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Psychological Misconception Questionnaire

Is your psychological knowledge based on myths? Take this test to find out.

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

April 19, 2024

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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Psychological misconceptions are the subtle distortions that infiltrate our understanding of the human mind, which can shape our perceptions and behaviors. From common myths about intelligence and memory to deeply ingrained beliefs about personality and mental health, these misconceptions often stem from exposure to inaccurate information in media, education and everyday experiences.

Identifying and measuring psychological misconceptions is crucial—even for the everyday person. These beliefs can influence decision-making, problem-solving and interpersonal interactions and potentially lead to misunderstandings, misjudgments or worse. They may also contribute to stigma surrounding mental health issues, and can harmfully influence attitudes toward psychological interventions.

The Psychological Misconception Questionnaire is a valuable tool for assessing and addressing psychological misconceptions. By presenting individuals with statements reflecting common misconceptions regarding psychological concepts—such as the brain, psychological disorders, and human behavior—this test provides insights into the prevalence and nature of these beliefs.

You can take this test here. Please follow all of the steps to receive your results.

References: Hughes, S., Lyddy, F., & Kaplan, R. (2013). The impact of language and response format on student endorsement of psychological misconceptions. Teaching of Psychology, 40(1), 31-37. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628312465861

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. People predominantly use either the left-side or the right-side of their brain.

2. The more people present at an emergency the higher the probability is that someone will intervene.

3. People only use 10% of their brain's total processing capability.

4. The vast majority of autistic individuals possess savant abilities (i.e. one or more isolated pockets of remarkable intellectual ability).

5. People with amnesia always forget all the details of their early life.

6. Eyewitness testimony is a highly accurate and reliable method for identifying criminal suspects.

7. Academic performance is significantly improved when teaching styles are matched to student learning styles.

8. A person's handwriting is a valid and reliable indicator of their personality traits.

9. Thinking positive thoughts reduces the development of cancer.

10. A defining characteristic of a person with schizophrenia is that they have multiple personalities.

11. Dream interpretation is a valid and reliable method for revealing people's unconscious motivations and desires.

12. Within the past 20 years there has been a significant increase in the rate of children developing infantile autism.

13. Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness that is qualitatively distinct from normal waking consciousness.

14. People's responses to inkblot tests provide us with a valid and reliable means to assess their personality.

15. Every dying person passes through a universal series of psychological stages (i.e. denial, anger, bargaining, depression and anger).

16. We can accurately and reliably determine if another person is lying by examining their facial expressions.

17. For a majority of people, adolescence is characterized as a period of intense emotional distress and turmoil.

18. A majority of people experience a midlife crisis between the ages of 40 and 60.

19. People always repress painful or traumatic memories.

20. On average, people are romantically attracted to individuals who differ from them in their personality, interests, and attitudes.

21. People with a history of child sex abuse frequently develop severe personality disturbances in adulthood.

22. Hypnosis is a reliable and valid technique for retrieving forgotten memories.

23. Memory works like a tape recorder or video camera, accurately recording the events we experience.

24. Playing classical music (e.g., Mozart) to infants and children produces long-lasting increases in their intelligence.

25. The polygraph ("lie detector") test is a highly accurate and valid method for identifying dishonesty.

26. A majority of people will not follow instructions to hurt another person from an authority figure.

27. People's attitudes are always highly predictive of their behaviors.

28. Children raised in gay or lesbian families almost always grow up gay or lesbian themselves.

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.