Deck 6: The Biological Bases of Behavior Part 2

Question 1

Zeke has no problem understanding what other people say to him, but he has difficulty producing spoken language. If Zeke's problem stems from damage to the cerebral cortex, the damage would MOST likely be in

A) an area known as Wernicke's area.
B) an area known as Broca's area.
C) the cerebellum.
D) the right parietal lobe.

Answer 1

an area known as Broca's area.

Question 2

If the occipital lobe of the brain is stimulated, a person would be MOST likely to report

A) hearing a sound.
B) smelling an odor.
C) seeing a flash of light.
D) moving a part of his body.

Answer 2

seeing a flash of light.

Question 3

Which of the following statements concerning plasticity in the brain is false?

A) damage to one area of brain tissue may result in changes in other areas of the brain that compensate for the damage
B) experience can change the features of brain structures
C) older brains show more plasticity than younger brains
D) even adult brains are able to form additional neurons

Answer 3

older brains show more plasticity than younger brains

Question 4

Your grandmother recently had a small stoke that left her unable to move her right side. In which lobe of the cerebrum did the stroke MOST likely cause damage?

A) parietal lobe
B) occipital lobe
C) frontal lobe
D) thalamic lobe

Question 5

Which of the following statements is MOST accurate concerning the investigations by Elizabeth Gould and her colleagues into neurogenesis in adult monkeys?

A) New neurons form in the cortex and then migrate to areas in the hippocampus.
B) New neurons form in the prefrontal cortex where they remain.
C) The only time new neurons are created is when there has been brain trauma or injury.
D) New neurons form in the hippocampus and then migrate to areas in the cortex.

Question 6

The thick band of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres is the

A) limbic system.
B) corpus callosum.
C) transverse pathway.
D) thalamus.

Question 7

The cerebrum

A) relays sensory information to the higher centers of the brain.
B) is primarily involved in the coordination of bodily movements and balance.
C) is the structure that connects the two sides of the brain.
D) is the largest and most complex part of the human brain.

Question 8

The parietal lobe contains the primary

A) motor cortex.
B) somatosensory cortex.
C) auditory cortex.
D) visual cortex.

Question 9

The next time you have an itch on your foot, the itch sensation will be sensed in your ____ lobe and the ____ lobe will transmit the message to move your hand and arm to scratch the itch.

A) parietal; frontal
B) frontal; parietal
C) temporal; frontal
D) parietal; occipital

Question 10

The area of the frontal lobe that plays an important role in the production of speech is called

A) Wernicke's area.
B) Broca's area.
C) Cannon's area.
D) Sperry's area.

Question 11

The most recent research investigating the brain's plasticity suggests that

A) the plasticity of the brain is unlimited; it is our ability to measure it that is limited.
B) the brain's plasticity and flexibility increases with age.
C) the neural wiring of the brain is flexible and constantly evolving.
D) after infancy, new neurons only form in the left hemisphere of the brain.

Question 12

The amount of motor cortex devoted to each body area is determined by

A) the size of the body area.
B) the location of the body area.
C) the diversity of movements of the body area.
D) none of these factors.

Question 13

The primary motor cortex is located in the

A) occipital lobe.
B) parietal lobe.
C) temporal lobe.
D) frontal lobe.

Question 14

If a patient has severe damage to the prefrontal cortex, you would predict that he might also have difficulty

A) identifying visually complex materials.
B) planning, paying attention, and getting organized.
C) identifying objects by touch.
D) hearing sounds.

Question 15

The primary visual cortex is located in the

A) occipital lobe.
B) parietal lobe.
C) temporal lobe.
D) frontal lobe.

Question 16

Recent research has shown that the anatomical structure and function of the brain is ____ than had been assumed.

A) more flexible
B) less flexible
C) more dependent on genetic factors
D) less dependent on genetic factors

Question 17

Some theorists believe that a sort of "executive control system," which is responsible for monitoring, directing, and organizing thought processes, is housed in the

A) corpus callosum.
B) prefrontal cortex.
C) hindbrain.
D) medial forebrain bundle.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT one of the key research findings related to the plasticity of the brain?

A) Emphasizing intuitive thought processes will increase neural connections in the right hemisphere.
B) Various aspects of experience can sculpt features of brain structure.
C) Damage to incoming sensory pathways can lead to neural reorganization.
D) Adult brains can generate new neurons.

Question 19

If you experience damage to Broca's area, you can expect to have difficulty

A) being creative.
B) controlling your arms and legs.
C) speaking.
D) hearing.

Question 20

Recent research has demonstrated that adult humans

A) can form new neurons throughout the central nervous system, but not in the peripheral nervous system.
B) can form new neurons in the olfactory bulb and hippocampus.
C) can form new neurons throughout the peripheral nervous system, but not in the central nervous system.
D) do not generate any new neurons once they are past adolescence.

Question 21

Imagine that a picture of a blue circle is briefly flashed in the left visual field of an individual with a severed corpus callosum. At the same time, a picture of a red square is briefly flashed in the right visual field. Based on Roger Sperry's work with split-brain patients, you could predict that this individual will say

A) "I saw a blue circle."
B) "I didn't see anything."
C) "I saw a blue circle around a red square."
D) "I saw a red square."

Question 22

Monique is not able to understand spoken language. If Monique's problem stems from damage to the cerebral cortex, the damage would MOST likely be in

A) an area known as Broca's area.
B) the cerebellum.
C) an area known as Wernicke's area.
D) the right parietal lobe.

Question 23

The brain structure involved in comprehension of speech is

A) Broca's area.
B) Wernicke's area.
C) the prefrontal cortex.
D) the parietal cortex.

Question 24

Which of the following pairings are correct?

A) Broca's area¾speech production Wernicke's area¾language comprehension
B) Broca's area¾language comprehension Wernicke's area¾speech production
C) Prefrontal area¾vision Occipital area¾executive control
D) Temporal lobe¾speech Parietal lobe¾movement

Question 25

If you sent the word "banana" to a split-brain patient's left hemisphere and the word "cucumber" to his right hemisphere, which of the following would he be able to name verbally?

A) both of the items
B) neither of the items
C) only the banana
D) only the cucumber

Question 26

In order to best study the functional specialization of the two sides of the brain,

A) one side is temporarily paralyzed.
B) the two sides must be surgically disconnected.
C) the subject must be ambidextrous.
D) information must be sent to only one eye and one ear, both on the same side of the body.

Question 27

If a right-handed subject whose corpus callosum has been cut is asked to reproduce a drawing, you would predict

A) best performance by the right hand.
B) best performance by the left hand.
C) equal performance by the two hands.
D) an inability to draw with either hand.

Question 28

Following split-brain surgery, communication between the cerebral hemispheres

A) remains unchanged
B) is reduced, but only for visual information
C) is greatly reduced
D) is greatly enhanced

Question 29

Imagine that a picture of a spoon is briefly flashed in the left visual field of an individual with a severed corpus callosum. At the same time, a picture of a cup is briefly flashed in the right visual field. Based on Roger Sperry's work with split-brain patients, you could predict that this individual will say

A) "I didn't see anything."
B) "I saw a spoon resting in a cup."
C) "I saw a spoon."
D) "I saw a cup."

Question 30

Broca's area is located in the

A) right temporal lobe.
B) right frontal lobe.
C) left frontal lobe.
D) left temporal lobe.

Question 31

For most people, the production of language resides in the

A) posterior cerebral hemisphere.
B) central cerebral hemisphere.
C) right cerebral hemisphere.
D) left cerebral hemisphere.

Question 32

The main reason for the characterization of the left hemisphere as the "dominant" hemisphere was

A) the evidence that the left hemisphere usually processes language.
B) the evidence that the left hemisphere usually processes complex information.
C) the fact that the majority of people are right-handed.
D) that split-brain patients use only their left hemisphere for processing information.

Question 33

An elderly person has a stroke that leaves her unable to talk and part of her body paralyzed. Which part of the body is MOST likely to be paralyzed?

A) right side
B) left side
C) upper body
D) lower body

Question 34

Because the speech center is generally located in the left hemisphere of the brain, a split-brain patient is unable to describe stimuli that are

A) seen in the left visual field.
B) seen in the right visual field.
C) presented directly in front of him or her.
D) felt with the right hand.

Question 35

Broca's area plays an important role in

A) bodily movement.
B) memory.
C) the production of speech.
D) the comprehension of speech.

Question 36

Surgically disconnecting the cerebral hemispheres has its origins in the treatment of

A) epileptics.
B) people in comas.
C) schizophrenics.
D) psychopaths.

Question 37

The left hemisphere of the cortex receives sensory information from and transmits motor movement messages to which of the following parts of the body?

A) central
B) peripheral
C) right side
D) left side

Question 38

If the left hemisphere of the brain were damaged, which part of the body would be MOST directly affected?

A) the left half
B) the right half
C) the upper portion
D) the entire body

Question 39

If you have difficulty understanding the meaning of someone's speech, you may suspect damage to

A) the pituitary gland.
B) Wernicke's area.
C) the corpus callosum.
D) Korsakoff's area.

Question 40

The brain structure that controls your ability to understand speech is

A) Wernicke's area.
B) the thalamus.
C) the occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex.
D) Broca's area.

Question 41

Much of the endocrine system is controlled by the nervous system through the

A) medulla.
B) hypothalamus.
C) thalamus.
D) cerebellum.

Question 42

Hormones are transported throughout the body via the

A) nervous system.
B) limbic system.
C) bloodstream.
D) lymph nodes.

Question 43

If a person who had received split-brain surgery briefly sees "boatXhouse" while focusing on the X, the person would say he/she

A) did not see a word.
B) saw the word "boathouse."
C) saw the word "boat."
D) saw the word "house."

Question 44

When an object is placed unseen in the left hand of a person who has had split-brain surgery, the person will

A) not be able to describe it.
B) be able to describe it.
C) drop it.
D) be able to identify the object with his right hand.

Question 45

Following split-brain surgery an individual would have difficulty naming an object that he briefly saw in the left visual field because while the ____ hemisphere "saw" the object, naming tasks are under the control of the ____ hemisphere.

A) right; left
B) left; right
C) dominant; nondominant
D) nondominant; dominant

Question 46

Nadine had a stroke that was confined to the right side of her brain. Based on hemispheric lateralization studies you might expect that Nadine would have the most problems with tasks that require

A) spatial skills, such as fitting together puzzle pieces.
B) language and communication.
C) fine motor coordination.
D) mathematics and logical reasoning skills.

Question 47

For the majority of people the right hemisphere is superior on all the following types of tasks EXCEPT

A) visual recognition.
B) musical tasks.
C) spatial tasks.
D) reading.

Question 48

Research has found that the left side of the brain typically exercises primary control over all of the following EXCEPT

A) language.
B) the right side of the body.
C) visual-spatial abilities.
D) linguistic processing.

Question 49

The system of glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream is known as the

A) atopic system.
B) exocrine system.
C) endocrine system.
D) blood-brain system.

Question 50

Which of the following does NOT belong with the other three?

A) gonads
B) thyroid
C) thalamus
D) pituitary

Question 51

In both split-brain people and neurologically intact people, the left hemisphere specializes in

A) verbal processing.
B) visual recognition.
C) spatial perception.
D) verbal processing and spatial perception.

Question 52

Do endocrine glands produce a steady stream of hormones?

A) Some like the thyroid do, others like the pituitary do not.
B) No, hormone release tends to be pulsatile; they are released in brief bursts.
C) Some like the pituitary do, others like the thyroid do not.
D) Yes, each gland continually releases a small regular amount of its hormone

Question 53

Which of the following parts of the brain is most likely to play a major role in the work of artists, architects, and engineers, who must rely heavily on visual-spatial skills?

A) the right hemisphere
B) the left hemisphere
C) cerebellum
D) corpus callosum

Question 54

Which of the following is LEAST associated with left hemisphere functioning?

A) speaking
B) musical recognition
C) reading
D) writing words

Question 55

For the majority of people the left hemisphere is superior on all the following types of tasks EXCEPT

A) writing.
B) controlling the right side of the body.
C) language.
D) spatial tasks.

Question 56

The master gland of the endocrine system is the

A) thyroid gland.
B) adrenal gland.
C) pancreas.
D) pituitary gland.

Question 57

The gland located below the hypothalamus that produces a number of hormones, many of which trigger other endocrine glands to release hormones, is the

A) gonads.
B) adrenal gland.
C) pituitary gland.
D) thyroid gland.

Question 58

Chase is using a single earphone to listen in on a conversation. Based on the research which investigated hemispheric specialization in intact brains, you might suggest that he will recognize the words he hears most quickly if he

A) puts the earphone in his left ear.
B) closes his eyes while he listens to the conversation.
C) keeps switching the earphone from ear to ear.
D) puts the earphone in his right ear.

Question 59

A hormone is

A) a chemical secreted into the blood by a gland.
B) a brain structure below the hypothalamus.
C) a location in the brain where a specific memory is stored.
D) a neurotransmitter that crosses into the bloodstream.

Question 60

People who have hormonal imbalances have problems with their

A) endocrine system.
B) reticular formation.
C) limbic system.
D) left brain/right brain communication.

Question 61

When one member of a gene pair is more influential, such that its trait is expressed over the trait of the other gene, it is said to be

A) expressive.
B) genotypic.
C) phenotypic.
D) dominant.

Question 62

The result of the fertilization of an egg by a sperm is a

A) chromosome.
B) zygote.
C) gene.
D) fetus.

Question 63

In samples of older adults, higher levels of testosterone are associated with higher scores on all of the following EXCEPT

A) measures of memory
B) verbal comprehension
C) information-processing speed
D) spatial abilities

Question 64

The interdisciplinary field that studies the influence of genetic factors and behavioral traits is called

A) ethology.
B) cross-cultural anthropology.
C) physiological psychology.
D) behavioral genetics.

Question 65

The chemicals released into the bloodstream by the endocrine glands are

A) hormones.
B) neurotransmitters.
C) gonads.
D) circulatory transmitters.

Question 66

The appearance of secondary sex characteristics is the responsibility of hormones secreted by the

A) thyroid.
B) pancreas.
C) gonads.
D) thalamus.

Question 67

The system of glands that secrete chemicals into the bloodstream that help control bodily functioning is the

A) hormonal system.
B) endocrine system.
C) nervous system.
D) pituitary system.

Question 68

The smallest piece of genetic information that is the key functional unit in hereditary transmission is the

A) gene.
B) chromosome.
C) hormone.
D) DNA.

Question 69

With the exception of the sex cells, every cell in the human body contains

A) 23 chromosomes.
B) 46 chromosomes.
C) 23 recessive genes and 23 dominant genes.
D) 46 heterozygous pairs.

Question 70

A ____ contains thousands of ____.

A) DNA; genes
B) DNA; chromosomes
C) chromosome; genes
D) gene; chromosomes

Question 71

When a dominant gene is paired with a recessive gene, the gene pair is said to be

A) homozygous.
B) phenotypic.
C) heterozygous.
D) polygenic.

Question 72

An interdisciplinary field that studies the influence of genetic factors on behavioral traits is

A) evolutionary psychology.
B) evoutionary genetics.
C) genetic psychology.
D) behavioral genetics.

Question 73

The "master gland" of the endocrine system is the

A) hypothalamus.
B) adrenal gland.
C) pituitary gland.
D) gonads.

Question 74

When the two genes in a specific pair are the same, the individual is

A) homozygous for that trait.
B) phenotypic for that trait.
C) heterozygous for that trait.
D) polygenic for that trait.

Question 75

The fact that Maria was a little later than her sisters in going through puberty can be attributed to the action of her

A) gonads.
B) adrenal glands.
C) thyroid glands.
D) pancreas.

Question 76

With the exception of eggs and sperm, each cell in the human body contains ____ chromosomes that consist of or contain ____.

A) 46; 23 pairs
B) 46; 23 genes
C) 23; 23 pairs
D) 23; 23 genes

Question 77

Which of the following are generally considered the key functional units in hereditary transmission?

A) dichromats
B) limens
C) chromosomes
D) genes

Question 78

Studies that have investigated the link between testosterone levels and aggression have found there is

A) a weak positive correlation in both males and females.
B) a weak negative correlation in both males and females.
C) a weak positive correlation in males and a weak negative correlation in females.
D) a weak positive correlation in females and a weak negative correlation in males.

Question 79

The brain structure that controls much of the endocrine system is the

A) pituitary.
B) hypothalamus.
C) thalamus.
D) cerebellum.

Question 80

The carriers of genetic information in the form of DNA are the

A) chromosomes.
B) ribosomes.
C) nucleotides.
D) rizomes.