Question 1

A common way of measuring someone's level of fear or anxiety is by measuring

Accepted Answer

Changes in the startle reflex to a sudden sound are a common way of measuring someone's level of fear or anxiety. This is because the startle reflex is an involuntary response that is heightened when a person is anxious or fearful. By measuring changes in the startle reflex, researchers can get an objective measure of a person's level of anxiety or fear.

Question 2

The theory behind the polygraph test is that people who are lying

Accepted Answer

The polygraph measures several physiological responses, including changes in blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and skin conductivity. These responses are thought to be indicators of increased activity in the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the "fight or flight" response. When a person is lying, their body may respond to the stress of the situation, causing an increase in sympathetic nervous system activity and therefore changes in these physiological responses.

Question 3

After damage to the amygdala,people are slow to:

Accepted Answer

The answer of After damage to the amygdala,people are slow...

Question 4

Researchers measure changes in the startle reflex as an operational definition of

Accepted Answer

Changes in the startle reflex are commonly used in research as an operational definition of anxiety. This reflex is an involuntary response of the nervous system to sudden, unexpected stimuli, and individuals who are more anxious tend to have a stronger and longer lasting startle response.

Question 5

The polygraph test measures

Accepted Answer

The polygraph test, also known as a lie detector test, measures the electrical resistance of the skin (often referred to as galvanic skin response), as well as heart rate and breathing rate. These physiological responses are thought to be indicators of stress or anxiety, which may be associated with deception. While some other factors, such as voice stress or facial expressions, may also be taken into account during a polygraph examination, the primary measurements are those of skin conductance, heart rate, and breathing rate.

Question 6

All of the following brain structures are active in regulating the startle response EXCEPT the

Accepted Answer

The primary motor cortex is responsible for initiating voluntary movements, but it is not directly involved in regulating the startle response. The medulla and pons are part of the brainstem and are involved in controlling basic physiological processes, including the startle response. The amygdala is a key brain structure involved in emotional processing and plays a major role in producing and modulating the startle response.

Question 7

In addition to self-report measures,researchers operationally define anxiety as

Accepted Answer

Operational definitions are concrete and measurable indicators that are used to understand and measure complex psychological phenomena. In the context of anxiety, researchers often use physiological measures like the startle reflex to operationalize anxiety. Studies have shown that anxiety is associated with an increase in the startle reflex, making it a useful indicator of anxiety levels. Choice A is not an operational definition since it is too subjective and cannot be directly measured, while choices B and C are arbitrary levels of arousal that have not been empirically established as defining anxiety.

Question 8

The polygraph test measures

Accepted Answer

The polygraph test measures the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the fight or flight response. This is measured through changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating patterns.

Question 9

Results from one research study suggested that professional polygraph administrators were able to identify __________ of the guilty suspects as liars but also classified __________ of the innocent suspects as liars.

Accepted Answer

Research on polygraph accuracy often shows that while polygraph administrators can identify a significant portion of guilty suspects correctly, they also have a notable rate of false positives, where innocent suspects are incorrectly identified as liars. The figures 76% and 37% reflect a scenario where a majority of guilty suspects are identified, but a substantial minority of innocent suspects are also misclassified, which aligns with the performance characteristics of polygraphs in some studies.

Question 10

Activity of the sympathetic nervous system increases the electrical resistance of the skin by increasing:

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system stimulates the sweat glands to produce sweat, which increases the electrical conductivity of the skin. As a result, the electrical resistance of the skin decreases. Therefore, choice A is the best option because sweating decreases skin resistance. The other choices are not directly related to skin resistance.

Question 11

The polygraph test measures

Accepted Answer

The polygraph test measures the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body's "fight or flight" response and is activated during periods of stress or anxiety.

Question 12

The polygraph test is based on the assumption that when people lie,they will show an increase in

Accepted Answer

The polygraph test measures physiological responses such as heart rate, breathing rate, and sweating, which are believed to increase when a person is lying. This is known as the "fight or flight" response and is thought to be triggered by anxiety or stress when lying.

Question 13

The polygraph test is based on the assumption that when people tell lies,

Accepted Answer

The polygraph test is based on the assumption that when people tell lies, their heart rate and breathing rate increase. The test measures physiological responses such as these, as well as sweating and blood pressure, in order to determine whether someone is lying or telling the truth. Therefore, choice D is the correct answer.

Question 14

According to research on the polygraph test,its major flaw is that

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that the polygraph test is not reliable in identifying liars and also has a high rate of false positives, meaning it often identifies honest people as liars. This is its major flaw.

Question 15

An increase in the electrical conduction of the skin indicates an increase in sweating,which in turn indicates

Accepted Answer

An increase in sweating is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers the release of sweat from sweat glands in response to stimuli such as heat, exercise, or stress. An increase in electrical conduction of the skin, as measured by a device called a skin conductance meter, is a sign of increased sweating and therefore increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is not involved in sweating, and insulin secretion does not directly affect sweating.

Question 16

When polygraph examiners administer polygraph tests in order to detect lying

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that while polygraph tests can sometimes detect lying, they also frequently result in false positives where honest people are falsely accused of lying. Therefore, option B is the best choice.

Question 17

Electrical conduction of the skin provides an indication of the level of activity of the

Accepted Answer

Electrical conduction of the skin, also known as skin conductance or galvanic skin response, measures the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the body's "fight or flight" response. This response causes an increase in sweat gland activity, leading to changes in skin conductivity. Therefore, the correct answer is D) sympathetic nervous system.

Question 18

Joan,who suffers from an anxiety disorder,is having a conversation with June,who does not suffer from an anxiety disorder.Suddenly there is a loud,unexpected noise.Which of the following is most likely to occur?

Accepted Answer

Individuals with anxiety disorders tend to have a heightened startle response and are more likely to be startled by unexpected noises than those without anxiety disorders. Therefore, Joan is more likely to show a greater startle response to the noise than June.

Question 19

The main objection to the polygraph test is that

Accepted Answer

The main objection to the polygraph test is that it incorrectly identifies too many honest people as liars. This is a major flaw and can lead to false accusations and damage to someone's reputation or career. Additionally, the accuracy of the test has been challenged by many researchers, making it a controversial tool in the field of psychology.

Question 20

In general the research on our ability to detect lies finds that

Accepted Answer

The research suggests that most people cannot detect lying any better than chance (50%). While there may be individual variation, there is no consistent evidence to support gender differences in lie detection ability.

Quiz 12: Emotional Behaviors,stress,and Health

A common way of measuring someone's level of fear or anxiety is by measuring

The theory behind the polygraph test is that people who are lying

After damage to the amygdala,people are slow to:

Researchers measure changes in the startle reflex as an operational definition of

The polygraph test measures

All of the following brain structures are active in regulating the startle response EXCEPT the

In addition to self-report measures,researchers operationally define anxiety as

The polygraph test measures

Results from one research study suggested that professional polygraph administrators were able to identify of the guilty suspects as liars but also classified of the innocent suspects as liars.

Activity of the sympathetic nervous system increases the electrical resistance of the skin by increasing:

The polygraph test measures

The polygraph test is based on the assumption that when people lie,they will show an increase in

The polygraph test is based on the assumption that when people tell lies,

According to research on the polygraph test,its major flaw is that

An increase in the electrical conduction of the skin indicates an increase in sweating,which in turn indicates

When polygraph examiners administer polygraph tests in order to detect lying

Electrical conduction of the skin provides an indication of the level of activity of the

Joan,who suffers from an anxiety disorder,is having a conversation with June,who does not suffer from an anxiety disorder.Suddenly there is a loud,unexpected noise.Which of the following is most likely to occur?

The main objection to the polygraph test is that

In general the research on our ability to detect lies finds that