Honor Code: I pledge on my honor that I have neither given nor received aid on this examination.

Signed_________________________________

Multiple Choice (1 point each) Choose the best answer for each of the following. Mark your answers on the scantron sheet provided. Use a #2 pencil only.

1. What differentiates behavior and the mind?

a. Behavior is related to biological processes; the mind is related to philosophical systems.
b. Behavior is what is observed, while the mind includes unobservable mental processes.
c. Behavior is modifiable, while the mind stays constant.
d. Behavior includes thoughts and emotions, while the mind includes the oral or written expression of thoughts and emotions.

2. Currently, the best description of the way in which color is encoded in the visual pathways is that color vision

a. begins as an opponent process in the retina and later switches to a trichromatic process in the lateral geniculate nucleus.
b. is an opponent process in the left cerebral cortex and a trichromatic process in the right cerebral cortex.
c. begins as a trichromatic process in the retina and later switches to an opponent process in the lateral geniculate nucleus.
d. is an opponent process in the right cerebral cortex and a trichromatic process in the left cerebral cortex.

3. Ralph received a poor grade on his last exam. In an attempt to improve his performance on the next exam, he has started to use a different note-taking method, he has enrolled in a study skills class and he has moved to a seat that is closer to the front of the class. If Ralph's score goes up on the next exam it will be hard for him to figure out why because

a. he failed to use a double-blind procedure.
b. the three actions he took to raise his grade are confounded with each other.
c. none of the actions he took are generally related to grades in school.
d. he doesn't have a research hypothesis

4. Compared to the low notes on a piano, the high notes always produce sound waves that have

a. a higher amplitude.
b. a lower amplitude.
c. a higher frequency.
d. a lower frequency.

5. Human factors psychologists

a. work with industry to train new recruits and establish effective lines of employee communication.
b. work with students in primary and secondary schools.
c. work on the design and engineering of new products.
d. are concerned with the internal factors that lead people to act consistently across situations.

6. For most individuals, language ability is centered in:

a. the left hemisphere
b. the hindbrain
c. the right hemisphere
d. the frontal lobe

7. Lenny is a developmental psychologist. You should expect Lenny is most interested in:

a. how people relate to each other and influence each other.
b. the ways in which physical or genetic factors influence and determine behavior.
c. the internal factors that lead people to act consistently across various situations.
d. how behavior and mental processes change over a lifetime.

8. A researcher who tries to determine what motivates government interns by interviewing and reviewing the records of four such interns is engaged in

a. psychological testing.
b. naturalistic observation.
c. experimentation.
d. case study research.

9. Barney was frightened when a bat unexpectedly flew into the house. Although the bat has been gone for nearly 15 minutes, Barney is still a little shaky and agitated. This long-term, widespread response to the arousing situation is mainly a result of activity in Barney's

a. peripheral nervous system.
b. endocrine system.
c. central nervous system.
d. substantia nigra.

10. Researchers studying the effects of alcohol consumption tested the physical coordination skills of 21-year-old men who were first assigned to drink a beverage with either 4, 2, or 0 ounces of alcohol in the laboratory. In this study, the dependent variable would be

a. the age of the research participants.
b. the amount of alcohol consumed.
c. the physical coordination skills of the research participants.
d. the length of time that elapses between drinking the alcohol and taking the coordination test.

11. Dr. Hibbert has just discovered a new drug named ZA1 that produces side effects such as a general stimulation within the body, and an increase in heart rate. Based on this information, it appears that Dr. Hibbert's new drug is

a. an antagonist to acetylcholine.
b. an agonist for dopamine.
c. an agonist for acetylcholine.
d. an antagonist to morphine.

12. The hypothalamus

a. is an important gathering point for sensory input.
b. plays an important role in the regulation of eating, drinking, and sexual behavior.
c. has been linked to a variety of motivational and emotional behaviors.
d. is thought to be critically involved in the formation of memories.

13. Measures of central tendency

a. provide a value around which scores in a data set tend to cluster.
b. indicate how much the scores in a data set differ from one another.
c. can be used to decide whether the observed behavior in a sample is representative of some larger sample.
d. assess whether two variables vary together in a systematic way.

14. Lisa is listening to music with the volume fairly low; Bart is listening to music with the volume turned to the maximum.

a. the action potentials in both individuals will be the same due to the all-or-none principle.
b. the action potentials in Bart's nervous system will travel more quickly because the incoming signal is more intense.
c. the action potentials in Lisa's nervous system will be weaker because the incoming signal is less intense.
d. the action potentials in Lisa's nervous system will travel a shorter distance because the incoming signal is less intense.

15. Mr. Burns is trying to determine whether the behavior that was observed in a sample is representative of behavior in the larger population. To help in making this determination, Mr. Burns should use

a. inferential statistics.
b. descriptive statistics.
c. case study analysis.
d. operational definitions.

16. As a rock musician who has experienced prolonged exposure to high-amplitude music, Jimbo is beginning to lose his hearing. It is most likely that this hearing loss involves problems in the

a. auditory canal.
b. eardrum.
c. tiny bones of the middle ear.
d. cochlea.

17. Dr. Riviera predicts that if parents are nurturant and responsive, then children are less likely to act aggressively. This suggests that Dr. Riveria believes parental nurturance and children's aggression are

a. positively correlated.
b. uncorrelated.
c. negatively correlated.
d. both dependent variables.

18. In class we discussed the influence of nature vs. nurture on personality, intelligence, and schizophrenia. What conclusions can be drawn from the twin study research presented?

a. Genetic factors play a primary role in schizophrenia and intelligence, but do not affect personality.
b. Environmental factors play a primary role in schizophrenia and intelligence, but do not affect personality.
c. Genetic and environmental factors both appear to play a primary role in all three cases.
d. Twin studies have been inconclusive on the role of genes or the environment in all three cases.

19. If researchers discovered a new animal, and the animal's somatosensory cortex had larger areas dedicated to the fingers than to the toes, it would indicate that

a. the toes are more sensitive than the fingers.
b. the fingers are more flexible than the toes.
c. the fingers are more sensitive than the toes.
d. the toes are more flexible than the fingers.

20. A group of researchers wanted to determine whether animals would be slower in learning a maze when they had been exposed to a particular drug. Half the animals received low doses of the drug and the other half did not receive the drug. The researchers then counted how many times the animals had to run through the maze before they learned it. In this study the independent variable is

a. the amount of drug each animal is given (low dose or none).
b. the type of animal the researcher selects for the study.
c. the number of trials it takes for each animal to learn the maze.
d. the age of the animals selected.

21. Marge placed her left hand in a pan of cold water and her right hand in a pan of hot water for several minutes. She then moved both hands into a pan of lukewarm water. In this case the lukewarm water would feel

a. lukewarm to both of her hands.
b. cool to her left hand and warm to her right hand.
c. warm to her left hand and cool to her right hand.
d. cool to both of her hands.

22. Researchers studying the effects of caffeine on reaction times had participants drink either a beverage which contained caffeine, or a decaffeinated version of the same beverage. In this study the experimental group is

a. the participants who drink the decaffeinated beverage.
b. the participants with the slowest reaction times.
c. all the people who take part in the study.
d. the participants who drink the beverage with caffeine.

23. Homer dropped the hot container he had taken off the stove before he actually sensed any pain because the withdrawal reflex

a. does not involve the central nervous system.
b. is activated by the autonomic nervous system.
c. is controlled by interneurons in his spinal cord.
d. is initiated in the sensory cortex, which has no pain receptors.

24. A confounding variable is

a. the dependent variable in an experimental study.
b. a factor that is held constant during an experimental study.
c. a variable that is defined in terms of how it will be measured.
d. an uncontrolled variable that changes systematically with the independent variable.

25. An excitatory message causes the cell's electrical potential to become

a. more positive.
b. more negative.
c. less negative.
d. less positive.

26. The value that indicates how much the individual scores in a data set vary from the mean is

a. the standard deviation for the data set.
b. the range for the data set.
c. the mode for the data set.
d. the median for the data set.

27. When Maggie smelled some sour milk the message was carried from her nose to her brain along

a. motor neurons.
b. sensory neurons.
c. interneurons.
d. glial cells.

28. According to Fechner's law,

a. psychological intensity increases with physical intensity, but at a slower rate.
b. psychological intensity increases with physical intensity, but at the same rate.
c. psychological intensity increases with physical intensity, but at a faster rate.
d. psychological intensity cannot be predicted from physical intensity.

29. A resting potential is

a. an electrical signal that travels along the axon of a neuron.
b. the small gap that exists between adjacent neurons.
c. an electrical signal that travels along the dendrites of a neuron.
d. the tiny electrical charge that exists when a neuron is neither receiving nor sending information.

30. Willie works in a clinic, and often has clients with mental disorders referred to him so that appropriate medication can be prescribed. Willie would most likely be classified as

a. a clinical psychologist.
b. a psychiatrist.
c. an applied psychologist.
d. a research psychologist.

31. As Moe was walking away from Apu, the image that he cast on Apu's retina got smaller and smaller. However, Apu perceived Moe as staying the same size. This illustrates

a. size constancy.
b. shape constancy.
c. binocular depth perception.
d. linear perspective.

32. One of the main objections to the study of conscious experiences raised by psychologists who followed the behavioral perspective was that conscious experiences

a. are not directly observable, and therefore cannot be verified.
b. have no impact on current behavior.
c. cannot be understood separately from the context in which they occur.
d. will be different for each individual who is studied.

33. The process associated with an increase in the likelihood of an action potential is

a. hyperpolarization.
b. reuptake of neurotransmitters.
c. overproduction of acetylcholine.
d. depolarization.

34. Krusty went to have his hearing tested. Some of the sounds that were presented during the test were so faint that he was unable to detect them. These faint sounds probably fell below

a. Krusty's difference threshold for sound.
b. Krusty's adaptation threshold for sound.
c. Krusty's absolute threshold for sound.
d. Krusty's level for perceptual invariance.

35. Researchers who investigate the social habits of teenagers by measuring the content of the litter they leave behind are engaged in

a. invasive observation.
b. case study research.
c. naturalistic observation
d. participant observation.

36. Interneurons

a. convey information from one internal processing site to another
b. carry information inward toward the spinal cord and brain
c. carry messages and commands out from the brain and spinal cord
d. produce hyperpolarization in glial cells

37. Sideshow Bob plans to conduct a small electroshock experiment with some of his friends. He asks them each to decide which condition of the experiment they would like to be assigned to. In this example Sideshow Bob's procedure illustrates

a. a double-blind research design.
b. the use of non-random assignment.
c. correlational research.
d. informed consent.

38. Empiricism is the view that

a. experience determines what an individual knows, and what is potentially knowable.
b. certain kinds of knowledge and ideas are innate.
c. the proper focus for psychology should be the study of immediate conscious experience.
d. the mind arises entirely from the physical properties of the brain.

39. Milhouse had an operation on his eyes, but the doctors were unable to save the vision in one eye. One major change that will affect Milhouse's visual perception is the fact

a. he will lose his ability to perceive colors accurately.
b. he will no longer be able to utilize binocular disparity.
c. he will no longer have any perception of depth.
d. he will be more likely to misinterpret perceptual illusions.

40. Principal Skinner came home one night to find a burglar in his house. His heart started racing and he began to perspire. These physical reactions were triggered by Principal Skinner's

a. sympathetic nervous system.
b. somatic nervous system.
c. parasympathetic nervous system.
d. cerebellum.

41. The law of large numbers suggests that

a. small samples will provide the most reliable indications of the true nature of events.
b. the less people who know about a study, the more likely it is that deception can be used effectively.
c. the larger the sample size, the more likely it is that the conclusions based on the sample will be accurate.
d. people who live in small towns will be more likely to volunteer for research studies.

42. Dr. Flanders has implanted electrodes in the brain of a cat. By passing differing electrical frequencies through the wires Dr. Flanders finds that he can cause the cat to fall into a deep sleep, or awaken suddenly. Based on this information, it is most likely that Dr. Flanders is stimulating the cat's

a. cerebellum.
b. hypothalamus.
c. thalamus.
d. reticular formation.

a. a population.
b. the dependent variable.
c. a representative sample.
d. the independent variable.

a. her cold caused all the sweet receptors in her mouth to become inactivated.
b. her high temperature would cause the brain to block signals from the papillae in her mouth.
c. the drugs she was taking for her cold damaged her taste buds.
d. flavor is influenced by smell as well as taste, and with no sense of smell her sense of taste would be less accurate.

45. Our ability to perceive the world in three dimensions, even though visual information is input via a two-dimensional retina, illustrates the perceptual process of

a. recognition by components.
b. depth perception.
c. transduction.
d. infiltration.

46. Selma has a brain tumor that is pressing on areas of her left frontal lobe. You might expect that Selma would have difficulty

a. moving portions of the left side of her body.
b. sensing touch and temperature on the right side of her body.
c. moving portions of the right side of her body.
d. sensing touch and temperature on the left side of her body.

47. Suppose that a researcher found that the correlation between personality traits of identical twins raised apart in separate adoptive homes was about the same as the correlation between personality traits of fraternal twins raised apart in separate adoptive homes, and both correlations were moderate in size. This finding alone would indicate:

a. Environment plays an important role in determining personality traits.
b. Environment plays a minor role in determining personality traits.
c. Genes play an important role in determining personality traits.
d. Genes play a minor role in determining personality traits.

48. McBain regularly lifts weights at the Springfield Gym. Unbeknownst to him, the gym bought a new reduced-cost weight set in which each weight is actually 3 lbs. lighter than its label states. McBain will most likely notice the difference when:

a. doing bench presses with 250 lbs.
b. doing wrist curls with 20 lbs.
c. He is equally likely to note the difference when doing a. or b.
d. relaxing in the steam room after his workout.

49. Researchers found a moderate correlation between the length of a customer's driveway and the size of the tips the customer gave pizza delivery people. The longer the driveway, the smaller the tip the delivery person received. The correlation coefficient that most likely represents this relationship would be

a. + 0.90.
b. - 0.45.
c. + 0.45.
d. - 0.90.

50. If the human nervous system was not wired to respond to differences in the intensity of reflected light, people would not

a. detect differences in colors.
b. detect differences in brightness.
c. respond accurately to movement.
d. have full peripheral vision.

51. When you rely on experience and innate principles of organization to guide your perception of an object you are using

a. bottom-up processing.
b. figure-to-ground processing.
c. top-down processing.
d. opponent processing.

52. Bart held a small earthworm in each hand and held his hands together so that only one end of each of the earthworms could be seen. In this way, he was able to fool his little sister into thinking he had one gigantic earthworm in his hands. Bart's trick illustrates the Gestalt principle of

a. similarity.
b. good continuation.
c. proximity.
d. common fate.

53. Transduction refers to

a. the elementary features or building blocks of experience.
b. the collection of processes used to arrive at a meaningful interpretation of an experience.
c. the process of translating environmental messages into neural impulses.
d. the physical properties of stimuli in the environment.

54. Martin has an ear infection and has to wear an ear plug in his right ear for the next week. The doctor has told him that there will be very little impact on his ability to listen in his classes, since his left ear is fine. For the next week Martin will probably have the most problems

a. localizing sounds accurately.
b. detecting high frequency sounds.
c. detecting low frequency sounds.
d. understanding speech when there is background noise.

55. A police officer asked Nelson to close his eyes and alternate between using his right and left index finger to touch the tip of his nose. Nelson was able to do this easily by relying on

a. his kinesthetic sense.
b. his vestibular sense.
c. his reticular sense.
d. sensory adaptation.

56. Imagine that a picture of a dog was briefly flashed in the left visual field of an individual with a severed corpus callosum. At the same time a picture of an blue circle is briefly flashed in right visual field. Based on Roger Sperry's work with split brain patients, you could predict that this individual would say

a. "I saw a dog."
b. "I'm not sure what I saw, it looked like a blue dog."
c. "I didn't see anything."
d. "I saw a blue circle."

57. Smithers has been working at his computer for the past 2 hours and the hum that he found so annoying when he started no longer bothers him. The change in Smithers' sensitivity to the noise from the computer illustrates

a. sensory adaptation.
b. perceptual invariance.
c. perceptual assimilation.
d. changing difference thresholds.

58. Defining memory as "the number of words correctly recalled on a retention test" would

a. be a testable hypothesis about memory.
b. provide empirical verification of memory.
c. represent an operational definition of memory.
d. violate general research ethics.

59. Imagine that the human eye only had rods, and no cones. In this situation a person would have

a. no color vision.
b. poor vision in low illumination.
c. poor peripheral vision.
d. more accurate depth perception.

Completion (1 point each blank) Complete each of the following statements with the appropriate answer(s). Write your answers in the spaces provided.
 

Psychology is defined as the scientific study of ___behavior_______ and ___the mind_______.

In a discrimination task, the minimum difference between two stimuli that can be detected is called the __Just Noticable Difference (JND or difference threshold OK)______.

The small gap that exists between adjacent neurons is called the __synapse________.

The problem-solving cycle for thinking like a scientist begins and ends with _____Identifying the problem (observation OK)_________.

___Sensation_________ refers to the basic features and building blocks of experience, while ___perception________ refers to the complex processes that allow us to arrive at a meaningful interpretation of an experience.

The ethical practice in which the purpose of a study is fully disclosed to the study's participants, once the study is over, is known as ____debriefing____.

The thing that differentiates psychology from other social sciences such as anthropology or economics is the focus on the ____individual_________.

The central nervous system is made up of ____the brain___________ and ___the spinal cord___________.

Located in the inner ear, the __vestibular system (vestibular sac or semicircular canals OK)________ is responsible for our sense of balance and movement.

A scientific finding that is concise and provides the most simple, straightforward answer to a question is said to be ___parsimonious___.

Visual cortex is located in the ___occipital_____ lobe and motor cortex is located in the ____frontal____________ lobe.

The genetic message encoded in an individual's chromosomes is referred to as ___genotype________, while that individual's observable characteristics are referred to as their __phenotype___________.

__Linear perspective_____ is a monocular depth cue that utilizes the apparent convergence of parallel lines to judge relative distance.

Suppose that in a signal detection experiment, a faint signal was presented on 50 trials and was not presented on 50 trials, and the participant had to decide on each trial whether or not a stimulus was presented. How might responses be distributed in the following table if the participant had ZERO sensitivity to presence or absence of the stimulus?

Note: this question was worth 2 points.  One point was given for having the "present" and "absent" rows each add up to 50; the other point was for demonstrating zero sensitivity.  Any one of the following three would be considered correct.

                        YES            NO
PRESENT        25                25

ABSENT          25                25
or
                        YES            NO
PRESENT        50               0

ABSENT          50               0

or
                        YES            NO
PRESENT        0                50

ABSENT          0                50