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Lesson 8: Sample Test Questions

Multiple Choice Items

Please rewrite the following multiple choice items to the benefit of the student.

  1. Sheldon developed a highly controversial theory of personality based on body type and temperament of the individual. Which of the following is a criticism of Sheldon's work?
    1. He was influenced too much by the Freudian psychoanalysis.
    2. His rating of physique and temperament were not independent.
    3. He failed to use empirical approach.
    4. His research sample was improperly selected.

    Improvement: (Eliminate excessive wording and irrelevant information in the question.)
    1. Which of the following is a criticism of Sheldon's theory of personality?
  1. The receptors for the vestibular sense are located:
    1. in the fovea.
    2. in the brain.
    3. in the middle ear.
    4. in the inner ear.

    Improvement: (Include in the question any word(s) that might otherwise be repeated in each option.)
    1. The receptors for the vestibular sense are located in the ...
  1. Which is not a major technique for studying brain function?
    1. Accident and injury
    2. Cutting and removing
    3. Electrical stimulation
    4. Direct phrenology

    Improvement: (Use negatively stated stems sparingly. When used, underline and/or capitalize the negative word(s).)
    1. Which is NOT a major technique for studying brain function?
  1. ________________ is the least form of behavior disorder.
    1. Psychosis
    2. Panic disorder
    3. Neurasthenia
    4. Neurosis

    Improvement: (When using incomplete statements avoid beginning with the blank space.)
    1. The least severe form of behavior disorder is __________________.
  1. The number of photoreceptors in the retina of each human is about:
    1. 115 million
    2. 5 million
    3. 65 million
    4. 35 billion

    Improvement: (When possible, present alternatives in some logical order. I.e., from the smallest to the largest.)
    1. 5 million
    2. 35 million
    3. 65 million
    4. 115 million
  1. Latane and Darley's smoke-filled room experiment suggested that people are less likely to help in groups than alone, because people:
    1. in groups talk to one another.
    2. who are alone are more attentive.
    3. in groups do not display pluralistic ignorance.
    4. in groups allow others to define the situation as a nonemergency.

    Improvement: (All alternatives should be approximately equal in length.)
    1. Latane and Darley's smoke-filled room experiment suggested that people are less likely to help in groups than alone, because people in groups:
      1. talk to one another.
      2. are less attentive than people who are alone.
      3. do not display pluralistic ignorance.
      4. allow others to define nonemergencies.

True-False Items

Find the errors, and/or problems with the following true-false items.

  1. _____ Repetition always strengthens the tendency for a response to occur. (Using "always" usually means the answer is false.)
  2. _____ The process of extinction is seldom immediate but extends over a number of trials. (Words like "seldom" usually indicate a true statement.)
  3. _____ The mean, median, and mode are measures of central tendency, whereas the standard deviation and range are measures of variability (Express a single idea in each statement. I.e., the mean and standard deviation are measures of central tendency.)

Matching Test Items

Find the errors, and/or problems with the following matching items.

  1. Directions: Match the following.

    Improvement: Directions: On the line to the left of the theory of personality in Column 1, write the letter of the psychologist in Column 2 associated with the theory. Each psychologist in Column 2 can be used only once.
  1. ______ Food
  2. ______ Psychoanalysis
  3. ______ B.F. Skinner
  4. ______ Standard deviation
  5. ______ Schizophrenia
  1. Primary reinforcer
  2. Sigmund Freud
  3. Operant conditioning
  4. Measure of variability
  5. Hallucinations

Improvement: (Use homogenous material in matching items, and if responses are not to be used more than once, include more responses than stimuli.)

  1. ______ Psychodynamic Theory
  2. ______ Trait Theory
  3. ______ Behaviorism
  4. ______ Humanism
  5. ______ Social Learning Theory
  1. Sigmund Freud
  2. B.F. Skinner
  3. Albert Bandura
  4. Gordon Allport
  5. Carl Rogers
  6. Karn Horney
  7. Raymond Cattell

Essay Questions

What is wrong with this question?

  1. Describe asthma.

    Improvement: (Clearly explain what is expected of the student and indicate how many points the question is worth.)
    1. Describe asthma. Include in your answer (a) the pathophysiologic features of asthma, (b) the clinical manifestations associated with an asthma episode, and (c) the management of an asthma episode. (9 points)

Lessons: Index, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, References

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