Deck 8: The Anatomy and Physiology of Personality

Question 1

The most important thing scientists gain by studying animal models for the biological basis of personality is ________.

A) learning how to modify our behavior to lower our risk of animal attack
B) to gain understanding of our own anatomy by studying animals with similar brain structures as our own
C) to better learn how to communicate with them via sign-language
D) to help tame animals adjust in the wild

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The ________ signal shows differences in brain activity levels in one condition versus another condition in an fMRI experiment.

A) electroencephalographic (EEG)
B) transcranial differential (TD)
C) blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD)
D) perfusion imaging (PI)

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What neurotransmitter is NOT typically associated with the substantia nigra?

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

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Nerves that send messages from the body to the brain are called ________,whereas nerves that carry messages from the brain to the body are called ________.

A) afferent nerves; efferent nerves
B) efferent nerves; afferent nerves
C) interneurons; extraneurons
D) extraneurons; interneurons

Question 5

As surgeons stimulated a particular part of her brain,Lisa experienced dramatic feelings of hopelessness and dread.According to the text,surgeons are most likely stimulating the central region of the left ________.

A) frontal cortex
B) substantia nigra
C) amygdala
D) ascending reticular activating system

Question 6

What part of the human brain seems to be the most distinct from the brains of nonhuman animals?

A) hypothalamus
B) amygdala
C) hippocampus
D) neocortex

Question 7

What term refers to brain regions that have been injured,removed,or destroyed?

A) lesions
B) afferent areas
C) tomographs
D) efferent areas

Question 8

What term refers to images of very thin slices of the brain?

A) X-rays
B) tomographs
C) magnetic images
D) sonographs

Question 9

What is the oldest brain-imaging technique?

A) electroencephalography (EEG)
B) magnetoencephalography (MEG)
C) positron emission tomography (PET)
D) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Question 10

Nerve fibers that organize and regulate transmissions between nerves are called ________.

A) afferent nerves
B) efferent nerves
C) interneurons
D) extraneurons

Question 11

The projections from nerves that receive stimulation are called ________ and ________ pass this message on to the next neuron.

A) axons; synapses
B) dendrites; axons
C) afferents; axons
D) efferents; synapses

Question 12

Which brain region secretes several hormones and is located just above the roof of the mouth?

A) cingulate
B) hypothalamus
C) frontal lobes
D) hippocampus

Question 13

Which brain structure is responsible for an individual's capacity to remember large amounts of information in preparation for an exam?

A) basal ganglia
B) hypothalamus
C) thalamus
D) hippocampus

Question 14

What is the best description for the mind-body problem?

A) the degree to which all aspects of human nature are understood in terms of our physical brains and bodies
B) the dispute among psychologists as to whether human nature is a product of biological or environmental influences
C) the philosophical argument for the physical basis of the mind
D) the degree to which neurotransmitters or hormones effect our personality and behavior

Question 15

Which of the following brain imaging techniques would be most useful to a researcher interested in brain blood flow activity associated with fear after viewing pictures of spiders?

A) positron emission tomography (PET)
B) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
C) computed tomography (CT)
D) electroencephalography (EEG)

Question 16

What technique can be used to temporarily knock out regions of the brain without having to create lasting lesions?

A) electroencephalography
B) magnetoencephalography
C) transcranial magnetic stimulation
D) encephalographic stimulation

Question 17

What brain region is responsible for both an individual's strong time management skill and ability to consistently do the morally right thing?

A) basal ganglia
B) amygdala
C) frontal lobes
D) hippocampus

Question 18

________ is a phenomenon that explains the tendency for the function of one part of the brain to depend on the activity of another.

A) Neural context
B) Inhibitory activity
C) Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD)
D) Perfusion imaging (PI)

Question 19

Recent feedback regarding fMRI research suggests that results from such studies might be misleading and exaggerated due to ________.

A) fraudulent data collection practices
B) questionable analytic techniques
C) unreliable machine hardware
D) uncooperative subject participation

Question 20

What is NOT a challenge associated with the advancement of neural imaging technology?

A) It is sensitive to outside interference.
B) It is extremely expensive to acquire and operate.
C) It introduces trace amounts of harmful chemicals into the human body.
D) It requires expert attention in its operation and statistical analysis.

Question 21

Someone inflicted with Capgras syndrome would likely ________.

A) spontaneously produce curse words
B) have wild emotional swings in response to loved ones
C) be unable to experience fear
D) fail to feel an emotional response to loved ones

Question 22

According to Damasio's somatic marker hypothesis,damage to the right frontal lobes impairs a person's ________,which then impairs his or her ________.

A) emotional reactions to events and thoughts; ability to make decisions about what is and is not important
B) primary visual and auditory cortexes; ability to distinguish real sensory stimulation from hallucinations
C) reptilian brain; ability to perform creative activities as opposed to simple responses and fixed patterns of behavior
D) ability to experience pain; fear of consequences

Question 23

Which of the following was NOT one of bodily humors?

A) blood
B) black bile
C) phlegm
D) marrow

Question 24

According to Galen,an excess of yellow bile would cause a person to most likely ________.

A) isolate themselves from others
B) be thoughtlessly rude and cold
C) be friendly and cheerful at a party
D) hold a grudge after an argument

Question 25

Before brain surgery,Elliott was a good father and held a responsible job.After removal of portions of his frontal lobe,what prediction about Elliott's personality is likely to come true?

A) He will experience visual hallucinations.
B) He will experience auditory hallucinations.
C) His emotional reactions and decision-making abilities will be impaired.
D) He will be even more driven and focused on his work.

Question 26

Capgras syndrome arises from damage to the ________.

A) amygdala
B) brain stem
C) right frontal lobe
D) left frontal lobe

Question 27

Galen suggested that there were ________ basic types of personality,each linked to an excessive amount of a different ________.

A) five; hormone
B) three; neurotransmitter
C) four; bodily humor
D) two; inhibitory neural mechanism

Question 28

Which brain region is important for detecting a discrepancy between the actual world and expectations about the world?

A) hippocampus
B) amygdala
C) anterior cingulate
D) right frontal lobe

Question 29

Which of the following would NOT be a pronounced symptom in a patient who suffers frontal lobe damage?

A) impaired language abilities
B) problems with decision making
C) flattened emotional responses
D) self-control difficulties

Question 30

What part of Phineas Gage's brain was damaged in his accident?

A) hippocampus
B) brain stem
C) cerebellum
D) frontal lobes

Question 31

In 1966,Charles Whitman killed his wife,his mother,and 14 more people at the University of Texas before he was killed by police.An autopsy revealed that a tumor affecting Whitman's ________ was likely the cause for the ________behind his killing spree.

A) frontal lobe; emotional experience
B) amygdala; motivation
C) ventromedial cortex; motivation
D) cerebellum; emotional experience

Question 32

Early reports about personality and emotional changes in Phineas Gage after his accident led to ________.

A) an increased appreciation for substantia nigra
B) an increased appreciation for the difficulties with neurosurgeries
C) neurosurgeons performing lobotomies to control maladaptive behavior
D) a better understanding of how oxytocin functions in the brain

Question 33

Which of these brain structures is thought to play a role in judging whether stimuli offer threats or rewards?

A) amygdala
B) hippocampus
C) ventromedial cortex
D) neocortex

Question 34

Evidence from brain imaging research and brain damage case studies suggests that the ________ is(are)the location of cognitive control,serving to anticipate and plan the future and help to regulate emotions in response to it.

A) frontal lobes
B) amygdala
C) brain stem
D) hippocampus

Question 35

The case of railroad worker Phineas Gage illustrates that ________.

A) brain injuries affect physical but not psychological functioning
B) injuries to the brain can affect personality and behavior
C) the amygdala has important effects on fear and anger
D) the right hemisphere is the province of image-oriented, intuitive thinking

Question 36

What brain region seems to connect the two halves of the brain?

A) brain stem
B) frontal lobes
C) corpus callosum
D) hippocampus

Question 37

If damaged,which of the following areas of the brain would result in a flattening out of emotional responses?

A) frontal lobe
B) corpus collosum
C) amygdala
D) nucleus accumbens

Question 38

One reason why the results of psychosurgeries are often erratic is that ________.

A) different brain structures have different functional roles in different people
B) brain systems might be more important for functioning than discrete areas
C) tools designed to lesion the brain are not very sophisticated
D) the infections that often accompany these surgeries further damage the brain

Question 39

What piece of evidence best suggests that the frontal lobes are associated with the experience of emotion?

A) The left frontal lobe seems to be more active when a person is approaching something pleasant.
B) Dopamine has been linked to novelty-seeking behavior.
C) Stimulating the hippocampus causes individuals to remember past events.
D) Serotonin has been shown to inhibit feelings and impulses.

Question 40

Chemicals that facilitate communication between neurons are called ________.

A) synapses
B) hormones
C) neurotransmitters
D) inhibitory communicators

Question 41

Wayne tends to suffer from chronic pessimism,is hypersensitive to rejection,worries obsessively,and is prone to sudden bursts of irrational anger.He is exhibiting the symptoms of ________.

A) high norepinephrine levels
B) serotonin depletion
C) hormonal imbalance
D) low dopamine levels

Question 42

________ levels of testosterone have been observed in dominant males competing with other males for the attention of women,and ________ levels of testosterone have been observed for men entering fatherhood.

A) Low; high
B) High; high
C) Low; low
D) High; low

Question 43

What is the technical name for drugs like Prozac?

A) selective serotonin depletion inhibitors
B) selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
C) serotonin selection and reuptake facilitators
D) serotonin reuptake facilitators

Question 44

The chemicals that are released from the hypothalamus,the gonads,and the adrenal cortex are called ________,whereas the chemicals released by bioelectrical impulses throughout the brain are called ________.

A) synapses; hormones
B) hormones; neurotransmitters
C) neurotransmitters; synapses
D) inhibitory communicators; dendrites

Question 45

Which hormone is associated with the fight-or-flight response?

A) epinephrine
B) serotonin
C) monoamine oxidase
D) dopamine

Question 46

According to DeYoung's theory,which neurotransmitter is the foundation of plasticity?

A) oxytocin
B) monoamine oxidase
C) serotonin
D) dopamine

Question 47

Shortly after joining the cross-country team,Patrick's friends have noticed that he is irrationally aggressive and erratic.What is a reasonable conclusion Patrick's friends can draw about his behavior?

A) He has started taking an SSRI to help with his anxiety.
B) He's undergoing catharsis therapy.
C) He is going through puberty.
D) He has started using anabolic steroids.

Question 48

The term ________ refers to the body's natural painkillers,which are chemicals that act in an ________ fashion.

A) monoamine oxidase; excitatory
B) dopamine; inhibitory
C) endorphins; inhibitory
D) serotonin; excitatory

Question 49

During the prehistoric era of human development,women were most likely to calm everyone down and band people together when faced with a threat.According to S.E.Taylor,what hormone is associated with this response?

A) epinephrine
B) serotonin
C) oxytocin
D) dopamine

Question 50

Thomas is known to be the life of every party.He most likely has high levels of which hormone?

A) dopamine
B) testosterone
C) oxytocin
D) serotonin

Question 51

Brad has had substantially more sex partners and has demonstrated more excessive behavior than Todd.We can safely assume that Brad has ________ relative to Todd.

A) failure in dopamine reuptake
B) synaptic decay
C) high testosterone levels
D) an estrogen imbalance

Question 52

According to the text,the chemicals that make up neurotransmitters are also important in determining the neurotransmitters' specific behavioral expression.An example of this is ________.

A) monoamine oxidase's breakdown of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin
B) endorphin inhibition due to levels of certain other hormones
C) the length of the neurotransmitter's axon determining the strength of its expression
D) the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) affecting the speed of any neural impulse

Question 53

The neurotransmitter dopamine is associated with systems that ________.

A) respond to reward
B) generate acute feelings of anxiety
C) block the effects of opiates
D) generate vertigo

Question 54

What brain structure in conjunction with dopamine works to form the Go system in Gray's model?

A) ascending reticular activating system
B) substantia nigra
C) nucleus accumbens
D) amygdala

Question 55

What is the best description of the role that testosterone plays in personality?

A) It acts as a direct cause of frustration.
B) It acts as an energizing factor that accentuates existing behavioral tendencies.
C) It acts as a dampening factor that reduces existing behavioral tendencies.
D) It seems to directly influence levels of agreeableness in men but not in women.

Question 56

In one study,male U.S.military veterans were asked about their past behaviors,and those with higher testosterone levels more often reported having assaulted others.This is evidence for testosterone's association with ________.

A) erratic and aggressive tendencies
B) having very many sexual partners
C) depression
D) delusions

Question 57

What term describes the junction between two neurons?

A) neurotransmitter
B) synapse
C) axon
D) node

Question 58

According to DeYoung's theory,which neurotransmitter is the foundation of stability?

A) oxytocin
B) monoamine oxidase
C) serotonin
D) dopamine

Question 59

According to research by modern health psychologists,the choleric,or chronically hostile,person seems to be at extra risk for ________.

A) a heart attack
B) cancer
C) diabetes
D) Alzheimer's disease

Question 60

According to Jeffrey Gray's theory,dopamine is associated with the ________ system,which he argues produces and reinforces the motivation to ________.

A) behavioral activation; seek rewards
B) ascending reticular activating; seek interpersonal contact
C) behavioral activation; seek interpersonal contact
D) ascending reticular activating; seek rewards

Question 61

Match the hormone or brain structure with the most closely associated Big Five personality trait.
a.Endorphins
b.Cortisol
c.Middle frontal gyrus
d.Left prefrontal cortex
e.Serotonin
f.Oxytocin
Conscientiousness

Question 62

High levels of cortisol appear to be associated with ________,and low levels of cortisol appear to be associated with ________.

A) stress, anxiety, and depression; impulsivity and sensation seeking
B) extraversion; introversion
C) extraversion; neuroticism
D) the left frontal lobe; the right frontal lobe

Question 63

Match the hormone or brain structure with the most closely associated Big Five personality trait.
a.Endorphins
b.Cortisol
c.Middle frontal gyrus
d.Left prefrontal cortex
e.Serotonin
f.Oxytocin
Neuroticism

Question 64

We would expect a newlywed couple to have high levels of which hormone?

A) norepinephrine
B) serotonin
C) cortisol
D) oxytocin

Question 65

Match the hormone or brain structure with the most closely associated Big Five personality trait.
a.Endorphins
b.Cortisol
c.Middle frontal gyrus
d.Left prefrontal cortex
e.Serotonin
f.Oxytocin
Extraversion

Question 66

Low levels of cortisol are associated with which psychological disorder?

A) Type A personality
B) social phobia
C) post-traumatic stress syndrome
D) antisocial personality disorder

Question 67

One problem researchers experience when attempting to directly link testosterone to aggression and sexuality is that ________.

A) the relationships have never been studied in women
B) testosterone seems to affect sexual desire in men but not in women
C) it is difficult to determine the causal direction because aggression and sex can affect testosterone levels
D) both sex and especially aggression are difficult to study in the lab

Question 68

Gordon is walking down his street,sees an angry dog running towards him,and begins to run in the opposite direction.In addition to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure,he would also display an increase in which glucocorticoid hormone?

A) serotonin
B) estrogen
C) progesterone
D) cortisol

Question 69

Someone with excess cortisol production might be at risk for ________.

A) heart disease
B) sexual dysfunction
C) aggression
D) an increase in brain size

Question 70

Match the hormone or brain structure with the most closely associated Big Five personality trait.
a.Endorphins
b.Cortisol
c.Middle frontal gyrus
d.Left prefrontal cortex
e.Serotonin
f.Oxytocin
Agreeableness

Question 71

Match the neurotransmitter or hormone that is associated with each disease or syndrome.
a.Serotonin
b.Cortisol
c.Dopamine
d.Endorphins
e.Adrenalin
Depression

Question 72

Match the neurotransmitter or hormone that is associated with each disease or syndrome.
a.Serotonin
b.Cortisol
c.Dopamine
d.Endorphins
e.Adrenalin
Acute Anxiety Disorder

Question 73

According to one theory proposed by Australian psychologists,oxytocin is more than just a "love" hormone because it seems to ________.

A) facilitate approach behavior
B) accentuate all behavioral tendencies
C) facilitate sex as well as bonding
D) places individuals at risk for social phobias

Question 74

Match the hormone or brain structure with the most closely associated Big Five personality trait.
a.Endorphins
b.Cortisol
c.Middle frontal gyrus
d.Left prefrontal cortex
e.Serotonin
f.Oxytocin
Openness

Question 75

According to the text,which one of the following is the most appropriate way to interpret a strong relationship between levels of testosterone and self-reported sociability and impulsivity?

A) High levels of testosterone cause people to be more social and impulsive.
B) Individuals who are social and impulsive put themselves in situations which will always increase their testosterone level.
C) There is evidence behind increases in testosterone being both cause and effect for increases in sociability and impulsivity, and so we cannot make a claim to know the directionality of this relationship.
D) There is not a strong enough relationship between testosterone and sociability and impulsivity to merit its interpretation.

Question 76

Match the neurotransmitter or hormone that is associated with each disease or syndrome.
a.Serotonin
b.Cortisol
c.Dopamine
d.Endorphins
e.Adrenalin
Heart Disease

Question 77

Match the neurotransmitter or hormone that is associated with each disease or syndrome.
a.Serotonin
b.Cortisol
c.Dopamine
d.Endorphins
e.Adrenalin
Chronic Pain

Question 78

According to the textbook,which of the following is the best description of the causal link between biological processes and social behavior?

A) Biological processes cause social behavior but not vice versa.
B) Social behavior causes biological processes but not vice versa.
C) Biological processes and social behavior are both causes and effects of each other.
D) There is no evidence of a causal link between biological processes and social behavior.

Question 79

Match the neurotransmitter or hormone that is associated with each disease or syndrome.
a.Serotonin
b.Cortisol
c.Dopamine
d.Endorphins
e.Adrenalin
Parkinson's Disease

Question 80

Which piece of evidence is LEAST relevant to Anne Campbell's theory concerning the function of oxytocin?

A) Oxytocin increases during childbirth.
B) Oxytocin is related to fight-or-flight behaviors.
C) Oxytocin is related to sexual activity and orgasm.
D) Oxytocin is related to breast feeding.