in a discussion with your professor she tells you that she believes that the focus of psychological study should be to break the conscious experience

ATI RN

Exam 4 Psychology

1. In a discussion with your professor, she tells you that she believes that the focus of psychological study should be to break the conscious experience into its basic elements. Which of the following historical schools of thought is your professor's idea most consistent with?

A. Behaviorism
B. Functionalism
C. Structuralism
D. Psychoanalysis

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Structuralism. Structuralism, as introduced by Wundt, aimed to break down mental processes into their most basic elements. This aligns with the idea of breaking the conscious experience into its fundamental components. Choice A, Behaviorism, focuses on observable behavior and not on breaking down conscious experience. Choice B, Functionalism, emphasizes the purpose of behavior rather than breaking it down into basic elements. Choice D, Psychoanalysis, delves into unconscious processes and conflicts, which is different from breaking down conscious experiences into basic elements.

2. According to Wilhelm Wundt, the focus of psychology was on the scientific study of?

A. Observable behavior.
B. Conscious experience.
C. Unconscious motivation.
D. The functions of behavior.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Wilhelm Wundt's approach emphasized the study of conscious experience, marking a shift towards scientific methods in psychology. Choice A, observable behavior, is associated with behaviorism and not Wundt's structuralism. Choice C, unconscious motivation, is more aligned with Freud's psychoanalytic theory. Choice D, the functions of behavior, relates more to functionalism, which was developed by William James.

3. Which field of psychology studies attitude change and group behavior?

A. Developmental psychology
B. Social psychology
C. Psychoanalysis
D. Psychometrics

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Social psychology. Social psychology specifically focuses on studying topics like attitude change and group behavior. Developmental psychology (Choice A) primarily deals with human growth and development across the lifespan. Psychoanalysis (Choice C) is a theoretical approach to psychology developed by Sigmund Freud focusing on the unconscious mind and childhood experiences. Psychometrics (Choice D) involves the measurement of psychological variables such as intelligence, personality traits, and abilities.

4. What term refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge?

A. Cognition.
B. Pedagogy.
C. Empiricism.
D. Introspection.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A, cognition. Cognition encompasses mental processes like thinking, remembering, and problem-solving, all crucial in acquiring knowledge. Pedagogy (choice B) refers to the method and practice of teaching. Empiricism (choice C) is a theory that states knowledge comes from sensory experience. Introspection (choice D) involves examining one's own conscious thoughts and feelings, not specifically focused on acquiring knowledge.

5. In order for one to have a recessive trait (e.g., having red hair), the person must receive?

A. At least one copy of a recessive gene from a parent
B. Two copies of a recessive gene, one from each parent
C. At least one copy of a recessive gene and at least one copy of a dominant gene
D. At least two copies of a recessive gene from one parent

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Recessive traits are expressed when an individual inherits two copies of the recessive gene, one from each parent. Therefore, the correct answer is B. Choice A is incorrect as one copy of a recessive gene is not sufficient to display a recessive trait. Choice C is incorrect because having at least one copy of a dominant gene is unrelated to expressing a recessive trait. Choice D is incorrect because two copies of a recessive gene must come from both parents, not just one.