Deck 1: Behavioral Neuroscience Scope and Outlook

Question 1

Contact points between neurons are called

A) axons.
B) synapses.
C) nerves.
D) impulses.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Behavioral neuroscience

A) is concerned with how the functioning of the brain, but not its structure, underlies behavior.
B) is concerned with human behavior rather than animal behavior.
C) spans several scientific disciplines.
D) is not concerned with the treatment of behavioral problems.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection gave rise to two approaches to experimentation, one of which emphasizes

A) the unique creation of species.
B) differences among species.
C) the discontinuity between behavior and biological processes.
D) the inheritance of acquired characteristics.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Researchers have noted that young rodents develop a capacity to learn before they develop a capacity to form long-term memories. This implies that

A) rodents have poorer memory systems than other mammals.
B) rodents are not appropriate models for studying the fundamentals of memory processes.
C) learning and memory involve different processes.
D) learning does not require functional neural circuits.

Question 5

Which question does the mechanisms perspective in biological psychology address?

A) How do learning and memory performance change over the life span?
B) What physiological changes in the brain encode memories?
C) What are the prospects for a "smart pill" to improve memory performance?
D) What pattern of movements must an animal make in order to learn a maze?

Question 6

Which question is an example of the comparative/evolutionary perspective in behavioral neuroscience?

A) To what extent can different species see color?
B) What environmental experiences in early life are required for vision to develop normally?
C) What kind of treatments can correct faulty vision?
D) How are the visual areas of the brain organized?

Question 7

Which question derives from the functional description of behavior?

A) How does mating depend on hormones in different species?
B) How are the sounds of speech patterned?
C) How do specialized patterns of behavior contribute to mating and to care of offspring?
D) How do reproductive behaviors develop over the life span?

Question 8

The process by which an individual changes over the life span is called

A) phylogeny.
B) ontogeny.
C) reductionism.
D) phrenology.

Question 9

Which statement represents a structural description of behavior?

A) Different species of mammals produce similar types of hormones.
B) The symptoms of Parkinson's disease are related to depletion of a specific neurotransmitter.
C) When an animal learns, the number and morphology of neuron connections change in specific brain regions.
D) The amount of aggressive behavior between male rodents changes after puberty.

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of a somatic intervention study?

A) Measurements of the extent of brain abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia
B) Observations of patterns of brain activity in animals trained in a maze
C) Measurements of hormones in male rats exposed to female rats
D) Observations of the effects of giving a drug to some rats but not to others

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of a behavioral intervention study?

A) Measurements of the extent of brain abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia
B) Observations of patterns of brain activity in animals trained in a maze
C) Measurements of hormones in male rats exposed to female rats
D) Observations of the effects of giving a drug to some rats but not to others

Question 12

Refer to the figure.
A researcher who is studying schizophrenia examines the images above. What sort of study is this researcher conducting?

A) A study to determine causality
B) A somatic intervention
C) A behavioral intervention
D) A correlational study

Question 13

The behavioral neuroscience perspective on social behavior is particularly concerned with

A) vision.
B) learning and memory.
C) hormones.
D) the sense of smell.

Question 14

Young rats that have been raised in isolation, rather than in the company of other rats, often exhibit

A) unusual aggression.
B) changes in many brain regions.
C) depression.
D) a decrease in the size of an odor processing structure.

Question 15

Winning a game of chess is likely to cause a man's _______ levels to _______.

A) testosterone; decrease
B) norepinephrine; increase
C) testosterone; increase
D) adrenalin; decrease

Question 16

Which statement is an example of neuroplasticity?

A) Exercise causes an increase in neuron survival.
B) An enriched environment causes an increase in the number of synapses.
C) The association of a noxious and a harmless stimulus causes an increased response to the harmless stimulus when it is presented alone.
D) All of the above

Question 17

Which statement about the use of multiple levels of analysis in research is false?

A) A given behavior or function may be addressed at different levels of analysis.
B) The brain and spinal cord together are classified as part of the "organ" level of analysis.
C) Each level of analysis considers units that are more basic or simpler than the level above.
D) A single nerve cell is the most basic unit of analysis in behavioral neuroscience.

Question 18

Which statement represents the most reductionist explanation of an observed phenomenon?

A) A group of fish form a school to avoid predation.
B) Muscle contractions are caused by spinal cord neurons.
C) Each neurotransmitter released by neurons must bind to a specific receptor protein.
D) The eyes send light information to the visual cortex at the back of the brain.

Question 19

Refer to the figure, which illustrates the gap between two neurons.
Which level of analysis is pictured in the figure?

A) Neural systems
B) Circuit level
C) Synaptic level
D) Molecular level

Question 20

A researcher can determine how much of the human brain is used for even the simplest of tasks by

A) looking at brain activity in brain scans.
B) measuring a person's brain size.
C) administering IQ tests.
D) measuring how much a person sleeps.

Question 21

Brain scans show that different language tasks activate

A) the same brain areas.
B) only one brain area.
C) different brain areas.
D) the same brain areas if words are read or only seen.

Question 22

In humans, about how much of the brain is used during routine, day-to-day activities?

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 100%

Question 23

At a given moment, the proportion of the world's population suffering from neurologic and/or psychiatric disorders is about

A) 1%.
B) 15%.
C) 20%.
D) 38%.

Question 24

Studies of identical twins in which one twin has schizophrenia have revealed a relationship between schizophrenia and enlargement of the

A) cerebral ventricles.
B) anterior cingulate.
C) cerebral arteries.
D) pineal gland.

Question 25

Each year, the direct and indirect costs of psychiatric and neurological disorders in the United States amount to about

A) $40 million.
B) $400 million.
C) $40 billion.
D) $400 billion.

Question 26

Which of the following neurological disorder(s) is(are) least prevalent in the United States?

A) Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases
B) Epilepsy
C) Stroke
D) Alzheimer's disease

Question 27

Which statement about mental health disorders is true?

A) The cost of cancer is greater than the cost of treating neurological diseases.
B) The cost of treating dementia is greater than the cost of treating heart disease and cancer combined.
C) There are more people with cerebral palsy than people who have had a stroke.
D) There are more people who have had a stroke than people who have mood disorders.

Question 28

Which statement about animal research is false?

A) Most Americans believe that animals should not be used for research.
B) Over 90% of mammals used for research are laboratory-raised rodents.
C) The use of animals for research is highly regulated.
D) Animal research has provided treatments for minimizing pain in animals.

Question 29

Aristotle thought that the brain's major function was to

A) remove wastes from the body.
B) control behavior.
C) cool the blood.
D) contain the soul.

Question 30

The Greek physician _______ noted that separate spinal nerves connect to each region of the body.

A) Galen
B) Hebb
C) Galton
D) Herophilus

Question 31

Refer to the figure.
Which statement accurately identifies the figure?

A) This is a page from the notes of Galen, the physician.
B) This is an accurate drawing of ventricles by da Vinci.
C) This is a drawing of an ox's ventricles by Michelangelo.
D) This is a drawing of the pineal gland from Descartes' notes.

Question 32

The concept of dualism was proposed by

A) William James.
B) Donald Hebb.
C) Francis Galton.
D) René Descartes.

Question 33

Refer to the figure.
Which statement accurately describes the information represented by the figure?

A) There is evidence that the brain functions as a whole.
B) Phrenology localizes areas of peak activation in the brain.
C) It is possible to determine a person's strengths from the shape of their head.
D) There is localization in the brain, but it does not reliably correspond to bumps on the head.

Question 34

Which statement is supported by phrenology?

A) The brain functions as a whole.
B) There is some localization of function in the brain.
C) Visual processing occurs in several lobes of the brain.
D) There is more than one brain area that is responsible for aggression.

Question 35

When Sir Francis Galton invented the correlation coefficient, he looked at the relationship between

A) brain size and intelligence.
B) skull volume and brain size.
C) skull volume and intelligence.
D) head size and estimates of intelligence.

Question 36

In studying brain-damaged patients exhibiting language difficulties, Paul Broca discovered that a particular region in the _______ part of the brain appears to be especially important.

A) right temporal
B) right frontal
C) left frontal
D) left cerebellar

Question 37

The beginnings of modern behavioral neuroscience are attributed to the work of _______, who proposed that cognitive processes are properties of the nervous system.

A) William James
B) Karl Lashley
C) Francis Galton
D) René Descartes

Question 38

Measurements of learning and memory were carried out by many scientists. Which of the following was not one of them?

A) William James
B) Edward Thorndike
C) Hermann Ebbinghaus
D) Ivan Pavlov

Question 39

_______ can be defined as a state of awareness of one's own existence and experience.

A) Arousal
B) Sensation
C) Consciousness
D) Stimulation

Question 40

The most commonly used experimental approach in behavioral neuroscience is _______.

Question 41

In a recent experiment, subjects who believed they would experience discomfort in response to a stimulus exhibited increased activation of the _______ compared to subjects who believed they would experience minimal discomfort, even though the stimulus (warm water) was identical in both groups.

Question 42

Young rats raised in isolation show changes in brain regions associated with the processing of _______.

Question 43

A feature of neurons that is particularly plastic is the _______.

Question 44

The scientific approach known as _______ involves analysis at a simpler or more basic level of organization than the structure or function to be explained.

Question 45

The three most prevalent psychiatric disorders are related to anxiety, impulse control (or attention deficit), and _______.

Question 46

A major goal of behavioral neuroscience is to improve the health and well-being of humans and other _______.

Question 47

Researchers have a responsibility to minimize the _______ of their animal subjects.

Question 48

The Greek physician _______ noted that separate spinal nerves connect to each region of the body.

Question 49

Descartes believed, incorrectly, that only the brains of humans contain a _______.

Question 50

Broca described a region located in the anterior part of the _______ hemisphere that is especially important for language functions.

Question 51

Many modern neuroscientists are interested in the idea of _______ synapses, which may change in strength through use.

Question 52

Karl Lashley was engaged in a program of research that has been called the "search for the _______."

Question 53

The Human Brain Project aims to produce a(n) _______ re-creation of the human brain.

Question 54

There is a small but significant correlation between brain size and _______ in humans.

Question 55

Select a particular kind of behavior and list the types of questions that are suggested by the five major research perspectives that characterize behavioral neuroscience.

Question 56

Describe two major principles that characterize evolutionary perspectives on behavior, and explain the advantages of using both perspectives in studying neural function across different species of animals.

Question 57

Describe the three major research designs employed by researchers in behavioral neuroscience and give an example of each.

Question 58

Discuss the importance of neuroplasticity as it relates to the reciprocal relationship between the brain and body.

Question 59

Discuss the prevalence and economic impact of neurological and psychiatric disorders, citing statistics to support your statements.

Question 60

Explain the importance of animal research for studying behavioral neuroscience. Why do most behavioral neuroscientists support the use of animal experimentation?

Question 61

Explain Descartes's view of the relationship between mind and body. How do modern behavioral neuroscientists feel about Descartes's view?

Question 62

Describe some of the issues surrounding attempts to relate brain size to intelligence, and summarize current opinion on this issue.

Question 63

Describe the discoveries that led scientists to support the concept of localization of function in the brain.

Question 64

What do most neuroscientists agree upon regarding consciousness? What must be a part of any explanation of consciousness?

Question 65

Write a coherent and informative paragraph incorporating each of the following terms or concepts: evolutionary; mechanisms; descriptive; developmental.

Question 66

Write a coherent and informative paragraph incorporating each of the following terms or concepts: somatic intervention; behavioral intervention; correlation approach.

Question 67

Write a coherent and informative paragraph incorporating each of the following terms or concepts: Descartes; dualism; pineal gland; machine.

Question 68

Write a coherent and informative paragraph incorporating each of the following terms or concepts: brain maps; peaks of activation; localization of function.

Question 69

Write a coherent and informative paragraph incorporating each of the following terms or concepts: phrenology; IQ; skull volume; correlation

Question 70

Matching
-Determining brain-wave patterns in people with varying IQs _____

A) Somatic intervention
B) Behavioral intervention
C) Correlation

Question 71

Matching
-Observing the sexual responses of castrated rats _____

A) Somatic intervention
B) Behavioral intervention
C) Correlation

Question 72

Matching
-Quantifying changes in the synaptic spines of rats after training in a maze _____

A) Somatic intervention
B) Behavioral intervention
C) Correlation

Question 73

Matching
-Raising mice in isolation and measuring brain biochemistry in adulthood _____

A) Somatic intervention
B) Behavioral intervention
C) Correlation

Question 74

Matching
-Injecting a drug into a brain region of an animal and observing aggressive encounters when it is placed in a cage with other animals _____

A) Somatic intervention
B) Behavioral intervention
C) Correlation

Question 75

Matching
-Comparing the size of brain regions in homosexual and heterosexual men _____

A) Somatic intervention
B) Behavioral intervention
C) Correlation

Question 76

Matching
-Examining the organization of visual areas of the brain in animals that live in constant darkness

A) Somatic intervention
B) Behavioral intervention
C) Correlation

Question 77

Which question reflects a comparative/evolutionary perspective?

A) What hormonal treatments can alleviate sexual problems?
B) How are hormones involved in mating in different species of mammals?
C) How do reproductive behaviors change during the life span?
D) What are the patterns of mating behavior in humans?

Question 78

Certain classes of hormones modulate sexual behavior in many different species of vertebrates. This phenomenon is evidence of

A) the relatively small role that the nervous system plays in some forms of behavior.
B) the strong similarities of the environments that the animals inhabit.
C) the evolutionary continuity of species.
D) species-specific behavior.

Question 79

The term "somatic intervention" refers to

A) research procedures that alter the structure or function of the body.
B) any type of experimental treatment.
C) the consequences of experimental alteration of the brain or body.
D) the effects of forced changes in behavior.

Question 80

An experiment in which an animal's brain activity is mapped following exposure to a particular visual stimulus is an example of a

A) nonexperimental study.
B) behavioral intervention.
C) correlation study.
D) somatic intervention.