Deck 10: Consciousness

Question 1

Someone who stays in a cave with no light alternates between sleepiness and wakefulness on about a 24 hour cycle. Why?

A) changes in temperature
B) a rhythm generated within the person's own brain
C) detection of tides and magnetic fields
D) learned habits

Answer 1

a rhythm generated within the person's own brain

Question 2

Our tendency to feel wakeful and sleepy on a 24-hour basis depends mainly on

A) a cycle generated by a mechanism in the brain.
B) our perception of environmental stimuli such as heat and light.
C) a cycle generated by hormone-producing organs such as the adrenal gland.
D) wear and tear on the muscles followed by a period of repair.

Answer 2

a cycle generated by a mechanism in the brain.

Question 3

A rhythm of activity and inactivity that lasts about a day is called a

A) biorhythm.
B) circadian rhythm.
C) diadromous rhythm.
D) Euclidean rhythm.

Answer 3

circadian rhythm.

Question 4

If a flashing light alternates between two locations, it can appear to be moving back and forth. This is known as?

A) binocular rivalry.
B) spatial neglect.
C) visual consciousness.
D) the phi effect.

Question 5

In an environment in which temperature, light, and other conditions remain constant 24 hours a day, most people

A) awaken and fall asleep at irregular, inconsistent intervals.
B) still awaken and go to sleep on a nearly 24-hour schedule.
C) remain awake almost all the time.
D) easily adjust to wake-sleep cycles that last a lot longer or shorter than 24 hours.

Question 6

Measurements of brain activity during a binocular rivalry task involving the flashing of two stimuli at different rates showed

A) increased activity in the left hemisphere when the images were consciously perceived.
B) increased activity in the right hemisphere when the images were consciously perceived.
C) large portions of the brain become activated according to which stimulus is consciously perceived.
D) red-colored stimuli produced left hemispheric activity whereas green colored stimuli produced right hemispheric activity.

Question 7

Which of the following provides evidence that our 24-hour sleep-waking cycle is the result of a built-in mechanism?

A) some people sleep only 5-6 hours a night; others sleep 7-8 hours.
B) only a little more sleep is needed after an active day than after a busy day.
C) people who live in a near-polar region still generate close to a 24-hour cycle of sleeping and being awake.
D) people who are forced to stay awake for long periods of time develop severe health problems.

Question 8

In the Libet et al. study (1983) that asked participants to flex their wrist and record when they decided to flex it,

A) people were not very accurate in determining when they actually moved their wrist.
B) participants flexed their wrists in response to a flashing light.
C) the results suggested that the brain started to flex the wrist before participants were conscious of their decision to do so.
D) researchers concluded there is no free will.

Question 9

Which of the following is true regarding when ground squirrels awaken from hibernation?

A) Females wake up a week or so before males.
B) Males wake up only when food becomes available.
C) Females and males wake up at the same time each spring.
D) Males wake up prior to the time females are sexually receptive.

Question 10

Circadian rhythms are those that:

A) inhibit all neural activity.
B) are influenced by the phase of the moon.
C) last about a day.
D) last about a month.

Question 11

The subjective experience of perceiving oneself and other entities is known as

A) assimilation.
B) consciousness.
C) the mind-brain problem.
D) attribution.

Question 12

People and most other animals wake up and go to sleep on a regular basis, at about the same time every 24 hours. What causes this 24-hour cycle?

A) It depends entirely on patterns of light and darkness.
B) It depends mainly on the influence of other animals.
C) It is generated by a built-in mechanism within each individual.
D) It depends mainly on fluctuations in the temperature of the environment.

Question 13

In an unchanging environment (such as a cave), people become sleepy about once every __________ hours.

A) 12-13
B) 24-25
C) 28-29
D) 48-49

Question 14

Which of the following situations illustrates the phi effect?

A) As a word is gradually masked so it becomes harder to see, the viewer easily reads it at one point, then suddenly cannot read it anymore.
B) Each cell in the visual cortex only receives a signal from part of one retina.
C) Researchers using an fMRI to monitor brain activity see brain areas activated when the participant views a flashing pattern.
D) A small line and longer line flash in alternating sequences, causing the viewer to think a single line is moving back and forth and growing longer and shorter.

Question 15

People experiencing the phi effect would likely report

A) seeing a light moving even though there is no moving light.
B) increased neural activity suggesting a conscious experience.
C) an inability to have a conscious experience.
D) having a conscious experience of two different patterns.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT an example of unconscious perception?

A) You don't remember seeing a brief image of a scowling face flashed on a screen, but you moved your face muscles slightly like a frown when it appeared.
B) You read a paragraph that includes the word "control," and later when asked to fill in CON____ you write "control."
C) A person with spatial neglect only puts clothes on the right side of his body when getting dressed.
D) A person with spatial neglect only crosses out the right side of the circle when asked to cross out the entire circle, but he reports seeing the entire circle.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the relationship between light-dark cycles (from the rising and setting sun) and circadian rhythms?

A) Circadian rhythms are completely independent of light-dark cycles.
B) Circadian rhythms are completely determined by light-dark cycles.
C) Circadian rhythms are those that only function during the day (light cycle).
D) Circadian rhythms are generated within the body, but fine-tuned or reset by light-dark cycles.

Question 18

A person suffering spatial neglect would show all of the following except?

A) only attending to people who approach from the person's left side.
B) only eating food from only the right side of the plate.
C) only attending to the right side of a letter when asked to perform a task on that letter.
D) putting clothes on only the right side of the body.

Question 19

Circadian rhythms are controlled by __________, so people's sleep-wake cycles are __________.

A) environmental factors...identical
B) environmental factors...different
C) genes...identical
D) genes...different

Question 20

Our cycles of wakefulness and sleepiness depend mainly on

A) changes in heart rate and blood pressure.
B) detection of changes in magnetic field.
C) hormones released by the adrenal gland.
D) cyclic activity generated within the brain itself.

Question 21

One study compared memory abilities in young adults and older adults at different times of day. Early in the morning, the older adults performed __________ than the young adults; later in the day, the older adults performed __________ than the young adults.

A) equal or better...equal or better
B) worse...worse
C) worse...equal or better
D) equal or better...worse

Question 22

If a person goes without sleep for a prolonged period of time,

A) the person eventually has to catch up on every hour of sleep that he or she missed.
B) sleepiness decreases at the end of a sleepless night, as morning arrives.
C) after a couple of days it becomes impossible to concentrate even for a very brief period of time.
D) the desire to sleep continues to increase steadily, in direct proportion to the period of deprivation.

Question 23

One aspect of memory testing that has led to exaggerated beliefs about the decline of memory in old age has been

A) the use of recognition tests instead of recall.
B) the use of predominantly male subjects.
C) the time of day testing usually takes place.
D) the use of flawed statistical procedures to analyze the results.

Question 24

For most people the experience of jet lag is most severe if they travel across time zones

A) from a place they are visiting toward their home.
B) from east to west.
C) from west to east.
D) while sleeping.

Question 25

Tests of memory and reasoning ability might underestimate the capacities of older adults if the research is done:

A) early in the morning.
B) in the late afternoon or evening.
C) immediately after mild physical activity.
D) during the summer.

Question 26

When memory tests are given to people of various ages at different times of the day, researchers have found that

A) young adults do about the same as older adults in the morning.
B) young adults do considerably worse than older adults late in the day.
C) young adults and older adults do about the same late in the day.
D) older adults do considerably better than young adults in the morning.

Question 27

Jet lag occurs whenever you change time zones quickly. Which type of trip will result in the most difficult adjustment?

A) flying from Los Angeles to New York
B) flying for 11/2 hours but staying in the same time zone
C) flying from New York to Chicago
D) flying from New York to Los Angeles

Question 28

Which of the following is most likely to cause people to have difficulty falling asleep?

A) moving from the east coast to the west coast
B) becoming accustomed to going to bed early and then trying to shift to going to bed later
C) becoming accustomed to going to bed late and then trying to shift to going to bed earlier
D) living in a cave-like environment with no cues to time and going to sleep whenever they feel like it

Question 29

When memory tests are given to people of various ages at different times of the day, researchers have found that

A) young adults do as well as older adults in the morning.
B) young adults do considerably worse than older adults late in the day.
C) young adults and older adults do equally well late in the day.
D) older adults do considerably better than young adults in the morning.

Question 30

Unlike young people, nearly all people over the age of sixty-five are

A) equally alert at all times.
B) evening people.
C) morning people.
D) no longer alert at any time of day.

Question 31

Suppose astronauts are on a flight to another planet. The temperature and lighting of the spacecraft remain constant at all times. When will the astronauts become sleepy?

A) briefly, every hour or two
B) on an irregular, unpredictable basis
C) about once every 24-25 hours
D) about once every 48-72 hours

Question 32

Overall, young adults perform better on memory and reasoning tasks than older adults. This difference appears to be even larger if the tests are conducted in the

A) summer.
B) winter.
C) early morning.
D) afternoon or evening.

Question 33

When people go without sleep for more than 24 hours in a row, how does their experience of sleepiness vary over time?

A) It increases for a while and then becomes constant.
B) It increases during the night but decreases the next morning.
C) It continues to increase steadily throughout the period when the person does not sleep.
D) It increases and decreases on an irregular cycle that averages about 120 minutes.

Question 34

Which of the following is most likely to cause a person to have difficulty falling asleep (at least temporarily)?

A) staying in a cave-like environment with no cues to time of day
B) traveling across several time zones to the west (where the person goes to bed later)
C) traveling across several time zones to the east (where the person goes to bed earlier)
D) changing from standard time to daylight savings time

Question 35

Someone who stays awake 24 hours a day for several days will probably feel

A) sleepier during the day than during the night.
B) sleepier and sleepier as time goes by, with no period of increasing alertness.
C) sleepier in the night than during the following morning.
D) about equally sleepy at all times.

Question 36

When people go without sleep for several days in a row, how does their sleepiness change?

A) They feel sleepier and sleepier as their deprivation continues.
B) After one or two days they reach a constant level of sleepiness, with no further change noticeable.
C) For about the first two days they get sleepier, and then they gradually start feeling better.
D) They feel sleepy at night, then less sleepy in the day, and then sleepier again the next night.

Question 37

Some people describe themselves as "morning people", while others describe themselves as "evening people". Which of the following statements is true regarding that distinction?

A) There really is no difference-"evening people" are just making up an excuse for being lazy and not getting up in the morning.
B) "Evening people" are at their intellectual and physical peak around 9-11 a.m.
C) "Evening people" have low body temperatures in the morning that gradually rise during the day.
D) Someone who is a "morning person" at age 20 will invariably be a "morning person" throughout life.

Question 38

A person labeled as a morning person is likely?

A) someone that generally goes to bed early and gets up early.
B) a person who needs additional sunlight similar to that received from the morning sun.
C) gets up early and suffers from insomnia.
D) someone who gets up late in the morning.

Question 39

What happens to body temperature and logical reasoning over the course of an experiment in which volunteers go without sleep for 3 days?

A) They both progressively decline at a steady rate over the three days and nights.
B) Both reach a low level after the first sleepless night and stay at that level until the person sleeps again.
C) They become lower over days, but they improve a bit each morning compared to the previous night.
D) They become lower for the first two days and then start to improve.

Question 40

After staying awake late many nights, Gloria has become accustomed to going to sleep late and awakening late. Now she tries to shift to going to bed earlier and waking up earlier. This shift is similar to the difficulties people face when they travel

A) north.
B) south.
C) east.
D) west.

Question 41

A melatonin pill would be most helpful if you want to

A) go to sleep several hours later than usual.
B) go to sleep several hours earlier than usual.
C) recall a memory under hypnosis.
D) counteract the effects of opiate drugs.

Question 42

During sleep, mammals

A) increase muscle activity.
B) lower their body temperatures.
C) expend lots of energy.
D) are safe from danger.

Question 43

Which of the following is most likely to occur during sleep?

A) The brain engages in some restorative processes during sleep.
B) REM sleep is likely to happen just as we fall asleep.
C) Animals with few predators will spend less time sleeping so they can hunt.
D) People will only experience about two cycles of sleep in an eight-hour sleep period.

Question 44

Which of the following animals should sleep the LEAST? One that is

A) unlikely to be attacked by other animals.
B) sleeping in a familiar environment.
C) able to complete its eating in a short time.
D) likely to be attacked by other animals.

Question 45

Which of the following would be good advice to a company that was setting up three work shifts for its workers?

A) Reserve the most dangerous jobs for the night shift, since fewer industrial accidents occur at night.
B) Provide very bright lights during the night shift.
C) Rotate workers from the midnight shift to the evening shift to the day shift.
D) Rotate workers randomly between shifts.

Question 46

People who have gone without sleep for 10 days in a row

A) have lost all muscle coordination.
B) can still perform well-practiced skills for brief periods.
C) feel equally sleepy at all times of the day.
D) experience unpleasant aftereffects even weeks or months after returning to a normal schedule.

Question 47

The high-school student who stayed awake for several days

A) was near death by the time he slept.
B) slept for many days when he finally went to sleep.
C) never fully recover until he had several nights of normal sleep.
D) slept longer than usual when he did go to sleep, but was refreshed upon awakening.

Question 48

Circadian rhythms are partially controlled by the release of the hormone?

A) clocknin.
B) adrenaline.
C) circadine.
D) melatonin.

Question 49

Why might horses and sheep get so little sleep per night?

A) They are relatively primitive animals with small brains.
B) They have less physical activity per day than most other animals.
C) They are in danger of being attacked while they sleep.
D) They eat diets that include foods rich in calories.

Question 50

An evolutionary theory of sleep, supported by the sleeping habits of different animals, would propose that sleep evolved to complement

A) their natural ways of life, including eating, migrating, and staying out of danger.
B) recovery from the activity of the day.
C) their changing emotions.
D) feeding schedules in zoos.

Question 51

Suppose you suffer from insomnia because your body has shifted to a schedule of going to sleep late and waking up late, and you cannot readjust to your normal time. What is one effective way to overcome this problem?

A) Keep trying to go to sleep at the normal time until your body resets its sleep schedule.
B) Go to sleep two hours later each night until you get around the clock to the normal time.
C) Eat a heavy meal just before going to bed.
D) Try going to sleep three hours earlier than usual for a few nights, and then the normal time.

Question 52

In 1965 a high-school student, Randy Gardner, stayed awake 11 days for a science fair project. What effect did this experience have on him?

A) Gardner suffered from severe visual and auditory hallucinations during the final days of his project.
B) Once he was allowed to sleep, Gardner slept for 5 consecutive days and nights.
C) Gardner suffered permanent intellectual impairment.
D) Gardner suffered no serious psychological consequences.

Question 53

People who consistently work on the night shift (midnight to 8 a.m.) may or may not fully adjust their circadian rhythms to this schedule. Which of the following would be most likely to help people adjust their rhythms?

A) complete silence while sleeping during the day
B) social activity while at work at night
C) bright lights while at work at night
D) loud music while at work at night

Question 54

Which kinds of animals tend to sleep more than others?

A) predators
B) tropical animals
C) hoofed animals
D) rodents

Question 55

Some people customarily sleep only 1 to 3 hours per night. Some have gone 10 days or more without sleep, apparently without suffering any medical harm. Observations such as these are considered evidence against the theory that

A) the 24-hour cycles of sleep and wakefulness are generated within the body itself.
B) the main purpose of sleep is to enable the body to repair and restore itself.
C) sleep consists of four separate stages, plus REM sleep.
D) dreams are the result of the brain's attempt to synthesize all the information that activates it.

Question 56

The area of the brain known to generate the body's circadian rhythm is the

A) corpus callosum.
B) parietal lobe.
C) cerebellum.
D) suprachiasmatic nucleus.

Question 57

A worker at International Amalgamated, Inc., is currently working from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The company wants to shift her to a different work time. For the sake of her physical and mental health, which of the following would be best?

A) Move her to the 4 p.m. to midnight shift, then to midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
B) Move her to the midnight to 8 a.m. shift, then to the 4 p.m. to midnight shift.
C) Ask her to alternate between the 4 p.m. to midnight period one day and the midnight to 8 a.m. period the next day.
D) Ask her to work 24 hours in a row one day followed by two days of not working at all.

Question 58

Biological rhythms of wakefulness and sleepiness are controlled by?

A) receptors attached to the muscles.
B) the amount of light currently striking the receptors.
C) a small area in the brain.
D) the adrenal gland.

Question 59

The suprachiasmatic nucleus is a structure at the base of the brain known to be involved in

A) pain perception.
B) sexual motivation.
C) maintaining circadian rhythms.
D) susceptibility to hypnosis.

Question 60

Most employees who are asked to work at different 8-hour shifts on different days find it easier to adjust to the schedule when

A) they shift to a work schedule that starts 8 hours later.
B) they shift to a work schedule that starts 8 hours earlier.
C) the work times shift randomly from one day to the next.
D) they stay on each shift for only a week at a time before rotating to the next one.

Question 61

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of REM sleep?

A) The eyes move about.
B) The brain is more active than during other stages of sleep.
C) Heart rate and breathing rate are very low and steady.
D) The major postural muscles are relaxed.

Question 62

During REM sleep,

A) breathing rate and heart rate are low and stable.
B) the muscles are tense and active.
C) brain activity is at a minimum.
D) dreams are most likely to occur.

Question 63

Research examining sleep and memory suggests memories are enhanced if

A) the person learns the material prior to a period of REM
B) the material is read just before falling asleep.
C) the learning of the material is followed by a good night's sleep
D) the learning of the material is preceded by a good night's sleep

Question 64

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of REM sleep?

A) Dreams are likely to occur.
B) The major postural muscles are highly relaxed.
C) Heart rate, breathing rate, and temperature are steadier than during other stages of sleep.
D) The eyes move about.

Question 65

Whales and dolphins have evolved their sleep patterns so they

A) don't need to breathe at night.
B) only sleep in half of their brains at a given time.
C) sleep 20 hours per day during the first month of life.
D) shut down brain activity while sleeping to save energy when they don't sense danger.

Question 66

During REM sleep,

A) the brain generates its lowest rate of activity.
B) thinking is common but dreaming is rare.
C) breathing rate and heart rate are low and stable.
D) the major muscles are completely relaxed.

Question 67

Ordinarily, people do not walk or otherwise act out their dreams during REM sleep because REM sleep is associated with

A) relaxation of the major muscles.
B) decreased brain activity.
C) low and steady heart rate and breathing rate.
D) temporary loss of memory for motor skills.

Question 68

The brain is highly active but the large muscles are extremely relaxed during

A) stage 2 sleep.
B) stage 4 sleep.
C) REM sleep.
D) all stages of sleep, equally.

Question 69

During which stage of sleep are the major postural muscles most relaxed?

A) stage 2
B) stage 3
C) stage 4
D) REM sleep

Question 70

In nearly all cases of REM sleep,

A) heart rate is at its minimum.
B) breathing rate is at its minimum.
C) brain activity is at its minimum.
D) the postural muscles are completely relaxed.

Question 71

What is paradoxical about paradoxical sleep?

A) The person reports dreams, but there are no rapid eye movements.
B) The EEG pattern suggests a dream, but the person denies dreaming.
C) The brain is active, but the muscles are relaxed.
D) The brain is inactive, but the muscles are tense.

Question 72

During which stage(s) of sleep does dreaming occur?

A) only during REM sleep
B) mostly during REM sleep, but dreams that are typically less vivid also occur during non-REM sleep
C) mostly during non-REM sleep, but less vivid dreams also occur during REM sleep
D) only during non-REM sleep

Question 73

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of REM sleep?

A) Most of the body's muscles are tense and active.
B) The eyes move rapidly.
C) It begins about once every 90 minutes during the night.
D) Dreams are likely to occur.

Question 74

Which of the following is characteristic of REM sleep?

A) The EEG is dominated by long, slow waves.
B) The major postural muscles are highly relaxed.
C) Overall brain activity decreases, compared to other stages of sleep.
D) This type of sleep occurs mostly in the first two hours of sleep.

Question 75

If a person practices a difficult new motor task before going to sleep

A) the brain areas that were active during the learning of the task become active during sleep.
B) memory of that task will decline as time passes overnight.
C) the person will have less REM sleep that night.
D) the person will dream about that task.

Question 76

Which of the following animals sleeps almost 20 hours out of every 24?

A) sheep
B) bat
C) rabbit
D) human

Question 77

During REM sleep,

A) the brain is less active than at any other time.
B) heart rate and breathing rate are low and steady.
C) the muscles are tense and active.
D) dreaming is likely to occur.

Question 78

Why do cats sleep more than sheep?

A) Cats are more intelligent.
B) Cats are more active during the day.
C) Cats are in less danger while they sleep.
D) Cats are more closely related to human beings.

Question 79

What kind of dreams (if any) do people usually report if they are awakened during non-REM sleep?

A) dreams that are more bizarre, yet more like something that is "really happening" than REM dreams
B) dreams that are usually less vivid and less visual than REM dreams
C) dreams that repeat the content of their most recent REM dream
D) no dreams at all

Question 80

The terms "light sleep" and "deep sleep" are not very useful because

A) dreams occur during both REM and non-REM sleep.
B) brain activity increases in stages 1 and 3, and decreases in stages 2 and 4.
C) all stages of sleep are equally "deep."
D) paradoxical sleep is deep in some ways and light in others.