AP PSYCH Q1 TESTS MCQ

reduced inhibition

A common psychological effect of alcohol intake is

EEG

A participant in a study of music perception listens to music with electrodes attached to her scalp while data are collected on the activity of her brain. This technique is called

The employees did not provide informed consent and were not given the option to withdraw from the study.

A psychological study to determine the harmful effects of sleep disruption asked a company to start an overnight shift without notice. Many of the employees began to have accidents while on the job. The researchers conclude that a sudden change in circadian rhythm causes an effect on job performance. What ethical concern may be present in this study?

There is possible long-term harm to the babies.

A sample of pregnant women is given a high dose of caffeine daily to determine if their babies are born with an addiction to caffeine. Which of the following is an ethical issue in this study?

promotes parent and infant bonding

Abby and Jordan are doing a presentation for their AP Psychology class about the role oxytocin plays in the body. Which of the following statements would be best to include in their description of oxytocin?

perceptual set

Alice is shopping with her daughter when she hears the word "mom." Alice answers, only to realize that the sales clerk said "ma'am" to a customer. This inaccurate perception can be attributed to

A lower absolute threshold for hearing than Oscar

All summer Thomas hears the sound of the icecream truck approaching before his brother Oscar hears it. Thomas most likely has which of the following?

after cycling through the NREM sleep stages

An adult with a healthy sleep cycle is most likely to enter REM sleep in which of the following ways?

alcohol tolerance

An individual who drinks alcohol daily finds it necessary to drink increasing amounts to achieve the state of well-being attained in the past. This individual is showing

selective attention

An individual's ability to focus on a particular conversation in a noisy and crowded room is called

linear perspective

Ana injured her eye in an accident and has to wear a patch over the eye while it heals. Which of the following cues would she best be able to use to make judgments about the distance objects are from her?

closure

Audra is working on a puzzle book and comes across the following figure. Which of the following Gestalt laws would best explain Audra's perception of the image?

2

Banya is taking an AP Psychology class where his teacher gives short quizzes for each unit. During the unit on biological bases of behavior, Banya earned the following quiz scores: 2, 3, 17, 10, 2, 3, 8, 2, 7 What is the mode of the set of scores above?

sympathetic nervouse system

Ben was enjoying a walk in the woods on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. As he went around a curve, he noticed a bear walking toward him. Immediately his pupils dilated, he began to perspire, and his heart accelerated. These changes are most closely related to the function of which of the following?

Neural messages will travel slowly down the axon, leading to motor impairment.

Betty was just diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Which of the following effects is she most likely to experience?

similarity

Carlos sees the figure above as six unified columns, not four unified rows. Which of the following Gestalt principles is operating most strongly?

Muscular tension that occurs when the eyes turn inward

Convergence is a binocular depth cue that is based on which of the following?

While sleeping, Mercedes consolidated the new information about the events into her memory.

During a day at a theme park, Mercedes rode multiple rides, consumed six snacks, and visited at least a dozen stores. When her grandmother called her that same night, Mercedes struggled to remember everything she had done. However, after a good night's sleep, Mercedes could recall all the details of her day at the park and share them with her best friend. Which of the following statements best explains why Mercedes' recall of the events at the theme park was much better the next day?

Substance P enhances pain perception, contributing to Tessa's pain when she sprains her ankle.

During practice for a gymnastics competition, Tessa sprains her ankle, resulting in pain and some swelling in her ankle. Which of the following statements best explains how substance P contributes to her experience?

sleep apnea

During the night, Alicia stops breathing repeatedly, frequently gasps for air, and snores loudly at regular intervals. Alicia is most likely suffering from which of the following conditions?

the occipital lobe

George was involved in an accident and experienced head trauma. Although his eyes were functioning normally, he was unable to see. Which area of the brain was most likely affected by the accident?

The volume had not yet reached the just-noticeable difference threshold.

Holly asks her brother to turn up the music he is playing so she can hear it better. He turns it up one level, and Holly asks him why he didn't turn it up like she asked. Which of the following concepts explains why Holly did not think her brother turned up the music?

It has a short wavelength and high frequency.

Hyrum is at a concert when a flute player hits a very high note at the end of a song. Which of the following best explains why the pitch of the note sounds so high?

the absolute threshold

In a recent study, researchers examined the impact of wearing face masks on speech perception. Participants were screened for normal hearing, then randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups listened to the same series of phrases spoken by a research assistant. In the first group, the research assistant wore a face mask, while in the second group, he did not. The researchers measured the amplitude at which the participants could hear the phrases with and without the face mask. The study's findings indicated that wearing face masks impaired the participants' ability to perceive speech. Which of the following concepts best explains the point at which the participants were first able to detect the sound of the research assistant's voice?

students who earn good grades tend to sleep more than those who do not

Researchers find that there is a significant, positive correlation between the number of hours students sleep and their grades. The researchers would be justified in concluding that

Heredity appears to be correlated with the development of anorexia nervosa.

Researchers investigated the extent to which 30 pairs of identical and fraternal female twins shared with their twin a diagnosis for the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. Identical twins are genetically identical and share the same DNA pattern. Fraternal twins are only as genetically similar as any other sibling pair. Researchers found that 9 out of 16 pairs of the identical twins were diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, while 1 out of 14 pairs of the fraternal twins were diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Which of the following conclusions can be made based on the data collected in this study?

Acetylcholine

Researchers looking to create a drug to reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease would most likely focus their efforts on which of the following neurotransmitters?

The MRI should show more oranges and reds when exposed to the stimulant.

Researchers measured changes in neural firing in the frontal lobes for ten rats that were exposed to stimulants. The researchers used an MRI that indicates brain activity with colors. Normal brain activity is indicated by greens and yellows. High brain activity is indicated by reds and oranges. Low brain activity is indicated by grays and blues. All the rat's brains showed normal activity prior to being exposed to the stimulant.

The color presented in the MRI images.

Researchers measured changes in neural firing in the frontal lobes for ten rats that were exposed to stimulants. The researchers used an MRI that indicates brain activity with colors. Normal brain activity is indicated by greens and yellows. High brain activity is indicated by reds and oranges. Low brain activity is indicated by grays and blues. All the rat's brains showed normal activity prior to being exposed to the stimulant.

experiment

Researchers measured changes in neural firing in the frontal lobes for ten rats that were exposed to stimulants. The researchers used an MRI that indicates brain activity with colors. Normal brain activity is indicated by greens and yellows. High brain activity is indicated by reds and oranges. Low brain activity is indicated by grays and blues. All the rat's brains showed normal activity prior to being exposed to the stimulant.

absorption of the neurotransmitter into the terminal buttons of the sending neuron

Reuptake of a neurotransmitter refers to

cocaine

Richard is in a substance abuse treatment center because of his addiction to stimulants. He is experiencing withdrawal symptoms, so he drinks several large caffeinated sodas throughout the day to curb his symptoms. Caffeine is in the same class as which of the following drugs?

likely to be as similar and dissimilar to one another as are Vince's and Frankie's personalities

Ruth and Debbie are identical twins who were raised by the same family. Vince and Frankie are identical twins who were separated at birth and raised by different families. According to research on the heritability of personality traits, Ruth's and Debbie's personalities are statistically

refractory period

Shao Mae takes medication to relieve depression. The medication increases her neural activity. However, immediately after firing, a neuron is incapable of responding to stimulation for a short time. Which of the following describes the brief time period when the neuron is unable to fire?

reticular formation

Significant damage to which of the following parts of the brain will most likely cause a person to fall into a deep coma from which the person will be unable to awaken?

transduction

The process of converting incoming physical energy into a neural code that can be processed is called

frequency

The psychological experience of pitch is related to a sound wave's

smell

The thalamus processes information for all of the following senses EXCEPT

A case study, because both heredity and environment are important in determining length and height.

Trinna and Suzanne are identical twins who were the same length at birth. They were adopted by different families at birth and then reconnected in their early thirties. Trinna is two inches shorter and was a severely selective eater as a child. A researcher was conducting an investigation about twins separated at birth. What research method and explanation best fit this scenario?

circadian rhythm

When Alexus traveled to another country, she experienced jet lag and had trouble adjusting to the new time zone. Alexus' experience is most likely linked to which of the following concepts?

How cultural norms influence perceptions

When Astrid wears a bright red dress on New Year's Day, her friends believe she is trying to stand out from the crowd and get attention. However, in Astrid's culture, the color red symbolizes good luck and happiness. Which of the following factors best explains these differing interpretations?

an opiate

When a person is suffering from severe pain, the type of drug that will best help alleviate that pain is

hippocampus

When people consume large amounts of alcohol, they are often unable to recall what they did and said while they were drinking. This occurs because alcohol interferes with the brain's ability to form new memories in the

Parasympathetic nervous system

Which branch of the autonomic nervous system is described by the functions listed in Part B of the table? (Pupils contract, heartbeat slows, digestion continues, bladder contracts)

linear perspective

Which monocular depth cue is illustrated in the figure above?

During a drought, the foliage in a region turns brown. More brownish moths than whitish moths from a particular breed survive predation and produce more offspring. Subsequent generations of moths have a higher percentage of brownish moths than the generation before.

Which of the follow scenarios is the best example of natural selection?

amygdala

Which of the following brain structures would be most responsible for the emotional reaction as measured by heart rate after seeing the spider and the snake?

The experience of vivid, distorted images that are not based on sensory input

Which of the following characteristics is generally associated with the use of hallucinogens?

After Joel jumped into a swimming pool, the water felt uncomfortably cold, but after a while the water felt mildly cool.

Which of the following examples best illustrates sensory adaptation?

Fast breathing, relatively high heart rate, relatively high blood pressure

Which of the following groups of characteristics best describes the REM sleep stage?

Central

Which of the following identifies the part of the nervous system the arrows are pointing toward? (brain and spinal cord)

Sending and receiving sensory and motor signals

Which of the following is a primary function of the nervous system depicted in the figure?

Fred stares at a green book for a minute, and then when he looks at a white page, he sees the color red.

Which of the following is the best example of the opponent process theory?

Receptors, sensory neurons, interneurons, motor neurons

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the reflex arc of events set in motion by an environmental stimulus?

It occurs where the optic nerve leaves the eye.

Which of the following is true about the blind spot in the eye?

The inside of the cell membrane is negative compared to the outside.

Which of the following is true of a neuron in the resting state?

It relies on only cones.

Which of the following is true of how the human eye detects the color red?

brain plasticity

Which of the following terms refers to the brain's ability to physically change over time in reaction to experiences?

II and III only

Which of the following theories most accurately explains pitch perception? I Opponent process II Frequency III Place

A life-threatening disruption of heartbeat and breathing

Which of the following would most likely result from an injury to the medulla?

The refractory period of the neural transmission process.

Which psychological principle is represented in the area highlighted in the graph?

A mutation in a species of lizards that allows them to better blend into their surroundings leads to greater survival and more offspring possessing this mutation in a later generation.

Which scenario best exemplifies the theory of natural selection?

loss of motor coordination

Damage to the cerebellum would most likely result in which of the following problems?

neurotransmitters that excite or inhibit a neural signal across a synapse

Dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine are all

Create an additional control condition in which participants wear blindfolds while they taste the drink.

Dr. Felder is studying whether the color of a drink impacts how a person experiences the taste of the drink. She has an orange-flavored liquid that she dyes either orange, purple, or blue, and gives it to participants to drink. She then asks them to describe the taste. Which of the following would best help her evaluate the impact of vision on taste?

experiment

Dr. Hart is a cognitive neuroscientist studying how sleep deprivation affects memory consolidation. Participants are given 5 minutes to memorize 30 unrelated words. Then Dr. Hart randomly assigns the participants to one of two groups. In Group 1, participants are not allowed to sleep uninterrupted. Instead, they are awakened each time their EEG shows they are in the REM sleep phase. In Group 2, participants are allowed to sleep for up to 8 uninterrupted hours. The next day, the participants are asked to recall as many unrelated words as possible. The mean score for Group 1 is 7 words. The mean score for Group 2 is 12 words. Dr. Hart finds that the differences are statistically significant. Which of the following research methods is Dr. Hart using?

Uninterrupted sleep enhances memory consolidation.

Dr. Hart is a cognitive neuroscientist studying how sleep deprivation affects memory consolidation. Participants are given 5 minutes to memorize 30 unrelated words. Then Dr. Hart randomly assigns the participants to one of two groups. In Group 1, participants are not allowed to sleep uninterrupted. Instead, they are awakened each time their EEG shows they are in the REM sleep phase. In Group 2, participants are allowed to sleep for up to 8 uninterrupted hours. The next day, the participants are asked to recall as many unrelated words as possible. The mean score for Group 1 is 7 words. The mean score for Group 2 is 12 words. Dr. Hart finds that the differences are statistically significant. Which of the following theories does this research support regarding the importance of uninterrupted sleep?

The study raises ethical concerns because the amount of sleep deprivation could be harmful to participants in the study.

Dr. Ravi wants to conduct a study to investigate the effect of sleep deprivation on problem-solving abilities. Her procedure involves randomly assigning participants to groups and depriving one group of sleep for a period of five consecutive days. She then had each of them take a test that measures their ability to solve various problems. Which of the following is most problematic about Dr. Ravi's research design?

The heaviness of the weights

Dr. Schmidt was interested in the relationship between sensation of a stimulus and the sensation of change in a stimulus. She tested this using sensation of weight. Participants were blindfolded and given two equal weights to hold one in each hand. With each trial, she added a slightly heavier weight to one hand than the other. The participant was asked to notify her if or when one felt heavier. She found that it was more difficult for the participants to determine the difference in the weights when the equal weights from the first trial were heavy.

weber's law

Dr. Schmidt was interested in the relationship between sensation of a stimulus and the sensation of change in a stimulus. She tested this using sensation of weight. Participants were blindfolded and given two equal weights to hold one in each hand. With each trial, she added a slightly heavier weight to one hand than the other. The participant was asked to notify her if or when one felt heavier. She found that it was more difficult for the participants to determine the difference in the weights when the equal weights from the first trial were heavy. Dr. Schmidt's findings best support which of the following psychological concepts?

The amplitude at which the participants could perceive the spoken phrases

In a recent study, researchers examined the impact of wearing face masks on speech perception. Participants were screened for normal hearing, then randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups listened to the same series of phrases spoken by a research assistant. In the first group, the research assistant wore a face mask, while in the second group, he did not. The researchers measured the amplitude at which the participants could hear the phrases with and without the face mask. The study's findings indicated that wearing face masks impaired the participants' ability to perceive speech. Which of the following is the dependent variable in this study? Responses

an experiment

In a recent study, researchers examined the impact of wearing face masks on speech perception. Participants were screened for normal hearing, then randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups listened to the same series of phrases spoken by a research assistant. In the first group, the research assistant wore a face mask, while in the second group, he did not. The researchers measured the amplitude at which the participants could hear the phrases with and without the face mask. The study's findings indicated that wearing face masks impaired the participants' ability to perceive speech. Which of the following research methods was used in this study? Responses

It is correlated with dreaming.

In adult humans, which of the following is typically true of REM sleep?

perceptual organization

In psychology, Gestalt principles are used to explain

depressant

In terms of the effect on the central nervous system, alcohol is most accurately classified as which of the following types of drug?

sensory neurons

Information is relayed to the spinal cord or the brain by which of the following?

Acetylcholine

Johanna, a high school senior, starts experiencing disruptions in her movement when she cannot contract certain muscles. Which of the following neurotransmitters is most likely involved in this disruption of the muscle contraction?

Sensory adaptation

John walks into art class and is overwhelmed by the smell of paint. However, the longer he stays in the room, the less noticeable the smell becomes. Which of the following appears to be operating in this instance?

his genetic makeup, the environment he grew up in, and the fact that aggression can be evolutionarily adaptive

Johnny often hits his brother even though his brother does not do anything to antagonize him. Johnny's aggression is most likely due to a combination of which of the following factors?

Initiated in the spinal cord

Juana accidentally touched a hot iron. She immediately drew back her hand. Which of the following is true about the withdrawal of her hand?

Constancy

Kaori is traveling on an airplane for the first time. As the plane takes off, she watches the automobiles driving on the freeway below. Even though the automobiles seem to get smaller as the airplane gains altitude, Kaori does not perceive the cars as shrinking but still perceives them to be their normal size. Which perceptual principle best describes this phenomenon?

cerebellum

Karolina is a ballerina who does not get dizzy when she performs spins. Which part of her brain receives messages from the hair-like receptors that are involved in the vestibular sense?

Gate-control theory

Martin fell off his skateboard and badly bruised his elbow. He immediately began rubbing the area around the bruise until the pain subsided. This method of reducing pain can be explained by which of the following?

increases her level of endorphins

Mary participates in an exercise program because she experiences an increase in energy and feelings of well-being at the end of each exercise session. The best explanation for Mary's perseverance in the program is that exercise

reason why many people have an innate fear of the dark

Of the following, an evolutionary psychologist will most likely investigate the

top-down processing

People listening to rock music played backward often perceive an evil message if specifically told what to listen for. That phenomenon best illustrates

cones

People who are color blind most likely have deficiencies in their

The use or nonuse of the CPAP device by participants

Sleep researchers conducted a study to determine if wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine helps individuals who are experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea to increase their levels of REM sleep compared to those not using a CPAP device. Twenty participants with sleep apnea who did not previously wear a CPAP device were randomly placed into one of two groups. Group 1 slept without wearing a CPAP device, and researchers measured the percentage of total sleep time each participant spent in REM. Participants in Group 2 were given a CPAP device to wear while sleeping and researchers measured the percentage of total sleep time each participant spent in REM. The results are given in the graph. What is the independent variable in this study?

The control condition provides a comparison to the experimental condition.

Sleep researchers conducted a study to determine if wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine helps individuals who are experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea to increase their levels of REM sleep compared to those not using a CPAP device. Twenty participants with sleep apnea who did not previously wear a CPAP device were randomly placed into one of two groups. Group 1 slept without wearing a CPAP device, and researchers measured the percentage of total sleep time each participant spent in REM. Participants in Group 2 were given a CPAP device to wear while sleeping and researchers measured the percentage of total sleep time each participant spent in REM. The results are given in the graph. Why is it necessary in this study to have at least one experimental condition and one control condition?

nature vs nurture

The argument over the relative contributions of heredity and environment in the development of various behaviors and personality traits is known as which of the following controversies?

a circadian rhythm

The biological clock that operates in human beings to adjust their functioning to night-and-day periodicity is referred to as

accomodation

The change in the curvature of the lens that enables the eye to focus on objects at various distances is called

somatic

The division of the nervous system that most directly allows voluntary muscle movement is the

reuptake inhibitors

The drugs that block the reabsorption of neurotransmitters in the synapse during neural transmission are best identified as which of the following concepts?

activation-synthesis theory

The explanation that holds that dreams are merely the brain's attempt to make sense of meaningless patterns of brain activity during sleep is best identified as which of the following theories?

dreaming

The graph depicts the stages of sleep, including REM and NREM (Stages 1, 2, and 3). For the person with the results shown in the graph, progressing across the x-axis, there is most likely to be an increase in which of the following?

EEG

The graph depicts the stages of sleep, including REM sleep and NREM sleep (Stages 1, 2, and 3). The data in the graph would most likely be obtained with which of the following instruments?

process of neural transmission

The graph depicts which of the following?

absolute threshold

The intensity at which a sound becomes audible for a given individual is known as the individual's

the red-green system

The most common form of color blindness is related to deficiencies in the