Deck 2: Biological Psychology: Exploring Neurons, Neurotransmitters, and Brain Functions

Question 1

Which of the following expressions best approximates the number of nerve cells in the nervous system?

A) 10 large
B) 1 trillion
C) 100 billion
D) 100 trillion

Answer 1

1 trillion

Question 2

The part of the neuron that carries messages toward other neurons is called the

A) axon.
B) cell body.
C) dendrite.
D) neurotransmitter.

Answer 2

axon.

Question 3

If you compare a tree to a neuron, the dendrites would be your

A) bark.
B) roots.
C) trunk.
D) branches and leaves.

Answer 3

roots.

Question 4

If you compare a tree to a neuron, the axon would be your

A) trunk.
B) branches and leaves.
C) bark.
D) roots.

Question 5

Similar to firing a bullet from a gun, a neuron either fires completely or not at all. This is known as the________ law.

A) big-bang
B) fires-or-not
C) all-or-none
D) on-or-off

Question 6

An action potential is:

A) the likelihood that a neuron will take action when stimulated.
B) an energy impulse released by the dendrites.
C) the firing of a nerve, either toward or away from the cell body.
D) a neural impulse that carries information along the axon of a neuron.

Question 7

Regarding action potentials, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Action potentials move at the same strength or speed through a particular axon.
B) Along a given axon, some action potentials are stronger than others.
C) Some neurons can fire action potentials at faster rate than other neurons can.
D) A strong stimulus leads to a higher rate of firing than a less intense stimulus.

Question 8

Once an action potential has been fired, the neuron cannot fire again until:

A) the resting state has been restored.
B) the rising phase of the action potential has reached its peak.
C) the reuptake of neurotransmitters has been completed.
D) the direction of the nerve impulse within the axon has reversed.

Question 9

Neural impulses generally travel:

A) electrically between and within each neuron.
B) chemically between and within each neuron.
C) electrically between neurons and chemically within each neuron.
D) chemically between neurons and electrically within each neuron.

Question 10

Neurotransmitters carry:

A) messages across the synapse to other neurons.
B) excitatory messages that make it more likely that a neuron will fire.
C) inhibitory messages that make it less likely that a neuron will fire.
D) All of these

Question 11

Your body has designed a "traffic signal" for neurotransmitters. In this system, a "red light" would represent:

A) an excitatory neurotransmitter.
B) an inhibitory neurotransmitter.
C) a combination of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters.
D) none of these options; once an action potential starts, it never stops.

Question 12

The neurotransmitter dopamine is involved in:

A) attention and learning.
B) Parkinson's disease.
C) pleasure and reward.
D) All of these

Question 13

Which neurotransmitter(s) is/are INCORRECTLY described?

A) acetylcholine-transmits messages related to skeletal muscles
B) endorphins-diminished production may be related to Alzheimer's disease
C) serotonin-helps regulate sleep and mood
D) none of these are incorrectly matched

Question 14

This neurotransmitter affects sleep, appetite, and aggression, among other things.

A) acetylcholine
B) dopamine
C) endorphins
D) serotonin

Question 15

Too little of this neurotransmitter may be related to Parkinson's disease, while too much of this neurotransmitter may be related to schizophrenia.

A) acetylcholine
B) dopamine
C) endorphins
D) serotonin

Question 16

If you run a marathon, your body will release this type of neurotransmitter to elevate your mood and reduce your pain.

A) acetylcholine
B) dopamine
C) endorphins
D) serotonin

Question 17

The process of reuptake involves:

A) the release of different neurotransmitter types by message sending neurons.
B) chemical breakdown of neurotransmitters by the receiving cell.
C) the production of fresh neurotransmitters.
D) soaking up of excess neurotransmitters by the terminal button.

Question 18

In what way does the endocrine system differ from the nervous system?

A) The endocrine system sends chemical messages; the nervous system does not.
B) The endocrine system sends electrical messages; the nervous system does not.
C) The endocrine system involves the circulatory system; the nervous system does not.
D) The endocrine system does not differ from the nervous system.

Question 19

Imagine a large city in which a downtown business district is linked to outlying suburbs by a system of subway trains. The spinal cord's sensory neurons may be likened to the trains that go to the ________; the spinal cord's motor neurons are analogous to the trains that go to the ________.

A) downtown business district; downtown business district as well
B) outlying suburbs; downtown business district
C) outlying suburbs; outlying suburbs as well
D) downtown business district; outlying suburbs

Question 20

The ________ division specializes in the control of voluntary movements.

A) autonomic
B) somatic
C) sympathetic
D) parasympathetic

Question 21

The ________ division specializes in the control of the heart, lungs, and other organs that function involuntarily.

A) autonomic
B) somatic
C) sympathetic
D) parasympathetic

Question 22

The ________ division acts to prepare the body for action in stressful situations.

A) autonomic
B) somatic
C) sympathetic
D) parasympathetic

Question 23

Which nervous system arouses the body and prepares it for fight or flight during times of stress?

A) somatic
B) central
C) sympathetic
D) parasympathetic

Question 24

For which of the following domains of thought and behaviour have behavioural geneticists identified a genetic component?

A) cognitive abilities
B) personality traits
C) sexual orientation
D) All of these

Question 25

Which of the following sequences accurately reflects the relative sizes of the components of the human genome, ordered from smallest to largest?

A) DNA $\rarr$ gene $\rarr$ chromosome
B) DNA $\rarr$ chromosome $\rarr$ gene
C) gene $\rarr$ chromosome $\rarr$ DNA
D) gene $\rarr$ DNA $\rarr$ chromosome

Question 26

With respect to the basis of thought and behaviour, your text suggests that:

A) much of our behaviour has a genetic component.
B) certain behaviours may be linked to specific genes.
C) genetic factors may be related to diverse behaviours, such as schizophrenia
D) all of these options

Question 27

Which of the following sequences accurately reflects the degree of specialization of fields within biological psychology, ordered from the broadest to the most specific

A) evolutionary psychology $\rarr$ genetic counselling $\rarr$ behavioural genetics
B) evolutionary psychology $\rarr$ behavioural genetics $\rarr$ genetic counselling
C) genetic counselling $\rarr$ behavioural genetics $\rarr$ evolutionary psychology
D)genetic counselling $\rarr$ evolutionary psychology $\rarr$ behavioural genetics

Question 28

Dr. Gamble injects genes into a patient's bloodstream to cure a particular disease. Dr. Gamble is using________

A) genetic counselling.
B) molecular genetics.
C) gene therapy.
D) medical genetics.

Question 29

Dr. Ewing is advising a young woman about the risks involved in a potential pregnancy based on the woman's age and the hereditary illnesses present in her family and that of her husband. Dr. Ewing is a

A) genetic counsellor.
B) genetic therapist.
C) behaviour therapist.
D) behavioural counsellor.

Question 30

How are hormones similar to neurotransmitters?

A) Both are chemical messengers.
B) Both are carried in the bloodstream.
C) Their speed and mode of transmission are similar.
D) All of these

Question 31

For what purpose are PET scans and MRI used?

A) observing the process of polarization
B) measuring the responsiveness of the autonomic nervous system
C) observing images of the brain
D) measuring the sensitivity of the skin's pain receptors

Question 32

Zeke is having his brain scanned using one of the oldest imaging techniques. Zeke is being scanned using a(n):

A) positron emission tomography.
B) electroencephalogram.
C) functional magnetic resonance imaging.
D) polygraph.

Question 33

Ultimately extending from the medulla into the forebrain, the ________ functions to increase or decrease the brain's arousal in response to external stimulation.

A) reticular formation
B) thalamus
C) cerebellum
D) limbic system

Question 34

The hypothalamus:

A) maintains a steady internal environment for the body.
B) regulates survival-directed behaviour.
C) helps keep the body's temperature constant
D) all of these answers are correct

Question 35

Which area is largely responsible for voluntary body movements?

A) motor area
B) sensory area
C) association area
D) Broca's area

Question 36

In a neurophysiological investigation, a monkey makes an involuntary gesture when a portion of its brain is electrically stimulated. The area of the brain that was most likely stimulated is the:

A) sensory area of the cortex.
B) motor area of the cortex.
C) association area of the cortex.
D) occipital lobe.

Question 37

Much of our understanding of the association areas comes from:

A) MRI scans.
B) autopsies.
C) evolutionary psychology.
D) individuals who have suffered some type of injury.

Question 38

Violet suffered an accident where she received a blow to the head. Since the accident, Violet has problems with her speech and memory. Which area is most likely to be damaged?

A) the motor area
B) the sensory area
C) the association area
D) None of these

Question 39

Your text suggests that new brain cells may be created even during adulthood. Which of the following statements is the most likely response by the average person to this idea?

A) It doesn't surprise me.
B) It surprises me-I didn't think new neurons and synapses could form during adulthood.
C) It depresses me-I thought I could slowly kill my brain through repeated tequila shots.
D) It frightens me.

Question 40

Potential gender differences in the lateralization of language: nature or nurture?

A) Nature. It boils down to brain anatomy. The corpus callosum is proportionately larger in females than
In males.
B) Nurture. Parents give baby girls more encouragement to talk than they do baby boys, fostering brain development in certain areas.
C) Neither nature nor nurture
D) Both nature and nurture

Question 41

Imagine a study of potential cultural differences in the lateralization of language. Three participant groups are tested: native monolingual English speakers, native monolingual Japanese speakers, and native English speakers who acquired Japanese as a second language. Which of the following might be the study's dependent variable?

A) the participant group
B) some measure of the difference in brain activity between the two hemispheres
C) both of these options could be the dependent variable
D) none of these options could be the dependent variable

Question 42

Roger Sperry's Nobel Prize-winning split-brain investigations:

A) offered a way for psychologists to study the operation of each hemisphere.
B) developed a number of ingenious techniques for studying how each hemisphere operates.
C) both of these options
D) none of these options

Question 43

Biofeedback procedures have proven successful in treating:

A) physical problems.
B) difficulties that are mainly emotional or mood-related.
C) physical ailments with a psychological element.
D) All of these

Question 44

In the split-brain research, patients who held an object in their left hand while blindfolded:

A) could not name the object.
B) could recognize the object as one they had previously touched when the blindfold was removed.
C) both of these options
D) none of these options

Question 45

The fMRI is often used in which type of research?

A) developmental
B) experimental
C) neuroscience
D) clinical

Question 46

In which lobe is Broca's area located?

A) frontal
B) parietal
C) temporal
D) occipital

Question 47

In which lobe is Wernicke's area located:

A) frontal.
B) parietal.
C) temporal.
D) occipital.

Question 48

Psychologists that study how the biological structures and functions of the body affect behaviour are called ________.

Question 49

The process by which neurons become encased in a myelin sheath is ________.

Question 50

Before a neuron fires, it has a negative electrical charge and is said to be in a ________.

Question 51

The neurotransmitter ________ is involved in our every move because it transmits messages to ourskeletal muscles.

Question 52

________ messages make it more likely that a receiving neuron will fire.

Question 53

The ________ lobe is responsible for voluntary movements, intelligence, and personality

Question 54

The human brain weighs about ________ kilograms.

Question 55

The ________ is sometimes known as the "old brain."

Question 56

In front of the parietal lobe is the frontal lobe; below it is the _________ lobe.

Question 57

The ________ can produce very vivid and detailed images of the functioning of the brain.

Question 58

________ area, located in the temporal lobe, allows us to understand spoken word.

Question 59

________ area, located in the frontal lobe, allows you to speak.

Question 60

Identify three neurotransmitters and describe, using specific examples, how they may play a role in yourown behaviour.

Question 61

Describe some of the contributions that the field of behavioural genetics has made to the treatment ofpsychological disorders. Discuss some of the sociopolitical controversies you foresee developing, asadvances in this field continue

Question 62

List and describe three brain imaging techniques. Review the potential utility of each for the diagnosis ofphysical and/or psychological disorders.

Question 63

Identify and describe either three "old brain" or three "new brain" structures or areas. Illustrate thefunction of each area by speculating as to the potential effects of damage to, or deterioration of, thestructures or areas you describe.

Question 64

One might imagine that one brain is essentially the same as the next: If you've seen one brain, you've seenthem all. Evaluate this comment in light of recent research investigating the effects of gender and cultureon brain structure and function

Question 65

What exactly is biofeedback? Describe the procedure and identify some of the physical and psychologicaldisorders to which it has been successfully applied.