Psychology 7A- Midterm I
Which of the following is a myth of psychology? A)Experience physically alters the structure of the brain. B)We are consciously aware of only a small part of our mental activity .C)Heritable traits, such as IQ, cannot be altered by experience. D)The mind is a product of a physical machine, the brain.
.C)Heritable traits, such as IQ, cannot be altered by experience.
._______ psychologists study how the mind and behavior progress as people age. A) Developmental B) Differential C) Adaptive D) Evolutionary
A) Developmental
In the homunculus that corresponds to the mapping of the somatosensory cortex, which body part occupies the largest area? A) Hand B) Trunk C) Nose D) Leg
A) Hand
Which child displays the signs of disorganized attachment? A)James is usually upset when his mother leaves him, but when she returns he sometimes shows no reaction and other times runs directly to her. B)Maggie is visibly upset when her mother leaves her with her caregiver but is always happy when her mother returns. C)Brendan is usually upset when his mother leaves him with his caregiver and is visibly angry with his mother when she returns. D)Juliana is never distressed when her mother leaves her and does not show any visible signs of emotion when her mother returns.
A) James is usually upset when his mother leaves him, but when she returns he sometimes shows no reaction and other times runs directly to her.
Which of the following research methods would be most appropriate for investigating the relationship between political orientation and belief in climate change? A) Survey research B) Case study research C) Naturalistic observation D) Experimental research
A) Survey research
A recessive allele affects an individual's phenotype only when it is present on A)both chromosomes. B)a single chromosome. C)the same chromosome as a dominant allele. D)a chromosome that is paired with one with a dominant allele.
A) both chromosomes.
Benedict was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident. His injury was most likely located in his _______ system. A) central nervous B) sympathetic nervous C) parasympathetic nervous D)somatic nervous
A) central nervous
Jessica has mastered addition and subtraction with two-and three-digit numbers. She still struggles to understand more general mathematical rules, such as the fact that multiplying a number by -1 will always yield a negative number. She is likely in the _______ stage of cognitive development. A) concrete operational B) formal operational C) preoperational D) sensorimotor
A) concrete operational
Jessie has taken a medication that interferes with her ability to feel pleasure. This medication is most likely a A) dopamine antagonist. B) dopamine agonist. C) norepinephrine antagonist. D) norepinephrine agonist.
A) dopamine antagonist.
Debi just ran a marathon in less than four hours and felt no pain during the run. Her lack of pain was most likely due to A) endorphins. B) serotonin. C) acetylcholine. D) GABA
A) endorphins.
Though our brains are almost fully developed by the time we reach adolescence, enormous changes continue in the brain region called the _______ lobe. A) frontal B) parietal C) temporal D) occipital
A) frontal
Cognitive psychologists became interested in how processing was done inside the brain, which led directly to the development of A) neuroscience. B) Gestalt psychology. C) behaviorism. D) functionalism.
A) neuroscience.
Your brain's _______ lobe is most involved in allowing you to feel an annoying pebble in your shoe. A) parietal B) temporal C) occipital D) frontal
A) parietal
To learn more about the gaming habits of teenage boys, a professor randomly selected fifty boys from various high schools for a video game study. In this study, "all teenage boys" make up the A) population. B) representative sample. C) independent variable. D) control group.
A) population.
This scatterplot shows a(n) _______ correlation. A) positive B) negative C) inverse D) non-linear
A) positive
Following a head injury, Maria experienced a dramatic personality change. She now gambles heavily, swears and yells at work, and has difficulty planning ahead. She most likely experienced damage to her: A) prefrontal cortex. B) basal ganglia. C) occipital lobe. D) central sulcus.
A) prefrontal cortex.
To decide whether first-year students given study skills training have a better grade point average (GPA) at the end of the year than students without training, researchers will need to determine the _______ of GPA differences between the two groups. A) statistical significance B) standard deviation C) variance D) frequency distribution
A) statistical significance
Mary Ainsworth found that infants vary in their attachment styles by using an experimental procedure called the A) strange situation task. B) visual cliff test. C) habituation technique. D) preferential looking task.
A) strange situation task.
What is a mainstream psychologist most likely to think about Sigmund Freud? A)Freudian theory is untestable and not grounded in science. B)Freud, a great pioneer in psychology, discovered the unconscious. C)Freud was a complete fraud who barely rates a mention in psychology textbooks. D)Rigorous research has proven that most of Freud's theories were correct.
A)Freudian theory is untestable and not grounded in science.
Which single gene effect do men display more often than women? A)The inability to distinguish red from green B)The inability to distinguish different pitches C)A gradual decline in the ability to focus on distant objects D)A gradual decline in the ability to hear
A)The inability to distinguish red from green
A meta-analysis is A)a combination of results from many related studies. B)an alternative to the strong inference approach. C)the most common analysis in correlational research. D)the most common analysis in experimental research.
A)a combination of results from many related studies.
According to Piaget's theory, the two processes that drive children's mental development are called A)assimilation and accommodation C)association and constructivism. B)conservation and assimilation. D)accommodation and association.
A)assimilation and accommodation
The numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4 refer to _______, respectively. A)dendrites, cell body, axon, and axon terminals B)basal ganglia, cell body, axon, and axon terminals C)dendrites, interneuron, cell body, and axon terminals D)axon terminals, cell body, interneuron, and synapses
A)dendrites, cell body, axon, and axon terminals
During neural development, the nervous system generates more cells than it ultimately needs. Over half of the extra cells A)die though a natural process before birth. B)are stored in the cortex to replace damaged neurons later. C)are integrated into the circulatory system. D)develop into cell masses that house the neurotransmitters.
A)die though a natural process before birth.
In a depression-treatment study, neither the participants nor the researcher know who is taking medication and who is taking a sugar pill. This is an example of a A)double-blind trial. B)confound. C)research design with low validity. D)research design with low reliability.
A)double-blind trial.
Research has shown that social exclusion activates the same brain regions as physical pain. A researcher wants to test the hypothesis that over-the-counter pain relievers will also reduce the pain of social exclusion. She gives half of her participants ibuprofen and half a placebo, then has them play a game in which other players ignore them. Participants who take the ibuprofen are the _______ and participants who take the placebo are the _______. A)experimental group; control group B)randomly assigned group; blind group C)representative sample; random sample D)independent sample; dependent sample
A)experimental group; control group
Xavier has a disease that disrupts the functioning of his sympathetic nervous system. A likely symptom is A)failure to activate the fight-or-flight response in dangerous situations. B)excessive anxiety. C)inability to digest food. D)impaired fine motor coordination.
A)failure to activate the fight-or-flight in dangerous situations.
The principle of Occam's razor compares _______ in terms of the _______. A)hypotheses; assumptions they make B)hypotheses; observations they predict C)experiments; potential to replicate results D)experiments; handling of dependent variable
A)hypotheses; assumptions they make
Colorblindness is more common in males than in females because A)males receive only one allele(on the X chromosome) for that gene for color vision. B)females often do not experience the same gene-environment interactions as males. C)the gene for colorblindness is on the Y chromosome. D)the gene for red-green colorblindness is dominant.
A)males receive only one allele(on the X chromosome) for that gene for color vision.
Before scientists fully understood the cause of PKU, infants with the disorder often developed A)mental impairment. C)somatosensory hallucinations. B)colorblindness. D)early-onset schizophrenia.
A)mental impairment.
Mutations arise from A)mistakes in copying DNA from a parent when eggs or sperm are made. B)exchanging of proteins during fertilization. C)encoding of ribosomes during DNA generation. D)faulty functioning of amino acids during conception.
A)mistakes in copying DNA from a parent when eggs or sperm are made.
Identical twins are called _______, while non-identical twins are called _______. A)monozygotic; dizygotic B)monozygotic; heterozygotic C)homozygotic; monozygotic D)dizygotic; heterozygotic
A)monozygotic; dizygotic
Reliability refers to whether your measurement tool _______ and validity to whether it _______. A)produces repeatable results; measures what it is supposed to measure B)measures what it is supposed to measure; produces repeatable results C)produces statistically significant results; controls for confounds D)controls for confounds; produces statistically significant results
A)produces repeatable results; measures what it is supposed to measure
In Plato's cave allegory, a prisoner was temporarily unchained and allowed to see the fire at the mouth of the cave. When he returned to the chains, the other prisoners: A)refused to believe him. B)marveled at his great knowledge. C)began to reconsider their own views. D)immediately accepted his insight.
A)refused to believe him.
All of the following activities have been shown to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease except A)resting the brain by avoiding complex cognitive tasks. B)engaging daily in mild physical exercise. C)engaging in intellectual activities such as daily crossword puzzles. D)regular participation in social activities.
A)resting the brain by avoiding complex cognitive tasks.
Gene expression is fundamentally linked to experience because A)sensory experience from behavior affects gene expression in many neurons. B)experiences are dictated by the type of genes expressed at any given time. C)an individual phenotype must be present in sensory experience to alter gene function. D)motor stimulation is a form of gene expression.
A)sensory experience from behavior affects gene expression in many neurons.
During an action potential A)the inside of a neuron's axon becomes more positively charged than the outside. B)potassium ions are finally allowed into the neuron. C)gated sodium channels close. D)the neuron seeks a balanced electrical charge.
A)the inside of a neuron's axon becomes more positively charged than the outside.
._______ intelligence is the ability to reason abstractly and solve novel problems, and _______ intelligence is the accumulation of facts, experience, and historical references. A) Crystallized; fluid B) Fluid; crystallized C) Adaptive; creative D) Creative; adaptive
B) Fluid; crystallized
Your uncle has been stricken by delusions and is displaying strange, sweeping, involuntary movements of his arms and legs. He is most likely suffering from A) schizophrenia. B) Huntington's disease. C) Phenylketonuria (PKU). D) Alzheimer's disease.
B) Huntington's disease.
In an experiment, the variable that is expected to differ across the experimental and control groups is the _______ variable. A) dependent B) independent C) experimental D) confounding
B) Independent
The foundations of psychology are most closely related to which of the following disciplines? A) Chemistry B) Philosophy C) Political science D) Astrology
B) Philosophy
During which stage of neural development do the neurons begin to branch out to form connections with one another? A) Neurogenesis B) Synaptogenesis C) Cell migration D) Synapse rearrangement
B) Synaptogenesis
Your psychology professor tells the class, "Experience cannot be analyzed successfully into its elements." Your professor is most likely A) a behaviorist. B) a Gestalt psychologist. C) a structuralist. D) an empiricist.
B) a Gestalt psychologist.
The fastest-traveling action potential would be found in a neuron with A)no nodes of Ranvier. B)a well-myelinated, thick axon. C)an unmyelinated thick axon. D)an unmyelinated, thin axon.
B) a well-myelinated, thick axon.
Though generally satisfied with life, older people do experience a sense of loss and longing after the death of a friend or loved one. This is called A) stagnation. B) bereavement. C) dementia. D) isolation.
B) bereavement.
The scientific study of factors that affect gene expression is called A) population genetics. B) epigenetics. C) epidemiology. D) ecological genetics.
B) epigenetics.
Baby chicks born on a farm will often follow the human that they first see when they hatch. This is a result of _______, the innate process of learning to recognizing a parent. A) attachment B) imprinting C) stranger anxiety D) implicit learning
B) imprinting
The primary type of neuron in neural networks is a A) motor neuron. B) interneuron. C) sensory neuron. D) afferent neuron.
B) interneuron.
In a psychology experiment, subjects listen to a variety of tones presented at different frequencies and then reflect on the experience, describing what they heard as precisely as possible. These individuals would have been using a process called: A) behaviorism. B) introspection. C) hypnosis. D) Gestalt therapy.
B) introspection.
The part of the cell that contains chromosomes is called the A) DNA. B) nucleus. C) mitochondria. D) endoplasmic reticulum.
B) nucleus.
Regardless of what your current _______ displays, your _______ never changes. A) genotype; phenotype B) phenotype; genotype C) prototype; phenotype D) prototype; genotype
B) phenotype; genotype
A friend asks you to help him steal a car so he can drive his roommate to a doctor's appointment. You refuse, reasoning that laws and rules are a part of society for a reason and you do not want to disrupt the status quo. According to Kohlberg's theory, you are using _______ reasoning. A) preconventional B) postconventional C) conventional D) hindsight
B) postconventional
When a touch to the cheek elicits a turn of an infant's head, the infant is displaying a simple reflex called A) grasping. B) rooting. C)sucking. D) conserving.
B) rooting.
As the number of pirates in the world has decreased, the mean global temperature has increased. This is an example of a A) non-linear relationship. B) spurious correlation. C) strong inference. D) meta-analysis.
B) spurious correlation.
24.A cross-country runner wants to know how consistent her race times have been this season. The most useful measure of her race times would be the A) range. B) standard deviation. C) mode. D) difference between the median and the mode.
B) standard deviation.
Although very few people would admit to a belief that men make better hires than women, several experiments show that men are more likely to be hired than women with identical résumés. This is an example of A) explicit bias. B) unconscious bias. C) poor validity. D) negative skew.
B) unconscious bias.
A fertilized human egg cell is called a A) neuron. B) zygote. C) placenta. D) synapse.
B) zygote.
Cooper and Zubek (1958) showed that gene-environment interactions were at play in a study by illustrating that A)"Maze-bright"rats raised in "impoverished" environments were always better at navigating mazes than "maze-bright" rats raised in "enriched" environments. B)"Maze-dull" rats raised in "enriched" environments eventually learned to navigate mazes as well as "maze-bright" rats raised in "enriched" environments. C)"Maze-bright" rats raised in "impoverished" environments were worse at navigating mazes than "maze-dull" rats raised in "impoverished" environments. D)"Maze-dull" rats raised in "impoverished" environments were always worse at navigating mazes than "maze-bright" rats raised in "impoverished" environments.
B)"Maze-dull" rats raised in "enriched" environments eventually learned to navigate mazes as well as "maze-bright" rats raised in "enriched" environments.
Your uncle tells you about an interesting magazine article explaining that humans use only 10 percent of their brains. As a student of psychology, your response should be: A)"I know! Isn't that just astonishing?" B)"Well, research actually shows that almost all of the brain is continually active." C)"The data aren't conclusive on that yet, but most psychologists would agree with you." D)"In fact, most neuroscientists would say the figure is closer to 5 percent."
B)"Well, research actually shows that almost all of the brain is continually active."
As you and your roommate watch a news report about a big fight that broke out at a local club, he turns to you and says, "I'm not surprised. It's a full moon, after all. People always go crazy around the full moon." As a student of psychology, your response should be: A)"Is it a full moon tonight? No wonder I was feeling so weird!" B)"When you look at police records, the actual data do not really support that idea." C)"Well, people tend to be more accident-prone around the full moon, but the crime rate doesn't really go up." D)"I don't think the moon has anything to do with this. It's too cloudy. You can't even see the moon tonight."
B)"When you look at police records, the actual data do not really support that idea."
To which pair of siblings would the term "dizygotic"apply? A)Two brothers born several years apart B)A brother and sister born at the same time C)Two sisters originating from a single fertilized egg D)A brother and sister born several years apart
B)A brother and sister born at the same time
Which statement is most consistent with the concept of heritability of alcoholism? A)Any person with alcoholism in his or her family is likely to inherit the condition. B)Alcoholism is heritable, but this does not mean that a person with alcoholism in his or her family is destined to also have the condition. C)Alcoholism can run in families, but only when it is left untreated. D)Alcoholism is not heritable; it is the result of environmental influence early in life.
B)Alcoholism is heritable, but this does not mean that a person with alcoholism in his or her family is destined to also have the condition.
What can be concluded from developmental studies of children in daycare? A)Children in low-quality daycare do not develop attachment styles. B)Children in high-quality daycare tend to perform better academically C)Children raised by their grandparents tend to show greater levels of secure attachment. D)There is little relationship between the quality of daycare and social or academic success.
B)Children in high-quality daycare tend to perform better academically
Which result provides evidence that genes play a role in schizophrenia? A)Only about 1 percent of the population displays schizophrenia. B)Children of identical twins, one of whom had schizophrenia, are more likely to develop the disorder, regardless of whether their parent was the twin with schizophrenia or the twin without it. C)Identical twins are more likely to be discordant for schizophrenia than non-identical twins are. D)Parents of identical twins with schizophrenia are more likely to show symptoms of the disorder, even after their children's symptoms are in remission.
B)Children of identical twins, one of whom had schizophrenia, are more likely to develop the disorder, regardless of whether their parent was the twin with schizophrenia or the twin without it.
Which environmental influence is most closely linked with the development of schizophrenia in children who inherit genes for the disorder? A)Exposure to a family member with the disorder C)Extreme pressure to achieve B)Complications during birth D)Poor performance in school
B)Complications during birth
Which side effect is most likely following the removal of a large tumor from a patient's cerebellum? A)Problems with memory formation B)Difficulty with balance and motor coordination C)Poor language comprehension D)Impaired visual perception
B)Difficulty with balance and motor coordination
What does it mean to say that schizophrenia is heritable? A)People who inherit the genes for schizophrenia will always present symptoms of the disorder. B)People with close blood relatives with schizophrenia are more likely to develop symptoms than the general population. C)One percent of the population will inherit schizophrenia. D)People with close blood relatives with schizophrenia are immune to the disorder.
B)People with close blood relatives with schizophrenia are more likely to develop symptoms than the general population.
Why are dominant, yet harmful, alleles like the huntingtin gene so rare in our genomes? A)Only a few harmful alleles affect the nervous system. B)The carrier does not survive long enough to pass on the allele. C)The alleles for disorders are not active until adulthood. D)The allele can be transmitted only to another dominant carrier.
B)The carrier does not survive long enough to pass on the allele.
What was Kohlberg most interested in when examining people's responses to the fictional story of Heinz stealing a drug for his ailing wife? A)Whether they said it was okay for Heinz to steal the drug B)The nature of their reasoning about their choice C)The number of times they asked about Heinz's age D)Whether or not they mentioned Heinz's wife when responding
B)The nature of their reasoning about their choice
Which of these behaviors is most likely to be controlled by a neural network? A)Jerking your hand away from something sharp B)Understanding a joke C)Experiencing candy as sweet D)Throwing your arms out for balance when you slip.
B)Understanding a joke
In general, it is easier for psychologists and biologists to determine the influence of genes on behavior when the underlying cause of that behavior can be attributed to A)chance, rather than genetics. B)a single gene rather than multiple genes. C)multiple related genes, rather than a single gene. D)the workings of multiple unrelated genes.
B)a single gene rather than multiple genes.
Preoperational children are often called "egocentric" because they A)are not capable of experiencing empathy toward others. B)do not understand what others know and do not know. C)prefer to play alone rather than with adults or other children. D)cannot yet understand the notion of sharing.
B)do not understand what others know and do not know.
The technique that detects voltage changes in the brain is A)computed tomography(CT). C)functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). B)electroencephalography (EEG). D)positron emission tomography (PET).32.
B)electroencephalography (EEG).
Estimates of the heritability of risk-taking, parental warmth, and openness are between 38 and 57 percent. This implies that A)most of the behaviors we present are caused by our genes. B)genes account for some of the variation in those traits, but experience is also important. C)experience accounts for the majority of the variation in those traits. D)it is not possible to measure how much of the variation in those traits is due to the environment.
B)genes account for some of the variation in those traits, but experience is also important.
Jake has recently developed a disease that causes him to release too much testosterone. Compared with his behavior prior to developing the disease, his behavior now is likely to be A)more reserved and thoughtful. B)more irritable and aggressive. C)unchanged, as enzymes break neurotransmitters down quickly. D)unchanged, as testosterone does not affect brain functioning.
B)more irritable and aggressive.
The key purpose of myelin is to A)activate the sympathetic nervous system. B)provide electrical insulation. C)trigger muscle cells to fire. D)facilitate the reuptake of neurotransmitters.
B)provide electrical insulation.
Ethical principles require researchers to A)explain the hypothesis they will be testing before participants begin a study. B)provide information about potential risks to participants before they begin a study. C)refrain from conducting research on animals. D)have their research design approved by a group of people similar to the proposed participants.
B)provide information about potential risks to participants before they begin a study.
In a behaviorist approach to treatment for a patient with a fear of rats, the patient is A)urged to talk about this fear to determine why he feels this way. B)repeatedly exposed to stimuli that are gradually more and more like rats. C)asked to observe other people who are handling rats in a calm, relaxed manner. D)given medication to help reduce his anxiety.
B)repeatedly exposed to stimuli that are gradually more and more like rats.
If heavy snowfall in Alaska has a correlation of -0.78 with the consumption of ice cream and a correlation of +0.78 with the sale of boots, you can predict that for a snowy January in Alaska, the store will A)sell more boots, but ice cream sales will be unchanged. B)sell more boots and ice cream sales will be lower. C)sell slightly more ice cream and significantly more boots. D)see equal increases in sales for both ice cream and boots.
B)sell more boots and ice cream sales will be lower.
To allow communication, neurons A)are physically connected, allowing electrical impulses to travel across neurons. B)send chemical messages across small gaps between neurons. C)send electric sparks into the surrounding conductive fluid. D)have the most powerful impact on the other neurons that they touch directly.
B)send chemical messages across small gaps between neurons.
In an experiment treating spider phobia, half of the participants get eight hours of cognitive-behavioral treatment. The other half get eight hours of attention from a therapist but no active treatment. Both groups report a statistically significant reduction in their fear of spiders. This is evidence that A)cognitive-behavioral therapy has no effect. B)the placebo effect can be significant. C)participants' expectations have no effect. D)control groups are a waste of resources.
B)the placebo effect can be significant.
Which of the following research methods would be most appropriate for exploring whether childhood emotional abuse predicts higher levels of adult depression? A) Naturalistic observation B) Experimental research C) Correlational research D) Case studies
C) Correlational research
The molecule present in the chromosomes that "codes" hereditary information is called A) RNA. B) cyclic AMP. C) DNA. D) adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
C) DNA.
Which brain region regulates hunger and thirst? A) Corpus callosum B) Basal ganglia C) Hypothalamus D) Limbic system
C) Hypothalamus
Which reflex helps the infant feed on breast milk? A) Grasping B) Simple C) Sucking D) Conserving
C) Sucking
Any substance that disrupts the flow of nutrients to the brain, or in any way harms the fetus, is called A) a synapse. B) differentiation. C) a teratogen. D) migration.
C) a teratogen.
Adolescents are in the fifth stage of psychosocial development, and according to Erikson, are most concerned with developing A) initiative. B) intimacy. C) an identity. D) a sense of purpose.
C) an identity.
Brad and George are twins whose parents both have blue eyes. Brad and George also have blue eyes, meaning that the twins are _______ for that trait. A) discordant B) bisimilar C) concordant D) confounding
C) concordant
An allele is _______ when it affects an individual's phenotype, regardless of what other allele the individual carries for that gene. A) recessive B) mediating C) dominant D) subdominant
C) dominant
A research team wants to know if sugar consumption is related to hyperactivity. Researchers give fifty children cupcakes made with real sugar and another fifty children cupcakes made with zero-calorie sugar substitutes. They then observe each child individually to assess his or her level of activity after eating the cupcakes. This is an example of A) a case study. B) naturalistic observation. C) experimental research. D) correlational research.
C) experimental research.
The Goal of psychology is to: A) develop ways to treat the mentally ill. B) control human behavior. C) explain human thought and behavior. D) determine the causes of mental illness.
C) explain human thought and behavior.
Your first cell began making proteins when your father's sperm fused with your mother's egg in the process of A) natural selection. B) epigenetics. C) fertilization. D) spermatization.
C) fertilization.
Refer to the set of numbers below. 2, 8, 3, 4, 8, 10, 0 In the set of numbers, the median is _______ than the mean and _______than the mode. A) greater; greater B) greater; less C) less; less D) less; greater
C) less; less
Both the spinal cord and the brain develop from the fetal structure called the A) placenta. B) inner cell mass. C) neural tube. D) teratogen.
C) neural tube.
The _______, formed when the cells in the outer layer of the embryo divide, provides oxygen and nutrients to the embryo. A) inner cell mass B) fetus C) placenta D) neural tube
C) placenta
The landmark in development when an individual becomes capable of reproduction is called A) adolescence. B) adulthood. C) puberty. D) menarche.
C) puberty.
A measure of conscientiousness produces very similar scores each time a person repeats the exercise, but it doesn't predict whether a person is reliable in everyday life. This measure appears to be A) reliable and valid. B) valid but not reliable. C) reliable but not valid. D) neither reliable nor valid
C) reliable but not valid.
A friend is concerned because her brother has started to tell the family that he believes he talks directly to God. He is also becoming emotionally withdrawn. You recommend sending him to a psychiatrist because he might be showing signs of A) depression. B) generalized anxiety disorder. C) schizophrenia. D) bipolar disorder.
C) schizophrenia.
Interneurons in the _______ play an important role in the reflexive action of jerking one's hand away from a very hot surface. A) hand muscles B) adrenal glands C) spinal cord D) hypothalamus
C) spinal cord
Which statement provides the most accurate description of Alzheimer's disease? A)A normal slowing of cognition due to rapid aging of the frontal cortex B)Damage caused by random cell death primarily in the temporal lobe C)Dementia caused by the build-up of amyloid inside and outside of acetylcholine neurons D)A condition associated with diets high in fat in which the brain slowly disintegrates
C)Dementia caused by the build-up of amyloid inside and outside of acetylcholine neurons
What conclusion is consistent with the results of twin studies of schizophrenia? A)Though monozygotic twins are more concordant for schizophrenia than dizygotic twins, genes account for only about 10 percent of the differences. B)Differences in dizygotic genes account for about 90 percent of the instances of schizophrenia among family members. C)Differences in genes account for about 50 percent of the differences between people, in cases of schizophrenia. D)Differences in genes account for about 27 percent of the differences between people, in cases of schizophrenia.
C)Differences in genes account for about 50 percent of the differences between people, in cases of schizophrenia.
Which statement best describes a valid gene-environment interaction? A)Mice reared by mothers of different strains always display the same exploratory behavior. B)Chimps raised in an impoverished environment were just as good at navigating mazes as chimps raised in an enriched environment. C)Identical twins adopted by different families often display many behaviors typical of their adoptive family. D)Rhesus monkeys reared in captivity often display the same level of anxious behavior as rhesus monkeys reared in the wild.
C)Identical twins adopted by different families often display many behaviors typical of their adoptive family.
Based on this figure, which conclusion is correct? A)In many Western countries, puberty for both boys and girls is occurring at an earlier age than in the past. B)Exposure to human-made chemicals is accelerating menarche in Western countries. C)In many Western countries, girls are beginning their periods at an earlier age than in the past. D)Boys tend to reach puberty at an earlier age than girls in most Western countries.
C)In many Western countries, girls are beginning their periods at an earlier age than in the past.
Which statement about information transmission between neurons is correct? A)Neurons send electrical messages across the synaptic cleft. B)Most neurons receive information from only one or two other neurons. C)Information between two neurons passes in only one direction at the synapse. D)Glial cells are responsible for information transmission outside the brain.
C)Information between two neurons passes in only one direction at the synapse.
Which is most consistent with the textbook's characterization of how nurture influences behavior? A)Nurture provides all of the necessary elements for determining our behaviors. B)Genes activate our behaviors. C)Learning experiences and social interactions affect how we use the genes that we inherited. D)We learn most of our behaviors from social interactions.
C)Learning experiences and social interactions affect how we use the genes that we inherited.
A scientist is interested in understanding how the size of the prefrontal cortex changes between the ages of 9 and 13. Which of the following brain imaging techniques would she be most likely to use? A)Electroencephalography (EEG) B)Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) C)Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) D)Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
C)Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
How do gene mutations contribute to evolution? A)Beneficial mutations are passed on to several members of a generation, quickly taking hold in a population. B)Unfavorable mutations have a more significant effect on genes than do favorable mutations, so they are spread through the population. C)Natural selection favors beneficial mutations, so they survive and are passed on to future generations. D)Beneficial and unfavorable mutations take hold in the population equally over numerous generations.
C)Natural selection favors beneficial mutations, so they survive and are passed on to future generations.
Which of the following statements best differentiates structuralism from functionalism? A)Structuralism was interested in observable behavior only, while functionalism was interested in the mental process. B)Structuralism was more scientific in its approach, while functionalism was more philosophical. C)Structuralism asked what happens when an organism does something, while functionalism asked how and why. D)Structuralism was interested in the practical consequences of behavior, while functionalism was interested in describing experience in its most basic terms.
C)Structuralism asked what happens when an organism does something, while functionalism asked how and why
All of the following statements regarding gene-environment interactions is true except A)Genes determine whether an environmental factor will affect behavior. B)Genes influence every human behavior, but no gene determines behavior. C)The environment has the same effect on behavior regardless of genes. D)The environment determines whether a gene will affect behavior.
C)The environment has the same effect on behavior regardless of genes.
Why is it difficult for psychologists to define the specific genes involved in disorders like depression and schizophrenia? A)The specific gene that causes each disorder is usually the same. B)A person with a disorder like depression or schizophrenia tends to have a much higher number of genes than a person without such a disorder. C)There are likely numerous genes that influence the various symptoms of each disorder. D)It is difficult to distinguish a depressed person from a person who is schizophrenic.
C)There are likely numerous genes that influence the various symptoms of each disorder.
A scientist is testing the hypothesis that inhibiting neural activity in the prefrontal cortex could help relieve depression.Which technique would be most useful for testing this hypothesis? A)Computed tomography(CT) B)Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) C)Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) D)Positron emission tomography (PET)
C)Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
Which of the following would be evidence against the social brain hypothesis? A)Students working in a group are better able to grasp a subject than students working individually. B)A quiet co-worker prefers to eat lunch at his desk every day instead of socializing with others in the company cafeteria. C)Your sister is clearly able to engage in meaningful social interactions with all of her 500 friends on Tumblr. D)You regularly strike up friendly conversations with the cashiers at your local grocery store.
C)Your sister is clearly able to engage in meaningful social interactions with all of her 500 friends on Tumblr.
In the case of Deidre, a woman with epilepsy, doctors stimulated different regions of her brain to A)train her brain to transmit electrical signals normally. B)find the tumor causing her epilepsy. C)determine which brain functions were located in the area causing her seizures. D)cause her brain to produce higher levels of endorphins.
C)determine which brain functions were located in the area causing her seizures.
Scientific investigation of Clever Hans revealed that A)Hans's owner was a con artist. B)Occam's razor is far from infallible. C)horses respond to unintended cues from their owners. D)horses are capable of simple arithmetic.
C)horses respond to unintended cues from their owners.
A college professor testing two different study-skill interventions tosses a coin to decide which type of training each student will get. The professor does this to A)make it more likely that participants will be representative of the broader population. B)make statistical analyses easier by guaranteeing the same number of participants in each group. C)make it less likely that there will be pre-existing differences between the groups. D)avoid the confound of participants knowing other people in their group.
C)make it less likely that there will be pre-existing differences between the groups.
Scientific investigation has revealed that the "Mozart Effect" (the notion that children become smarter from listening to the music of Mozart) is A)a question that cannot be answered through science. B)dependent on the gender of the child. C)not substantiated through research. D)supported by findings from numerous studies.
C)not substantiated through research.
A warm and nurturing home environment could affect the future of a baby with a family history of schizophrenia by A)teaching him that he is safe and secure, even when he is not. B)leaving him alone to teach him independence at a very early age. C)reducing or eliminating controllable sources of stress. D)modeling "normal" behavior so he will not develop schizophrenia.
C)reducing or eliminating controllable sources of stress.
The Tuskegee syphilis study is famous because A)it was the first use of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled research. B)it demonstrated the psychological effects of syphilis infection. C)researchers failed to inform participants that they had a treatable disease. D)measures were so low inreliability and validity that the data had no value.
C)researchers failed to inform participants that they had a treatable disease.
Synapses are A)tiny particles that carry neurotransmitters. B)part of the network of barriers between the blood and the brain. C)tiny gaps between cells that are important for neural communication. D)cells that support neural functions and waste maintenance.
C)tiny gaps between cells that are important for neural communication.
PET scans A)provide a less detailed image of the brain than does transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). B)show brain structures but not areas of brain activity. C)track radioactive markers in the blood. D)require intense X-ray exposure.
C)track radioactive markers in the blood.
Researchers can tell if an infant prefers a visual stimulus, such as a face, to another stimulus by A)observing the infant's crawling behavior. B)counting how many seconds it takes for the infant to smile at each one. C)tracking how long an infant looks at each stimulus. D)asking the infant's mother to read the child's facial expression.
C)tracking how long an infant looks at each stimulus.
Which of the following correlations has the strongest predictive value? A) +0.50 B) +0.30 C) 0.00 D) -0.7510.
D) -0.7510.
Which function is most directly controlled by the brainstem? A) Memory formation B) Balance C) Language D) Breathing
D) Breathing
After surgery to control epilepsy, Miguel could understand people but lost his ability to speak. It is most likely that the surgery impacted his A) basal ganglia. B) somatosensory cortex. C) cerebellum. D) Broca's area.
D) Broca's area.
Which situation might increase the risk of a child succumbing to sudden infant death syndrome? A)A six-month-old begins to roll from his back to his belly. B)An infant is put to bed on her back instead of on her belly. C)Family pets sleep in the same room as a new baby D)Caregivers of an infant in full-time daycare are cigarette smokers.
D) Caregivers of an infant in full-time daycare are cigarette smokers.
If a doctor stimulated your occipital lobe, which would you be most likely to experience? A)Buzzing sounds B) Odors C) Tickling sensations D) Lights and colors
D) Lights and colors
This mean difference image shows the most active brain areas across participants when they are completing a specific task. If lighter areas mean greater brain activity, what task were participants most likely completing? A) Speaking B) Listening to music C) Touching something with a rough texture D) Looking at an image
D) Looking at an image
Maria was raised on a farm but sometimes visited her grandparents in a nearby city. The part of the city where her grandparents lived was crowded, noisy, run-down, and dirty, and Maria assumed that all cities were the same. Then she took a trip to see museums in Washington, D.C., and saw beautiful buildings, parks, and gardens everywhere. She reformed her notion of cities, exhibiting Piaget's concept of A) constructivism. B) assimilation. C) egocentrism. D) accommodation.
D) accommodation
To better understand aggressive behavior toward strangers, a psychologist gathers all available information about a man who threatened random people in a mall with an automatic weapon. This is an example of A) correlational research. B) experimental research. C) naturalistic observation. D) case study research.
D) case study research.
The figure illustrates a typical experiment in A) Gestalt psychology .B) evolutionary psychology. C) functionalism. D) cognitive psychology.
D) cognitive psychology.
In older people, a decline in cognitive functioning as a result of damage or disease, rather than aging, is called A) myelination. B) Parkinson's disease. C) presbyopia. D) dementia.
D) dementia.
The thyroid and the pituitary gland are part of the A) somatosensory cortex. B) limbic system. C) central nervous system. D) endocrine system.
D) endocrine system.
Research that involves intentional manipulation of variables is called _______ research. A) correlational B) case study C) descriptive D) experimental
D) experimental
You give your grandfather a Rubik's Cube. Though he has never seen the puzzle before, he looks it over and then begins to try to solve it. In this situation, your grandfather is using his _______ intelligence. A) perceptual B) crystallized C) postconventional D) fluid
D) fluid
When he is in a casino, Albert is unable to control himself. He does not stop gambling until all of his money is gone. The _______ lobe of Albert's brain is most likely to be affecting this behavior .A) parietal B) occipital C) temporal D) frontal
D) frontal
All of the following are nucleotides that make up DNA except A) adenine. B) thymine. C) cytosine. D) glutamine.
D) glutamine.
The first stage of neural development is _______, the continuous division of cells at a rate of up to 250,000 a minute. A) synaptogenesis B) cell migration C) differentiation D) neurogenesis
D) neurogenesis
The process of reuptake removes neurotransmitter molecules from A) vesicles. B) receptors. C) axon terminals. D) synaptic clefts.
D) synaptic clefts.
Select the example that best illustrates the plasticity of the brain. A)A child learns to ride a bicycle at age eight, but her brother does not learn to ride until age eleven. B)A child born with facial deformities and mental impairments consistently exhibits aggressive behavior. C)An embryo that does not receive proper nutrition early in development experiences permanent neurological deficits. D)A stroke patient recovers some abilities as the brain reorganizes itself and moves functions from the damaged location to a new one.
D)A stroke patient recovers some abilities as the brain reorganizes itself and moves functions from the damaged location to a new one.
On an intelligence test, Group 1 has a mean score of 96 with a standard deviation of 13. Group 2 has a mean score of 105 with a standard deviation of 8. On this test, _______ scores were higher on average and _______ spread out than _______ scores. A)Group 1; more; Group 2 B)Group 1; less; Group 2 C)Group 2; more; Group 1 D)Group 2; less; Group 1
D)Group 2; less; Group 1
A researcher claims that the same area of the brain is active when we feel physical pain as when we feel hurt by social rejection. Which of the following would support her claims? A)PET scan results showing strong activation in the amygdala during social rejection B)An fMRI scan showing intense blood flow in the limbic system during social rejection C)PET scans showing activity in the sensory cortex when the researcher says hurtful things to the participants D)Images from fMRI scans that look similar for subjects experiencing physical pain and subjects experiencing social rejection
D)Images from fMRI scans that look similar for subjects experiencing physical pain and subjects experiencing social rejection
Which scenario describes a child who has mastered the concept of conservation of mass? A)Trent knows that objects still exist, even when he cannot see them. B)Keisha understands that she can get more milk if she finishes the milk she has. C)Jeremy remembers that he ate all of the crackers that his father put in his lunch box. D)Jane knows that she has the same amount of clay in her round ball as Rico has in his flat disk.
D)Jane knows that she has the same amount of clay in her round ball as Rico has in his flat disk.
What do studies of maternal nurturing behavior in rats suggest about humans? A)Maternal nurturing causes children to release corticosterone, which reduces levels of stress and leads to more nurturing. B)People who are adequately nurtured early in life tend to be less nurturing when they have children of their own. C)Children with nurturing mothers develop fewer natural defenses to stress and are more likely to become suicidal. D)Maternal neglect early in life may have lasting impacts on a person's ability to cope with life's challenges.
D)Maternal neglect early in life may have lasting impacts on a person's ability to cope with life's challenges.
Which of the following is most consistent with psychologists' understanding of infantile amnesia? A)All of the memories from early life are repressed in an effort to avoid a lifetime of trauma. B)For adults, many of the problems associated with retrieving information from childhood are a matter of interference. C)Children develop working hippocampi later in life, so they are unable to store visual memories before age three. D)Older children and adults more effectively establish concrete and lasting memories because verbal skills facilitate encoding.
D)Older children and adults more effectively establish concrete and lasting memories because verbal skills facilitate encoding.
A meta-analysis of published and unpublished tests of SSRI medications revealed that A)SSRIs are effective for all levels of depression. B)published and unpublished trials have similar findings. C)people in placebo groups became even more severely depressed. D)SSRIs beat placebos only for severe levels of depression.
D)SSRIs beat placebos only for severe levels of depression.
Which is the most likely reason that Hester was the first of the Genain quadruplets to develop schizophrenic symptoms? A)Her genes were identical to her mother's. B)She spent most of her time alone. C)She had the highest birth weight of the quadruplets. D)She had the lowest birth weight of the quadruplets.
D)She had the lowest birth weight of the quadruplets.
Which statement best captures the concept of a sensitive period? A)Children under age five are overly sensitive to criticism by their parents and should not be scolded. B)A parent should be patient with a child who is learning to read. C)Events that take place early in life have little effect on development. D)Some abilities, such as 3-D vision, will not develop if a child does not have proper sensory input early in life.
D)Some abilities, such as 3-D vision, will not develop if a child does not have proper sensory input early in life.
Which statement most accurately describes the brain? A)The function of identical brain regions differs greatly across individuals. B)External brain stimulation cannot reproduce feelings or sensations. C)The mind is independent of the brain. D)The brain is like a machine with electrical and chemical components.
D)The brain is like a machine with electrical and chemical components.
You accept a job selling high-end knives door-to-door on commission because you were informed that company employees, on average, earn $60,000 a year. After three months of making less than $1,000 a month, you learn that most other salespeople are making less than $20,000 a year. If the company has 20 sales people, two managers, and one president, how can the company's claim still be correct? A)The median salary is higher than the mean salary. B)The modal salary is higher than the mean salary. C)The median of all salaries is $60,000 because the managers and the president earn huge salaries. D)The mean of all salaries is $60,000 because the managers and president earn huge salaries.
D)The mean of all salaries is $60,000 because the managers and president earn huge salaries.
Which of the following statements is the best interpretation of the ideas of René Descartes? A)Learning and observable behaviors are the only important scientific phenomena. B)We must rely on our senses alone to acquire knowledge. C)We can ultimately be sure of absolutely nothing .D)The only true knowledge comes from within.
D)The only true knowledge comes from within.
Axons differ from dendrites in that A)axons branch far more than dendrites. B)neurons typically have more axons than dendrites. C)axons are always much shorter than dendrites. D)axons transmit information and dendrites receive information.
D)axons transmit information and dendrites receive information.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is responsible for all of the following except A)evaluating the rationale for a proposed study. B)ensuring researchers have minimized animal stress and pain. C)inspecting animal care facilities. D)collecting blood and tissue samples from research animals.
D)collecting blood and tissue samples from research animals.
Much of the information about psychology portrayed in the popular media is A)a close match to the findings of psychological researchers. B)not able to be studied empirically. C)just basic common sense. D)contradicted by what psychological research has demonstrated.
D)contradicted by what psychological research has demonstrated.
The numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4 refer to the _______, respectively. A)corpus callosum, pituitary, cerebellum, and thalamus B)cerebellum, nucleus, amygdala, and brainstem C)limbic system, thalamus, corpus callosum, and cerebellum D)corpus callosum, thalamus, pituitary, and cerebellum
D)corpus callosum, thalamus, pituitary, and cerebellum
A study that looked at hiring of male and female musicians who sat behind a screen when auditioning for an orchestra is an example of _______ research and revealed _______. A)experimental; no change in hiring rates for women B)experimental; an increase in hiring rates for women C)descriptive; no change in hiring rates for women D)descriptive; an increase in hiring rates for women
D)descriptive; an increase in hiring rates for women
The main purpose of inferential statistics is to A)adjust analyses to improve validity. B)account for variability within a population. C)decide whether the standard deviation is skewed by outliers. D)estimate a characteristic of a population based on a sample.
D)estimate a characteristic of a population based on a sample.
Psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clark found that doll tests A)demonstrated that observational learning can promote aggressive as well as nurturing behavior in children. B)showed that most people are willing to obey authority figures, even if those orders conflict with their own personal values .C)confirmed that behavior can be modified based on a system of positive or negative reinforcements. D)exposed internalized racism in African-American children, particularly among children attending segregated schools.
D)exposed internalized racism in African-American children, particularly among children attending segregated schools.
Many people over age forty develop presbyopia, a condition in which it becomes difficult to A)hear high-pitched sounds. C)react quickly to moving objects. B)fend off infections such as pneumonia. D)focus on nearby objects.
D)focus on nearby objects.
A researcher would be most likely to find a positive correlation between A)optimism and depression. B)ocean temperature and auto sales C)illness and school attendance. D)height and weight.
D)height and weight.
The expression of genes A)is fully dictated by your phenotype. B)is the same in different parts of your body. C)is in proportion to the number of genes inherited by a particular cell. D)is constantly changing in response to the environment.
D)is constantly changing in response to the environment.
When psychologists use the term "nature" to refer to causes of behaviors, they mean A)the external environment around our homes. B)the extent to which we were raised in rural areas. C)exposure to plant and animal life D)our genes and strictly biological influences.
D)our genes and strictly biological influences.
White matter refers to A)brain regions filled with neuronal cell bodies. B)depolarized areas of a neuron. C)the part of an axon that contains sodium channels. D)parts of the brain filled with myelinated axons.
D)parts of the brain filled with myelinated axons.
"The death penalty is immoral"is a _______ hypothesis because it _______. A)good; has been shown that many people agree B)good; can be proven C)poor; is not true D)poor; is not testable
D)poor; is not testable
All of the following are secondary sex characteristics except A)wide hips in females. B)wide jaws in males. C)beard growth in males. D)reproductive organs in females.
D)reproductive organs in females.
Harmful dominant alleles, like those for the huntingtin gene, are not common because in most cases A)the brain does not make very many of them. B)the carrier can only pass on the allele to another dominant carrier. C)the body tends to suppress the action of dominant genes until adulthood. D)the carrier does not survive long enough to pass on the allele via reproduction.
D)the carrier does not survive long enough to pass on the allele via reproduction.
Menopause is characterized by A)the start of monthly menstrual cycles. B)a pause in monthly menstrual cycles during pregnancy .C)menstrual cycles that occur despite pregnancy. D)the end of monthly menstrual cycles.
D)the end of monthly menstrual cycles.
Research has shown that social exclusion activates the same brain regions as physical pain. A researcher wants to test the hypothesis that over-the-counter pain relievers will also reduce the pain of social exclusion. She gives half of her participants ibuprofen and half a placebo, has them play a game in which other players ignore them, and then measures their level of distress. In this study _______ is the independent variable and _______ is the dependent variable. A)taking ibuprofen; taking a sugar pill B)being ignored; distress C)distress; taking ibuprofen D)whether people take ibuprofen; distress
D)whether people take ibuprofen; distress
Messages from the central nervous system are carried to muscles by A) sensory neurons. B) the sympathetic nervous system. C) the hypothalamus. D) motor neurons.
motor neurons.