Test your knowledge with 20 MCQs on Positivist Orientation: From Behaviorism to Cognition – Key Contributions & Cognitive Revolution

Test your knowledge on behaviorism, cognition, and the cognitive revolution with these 20 MCQs. Explore contributions from Watson, Tolman, Hull, and Skinner, along with the Information Processing Model. Perfect for psychology students and enthusiasts!

1. Who is considered the founder of Behaviorism?

A) Edward Tolman
B) B.F. Skinner
C) John B. Watson
D) Clark Hull

Answer: C) John B. Watson
Explanation: John B. Watson introduced Behaviorism in 1913, emphasizing the study of observable behavior over introspection.

2. Which concept did Edward Tolman introduce to challenge strict Behaviorism?

A) Classical conditioning
B) Operant conditioning
C) Cognitive maps
D) Drive reduction theory

Answer: C) Cognitive maps
Explanation: Tolman proposed cognitive maps, demonstrating that learning can occur without direct reinforcement, challenging Behaviorist views.

3. B.F. Skinner is best known for his work on:

A) Classical conditioning
B) Operant conditioning
C) Cognitive dissonance
D) Latent learning

Answer: B) Operant conditioning
Explanation: Skinner developed operant conditioning, emphasizing reinforcement and punishment in shaping behavior.

4. What was Clark Hull’s major contribution to psychology?

A) Social learning theory
B) Drive reduction theory
C) Information Processing Model
D) Cognitive dissonance theory

Answer: B) Drive reduction theory
Explanation: Hull proposed the Drive Reduction Theory, suggesting that behavior is motivated by the need to reduce biological drives like hunger or thirst.

5. The Cognitive Revolution in psychology occurred during which decade?

A) 1920s
B) 1940s
C) 1950s
D) 1970s

Answer: C) 1950s
Explanation: The Cognitive Revolution emerged in the 1950s, shifting focus from behaviorism to mental processes like memory, perception, and problem-solving.

6. Which of the following best describes Watson’s view on psychology?

A) Psychology should focus on unconscious desires
B) Psychology should study observable behavior only
C) Psychology should explore internal cognitive processes
D) Psychology should emphasize social interactions

Answer: B) Psychology should study observable behavior only
Explanation: Watson rejected introspection and focused solely on observable and measurable behavior.

7. Which psychologist’s work helped bridge Behaviorism and Cognition?

A) Edward Tolman
B) Wilhelm Wundt
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Jean Piaget

Answer: A) Edward Tolman
Explanation: Tolman’s research on cognitive maps suggested that learning involves mental processes, paving the way for cognitive psychology.

8. The Cognitive Revolution was influenced by advancements in:

A) Neuroscience
B) Computer science
C) Psychoanalysis
D) Evolutionary biology

Answer: B) Computer science
Explanation: The development of computers inspired psychologists to view the human mind as an information-processing system.

9. Which psychologist introduced the concept of reinforcement and punishment?

A) John Watson
B) B.F. Skinner
C) Edward Thorndike
D) Noam Chomsky

Answer: B) B.F. Skinner
Explanation: Skinner’s work in operant conditioning introduced reinforcement and punishment as key mechanisms for learning behavior.

10. What does Hull’s Drive Reduction Theory emphasize?

A) Learning occurs through cognitive development
B) Behavior is driven by social needs
C) Behavior is motivated by the need to maintain homeostasis
D) Memory operates like a computer

Answer: C) Behavior is motivated by the need to maintain homeostasis
Explanation: Hull’s theory states that behaviors occur to reduce physiological needs and restore balance.

11. Who argued that learning could occur without reinforcement?

A) B.F. Skinner
B) Edward Tolman
C) John Watson
D) Clark Hull

Answer: B) Edward Tolman
Explanation: Tolman demonstrated latent learning, showing that learning happens even when reinforcement is absent.

12. Which of the following best represents the Information Processing Model?

A) Stimulus → Response
B) Sensory Input → Processing → Output
C) Drive → Behavior → Reinforcement
D) Observation → Imitation → Learning

Answer: B) Sensory Input → Processing → Output
Explanation: The Information Processing Model likens the mind to a computer, describing cognition as a sequence of input, processing, and output.

13. The Cognitive Revolution was a reaction against:

A) Psychoanalysis
B) Structuralism
C) Behaviorism
D) Humanism

Answer: C) Behaviorism
Explanation: Cognitive psychology emerged as a response to Behaviorism’s neglect of mental processes.

14. What was the major limitation of Behaviorism that led to the rise of Cognition?

A) Ignored biological influences
B) Overemphasized reinforcement
C) Neglected internal mental processes
D) Lacked experimental evidence

Answer: C) Neglected internal mental processes
Explanation: Behaviorism failed to account for cognitive processes like memory, decision-making, and problem-solving.

15. Which psychologist argued that language learning cannot be explained solely by reinforcement?

A) B.F. Skinner
B) Noam Chomsky
C) Edward Tolman
D) John Watson

Answer: B) Noam Chomsky
Explanation: Chomsky’s critique of Skinner’s behaviorist model led to the development of cognitive approaches to language learning.

16. In operant conditioning, negative reinforcement:

A) Decreases a behavior
B) Involves adding a punishment
C) Strengthens a behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus
D) Has no effect on behavior

Answer: C) Strengthens a behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus
Explanation: Negative reinforcement increases behavior by taking away something unpleasant (e.g., removing a headache with medicine).

17. Which of the following statements aligns with Tolman’s cognitive view of learning?

A) Learning occurs through stimulus-response connections
B) Learning requires direct reinforcement
C) Organisms actively process information to learn
D) Behavior is only shaped by rewards and punishments

Answer: C) Organisms actively process information to learn
Explanation: Tolman’s work showed that learning involves cognitive processes, not just stimulus-response associations.

18. The Information Processing Model compares human cognition to:

A) Classical conditioning
B) Computer processing
C) Social interaction
D) Psychoanalytic principles

Answer: B) Computer processing
Explanation: The model suggests the brain functions like a computer, processing information in stages.

19. Skinner’s approach to psychology is known as:

A) Radical behaviorism
B) Cognitive psychology
C) Humanistic psychology
D) Gestalt psychology

Answer: A) Radical behaviorism
Explanation: Skinner’s radical behaviorism focused on external behavior and reinforcement without considering internal mental states.

20. Which of the following was a major consequence of the Cognitive Revolution?

A) Decline of experimental psychology
B) Increased focus on unconscious drives
C) Emergence of cognitive psychology as a dominant field
D) Complete rejection of behaviorism

Answer: C) Emergence of cognitive psychology as a dominant field
Explanation: The Cognitive Revolution led to the rise of cognitive psychology, integrating mental processes into psychological research.