Psychology (chapter 1-6)
A neurocognitive disorder caused by neural plaques and marked by a progressive decline in memory is called
Alzheimer's disease.
Jane is explaining how neurons communicate to her friend. How should she best define threshold for her friend?
It is the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.
A reflex refers to
a simple, automatic response to sensory stimulation.
Gender typing refers to the acquisition of
a traditional masculine or feminine role.
The minimum amount of stimulation a person needs to detect a stimulus 50 percent of the time is called the
absolute threshold.
Compulsive substance use or dysfunctional behavior patterns despite harmful consequences is an indication of
addiction
The classic case of railroad worker Phineas Gage best illustrated that frontal lobe damage can
alter one's personality.
The limbic system consists of the
amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus.
The school of thought in psychology that turned away from the study of consciousness during the first half of the last century was
behaviorism
Mr. Hernandez triggered a rooting reflex in his infant son by touching him on the
check
With the approach of night, our body temperature begins to drop. This best illustrates the dynamics of the
circadian rhythm.
The perceptual tendency to fill in gaps in order to perceive disconnected parts as a whole object is called
closure.
Visual perceptions of objects often change when the objects are viewed in different surroundings. This best illustrates
context effects.
Failing to understand the norms of the community into which we have recently moved is most likely to contribute to
culture shock.
Peggy has been asleep for almost three hours. Her heart rate increases, her breathing becomes more rapid, and her eyes move rapidly under her closed lids. Research suggests that Peggy is
dreaming
The simultaneous processing of information on separate conscious and unconscious tracks is called
dual processing.
Twin and adoption studies have been most helpful for teasing apart the influences of
heredity and environment.
The wavelength of visible light determines its
hue
Older adults who feel satisfied when reflecting on their lives demonstrate what Erikson called a sense of
integrity.
THC, the active ingredient in ________, is classified as a ________.
marijuana; hallucinogen
Lawrence Kohlberg focused on the development of
moral reasoning
The retinal image of an object decreases as the object retreats. This is especially important for perceiving the object's
motion.
The speed at which a neural impulse travels is increased when the axon is encased by a(n)
myelin sheath.
Evolutionary psychology studies the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of
natural selection.
The process of forming new neurons within the brain is called
neurogenesis
The brain's ability to change by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience is known as
neuroplasticity.
Which of the following is NOT considered a stimulant?
opiates
The part of the brainstem that helps to coordinate movements and control sleep is called the
pons
Chemical substances that alter perceptions and moods are called ________ drugs.
psychoactive
Premature infants who are regularly touched and massaged are more likely than their unstimulated counterparts to show signs of
rapid weight gain.
Three steps that are basic to all sensory systems include the ________ of information to the brain.
receiving, transforming, and delivering
Sedentary older adults randomly assigned to aerobic exercise programs exhibit
reduced risk of significant cognitive decline.
Evolutionary psychology is most likely to emphasize that human adaptiveness to a variety of different environments has contributed to human
reproductive successes
Norms are best described as
rules for socially acceptable behavior.
Infants develop a fear of strangers at about 8 months of age because they can't assimilate unfamiliar faces into their
schemas.
Children's sense that their parents are trustworthy and dependable is most indicative of
secure attachment.
While engrossed in studying for his psychology course, Juan isn't easily distracted by the sounds of the TV or even by his sisters' conversation. This best illustrates
selective attention.
Fluid-filled ________ that look like a three-dimensional pretzel are involved in our sense of equilibrium.
semicircular canals
The social roles assigned to women and men
shift over time and differ from one culture to another
As the retinal image of a friend running toward you becomes larger, it is unlikely that the friend will appear to grow larger. This best illustrates the importance of
size constancy.
In which of the following disorders does the person repeatedly stop breathing while asleep?
sleep apnea
Place theory suggests that
the pitch we hear is related to the place where the cochlea's basilar membrane is stimulated.
Object permanence is the understanding that
things continue to exist even when they are not perceived.
The corpus callosum is a wide band of axon fibers that
transmits information between the cerebral hemispheres.
The amygdala is responsible for the regulation of
emotion
Hormones are the chemical messengers of the
endocrine system.
The study of influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change is called
epigenetics
Environmental events can "turn on" genes, ensuring that they are
expressed
Adolescents begin to use abstract reasoning skills when they achieve the intellectual summit that Piaget called
formal operations.