Chapter 3 Study Questions

The _____ is the area of the brain that coordinates information coming into and out of the spinal cord.

hindbrain

_____ refers to the probability of sharing genes.

Degree of relatedness

_____ refers to the environmental influence on behaviors, traits, and psychological disorders

Nurture

_____ syndrome refers to a phenomenon in which amputee patients continue to experience sensations where the missing body part would be.

Phantom limb

The somatic nervous system is a set of nerves that:

allows humans to consciously interact with and perceive the "external" world.

Someone with damage to the temporal lobe would be MOST likely to display:

an inability to form a sentence.

Jamal is running on the treadmill while his intestinal system digests his breakfast. Jamal does not have to focus on his digestion because his _____ nervous system allows him to do it automatically.

autonomic

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that carry signals within the brain. Based on their location, these would be a component of the _____ nervous system.

central

Charlese has a problem with anxiety. Her psychiatrist told her that her that her way of thinking about situations causes her adrenal glands to produce too much adrenaline and noradrenaline. If her anxiety is beginning in her brain, it is coming from her _____ nervous system, and if it is beginning in his gland, it is coming from her _____ nervous system.

central; peripheral

The cerebellum is a large structure in the hindbrain that:

controls fine motor skills.

Although the first neurons appeared in simple invertebrates such as jellyfish, the first central nervous systems developed in:

flatworms.

Maria recently had a stroke and afterward developed impairment in making decisions and judging between good and bad actions. She MOST likely suffered damage to her _____ lobe.

frontal

A heritability score of 1.00 means that:

genes are the only reason for the individual differences

A spinal injury that occurs _____ the spine typically predicts more severe loss of abilities.

higher on

Which animal group has the MOST defined and complex forebrain?

humans

Kelsey is interested in how different parts of her brain are responsible for different behaviors. One of the most basic things she should know is that tasks such as her ability to eat and breathe are performed at "_____" levels of her brain, and her ability to do mathematics and ponder the meaning of life are performed at "_____" levels.

lower; higher

Carlos is a competitive swimmer, and it is important for his vitals to be well coordinated. The structure in the hindbrain called the _____ keeps these synchronized to help him function as a successful swimmer.

medulla

Francisco is a long-distance runner, and it is important for his vital organs and function such as breathing to be well-coordinated. The structure in the hindbrain called the _____ keeps these synchronized to help him function as a successful runner.

medulla

Dynus watches Thalia reach for and place popcorn in her mouth. In response to her behavior, Dynus experiences an activation of his:

mirror neurons.

Anna has a very intelligent individual and claims that she inherited her intelligence from her mother. Anna's opinion is consistent with the view of behavior that emphasizes _____, which argues for genetic influence on traits and behavior.

nature

Michelle has a very outgoing personality and claims that she inherited this trait from her mother. Michelle's opinion is consistent with the view of behavior that emphasizes:

nature.

Which sequence shows the CORRECT order of prenatal central nervous system development?

neural tube, spinal cord, hindbrain, cerebral cortex

Paul is a very anxious individual. He believes his anxiety comes from the stressful family environment he experienced as a child. Paul's thoughts are consistent with the view of behavior that emphasizes _____. This view suggests it is the environment that shapes people's behavior.

nurture

Juliet wants to learn about how the brain develops in individuals prenatally and over the life span. To investigate this, Juliet should study the _____ of the brain.

ontogeny

Maria recently was in a car accident and afterward developed a loss of sensation in her fingers. The doctor determined that she suffered brain damage and not spinal damage. She likely suffered damage to her _____ lobe.

parietal

Professor Tyson studies how the brain has evolved in humans. Professor Tyson studies the _____ of the brain.

phylogeny

Although only 13, Diego had a stroke in the left hemisphere in the motor cortex, which controls his right hand. After rehabilitation and exercise, he was able to control his right hand again. Brain scans revealed that Diego's motor control of the right hand was now being controlled by the motor cortex in the right hemisphere. This change demonstrates the _____ of the brain.

plasticity

Jayden damaged his motor cortex during a car accident, but over time, part of the frontal lobe nearby began to coordinate some muscle movements. This example illustrates brain:

plasticity.

When a young person experiences brain damage, many times with rehabilitation the lost abilities can be recovered. This example illustrates the phenomenon known as:

plasticity.

The central nervous system:

receives and processes sensory information and sends commands to other systems.

In the last month, Tommy has had trouble sleeping and never gets excited about things anymore. He was recently in a car accident, and based on his behavior, it is possible that he may have suffered damage to his:

reticular formation.

A person who incurs damage to the basal ganglia is likely to be impaired at:

riding a bicycle.

When Nick reaches for his fork to take a bite of his pasta, he can consciously do so because he is using the _____ nervous system.

somatic

Ilana is having a baby and it is only three and a half weeks since conception. At this stage, which central nervous system structure(s) will have begun to form?

spinal cord

Which components make up the major parts of the peripheral nervous system?

the autonomic and somatic nervous systems

Which part of the central nervous system will form LAST in prenatal development?

the cerebral cortex

Which body part(s) has/have more of the somatosensory cortex devoted to it/them?

the lips

Which major area of the brain deals with orienting a person toward or away from pleasurable or threatening stimuli?

the midbrain

This area serves as a bridge from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain.

the pons

A person who suffers damage to their cerebellum would likely have trouble with:

walking on a tightrope.