Practice test for Motivation and Emotion 

Note: These questions are part of a larger data base of questions & are selected 
to represent the type of question you should expect on exams. Exam questions, 
however, may deal with topics not covered in the practice tests or in lectures but are discussed in 
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Use these sample questions to test yourself & to practice for the test. 

1. Eli enjoys woodcarving. Although none of his teenage friends are interested, he often 
spends hours creating several different pieces. His enjoyment of the task is all his own, 
and he rarely shows others his work. Many would call his motivation ________ in nature. 

•  instinctual 
 •  arousal 
  •  extrinsic 
   •  intrinsic

2. Jasmine often requires her friend's approval when she buys new outfits. Her need is 
an example of a(n) __________ drive. 

•  primary 
 •  acquired (secondary) 
  •  innate 
   •  instinctive 
 
3. The approach to motivation that forced psychologists to consider the value of 
homeostasis in motivation was the __________ approach. 

•  arousal 
 •  drive-reduction 
  •  instinct 
   •  incentive

4. Motivational theories such as __________ are physical in terms of their needs 
while __________ is based off of psychological motives.

•  drive theory; instinctual theory 
 •  biological theory; drive theory 
  •  drive theory; McClelland's need theory 
   •  need for power; drive theory

5. Dodi is always looking for new hobbies. He prefers exciting hobbies that will get him 
noticed in his company. In his company, Dodi constantly asks for feedback from customers 
so he can know what he needs to do to be the best. Dodi is high in the need for 

•  achievement. 
 •  affiliation. 
  •  power. 
   •  attention.

6. An important component to Carol Dweck's theory of motivation is 

•  one's view of self. 
 •  an understanding of classical conditioning and its impact on motivation. 
  •  the importance of heredity on biological motivations. 
   •  an understanding of emotions.
  
7. According to the arousal theory, people are typically motivated towards __________ 
point of arousal. 

•  the highest 
 •  the optimal 
  •  the easiest 
   •  the quickest

8. According to Maslow, what is meant by peak experience? 

•  that point, even for a moment, when someone reaches a state of self actualization 
 •  the point at which someone reaches transcendence 
  •  the point at which someone begins to work through the hierarchy 
   •  the point at which someone must decent back down the hierarchy to address a 
       pervious need which is no longer secure

9. Jacob believes he is in control of his own destiny. He feels he is secure in the 
friendships he has with others. However, he still feels the need to master many of 
the challenges in his own life and career. According to self-determination theory 
which stage is Jacob still working to complete?

•  autonomy 
 •  competence 
  •  relatedness 
   •  affiliation

10. Leptin is a hormone involved in 

•  appetite control. 
 •  metabolism control. 
  •  digestion of fatty foods. 
   •  neurotransmission.

11. The structure of the brain that, when damaged , causes rats to eat and eat 
and eat is called the

•  ventromedial pituitary. 
 •  lateral hippocampus. 
  •  ventromedial hypothalamus. 
   •  lateral hypothalamus.
  
12. The level of weight the body tries to maintain is called the

•  basal metabolic rate. 
 •  weight set point. 
  •  basal set point. 
   •  weight metabolic rate.
  
13. Studies indicate that women from __________ are more likely to eat because 
their body tells them they are hungry. 

•  Hungry 
 •  the United States 
  •  Italy 
   •  Japan
  
14. Since Dillon's family has a history of obesity, he has __________ of becoming obese 
compared to people without such a family history.

•  the same risk 
 •  double or triple the risk 
  •  five times the risk 
   •  less risk

15. LeDoux's work on the physiology involving emotions has focused on what 
part of the brain? 

•  thalamus 
 •  hippocampus 
  •  prefrontal cortex 
   •  amygdala

16. Research on facial expressions has taught us that facial expressions are 

•  inherent to a region and therefore mean different things in different countries. 
 •  inherent to a culture and therefore mean different things in different cultures. 
  •  learned. 
   •  universal.
  
17. What is meant by a display rule? 

•  an understanding of when and under what conditions emotions and feelings may be 
    displayed within a culture 
 •  an understanding of what behaviors can be expressed when someone is new 
     to a situation 
  •  an understanding of how children are to act in the presence of adults 
   •  an understanding of how to hide emotions from others

18. What theory of emotion states that the emotion typically occurs before arousal 
and behavior?

•  the original, or common-sense theory 
 •  Schachter and Singer's theory 
  •  Connon and Bard's theory 
   •  James and Lange's theory

19. What theory of emotion relies heavily on cognition and labeling?

•  the original, or common-sense theory 
 •  Schachter and Singer's theory 
  •  Connon and Bard's theory 
   •  James and Lange's theory

20. The first stage of David Allen's Getting Things Done(GTD) method is __________ 
anything and everything that has your attention. 

•  reviewing 
 •  doing 
  •  capturing 
   •  organizing

21.  What is said to be a gauge of how we feel about ourselves as well as how socially accepted we feel?

•  Set point 
 •  Homeostasis 
  •  Self-esteem 
   •  Belongingness measure

22. According to the two-factor theory, the two basic components of emotions are __________ and ____________.

•  Cognitive labels; physical arousal 
 •  Emotion-arousal; overt behavior 
  •  Emotion-arousing events; physical arousal 
   •  Attributions; psychological responses

23.  The universally understandable language of human emotion consists of:

•  Body postures. 
 •  Facial expressions. 
  •  Hand gestures. 
   •  Tone of voice.

24.  About seven months ago, 15-year-old Katie went on a drastic weight-loss diet that caused her to drop from 110 to 85 
pounds. Although she is now dangerously underweight and undernourished, she continues to think she looks fat. Katie 
most clearly suffers from what psychological disorder?

•  Abnormally low set point 
 •  Anorexia nervosa 
  •  Bulimia nervosa 
   •  Hypermetabolism

25.  During an emergency, increased levels of emotional arousal are likely to be accompanied by which of the following 
physiological symptoms?

•  Constriction of pupils to increase visual acuity 
 •  Decreases in blood sugar levels 
  •  Increases in salivation 
   •  Slowing of digestion

26.  Which of the following statements best depicts the concept of incentive theory?

•  Despite low grades, Fred continues to study because he is interested in the material. 
 •  Michael says that he is constantly hungry and eats at least four meals a day to reduce his hunger. 
  •  Sabrina studies hard because her parents reward her by paying $20 for each superior grade she brings home. 
   •  Chelsea was extremely thirsty and drank two bottles of water after running two miles.

27.  Which of the following concepts provides the best explanation for why people seek to put on warmer clothing when they 
start to feel cold?

•  Set-point theory 
 •  Homeostasis 
  •  Assimilation 
   •  Accommodation

28.  Leptin is a chemical secreted by fat cells and recognized in the brain as a signal of satiety. It has been shown in laboratory 
experiments that if leptin receptors in the hypothalamus are blocked, then the animal will:

•  Be unable to break down carbohydrates into glucose 
 •  Gradually starve to death 
  •  Eat excessively and develop obesity 
   •  Suffer from low blood sugar levels

29.  Buford complains that he can play his tuba beautifully at home, but each time he tries to play at the local talent show he 
sounds like a bull elk in rutting season. His problem is explained by

•  the Yerkes-Dodson Law. 
 •  The effects of homeostasis. 
  •  Habituation. 
   •  Biorhythms.

30.  People from different cultures can recognize which facial expressions?

•  fear 
 •  Anger 
  •  Disgust 
   •  All of these
                        --------------------------------------
                              Robert C. Gates