Chapter 3
Ancient Psychological Thought
1. A Chinese naturalistic philosopher is often compared to Aristotle. He was
a. Confucius
b. Chan Yung
c. Hsün Tzu
d. Siddhartha Gautama
Answer: c. Hsün Tzu
Rationale:
Hsün Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, is often compared to Aristotle due to his emphasis on
naturalistic explanations for human behavior and societal organization, similar to Aristotle's
philosophical approach.
2. In Babylonia, phenomena were often explained in terms of
a. logic.
b. demons.
c. a monotheistic god.
d. empirical research.
Answer: b. demons.
Rationale:
In Babylonia, phenomena were frequently explained in terms of supernatural entities like
demons, reflecting the prevalent belief in supernatural causation.
3. In ancient Egypt, the ______ was viewed as the seat of cognitive activity
a. heart
b. brain
c. liver
d. stomach
Answer: a. heart
Rationale:
In ancient Egypt, the heart was considered the seat of cognitive activity and the center of
emotions and intellect, rather than the brain.
4. Women in ___________ enjoyed far greater social status than in most ancient cultures.
a. India
b. Egypt
c. Israel
d. Babylonia
Answer: b. Egypt
Rationale:
Women in ancient Egypt enjoyed relatively greater social status compared to many other
ancient cultures, with rights to own property, engage in business, and participate in religious
ceremonies.
5. In India in the fourth millennium B.C.E., the suggested way to acquire knowledge was via
a. rational methods.
b. empirical methods.
c. intuition.
d. all of the above.
Answer: c. intuition.
Rationale:
In ancient India, particularly in the Vedic period, knowledge was believed to be acquired
primarily through intuition or spiritual insight rather than rational or empirical methods.
6. Which ancient culture accepted a monotheistic God and had notions of mental disorders?
a. Babylonia.
b. Egypt.
c. Hebrew.
d. Persia.
Answer: c. Hebrew.
Rationale:
Ancient Hebrew culture accepted the belief in a monotheistic God and also had notions of
mental disorders, as evidenced by references in religious texts such as the Hebrew Bible (Old
Testament).
7. The Zoroastrian holy book was the
a. Avesta.
b. Vedas.
c. Torah.
d. Bible.
Answer: a. Avesta.
Rationale:
The holy book of Zoroastrianism is the Avesta, containing the teachings attributed to the
prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra).
8. The Greeks were interested in ________ and __________, the nature of the universe and
the origin of the universe, respectively.
a. cosmology . . . cosmogeny
b. cosmogeny . . . cosmology
c. astronomy . . . materialism
d. materialism . . . cosmology
Answer: a. cosmology . . . cosmogeny
Rationale:
The Greeks were interested in cosmology, the study of the nature of the universe, and
cosmogony, the study of the origin of the universe, which were central themes in their
philosophical inquiries.
9. ___________, an early Greek cosmologist, believed that the primordial substance of the
world is water.
a. Anaximenes
b. Pythagoras
c. Theana
d. Thales
Answer: d. Thales
Rationale:
Thales, one of the early Greek philosophers, proposed that the primary substance from which
everything is derived is water, making him one of the first thinkers to speculate about the
fundamental nature of the cosmos.
10. Anaximander is often remembered as the
a. first recorded evolutionary theorist
b. first to emphasize the role of homeostasis in mental health
c. first to elevate the role of mathematics in science
d. first logician
Answer: a. first recorded evolutionary theorist
Rationale:
Anaximander, another early Greek philosopher, is often remembered as the first recorded
evolutionary theorist due to his ideas about the development and diversification of life forms
over time.
11. Anaximander's term apeiron means
a. universal origin.
b. without boundary.
c. air.
d. water.
Answer: b. without boundary.
Rationale:
Anaximander used the term apeiron to describe the primary substance or principle from
which everything originates, suggesting that it is boundless or without limit, hence "without
boundary."
12. Anaximenes believed that the primary substance of the world is
a. air.
b. water.
c. fire, earth, air, and water.
d. apeiron.
Answer: a. air.
Rationale:
Anaximenes proposed that air is the fundamental substance underlying all phenomena,
considering it as the primary element from which all things arise and into which they
ultimately return.
13. The literal meaning of the term philosophy is
a. science of the mind.
b. logic of the mind.
c. love of wisdom.
d. theory of knowledge.
Answer: c. love of wisdom.
Rationale:
The term "philosophy" is derived from the Greek words "philo," meaning love, and "sophia,"
meaning wisdom, thus literally translating to "love of wisdom."
14. For the Pythagoreans, the world was driven by and based in
a. love and strife.
b. numbers.
c. apeiron.
d. air.
Answer: b. numbers.
Rationale:
The Pythagoreans believed that the world is fundamentally structured based on numerical
relationships, seeing numbers as the foundation of all existence and the key to understanding
the cosmos.
15. __________, daughter of Pythagoras and Theana, was one of the first to give advice on
child rearing, emphasizing moderation, balance, and mild foods and temperatures.
a. Myia
b. Aesara
c. Hypatia
d. Arete
Answer: a. Myia
Rationale:
Myia, daughter of Pythagoras and Theana, contributed to early child-rearing advice,
advocating for moderation, balance, and gentle conditions in upbringing.
16. This philosopher was known for his attacks on Greek polytheism and for
anthropomorphic concepts of the Gods.
a. Parmenides
b. Xenophanes
c. Thales
d. Heraclitus
Answer: b. Xenophanes
Rationale:
Xenophanes criticized Greek polytheism and challenged anthropomorphic depictions of gods,
advocating for a more abstract and philosophical understanding of divinity.
17. This philosopher was one of the first to emphasize a philosophy of being. He believed
that truth is known through reason rather than the senses.
a. Heraclitus
b. Aristotle
c. Democritus
d. Parmenides
Answer: d. Parmenides
Rationale:
Parmenides emphasized a philosophy of being, asserting that reality is unchanging and can be
grasped through reason rather than sensory experience.
18. An early rationalist, _____ detailed his monistic philosophy in a poem thought to be titled
“On Nature.”
a. Heraclitus
b. Pythagoras
c. Parmenides
d. Xenophanes
Answer: c. Parmenides
Rationale:
Parmenides, an early Greek philosopher, articulated his monistic philosophy in a poem
believed to be titled "On Nature," advocating for a single, unchanging reality.
19. _____ outlined a number of paradoxes which cast doubt on the validity sensory
experience.
a. Zeno
b. Heraclitus
c. Pythagoras
d. Anaximander
Answer: a. Zeno
Rationale:
Zeno, a disciple of Parmenides, formulated several paradoxes known as Zeno's paradoxes,
which challenged common-sense notions and raised doubts about the reliability of sensory
experience.
20. Whereas ______ argued that movement is an illusion, ______ advanced the notion that
constancy is an illusion.
a. Heraclitus…..Parmenides
b. Pythagoras…..Thales
c. Parmenides…..Heraclitus
d. Thales…..Heraclitus
Answer: c. Parmenides…..Heraclitus
Rationale:
Parmenides argued that change and movement are illusory, advocating for a static and
unchanging reality, while Heraclitus proposed that constancy is an illusion, asserting that
everything is in a state of flux and change.
21. Which of the following statements would most likely come from Heraclitus?
a. Constancy is an illusion, only change is real
b. being is superior to becoming
c. eternal truth is discovered through reason
d. If you want to fight, fight with anger
Answer: a. Constancy is an illusion, only change is real
Rationale:
Heraclitus is famously known for his doctrine of flux, emphasizing that everything is in a
state of constant change and that permanence or constancy is an illusion.
22. ________ was the founder of atomic theory.
a. Anaximander
b. Leucippus
c. Aesculapius
d. Alcmaeon
Answer: b. Leucippus
Rationale:
Leucippus is credited as the founder of atomic theory, proposing that all matter is composed
of indivisible particles called atoms.
23. “The world is composed entirely of atoms.” “My friend, you are clearly mistaken. The
basic stuff of all reality is water.” The argument is between
a. Anaximenes and Thales.
b. Democritus and Thales.
c. Heraclitus and Xenophanes.
d. Leucippus and Pythagoras.
Answer: b. Democritus and Thales.
Rationale:
Democritus argued for the atomic nature of the universe, while Thales proposed that water is
the fundamental substance of reality.
24. Democritus argued for a strict
a. determinism.
b. pluralism.
c. interactive dualism.
d. idealism.
Answer: a. determinism.
Rationale:
Democritus believed in determinism, asserting that all events, including human actions, are
determined by causes external to the will.
25. An early theory of sensation and perception, in which all objects shed images of
themselves that interact with our sensory systems, was advanced by
a. Thales
b. Heraclitus
c. Democritus
d. Pythagoras
Answer: c. Democritus
Rationale:
Democritus proposed the theory of atomism, suggesting that sensory perception occurs
through interactions between atoms emitted by objects and our sensory organs.
26. _________ advocated an empirical approach to medicine. He was one of the first to
practice dissection.
a. Aesculapius
b. Alcmaeon
c. Galen
d. Theophrastus
Answer: b. Alcmaeon
Rationale:
Alcmaeon advocated for empirical observation and experimentation in medicine, pioneering
practices such as dissection to study the anatomy and physiology of living organisms.
27. ________ believed that the four elements (fire, earth, air, and water) combined with two
first principles (love and strife). He believed that harmony and balance were important to
survival.
a. Empedocles
b. Thales
c. Leucippus
d. Democritus
Answer: a. Empedocles
Rationale:
Empedocles proposed the theory that all matter is composed of the four elements (fire, earth,
air, and water) along with two fundamental forces, love and strife, which interact to create
harmony or discord in the universe.
28. These two Greek scholars are remembered for, among other things, advancing early
versions of evolutionary theory.
a. Socrates and Plato
b. Thales and Anaximenes
c. Protagoras and Leucippus
d. Anaximander and Empedocles.
Answer: d. Anaximander and Empedocles.
Rationale:
Anaximander proposed early evolutionary ideas, suggesting that life forms emerged from a
primordial substance, while Empedocles introduced concepts of natural selection and
adaptation in his theory of the survival of the fittest.
29. _____ was one of the first to believe that the brain is involved in cognition, in accordance
with his work examining the links between sensory systems and the brain
a. Aesculapius.
b. Alcmaeon.
c. Hippocrates.
d. Galen.
Answer: b. Alcmaeon.
Rationale:
Alcmaeon was among the first to recognize the role of the brain in cognition, studying the
connections between sensory perception and brain function.
30. _____ theorized that two principles, love and strife, interact with the four basic elements
(earth, wind, fire, and water) and thus play a role in health.
a. Empedocles.
b. Alcmaeon.
c. Hippocrates.
d. Galen.
Answer: a. Empedocles.
Rationale:
Empedocles proposed that the balance and imbalance of the four elements (earth, air, fire,
and water) influenced health, with the principles of love and strife determining harmony or
discord in the body.
31. _____________ is sometimes regarded as the real founder of Greek medicine. He was the
first to advance a thoroughgoing naturalistic account of all illness. His account made no
reference to demons or to supernatural causes. He was
a. Aesculapius.
b. Alcmaeon.
c. Hippocrates.
d. Galen.
Answer: c. Hippocrates.
Rationale:
Hippocrates is considered the father of Western medicine for his rejection of supernatural
explanations of illness and his focus on naturalistic causes and treatments.
32. Hippocrates was the first to advance a classification of emotional disorders. His
classification included the following categories:
a. neurosis, psychosis, mania, and melancholia
b. epilepsy, neurosis, psychosis, affective disorders
c. mania, melancholia, paranoia, epilepsy
d. demons possession, naturalistic disorders, disorders ordained by God, disorders that result
from misuse of free will
Answer: c. mania, melancholia, paranoia, epilepsy
Rationale:
Hippocrates categorized emotional disorders into four main types: mania, melancholia,
paranoia, and epilepsy, based on his observations of patients' symptoms and behaviors.
33. Which of the following is remembered as a sophist who advanced a thoroughgoing
relativistic doctrine?
a. Socrates
b. Plato
c. Protagoras
d. Theana
Answer: c. Protagoras
Rationale:
Protagoras was a prominent sophist known for his relativistic views, famously stating, "Man
is the measure of all things," suggesting that truth and knowledge are relative to individual
perceptions.
34. Sophists were
a. physicians who were poorly trained
b. Lawyers
c. cosmologists
d. teachers who received money in exchange for instruction
Answer: d. teachers who received money in exchange for instruction
Rationale:
Sophists were professional educators who taught various subjects, including rhetoric, for a
fee. They were criticized by some, including Plato, for their relativistic approach to truth.
35. Socrates believed that knowledge is more likely to be achieved through
a. controlled observation
b. naturalistic observation
c. reason
d. aesthetics
Answer: c. reason
Rationale:
Socrates emphasized the importance of reason in the pursuit of knowledge, advocating for
critical thinking and logical analysis as the primary means of acquiring wisdom.
36. Socrates believed that virtue is attained through ________, whereas evil results from
________.
a. self-knowledge . . . ignorance
b. following rules . . . false concepts
c. religious revelation . . . reductionism
d. restraint . . . lack of discipline
Answer: a. self-knowledge . . . ignorance
Rationale:
Socrates believed that virtue comes from self-awareness and understanding, while evil arises
from ignorance of the true nature of good.
37. Which of the following statements would be most consistent with Plato's theory of forms?
a. sensory information is necessary to most forms of true knowledge
b. there are universal, timeless, and true principles apprehended through reason
c. we know about the principles of triangularity through examining many individual triangles
d. in matters of knowledge, reason is not to be trusted
Answer: b. there are universal, timeless, and true principles apprehended through reason
Rationale:
Plato's theory of forms posits that universal truths and principles exist independently of
sensory experience and are apprehended through reason and intellect.
38. Plato believed that _________ can result in only appearance and opinion while ________
is the only way to true knowledge.
a. intuition . . . reason
b. sensory information . . . intuition
c. sensory information . . . reason
d. reason . . . sensory information
Answer: c. sensory information . . . reason
Rationale:
Plato argued that sensory information can lead to mere opinion and appearance, while true
knowledge can only be attained through the rational apprehension of universal forms.
39. Plato believed in a three part soul or psyche consisting of
a. appetite, spirit, and reason
b. sensation, motivation, and cognition
c. sensation, perception, and cognition
d. emotion, sensation, and motivation
Answer: a. appetite, spirit, and reason
Rationale:
Plato's tripartite theory of the soul includes three components: appetite (desires and instincts),
spirit (emotion and ambition), and reason (intellect and rationality).
40. ________ and ________ were among the first to emphasize psychological forces in the
development of mental disorders.
a. Socrates . . . Plato
b. Alcmaeon . . . Thales
c. Xenophanes . . . Alcmaeon
d. Protagoras . . . Zeno
Answer: a. Socrates . . . Plato
Rationale:
Both Socrates and Plato recognized the influence of psychological factors, such as ignorance
and false beliefs, in the development of mental disorders, emphasizing the importance of selfawareness and rational understanding for mental well-being.
41. Which of the following is not a contribution from Socrates or Plato concerning mental
disorders?
a. Irrational forces may dominate the mind leading to mental disorders
b. Discord amongst components of the psyche may contribute to mental disorders
c. Mental disorders may result from ignorance
d. Mental disorders arise from an imbalance of humors
Answer: d. Mental disorders arise from an imbalance of humors
Rationale:
Socrates and Plato did not attribute mental disorders to humoral imbalance, which was a
concept more commonly associated with later Greek and Roman medical thought.
42. Aristotle’s position on the relationship between soul and body is best described by the
term
a. interactionism.
b. psychophysical parallelism.
c. idealism.
d. hylomorphism.
Answer: d. hylomorphism.
Rationale:
Aristotle's philosophy proposed hylomorphism, the view that entities are composed of matter
and form, with the soul being the form of the body.
43. Which of the following is true regarding Aristotle's distinction between recollection and
memory?
a. memory is more active whereas recollection is more passive
b. memory is never spontaneous; only recollection is spontaneous
c. recollection involves effort, whereas memory can be spontaneous
d. recollection can take place without memory
Answer: c. recollection involves effort, whereas memory can be spontaneous
Rationale:
Aristotle distinguished between memory (the passive retention of past experiences) and
recollection (the active retrieval of past experiences), suggesting that recollection requires
effort while memory can occur spontaneously.
44. According to Aristotle, which of the following is most accurate?
a. thinking
b. imagination
c. perception
d. none of the above. All ways of knowing are flawed
Answer: c. perception
Rationale:
Aristotle considered perception to be the most accurate way of knowing because it directly
engages with the external world through the senses.
45. Which of the following best characterizes Aristotle’s beliefs about dreams?
a. Dreams are based on the movement of sense impressions during sleep.
b. Dreams may provide important clues about the condition of the body.
c. Dreams do not convey divine messages.
d. All of the above.
Answer: d. All of the above.
Rationale:
Aristotle believed that dreams are natural phenomena influenced by bodily processes and
sensory experiences, rather than divine messages or supernatural phenomena.
46. Which of the following might best characterize Aristotle's advice about how to attain
goodness and happiness?
a. follow the rules or norms of your society
b. commit yourself without reservation to religious values
c. emphasize the development of courage
d. seek the golden mean, avoid extremes, try to be moderate
Answer: d. seek the golden mean, avoid extremes, try to be moderate
Rationale:
Aristotle advocated for the cultivation of virtues through moderation and balance, suggesting
that happiness is best achieved by avoiding extremes and seeking the golden mean in all
aspects of life.
47. According to Aristotle, humans seek pleasure and happiness but are often frustrated in
their attempts to secure these states. Aristotle believed that “good fortune” plays a role in the
attainment of happiness but even without luck we can attain a modicum of happiness by
practicing goodness and by
a. reconciling ourselves with religious authority.
b. practicing stoic resignation.
c. seeking moderation or the golden mean in all things.
d. taking strong stands on all issues.
Answer: c. seeking moderation or the golden mean in all things.
Rationale:
Aristotle argued that happiness can be achieved through the practice of virtue and
moderation, regardless of external circumstances.
48. The Academy is to _______ as the Lyceum is to _______.
a. Plato . . . Socrates
b. Socrates . . . Plato
c. Plato . . . Aristotle
d. Theophrastus . . . Plato
Answer: c. Plato . . . Aristotle
Rationale:
The Academy was founded by Plato, while the Lyceum was founded by Aristotle, making the
former associated with Plato and the latter with Aristotle.
49. The essential feature of Greek thought, following Aristotle is
a. the emphasis on pure science
b. a new emphasis on narrow practical concerns and with how to be happy
c. a shift from emphasis on philosophy to a new emphasis on science
d. the continuation, for several hundred years, of a marked love for intellectual activities
Answer: b. a new emphasis on narrow practical concerns and with how to be happy
Rationale:
Following Aristotle, Greek thought shifted towards a practical focus on ethics, politics, and
the attainment of happiness, rather than solely on abstract philosophical speculation.
Test Bank for A History of Psychology: Ideas and Context
Brett D. King, Wayne Viney, William Douglas Woody
9780205987184
