GRE Subject Test: Psychology : GRE Subject Test: Psychology

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Subject Test: Psychology

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All GRE Subject Test: Psychology Resources

105 Practice Tests Question of the Day Flashcards Learn by Concept

Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Vision

Which of the following is a prevention method for low vision caused by Glaucoma?

Possible Answers:

Control diet and blood sugar

Antibiotics 

Detect pressure before pressure damages the optic nerve

Proper hygiene

Injection of anti-vascular drugs

Correct answer:

Detect pressure before pressure damages the optic nerve

Explanation:

Glaucoma is caused by pressure due to the blockage of flow of aqueous liquid. Therefore, detection of pressure build-up before it damages the optic nerve head is the correct prevention method. Injection of anti-vascular drugs is used for Macular degeneration that is detected early enough. Control of your diet and blood pressure may delay peripheral degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Antibiotics and hygiene can prevent blindness caused by Trachoma.

Example Question #11 : Sensation & Perception

The Gestalt principle of simplicity is best defined as which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Things that look alike probably come from the same source

Features that appear and disappear at the same time belong together

The simplest shape is usually the right explanation

Connected features belong together

Things that are close together belong together

Correct answer:

The simplest shape is usually the right explanation

Explanation:

Gestalt principles are common sense principles for explaining why we see what we see. Simplicity is the common sense principle that the simplest shape is usually the right explanation for an image. Synchrony is the principle defined as features that appear and disappear at the same time belong together. Connectedness is the term for the principle that connected feature belong together. Proximity is the Gestalt principle for things that are close together belong together, and similarity is the principle that things that look alike probably come from the same source.

Example Question #13 : Vision

Which of the following is considered an accurate summary of the Opponent/Process Theory?

Possible Answers:

There are three types of receptor cones in the retina for color processing, each processing either black, white, or grey.

There are three types of receptor cones in the retina for color processing, each handling a different pair of colors. Only one can fire at a given time. 

The retina has no color receptors and instead receives all color information via the brain. 

There are three types of receptor cones in the retina for color processing, each processing color pairs. They all fire simultaneously to create complex colors. 

There are three types of receptor cones in the retina for color processing, each processing either blue, red, or green light. Everything else is a reaction to those three colors.

Correct answer:

There are three types of receptor cones in the retina for color processing, each handling a different pair of colors. Only one can fire at a given time. 

Explanation:

The Opponent/Process Theory is defined as three types of receptor cones in the retina for color processing, each handling a different pair of colors, when only one can fire at a given time. This is used to explain color blindness—only one color in a pair fires appropriately—and afterimages.

Example Question #21 : Experimental

Which of the following biological factors allows humans to see in low light conditions?

Possible Answers:

Rhodopsin

Prevalence of rods over cones

Appropriate levels of beta-caratin

Influences from adrenaline and other survival oriented hormones

Increased utilization of memory and previous examples to fill in visual blanks

Correct answer:

Rhodopsin

Explanation:

Rhodopsin is a biological pigment specifically found in rods in the retina. It specifically reacts when exposed to light, and is considered rather sensitive--it enables humans to see in low light conditions by photobleaching when exposed to light. 

Example Question #22 : Experimental

Which of the following lobes of the brain is responsible for vision perception?

Possible Answers:

Temporal lobe

Frontal lobe

Occipital lobe

None of these

Parietal lobe

Correct answer:

Occipital lobe

Explanation:

The occipital lobe is responsible for eyesight processing. Other areas of eyesight processing involve cranial nerves, Meyer's loop and Baum's loop which send information to the occipital lobe to be processed. On the other hand, the rest of the listed choices are incorrect. The frontal lobe is responsible for reward, attention, short-term memory tasks, planning, and motivation. It is also the part that tells a person if they are making a good decision or not. The parietal lobe is responsible for processing sensory information from your environment. Last, the temporal lobe is responsible for hearing and memory input.

Example Question #14 : Vision

Farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism are visual deficiencies caused by which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Abnormalities in the physical shape of the eye

Psychosomatic conditions, such as body dysmorphic disorder

None of these

Damage to the sensory nerves involved in vision

Irregularities in or damage to the visual cortex

Correct answer:

Abnormalities in the physical shape of the eye

Explanation:

Abnormalities in the shape of the eye are the cause of all of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Typically nearsightedness and farsightedness are caused by irregularities in the lens of the eye. This causes light to improperly be focused relative to the retina. As a result, either near or far images will appear out of focus, due to the improper adjustment of the lens. In the case of astigmatism, the cornea as well as the lens may be implicated, in which case the an abnormality in the curvature of this front portion of the eye contributes to blurry vision. All of these defects may be corrected by LASIK, or corrective lenses. Damage to the nervous system or the visual cortex would lead to partial or total cortical blindness, not to these conditions. Though some psychological disorders are implicated in visual deficits, they do not play a role in these three.

Example Question #244 : Gre Subject Test: Psychology

A hearing aid will not be of use to someone with __________ deafness.

Possible Answers:

conduction

auditory

cortical

temporary 

ossicle

Correct answer:

cortical

Explanation:

Hearing aids replace the cochlea and the essential apparatuses contained within. Most significantly, they perform the role of the receptor cells lining the basilar membrane within the cochlea, which are responsible for the transduction of information carried by physical energy into electrical energy within the nervous system. This type of hearing aid is of value to an individual suffering from conduction deafness, which is deafness brought about due to damage to the apparatuses of the ear. An example of this would be a soldier deafened by exploding ordinance, or an airport worker continuously exposed to the loud volume of plane engines without sufficient ear protection. Cortical deafness, also known as nerve or sensorineural deafness, however, is brought about through damage to the auditory regions of the nervous system. As such, an individual with perfectly healthy ears might be rendered deaf due to damage caused by a stroke or brain trauma. This kind of deafness cannot be rectified by hearing aids, or any other form of extant medical intervention. "Ossicle" may refer to the bones of the inner ears (the auditory ossicles), but is not itself the name for a form of deafness nor is "auditory."

Example Question #21 : Sensation & Perception

Which of the following correctly describes the path of air vibrations that are perceived as sound?

Possible Answers:

Tympanic membrane, auditory ossicles, pinna, cochlea

Cochlea, auditory ossicles, pinna, tympanic membrane

Pinna, auditory ossicles, tympanic membrane, cochlea

Auditory ossicles, cochlea, tympanic membrane, pinna

Pinna, tympanic membrane, auditory ossicles, cochlea

Correct answer:

Pinna, tympanic membrane, auditory ossicles, cochlea

Explanation:

The pinna is the formal term for the body part that is commonly referred to as the 'ear'. This is the portion of the ear that projects from the head. This is the first point of contact with air vibrations that will enter the ear canal to pass their vibrations onto the eardrum. The tympanic membrane the formal term for the eardrum. From here, the auditory ossicles are vibrated. These are the three, minute bones found within the middle ear: the malleus, incus, and stapes. These three bones transmit the vibrations onto the oval window of the cochlea, which contains the basilar membrane, where transduction of the physical information occurs.

Thus the correct order is: pinna, tympanic membrane, auditory ossicles, and cochlea.

Example Question #22 : Sensation & Perception

What is determined by the frequency of a sound?

Possible Answers:

Pitch

Volume

Length (in time)

None of these

Timbre

Correct answer:

Pitch

Explanation:

The frequency of a vibration corresponds to the pitch of the perceived sound produced from it. Higher frequencies will produce higher pitched notes, while lower frequencies will produce lower pitched notes. On the other hand, the amplitude of a sound wave will determine the volume of a perceived sound. Timbre is a complex component of a sound, and is the result of a variety of other elements. To provide a brief illustration however, timbre explains why a G# note on a trumpet sounds distinct from a G# note played on a piano. The longevity of a note is not the result of either the frequency or the amplitude of a sound. This is simply determined by how long the vibration continues.

Example Question #23 : Sensation & Perception

A change in the frequency of a sound wave will affect its __________.

Possible Answers:

loudness

None of these

pitch

All of these

timbre

Correct answer:

pitch

Explanation:

The frequency of a sound wave, or the pace of its vibrations within the ear, will determine the sound's pitch. The sound's loudness is determined by the amplitude of the sound wave, the timbre by its complexity.

All GRE Subject Test: Psychology Resources

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