Deck 3: Biological Foundations: Roots in Neurons and Genes

Question 1

The biological foundation of social development that focuses on visual, olfactory, and tactile capacities present at birth is referred to as:
(a)temperament
(b)genetics
(c)neurology
(d)biological preparedness

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The difference between active gene-environment associations and niche picking is:
(a)active gene-environment associations have to do with evoked responses from the environment
(b)niche picking has to do with seeking out or creating environments
(c)both a and b
(d)active gene-environment associations and niche picking are the same

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The two connected hemispheres of the brain are the:
(a)neurons
(b)cerebral cortex
(c)corpus callosum
(d)cerebrum

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsivity is:
(a)autism spectrum disorder
(b)Williams syndrome
(c)Turner syndrome
(d)attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Question 5

Which of the following factors would be expected to influence experience-dependent processes:
(a)having your own cell phone
(b)patterned visual input
(c)sounds of language
(d)all of the above

Question 6

Fraternal twins who develop from two different eggs fertilized by two different sperm, producing two different zygotes:
(a)monozygotic
(b)experience-dependent process
(c)experience-expectant process
(d)dizygotic

Question 7

An alternate form of a gene is called:
(a)a neuron
(b)monozygotic
(c)an allele
(d)a heritability factor

Question 8

The reason people typically have two alleles is:
(a)synaptic pruning
(b)reaction range
(c)programmed neuronal death
(d)people inherit one from each parent

Question 9

The outer layer of the cerebrum, which contains the cells that control specific functions such as seeing, hearing, moving, and thinking, is:
(a)the neuronal network
(b)the cerebral cortex
(c)the corpus callosum
(d)the cerebral hemispheres

Question 10

Dizygotic twins are unlike fraternal twins in that:
(a)dizygotic twins develop from two different eggs
(b)fraternal twins are more likely to be similar in most traits than dizygotic twins
(c)both a and b
(d)neither a nor b

Question 11

Which of the following exemplifies an evocative gene-environment association?
(a)unhappy and irritable parents are more likely to provide a negative home environment, which encourages their children to become antisocial or depressed
(b)parents' physical punishment is strongly influenced by the child's genetic tendency to be antisocial and defiant
(c)individuals who are aggressive sign up for martial arts classes instead of chess club
(d)none of the above

Question 12

Cerebral hemispheres:
(a)are anatomically different
(b)in general, control different functions
(c)can take over some of the tasks of the other hemisphere if one is damaged
(d)all of the above

Question 13

The corpus callosum:
(a)is the only link between the two hemispheres
(b)facilitates inter-hemispheric communication
(c)cannot be severed without severe disruptions to brain functioning
(d)none of the above

Question 14

Brain processes that are universal, and experienced by all human beings across evolution are called:
(a)passive gene-environment associations
(b)experience-dependent
(c)experience-expectant
(d)shared environment

Question 15

People's inherited tendencies elicit certain environmental responses.This is called:
(a)an evocative gene-environment association
(b)an experience-dependent process
(c)an experience-expectant process
(d)an active gene-environment association

Question 16

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder:
(a)is completely genetic
(b)makes it difficult for the child to track contingencies
(c)is more similar in fraternal twins than identical twins
(d)all of the above

Question 17

The two halves of the brain's cerebrum are called:
(a)glial cells
(b)lateralization
(c)corpus callosum
(d)cerebral hemispheres

Question 18

The cerebral cortex:
(a)is the bottom layer of the cerebrum
(b)contains 10 percent of the brain's cell bodies
(c)has areas that can be traced to specific behaviors
(d)all of the above

Question 19

Brain processes that are unique to the individual and responsive to particular cultural, community, and family experiences are called:
(a)an evocative gene-environment association
(b)experience-dependent
(c)experience-expectant
(d)nonshared environment

Question 20

People's genes encourage them to seek out experiences compatible with their inherited tendencies.This is called:
(a)passive gene-environment association
(b)active gene-environment association
(c)evocative gene-environment association
(d)genotype

Question 21

Which of the following reflects a person's genotype most directly:
(a)eye color s
(b)height
(c)intelligence
(d)sociability

Question 22

Heritability factors are calculated by directly measuring:
(a)genes
(b)DNA
(c)both a and b
(d)neither a nor b

Question 23

Alleles for a particular trait from each parent are the same:
(a)Williams syndrome
(b)Turner syndrome
(c)heterozygous
(d)homozygous

Question 24

The study of the relative influences of heredity and environment on individual differences in traits and abilities:
(a)experience-expectant process
(b)gene-environment interaction model
(c)human behavior genetics
(d)experience-dependent process

Question 25

A type of childhood behavior problem in which the behavior is directed at the self rather than others, including fear, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and withdrawal is:
(a)externalizing
(b)attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
(c)fragile x syndrome
(d)internalizing

Question 26

Human behavior genetics:
(a)is the study of the origin of differences in human behavior
(b)typically involves twin or adoption designs
(c)is often conducted without directly measuring genes
(d)all of the above

Question 27

Which of the following factors is not characteristic of genes:
(a)they serve as a template for building proteins
(b)they must be activated to function
(c)they vary across people principally because of mutations
(d)all of the above are characteristic of genes

Question 28

Which of the following factors would not be expected to predict externalizing problems:
(a)poor effortful control
(b)high negative emotionality
(c)fear or shyness
(d)a, b, and c all predict externalizing problems.

Question 29

A cell that supports, protects, and repairs neurons:
(a)synapse
(b)glial cell
(c)modifier gene
(d)mirror neuron

Question 30

A portion of DNA located at a particular site on a chromosome and coding for the production of a specific type of protein:
(a)mirror neuron
(b)heritability factor
(c)allele
(d)gene

Question 31

A statistical estimate of the contribution heredity makes to a particular trait or ability:
(a)reaction range
(b)phenotype
(c)evocative gene-environment association
(d)heritability factor

Question 32

Which of the following factors is not an example of a gene-environment interaction:
(a)a genetic predisposition for depression results in depressive symptoms only when the person experiences many life stressors
(b)a strong genetic predisposition for alcoholism results in alcoholism only when the person decides to drink alcohol
(c)a genetic predisposition to be sociable produces social behavior, which then elicits social behavior from others, reinforcing the original predisposition for sociability
(d)a, b, and c are all examples of gene-environment interactions

Question 33

Heterozygous genes cannot be expressed as:
(a)a blend of the two alleles
(b)a combination of the two alleles
(c)the dominant allele
(d)the expression of the recessive allele

Question 34

Which of the following factors would be expected to influence experience-expectant processes:
(a)having your own cell phone
(b)living in a high-crime neighborhood
(c)sounds of language
(d)having a family that provided an especially enriching environment

Question 35

Which of the following is not carried out by glial cells:
(a)providing structural support to neurons
(b)transmitting neuronal information
(c)myelination
(d)all of the above are carried out by glial cells

Question 36

The description of traits expressed by two alleles that can be either dominant or recessive is:
(a)the simplest model of genetic transmission
(b)applies to the subset of characteristics determined by single genes
(c)both a and b
(d)neither a nor b

Question 37

People in the same environment are affected differently depending on their genetic makeup.This describes:

A)a passive gene-environment association
B)a gene-environment (G * E)interaction
C)an experience-dependent process
D)a reaction range

Question 38

The particular set of genes a person inherits from his or her parents is the:
(a)genotype
(b)heritability factor
(c)temperament
(d)phenotype

Question 39

A type of childhood behavior problem in which the behavior is directed at others, including hitting, stealing, vandalizing, and lying:
(a)attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
(b)internalizing
(c)externalizing
(d)autism spectrum disorder

Question 40

Alleles for a particular trait from each parent are different:
(a)Williams syndrome
(b)Turner syndrome
(c)heterozygous
(d)homozygous

Question 41

Internalizing problems include:
(a)withdrawn behavior, anxiety, hyperactivity
(b)low empathy, disruptive behavior, guilt
(c)withdrawn behavior, aggressive behavior, anxiety disorders
(d)guilt, low empathy, sadness

Question 42

The rapid formation of neurons in the developing organism's brain:
(a)programmed neuronal death
(b)neural migration
(c)neural proliferation
(d)synaptogenesis

Question 43

Genes that exert their influence indirectly by affecting the expression of other genes:
(a)glial cell
(b)mirror neuron
(c)modifier gene
(d)mediator gene

Question 44

Which of the following correctly describes neurons:
(a)they have a long projection called a dendrite
(b)they have several projections called axons
(c)they send and receive neural impulses
(d)all of the above

Question 45

Which of the following correctly describes neuron proliferation:
(a)most neurons are present in the brain by the seventh month after conception
(b)about 250,000 new neurons are added every day during neuron proliferation
(c)after birth, the brain does not grow because synaptic pruning counterbalances neuron proliferation
(d)all of the above

Question 46

A set of conditions or activities experienced by one child in a family but not another child in the same family comprises:
(a)the nonshared environment
(b)the shared environment
(c)niche picking
(d)experience-dependent processes

Question 47

Which of the following is not true regarding hemispheric lateralization?
(a)both hemispheres play some role in most functions
(b)when one side of the brain suffers damage, the other half may take over some of its functions
(c)the degree of lateralization is partially genetic
(d)parents and children usually have dissimilar levels of language lateralization

Question 48

Seeking out or creating environments compatible with one's genetically based predispositions:
(a)evocative gene-environment association
(b)passive gene-environment association
(c)niche picking
(d)experience-dependent process

Question 49

Insufficient _______ is associated with various forms of mental disability and with disorders such as dyslexia and schizophrenia:
(a)neural migration
(b)programmed neuronal death
(c)synaptogenesis
(d)none of the above

Question 50

The similarity between active gene-environment associations and niche picking is:
(a)active gene-environment associations have to do with evoked responses from the environment
(b)niche picking has to do with seeking out or creating environments
(c)both a and b
(d)neither a nor b

Question 51

The process by which glial cells encase neurons in sheaths of the fatty substance myelin:
(a)myelination
(b)lateralization
(c)neural proliferation
(d)synaptogenesis

Question 52

Identical twins are:
(a)heterozygous
(b)homozygous
(c)dizygotic
(d)monozygotic

Question 53

Mirror neurons have been linked to:
(a)social behavior
(b)intelligence
(c)language acquisition
(d)both a and c

Question 54

The movement of neurons within the brain that ensures that all brain areas have a sufficient number of neural connections is referred to as:
(a)programmed neuronal death
(b)neural migration
(c)neural proliferation
(d)synaptogenesis

Question 55

Myelination:
(a)makes glial cells more efficient at transmitting information
(b)most myelination occurs after the first two years
(c)covers parts of neurons with a layer of fatty tissue
(d)all of the above

Question 56

A cell in the body's nervous system, consisting of a cell body, a long projection called an axon, and several er projections called dendrites:
(a)glial cell
(b)synapse
(c)cerebrum
(d)neuron

Question 57

A nerve cell that fires both when a person acts and when a person observes the same action performed by someone else, as if the observer himself or herself were acting:
(a)glial cell
(b)mirror neuron
(c)modifier gene
(d)none of the above

Question 58

Monozygotic twins are unlike identical twins in that:
(a)monozygotic twins develop from a single zygote
(b)identical twins are more likely to be similar in most traits than monozygotic twins
(c)both a and b
(d)neither a nor b.

Question 59

The fact that some traits influenced by genes do not run in families (e.g., shy children are born to extraverted parents)is explained by the existence of:
(a)mirror neurons
(b)nonshared environment
(c)experience-expectant processes
(d)modifier genes

Question 60

The process by which each half of the brain becomes specialized for certain functions:
(a)programmed neuronal death
(b)synaptic pruning
(c)lateralization
(d)niche picking

Question 61

A specialized site of intercellular communication that exchanges information between nerve cells, usually by means of a chemical neurotransmitter:
(a)neuron
(b)synapse
(c)cerebrum
(d)mirror neuron

Question 62

The possible developmental outcomes established by a person's genotype in the environment in which development takes place is referred to as:
(a)niche picking
(b)gene-environment interaction
(c)active gene-environment association
(d)reaction range

Question 63

Reaction ranges:
(a)are said to be canalized if very narrow
(b)are very narrow for intelligence and sociability
(c)are less narrow for a baby's tendency to babble
(d)are said to be canalized if broad

Question 64

Synapses are:
(a)where neurons communicate
(b)as numerous as neurons
(c)a kind of synaptogenesis
(d)a type of mirror neuron

Question 65

According to Rothbart, primary temperament dimensions include:
(a)effortful control
(b)fear
(c)sensation seeking
(d)impulsivity

Question 66

The naturally occurring death of immature nerve cells during early development of the nervous system is:
(a)synaptic pruning
(b)programmed neuronal death
(c)lateralization
(d)neural migration

Question 67

The visible expression of the person's particular physical and behavioral characteristics
(a)evocative gene-environment interaction
(b)active gene-environment interaction
(c)genotype
(d)phenotype

Question 68

Examples of phenotypes include:
(a)height
(b)intelligence
(c)sociability
(d)all of the above

Question 69

The environment created by parents with particular genetic characteristics encourages the expression of these tendencies in their children:
(a)nonshared environment
(b)shared environment
(c)passive gene-environment association
(d)experience-dependent process

Question 70

An individual's typical mode of response, including activity level, emotional intensity, and attention span, is referred to as:
(a)heritability factor
(b)temperament
(c)externalizing problems
(d)attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Question 71

Synaptic pruning:
(a)eliminates immature neurons surrounding new synapses
(b)disposes of understimulated neurons' axons and dendrites
(c)both a and b
(d)neither a nor b

Question 72

Synaptogenesis:
(a)begins late in prenatal life
(b)results in more neurons than synapses
(c)begins early in prenatal life
(d)begins in the postnatal period

Question 73

Nonshared environments:
(a)include separate activities chosen by the child
(b)appear to be relatively unrelated to development
(c)do not include the child's perceptions of the environment
(d)all of the above

Question 74

The brain's disposal of the axons and dendrites of a neuron that is not often stimulated:
(a)synaptic pruning
(b)programmed neuronal death
(c)synaptogenesis
(d)hemispheric regulation

Question 75

Research on cultural differences in temperament shows that:
(a)although 48 percent of the children in the U.S.show a genetic pattern associated with impulse problems, the genetic pattern occurs in only 2 percent of Chinese children
(b)Chinese babies are calmer and easier to console than Caucasian babies
(c)Chinese preschoolers are better than Caucasian babies at controlling their impulses
(d)all of the above

Question 76

Shared environments:
(a)are argued to be higher for fraternal twins than identical twins
(b)are argued to be more important than nonshared environment
(c)both a and b
(d)neither a nor b

Question 77

The forming of synapses is called:
(a)synaptic pruning
(b)programmed neuronal death
(c)synaptogenesis
(d)myelination

Question 78

Programmed neuronal death:
(a)eliminates immature neurons surrounding new synapses
(b)disposes of understimulated neurons' axons and dendrites
(c)makes existing synapses weaker
(d)a form of neural migration

Question 79

Passive gene-environment associations:
(a)are supported by twin studies that show genetic influences on parenting
(b)are supported by adoption studies that show genetic influences on parenting
(c)both a and b
(d)neither a nor b

Question 80

A set of conditions or activities experienced by children raised in the same family:
(a)nonshared environment
(b)niche picking
(c)shared environment
(d)experience dependent processes