MA In Psychology 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Albert Bandura's social learning theory emphasizes that behavior is learned primarily through:
- Classical conditioning
- Operant reinforcement schedules
- Observation and imitation of models (Correct answer)
- Unconscious drives
Correct answer: Observation and imitation of models
Bandura proposed that people learn behaviors by observing others, a process he called observational learning or modeling.
Question 2: In neuropsychology, which lobe is primarily associated with planning, decision-making, and impulse control?
- Occipital lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Frontal lobe (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Frontal lobe
The frontal lobe, especially the prefrontal cortex, governs executive functions such as planning, inhibition, and decision-making.
Question 3: Which statistical technique is used to identify underlying factors that explain correlations among a large set of observed variables?
- Multiple regression
- Factor analysis (Correct answer)
- Analysis of covariance
- Discriminant analysis
Correct answer: Factor analysis
Factor analysis reduces a large number of observed variables to a smaller number of latent factors that account for shared variance.
Question 4: The concept of 'learned helplessness,' foundational to cognitive models of depression, was originally demonstrated by:
- Hans Selye
- Martin Seligman (Correct answer)
- Aaron Beck
- Albert Ellis
Correct answer: Martin Seligman
Martin Seligman developed learned helplessness through experiments showing that uncontrollable shocks led animals to stop trying to escape.
Question 5: Which research design is best suited to establishing cause-and-effect relationships in psychology?
- Correlational study
- Case study
- Randomized controlled experiment (Correct answer)
- Naturalistic observation
Correct answer: Randomized controlled experiment
A randomized controlled experiment, with random assignment to conditions, allows researchers to infer causality by controlling confounds.
Question 6: In cognitive psychology, 'working memory' is best described as:
- The permanent storage of autobiographical memories
- A system for temporarily holding and manipulating information (Correct answer)
- Procedural knowledge for skilled actions
- Long-term semantic knowledge
Correct answer: A system for temporarily holding and manipulating information
Working memory is a limited-capacity system that holds information in an active, accessible state for use in ongoing cognitive tasks.
Question 7: Which ethical principle requires that research participants be fully informed about the nature of a study before agreeing to take part?
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Informed consent (Correct answer)
- Confidentiality
Correct answer: Informed consent
Informed consent mandates that participants receive complete, understandable information about risks, procedures, and their right to withdraw.
MA In Psychology 3
Albert Bandura's social learning theory emphasizes that behavior is learned primarily through: