Practice Test  - Motivation

Note: These questions are part of a larger data base of questions & are selected to represent the type of 
question you should expect on a unit exam. The unit exam questions, however, may deal with topics not 
covered in the self tests or in lectures but are discussed in your textbook. You are responsible for the 
content of your text book plus the content of lectures, interactive activities, & material on the web site.
 
Use these sample questions to test yourself & to practice for the test. 

1. A psychological or physiological factor that causes humans to act 
in a specific way at a particular time is called:

 motivation
 instinct
 energy
 drive

2. When we are motivated, we typically show 3 characteristics. Which of the 
following is not one of the 3 characteristics?

 energized to do something
 directed to reach a specific goal
 increased arousal after reaching a specific goal
 different intensities of feelings about reaching a specific goal

3. The concept of instinct has been replaced with the idea of:

 intrinsic motives
 extrinsic motives
 fixed action patterns
 homeostatic mechanisms

4. Brain scans have revealed a new source of motivation, the:

 instinct
 incentive
 fixed action pattern
 reward/pleasure center

5. An incentive is __________, whereas needs are _________.

 external; internal
 a biological need; social needs
 a fixed action pattern; instinctual
 a safety need; self-actualization needs

6. Beliefs, expectations, and goals are important concepts in which of 
the following theories of motivation?

 instinct theory
 cognitive theory
 self-actualization
 drive-reduction theory

7. Intrinsic is to _______ as extrinsic is to _________.

 instinct; social
 internal; external
 biological; internal
 biological; psychological

8. Which of the following arranges Maslow’s needs in the correct 
ascending order?

 belongingness, self-actualization, physiological, safety, esteem
 physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, self-actualization
 safety, esteem, physiological, self-actualization, belongingness
 self-actualization, physiological, esteem, belongingness, safety

9. To be achieving, competent & to gain approval & recognition from 
others is to reach the _______ level of Maslow’s hierarchy.

 self-actualization
 love & belonging
 esteem
 safety

10. The “when”, “where”, and “how much” we eat are influenced by 
three factors. Which of the following is not among the three factors?

 genetic hunger factors
 cognitive hunger factors
 biological hunger factors
 psychosocial hunger factors

11. Peripheral cues for hunger come from ______, whereas central cues 
come from _______.

 body image; actual weight
 the hypothalamus; hormones
 digestive organs; the brain
 learning; experience

12. The start eating center in the hypothalamus is the ________. 
The stop eating center is the __________.

 CCK, PYY, & stomach
 lateral hypothalamus; anterior hyperphagia
 hyperphagia; hypophagia
 lateral hypothalamus; ventromedial hypothalamus

13. What is the idea behind Maslow's famous pyramid?

 to preserve Maslow's theory forever
 as one takes care of basic needs, the "higher needs" become more relevant
 the road to enlightenment consists of many small steps
 it was a sort of temple or meeting place for his students
 it showed the 3 factors underlying self-actualization, one on each corner

14. ______ refers to a certain level of body fat that the body strives to maintain 
constant throughout our lives.

 Setpoint
 Breakpoint
 Weightpoint
 Homeostasis

15. The result of a sperm fertilizing an egg is called a _____.

 DNA
 fetus
 zygote
 chromosome

16. Male sex hormones are to female sex hormones as ______ are to ______.

a ovaries; testes
b androgens; estrogens
c estrogens; androgens
d testosterone; androgens

17. When we learn traditional behaviors, attitudes, and personality traits that 
our society regards as masculine or feminine, we have acquired:

 gender roles
 gender labels
 gender markers
 gender identities

18. If you argue that genetic/biological factors and psychological factors influence 
the development of sexual orientation, you adhere to the:

 Home-hetero likelihood model
 Kinsey theory of sexual arousal
 interactive model of sexual orientation
 Masters & Johnson's model of sexual response

19. Which of the following behaviors is justified by the evolutionary theory?

 transsexual orientation
 homosexual orientation
 adherence to gender role expectations
 the double standard for sexual behavior

20. With regard to homosexuality, the American Psychiatric Association, American 
Psychological Association & American Medical Association have indicated that:

 homosexuality is superior to the heterosexual lifestyle
 homosexuals experience higher rates of depression
 homosexuality is within the range of normal sexual behavior
 homosexuality is outside the range of normal sexual behavior

21. Which one of the following is the correct order of human sexual response?

 plateau – excitement – orgasm – resolution
 excitement – plateau – orgasm – resolution
 excitement – orgasm – plateau – resolution
 orgasm – excitement – resolution – plateau

22. The new definition of AIDS is:

a having HIV antibodies
b having HIV antibodies and a level of T-cells below 200
c having HIV antibodies and engaging in risky behaviors
d having HIV antibodies and at least two infectious diseases

23. Paper-and-pencil tests have replaced the Thematic Apperception 
Test (TAT) as measures of need for achievement because

 the TAT has limited reliability and validity
 paper-and-pencil tests can be self-administered
 need for achievement requires a test of performance
 paper-and-pencil tests are easier to develop

24. Making up excuses for failure is referred to as:

 image defense
 self-attributing
 self-handicapping
 delusional attribution

25. Which of the following extrinsic rewards work to increase 
intrinsic motivation?

 those that use both positive & negative feedback
 those given for doing minimal work
 those that are perceived as a threat
 those that are unexpected

26. The disorder characterized by an intense fear of fatness & willful 
starvation resulting in death 20% of the time is called:

 bulimia nervosa
 anorexia nervosa
 obesity syndrome
 self-handicapping compulsion

27. The eating disorder characterized by a minimum of two binge-eating 
episodes per week for at least three months, and regularly engaging in 
vomiting is called:

 bulimia nervosa
 anorexia nervosa
 distorted body image
 compulsive overeating

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Topics in Psychology
Robert C. Gates