Deck 1: Introduction

Question 1

Blindsight suggests that some parts of the brain may play a special role in

A) tactile sensation.
B) eye movements.
C) sleep-wake cycles.
D) reproductive behavior.
E) consciousness.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

A person whose corpus callosum has been sectioned would most likely show which of the following?

A) increased frequency of epileptic seizures
B) coordinated control of his right and left hands
C) reading an interesting book held in his right hand
D) making obscene gestures with his left hand
E) improved neural communication between the left and right hemispheres

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Surgical sectioning of the corpus callosum is intended to

A) reduce swelling of the brain in hydroencephalus patients.
B) minimize long-term memories of traumatic events.
C) promote the development of the memory systems
D) reduce the severity of epileptic seizures.
E) reduce the amount of drugs required to control epilepsy.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A scientist who holds a monistic philosophy would be comfortable with which of the following statements?

A) The universe is a mental construction.
B) The left hemisphere of the brain is the location of the mind.
C) The mind is not composed of matter.
D) Everything is made of matter and energy.
E) The body is physical whereas the mind is spiritual.

Question 5

The notion that animal movement can be explained by spirits is termed

A) anarchy.
B) dualism.
C) animism.
D) theological evolution.
E) symbolic representation.

Question 6

Transection of the ________ may be useful for reducing the symptoms of ________.

A) corpus callosum; epilepsy
B) visual cortex; blindsight
C) stria terminalis; amnesia
D) left parietal cortex; unilateral neglect
E) corpus callosum; anxiety

Question 7

Which of the following statements is consistent with the monistic view of the mind-body question?

A) Mind and body are separate.
B) The body can influence the mind through the actions of the pineal gland.
C) The mind is spiritual, while the body is made from matter.
D) The mind can exist apart from the body.
E) The mind is generated through the physical actions of the brain.

Question 8

________ is the belief that movement of natural phenomena such as winds and tides are caused by spirits.

A) Animism
B) Dualism
C) Monism
D) Spiritualism
E) Interactionism

Question 9

The phenomenon of "blindsight" suggests that

A) only one visual system exists in the human brain.
B) our behavior can be guided by unconscious stimuli.
C) dualism is the correct solution to the mind-body problem.
D) brain damage can alter somatic awareness.
E) the presence of one visual system in primate brain.

Question 10

Natalie J.'s grandfather became blind after a stroke. His ability to touch the end of a cane held by his doctor

A) was made possible because his color visual system was intact.
B) was possible because his corpus callosum was intact.
C) was made possible because his primitive visual system was intact.
D) was due to chance.
E) occurred because the stroke did not involve the right hemisphere.

Question 11

An important function of the corpus callosum is to

A) channel sensory information to the thalamic relay centers.
B) control the movement of the hands and feet.
C) interconnect the cerebral hemispheres.
D) modulate the release of neurohormones from the pituitary.
E) dampen neural firing in the cortex.

Question 12

Which of the following is true of blindsight?

A) The primitive visual system is key for consciousness.
B) Reaching is only guided by the conscious visual system.
C) People are acutely aware of their blind spots.
D) Humans appear to have dual visual systems.
E) The right hemisphere is important for language function.

Question 13

Which of the following is consistent with the proposition that consciousness is a physiological function?

A) Consumption of food changes our ability to communicate.
B) Damage to the brain can alter our self-awareness.
C) Inhalation of oxygen renders us unaware of the environment.
D) Our awareness levels change when we meditate.
E) Increased mental effort results in reduced demand for oxygen by the brain.

Question 14

The text author suggests that a key aspect of human self-awareness is related to

A) our ability to communicate with others using language.
B) our ability to sleep at night.
C) our ability to use tools.
D) our ability to sense color.
E) the fact that humans have a sense of humor.

Question 15

The mind-body question

A) asks about the nature of the mind and the body.
B) was originally posed by neuroscientists.
C) has been solved.
D) usually involves choosing a dualistic view.
E) is no longer relevant to behavioral neuroscience.

Question 16

The excessive overactivity of nerve cells in the brain is known as

A) hemorrhagic stroke.
B) hydrocephalus.
C) hematoma.
D) epilepsy.
E) myasthenia gravis.

Question 17

Epilepsy can be controlled by

A) damaging portions of the parietal cortex.
B) damaging portions of the pineal gland.
C) drugs that stimulate the firing of neurons.
D) electrical stimulation of certain brain regions.
E) cutting the corpus callosum.

Question 18

________ is the belief that the mind and body are separate entities.

A) Contralateral neglect
B) Monism
C) Blindsight
D) Dualism
E) Animism

Question 19

The key deficit suffered by Miss S. in the chapter vignette was ________ brought on by a stroke involving her ________.

A) partial blindness; optic nerve
B) unilateral neglect; right hemisphere
C) bilateral neglect; cerebellum
D) unilateral neglect; left hemisphere
E) blindness; parietal cortex

Question 20

Which of the following would be an example of unilateral neglect?

A) a person who cannot sense stimuli on the left side of their body
B) a man who only shaves the left side of his face
C) a person who cannot sense stimuli on the right side of their body
D) a man who ignores the food on the right of his lunch plate
E) a woman who only applies makeup to the right side of her face

Question 21

Which of the following statements is correct?

A) Reduction uses complicated processes to explain simple ones.
B) The goal of religion is to predict a phenomenon under study.
C) Generalization and reduction are important tools in science.
D) Scientists only use reductionistic explanations.
E) Most scientific studies use on-human experimental subjects.

Question 22

A person suffering from unilateral neglect would be unable to

A) attend to the right half of a stimulus.
B) state whether the right half of a stimulus is the same as the left middle of the stimulus.
C) accurately label the hours on a clock drawing.
D) recognize both hands as their own.
E) describe parts of a well-known landmark.

Question 23

A key function of the right hemisphere relates to the

A) motor control of the left side of the body.
B) processing of olfactory signals from the left nostril.
C) processing of tactile signals from the right side of the body.
D) motor control of the right side of the body.
E) capacity to control feeding, fighting, fleeing, and mating.

Question 24

Imagine that your corpus callosum has been sectioned to minimize your epileptic seizures. Suppose that your left nostril is plugged with cotton and that a fresh rose has been placed near your right nostril. Under these conditions, the rose would

A) generate a sensory message in your left hemisphere.
B) generate a sensory message in both hemispheres.
C) lead you to report the smell of a flower.
D) not generate a verbal report of this experience.
E) be identified as a flower.

Question 25

________ represent explanations used by all scientists.

A) Generalizations
B) Falsifications
C) Hallucinations
D) Syllogisms
E) Rationalizations

Question 26

Unilateral neglect involves

A) the inability to notice objects placed to the right side of a person.
B) damage to the left hemisphere of the brain.
C) the inability to notice objects placed to the left side of a person.
D) damage to the amygdala and hippocampus.
E) impaired speech production.

Question 27

The "rubber hand" illusion occurs only when sensory stimulation of a person's hand leads to

A) inhibition of the corpus callosum.
B) activation of the premotor cortex.
C) activation of the parietal lobe.
D) inhibition of the primary motor cortex.
E) inhibition of the premotor cortex.

Question 28

Which sensory system below transmits information from the left side of the body to the left hemisphere?

A) olfaction
B) vision
C) touch
D) pain
E) audition

Question 29

Imagine that your corpus callosum has been sectioned to minimize your epileptic seizures. Suppose that your left nostril is plugged with cotton and that a fresh rose has been placed near your right nostril. Under these conditions, you would be most likely to

A) experience a sensory message in your left hemisphere.
B) use your right hand to choose a hidden plastic flower.
C) report that you smell a flower.
D) use your left hand to select a hidden plastic flower.
E) use your right hand to select a pine tree.

Question 30

A scientific explanation of a complex phenomenon that is cast in terms of a simpler one involves the process of

A) rationalization.
B) falsification.
C) generalization.
D) deduction.
E) reduction.

Question 31

Ancient Greek culture before Hippocrates considered the ________ to be the seat of thought and emotion.

A) gut
B) heart
C) brain
D) pineal gland
E) stomach

Question 32

The philosopher ________ attributed thought and emotion to the brain, whereas ________ considered the function of the brain as important for cooling the heart.

A) Aristotle; Hippocrates
B) Galen; Aristotle
C) Hippocrates; Aristotle
D) Plato; Galen
E) Hippocrates; Plato

Question 33

The author of the first psychology text was ________ and the text was entitled ________.

A) Rene Descartes; A Primer of Psychology
B) Sigmund Freud; Dream Interpretation After Cocaine Ingestion
C) Neil Carlson; Foundations of Physiological Psychology
D) Luigi Galvani; Frog Legs and Psychologic Function
E) Wilhelm Wundt; Principles of Physiological Psychology

Question 34

Which of the following is true of the cerebral hemispheres?

A) The left hemisphere is 40% larger than the right hemisphere.
B) The cerebral hemispheres act in isolation in the normal brain.
C) The cerebral hemispheres consist of two symmetrical parts.
D) The corpus callosum interconnects structures within one hemisphere but not between hemispheres.
E) Language is a function of the right hemisphere.

Question 35

A person who sustains damage within her right parietal cortex would be expected to

A) show impaired perception of tactile stimuli on the left side of the body.
B) experience altered emotional expression.
C) be better at planning motor actions involving her hands.
D) experience unilateral neglect.
E) experience impaired speech production.

Question 36

Imagine that you now experience such an overly strong fear of dogs that you refuse to leave your house for fear of encountering a dog. A learning theorist would suggest that the roots of your fear can be attributed to past classical conditioning, in which you associated the sight and sound of a dog with some aversive experience. This type of explanation would involve the process of

A) rationalization.
B) pseudoscience.
C) reductionism.
D) generalization.
E) dualism.

Question 37

In most persons, a key function of the left hemisphere

A) is to control the left side of the body.
B) is the control of language.
C) relates to spatial perception.
D) is to integrate the tactile information from the left side of the body.
E) is to receive olfactory information from the right nostril.

Question 38

You notice that your roommate has difficulty sleeping after consuming heavily caffeinated drinks. You know from your courses that caffeine can stimulate brain neurons that produce arousal (and that such arousal disturbs sleep function). If you suggest to your roommate that his/her insomnia reflects the action of caffeine on brain function, your explanation would involve the process of

A) reduction.
B) superordinate causality.
C) generalization.
D) induction.
E) falsification.

Question 39

Your textbook author asserts that the primary function of the brain is to

A) allow us to appreciate art and music.
B) allow for the experience of emotions.
C) control movement.
D) create memories of our experiences.
E) interpret our sensory experiences.

Question 40

The urge to move your arm in response to a threatening stimulus depends on activation of the

A) parietal cortex.
B) corpus callosum.
C) supplemental motor area.
D) posterior cingulated cortex.
E) the primary visual cortex

Question 41

Paul Broca performed an autopsy of the brain of a patient who had been unable to speak after suffering a stroke. Broca concluded that

A) the control of speech is a function of the left hemisphere.
B) the pineal body controls speech production.
C) damage to the right hemisphere impairs speech.
D) muscle atrophy after a stroke is the result of a fluid pressure drop in the ventricles.
E) the corpus callosum is critical for speech production.

Question 42

Which of the following comments on brain function would be most likely to be made by Aristotle?

A) The mind acts through the pineal body to control the body.
B) The brain serves to cool the passions of the heart.
C) The brain is the seat of emotion, but not thought.
D) The brain routes sensory information to the heart
E) Injury to the brain alters emotion and thought.

Question 43

________ was a physiologist who proposed the doctrine of specific nerve energies.

A) Johannes Müller
B) Paul Broca
C) Rene Descartes
D) Ivan Pavlov
E) Wilhelm Wundt

Question 44

A reflex is considered to be a(n) ________ movement elicited by a(n) ________ .

A) involuntary; external stimulus
B) voluntary; internal stimulus
C) conscious; external stimulus
D) unconscious; internal stimulus
E) mental; psychological stimulus

Question 45

René Descartes would be considered to hold a ________ view of the mind-body problem.

A) monist
B) reductionist
C) pluralist
D) dualist
E) animist

Question 46

In a simple experiment, Galvani disproved the hydraulic nerve-muscle model proposed by Descartes. Galvani removed a nerve and its attached muscle fibers from a frog and showed that ________ of the nerve caused ________ of the muscle.

A) electrical stimulation; relaxation
B) electrical stimulation; contraction
C) chemical stimulation; contraction
D) pressurization; relaxation
E) chemical stimulation; relaxation

Question 47

Johannes Müller proposed

A) an important role for natural selection in the evolution of behavior.
B) that language is a function of the right hemisphere.
C) that the brain is divided into different functional areas with each receiving signals from a different set of nerves.
D) that the pineal body allows the brain to control the mind.
E) that the heart is the seat of thought and emotion.

Question 48

Which of the following is consistent with the doctrine of specific nerve energies?

A) Electrical stimulation of a sensory nerve can evoke a specific sensation.
B) All nerves carry dissimilar electrical messages.
C) Exerting pressure on the eyeball can evoke the sensation of sound.
D) Nerves can be activated by psychological stimuli.
E) The height of the action potential depends on which sensory system has been activated.

Question 49

According to Descartes, the ________ was the point of interaction in the brain where the mind controlled the physical body.

A) hypothalamus
B) corpus callosum
C) amygdala
D) hippocampus
E) pineal body

Question 50

The technique of experimental ablation involves

A) comparing the relative size of brains across different species.
B) measurements of conduction velocity rates in damaged and intact nerves.
C) chronic chemical stimulation of the brain.
D) low-level electrical stimulation of the brain.
E) assessment of behavioral changes after the intentional damage to a portion of the brain.

Question 51

________ is a simple system that works on known principles that can be used to explain a complex system.

A) model
B) assumption
C) hypothesis
D) prototype
E) syllogism

Question 52

Descartes argued that

A) the heart is the organ that controls emotions.
B) the muscles are activated by electrical nerve signals.
C) unlike animals, human bodies do not show reflexes.
D) nerves produce bodily movements by inflating muscles with fluid.
E) the mind is not linked to the brain.

Question 53

Which scientist was among the first to advocate the use of experimental techniques in the study of physiology?

A) John Watson
B) Rene Descartes
C) Aristotle
D) Johannes Müller
E) Charles Darwin

Question 54

The doctrine of specific nerve energies was proposed by

A) Rene Descartes
B) Sigmund Freud
C) Pierre Flourens
D) Johannes Müller
E) Paul Broca

Question 55

Galvani's experiment involving a frog leg proved that

A) the heart is the organ that controls emotions.
B) the muscles are activated by electrical nerve signals.
C) unlike animals, human bodies do not possess reflexes.
D) a reflex is a process controlled by the mind.
E) the pinal gland pushes fluid through nerves into the muscles.

Question 56

Which of the following statements is consistent with Descartes's explanation of the mind-body question?

A) The brain contains air-filled chambers.
B) Nerves are filled with air and are under minimal pressure.
C) Muscle activation requires no input from the brain.
D) Electrical stimulation of a nerve evokes contraction of a detached muscle.
E) The pineal body controls the body muscles.

Question 57

René Descartes asserted that

A) humans cannot understand the nature of the real world.
B) the heart is the seat of thought and emotion.
C) the brain acts to cool the passions of the heart.
D) animals are mechanical creatures controlled by environmental stimuli.
E) the mind is an emergent property of the brain.

Question 58

Descartes's view of the mind-body was unique in that he argued that

A) the heart is the organ that controls emotions.
B) the muscles are activated by electrical nerve signals.
C) unlike animals, human bodies do not show reflexes.
D) a reflex is a process controlled by the mind.
E) the mind controls the movements of the body.

Question 59

Pierre Flourens is known

A) for his use of the experimental ablation technique to examine brain function.
B) as the father of modern philosophy.
C) for proposing the theory of evolution.
D) for his study of language abilities in stroke victims.
E) as a dualist philosopher.

Question 60

________ is considered the father of modern philosophy.

A) Sigmund Freud
B) Hippocrates
C) Aristotle
D) René Descartes
E) Wilhelm Wundt

Question 61

Which of the following is true of reptiles?

A) Reptiles lay their eggs in water.
B) Reptiles lack vertebrae.
C) Reptiles must inhabit environments close to the sea.
D) Reptiles bury their eggs to protect them from predators.
E) Frogs are an early example of a reptile.

Question 62

Which of the following was the key characteristic of early humans that allowed them to effectively out-compete other species?

A) Color vision allowed for the detection of ripe fruit and game.
B) Mastery of fire allowed for provision of warmth in shelters.
C) Agile hands allowed for the creation and use of tools.
D) Mastery of fire allowed food to be cooked.
E) A larger brain allowed for more complicated behavior.

Question 63

Most scientists believe that the ________ allowed certain mammals to survive the mass extinction produced by dust clouds some 65 million years ago.

A) ability to see well during the day
B) capacity to maintain their body temperature
C) ability to eat plants as well as meat
D) capacity to breed during the night
E) ability of their tear ducts to clear dust from their eyes

Question 64

In his studies of nerve conduction velocity, Hermann von Helmholtz noted that

A) electrical signal speeds differ from nerve to nerve.
B) nerve conduction velocity is at the speed of light.
C) nerves conduct signals faster than do electrical wires.
D) the velocity of nerve conduction is slower in nerves than in wires.
E) different sensory systems use different conduction speeds.

Question 65

Which is the correct match between scientist and idea?

A) Paul Broca; doctrine of specific nerve energies
B) Pierre Flourens; use of ablation to study brain-behavior relations c, Fritsch and Hitzig; language is localized within the left hemisphere
D) Rene Descartes; doctrine of specific nerve energies
E) Sigmund Freud; use of ablation to study brain-behavior relations

Question 66

Hermann von Helmholtz estimated that nerve conduction velocity is about

A) 9 feet/second.
B) 90 feet/second.
C) 900 feet/second.
D) 9000 feet/second.
E) 90,000 feet/second.

Question 67

The process of evolution

A) does not involve genetic mutations.
B) can occur in the absence of natural selection.
C) rests on the doctrine of specific nerve energies.
D) refers to a gradual change in the structure and function of a species.
E) was proven correct by experimental ablation experiments.

Question 68

Which of the following is consistent with Blest's study of the impact of background pattern on consumption of worms by birds?

A) Background pattern made no difference in this study.
B) Birds avoided backgrounds that resembled the bark of a tree.
C) Worms were most likely to be eaten when placed on a background that contained an eyespot pattern.
D) Birds rapidly approached backgrounds that contained eyespot patterns.
E) Backgrounds that contained eyespot patterns were avoided by the birds.

Question 69

Charles Darwin proposed the principle of

A) specific nerve energy.
B) primary motor cortex.
C) experimental ablation.
D) natural selection.
E) functionalism.

Question 70

Genetic mutations

A) have mostly beneficial effects.
B) usually increase the survivability of offspring.
C) rarely result in problems for the offspring.
D) are usually deleterious.
E) always confer selective advantages to the offspring.

Question 71

The key benefit of genetic diversity for a species is that

A) diversity allows the species to adapt to different environments.
B) mutations are kept to a minimum.
C) diversity promotes neural development.
D) diversity reduces reproductive success.
E) harmful mutations are increased in the species.

Question 72

The belief that the natural characteristics of an organism exert useful effects is termed

A) reductionism.
B) positivism.
C) functionalism.
D) consolidation.
E) adaptation.

Question 73

________ is thought to be an advantage associated with the development of color vision in primates.

A) The ability to breed at night
B) The ability to move in the forest at night
C) The capacity to discriminate ripe from unripe fruit
D) The capacity to communicate using symbols
E) Rapid nerve conduction

Question 74

In 1870, Fritsch and Hitzig reported that electrical stimulation of the ________ in dogs resulted in muscle contractions of ________.

A) pineal gland; the facial muscles
B) parietal cortex; the opposite side of the body
C) corpus callosum; both hind legs.
D) primary motor cortex; the opposite side of the body
E) globus pallidus; the same side of the body

Question 75

Mutations involve

A) adverse neural development caused by drug ingestion in adulthood.
B) accidental changes in the genetic information of the chromosomes.
C) poor adaptation to the environment.
D) improved reproductive success.
E) only beneficial changes in the characteristics of an organism.

Question 76

The earliest mammals

A) were active during the day.
B) were large organisms.
C) dined on insects.
D) had a poor sense of hearing.
E) has superb visual systems.

Question 77

The physiological mechanisms of an organism that give rise to certain behaviors

A) can be said to have purpose.
B) can be understood in terms of whether the behaviors produce useful functions.
C) are thought to be different from species to species.
D) are not subject to evolutionary principles.
E) are present at birth and do not require environmental stimulation for complete expression.

Question 78

Hermann von Helmholtz is known for

A) his contributions to the study of philosophy.
B) his contributions to the study of learning and memory.
C) his invention of the electroencephalograph. .
D) measuring the speed of light.
E) his measurements of nerve cell conduction velocity.

Question 79

The principle of natural selection proposes that certain characteristics that ________ will become more prevalent in a species.

A) are associated with multiple genetic mutations
B) inhibit reproductive behaviors
C) increase reproductive success
D) impair adaption to the local environment
E) reduce reproductive success

Question 80

Traits that can be altered via genetic mutations

A) are beneficial.
B) are unobservable.
C) are physical.
D) exert direct actions on behavior.
E) mostly involve psychological function.