Psychology bio bases

The function of dendrites is to

receive information from other neurons

Which of the following neurotransmitters has been linked to Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia?

Dopamine

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?

Reticular formation

A polygraph machine is often called a "lie detector," although it does not detect lies. Instead, it responds to changes in

autonomic arousal

Parkinson's disease is most closely associated with

decreases in levels of dopamine

During a psychology experiment, a researcher uses a probe to lesion the ventromedial nucleus of a rat's hypothalamus. After the procedure the rat most likely will

eat more and gain weight

The limbic system is most closely associated with

emotions

Painkilling substances produced by the brain are known as

endorphins

A child's sex is genetically determined by the

father

A person with a severe head injury subsequently acts irresponsibly, does not seem to be able to plan effectively, and is easy to anger. Which of the following brain areas is most likely injured?

frontal lobe

People who have experienced severe damage to the frontal lobe of the brain seldom regain their ability to

make and carry out plans

The hypothesis that intelligence is in part inherited is best supported by the fact that the IQ correlation for

pairs of identical twins is greater than for pairs of fraternal twins

Joseph has blue eyes and brown hair and is tall. These characteristics are best described as

phenotypic traits

The sequence of shifts in the electrical charge of a neuron is called

the action potential

Damage to Wernicke's area is most likely to be associated with difficulty in

understanding language

Damage to the occipital lobe would most likely affect a person's

vision

Damage to a small part of the occipital lobe would most likely result in a

visual deficit

Neurotransmitters are typically stored in which of the following parts of a neuron?

The terminal buttons

Assume that R represents a dominant gene in rats for normal running and that r represent a recessive gene in rats for an abnormal gait called waltzing. Mating a female Rr rat with a male RR rat will produce offspring that are

100% runners

Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system results in which of the following?

A decrease in heart rate

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

A loss of motor coordination

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?

Acetylcholine

The depletion of which of the following neurotransmitters is most closely associated with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?

Acetylcholine

Electrically stimulating a rat's amygdala would most likely produce which of the following?

Aggression

Damage to which of the following brain structures may cause the inability to detect the emotional significance of facial expressions, especially those demonstrating fear?

Amygdala

Brain damage that leaves a person capable of understanding speech but with an impaired ability to produce speech most likely indicates injury to which of the following?

Broca's area

Sam has shown some marked changes in the way he is able to communicate after having a stroke. He knows what he wants to say, but his speech is slow and labored. Sam's grammar is also quite poor. The part of Sam's brain that most likely sustained damage is

Broca's area

During the high-wire act, Grace walks along a rope suspended 30 feet above the circus floor. Which of the following is most involved in helping Grace coordinate her movements and maintain her balance during the performance?

Cerebellum

A person with damage to Broca's area would most likely demonstrate which of the following symptoms?

Difficulty with speech production

Most glands in the human body are a part of which system?

Endocrine

Which of the following systems produces, circulates, and regulates levels of hormones in the body?

Endocrine system

After an electrode implanted in a cat's brain stimulates the cat's amygdala, the cat will most likely do which of the following?

Immediately withdraw in fear

The nature-nurture issue is best exemplified by which of the following questions?

Is level of intelligence the result of one's environment and specific learning, or is it a result of biological maturation?

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

It was initiated in the spinal cord.

James was born with a condition that makes it impossible for him to metabolize certain proteins. Due to early screening and a special diet, he was able to avoid developing potentially serious symptoms. Which of the following disorders does James have?

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Which of the following is a genetic disorder that results in a deficiency of a liver enzyme which, if not treated soon after birth, may eventually lead to profound mental retardation?

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

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

Receptors, afferent neurons, interneurons, efferent neurons, effectors

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for helping

Riaesha get ready to fight or flee when seeing a bear

In right-handed individuals, which of the following abilities is predominantly a function of the right hemisphere of the brain?

Spatial reasoning

Joel's pupils become dilated, his digestion is reduced, and his skin becomes cold. Which system is controlling his bodily changes?

Sympathetic

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 occipital lobe

A person will most likely develop aphasia as a result of damage to which of the following parts of the brain?

Wernicke's area

A person accidentally touches a hand to a hot stove and quickly pulls the hand away, even before sensory information about the hot stove reaches the brain. The person's reaction is most directly enabled by

a spinal reflex

Information is relayed to the spinal cord or the brain by

afferent neurons

An individual was admitted to the hospital after experiencing a mild tingling on the right side ofthe face and a sudden inability to speak. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a doctor would likely find

an abnormality in the brain tissue of the left hemisphere

Activation of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system results in

an increase in respiratory rate

Difficulty in typing smoothly on a keyboard would most likely result from damage to the

cerebellum

An individual with damage to Wernicke's area is most likely to have difficulty

comprehending a spoken request for information

Stimulation of portions of the left temporal lobe of the brain during surgery will cause the patient to

hear sounds

The brain scans of people with amnesia are most likely to show damage to the

hippocampus

Stimulation of which of the following brain areas will lead a person to eat?

lateral hypothalamus

For most people, speech functions are primarily localized in the

left cerebral hemisphere

The network of structures involved in emotion, motivation, and memory is the

limbic system

The area of the brain stem that is important in controlling breathing is the

medulla

The result of the evolutionary process that preserves traits that enhance the adaptation of an organism and suppresses traits that do not is called

natural Selection

Dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine are all

neurotransmitters that excite or inhibit a neural signal across a synapse

The right occipital lobe receives visual information from the

right half of both retinas

If an individual has lost the ability to feel pain in the left arm, there is most likely damage to what area of the brain?

right parietal lobe

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

somatic

Which part of the nervous system is most immediately activated by sudden fear?

sympathetic

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 the

sympathetic nervous system

Nervousness can result in faster and more shallow breathing as well as a racing heart. This is due to activation of the

sympathetic nervous system

Immediately after firing, a neuron is incapable of responding to stimulation. This condition is referred to as

the absolute refractory phase