Deck 3: A: Biological Psychology

Question 1

The part of the neuron that carries outgoing messages either to another neuron or to a muscle or gland is the

A)myelin sheath
B)axon
C)dendrite
D)cell body

Answer 1

axon

Question 2

The three parts of every neuron are:

A)myelin; glia; cell body.
B)dendrite; cell body; axon.
C)glia; dendrite; axon.
D)myelin; cell body; dendrite.

Answer 2

dendrite; cell body; axon.

Question 3

Human beings have ______ pairs of chromosomes

A)12
B)17
C)23
D)45

Answer 3

23

Question 4

Which of the following neurotransmitters is known for its role in schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease?

A)acetylcholine
B)dopamine
C)serotonin
D)norepinephrine

Question 5

The cell body is enclosed by the

A)axon
B)dendrite
C)cell membrane
D)myelin sheath

Question 6

Physiological psychologists study __________.

A)human mental and physical growth from the prenatal period through childhood,adolescence,adulthood,and old age
B)the biological basis for human behavior.
C)the differences among individuals in such traits as anxiety,sociability,self-esteem,the need for achievement,and aggressiveness
D)how people influence one another

Question 7

The neural impulse traveling down the axon is _______; it gets across the synapse by _______.

A)electrical; remaining electrical but changing from positively charged to negatively charged
B)electrical; remaining electrical but changing from negatively charged to positively charged
C)electrical; being changed into a chemical message
D)chemical; being changed into an electrical message

Question 8

Neurons are:

A)cells in the brain that are believed to help clean and feed brain cells.
B)cells that send and receive information.
C)bundles of nerves.
D)chemical transmitters found in the hypothalamus.

Question 9

Axons:

A)receive/detect neural impulses.
B)carry messages away from a cell body.
C)secrete chemicals to lubricate the cell body.
D)are found in the cell body.

Question 10

When the electrical charge inside a neuron is negative in relation to the outside,the neuron is said to be in a state of:

A)equilibrium.
B)shock.
C)polarization.
D)depolarization.

Question 11

The basic message-carrying cells of the nervous system are labeled:

A)dendrites.
B)neurons.
C)nerves.
D)ganglia.

Question 12

The small gap between adjacent neurons is the:

A)glia.
B)myelin sheath.
C)synaptic cleft.
D)terminal.

Question 13

Which of the following is true of neural impulses in a single neuron?

A)The neuron may fire during the absolute refractory period.
B)The strength of a neural impulse increases as the strength of the incoming message gets stronger.
C)The strength of a neural impulse decreases as the strength of the incoming message gets stronger.
D)The strength of a neural impulse is the same each time the neuron fires.

Question 14

Neurons in the brain that carry messages from one neuron to another and do most of the work of the nervous system are called __________.

A)afferent neurons
B)active neurons
C)efferent neurons
D)interneurons

Question 15

A young man reads in a letter that he has just won $1,000 in a state-wide lottery and he literally jumps for joy.Which neurons are sending messages from his brain to his legs ordering them to jump?

A)sensory neurons
B)motor neurons
C)interaction neurons
D)association neurons

Question 16

The short fibers which extend from the neurons allowing it to receive messages from other neurons are

A)axons
B)dendrites
C)nerve bundles
D)synapses

Question 17

A long structure leaving the cell body that action potential travel along is called the __________.

A)cell membrane
B)dendrite
C)axon
D)myelin sheath

Question 18

The period in which the neuron begins to pump sodium ions out of the cell and can only fire if the incoming message is extremely powerful is called the

A)absolute refractory period
B)relative refractory period
C)secondary refractory period
D)recovery period

Question 19

What kinds of neurons are connected to receptor cells in the skin,muscles,and joints?

A)peripheral neurons
B)interneurons
C)sensory neurons
D)motor neurons

Question 20

The myelin sheath:

A)is a fatty substance protecting the dendrites.
B)helps to speed up neural messages within the cell.
C)is found in all neurons.
D)protects the cell's vesicles.

Question 21

Neural messages travel faster on axons which

A)are polarized.
B)are not exposed to acetylcholine (ACh).
C)are located in the hypothalamus.
D)have a myelin sheath.

Question 22

Our brain contains __________.

A)neurons.
B)synapse
C)ganglia
D)all of the above

Question 23

The part of the neuron that carries outgoing messages either to another neuron or to a muscle or gland is the _________.

A)myelin sheath
B)axon
C)dendrite
D)cell body

Question 24

The myelin sheath:

A)is a special substance protecting the dendrites.
B)helps to speed up transmission of neural messages.
C)is responsible for polarization.
D)all of the above

Question 25

The purpose of the myelin sheath is to _________.

A)provide a place for respiration and metabolism to occur
B)carry messages from the spinal cord to the brain
C)insulate the neuron so it can act more efficiently
D)receive messages from outside the neuron and carry them to the cell nucleus

Question 26

Dendrites:

A)may be up to a quarter of a mile long.
B)carry messages to cell bodies.
C)are primarily responsible for the hypothalamic functions of regulation and motivation of sexual functions.
D)are contained within the cell nucleus.

Question 27

Axons

A)may be up to a quarter of a mile long.
B)carry messages away from a cell body.
C)are primarily responsible for the hypothalamic functions of regulation and motivation of sexual functions.
D)are contained within the cell nucleus.

Question 28

The cell which underlies the activity of the entire nervous system is the _________.

A)transmitter cell
B)amoeba
C)neuron
D)carcinoma

Question 29

The entire area composed of the axon terminal of one neuron,the synaptic cleft,and the dendrite,or cell body of the next neuron is called the _________.

A)synaptic vesicle
B)synaptic knob
C)synaptic space
D)synapse

Question 30

Dr.Chapin has just finished a delicate brain operation.He turns to a group of interns and says,"She probably lost about 1000 ___________,but since she still has over 100 billion left,she should recover nicely." Dr.Chapin was most likely referring to:

A)parts of the brain.
B)neurons.
C)pituitary glands.
D)speech and language areas.

Question 31

There are approximately _________ neurons in the brain of an average human being.

A)100 thousand
B)100 million
C)100 billion
D)100 trillion

Question 32

The smallest unit in the nervous system is the _________.

A)dendrite
B)neuron
C)axon
D)myelin sheath

Question 33

A synapse is most important in:

A)separating the medulla from the hindbrain.
B)regulating the parasympathetic nervous system.
C)the process of transmitting messages between neurons.
D)connecting the basal ganglia.

Question 34

A nerve impulse from one neuron affects the activity of a neighboring neuron at a point of interaction called the:

A)corpuscle.
B)synapse.
C)transmission cleft.
D)neuronal junction.

Question 35

Our brain contains nerves and __________.

A)neurons.
B)synapse
C)ganglia
D)all of the above

Question 36

The short fibers which extend from the neuron allowing it to receive messages from other neurons are __________.

A)axons
B)dendrites
C)nerve bundles
D)cell membranes

Question 37

The tiny space between the axon terminal and the dendrites of another neuron is called the __________.

A)synaptic vesicle
B)synaptic knob
C)synaptic cleft or gap
D)synapse

Question 38

Most axon terminals contain a number of tiny oval sacs called __________.

A)synaptic vesicles
B)synaptic knobs
C)neurotransmitters
D)receptor sites

Question 39

Specialized cells in the brain which send and receive information are called:

A)limbic cells.
B)neurons.
C)ganglia
D)gonads.

Question 40

Assume that you are testing a split-brain human subject whose language center is in his left hemisphere.If you place a house key into his left hand,he will:

A)not be able to later select the object he was holding from a group of various objects.
B)not be able to tell you what object he is presently holding.
C)immediately be able to tell you what he is holding.
D)be able to tell you what he is presently holding if allowed to think about it for several seconds.

Question 41

The central nervous system consists of the __________.

A)parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions
B)brain and the spinal cord
C)muscles and glands
D)sense organs and sensory neurons

Question 42

Neurons whose primary purpose is to carry messages from the spinal cord or the brain to the muscles and glands are called __________.

A)afferent neurons
B)active neurons
C)efferent neurons
D)interneurons

Question 43

An emergency room physician must treat a patient who has recently eaten a can of tainted mushrooms.Suspecting botulism,the physician must treat the woman in order to:

A)prevent the breakdown of catecholamines in the patient's nervous system.
B)prevent the botulism toxin from blocking the release of acetylcholine.
C)prevent the toxin from breaking down the acetylcholine in the patient's nervous system.
D)prevent the botulism from blocking the release of catecholamines.

Question 44

An emergency room physician must quickly treat a patient who has been bitten by a black widow spider.The physician knows she must:

A)prevent the buildup of acetylcholine in the patient's nervous system.
B)prevent the buildup of catecholamines in the patient's nervous system.
C)prevent the breakdown of catecholamines in the patient's nervous system.
D)prevent the reabsorption of acetylcholine in the patient's nervous system.

Question 45

A young woman returns from a day at the beach to find she has developed a severe sunburn.Which neurons are sending the messages from her burned skin to her brain informing her of the pain from the burn?

A)sensory neurons
B)motor neurons
C)synaptic neurons
D)association neurons

Question 46

The system that relays messages in the form of electrochemical impulses throughout the body is called __________.

A)the arousal system
B)the nervous system
C)the limbic system
D)the endocrine system

Question 47

The division of the nervous system that connects the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body is the __________ system.

A)peripheral nervous
B)endocrine
C)central nervous
D)secondary nervous

Question 48

Neurons whose primary purpose is to collect information from the sensory organs and carry that information to the spinal cord or brain are called __________.

A)afferent neurons
B)active neurons
C)efferent neurons
D)interneurons

Question 49

The nervous system is comprised of two parts: ________.

A)the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system
B)the afferent nervous system and the efferent nervous system
C)the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
D)the brain and the spinal cord

Question 50

Axons _______.

A)receive/detect neural impulses
B)carry messages away from a cell body
C)secrete chemicals to lubricate the cell body
D)are found in the cell body

Question 51

The myelin sheath _______.

A)is a fatty substance protecting the dendrites
B)helps to speed up neural messages within the cell
C)is found in all neurons
D)protects the cell's vesicles

Question 52

Which of the following is NOT true of all neurotransmitters?

A)They are chemicals.
B)They are stored in synaptic vesicles.
C)They are released across the synaptic space.
D)They increase the likelihood that the next neuron will fire.

Question 53

Nodes of Ranvier are:

A)specialized synapses.
B)gaps in the myelin sheath.
C)functional divisions of the brain produced by the central,lateral,and longitudinal fissures.
D)none of the above

Question 54

All nerve cells and fibers that are NOT in the brain or spinal cord make up the __________ nervous system.

A)central
B)peripheral
C)autonomic
D)sympathetic

Question 55

The two major divisions of the central nervous system are:

A)left and right hemispheres.
B)the brain and autonomic systems.
C)brain and spinal cord.
D)peripheral and autonomic systems.

Question 56

When a neural impulse reaches the end of an axon,it causes the tiny oval sacs at the end of the axon to release chemicals called __________.

A)effectors
B)neurotransmitters
C)stimulants
D)ions

Question 57

The nervous system is comprised of two major parts: __________.

A)the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system
B)the afferent nervous system and the efferent nervous system
C)the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
D)the brain and the spinal cord

Question 58

The FIRST division of the nervous system consists of the:

A)central and peripheral nervous systems.
B)brain and spinal cord.
C)somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
D)sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Question 59

Which of the following most directly controls bodily reflexes?

A)peripheral nervous system
B)brainstem
C)spinal cord
D)hindbrain

Question 60

Which hemisphere of the cerebral cortex is usually dominant in spatial tasks?

A)the front hemisphere
B)the rear hemisphere
C)the left hemisphere
D)the right hemisphere

Question 61

The part of the brain that helps process hearing and give meaning to words is the __________.

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

Question 62

The part of the brain which interprets visual information is the __________.

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

Question 63

The part of the hind brain that largely controls breathing,heart rate,and blood pressure is the ______________.

A)cerebral cortex
B)pons
C)medulla
D)cerebellum

Question 64

The forebrain is one of _______ operationally distinct sections of the brain.

A)two
B)three
C)four
D)five

Question 65

Eating,drinking,sexual behavior,temperature control,and sleeping are most strongly influenced by the:

A)medulla.
B)cerebral cortex.
C)thalamus.
D)hypothalamus.

Question 66

Which hemisphere of the cerebral cortex is usually dominant in language tasks?

A)the front hemisphere
B)the rear hemisphere
C)the left hemisphere
D)the right hemisphere

Question 67

The outer surface of the two cerebral hemispheres that regulate most complex behavior is called the __________.

A)cerebellum
B)corpus callosum
C)cerebral cortex
D)substantia nigra

Question 68

Despite its dangers,a young man continues to take cocaine because of the feeling of euphoria it produces for him.This powerful arousal of his nervous system is probably due to cocaine's ability to:

A)inhibit enzymes that break down neurotransmitters.
B)increase the release of neurotransmitters.
C)block the receptor sites for neurotransmitters.
D)prevent neurotransmitters from being reabsorbed into the synaptic vesicles.

Question 69

The part of the brain which controls hearing,does some additional processing of visual information,and is probably the site of permanent memory storage is:

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

Question 70

"Split Brain" patients are patients who have had _________.

A)a prefrontal lobotomy
B)their cerebellum split in the middle
C)their corpus callosum cut
D)a fracture skull in which bone fragments penetrated into the brain

Question 71

The part of the brain most people think of when they talk about the brain is the __________.

A)cerebral cortex
B)pons
C)medulla
D)cerebellum

Question 72

The structure that connects the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex is the _________.

A)corpus callosum
B)pineal gland
C)pons
D)reticular formation

Question 73

The area in the back of the temporal lobe that is important in our ability to listen and in processing and understanding what others are saying is __________.

A)Korsakoff's area
B)Wernicke's area
C)Broca's area
D)Sach's area

Question 74

The cerebellum __________.

A)controls blood pressure
B)is involved in emotional behavior
C)coordinates actions so that movements are efficient
D)relays messages from the sensory receptors

Question 75

The notion that human language production is controlled primarily by the left cerebral cortex was first proposed by __________.

A)Paul Broca
B)Sally Shaywitz
C)Karl Wernicke
D)Hermann Ebbinghaus

Question 76

The structure in the hindbrain that controls certain reflexes and coordinates the body's movements is the __________.

A)medulla
B)cerebellum
C)pons
D)reticular formation

Question 77

The site of many mental processes that are unique to humans (self-awareness,initiative,planning ability,and goal-directed behavior)is the __________.

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

Question 78

The part of the brain that receives sensations of touch,balance,bodily position,and oversees spatial abilities is the __________.

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

Question 79

A young woman recovering from a blow to her head finds she has great difficulty maintaining her balance and coordinating her movements.Injury to which part of her brain is likely to be causing her difficulties?

A)cerebellum
B)medulla
C)cerebral cortex
D)thalamus

Question 80

Garfield is having great difficulty controlling his appetite.All he wants to do is eat and no matter how much he eats he is still hungry.His weight is approaching 400 pounds and he still constantly wants to eat.His physician says the problem is due to a disorder in a specific center of the brain.The brain center is most likely the __________.

A)medulla
B)cerebral cortex
C)thalamus
D)hypothalamus