ATI RN
Psychological Exam
1. According to John Watson, behavior is governed primarily by?
- A. Heredity.
- B. Personal motives.
- C. The environment.
- D. Unconscious desires.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: According to John Watson, behavior is primarily governed by environmental factors. Watson was a behaviorist who emphasized the influence of the environment on behavior. He believed that behavior is shaped by external stimuli and experiences, rather than internal factors like heredity or unconscious desires. Therefore, choices A, B, and D are incorrect as they do not align with Watson's perspective on behaviorism.
2. In psychoanalytic theory, which psychosexual stage centers on castration anxiety?
- A. Genital
- B. Oral
- C. Anal
- D. Phallic
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Castration anxiety is a concept specific to the Phallic stage in psychoanalytic theory, according to Sigmund Freud. During the Phallic stage, children experience the Oedipus complex (boys) and Electra complex (girls), where they develop unconscious desires for the opposite-sex parent and fear castration by the same-sex parent. This anxiety is a crucial aspect of the Phallic stage, making it the correct answer. The other stages (Genital, Oral, and Anal) do not directly involve castration anxiety and focus on different aspects of psychosexual development.
3. Strict behaviorists would be most sympathetic to which one of the following statements?
- A. Human behavior is primarily caused by inherited factors.
- B. Human behavior is primarily caused by environmental factors.
- C. Human behavior is primarily caused by equal contributions of inherited and environmental factors.
- D. No one really knows the primary causes for human behavior.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Strict behaviorists, who adhere to behaviorism, believe that human behavior is primarily influenced by environmental factors. This perspective asserts that individuals' actions and responses are shaped by their interactions with the environment, learning experiences, and external stimuli. Choice A is incorrect because strict behaviorists do not focus on inherited factors but on how behavior is learned and shaped through environmental influences. Choice C is also incorrect as behaviorists do not believe in equal contributions of inherited and environmental factors; they emphasize environmental determinants. Choice D is incorrect as behaviorists have a clear stance that behavior is influenced by environmental stimuli and learning experiences.
4. Which of the following is not a common method for studying genetic influences?
- A. The study of specific gene defects
- B. Twin studies
- C. Adoption studies
- D. Family history (pedigree) studies
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. Studying specific gene defects is not a common method for investigating genetic influences. Choices B, C, and D are common methods used in genetic research. Twin studies help determine the heritability of traits, adoption studies compare similarities between adopted individuals and their adoptive families versus biological families, and family history studies track the inheritance patterns of traits within families.
5. The process of ________ is used to increase the probability that a behavior will occur.
- A. operant conditioning
- B. reinforcement
- C. classical conditioning
- D. punishment
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is reinforcement. Reinforcement involves providing a consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Operant conditioning (Choice A) refers to learning through consequences for behavior, which includes reinforcement and punishment. Classical conditioning (Choice C) involves forming associations between stimuli and involuntary responses. Punishment (Choice D) involves providing a consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. In this context, the question specifically asks about a process that increases the probability of a behavior occurring, aligning with the concept of reinforcement.
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