Psychology Quiz 2

The electrical charge of a neuron when it is in the resting potential state is about: +30 millivolts -70 millivolts. +2 volts. -10 volts

-70 millivolts.

How are action potentials different in a myelinated axon and an unmyelinated axon? Action potentials are slower in myelinated axons because the myelin sheath interferes with the transfer of ions across the membrane. Action potentials "jump" from node to node in myelinated axons rather than progressing down the entire length of the axon. Action potentials have greater electrical charges in myelinated axons. Action potentials in myelinated axons operate according to the "all-or-none law" but action potentials in unmyelinated axons do not. Answer B

Action potentials "jump" from node to node in myelinated axons rather than progressing down the entire length of the axon.

Following her stroke, Fernando's grandmother could understand what she read or what was being said to her. However, she had great difficulty speaking. Based on these observations, Fernando suspected that his grandmother's stroke had produced damage in: Wernicke's area Broca's area the corpus callosum the hippocampus

Broca's area

Which of the following neurotransmitters is implicated in Alzheimer's disease? serotonin dopamine acetylcholine GABA

acetylcholine

In general, the sympathetic nervous system _____, while the parasympathetic nervous system _____. arouses and mobilizes; maintains and conserves transmits sensory information; transmits motor information maintains and conserves; arouses and mobilizes maintains and conserves; arouses and mobilizes

arouses and mobilizes; maintains and conserves

While taking this test, you have probably paid little attention to ongoing body functions, such as breathing, heartbeat, and digestion. Such involuntary bodily functions are governed by the: somatic nervous system. cerebrospinal fluid. spinal reflexes. autonomic nervous system.

autonomic nervous system.

The part of the neuron that carries messages to other cells in the body is the: dendrite axon nucleus reticular formation

axon

The branch of psychology that is focused on understanding the internal physical events and processes that correspond with our experiences and behavior is called: biological psychology. clinical psychology. cognitive physiology. forensic psychology.

biological psychology.

Compared to neurons that do not have myelin, neurons with myelin: are unable to communicate with other neurons. can communicate up to 20 times faster. use much more energy. do not have an axon.

can communicate up to 20 times faster.

In combination, the brain and spinal cord make up the: peripheral nervous system. autonomic nervous system. central nervous system. somatic nervous system.

central nervous system.

After too many drinks at a party, your friend awkwardly stumbles into a table, almost knocking it over. Your friend's coordination for simple actions, such as walking between two tables, is reduced because the alcohol has affected his: medulla cerebellum thalamus somatosensory cortex

cerebellum

Neuroplasticity, or simply plasticity, refers to the brain's ability to: generate new neurons change structure and function change structure but not function change function but not structure

change structure and function

The amount of information that a neuron can receive increases with the number of _____ that the neuron has. axons cell bodies glial cells dendrites and dendrite branches

dendrites and dendrite branches

The multiple short fibers that extend from the neuron's cell body and receive information from other neurons or from sensory receptor cells are called: dendrites. the nodes of Ranvier. synaptic vesicles. axons

dendrites.

The endocrine system involves communication by chemical messengers called _____, which circulate through the _____. hormones; blood stream hormones; cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitters; spinal cord endorphins; nervous system

hormones; blood stream

Prolactin and oxytocin are _____ produced by the _____. ransmitters; synaptic vesicles hormones; pituitary gland neurotransmitter; glands hormones; adrenal glands

hormones; pituitary gland

The main link between the nervous system and the endocrine system is the: adrenal cortex hypothalamus pineal gland pancreas

hypothalamus

Miguel jogs about five miles a day. At roughly the three-mile point, Miguel usually experiences a rush of positive feelings due to _____ levels of _____. decreased; norepinephrine increased; serotonin increased; endorphins decreased; GABA

increased; endorphins

The primary function of the myelin sheath is to: reduce the speed of neurotransmitters crossing the synaptic gap. insulate the axon and increase the speed at which neurons convey their message. provide support and nutrition to the dendrites. inhibit the opening and closing of ion channels on the axon's membrane.

insulate the axon and increase the speed at which neurons convey their message.

Broca's area is located on the _____, whereas Wernicke's area is located on the _____. right frontal lobe; left frontal lobe left temporal lobe; right temporal lobe left frontal lobe; left temporal lobe right temporal lobe; right frontal lobe

left frontal lobe; left temporal lobe

As you take this test, you do not have to focus on taking your next breath or making your heart beat. This is because the _____ is involved in the control of vital life functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion. medulla pons thalamus parietal lobe

medulla

When President John F. Kennedy was hit by a sniper's bullet in the back of his head, he died almost instantly, because the bullet destroyed the part of his brain called the _____, which controls breathing, heartbeat, and other vital body functions. hippocampus medulla amygdala thalamus

medulla

As you're eating lunch with a friend, you reach for your glass of water with your right hand, lift it to your lips, take a sip, and then set it down. This simple task involved: only the primary motor cortex in the brain. neuroplasticity. multiple brain structures and regions communicating via neural pathways. just the right hemisphere of the brain.

multiple brain structures and regions communicating via neural pathways.

The phrase white matter in the brain refers to: myelinated axons. the large spaces on the interior of the brain called ventricles. unmyelinated axons, glial cells, and cell bodies. neurons that manufacture endorphins.

myelinated axons.

Many brain functions involve the activation of _____ that link different brain regions. hormones reflexes neural pathways nerves

neural pathways

The brain's ability to change function and structure is referred to as: synaptic transmission. neurogenesis neuroplasticity cortical localization.

neuroplasticity

The branch of science that is concerned with the study of the nervous system, especially the brain, is called: interdisciplinary science. neuroscience. developmental psychology. clinical psychology.

neuroscience.

Which of the following drugs mimics the neurotransmitter acetylcholine? Prozac L-dopa nicotine morphine

nicotine

Standing at an arrival gate, you scan the faces of the passengers as they walk off the plane, looking for your friend. This visual information is being processed in your: occipital lobe parietal lobe frontal lobe temporal lobe

occipital lobe

Paul was awakened by a thumping noise in the middle of the night. Frightened, he jumped out of bed to investigate. Hearing a muffled meow, Paul realized that his cat was shut in the closet and was pushing against the door. Breathing a sigh of relief, Paul let the cat out of the closet and went back to bed. Which subdivision of the nervous system helped calm down and restore Paul's body functioning back to normal? parasympathetic endocrine sympathetic somatic

parasympathetic

A gymnast knows where his arms and legs are as he does his tumbling routine because information from his muscles and joints is relayed to his: temporal lobe frontal lobe occipital lobe parietal lobe

parietal lobe

As you wait in line at the airport, the guy behind you is standing so close that his briefcase is pushing against your leg. The sensation of the briefcase touching and pushing against you is being processed in your: frontal lobe occipital lobe temporal lobe parietal lobe

parietal lobe

The two main divisions of the nervous system are the _____ and the _____. peripheral nervous system; central nervous system central nervous system; autonomic nervous system brain; spinal cord autonomic nervous system; somatic nervous system

peripheral nervous system; central nervous system

Damage to Wernicke's area in the brain: produces disruptions in the sense of balance as well as numbness in the arms and legs. produces difficulty speaking but does not disrupt the ability to comprehend verbal or written words. disrupts or destroys the ability to form new memories. produces difficulty in comprehending written or spoken communication.

produces difficulty in comprehending written or spoken communication.

The cell body of a neuron: provides the energy needed for the neuron to function. manufactures myelin. is the long, fluid-filled tube that carries a neuron's message to other body areas. receives information directly from other neurons or from sensory receptor cells

provides the energy needed for the neuron to function.

Functional plasticity: can produce aphasia or paralysis. has been demonstrated in research with primates but not with humans. refers to the brain's ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged areas of the brain. can only occur in children prior to about the age of seven.

refers to the brain's ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged areas of the brain.

The _____ is a network of neurons at the base of the brain that projects signals up to higher brain regions and down to the spinal cord, and regulates attention and sleep. cerebellum hypothalamus reticular formation substantia nigra

reticular formation

As you are walking on a beach, you pick up an odd-looking seashell that has a very rough texture. As you rub your fingers over the shell, the sensory messages are communicated via the _____ nervous system to the central nervous system. somatic autonomic sympathetic parasympathetic

somatic

The two main subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system are the _____ nervous system and the _____ nervous system. sympathetic; parasympathetic somatic; autonomic autonomic; sympathetic parasympathetic; somatic

somatic; autonomic

The fastest neurons in the human body communicate their messages at: the speed of light, or 186,000 miles per second. speeds up to 270 miles per hour. the speed of sound, or about 770 miles per hour. only about 10 miles per hour.

speeds up to 270 miles per hour.

The brain's ability to physically change in response to environmental stimulation is called: aphasia neurogenesis structural plasticity functional plasticity

structural plasticity

Maria heard a strange banging noise just outside her bedroom window in the middle of the night. She froze in fear, and her heart began to pound. Maria's heightened physical arousal involved the activation of which subdivision of the nervous system? endocrine parasympathetic sympathetic reticular

sympathetic

The autonomic nervous system is composed of two different branches called the _____ and _____ nervous systems. somatic; endocrine sympathetic; parasympathetic endocrine; sympathetic involuntary; voluntary

sympathetic; parasympathetic

The point of communication between two neurons is called the: nucleus node of Ranvier ion channel synapse

synapse

During the middle of a test, your instructor announces that there's a typographical error on one of the questions. As you listen, the auditory information is being processed in your: occipital lobe. frontal lobe temporal lobe parietal lobe

temporal lobe

Almost all of the sensory and motor information going to and from the cerebral cortex is processed through the: thalamus hypothalamus hippocampus pituitary gland

thalamus

Of the following brain structures, which is associated with the emotional responses of fear, disgust, and anger? the hypothalamus the amygdala the thalamus Broca's area

the amygdala

Your pencil starts to roll off the desk and in a smooth, coordinated fashion you grab it just before it rolls off the edge. Your ability to perform this action involved which of the following brain areas? the cerebellum the hippocampus the amygdala Broca's area

the cerebellum

The primary communication link between the left and right cerebral hemispheres is called: the hypothalamus. the hippocampus Broca's area. the corpus callosum

the corpus callosum

Which part of the neuron receives messages from other neurons? the axon the nucleus the dendrite Sodium ion membrane

the dendrite

As a general rule, communication within a neuron progresses from: the axon to the dendrites to the cell body. the dendrites to the cell body to the axon. the dendrites to the axon to the axon terminals and then to the cell body. the cell body to the axon to the nucleus.

the dendrites to the cell body to the axon.

As you are listening to a lecture, workers are repairing a wall just outside your classroom. Throughout the class, you find yourself coughing and sneezing because of the dust and fumes in the air. Which brain structure controls such vital reflexes as sneezing, coughing, and swallowing? the corpus callosum the cerebellum the medulla the thalamus

the medulla

Which gland produces melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate our sleep-wake cycle? the pineal gland the pituitary gland the pancreas the thyroid gland

the pineal gland

Which gland directly regulates the production of hormones in other endocrine glands? the adrenal gland the thyroid gland the pituitary gland the pancreas

the pituitary gland

Which structure helps relay information from higher brain regions to the cerebellum and helps coordinate and integrate movements on each side of the body? the substantia nigra the corpus callosum the amygdala the pons

the pons

Each cerebral hemisphere can be roughly divided into four lobes. Which lobe processes auditory information? the frontal lobe the parietal lobe the temporal lobe the occipital lobe

the temporal lobe