ATI RN
Psychological Exam
1. You are taking part in a survey that asks about your attitudes toward physical punishment of children. Even though you believe that spanking is sometimes necessary, you answer that you are opposed to any sort of physical punishment. Which of the following terms best describes why you answered the way you did?
- A. Random responding
- B. Faking bad
- C. Placebo effect
- D. Social desirability
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D, social desirability. Social desirability bias occurs when respondents answer questions in a way they think will be viewed favorably by others, rather than according to their true beliefs. In this scenario, the respondent may feel pressured to provide an answer that aligns with societal norms or expectations, even if it contradicts their personal beliefs. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Random responding refers to answering survey questions haphazardly, without consideration. Faking bad is intentionally providing extreme or negative responses. The placebo effect is a phenomenon where a person's belief in a treatment's effectiveness produces a positive outcome, unrelated to the treatment's actual effects.
2. In an experiment, the investigators manipulate variables to learn how one affects another.?
- A. A data-collection method in which participants respond to questions
- B. The entire group that is of interest to a researcher
- C. A detailed description of a single culture or context
- D. A study that tests a causal hypothesis
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because in an experimental design, investigators manipulate variables to determine the effect of one on another. This process allows researchers to test causal hypotheses by manipulating one variable while keeping others constant. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect as they do not directly relate to manipulating variables in an experiment.
3. Defense mechanisms ________.
- A. make a person feel more anxious and have more problems, as they begin to act defensively.
- B. are strategies the id uses to try to achieve its desires.
- C. are conscious, intentional attempts to cope effectively with an anxiety-producing event.
- D. help a person feel less anxious, but because they usually work by distorting reality, they are not always adaptive.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because defense mechanisms aim to reduce anxiety but can lead to distortion of reality, making them not always beneficial. Choice A is incorrect as defense mechanisms are meant to reduce anxiety, not increase it. Choice B is incorrect because defense mechanisms are not strategies of the id specifically. Choice C is incorrect as defense mechanisms are often unconscious and not always intentional.
4. What are influences that are unusual events with a major impact on individual lives because they disrupt the expected sequence of the life cycle?
- A. Nonnormative influences
- B. Normative history-graded influence
- C. Normative age-graded influence
- D. Sensitive period
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Nonnormative influences refer to unusual events that have a significant impact on individuals' lives by disrupting the typical life cycle. They are events that are not typical for a specific age or cohort. Normative history-graded influences (choice B) are common influences shared by a specific generation due to historical circumstances. Normative age-graded influences (choice C) are typical events that occur at a particular age for most people. A sensitive period (choice D) is a biologically determined time during which specific experiences have a lasting impact on development.
5. Michael, age 16, has recently gained a considerable amount of weight but has not grown any taller. His father experienced a similar pattern of growth when he was a teenager. Theorists who suggest that Michael’s growth pattern was inherited from his father emphasize the ________ side of the nature-nurture debate?
- A. Nature
- B. Nurture
- C. Environmental
- D. Experiential
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is 'A: Nature.' In this scenario, the emphasis is on the genetic inheritance of the growth pattern from father to son, highlighting the role of nature in determining physical characteristics. Choice B, 'Nurture,' focuses on environmental influences, which are not the primary factor in this case. Choice C, 'Environmental,' is similar to 'Nurture' and does not address the genetic aspect mentioned. Choice D, 'Experiential,' pertains more to the learning and experiential aspects rather than genetic inheritance, making it an incorrect choice.
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