GRE Psychology Practice Test

The "fight or flight" response is primarily triggered by which part of the autonomic nervous system?

The neurotransmitter dopamine is most closely associated with which of the following functions?

In the context of neural transmission, what does the term 'refractory period' refer to?

Which hormone is primarily responsible for the body's response to stress?

In the visual processing system, what is the primary function of the rods in the retina?

In terms of brain hemispheric specialization, the left hemisphere is typically associated with which of the following functions?

Which area of the brain is primarily associated with the formation of new memories?

Which part of the brain is most directly involved in the regulation of basic survival functions like heart rate and breathing?

Which lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for processing visual information?

Which neurotransmitter is primarily involved in the regulation of mood, appetite, and sleep?

In the context of neurotransmitters, what is the function of an agonist?

What is the function of myelin in the nervous system?

Which brain structure is essential for the consolidation of spatial memory and navigation?

What is the primary role of the neurotransmitter glutamate in the central nervous system?

What is the main function of the parietal lobe in the human brain?

In neurobiology, what does 'neuroplasticity' refer to?

Which part of the brain is primarily involved in the regulation of homeostasis, including temperature control and hunger?

What is the primary neurotransmitter used by the sympathetic nervous system for transmitting signals?

Which hormone is released by the pineal gland and regulates sleep patterns?

In the human brain, where is the primary auditory cortex located?

What is the primary function of the neurotransmitter GABA "gamma-aminobutyric acid" in the central nervous system?

Which area of the brain is primarily responsible for the coordination and smooth execution of voluntary movements?

Which gland is known as the "master gland" of the endocrine system due to its role in controlling the functions of other endocrine glands?

In neural transmission, what is the primary function of an axon?

In the context of neural action potentials, what is the significance of the 'all-or-none' principle?

Which brain structure is primarily responsible for the coordination of voluntary movements and balance?

What is the function of Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system?

The somatosensory cortex is primarily involved in processing information related to:

What role does the neurotransmitter acetylcholine play in the peripheral nervous system?

The 'split-brain' procedure, involving the severing of the corpus callosum, is primarily used to treat which condition?

What does the Stroop Effect demonstrate?

What is the primary function of the "central executive" in Baddeley's model of working memory?

In the context of problem-solving, what does the term "functional fixedness" refer to?

Which of the following best describes the concept of "chunking" in cognitive psychology?

What does the term "top-down processing" refer to in perception?

The "serial position effect" in memory suggests that when recalling a list of items, individuals are most likely to remember:

In cognitive psychology, "prospective memory" refers to:

In cognitive psychology, the "availability heuristic" refers to:

Which type of memory is primarily engaged when an individual rehearses a phone number they just heard?

In the context of decision-making, the term "anchoring bias" refers to:

What is the primary focus of the "Cognitive Dissonance Theory" proposed by Leon Festinger?

In cognitive psychology, "confirmation bias" refers to:

In cognitive psychology, the term "egocentric spatial representations" refers to:

In the context of attention, "inattentional blindness" is best described as:

Which concept explains the phenomenon where individuals remember incomplete tasks better than completed tasks?

In the context of memory, the "method of loci" is a technique that involves:

In the context of attention, "inattentional blindness" is best described as:

In decision making, "loss aversion" refers to the tendency:

The phenomenon of "change blindness" occurs when:

"Cognitive dissonance" is most likely to occur when:

The "dual-coding theory" proposed by Allan Paivio suggests that:

"Prosopagnosia" is a cognitive disorder characterized by:

The phenomenon of "state-dependent learning" suggests that memory recall is most effective:

The "endowment effect" in behavioral economics refers to the tendency to:

In memory research, the "generation effect" refers to the phenomenon that:

The "tip-of-the-tongue" phenomenon is an example of:

In cognitive psychology, the "Barnum effect" is best described as:

The "Moses illusion" in cognitive psychology is an example of:

In the context of cognitive biases, "belief perseverance" refers to:

Which theory best explains why individuals conform to group norms?

According to social comparison theory, individuals are most likely to compare themselves with others who are:

The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency of people to:

In the context of social psychology, "altruism" is best defined as:

In Stanley Milgram's obedience experiments, the majority of participants:

In Sherif's Robbers Cave experiment, which factor was most crucial for reducing intergroup conflict?

In the context of attribution theory, "self-serving bias" is most likely to occur:

The term "groupthink" is best described as:

The concept of "diffusion of responsibility" is most closely associated with:

The theory of "social penetration" describes the process of:

"Self-serving bias" in social psychology refers to the common habit of:

"Reactance" in social psychology is best described as:

The "just-world hypothesis" is the belief that:

Cognitive dissonance theory is primarily concerned with:

In Leon Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory, dissonance is most likely to occur when:

In the context of social psychology, "normative influence" refers to:

In social psychology, "deindividuation" refers to:

The "foot-in-the-door" technique is a persuasion strategy that involves:

The bystander effect is most strongly influenced by:

Which developmental theory posits that people go through eight stages of development, each characterized by a psychological crisis?

In developmental psychology, the term "critical period" is best defined as:

The "visual cliff" experiment, which tests depth perception in infants, primarily contributes to our understanding of:

In the context of language development, Noam Chomsky's concept of a "universal grammar" suggests that:

Which developmental concept refers to the understanding that other people have their own thoughts, feelings, and perspectives, and develops around age 4 or 5?

The concept of "object permanence" is best associated with which developmental stage in Piaget's theory?

According to Carol Gilligan, traditional theories of moral development:

In the context of moral development, Lawrence Kohlberg's theory is primarily focused on:

According to Jean Piaget, at which stage of cognitive development do children begin to think logically about abstract concepts and hypothetical situations?

In developmental psychology, the term "habituation" refers to:

The phenomenon of "adolescent egocentrism" is most closely associated with which developmental theory?

Harry Harlow's research with rhesus monkeys primarily contributed to our understanding of:

According to Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, which system refers to the immediate environment in which a person lives and interacts?

In the context of adolescent development, the term "identity foreclosure" refers to:

Which concept, introduced by Mary Ainsworth, refers to the method used to assess the quality of attachment between infants and their caregivers?

The concept of "scaffolding" in the context of child development was most prominently advocated by:

The concept of "conservation" in cognitive development, as proposed by Jean Piaget, refers to the understanding that:

Which of the following best describes the "zone of proximal development" in Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development?

Which psychological approach emphasizes the importance of unconscious processes and childhood experiences in understanding and treating psychological disorders?

The concept of 'transference' is most closely associated with which therapeutic approach?

Aaron Beck is best known for developing which of the following therapeutic approaches?

In the context of clinical psychology, 'double bind' theory is primarily associated with which type of psychological disorder?

The concept of "expressed emotion" in families is most closely linked to the relapse rates in which of the following disorders?

Which personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy?

In psychological assessment, what is the primary purpose of using projective tests?

What is the primary focus of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?

What is the primary characteristic of 'conversion disorder'?

What does the term 'egosyntonic' refer to in clinical psychology?

The 'Yerkes-Dodson Law' is most relevant to which of the following clinical phenomena?

In clinical psychology, the term 'alloplastic adaptation' refers to:

In the context of mood disorders, what is a distinguishing feature of a hypomanic episode as compared to a manic episode?

Which therapeutic approach is primarily concerned with resolving clients' ambivalence about change and enhancing their intrinsic motivation?

In clinical psychology, "splitting" is most often associated with which personality disorder?

What is the primary focus of 'Interpersonal Therapy' (IPT) in clinical settings?

Learned helplessness' as a concept in clinical psychology is most closely associated with research on:

Which theory posits that depression is often caused by a chronic exposure to uncontrollable stressors and a feeling of helplessness?

In the context of clinical assessment, the 'Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory' (MMPI) is primarily used to assess:

Systematic desensitization' is a behavioral technique most commonly used to treat:

What is the main focus of 'Acceptance and Commitment Therapy' (ACT)?

What does a cross-sectional research design in psychology typically involve?

What is a Type II error in the context of hypothesis testing in psychology?

Which statistical test is most appropriate for comparing the means of three or more independent groups?

In psychology, what does a scatterplot with a downward sloping line indicate?

In psychological research, which of the following best describes construct validity?

In the context of psychological testing, what does the term "test-retest reliability" refer to?

What is the primary advantage of using a Likert scale in psychological research?

In psychology, what is the primary purpose of using a double-blind procedure in an experiment?

In psychological research, what does "inter-rater reliability" assess?

Which of the following best defines a confounding variable in an experiment?

What is the primary purpose of a meta-analysis in psychological research?

Which of the following best describes a factorial design in psychological experiments?

What does a high Cronbach's alpha indicate in a psychological test?

In psychological research, what is the primary purpose of using a longitudinal design?

In psychological research, a "floor effect" is observed when:

What is the primary characteristic of a quasi-experimental design in psychology?

What does the term "external validity" refer to in psychological research?

Which of the following best defines "ecological validity" in psychological research?

In psychological measurement, what does "ceiling effect" refer to?

What is the main purpose of using a control group in psychological experiments?

What does the concept of "social desirability bias" refer to in psychological research?

What is the main purpose of using a control group in psychological experiments?

In psychological research, which of the following best describes the concept of "demand characteristics"?

In the context of psychological scales and measurements, what does 'convergent validity' refer to?

In the context of experimental design in psychology, what is a 'counterbalanced design' used for?

In the context of psychological disorders, the diathesis-stress model proposes that psychopathology results from the interaction between:

Which of the following best describes the primary goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating mental disorders?