psychology 101 ch 2

What happens when a person hears a sudden loud noise?

A resting potential axon is stimulated and produces an action potential.

A researcher was studying a group of elderly people to determine the role of changes in their brains with changes in cognitive ability. When the people in the study died, their brains were removed and studied. The researcher discovered that most people of the same age had similar changes in their brains. However, the people who engaged in intellectually stimulating activities like reading and writing tended have less loss of cognitive ability. Evaluate which answer presents the conclusion the researcher was most likely to reach.

Activities that promote neuroplasticity may help to counteract the effects of physical changes in the brain.

How does drinking alcohol result in feelings of reward and pleasure?

Alcohol releases endorphins in the brain that are responsible for elevated mood.

The medulla is the part of the brain that controls many essential automatic body functions, such as breathing and heart rate. Some very primitive organisms, such as lampreys, have a medulla, which has lead scientists to postulate that the medulla developed about 500 million years ago. Using your understanding of evolutionary theory, evaluate the following explanations for the early evolution of the medulla and judge which one is best.

Automatic control of these functions provided a survival advantage that helped organisms with a medulla survive until the age of reproduction.

What do neuroplasticity and neurogenesis have in common?

Both concepts apply to the brain's ability to adapt and change

Which of the following statements about the human brain is accurate?

Both hemispheres are activated when we perform a task.

When a person has severe difficulty sleeping, which type of test may a doctor order to view the activity of that person's brain during sleep?

EEG

Which statement resembles the relationship between a neuron and a glial cell?

If the neuron were a tree, the glial cells would be the roots

A researcher studying the brain using lesioning techniques might do what?

Intentionally damage part of the brain in a mouse to determine if the brain region was relevant for some part of the mouse's behavior

Why is the case of Phineas Gage relevant to psychology?

It illustrates how facts can be distorted to fit existing theories and beliefs.

Sarah touches a hot pan and immediately removes her hand from the handle. What is the evolutionary purpose of this response?

It is a reflex arc that allows immediate action against potential danger, increasing chances for survival.

How may social isolation in infancy impair long-term cognitive functioning?

It slows neural impulses by preventing cells from producing sufficient myelin around the axon of some neurons.

Evaluate the following descriptions of the difference between hormones and neural transmitters and decide which is the most accurate.

Neural transmitters send messages to specific receptors, while hormones affect all the body.

Rich enjoys a glass of wine with dinner on most evenings. Explain the role alcohol plays in Rich's feelings of enjoyment.

The alcohol in Rich's wine releases endorphins in parts of Rich's brain that are responsible for pleasure.

Phineas Gage, a man who had a metal rod driven through his frontal lobe, was described shortly after his accident as displaying severe personality changes that made it impossible for him to hold a job. Later in life, he held a job that required high levels of motor, cognitive, and interpersonal skills. Evaluate the following statements and choose the one that best explains his changes.

The brain's ability to change its structure and function over time allowed Gage to recover from his trauma.

Which of the following statements is accurate?

The cerebral hemispheres are each divided into four distinct areas.

Which example best describes the relationship between the endocrine system and hormones?

The endocrine system produces the hormones that send messages through the blood.

What distinguishes the endocrine system from the nervous system?

The endocrine system sends messages through the bloodstream, while the nervous system sends messages through the spinal cord.

What distinguishes the fMRI from the MRI?

The fMRI measures blood levels while the MRI measures density.

A man bumped the left side of his head while going to a party. The injury did not seem serious, so he ignored it. The next morning he awoke with a headache. As his partner was leaving for work, he said "You remember to need must take the dog bowl for a cleaning walk after work from home. I'm going to sit at the cereal and have some table for breakfast." Evaluate the following statements and choose the one that describes the man's situation most accurately and offers the best advice for dealing with it.

The man exhibits signs of aphasia, probably caused by an injury to Wernicke's region. His partner should schedule a doctor's appointment as soon as possible.

Which statement best explains how a person could experience blindness even when the eyes and neural connection to the brain are perfectly healthy?

The occipital lobe is damaged.

How may the hypothalamus contribute to problems with long-term weight loss?

The structure of the hypothalamus is changed by high fat diets, which makes it harder for the body to regulate its weight.

Which statement best describes the relationship between the hypothalamus and obesity?

The structure of the hypothalamus is changed by high fat diets, which makes it harder for the body to regulate its weight.

Which of the following statements summarizes how the sympathetic nervous system responds to stress?

The sympathetic nervous system increases heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure; stops digestive and eliminative processes; and releases hormones into the bloodstream.

What is TRUE about executive functions?

They allow us to engage in flexible and controlled thinking.

Why are the concepts of neuroplasticity and neurogenesis so important to neuroscience?

They both illustrate the brain's ability to adapt and change.

Carol has had a brain injury. She is concerned that the side effects, particularly the memory loss, may be permanent. How would you expect doctors to counsel Carol?

While memory loss may be permanent, the brain may reorganize itself through neuroplasticity to return memory function.

Andri is angry at Jeremy. Jeremy recently learned some things about the brain that would suggest that her __________ is probably very active right at the moment, but realizes this probably isn't a great time to mention this to Andri.

amygdala

Why is it easier to move one finger at a time than it is to move one toe at a time?

because the area controlling fingers is larger than the area controlling toes within the motor cortex

Which of the following tools for research would be considered a noninvasive procedure?

computed tomography scan

Which of the following body functions would be the anticipated result when the parasympathetic nervous system is active?

conserve energy

Serotonin is a neural transmitter that contributes to feelings of well-being and happiness. The action of serotonin in neurons is terminated by its uptake in receptor cells. In some people serotonin levels are too low, and doctors prescribe chemicals called serotonin reuptake inhibitors to increase serotonin levels. Of the following symptoms, evaluate the one most likely to make a doctor prescribe such chemicals.

depression

Laura recently learned that she has a brain tumor, and doctors are concerned that she may have abnormal brain waves. Which of the following tools is most likely to be employed?

electrical recording

A physician suspects a seventy-four-years-old male patient may have Parkinson's disease. What will the physician likely look for to help confirm the diagnosis?

low levels of dopamine

If one side of the brain is damaged, the other side of the brain takes over some of the functions. This is a result of the concept of

neuroplasticity

Pulling the chair out from under another person who is sitting down resulting in damage to their lower back may result in which of the following conditions?

paraplegia

Sandra is a 40-year-old female and Mike is a 38-year-old male. Both individuals are both applying for a job. The job includes a set of tasks that are meant to test basic skills. On what task is Sandra most likely to outperform Mike?

quickly placing marbles into a series of slots

If a person has a stroke on the left parietal lobe, what would be affected?

right arm and leg coordination

As you sit around a fire, the warmth from the fire activates receptors in your skin that send signals to _____________. This area receives the signals and interprets them as warmth.

somatosensory cortex

Which of the following serves a function similar to that of the autonomic nervous system?

the automatic pilot on an airplane