PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
It is most beneficial to you to write this mock midterm UNDER EXAM CONDITIONS.
This means:
• Complete the midterm in 2.5 hour(s).
• Work on your own.
• Keep your notes and textbook closed.
• Attempt every question.
After the time limit, go back over your work with a different colour or on a separate piece
of paper and try to do the questions you are unsure of. Record your ideas in the
margins to remind yourself of what you were thinking when you take it up at PASS.
The purpose of this mock exam is to give you practice answering questions in a timed
setting and to help you to gauge which aspects of the course content you know well and
which are in need of further development and review. Use this mock exam as a
learning tool in preparing for the actual exam.
Please note:
 Come to the PASS workshop with your mock exam complete. During the
workshop you can work with other students to review your work.
 Often, there is not enough time to review the entire exam in the PASS workshop.
Decide which questions you most want to review – the Facilitator may ask
students to vote on which questions they want to discuss in detail.
 Facilitators do not bring copies of the mock exam to the session. Please print out
and complete the exam before you attend.
 Facilitators do not produce or distribute an answer key for mock exams.
Facilitators help students to work together to compare and assess the answers
they have. If you are not able to attend the PASS workshop, you can work alone
or with others in the class.
Good Luck writing the Mock Exam!
Dates and locations of mock exam take-up:
Monday October 17th @ 4:00 – 6:00 PM in Southam Hall Room 505
Tuesday October 18th @ 5:00 – 7:00 PM in Canal Building Room 3400
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
1) Which of the following schools of psychology can be best described by the following
statement: We should study the purpose of consciousness and also study what it
does.
(A) Structuralism
(B) Functionalism
(C) Psychoanalysis
(D) Behaviorism
2) Which of the following schools of psychology can be best described by the following
statement: We should analyze consciousness into its basic units.
(A) Structuralism
(B) Functionalism
(C) Psychoanalysis
(D) Behaviorism
3) Which of the options best describe the following: A measure of the degree to which
one variable is related to another.
(A) Correlation
(B) Standard Deviation
(C) Statistical Significance
(D) Correlation Co-efficient (r)
4) What term best describes the following: There is a small probability that the observed
findings are due to chance.
(A) Correlation
(B) Standard Deviation
(C) Statistical Significance
(D) Correlation Co-efficient (r)
5) Which of the following concepts was central to the work of B.F. Skinner?
(A) Insight
(B) Stream of Consciousness
(C) Introspection
(D) Reinforcement
6) Which option best describes the normal distribution?
(A) Communicates a specific score’s distance from the mean (in units of standard deviation)
(B) Communicates a specific score’s distance from the standard deviation (in units of mean)
(C) Communicates a specific score’s distance from the mode (in units of correlation coefficient)
(D) Communicates a specific score’s distance from the median (in units of variance)
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
7) Which of the following statements is FALSE?
(A) Parsimony (also known as Occam’s Razor) states that the simplest explanation is often
true.
(B) A study is considered as replicable if another research can conduct that same study and
yield similar results.
(C) The theory of psychoanalysis is an example of a study that is falsifiable.
(D) Science is a method for understanding and studying how the universe works.
8) Which of the following is an imaging technique that is used to study the brain?
(A) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
(B) Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
(C) Electroencephalography (EEG)
(D) Computerized Tomography (CT)
9) The genes that code for Justin’s hazel eyes are collectively referred to as the
________, while his actual eye color is referred to as the ________.
(A) Genotype – Genotype
(B) Phenotype – Genotype
(C) Phenotype – Phenotype
(D) Genotype – Phenotype
10) Messages (in the form of Action Potentials) are transmitted from one neuron to
another through the:
(A) Axon of one neuron to the axon of another neuron
(B) Dendrites of one neuron to the dendrites of another neuron.
(C) Synapses of one neuron the axon of another neuron.
(D) Axon of one neuron to the dendrites of another neuron.
11) Most psychological traits in human beings, such as IQ, are influenced by:
(A) 30% Genetics – 70% Environment
(B) 100% Environment
(C) 30% Environment – 70% Genetics
(D) 50% Genetics – 50% Environment
12) Which of the following items is regulated by the autonomic nervous system?
(A) Breathing
(B) Throwing a ball
(C) Balancing on a balance beam
(D) Eating
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
13) Abigail is trying to determine if there is a genetic basis for autism; which type of
study should she use?
(A) Naturalistic Observation
(B) Polygenic Inheritance
(C) Twin Study
(D) Correlational Study
14) Which of the following reflects the “nature” approach to human psychology?
(A) Intelligence is largely determined by genetics.
(B) Where a person lives determines how a person behaves.
(C) Intelligence is determined by the kind of education a person receives.
(D) People’s family life helps determine who they will become.
15) In what city was Canada’s first psychological laboratory established in?
(A) Calgary
(B) Vancouver
(C) Montreal
(D) None of the above
16) On a normal distribution, a standard deviation of 3 indicates which of the following:
(A) The particular score is an outlier
(B) The particular score is 3 units away from the median
(C) The particular score is 3 units away from the mean
(D) None of the above
17) The endocrine system is comprised of ______ that circulate in the bloodstream.
(A) Agonists
(B) Antagonists
(C) Hormones
(D) Neurotransmitters
18) Which of the following nervous systems (NVS) consists of the brain and the spinal
cord?
(A) Somatic NVS
(B) Peripheral NVS
(C) Central NVS
(D) Autonomic NVS
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
19) Which of the following brain structures is involved in the regulation of basic
biological drives such as hunger and sex?
(A) Hippocampus
(B) Hypothalamus
(C) Thalamus
(D) Corpus Callosum
20) Which of the following brain structures connects the brain’s left and right
hemisphere?
(A) Hippocampus
(B) Hypothalamus
(C) Thalamus
(D) Corpus Callosum
21) Multiple Sclerosis disintegrates a neuron’s ______, which, in turn, reduces the speed
of transmission of a neural impulse.
(A) Axon
(B) Myelin Sheath
(C) Dendrite
(D) Soma
22) ______ lobes control vision, while _____ lobes control audition (i.e., hearing).
(A) Frontal; Occipital
(B) Occipital; Temporal
(C) Temporal; Occipital
(D) Temporal; Temporal
23) Which lobe is responsible for our executive functioning (thinking, planning, etc.)?
(A) Frontal
(B) Occipital
(C) Temporal
(D) Parietal
24) A stroke patient arrives in the emergency room. You conduct an
electroencephalogram (EEG) and conclude that the Broca’s Area in the left
hemisphere has been severely damaged. Which of the following deficits will you
expect to see in your patient?
(A) Poor ability to write
(B) Poor ability to speak
(C) Poor ability to understand the speech of others
(D) Poor ability to make decisions
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
25) You are a clinical psychologist working in the addiction field. John is a heroin addict
who is seeking medication to reduce his substance abuse. In this example, what is the
chemical mechanism of heroin?
(A) Afferent
(B) Efferent
(C) Agonist
(D) Antagonist
26) What is the term that is used to describe a drug the blocks the function of a
neurotransmitter?
(A) Afferent
(B) Efferent
(C) Agonist
(D) Antagonist
27) A neuron has to be in which of the following states in order for an action potential
to occur?
(A) Presynaptic State
(B) Post Synaptic State
(C) Excitation Potential
(D) Resting Potential
28) The _______ nervous system (NVS) is part of the peripheral NVS and is
responsible for controlling voluntary motor movement.
(A) Somatic NVS
(B) Peripheral NVS
(C) Central NVS
(D) Autonomic NVS
29) Sensory neurons carry incoming information to the brain travel through the
______ nerves. Motor neurons carrying the output information to the rest of the body
travel through ______ nerves.
(A) Afferent – Afferent
(B) Afferent – Efferent
(C) Efferent – Efferent
(D) Efferent – Afferent
30)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
What do vesicles contain?
Neurotransmitters only
Hormones only
Hormones and Neurotransmitters
None of the above
PSYC 1001 D
31)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Pasha Yaghini
Which of the following terms refers to the sharpness of vision?
Visual sensorineural
Visual index
Visual acuity
Visual closure
32) Which of the following is true about a correlation?
(A) A correlation allows a researcher to determine cause and effect relationships
(B) A negative correlation co-efficient means that as one variable increase, the other will
increase
(C) A correlation co-efficient of 10 suggests that there is a moderately strong correlation
between variable A and B
(D) None of the above
33)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Light enters the eye through which of the following structures?
Pupils
Lens
Cornea
All of the above
34)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Which of the following structures houses the receptors for hearing?
Basilar Membrane
Cerebellum
Cochlea
Cornea
35)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Which of the following is true?
The basilar membrane runs the length of the cochlear membrane
The basilar membrane is stationary
The basilar membrane’s auditory receptors are hair cells
None of the above
36)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
What is the gustatory system?
A cell body which emits pheromones
The sensory system for smell
A neural network of the optic nerve
The sensory system for taste
37)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
What is sensory system for smell called?
Gustatory System
Gestation System
Okazaki System
Olfactory System
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
38) Which of the following best describes the perceptual hypothesis?
(A) An inference about which distal stimuli may be responsible for the proximal stimuli
sensed
(B) An inference about which proximal stimuli may be responsible for the proximal stimuli
sensed
(C) An inference about which proximal stimuli may be responsible for the distal stimuli
sensed
(D) An inference about which distal stimuli may be responsible for the distal stimuli sensed
39) If Fatima first recognizes the whole (e.g., a doll), followed by its elements (e.g., its
fur, arms, legs etc.), what kind of processing is she engaging in?
(A) Bottom-up processing
(B) Up-bottom processing
(C) Top-down processing
(D) Down-top processing
40) Tom has been your patient for many years and has always been in generally good
health. However, he has recently been complaining about a reduction in his appetite,
and a newly formed tendency to be overly aggressive. Which of the following is Tom
most likely suffering from and what neurotransmitter is this condition associated
with?
(A) Cerebral Palsy – Acetylcholine
(B) Anxiety – Dopamine
(C) Depression – Serotonin
(D) Autism – Glutamate
41) Individuals diagnosed with psychopathy are generally considered to suffer from
an ability to experience emotion. Supressed emotions are likely caused by damage to
which of the following brain structures?
(A) Hippocampus
(B) Hypothalamus
(C) Thalamus
(D) Amygdala
42)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Which of the following is true regarding the absolute refractory period?
The voltage associated with the absolute refractory period is -70mV
During this period, it is not possible for an action potential to occur
A neuron’s threshold for firing is lowered
A neuron’s threshold for firing is increased
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
43) When a neurotransmitter and a receptor molecule combine, the resultant
reactions in the cell membrane generate a ________ potential, which is voltage
change at a receptor site on a _____ cell membrane.
(A) post-synaptic – posts-synaptic
(B) post-synaptic – pre-synaptic
(C) pre-synaptic – post-synaptic
(D) pre-synaptic – pre-synaptic
44) Which of the following is a measure that a researcher might use in order for their
study to reach statistical significance?
(A) Using participants who are undergraduate students
(B) Increasing the sample size
(C) Decreasing the number of participants
(D) Calculating the p value
45) What is/are the main utility(s) of inferential statistics?
(A) The use of inferential statistics allows for a researcher to make inferences about
populations on the basis of samples
(B) The use of inferential statistics allows for a researcher to make inferences about samples
on the basis of populations
(C) Allows researcher to better establish cause and effect relationships among variables
(D) All of the above
46)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
What is the median of the following numbers: 12, 6, 8, 5, 11, 10, 14, 4
11
9
8
10
47)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
What is the range of the following number: 12, 6, 8, 5, 11, 10, 14, 4
11
9
8
10
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
48) The correlation between the number of ice cream purchases and homicides is
0.70. Tom claims that this correlation suggests that eating ice cream increases the
likelihood that one will commit murder. Leila believes that Tom’s interpretation of
the correlation is incorrect as another variable (e.g., temperature) may explain the
relationship. Jeff says that you cannot conclude causation unless the correlation is at
least 0.95. Who is right?
(A) Jeff
(B) Leila
(C) Tom
(D) Tom and Leila
49) Vertigo is a condition wherein the individuals feels as if they, or the objects
around them, are moving when in fact they are not. In fact, vertigo is the common
type of dizziness. An impairment of which of the following systems is most likely to
account for Vertigo?
(A) Gustatory System
(B) Kinesthetic System
(C) Vestibular System
(D) Olfactory System
50) Dr. Lee has just diagnosed Jen with prosopagnosia. As a result of her condition,
what is Jen NOT able to do?
(A) Recognize familiar faces
(B) Recognizes objects
(C) Recognize sounds
(D) Recognize the lower half of her body
51) Chris and Emma are having dinner at “Oh Noir” in Montreal! This is a type of
restaurant where patrons eat their dinner in darkness. At first, the darkness is
suffocating and neither one can see a thing! But as the date goes on, both Chris and
Emma are able to see more and more. What phenomena is most likely occurring?
(A) Sensory adaptation
(B) Sensory deprivation
(C) Sensory stimulation
(D) Sensory degradation
52)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
If the Weber’s fraction for lifting weights is 1/20, which of the following is true:
JND for 2000 grams is 70 grams
JND for 2000 grams is 100 grams
JND for 2000 grams is 80 grams
JND for 2000 grams is 60 grams
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
53) Which of the following is not true?
(A) The absolute threshold for a specific sense (e.g., smell) is the minimum amount of
stimulation that an organism can detect
(B) The absolute threshold for a specific sense (e.g., smell) is the maximum amount of
stimulation that an organism can detect
(C) The absolute threshold is a dividing point between energy levels that do and do not have
a detectable effect
(D) None are true
54) Ella is suffering from an anxiety disorder. Her family physician refers Ella to two
professionals: Dr. Kitz and Dr. Bell. Dr. Kitz teaches Ella how to cope with her
anxiety with various forms of exercises and breathing techniques. In contrast, Dr.
Bell’s treatment strategy involves prescribing Lomotil – an anti-anxiety medication.
In this example, what are the professions of Dr. Kitz and Dr. Bell?
(A) Dr. Bell is a clinical psychologist and Dr. Kitz is a psychiatrist
(B) Both Dr. Bell and Dr. Kitz are psychiatrists
(C) Dr. Bell is a psychiatrist and Dr. Kitz is a clinical psychologist
(D) Both Dr. Bell and Dr. Kitz are clinical psychologists.
55)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Which school of psychology does Ivan Pavlov belong to?
Cognitive Psychology
Evolutionary Psychology
Humanistic Psychology
None of the above
56) How would an evolutionary psychologist describe a behaviour that has been
naturally selected?
(A) The behavior is adaptive
(B) The behavior increases the probability of reproduction
(C) The behavior promotes a reproductive advantage
(D) All of the above
57) The average grade on Dr. Lacroix’s midterm was a 75. Molly’s score was two
standard deviations above the mean, while Jared’s score was zero standard
deviations away from the mean. What was Jared’s score?
(A) 90
(B) 75
(C) 70
(D) 85
PSYC 1001 D
Pasha Yaghini
58) If a study is conducted wherein the sample was not representative of the
population from which it was drawn, what kind of bias has occurred?
(A) Population bias
(B) Sampling bias
(C) Participant bias
(D) Extraneous variable bias
59)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
What is an experimental group?
Participants who receive a special treatment that is not provided other groups
Participants who do not receive any treatment
Participants who are used as control measures
Participants who serve as baseline measures for the variable that is being assessed by the
study
60)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Henry Molaison suffered from what form of amnesia?
Anterograde amnesia
Retrograde amnesia
Both retrograde and anterograde amnesia
Henry did not suffer from amnesia