Free Bachelor of Social Science Psychology Questions and Answers

Question 1

In an experiment run by psychologist Stanley Milgram, subjects were given instructions to provide ____ to "learners" in a different room.

Accepted Answer

Electric shocks

Answer

In Stanley Milgram's famous obedience experiments, subjects were instructed by an authority figure to administer what they believed were increasingly powerful electric shocks to a 'learner' (an actor) in another room. The experiment aimed to study the extent to which individuals would obey authority figures, even when it meant potentially harming another person. The 'shocks' were not real, but the subjects believed they were.

Question 2

Psychology research looks beyond ____ to comprehend unconscious motivations.

Accepted Answer

outward behaviors

Answer

Many fields of psychology, particularly psychodynamic and humanistic approaches, delve into the complexities of the mind that are not always evident through observable actions. To understand unconscious motivations, internal conflicts, and deeper psychological processes, researchers must look beyond superficial outward behaviors. These approaches aim to uncover the underlying reasons for behavior, thoughts, and feelings.

Question 3

An example from the ____ field of psychology is the law of proximity, which states that humans frequently use how close items are to one another to see a larger image.

Accepted Answer

Gestalt

Answer

Gestalt psychology is a school of thought that emphasizes that the whole of anything is greater than its parts. It focuses on how the mind organizes sensory information into meaningful wholes, or 'gestalts.' The law of proximity, which states that elements close to one another tend to be perceived as a single group, is a fundamental principle of Gestalt perception, illustrating how we naturally organize visual information.

Question 4

The objective of "enhancing" a population's genetic make-up is referred to as .

Accepted Answer

Eugenics

Answer

Eugenics is a set of beliefs and practices aimed at improving the genetic quality of a human population, typically by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior and promoting those judged to be superior. Historically, this has involved controversial and unethical practices like forced sterilization and selective breeding. The core objective is to 'enhance' the genetic make-up of a population.

Question 5

Which researcher showed that the number of new items we can store in our short-term memory at one time is limited?

Accepted Answer

George Miller

Answer

George Miller, in his seminal 1956 paper 'The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two,' demonstrated that the capacity of short-term memory is limited to roughly seven 'chunks' of information. This research was crucial in understanding the constraints of human cognitive processing and how we organize information. His work highlighted that we can only hold a small number of items in our conscious awareness at any given time.

BSocSc Bachelor of Social Science Practice Test

BSocSc Bachelor of Social Science Practice Test

Free Bachelor of Social Science Psychology Questions and Answers