Psychology Qualifying Exam - Practice

MCQs
Set 1
Q1. What is psychology?

The study of mind

The study of behavior

The study of the brain

The study of human development

Q2. What is the primary focus of the scientific method in psychology?

To collect personal opinions

To conduct experiments

To observe behavior

To ask philosophical questions

Q3. Who is considered the father of psychology?

Sigmund Freud

Wilhelm Wundt

B.F. Skinner

John Watson

Q4. What is a major difference between experimental and correlational research?

Experimental studies manipulate variables, while correlational studies observe variables

Experimental studies observe variables, while correlational studies manipulate variables

Correlational research is always less accurate

Q5. Which of the following is a type of descriptive research?

Case study

Experiment

Survey

All of the above

Q6. What does it mean to be an informed consumer of psychological research?

To accept all findings at face value

To critically evaluate research

To ignore conflicting findings

To focus on media interpretations

Q7. What kind of research is typically used to determine cause-and-effect relationships?

Correlational research

Descriptive research

Experimental research

Survey research

Q8. Which approach emphasizes the role of unconscious processes and early childhood
experiences in shaping behavior?

Behavioral

Cognitive

Psychoanalytic

Humanistic
Q9. What is the definition of the biological perspective in psychology?

The focus on how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors arise from physiological processes

The focus on how environmental factors shape behavior

The focus on how genetics affect personality

The study of how behavior can be conditioned

Q10. What is the key characteristic of a good hypothesis in scientific research?

It must be based on common sense

It must be falsifiable

It must always be true

It must be vague

Q11. In psychology, the term 'behavior' is used to refer to:

Emotions only

The observable actions of individuals

Thoughts

Feelings

Q12. Which of the following is the best example of a correlational research design?

An experiment on the effects of sleep deprivation

A survey on people’s income and happiness

A case study on a patient with schizophrenia

An observational study of social behavior in children

Q13. What is the main goal of psychological science?

To understand human behavior

To experiment on living beings

To make predictions

Q14. Which psychologist is most associated with operant conditioning?

B.F. Skinner

John Watson

Carl Rogers

Albert Bandura

Q15. Which of the following best describes the concept of 'psychology as a science'?

It uses empirical research to understand behavior

It relies solely on introspection

It is a philosophy, not a science

It ignores the scientific method

Q16. What is the first step in the scientific method?

Hypothesis testing

Observation

Experimentation

Data analysis

Q17. Which of the following is true of naturalistic observation?

It is a type of experimental research

It involves observing behavior in a natural environment

It is not useful for studying human behavior

Q18. What is the primary difference between correlational and experimental research?

Correlational research tests cause-and-effect relationships

Experimental research focuses on discovering relationships

Experimental research manipulates variables

Correlational research involves randomized control trials

Q19. What is the term for the group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental
treatment?

Control group

Experimental group

Placebo group

Treatment group

Q20. Which of the following is a limitation of case studies?

They cannot establish cause-and-effect relationships

They require large sample sizes

They are expensive and difficult to conduct

They do not allow for any detailed analysis

Q21. What does the field of psychology study?

Behavior

Cognitive processes

Emotions

All of the above

Recall

Recognition

Relearning

All of the above

Q23. What does a 'meta-analysis' study?

An individual experiment

A collection of research studies

A single case study

A single survey

Q24. Which type of research is most appropriate for examining the effects of a specific
treatment?

Experimental

Correlational

Descriptive

Case study

Q25. What is a placebo?

An ineffective treatment

A real treatment

A type of therapy

A type of drug

Q26. What do psychologists mean by 'naturalistic observation'?

Observing behavior in a controlled environment

Recording physiological data

Conducting surveys

Q27. What type of study would you conduct to explore the relationship between two
variables?

Experimental study

Case study

Correlational study

Observational study

Q28. Which of the following is an example of an operational definition?

The number of hours spent studying

The definition of intelligence

The concept of love

The idea of happiness

Q29. Which type of research design involves manipulating one variable to see its effect on
another?

Experimental

Correlational

Descriptive

Longitudinal

Q30. Which of the following is an ethical consideration in psychological research?

Informed consent

Deception
 Confidentiality

All of the above

Q31. What does a researcher need to ensure when applying the scientific method?

That their results are always true

That their hypotheses are based on personal experience

That the study can be replicated

That their research is not criticized

Q32. What is the term for when research findings are consistent across different studies?

Reliability

Validity

Generalizability

Ethics

Q33. What is the main goal of the scientific method in psychology?

To test hypotheses

To collect qualitative data

To conduct surveys

To establish laws of behavior

Q34. What is the role of a control group in an experiment?

To test the effects of the experimental variable

To help eliminate confounding variables

To receive the experimental treatment

To help researchers manipulate variables

The process of examining one’s own thoughts

The use of surveys

The study of brain activity

The analysis of physical behavior

Q36. Which research method is often used in clinical psychology?

Case study

Experiment

Survey

Field study