable) and measuring the effect in terms of differences in
behavior (the dependent variable) across the experimental and control
groups.
Which of the following correlation coefficients represents the strongest
relationship between two variables?
A. 0.31
B. -.06
C. 0.73
D. -.81
E. 0.5 - correct answers✅✅(D) Correlation coefficients provide two pieces
of information: the direction of a relationship between two variables and the
magnitude of that relationship. The magnitude can range from 0 to 1 and,
regardless of the direction of the relationship, higher numbers indicate
stronger relationships.
, Psychology Clep Practice Test 90+ Questions
and Answers A+ Guide
"Nature" is to "nurture" as _______ is to _______.
A. genetics; environment
B. biology; physiology
C. physiology; genetics
D. upbringing; social status
E. social status; biology - correct answers✅✅(A) "Nature" has to do with
inborn, genetic, biological reasons for behavior, whereas "nurture" has to do
with behaviors, or changes in behaviors, that are the product of experiences.
Which of the following areas of the brain, located at the top of the spinal
cord, regulates breathing, waking, and heartbeat?
A. Thalamus
B. Reticular formation
C. Parietal lobe
D. Medulla
