Question 1

During her lecture on dream theories, Professor Vlahakis points out that ________ theory says more about REM sleep than about dreaming.

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory suggests that the brainstem sends random signals to the cortex during REM sleep, which the cortex then interprets as a dream. Therefore, it primarily explains the physiological processes that occur during REM sleep, rather than the content or meaning of dreams.

Question 2

When nicotine is abused, the resulting effects may include:

Accepted Answer

The answer of When nicotine is abused, the resulting effects...

Question 3

The dream theory that currently seems to have the most support is the:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The dream theory that currently seems to...

Question 4

During REM sleep, neurons in the ________ fire spontaneously.

Accepted Answer

Neurons in the pons region of the brainstem fire spontaneously during REM sleep, leading to the characteristic muscle atonia and rapid eye movements observed during this stage of sleep. The other options listed are not directly related to the generation of REM sleep.

Question 5

Which of the following statements most closely represents the activation-synthesis model of dreaming?

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis model of dreaming posits that dreams arise from spontaneous neural activity in the brain stem that stimulates areas of the cortex, producing the dream content as a result of this activation. This theory suggests that dreams have no inherent meaning and are simply the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity.

Question 6

During his lecture on dream theories, Professor Murphy points out that a weakness of ________ theory is that the theory does not explain coherent, storylike dreams or non-REM dreams.

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory proposes that dreams are a random firing of neurons in the brainstem, and the cortex attempts to make sense of these random signals. However, this theory does not explain why some dreams have a clear narrative structure or why non-REM dreams occur, which suggests that other factors may be at play in the production of dreams.

Question 7

A substance that alters perception, mood, thinking, memory, or behaviour by changing the body's biochemistry is a/an:

Accepted Answer

The term "psychoactive" refers to a substance that affects the mind and alters perception, mood, thinking, memory, and behavior by changing the body's biochemistry. This includes a wide range of drugs such as alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and many prescription medications.

Question 8

One of the weaknesses of the problem-focused theory of dreaming is that:

Accepted Answer

The answer of One of the weaknesses of the problem-focused...

Question 9

In his dream, Andy is an infant crawling through a dark tunnel looking for something he has lost. Which theory would be most receptive to an explanation that while Andy was sleeping, neurons in his pons that stimulate leg-muscle movement were active?

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory suggests that dreams are the result of random neural firing in the brainstem and that the brain attempts to make sense of this activity by creating a story, or dream. The fact that neurons in the pons, which regulate muscle movement during sleep, were active in Andy's dream, supports the activation-synthesis theory.

Question 10

In his dream, Andy is an infant crawling through a dark tunnel looking for something he has lost. Which theory would be most receptive to an explanation that while Andy was sleeping, neurons in his pons that would ordinarily stimulate leg-muscle movement were active?

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory of dreaming suggests that dreams are the result of the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity during sleep. This theory would be most receptive to an explanation that Andy's dream was influenced by neurons in the pons that were constantly generating signals to the muscle groups, causing his legs to move and creating a sensation that he was crawling through a dark tunnel.

Question 11

The activation-synthesis theory proposes that:

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory proposes that the cortex tries to make sense of random neural activity by creating dream narratives. This means that the brain is essentially trying to create a story or narrative out of random signals and impulses during sleep.

Question 12

When amphetamines are abused, the resulting effects may include:

Accepted Answer

Amphetamine abuse can lead to a variety of serious physical and mental health issues, including nervousness, loss of appetite, high blood pressure, delusions, psychosis, heart damage, convulsions, and even death.

Question 13

According to Hobson's (1988) activation-synthesis view of dreaming, one could say that dreams are really just the brain's way of:

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory suggests that dreams are the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity during sleep, essentially deriving order from chaos.

Question 14

Stimulants are:

Accepted Answer

Stimulants are drugs that speed up activity in the central nervous system, increasing alertness, attention, and energy levels. Common examples include caffeine, cocaine, and amphetamines.

Answer: B 
 While stimulants do specifically refer to drugs that speed up activity in the central nervous system, they are also known for influencing perception, mood, cognition, or behaviour. This can include increased confidence or sociability, decreased appetite, or heightened alertness.

Answer: C 
 This definition is incorrect because stimulants actually do quite the opposite - they speed up activity in the central nervous system.

Answer: D 
 This definition is incorrect because drugs derived from the opium poppy are actually opioids, not stimulants. Opioids are used for pain relief and can produce feelings of euphoria, but work in a different way in the nervous system than stimulants do.

Question 15

A weakness of the activation-synthesis theory of dreaming is that:

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory only explains the occurrence of dreams during REM sleep and does not address why dreams also occur during non-REM sleep. Therefore, C is the correct answer. A is incorrect because the theory proposes that latent meanings do not exist, so there is no need to determine them. B is incorrect because the theory does propose that problem-solving may occur during dreaming. D is incorrect because the theory specifically attempts to explain the process of dreaming during REM sleep.

Question 16

The activation-synthesis theory proposes that:

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory proposes that during sleep, the cortex tries to make sense of random neural activity by creating dream narratives. In other words, the brain is activated during sleep, but because the sensory input is decreased, the brain has to create narratives based on random neural activity in order to make sense of this activation.

Question 17

When cocaine is abused, the resulting effects may include:

Accepted Answer

The answer of When cocaine is abused, the resulting effects...

Question 18

Research suggests that we typically forget our dreams upon waking because:

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that cortical neurons that control the initial storage of new memories are turned off during sleep, making it more difficult to remember dreams upon waking.

Question 19

Phillip has been suffering from insomnia for eight months. When he sees his doctor he asks if he might prescribe something to aid him in falling asleep. If his doctor were to prescribe medication, it would likely be a/an:

Accepted Answer

Given that Phillip is suffering from insomnia and seeking medication to aid in falling asleep, it is most likely that his doctor would prescribe a tranquilizer. Tranquilizers, such as benzodiazepines, are commonly used to treat insomnia by reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation, which can lead to improved sleep. Stimulants and amphetamines, on the other hand, would likely worsen Phillip's insomnia, while opiates are not typically prescribed for this purpose.

Question 20

Psychoactive drugs are:

Accepted Answer

Psychoactive drugs are capable of influencing perception, mood, cognition or behavior. While some drugs may speed up or slow down activity in the central nervous system, this is not the defining characteristic of a psychoactive drug. Additionally, not all psychoactive drugs are derived from the opium poppy. Therefore, choice B is the best answer as it encapsulates the most accurate description of psychoactive drugs.

Quiz 5: Body Rhythms and Mental States

During her lecture on dream theories, Professor Vlahakis points out that ________ theory says more about REM sleep than about dreaming.

When nicotine is abused, the resulting effects may include:

The dream theory that currently seems to have the most support is the:

During REM sleep, neurons in the ________ fire spontaneously.

Which of the following statements most closely represents the activation-synthesis model of dreaming?

During his lecture on dream theories, Professor Murphy points out that a weakness of ________ theory is that the theory does not explain coherent, storylike dreams or non-REM dreams.

A substance that alters perception, mood, thinking, memory, or behaviour by changing the body's biochemistry is a/an:

One of the weaknesses of the problem-focused theory of dreaming is that:

In his dream, Andy is an infant crawling through a dark tunnel looking for something he has lost. Which theory would be most receptive to an explanation that while Andy was sleeping, neurons in his pons that stimulate leg-muscle movement were active?

In his dream, Andy is an infant crawling through a dark tunnel looking for something he has lost. Which theory would be most receptive to an explanation that while Andy was sleeping, neurons in his pons that would ordinarily stimulate leg-muscle movement were active?

The activation-synthesis theory proposes that:

When amphetamines are abused, the resulting effects may include:

According to Hobson's (1988) activation-synthesis view of dreaming, one could say that dreams are really just the brain's way of:

Stimulants are:

A weakness of the activation-synthesis theory of dreaming is that:

The activation-synthesis theory proposes that:

When cocaine is abused, the resulting effects may include:

Research suggests that we typically forget our dreams upon waking because:

Phillip has been suffering from insomnia for eight months. When he sees his doctor he asks if he might prescribe something to aid him in falling asleep. If his doctor were to prescribe medication, it would likely be a/an:

Psychoactive drugs are: