, Chapter 1
True/False Questions
Section 1
1. Scientific research has shown that women are more talkative than men.
False; Easy
2. Psychology is a science.
True; Easy
3. Human emotions cannot be studied scientifically.
False; Moderate
4. Psychology is fundamentally different from other sciences such as biology
and chemistry.
False; Easy
5. Empiricism refers to learning by observation.
True; Easy
6. Questions about values cannot be answered by scientific research.
True; Moderate
7. The modern theory of biorhythms is a good example of a scientific theory.
False; Easy
8. The term pseudoscience means “false science.”
True; Easy
9. Sigmund Freud developed the concept of falsifiability.
False; Easy
Section 2
10. The primary source of new research questions is past research.
True; Easy
11. Psychological research has shown that cell phone use does not impair
driving performance.
False; Easy
12. Most scientific research in psychology is conducted by psychotherapists
studying their own clients.
False; Easy
© Paul C. Price, published by Flat World Knowledge 1
, 13. The scientific study of sex differences in talkativeness is an example of
basic research.
True; Easy
14. All good psychological research is conducted to solve real-world
problems.
False; Moderate
Section 3
15. Folk psychology refers to incorrect beliefs about human behavior.
False; Moderate
16. Skepticism refers to tolerance of different viewpoints.
False; Easy
Section 4
17. The “clinical practice of psychology” includes the work of marriage and
family therapists.
True; Easy
18. The adult children of alcoholics have been shown by scientific research to
suffer from many serious psychological problems.
False; Easy
19. It is impossible to test the effectiveness of psychotherapy.
False; Easy
Multiple-Choice Items
Section 1
20. Scientific research has suggested which of the following?
a. Women are much more talkative than men.
b. Men are much more talkative than women.
c. Men and women are equally talkative.
d. none of the above.
C; Easy
21. Which of the following best describes the relationship between
psychology, on the one hand, and biology, chemistry, and physics, on the
other hand?
a. Psychology is fundamentally different from biology, chemistry, and
physics.
© Paul C. Price, published by Flat World Knowledge 2
, b. Psychology is not scientific but biology, chemistry, and physics are.
c. Psychology is non-mathematical but biology, chemistry, and physics
are.
d. All of these disciplines share the same general approach to
understanding the natural world.
D; Easy
22. Which of the following is NOT one of the three fundamental features of
science?
a. empirical questions
b. public knowledge
c. mathematical equations
d. systematic empiricism
C; Easy
23. Which of the following is NOT an empirical question?
a. Are women more talkative than men?
b. Is dieting an effective weight loss strategy?
c. Should we prohibit cell phone use while driving?
d. Does cognitive psychotherapy help depressed people?
C; Moderate
24. A set of beliefs can be said to be pseudoscientific if it lacks one or more of
the three features of science and _____.
a. its adherents claim or imply that it is scientific
b. it has been discredited by scientific research
c. it seems “crazy”
d. it refers to phenomena that cannot be directly observed
A; Moderate
Section 2
25. The process of conducting scientific research in psychology can be
conceptualized as which of the following?
a. a line
b. a cycle
c. a staircase
d. an equation
B; Easy
26. Research questions in psychology can come from which of the following?
a. previous research
b. informal observations
c. practical problems to be solved
d. all of the above
D; Easy
© Paul C. Price, published by Flat World Knowledge 3
True/False Questions
Section 1
1. Scientific research has shown that women are more talkative than men.
False; Easy
2. Psychology is a science.
True; Easy
3. Human emotions cannot be studied scientifically.
False; Moderate
4. Psychology is fundamentally different from other sciences such as biology
and chemistry.
False; Easy
5. Empiricism refers to learning by observation.
True; Easy
6. Questions about values cannot be answered by scientific research.
True; Moderate
7. The modern theory of biorhythms is a good example of a scientific theory.
False; Easy
8. The term pseudoscience means “false science.”
True; Easy
9. Sigmund Freud developed the concept of falsifiability.
False; Easy
Section 2
10. The primary source of new research questions is past research.
True; Easy
11. Psychological research has shown that cell phone use does not impair
driving performance.
False; Easy
12. Most scientific research in psychology is conducted by psychotherapists
studying their own clients.
False; Easy
© Paul C. Price, published by Flat World Knowledge 1
, 13. The scientific study of sex differences in talkativeness is an example of
basic research.
True; Easy
14. All good psychological research is conducted to solve real-world
problems.
False; Moderate
Section 3
15. Folk psychology refers to incorrect beliefs about human behavior.
False; Moderate
16. Skepticism refers to tolerance of different viewpoints.
False; Easy
Section 4
17. The “clinical practice of psychology” includes the work of marriage and
family therapists.
True; Easy
18. The adult children of alcoholics have been shown by scientific research to
suffer from many serious psychological problems.
False; Easy
19. It is impossible to test the effectiveness of psychotherapy.
False; Easy
Multiple-Choice Items
Section 1
20. Scientific research has suggested which of the following?
a. Women are much more talkative than men.
b. Men are much more talkative than women.
c. Men and women are equally talkative.
d. none of the above.
C; Easy
21. Which of the following best describes the relationship between
psychology, on the one hand, and biology, chemistry, and physics, on the
other hand?
a. Psychology is fundamentally different from biology, chemistry, and
physics.
© Paul C. Price, published by Flat World Knowledge 2
, b. Psychology is not scientific but biology, chemistry, and physics are.
c. Psychology is non-mathematical but biology, chemistry, and physics
are.
d. All of these disciplines share the same general approach to
understanding the natural world.
D; Easy
22. Which of the following is NOT one of the three fundamental features of
science?
a. empirical questions
b. public knowledge
c. mathematical equations
d. systematic empiricism
C; Easy
23. Which of the following is NOT an empirical question?
a. Are women more talkative than men?
b. Is dieting an effective weight loss strategy?
c. Should we prohibit cell phone use while driving?
d. Does cognitive psychotherapy help depressed people?
C; Moderate
24. A set of beliefs can be said to be pseudoscientific if it lacks one or more of
the three features of science and _____.
a. its adherents claim or imply that it is scientific
b. it has been discredited by scientific research
c. it seems “crazy”
d. it refers to phenomena that cannot be directly observed
A; Moderate
Section 2
25. The process of conducting scientific research in psychology can be
conceptualized as which of the following?
a. a line
b. a cycle
c. a staircase
d. an equation
B; Easy
26. Research questions in psychology can come from which of the following?
a. previous research
b. informal observations
c. practical problems to be solved
d. all of the above
D; Easy
© Paul C. Price, published by Flat World Knowledge 3
