Question 1

Which division of the nervous system arouses the body and mobilizes its energy in emotionally stressful situations?

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic division of the nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, which mobilizes the body's resources in response to stress or danger. It increases heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure, among other physiological changes, to prepare the body for action.

Question 2

Who suggested that a "low road" neural shortcut enables rapid emotional responses before our conscious intellect intervenes?

Accepted Answer

Joseph LeDoux suggested that a "low road" neural shortcut enables rapid emotional responses before our conscious intellect intervenes.

Question 3

We sometimes interpret our arousal before experiencing a complex emotional reaction such as hatred.These complex emotional reactions follow a neural pathway from

Accepted Answer

The thalamus receives sensory information, which is then sent to the cerebral cortex for interpretation. The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions and memories. Therefore, the correct sequence is thalamus to cerebral cortex to amygdala.

Question 4

During a state of emotional arousal,the adrenal glands release ________ into the bloodstream.

Accepted Answer

The adrenal glands release norepinephrine into the bloodstream during a state of emotional arousal. This is part of the body's fight or flight response and contributes to the physiological changes that occur during this response, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. Insulin is released by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar levels, acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter involved in muscle movement and other functions, and glucose is a type of sugar that is used as an energy source by the body.

Question 5

Which of the following can best explain the results of the experiment in which college men were injected with epinephrine prior to spending time with either a euphoric or an irritated person?

Accepted Answer

The two-factor theory would suggest that the physiological arousal caused by the epinephrine injection can be interpreted differently depending on the context in which it occurs. In this experiment, the men who spent time with the euphoric person interpreted their physical arousal as being caused by the positive interaction, while those who spent time with the irritated person interpreted their physical arousal as being caused by negative emotions.

Question 6

Astrid was emotionally aroused by a TV horror movie.She became extremely angry when her younger brother momentarily blocked her view of the screen.When her movie viewing was interrupted by a phone call from her boyfriend,however,she experienced unusually intense romantic feelings.Astrid's different emotional reactions to her brother and her boyfriend are best explained by the

Accepted Answer

The two-factor theory suggests that emotions are a result of both physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation. In Astrid's case, her emotional arousal during the horror movie could have led to the intense anger when her brother blocked her view. However, when her boyfriend called, the same physiological arousal was interpreted in a different way, leading to intense romantic feelings instead of anger.

Question 7

________ concluded that we actually have many emotional reactions apart from,or even before,our interpretation of a situation.

Accepted Answer

Robert Zajonc's research on the mere exposure effect concluded that we can have emotional reactions to stimuli without conscious awareness or interpretation of the situation.

Question 8

Some emotions,especially complex feelings such as hatred and love,travel (by way of the thalamus)to the brain's cortex.There,they are analyzed and labeled before the response command is sent out,via the amygdala.This pathway is referred to as the

Accepted Answer

The pathway described, where emotions travel to the cortex for analysis and labeling before a response command is sent via the amygdala, is known as the high road. The low road refers to a more direct and immediate pathway from the thalamus to the amygdala for quick emotional responses. The sympathetic and parasympathetic roads relate to the autonomic nervous system, which controls bodily functions rather than emotion processing.

Question 9

If people who have just been aroused by watching rock videos are then insulted,their feelings of anger will be greater than those of people who have been similarly provoked but were not previously aroused.This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

The spillover effect suggests that emotional arousal from one situation can spill over and intensify emotional reactions in another situation. The scenario in the question presents a clear example of this phenomenon, as arousal from watching rock videos spills over and intensifies the anger provoked by insults. The James-Lange theory and Cannon-Bard theory focus on different explanations for how emotions are experienced and expressed, while parasympathetic arousal refers to the activation of the nervous system's calming response, which is not relevant to the scenario described in the question.

Question 10

While walking through a darkened parking garage after class,Amber suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder,producing an intense feeling of fear.Before she turned around to see that it was her boyfriend,the unexpected sensory input had already been routed through her thalamus directly to her

Accepted Answer

The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions, particularly fear and anxiety. In this situation, the tap on the shoulder produced an intense feeling of fear before Amber even turned around to see who it was. This suggests that the sensory input bypassed higher cortical processing and went straight to the amygdala.

Question 11

When 10-year-old Sophie sees her neighbor's large dog,she becomes very excited about the opportunity to pet the dog.On the other hand,when her cousin Marcie sees the same dog,she becomes scared and runs back inside the house.Which theorist would explain that their different responses are based on differences in their cognitive appraisal of the situation?

Accepted Answer

Richard Lazarus's cognitive appraisal theory posits that an individual's emotional response to a situation is not just based on the situation itself, but also on their cognitive appraisal of the situation. Sophie and Marcie's different responses to the dog could be influenced by their individual interpretations of the situation, which is in line with Lazarus's theory.

Question 12

When we experience an unexpected event,such as hearing a sudden loud sound,our sympathetic nervous system causes the adrenal glands to release the stress hormones epinephrine (adrenaline)and norepinephrine (noradrenaline),which prepare us

Accepted Answer

The release of epinephrine and norepinephrine prepares us for the fight or flight response, in which our body is primed to either engage in combat or run away from danger.

Question 13

Walking home from work late one night,Jaydra suddenly hears footsteps behind her.Her heart pounds,her muscles tense,and her mouth goes dry.These bodily responses are activated by her ________ nervous system.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, which is characterized by increased heart rate, tensed muscles, and dry mouth in response to a perceived threat or danger.

Question 14

Evidence that visual input is routed from the thalamus directly to the amygdala has been used to support the claim that

Accepted Answer

The evidence that visual input is routed from the thalamus directly to the amygdala suggests that some emotional reactions may occur without conscious thinking, as the amygdala is involved in emotional processing and can receive visual input before it reaches the neocortex responsible for conscious thinking. Option A and B are not supported by this evidence, and option C is not necessarily true as the strength of emotional response can vary between different types of stimuli.

Question 15

Which of the following emotional reactions is most likely to precede any conscious thinking?

Accepted Answer

Fear is a primitive emotion that triggers the fight-or-flight response in the brain, which occurs without conscious thought. This means that the physical response to fear (increased heart rate, rapid breathing, etc.) may occur before a person begins to consciously process the cause of their fear.

Question 16

Whether we feel angry or depressed in response to a low exam grade depends on whether we attribute the poor grade to an unfair test or to our own low intelligence.This best illustrates that emotions are influenced by

Accepted Answer

This best illustrates the role of cognitive appraisal in shaping emotions. How we interpret or attribute the cause of a situation can influence how we feel about it. In this case, whether we attribute the poor exam grade to an unfair test (external factor) or our own low intelligence (internal factor) affects how we feel about the outcome. This suggests that our thoughts and beliefs about a situation play a key role in our emotional responses.

Question 17

Jenny just met Katherine in line at the food court and immediately liked her.Which theorist would explain this phenomenon by saying that we have many emotional reactions before we are able to interpret what is going on?

Accepted Answer

Robert Zajonc's theory of the mere exposure effect suggests that we can develop a preference or liking for something or someone simply by being exposed to it/him/her repeatedly, and this occurs before we are able to interpret or think about the object or person. This could explain Jenny's immediate liking for Katherine upon meeting her.

Question 18

The "low road" from the thalamus to the amygdala most directly contributes to ________ emotional responses.

Accepted Answer

The "low road" directly connects the thalamus to the amygdala bypassing the cortex, allowing for rapid and automatic emotional responses.

Question 19

In anger-provoking situations,sexually aroused people experience more intense hostility than those who are not sexually aroused.This best illustrates the

Accepted Answer

The spillover effect suggests that arousal from one event can influence an individual's response to a subsequent event. In this case, sexual arousal is influencing the intensity of hostility experienced in a subsequent anger-provoking situation, indicating the spillover effect is at play. The Cannon-Bard theory and James-Lange theory suggest that emotions and physiological responses occur simultaneously, which is not applicable in this situation. The Concealed Information Test is used to detect deception and is not relevant to this scenario.

Question 20

College men given injections of epinephrine felt happiest if they were told the injection would produce ________ and if they were in the company of a person who was acting ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of College men given injections of epinephrine felt...

Quiz 36: Sexual Motivation and the Need to Belong