心理学考试题及答案英文

心理学考试题及答案英文
Psychology Exam Questions and Answers in English
Question 1: Define the term 'cognitive dissonance' and
provide an example.
Answer: Cognitive dissonance is a psychological concept that refers to the mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time, or is confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs, ideas, or values. For example, a person who strongly believes in the health
benefits of a vegetarian diet but finds themselves craving meat may experience cognitive dissonance, leading them to either change their diet or justify their craving in a way
that aligns with their beliefs.
Question 2: Explain the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Answer: Intrinsic motivation refers to the internal drive to engage in an activity for the sake of the activity itself. It is motivated by personal satisfaction, interest, or enjoyment. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is the drive to
engage in an activity due to external rewards or pressures. This could be money, recognition, or avoiding negative consequences.
Question 3: Describe the stages of Piaget's theory of cognitive development.
Answer: Piaget's theory of cognitive development is divided into four main stages:
1. Sensorimotor Stage (birth to 2 years): Infants learn about the world through their senses and motor activities.
2. Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 years): Children begin to use symbols and language but are still limited in their logical thinking abilities.
3. Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 years): Children develop the ability to perform logical operations on concrete objects and events.
4. Formal Operational Stage (11 years and up): Adolescents and adults can think logically about abstract concepts and hypothetical situations.
Question 4: What is the role of the amygdala in emotional processing?
Answer: The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure in the brain that plays a key role in the processing and expression of emotions, particularly those related to fear
and anxiety. It is involved in the formation of emotional memories and is also implicated in the body's fight-or-flight response to perceived threats.
Question 5: Explain the concept of 'operant conditioning' as described by B.F. Skinner.
Answer: Operant conditioning is a method of learning that occurs through reinforcement and punishment. According to B.F. Skinner, behavior is more likely to be repeated if it is followed by a positive reinforcement (reward) and less likely to be repeated if followed by a negative reinforcement (punishment). This process shapes behavior by increasing or decreasing the frequency of certain actions based on their consequences.
Question 6: How does the 'Hawthorne effect' influence
research outcomes?
Answer: The Hawthorne effect is a phenomenon where
individuals modify an aspect of their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed. In research settings, this can lead to changes in the behavior of participants simply because they know they are being studied, which can skew the results and make it difficult to determine the true effects
of the variables being tested.
Question 7: What is the 'self-serving bias' in social psychology?
Answer: The self-serving bias is a cognitive bias where individuals attribute positive events to their own abilities and negative events to external factors. This bias serves to protect the individual's self-esteem and maintain a positive self-image.
Question 8: Describe the 'serial position effect' in memory.
Answer: The serial position effect refers to the tendency of people to remember the first items (primacy effect) and the last items (recency effect) in a list better than the items in the middle. This effect is often observed in free recall tasks and is thought to be due to the differential strength of memory traces for items in different positions.
Question 9: What is 'flow' as described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi?
Answer: Flow is a state of deep immersion in an activity where a person is so engaged that they lose track of time and are intrinsically motivated to continue the activity. It is characterized by a heightened focus, a sense of enjoyment,
and the experience of being 'in the zone.'
Question 10: Explain the concept of 'social loafing' in group dynamics.
Answer: Social loafing is a phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working collectively than when working individually. This occurs because individuals may feel less accountable for their contributions in a group setting, leading to a decrease in personal effort.
End of Exam
Please note that this exam is designed to assess a basic understanding of key concepts in psychology. Further study and application are necessary for a comprehensive grasp of the subject.。