ThatQuiz Test Library Take this test now
Experimental psychology - Exam
Contributed by: Grainger
  • 1. Experimental psychology is a branch of psychology that utilizes scientific methods to study human behavior. Researchers in this field design experiments to test hypotheses about various aspects of cognition, emotion, and behavior. They use techniques such as observation, surveys, and controlled experiments to gather data and draw conclusions. By conducting systematic investigations, experimental psychologists aim to better understand how and why people think, feel, and act the way they do. This field has contributed valuable insights to a wide range of topics, including memory, perception, learning, decision-making, and social behavior.

    What is the primary goal of experimental psychology?
A) To understand behavior through controlled experiments.
B) To predict future behavior based on observations.
C) To provide therapy to individuals.
D) To analyze historical case studies.
  • 2. What is the purpose of a control group in an experiment?
A) To provide a baseline for comparison with the experimental group.
B) To make the experiment more complex.
C) To ensure the participants are not aware of the study.
D) To manipulate the independent variable.
  • 3. Which statistical analysis is commonly used in experimental psychology to determine if there is a significant difference between groups?
A) Chi-square test.
B) ANOVA (Analysis of Variance).
C) T-test.
D) Regression analysis.
  • 4. Which ethical principle in psychology research focuses on minimizing harm and maximizing benefits for participants?
A) Informed consent.
B) Deception.
C) Confidentiality.
D) Beneficence.
  • 5. What is external validity in experimental psychology?
A) The replicate reliability of the study.
B) The extent to which the findings of a study can be generalized to real-world settings.
C) The statistical significance of the results.
D) The accuracy of the measurements taken.
  • 6. What is the purpose of debriefing participants after an experiment?
A) To provide false feedback about their performance.
B) To inform them about the true nature and purpose of the study.
C) To gather additional data.
D) To ensure they are not aware of the manipulation.
  • 7. What is the difference between an experimental group and a control group?
A) The experimental group is observed in a naturalistic setting.
B) The experimental group is exposed to the independent variable, while the control group is not.
C) Both groups receive different treatments.
D) The control group is where the researchers are blind to the results.
  • 8. What does replicability refer to in experimental psychology?
A) The number of participants in the study.
B) The statistical significance of the results.
C) The complexity of the experimental design.
D) The ability of an experiment to be repeated with similar results.
  • 9. Who founded the first psychology laboratory and where was it located?
A) Ernst Heinrich Weber in Berlin, Germany
B) Hermann Ebbinghaus in Paris, France
C) Charles Bell in London, England
D) Wilhelm Wundt in Leipzig, Germany
  • 10. Who is credited with suggesting that judgments of sensory differences are relative?
A) Ernst Heinrich Weber
B) Wilhelm Wundt
C) Francois Magendie
D) Charles Bell
  • 11. What is the mathematical expression for Weber's Law?
A) I - ΔI = k
B) ΔI + I = k
C) ΔI/I = k
D) I/ΔI = k
  • 12. Who published similar findings to Charles Bell's research without being aware of it?
A) Ernst Heinrich Weber
B) Hermann Ebbinghaus
C) Francois Magendie
D) Wilhelm Wundt
  • 13. What was one of the methods used by early experimental psychologists like Wundt and Titchener?
A) Behavioral observation
B) Introspection
C) Neuroimaging
D) Genetic analysis
  • 14. What was disproved by Charles Bell's discovery?
A) The presence of sensory nerves in the spinal cord.
B) The belief that nerves transmitted either vibrations or spirits.
C) Weber's Law.
D) The existence of motor nerves.
  • 15. What is considered to be the first quantitative law in psychology?
A) Wundt's Principle of Introspection
B) Ebbinghaus' Forgetting Curve
C) Weber's Law
D) Bell–Magendie law
  • 16. Who is considered to have published the first work of experimental psychology?
A) Wilhelm Wundt
B) Oswald Külpe
C) Gustav Fechner
D) Ernst Heinrich Weber
  • 17. In what year did Gustav Fechner publish 'Elemente der Psychophysik'?
A) 1883
B) 1879
C) 1855
D) 1860
  • 18. What concept did the Würzburg School emphasize that affects perception and problem solving without awareness?
A) Introspection
B) Mental Set (Einstellung)
C) Voluntarism
D) Structuralism
  • 19. What type of thought did Külpe describe as consisting of pure mental acts without mental images?
A) Associative Thought
B) Sensory Thought
C) Perceptual Thought
D) Imageless Thought
  • 20. Which psychological movement was influenced by the work of the Würzburg School?
A) Psychoanalysis
B) Gestalt Psychology
C) Behaviorism
D) Humanistic Psychology
  • 21. Who introduced experimental psychology into the United States?
A) Jerzy Neyman
B) Sir Frederic Bartlett
C) Charles Sanders Peirce
D) George Trumbull Ladd
  • 22. Which university did George Trumbull Ladd found the first psychological laboratory at?
A) University of Chicago
B) Harvard University
C) Yale University
D) Johns Hopkins University
  • 23. Where did the center of experimental psychology in the US shift after Ladd's founding of the Yale Laboratory?
A) Johns Hopkins University
B) Columbia University
C) Harvard University
D) University of Chicago
  • 24. Where is the presence of an IRB required by law?
A) Exclusively at government agencies.
B) Only in medical facilities.
C) At institutions such as universities where psychological research occurs.
D) In all private businesses.
  • 25. Who conducted the Stanford prison experiment?
A) Philip Zimbardo
B) Norman Triplett
C) John B. Watson
D) Stanley Milgram
  • 26. What unique capacity do bats display that helps clarify important cognitive functions?
A) Migration over long distances
B) Echo location
C) Camouflage
D) Hibernation
  • 27. What type of conditioning did B.F. Skinner distinguish from classical conditioning?
A) Classical conditioning
B) Social learning theory
C) Operant conditioning
D) Cognitive dissonance
  • 28. In psychology, what was the kymograph often used to record?
A) Depth perception
B) Response times
C) Speed of bullets
D) Electric current strength
  • 29. What instrument was developed by Carl Ludwig?
A) Stereoscope
B) Galvanometer
C) Photokymograph
D) Kymograph
  • 30. Which maze is used to test spatial learning in rats?
A) A visual acuity test.
B) The radial arm maze.
C) An olfactometer setup.
D) The Morris water maze.
  • 31. Which device was commonly used in psychology labs for olfactory studies?
A) The Zwaardemker olfactometer.
B) The radial arm maze.
C) An electroencephalograph.
D) The Morris water maze.
  • 32. Which school criticizes experimental psychology for neglecting context?
A) Psychoanalytic School
B) Frankfurt School
C) Behaviorist School
D) Cognitive School
  • 33. What term do critical psychologists use to describe their approach?
A) Experimental Psychology
B) Behavioral Analysis
C) Cognitive Science
D) Critical Theory
  • 34. Which of these is an example of a property that can be measured on a ratio scale?
A) Temperature in Fahrenheit
B) Length
C) Difference in loudness
D) Standard scores on an achievement test
  • 35. What does a control group in a two-group design typically receive?
A) The same treatment as the experimental group.
B) A different treatment from the experimental group.
C) A placebo.
D) No treatment.
  • 36. In which year was the National Research Act established?
A) 1982
B) 1999
C) 1974
D) 1965
  • 37. Which student of Peirce conducted experiments on human cognition in schools?
A) Jerzy Neyman
B) Joseph Jastrow
C) George Trumbull Ladd
D) John Dewey
  • 38. Who invented the first stereoscope?
A) Carl Ludwig
B) Hermann von Helmholtz
C) Wheatstone
D) Matthäus Hipp
  • 39. What design did Peirce and Jastrow use in their experiments?
A) Blinded, repeated-measures design
B) Case-control design
C) Longitudinal design
D) Cross-sectional design
  • 40. Which early instrument was used in experimental psychology?
A) Electroencephalograph (EEG)
B) MRI scanner
C) Polygraph machine
D) Hipp Chronoscope
  • 41. What are some instruments used in sensory measurement?
A) Oscillator, attenuator, stroboscope
B) Computer, calculator, and smartphone
C) Syringe, scalpel, and stethoscope
D) Microscope, telescope, and thermometer
  • 42. Which paradigm became dominant in psychology during the mid-20th century, especially in the United States?
A) Cognitive Psychology
B) Humanistic Psychology
C) Behaviorism
D) Psychoanalysis
  • 43. What is the significance of parsimony in scientific theory selection?
A) Simplicity is irrelevant in comparing scientific theories.
B) Parsimony suggests choosing the most complex theory available.
C) If two theories handle observations equally well, prefer the simpler one.
D) Theories should be selected based on their popularity.
  • 44. What principle did Ivan Pavlov establish through his experiments with dogs?
A) Cognitive dissonance
B) Classical conditioning
C) Operant conditioning
D) Social learning theory
  • 45. What was the focus of Peirce's pragmatic program?
A) Exploring developmental stages
B) Understanding human perception
C) Analyzing social interactions
D) Studying animal behavior
  • 46. Where are fMRIs most commonly found?
A) Offices
B) Private homes
C) Hospitals
D) Schools
  • 47. What was the kymograph originally used for?
A) Presenting images to each eye separately
B) Measuring blood pressure
C) Recording reaction times
D) Detecting nerve impulses
  • 48. What component allows a photokymograph to reach an appropriate speed for recording?
A) They employ electrical signals
B) They utilize revolving drums
C) They use vibrating reeds
D) Some have a lens
  • 49. Who popularized the use of factorial designs?
A) B.F. Skinner.
B) Sigmund Freud.
C) R.A. Fisher.
D) Jean Piaget.
  • 50. What is a serious disadvantage of within-subjects designs?
A) They require more participants.
B) Possible sequence effects.
C) Elimination of person confounds.
D) Fewer conditions can be tested.
  • 51. With whom did Charles S. Peirce conduct experiments on weight discrimination?
A) George Trumbull Ladd
B) John Dewey
C) Jerzy Neyman
D) Joseph Jastrow
  • 52. Which scale allows for the comparison 'twice as heavy'?
A) Nominal scale
B) Interval scale
C) Ratio scale
D) Ordinal scale
  • 53. In a 2x3 factorial design, how many levels does the second independent variable have?
A) Four levels.
B) One level.
C) Three levels.
D) Two levels.
  • 54. What is a significant advantage of within-subjects designs over between-subjects designs?
A) They eliminate person confounds.
B) They allow for more participants.
C) They have no disadvantages.
D) They prevent sequence effects.
  • 55. Who is considered one of the founders of behavioral psychology?
A) Ivan Pavlov
B) William James
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Carl Jung
  • 56. Which method assesses reliability by measuring participants at two different times?
A) Construct validity
B) Test-retest
C) Split-half
D) Criterion validity
  • 57. Who used the galvanometer to detect electrical signals generated by nerve impulses?
A) Matthäus Hipp
B) Hermann von Helmholtz
C) Wheatstone
D) Carl Ludwig
  • 58. On which type of temperature scale are ratios like 'twice as hot' meaningful?
A) Celsius scale
B) Kelvin scale
C) Rankine scale
D) Fahrenheit scale
Created with That Quiz — the math test generation site with resources for other subject areas.