Mixed Deck — All EPPP Topics Flashcards

A psychologist is investigating the relationship between different types of professional training (e.g., CBT, psychodynamic, family systems) and a therapist's primary work setting (e.g., private practice, hospital, community mental health). Which statistical test would be most appropriate to analyze the association between these two variables?

Answer: A chi-square test of independence

Both variables in this scenario, type of professional training and primary work setting, are categorical (nominal) variables. The chi-square test of independence is the appropriate statistical method for examining the relationship or association between two categorical variables.

A psychologist practices in a small, isolated rural community. The psychologist's client is a baker who has just opened the only bakery in town. The psychologist's child has a severe gluten allergy, and the baker is the only person in the community who can prepare a custom, gluten-free birthday cake for the child's upcoming party. Which of the following actions is most consistent with ethical guidelines regarding multiple relationships?

Answer: Discuss the potential for a multiple relationship with the client, assess for any risk of harm or exploitation, document the discussion, and then proceed with the business transaction.

The APA Ethics Code recognizes that some multiple relationships are unavoidable, particularly in settings like small rural communities. The ethical focus is on avoiding exploitation or harm. The most appropriate course of action is to address the situation openly with the client, evaluate any potential negative impacts on the therapeutic relationship, ensure the business transaction does not create a power imbalance or harm, and document the decision-making process. Avoiding the relationship entirely may not be practical or necessary and could even harm the client if therapeutic services are limited.

A psychologist is selecting an assessment tool to obtain a comprehensive, multi-scale evaluation of an adult's personality and psychopathology. Which of the following is considered a broad-band, objective personality inventory?

Answer: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3)

The MMPI-3 is a widely used broad-band, objective measure designed to assess a wide range of clinical conditions and personality traits. In contrast, the BDI-II is a narrow-band measure focused specifically on depression. The TAT and the Rorschach are projective tests, which are not considered objective measures.

The 'availability heuristic' can influence clinical judgment by causing clinicians to:

Answer: Underweight base rates in favor of vivid recent cases

The availability heuristic leads people to estimate the probability of events based on how easily examples come to mind, which can be distorted by recency or vividness.

The concept of intersectionality, introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw, is most accurately described as:

Answer: A framework for understanding how multiple social identities interact to create unique experiences of privilege and oppression

Intersectionality examines how multiple social identities (race, gender, class, sexuality) simultaneously interact to shape individuals' distinct and overlapping experiences of advantage and disadvantage.

Which of the following neurotransmitter-related hypotheses proposes that a certain neurotransmitter's levels may be correlated with a particular form of depression?

Answer: the catecholamine hypothesis

The catecholamine hypothesis of depression suggests that depression is caused by a deficiency in the neurotransmitters norepinephrine (a catecholamine) and serotonin in the brain. This theory posits that lower levels of these specific neurotransmitters are correlated with the symptoms of depression. While other neurotransmitters are also implicated, the catecholamine hypothesis specifically focuses on this class.

According to Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, which system describes the relationship between a child's home and school environments?

Answer: Mesosystem

The mesosystem refers to the interactions between two or more settings in which the child actively participates, such as home and school.

Erik Erikson's psychosocial stage for young adulthood (approximately ages 20–40) centers on the conflict of:

Answer: Intimacy vs. Isolation

The central challenge of Erikson's young adulthood stage is developing intimate, committed relationships versus remaining socially isolated.

In Helms's White Racial Identity Development model, a person in the 'pseudo-independence' status is BEST characterized by:

Answer: Intellectualized acceptance of racial differences without deep personal commitment to change

Pseudo-independence represents a superficial, intellectualized acceptance of racial diversity without genuine personal commitment to challenging racism or examining one's own White privilege.

Research on temperament by Thomas and Chess identified which three broad categories of infant temperament?

Answer: Easy, difficult, and slow-to-warm-up

Thomas and Chess classified infants as easy (adaptable, positive mood), difficult (intense, irregular, negative), or slow-to-warm-up (low activity, mild negative reactions initially).

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was originally developed to help identify:

Answer: Psychiatric diagnoses in clinical patients

The MMPI was originally developed in the late 1930s by Hathaway and McKinley to aid in the diagnosis of psychiatric conditions.

A school psychologist notices that students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds consistently score lower on a standardized test. This finding most likely reflects which psychometric concern?

Answer: Measurement bias or differential item functioning

Systematic score differences across demographic groups may indicate measurement bias or differential item functioning, where items may not function equivalently across groups.

A college student is injected with epinephrine, causing an increased heart rate and respiration. The student is then placed in a room with a confederate who is acting euphorically. Subsequently, the student reports feeling happy. This outcome is best explained by which theory of emotion?

Answer: Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory

The Schachter-Singer Two-Factor theory posits that emotion results from two factors: physiological arousal and a cognitive label for that arousal. In this classic experimental paradigm, the student experienced undifferentiated arousal from the epinephrine and used the confederate's euphoric behavior as a contextual cue to label that arousal as happiness. The James-Lange theory would suggest the physiological arousal itself directly causes the emotion, while the Cannon-Bard theory suggests arousal and emotion occur simultaneously but independently. Lazarus's theory emphasizes appraisal of the stimulus itself, which precedes both arousal and emotion.

Which of the following best describes the 'default mode network' (DMN) and its cognitive-affective relevance?

Answer: A network active during mind-wandering, self-referential thought, and mentalizing

The DMN is most active when the mind is not focused on external tasks and is involved in self-referential processing, future thinking, and understanding others' mental states.

A research team is conducting a study with a small sample size to test a new therapeutic intervention. They are concerned about failing to detect a real effect of the therapy if one truly exists. To minimize this risk, which of the following actions would be most effective?

Answer: Increasing the statistical power of the study

The scenario describes a concern about committing a Type II error (failing to detect a real effect). Statistical power is the probability of correctly rejecting a false null hypothesis, meaning it is the probability of detecting an effect when one exists. Increasing power directly addresses the researchers' concern by reducing the risk of a Type II error. While increasing sample size is a primary way to increase power, ensuring high power is the overarching goal.

According to Erikson's psychosocial development theory, the central conflict of adolescence is:

Answer: Identity vs. Role Confusion

Erikson identified Identity vs. Role Confusion as the core conflict of adolescence, during which individuals seek to establish a coherent sense of self.

A psychologist working with a culturally diverse client population is MOST consistent with culturally competent practice when they:

Answer: Adapt evidence-based interventions to account for the client's cultural beliefs, values, and context

Cultural competence involves adapting assessment and intervention approaches to be congruent with clients' cultural frameworks while maintaining evidence-based principles.

Which of the following best describes the process of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the context of learning and memory?

Answer: A long-lasting strengthening of the connection between two neurons that are activated simultaneously.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a cellular mechanism that is widely believed to underlie learning and memory. It involves a persistent strengthening of a synaptic connection that results from recent patterns of activity. This makes the postsynaptic neuron more likely to fire in response to stimulation from the presynaptic neuron, essentially strengthening the neural circuit.

According to Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, which of the following conflicts is the primary task for an individual in adolescence (ages 12-18)?

Answer: Identity vs. Role Confusion

Erikson's fifth stage, occurring during adolescence, is Identity vs. Role Confusion. During this period, teenagers explore their independence and develop a sense of self. Successfully navigating this stage leads to a strong identity, while failure results in confusion about their role in life.

Research on affective forecasting consistently shows that people tend to:

Answer: Overestimate both the intensity and the duration of future emotional reactions

People systematically overestimate how intensely and how long future events will affect their happiness, a bias partly due to impact bias and neglect of adaptation.