ATI RN
Exam 4 Psychology
1. A group of psychologists is conducting research to determine whether people eat more when they are in the presence of environmental stimuli that increase anxiety, such as loud noises or flashing lights. These scientists most likely follow?
- A. The behavioral perspective.
- B. The psychodynamic perspective.
- C. The humanistic perspective.
- D. The functionalist perspective.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A, the behavioral perspective. This perspective focuses on how environmental stimuli influence behavior, making it suitable for studying how anxiety-inducing stimuli affect eating behavior. The psychodynamic perspective (choice B) would focus more on unconscious processes and early life experiences. The humanistic perspective (choice C) emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization. The functionalist perspective (choice D) is more related to the study of the purpose of behavior and mental processes in adapting to the environment.
2. One key issue in the study of human development is the continuity-discontinuity issue. The discontinuity side posits that development is characterized by change in type or kind. These are known as ____.
- A. Qualitative change
- B. Quantitative change
- C. Maturation
- D. Multidirectional development
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Qualitative change. Qualitative change aligns with the discontinuity view by involving changes in type or kind. This contrasts with quantitative change (B), which is about changes in amount or quantity. Maturation (C) refers to the process of becoming fully developed in a particular way, and multidirectional development (D) emphasizes that development involves both gains and losses, not specifically focusing on changes in type or kind.
3. Who founded functionalism?
- A. John Watson.
- B. Sigmund Freud.
- C. William James.
- D. Wilhelm Wundt.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: William James is credited with founding functionalism, which emphasizes the adaptive purpose of consciousness. John Watson is associated with behaviorism, not functionalism. Sigmund Freud is known for psychoanalysis, and Wilhelm Wundt is considered the founder of modern psychology and structuralism, not functionalism.
4. How is pruning best defined?
- A. The process of eliminating unused synapses
- B. The process of synapse development
- C. The connection between neurons
- D. Fatty sheath that wraps around neurons and enables them to transmit information more rapidly
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Pruning is the process of eliminating unused synapses in the brain. This process helps the brain to become more efficient by strengthening important connections and eliminating unnecessary ones. Choice B is incorrect because pruning is about eliminating synapses, not developing them. Choice C is incorrect as it refers to the general concept of connections between neurons, not specifically about pruning. Choice D is incorrect as it describes the myelin sheath, which is responsible for rapid transmission of information along neurons, not pruning.
5. Who took the position that organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes and tend not to repeat responses that lead to neutral or negative outcomes?
- A. Sigmund Freud
- B. B.F. Skinner
- C. Carl Rogers
- D. Abraham Maslow
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B.F. Skinner. Skinner proposed the theory of operant conditioning, where behavior is shaped by its consequences. Positive outcomes increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, while neutral or negative outcomes decrease it. Sigmund Freud (choice A) is known for his psychoanalytic theory, Carl Rogers (choice C) for person-centered therapy, and Abraham Maslow (choice D) for the hierarchy of needs.
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