Introduction to Psychology: cram pack

Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 8 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.

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1Practice problems

1.Cognitive psychologyMedium

In a lexical decision task, people recognise "nurse" as a word faster after seeing "doctor" than after seeing "bread". This is best explained by:

  1. AIconic memory decay
  2. BSpreading activation in a semantic network
  3. CRetroactive interference
  4. DThe phonological similarity effect
2.Cognitive psychologyHard

Warren replaced one speech sound in a sentence with a cough. Listeners reported hearing the sentence intact and could not locate the cough correctly. This is evidence for:

  1. APurely bottom-up speech perception
  2. BDamage to Broca's area
  3. CTop-down influences in speech perception
  4. DEchoic memory lasting for several minutes
3.Developmental psychologyMedium

Habituation in infant research is used to show that babies:

  1. AAre born with full adult vision
  2. BBecome drowsy and sleep more when the same stimulus is presented over and over again
  3. CPrefer their own reflection
  4. DCan tell two stimuli apart because interest returns when the stimulus changes
4.Developmental psychologyHard

In a Bobo doll variation, children who saw a model punished imitated less aggression, but when all children were offered rewards to copy the model, the differences disappeared. This shows:

  1. AThat aggression is entirely innate
  2. BThat children learn only through direct reinforcement of their own actions
  3. CA difference between learning a behaviour and performing it
  4. DThat punishment prevents any learning
5.Social psychologyMedium

The foot-in-the-door technique works by:

  1. AMaking a large request first, which is refused, then a smaller one
  2. BUsing fear to persuade
  3. CGetting agreement to a small request before making a larger one
  4. DOffering a discount after the request
6.Social psychologyHard

Steele and Aronson found that Black students did worse than White students on a hard verbal test when it was described as a measure of ability, but equally well when it was described as a non-diagnostic task. This shows that:

  1. AAbility differences between groups are fixed and cannot change
  2. BThe way a test is described has no effect on how well people perform
  3. CHard verbal tests are equally difficult for every student
  4. DFraming a test can create performance gaps via stereotype threat
7.Clinical psychologyMedium

According to the duty established in the Tarasoff case in California, a therapist may need to:

  1. ARefuse to treat clients with a history of violence
  2. BReport every client who expresses anger
  3. CKeep all information confidential under every circumstance, whatever the risk to others
  4. DTake steps to protect an identifiable person whom a client seriously threatens
8.Clinical psychologyHard

A soldier develops PTSD while most comrades exposed to the same battle do not. Which model best explains this difference?

  1. AThe medical model of infection
  2. BThe statistical infrequency model
  3. CThe token economy model
  4. DThe diathesis–stress model

2Solutions

1.Cognitive psychology

Answer: B · Spreading activation in a semantic network

Why this is the answer

Collins and Loftus proposed that activating a concept spreads activation to related concepts, making them easier to access (semantic priming).

Answer

B · Spreading activation in a semantic network
2.Cognitive psychology

Answer: C · Top-down influences in speech perception

Why this is the answer

Listeners "fill in" the missing phoneme using knowledge of words and context, showing that expectations shape what we hear.

Answer

C · Top-down influences in speech perception
3.Developmental psychology

Answer: D · Can tell two stimuli apart because interest returns when the stimulus changes

Why this is the answer

When a familiar stimulus is replaced by a new one, a recovery in looking time (dishabituation) shows the infant perceives the difference.

Answer

D · Can tell two stimuli apart because interest returns when the stimulus changes
4.Developmental psychology

Answer: C · A difference between learning a behaviour and performing it

Why this is the answer

Bandura showed that observational learning occurs regardless of the model's consequences, but expected consequences affect whether the behaviour is performed.

Answer

C · A difference between learning a behaviour and performing it
5.Social psychology

Answer: C · Getting agreement to a small request before making a larger one

Why this is the answer

Agreeing to a small request makes people more likely to agree to a later bigger one, possibly because of consistency with their self-image.

Answer

C · Getting agreement to a small request before making a larger one
6.Social psychology

Answer: D · Framing a test can create performance gaps via stereotype threat

Why this is the answer

When the test seemed to measure ability, the threat of confirming a stereotype impaired performance. Removing that framing removed the gap.

Answer

D · Framing a test can create performance gaps via stereotype threat
7.Clinical psychology

Answer: D · Take steps to protect an identifiable person whom a client seriously threatens

Why this is the answer

The Tarasoff rulings held that when a client poses a serious danger of violence to an identifiable victim, the therapist has a duty to take reasonable steps to protect that person.

Answer

D · Take steps to protect an identifiable person whom a client seriously threatens
8.Clinical psychology

Answer: D · The diathesis–stress model

Why this is the answer

The diathesis–stress model holds that a stressor causes disorder mainly in people with pre-existing vulnerabilities, such as genetic risk, prior trauma or poor social support.

Answer

D · The diathesis–stress model

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