Psychology Degree Psychology 101 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Piaget's stage of cognitive development characterized by object permanence and symbolic thinking emerging around age 2 is called:
- Preoperational stage
- Concrete operational stage
- Formal operational stage
- Sensorimotor stage (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Sensorimotor stage
The sensorimotor stage (birth to ~2 years) ends with the acquisition of object permanence and the beginning of symbolic representation.
Question 2: Which defense mechanism involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to another person?
- Rationalization
- Displacement
- Projection (Correct answer)
- Sublimation
Correct answer: Projection
Projection involves unconsciously attributing one's own threatening impulses or feelings onto someone else.
Question 3: The bystander effect refers to the phenomenon where:
- People conform to group norms under surveillance
- Individuals are less likely to help in an emergency when others are present (Correct answer)
- Observers become desensitized to violence after repeated exposure
- People perform better on simple tasks when others are watching
Correct answer: Individuals are less likely to help in an emergency when others are present
Diffusion of responsibility causes each bystander to feel less personally obligated to intervene as group size increases.
Question 4: Which brain structure serves as the brain's relay station, routing sensory signals (except smell) to the appropriate cortical areas?
- Hypothalamus
- Hippocampus
- Amygdala
- Thalamus (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Thalamus
The thalamus acts as a sensory switchboard, directing incoming information to the correct cortical region for processing.
Question 5: In classical conditioning, 'extinction' refers to:
- Forgetting the conditioned response over many years
- The gradual weakening of a conditioned response when the CS is repeatedly presented without the UCS (Correct answer)
- Replacing one conditioned stimulus with another
- The initial pairing of the neutral stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus
Correct answer: The gradual weakening of a conditioned response when the CS is repeatedly presented without the UCS
Extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus no longer predicts the unconditioned stimulus, causing the conditioned response to diminish.
Question 6: Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs places which category at the very top (highest level)?
- Esteem needs
- Love and belonging needs
- Self-actualization (Correct answer)
- Safety needs
Correct answer: Self-actualization
Self-actualization — realizing one's full potential — sits at the apex of Maslow's five-level pyramid.
Question 7: Which sleep stage is most strongly associated with vivid dreaming and muscle atonia?
- Stage 1 NREM
- Stage 2 NREM
- Stage 3 (slow-wave) NREM
- REM sleep (Correct answer)
Correct answer: REM sleep
REM (rapid eye movement) sleep features vivid dreams and temporary paralysis of voluntary muscles, likely to prevent acting out dreams.
Psychology Degree Psychology 101 3
Piaget's stage of cognitive development characterized by object permanence and symbolic thinking emerging around age 2 is called: