EPPP MCQ 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Type I error in hypothesis testing occurs when a researcher:
- Fails to reject a false null hypothesis
- Correctly rejects a true null hypothesis
- Rejects a true null hypothesis (Correct answer)
- Fails to reject a true null hypothesis
Correct answer: Rejects a true null hypothesis
A Type I error (false positive) occurs when the null hypothesis is true but the researcher incorrectly rejects it; its probability equals alpha (α).
Question 2: Which of the following defense mechanisms involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to another person?
- Rationalization
- Projection (Correct answer)
- Reaction formation
- Sublimation
Correct answer: Projection
Projection involves unconsciously attributing one's own unacceptable impulses or feelings to others as a way of managing internal conflict.
Question 3: According to DSM-5, which of the following is required for a diagnosis of PTSD in adults?
- Symptoms must be present for at least 1 month (Correct answer)
- The traumatic event must involve sexual violence specifically
- At least one month of hypervigilance alone suffices
- Symptoms must cause distress but not functional impairment
Correct answer: Symptoms must be present for at least 1 month
DSM-5 requires PTSD symptoms to persist for more than one month and cause significant distress or functional impairment.
Question 4: A psychologist using motivational interviewing would most likely respond to client ambivalence by:
- Confronting the client about their resistance to change
- Providing direct advice on the best course of action
- Exploring and reflecting both sides of the client's ambivalence (Correct answer)
- Setting firm goals and holding the client accountable
Correct answer: Exploring and reflecting both sides of the client's ambivalence
Motivational interviewing uses reflective listening and exploration of ambivalence to strengthen intrinsic motivation for change.
Question 5: The heritability coefficient in behavioral genetics represents:
- The percentage of a trait directly caused by genetics
- The proportion of phenotypic variance attributable to genetic variance in a population (Correct answer)
- How much a trait will change with environmental manipulation
- The probability that a genetic disorder will be inherited
Correct answer: The proportion of phenotypic variance attributable to genetic variance in a population
Heritability (h²) is a population statistic that describes the proportion of observed variation in a trait that is attributable to genetic variation.
Question 6: Which assessment instrument is considered a projective measure of personality?
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2)
- Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
- Rorschach Inkblot Method (Correct answer)
- NEO Personality Inventory
Correct answer: Rorschach Inkblot Method
The Rorschach Inkblot Method is a projective technique in which ambiguous stimuli are used to elicit responses believed to reveal unconscious processes.
Question 7: 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?
- Low test-retest reliability
- Measurement bias or differential item functioning (Correct answer)
- Insufficient construct validity
- Poor internal consistency
Correct 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.
EPPP MCQ 4
A Type I error in hypothesis testing occurs when a researcher: