Question 1

Iris considers herself a procrastinator,who routinely leaves assignments until the last minute.As finals week approaches,she realizes she has several projects due and will not have time to sleep if she hopes to get them all done.Sleep deprivation is likely to affect her critical thinking skills in that she is likely to perform _______________ than someone who is rested.

Accepted Answer

Sleep deprivation has been shown to impair cognitive functions such as attention, memory, and critical thinking. Therefore, Iris is likely to perform more poorly than someone who is rested.

Question 2

Orin is interested in learning how the body knows when it's supposed to sleep.He finds that most of his body's biological rhythms are regulated by the

Accepted Answer

The suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in the hypothalamus are responsible for controlling circadian rhythms, including the sleep-wake cycle.

Question 3

Because we learn to do familiar tasks automatically,we can focus our time and energy on other things.The problem with always relying on automatic processing is that

Accepted Answer

Relying on automatic processing can lead to a reduction in creativity and the exploration of new approaches to problems.

Question 4

The question of where consciousness or the mind resides has engaged philosophers and scientists for centuries.Modern research suggests that the mind is

Accepted Answer

Modern research suggests that the mind is composed of separate but interacting modules, including sensory processing, memory, attention, executive functions, and more. While these modules work together to create the experience of consciousness, they are largely localized in different regions of the brain and can sometimes operate independently of one another. This view of the mind is supported by evidence from neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience, and other fields.

Question 5

Some people are extremely good at multitasking.They are able to hold a conversation while entering data into a computer,or write a letter while watching television.The ability to attend to and perform more than one activity at once is known as

Accepted Answer

Divided attention is the ability to attend to and perform more than one activity at once, also known as multitasking. Consolidation refers to the process of strengthening memories. Suprachiasmatic processing and melatonin relate to the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle.

Question 6

Barbara hasn't ridden a bicycle in years,but when she sees a bike with handlebar streamers and playing cards in the spokes on television,she remembers learning to ride her best friend's bike.The childhood memory of learning to ride a bike has moved from Barbara's __________________ to her __________________.

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's structural model of the mind, the unconscious holds thoughts, memories, and desires that are not immediately available to the conscious mind. The preconscious holds information that is not currently in the conscious mind but can be easily retrieved if needed. Barbara's childhood memory of learning to ride a bike is not immediately available to her conscious mind, but it is not completely buried in her unconscious either. Therefore, the memory has moved from her preconscious to her conscious mind when she sees a bike on television.

Question 7

Studies show that activity decreases in the prefrontal cortex during REM.Among other things,the prefrontal cortex is responsible for planning and logical thinking.Researchers think this may affect dream content by

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex during REM sleep may affect dream content by allowing dreams to be more illogical and bizarre, as this area of the brain is responsible for planning and logical thinking. There is no evidence to suggest that this would affect the processing of imagined colors or provide a temporary sixth sense. The release of melatonin is not directly related to activity in the prefrontal cortex.

Question 8

Pietro's professor says that although many animals' behaviours are governed wholly by instinct,human beings have choices about what to do in any given situation.Thanks to evolution,humans have self-awareness,the ability to plan,and an ability to reflect on the possible courses of a given action.These abilities are components of a larger framework we call

Accepted Answer

The professor is specifically referring to the unique abilities of humans, such as self-awareness, the ability to plan, and reflect on possible actions. These are all related to consciousness, which is the ability to have subjective experiences and awareness of one's surroundings. Therefore, option C is the best choice.

Question 9

While driving to school,Brandon thinks about his upcoming midterms.Another driver cuts him off,and he immediately focuses on controlling the car.Brandon has switched to

Accepted Answer

Brandon's immediate focus on controlling the car shows that he has switched to controlled processing, which is a type of thinking that requires conscious attention and effort to complete a task. This is different from automatic processing, which is a type of thinking that is done without conscious attention or effort. The other choices, subjective consciousness and circadian rhythms, are not relevant to the situation.

Question 10

While driving to school,Brandon thinks about his upcoming midterms.When he reaches campus,he realizes that he doesn't remember most of the drive.Because he has been driving for several years,_______________________ allowed him to reach campus safely.

Accepted Answer

Automatic processing refers to performing tasks without conscious effort or attention. In this case, Brandon was able to drive safely to campus without actively thinking about each driving maneuver because he has been driving for several years and his brain has become accustomed to this task through repetition.

Question 11

During REM sleep,Angela often sleepwalks.If her parents speak to her,she answers,but in the morning she denies any memory of being up.Assuming Angela is really sleepwalking,this is unusual behaviour for the REM stage of sleep,because

Accepted Answer

Sleep paralysis is a normal occurrence during REM sleep, which paralyzes the muscles of the body so that the sleeper doesn't act out their dreams. Sleepwalking is more common in non-REM sleep stages. Therefore, Angela's behavior is surprising during the REM stage of sleep, where sleep paralysis would normally keep her in bed.

Question 12

Yves always has problems with depression during the winter: He feels sadder than normal and is unusually tired when he gets up for the day.His problems always subside in the spring.His physician suggests that Yves buy a lightbox so he can expose himself to bright artificial light each day.This treatment approach is called

Accepted Answer

The treatment approach of exposing oneself to bright artificial light each day during the winter to alleviate symptoms of depression is called phototherapy. The other options (theta approach, Gestalt therapy, cycle therapy) do not relate to this specific treatment approach.

Question 13

Devondra's older sister can tie her shoelaces without even looking down.Devondra knows that eventually she will be able to do the same thing,but until then she has to use conscious attention and effort;that is,__________________ to tie her shoes.

Accepted Answer

Controlled processing is a type of cognitive processing that requires conscious attention and effort. It is used for tasks that are not yet automated, and require active thinking and decision-making. In this case, Devondra's actions of tying her shoelaces require controlled processing, as she has not yet developed the automaticity that her older sister possesses. The other choices, automatic processing, circadian processing, and suprachiasmatic processing, do not accurately describe the cognitive processes involved in tying shoelaces.

Question 14

Twila has no problems going to sleep at night,but she wakes up often during the night and considerably earlier than she would like to each morning.She does not feel rested when she gets up for the day,and since the problem has existed for weeks,her job performance is being affected.What is Twila's problem?

Accepted Answer

Twila's problem is waking up often during the night and feeling tired in the morning, which are symptoms of insomnia.

Question 15

Yves always has problems with depression during the winter: He feels sadder than normal and is unusually tired when he gets up for the day.His problems always subside in the spring.Yves may have

Accepted Answer

Yves is experiencing symptoms that are commonly associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is a type of depression that usually occurs during the fall and winter months when there is less sunlight. Symptoms of SAD can include feelings of sadness, lethargy, and low energy. While the other options may also cause fatigue and mood changes, SAD is the most likely diagnosis based on Yves' pattern of symptoms.

Question 16

Orin is interested in learning how the body knows when it's supposed to sleep.He learns that his pineal gland is supposed to secrete a hormone called __________________ to relax his body.

Accepted Answer

The hormone that the pineal gland secretes to help the body relax and prepare for sleep is melatonin.

Question 17

Jason lives in New York and is going to California for the first time.He has always preferred to stay up late at night and get up late in the morning.Since he normally goes to bed at three a.m.and California time is three hours earlier than New York's,he thinks he will be on the same sleep schedule as everyone else.However,by the third day Jason finds he isn't sleepy until three a.m.What is responsible for resetting Jason's body clock?

Accepted Answer

Circadian rhythms are responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle in humans. The body's internal clock can be reset by exposure to light and darkness, but it can take some time to adjust to a new time zone. In Jason's case, his body is still adjusting to the time change, leading to his difficulty in falling asleep until his usual bedtime of 3 a.m.

Question 18

Most of the time,Shandra has no problems sleeping soundly.When things get hectic at work,however,she finds that she has trouble falling asleep and feeling rested when she wakes.Because Shandra feels even more tired when she is stressed,she thinks she should be sleeping better;however,we know that

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that stress can decrease the quality of our sleep and make it harder for us to fall asleep and stay asleep. Therefore, it is not uncommon for Shandra to experience trouble sleeping when things get hectic at work.

Question 19

Opiates have a molecular structure that is similar to endorphins,our body's natural pain relievers.When Ahmed takes cold medicine with codeine in hopes of relieving a headache,the codeine stimulates the receptor sites that receive endorphins.Codeine is therefore a/an

Accepted Answer

Codeine binds to the same receptor sites as endorphins and stimulates them, producing a similar effect to natural pain relief. This makes it an agonist.

Question 20

Vince prefers to take classes later in the day and feels he is most productive in the afternoon and evening.His friend Francesca prefers to go to bed early and get up early,and she claims to feel more productive in the morning.Vince's and Francesca's preferences may be regulated by biological cycles called

Accepted Answer

Circadian rhythms are biological cycles that regulate the timing of bodily processes, such as sleep and wakefulness, and can vary among individuals. Vince's preference for later classes and productivity in the afternoon and evening and Francesca's preference for going to bed early and productivity in the morning suggest differences in their circadian rhythms. Narcolepsy, automatic processing, and activation synthesis are not relevant to this scenario.

Quiz 6: States of Consciousness