AP Psych Unit 2 Review Test
The sequence of shifts in the electrical charge of a neuron is called
the action potential
The function of dendrites is to
receive information from other neurons
Which of the following correctly pairs subdivisions within the major divisions of the human nervous system?
Autonomic..sympathetic and parasympathetic
The area labeled X in the drawing above denotes which of the following structures?
Axon terminals
Rafael has a sleep disorder for which he takes medically prescribed amphetamines. For which of the following sleep disorders is Rafael most likely being treated?
Narcolepsy
Which of the following assertions is best supported by empirical evidence?
The two cerebral hemispheres are specialized to process different types of cognitive tasks.
A polygraph machine is often called a "lie detector," although it does not detect lies. Instead, it responds to changes in
autonomic arousal
Treating a patient for Parkinson's disease includes administering a chemical that will lead to increases in the patient's
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
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
electroencephalography (EEG)
The diagram above depicts the human body's
endocrine system
Painkilling substances produced by the brain are known as
endorphins
The role of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is to
establish homeostasis after a fight-or-flight response
A child's sex is genetically determined by the
father
Joseph has blue eyes and brown hair and is tall. These characteristics are best described as
phenotypic traits
Metabolic activity in different areas of the brain can best be visualized by means of
positron emission tomography (PET)
In the figure above, where does the neurotransmitter dopamine have its effect?
E
Which of the following is a circadian rhythm?
A cycle of biological functioning that lasts about 25 hours
Which letter indicates the postsynaptic membrane?
C
Which letter indicates the synaptic cleft?
D
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
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
What hormone seems to be most closely linked with aggressive behavior?
Testosterone
Dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine are all
neurotransmitters that excite or inhibit a neural signal across a synapse
The occipital lobes contain
the primary visual cortex
During neuronal firing, the part of the neuron that acts as an insulator and conductor to speed the electrical impulse as it travels down the axon is
the myelin sheath
Abnormalities in calcium regulation are most likely to arise from problems with
the parathyroid gland
The time shortly after a neuron fires is referred to as
the refractory period
Damage to the occipital lobe would most likely affect a person's
vision
The occipital lobe of the human brain contains the centers for
vision
Damage to a small part of the occipital lobe would most likely result in a
visual deficit
Getting a headache from not having a morning coffee after substantial daily coffee consumption for several months is most likely due to
withdrawal
The painful experience associated with termination of the use of an addictive substance is known as
withdrawal
Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system results in which of the following?
A decrease in heart rate
Which of the following would most likely result from an injury to the medulla?
A life-threatening disruption of heartbeat and breathing
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
Electricity 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
In the figure above, where do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have their initial effect?
C
Which of the following parts of the brain is most active in decision-making?
Cerebral cortex
Caffeine and nicotine are in the same class as which of the following drugs?
Cocaine
Which of the following psychoactive drugs increases nervous system activity?
Cocaine
Which of the following allows the examination of living brain tissue visually without performing surgery?
Computerized axial tomography
In terms of the effect on the central nervous system, alcohol is most accurately classified as which of the following types of drug?
Depressant
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
In extreme cases, surgically severing the corpus callosum is a treatment for which of the following conditions?
Epilepsy
Consistent with the concept of neural plasticity, neurons in mammals have been found to change the way they function as a result of repeated simulation by doing which of the following?
Growing new dendritic spines
After an electrode implanted in a cat's brain stimulates the cat's amygdala, the cat will most likely do which of the following?
Immediate withdraw in fear
Which of the following statements concerning sleep is valid?
Individuals do not typically act out their dreams.
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 mutation?
Which of the following most accurately characterizes the role of the hypothalamus in the regulation of hunger?
It acts with the endocrine system to control hunger and satiety.
Which of the following statements best describes the effect of alcohol on human functioning?
It depresses the central nervous system.
Which of the following is true about the pons?
It is the region of the brain that is most closely associated with sleep and arousal.
Which of the following is true of the reticular activating system?
It regulates levels of arousal.
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.
Which of the following areas of the body has the largest number of sensory neurons?
Lips
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)
It is well established that certain autonomic responses such as heart rate, perspiration, and respiration change under stress. In view of the fact that people generally have stronger autonomic responses when lying than when telling the truth, it follows that the polygraph would be a foolproof approach to lie detection. Which statement best explains why the polygraph is not more widely used in courtrooms and in testing of job applicants?
Physiological arousal is much the same for several emotions, so the polygraph cannot always reliably distinguish guilt from other reactions.
Which of the following brain regions is indicated by the arrow?
Pons
Which of the following provides information regarding brain function by monitoring the brain at work through metabolism of glucose?
Positron emission topography (PET)
In which of the following techniques do researchers inject a harmless, radioactive substance into the living human brain to examine activity?
Positron-emission tomography (PET)
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 drugs that block the reabsorption of neurotransmitters in the synapse during neural transmission are
SSRIs
For most people, which of the following is an activity based in the right hemisphere of the brain?
Simple spatial reasoning
A patient reports constant sleepiness. A series of tests reveal that the patient's sleep is frequently disrupted by periods of interrupted breathing and brief awakenings. Which of the following diagnoses woulda count for such symptoms?
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?
Sleep apnea
What is the primary function of the brain region indicated by the arrow? (pons)
Sleeping, waking, and dreaming
Which part of the nervous system is most immediately activated by sudden fear?
Sympathetic
Which of the following characteristics is generally associated with the use of hallucinogens?
The experience of vivid, distorted images that are not based on sensory input
Hunger and eating are primarily regulated by which of the following?
The hypothalamus
Which of the following is true of a neuron in the resting state?
The inside of the cell membrane is negative compared to the outside.
Which occurs when neuron stimulated to threshold
The movements of sodium and potassium ions across the membrane creates an action potential.
Neurotransmitters are typically stored in which of the following parts of a neuron?
The terminal buttons
A person will most likely develop aphasia as a result of damage to which of the following parts of the brain?
Wernicke's area
The biological clock that operates in human beings to adjust their functioning to night-and-day periodicity is referred to as
a circadian rhythm
Based on its effects on the central nervous system, alcohol can be classified as
a depressant
Reuptake of a neurotransmitter refers to
absorption of the neurotransmitter into the terminal buttons of the sending neuron
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 of the face and a sudden inability to speak. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a doctor would like find
an abnormality in the brain tissue of the left hemisphere
A drug that has the effect of intensifying or mimicking a particular neurotransmitter can be characterized as
an antagonist, because it intensifies the effects of a particular neurotransmitter
Activation of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system results in
an increase in respiratory rate
When a person is suffering from severe pain, the type of drug that will best help alleviate that pain is
an opiate
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
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
hippocampus
The part of the endocrine system that is responsible for overseeing and regulating the release of hormones across the entire body is the
hypothalamus
Brain lateralization refers to the
inclination for certain cognitive processes to be specialized to one hemisphere of the brain or the other
The primary effect of the myelin sheath is to
increase the velocity of conduction of the action potential along the axon
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
increases are level of endorphins
People who have experienced severe damage to the frontal lobe of the brain seldom regain their ability to
make and carry out plans
The area of the brain set, 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 surpasses traits that do not is called
natural selection
The process by which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed into the neuron after it fires is called
reuptake
The right occipital lobe receives visual information from the
right half of both retinas
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
Which of the following correctly describes the firing of neurons?
An all-or-none response
Malia is 10 years of age, and her grandmother, Anna Rosa, is 60 years old. Which statement is likely to be true concerning their sleep patterns?
Anna Rosa sleeps fewer hours per day than Malia does.
Which of the following is brain-imaging technique that produces the most detailed picture of brain structure?
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Which chemical is most closely associated with sleep?
Melatonin
The person most strongly associated with identifying deficits in the motor speech area and in the ability to produce speech is
Paul Broca
Which of the following is an explanation of why travelers suffer from jet lag?
There is a disruption in their circadian rhythm.
Which of the following will NOT increase behavioral and mental activity?
Barbiturates
Which of the following is reduced during a fight-or-flight reaction?
Digestion
Assume that R represents a dominant gene in rats for normal running and that r represents 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
Which scenario best exemplifies Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection?
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 of the following is classified as an antagonist?
A tricyclic antidepressant, because they block serotonin and norepinephrine transporters.
REM sleep, generally an "active" state of sleep, is accompanied by which of the following paradoxical characteristics?
Lowered muscle tone
Cocaine blocks the reuptake of which neurotransmitter?
Dopamine
Which of the following neurotransmitters has been linked to Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia?
Dopamine
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
alcohol tolerance
Curare blocks action at acetylcholine synapses and causes paralysis. This drug is an example of an
antagonist