Deck 3: The Biology of Behavior

Question 1

On a hot summer day, five children decide to fill up Brock's kiddie pool. Yesterday, Brock's father ran over the hose with the lawnmower, so the hose is not working. The children decide to create a bucket line from the faucet to the pool. The first child passes the full bucket to the second child, the second to the third, and so on until the last child empties the bucket into the pool. If we imagine that EACH child is a neuron, the gap between one child and the next is like a

A) vesicle.
B) soma.
C) synapse.
D) node of Ranvier.

Answer 1

synapse.

Question 2

Derek has been asked to hand-deliver a message to Adeline. Adeline lives across the river from Derek, and there is no bridge; therefore, Derek must take a boat across the channel. When he reaches the shore, he ties the boat to the dock so he can take the message to Adeline. If we compare Derek's actions to those that occur in neurons, we can say that the dock, where Derrek binds his boat, is like a

A) vesicle.
B) neurotransmitter.
C) synapse.
D) receptor site.

Answer 2

receptor site.

Question 3

Derek has been asked to hand-deliver a message to Adeline. Adeline lives across the river from Derek, and there is no bridge. Derek's friends Hakeem, Geoff, and Rion have also been asked to carry messages across the river. The four friends agree that they will share a boat across the channel so they can deliver their messages. If we compare this scenario to neuron communication, we can say that the boat, which carries the messengers, is like a

A) synaptic vesicle.
B) neurotransmitter.
C) synapse.
D) receptor site.

Answer 3

synaptic vesicle.

Question 4

Rita has always wanted to learn to play the piano. At 40, she decides to take piano lessons. She picks the skill up quickly, partly, her teacher says, because she's so eager to learn. As she learns, the neurons in Rita's brain are changing to store the new information and habits; this is referred to as

A) homeostasis
B) evolution
C) neuroplasticity
D) lateralization

Question 5

Ashley plays in an orchestra. The neurons responsible for carrying messages to move her hands to play her cello are ________________ neurons.

A) motor
B) sensory
C) excitatory
D) inter

Question 6

Marie's husband loves to grab her arm just as the TV show they are watching gets intense. She generally screams, and jumps backward, clutches her chest, because her heart is pounding. Maarie's ________________ nervous system is responsible for her reaction.

A) sympathetic
B) automatic
C) parasympathetic
D) somatic

Question 7

Harry is going to Mei's house to feed Mei's cat while she is gone. Mei left Harry her key ring, but when Harry reaches the front door, he realizes he doesn't know which key fits the lock. He tries several before finding the right one. If we compare the key and the lock to the behaviour of communicating neurons, we can say that the key is like a __________________ and the lock is like a ______________________.

A) vesicle; synaptic space
B) neurotransmitter; receptor site
C) presynaptic neuron; vesicle
D) neurotransmitter; node of Ranvier

Question 8

Though neurons are the building blocks of our nervous systems, they can't do everything alone. ______________ cells guide neurons into place during prenatal development, hold them still after the nervous system has developed, and keep the neurons safe from toxins.

A) axon
B) ion
C) myelin
D) glial

Question 9

Daria has decided to get the cosmetic injection of Botox to smooth wrinkles between her eyebrows. Before she goes to visit her doctor, she researches Botox on the internet and learns that it's a mild form of the botulism toxin, which paralyzes facial muscles by blocking the action of

A) serotonin.
B) acetylcholine.
C) dopamine.
D) norepinephrine.

Question 10

One of the reasons it's important never to move someone who's been in a car accident unless absolutely necessary is that broken bones in the neck could damage the spinal cord or the ____________, which is the part of the brain responsible for breathing and heartbeat.

A) cerebellum
B) pons
C) hypothalamus
D) medulla

Question 11

Ashley plays cello in an orchestra. The neurons responsible for her ability to hear the music are ________________ neurons.

A) motor
B) sensory
C) excitatory
D) inter-

Question 12

After a neuron has sent a nerve pulse, it has to rest for a few milliseconds, a timeframe referred to as

A) an action potential.
B) an absolute refractory period.
C) a graded potential.
D) an anion.

Question 13

Derek has been asked to hand-deliver a message to Adeline. Adeline lives across the river from Derek, and there is no bridge. Therefore, Derek must take a boat across the channel to deliver the message. If we compare Derek's actions to those that occur in neurons, we can say that Derek, the person who carries the message across the channel, is like a

A) vesicle.
B) neurotransmitter.
C) synapse.
D) receptor site.

Question 14

Professor Kendell is explaining how neurons work. He uses the metaphor of an electrical cord to explain neuron structure. Like the wires inside the electrical cord, he says, the ___________ carries the neuron's electrical message; like the rubber protecting the cord's wires, the neuron's _____________ ensures that the signal goes where it's supposed to.

A) axon; myelin sheath
B) neurotransmitter; soma
C) dendrite; axon terminal
D) node of Ranvier; myelin sheath

Question 15

On a hot summer day, five children decide to fill up Brock's kiddie pool. Yesterday, Brock's father ran over the hose with the lawnmower, so the hose is not working. The children decide to create a bucket line from the faucet to the pool. The first child passes the full bucket to the second child, the second to the third, and so on until the last child empties the bucket into the pool and tosses the bucket back to the first child. If we compare the children's bucket line to a SINGLE neuron, we can say that the water, which is passed from child to child until it reaches the pool, is like the __________________, or nerve impulse, which is passed through the axon.

A) ionic pulse
B) resting potential
C) action potential
D) anion

Question 16

Beyond the use of medicines, individuals may be able to exert direct control over their epigenome simply by modifying their exposure to certain chemicals. For example, bisphenolA (BPA), a compound used to make certain plastics, was shown to decrease the methylation of a specific gene in mice. As a result

A) many people now purchase BPA free water bottles.
B) researchers realized that BPA changes the DNA sequence.
C) researchers realized that individuals have no control over how their genome works.
D) many people now buy BPA containers.

Question 17

When we're asked to read a passage of text out loud, many parts of the brain are required to recognize the letters, give them meaning, and translate them into speech. Even if each of these parts of the brain is intact, damage to parts of the brain that connect them, collectively referred to as ___________________, can make the process difficult or impossible.

A) the association cortex
B) the prefrontal cortex
C) Broca's area
D) Wernicke's area

Question 18

When the tamping iron went through Phineas Gage's head, it damaged the part of his brain responsible for self control, planning, judgment, and inhibition of behaviours. This part of the brain is called

A) the hypothalamus.
B) the association cortex.
C) the frontal lobe.
D) Wernicke's area.

Question 19

When neurotransmitters plug into the appropriate neuron receptors, sodium ions very briefly flood through potassium channels like water through dam floodgates. This changes the neuron's electrical balance and is called

A) an action potential.
B) an absolute refractory period.
C) a graded potential.
D) an anion.

Question 20

The hippocampus produces new neurons all the time, a process that is called _______________. This process is believed to be important to learning and memory.

A) homeostasis
B) aphasia
C) neurogenesis
D) lateralization

Question 21

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible to the "fight or flight" stress response. This means that the sympathetic nervous system

A) activates bodily systems in times of emergency.
B) returns the body to a less active, restful state after the stress response.
C) only transmits sensory information to the brain and spinal cord.
D) only transmits from the brain and spinal cord to the skeletal muscles.

Question 22

Selma and Nissa were both adopted. Their ages are one year apart. Their parents worked hard to treat them both the same. However, now that they are in college, they seem very different. Selma volunteers at the local hospital, plays several team sports, and plans to become a pediatrician. Nissa enjoys painting in her studio, taking historical tours, and practicing yoga. She hopes to become an art restoration specialist. Which area of psychology would best explain the differences between Selma and Nissa?

A) Evolutionary
B) Psychodynamic
C) Cognitive behaviourism
D) Behavioural genetics

Question 23

Research on the brains of people with schizophrenia suggests problems with the structure that organizes sensory information and routes it to appropriate parts of the brain; that is, the ________________. This malfunctioning structure may therefore be responsible for schizophrenic hallucinations and other disturbing sensory experiences.

A) cerebellum
B) reticular formation
C) hippocampus
D) thalamus

Question 24

Liam's father has blue eyes, but Liam himself has brown eyes, like his mother. As an adult, Liam marries a woman with blue eyes, and now they are expecting their first baby. Is it possible for the child to be born with blue eyes?

A) Yes. Liam may carry the recessive gene for blue eyes.
B) Yes. When one parent has blue eyes and the other has brown, the child always has a 50 percent chance of getting the blue eyes.
C) No. As long as one parent has brown eyes the child will always have brown eyes.
D) No. Since Liam has brown eyes, he carries only genes for brown eyes.

Question 25

Some people have such severe epileptic seizures that the only way to stop them is to cut the connection between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This connection is called the

A) cerebellum.
B) medulla.
C) corpus callosum.
D) amygdala.

Question 26

Vallari has a busy life, but she finds that meditation helps quiet her mind and relax her body after a long or stressful day. The nervous system that slows down Vallari's body processes and gives her a feeling of tranquility is the _________________ nervous system.

A) central
B) sympathetic
C) parasympathetic
D) somatic

Question 27

Tahki and Waneta are identical twins, but they were separated at birth and raised in different countries. When they meet as adults, they talk about all the ways in which they are the same, but also the ways in which they are different. Compared to identical twins who have been raised together, Tahki and Waneta probably

A) have more characteristics in common than most twins, because they didn't have to prove to anyone that they are different.
B) are as similar as identical twins who were raised in the same household.
C) have fewer characteristics in common than most twins, because their environments were different while they were growing up.
D) have the same percentage of similarities as nonidentical siblings.

Question 28

When someone faces a situation that makes him feel both terrified and helpless, he may develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Later, things in the environment that are reminiscent of the trauma may trigger the same fear and aggression he experienced during the trauma. The part of the brain that is responsible for organizing and remembering emotional events is the

A) cerebellum.
B) amygdala.
C) pons.
D) hypothalamus.

Question 29

Patient X was in a car accident in which the top of his head was damaged. When he recovers from the most obvious injuries, he finds that he has paralysis in one hand. His physician explains that this is due to damage to X's frontal lobe, specifically the part that controls voluntary movement of his hand. This part of the brain is called

A) Wernicke's area.
B) Broca's area.
C) the motor cortex.
D) the somatic sensory cortex.

Question 30

Scientific advances have enabled genetic researchers to manipulate or alter genes. When this technique is perfected, it could be used to prevent the development of diseases like sickle-cell anemia by keeping abnormal genes from carrying out their preprogrammed function. This scientific intervention is called a ___________________ procedure.

A) twist
B) DNA
C) knockout
D) protein

Question 31

As humankind evolved physically and socially, the brain had to evolve to manage problems related to these changes. The size of the brain increased, with the most significant growth occurring in areas that manage such processes as problem solving, creativity, and language. We can therefore say that the human brain was ______________ new environmental challenges.

A) transmitting
B) adapting to
C) storing
D) operationalizing

Question 32

Albert Einstein's brain was smaller than average, but some parts had extremely dense neural networks. One theory suggests that the ability to establish new neural networks increases processing speed and efficiency and therefore intellectual skills. In other words, individual differences in _______________________ may be key.

A) brain size
B) neuroplasticity
C) the brain's production of serotonin
D) the occipital lobe's functioning

Question 33

Anton's grandfather had a stroke. When the family arrives at the hospital, Grandfather is unable to speak. The family gives him some paper and a pencil, but Grandfather is unable to write, either. A speech therapist explains that Grandfather probably knows what he wants to say, but the part of his brain that allows him to produce speech, _____________________, has been damaged by the stroke. She plans to work with Grandfather to help him learn to speak again.

A) Wernicke's area
B) Broca's area
C) the corpus callosum
D) the limbic system

Question 34

Jensen is learning to ride a bike without training wheels. At first, when the bike tips, and Jensen has to put his feet on the ground to keep himself from falling. Eventually, with his father's help, he learns how it feels to balance on the bike and how to coordinate all of his movements to keep the bike upright. The part of Jensen's brain that is responsible for coordinating muscular movements and remembering them later is the

A) pons.
B) cerebellum.
C) medulla.
D) reticular formation.

Question 35

If an infant and an adult sustain the exact same kind of brain damage, the infant will recover more quickly and completely than the adult. This is due to

A) hormonal secretions.
B) executive functions.
C) neuroplasticity.
D) the tenacity factor.

Question 36

In the 1930s, Antonio Egas Moniz developed a surgical treatment called a lobotomy to reduce the symptoms of mental illness in disturbed patients. A lobotomy involved damaging or destroying the parts of the brain that are responsible for self-awareness, planning, initiative, creativity, and responsibility. Sadly, the damage also made patients apathetic and unable to correct self-defeating actions. Based on this information, what was Moniz destroying?

A) The frontal lobes.
B) The motor cortex.
C) The somatic cortex.
D) The association cortex.

Question 37

A study was completed to determine whether early alterations in glutamate signaling, via daily injections of the glutamate agonist, domoic acid (DOM), during a critical period of CNS development, would result in temporal memory deficits (Robbins, et. al, 2013). Analyses revealed that DOM-treated females demonstrated temporal memory dysfunction, as evidenced in a significantly lower proportion of total exploratory behaviour directed toward the remote objects. This work demonstrated that glutamate is important in

A) depression.
B) muscle movement.
C) reward.
D) memory.

Question 38

Anton's grandfather had a stroke. When the family arrives at the hospital, Grandfather is unable to speak. The family gives him some paper and a pencil, but Grandfather is unable to write, either. A speech therapist explains that Grandfather probably knows what he wants to say, but the part of his brain that allows him to produce speech has been damaged by the stroke, causing a condition called _________________. She plans to work with Grandfather to help him learn to speak again.

A) agnosia
B) aphasia
C) apraxia
D) aphonia

Question 39

Malcolm and Tavis are identical twins. When they reach college, it becomes clear that Malcolm is most interested in physical fitness and competitive sports, whereas Tavis prefers working with computers and taking nature photographs. Which area of psychology would best explain the differences between Malcolm and Tavis?

A) Evolutionary
B) Psychodynamic
C) Cognitive behaviourism
D) Behavioural genetics

Question 40

Lenny was in an accident that damaged the part of his brain responsible for creating memories. Though Lenny can remember things from before the accident, he can't make new memories. If he meets someone, he won't remember her the next time he sees her, even if he has "met" her several times. The part of Lenny's brain that was damaged is the

A) hippocampus.
B) thalamus.
C) hypothalamus.
D) medulla.

Question 41

Some people can roll their tongues into tubes and some can't. Tongue-rolling ability and inability to tongue roll are two versions of the same gene. Each version is called

A) a genotype.
B) a phenotype.
C) a reaction range.
D) an allele.

Question 42

Siblings Alisa and Erika were born at the same time but are very different both in terms of looks and personality. We can therefore assume they are ___________ twins.

A) monozygotic (identical)
B) dizygotic (fraternal)
C) sizygotic (sororitas)
D) sibzygotic (sibling)

Question 43

Lydia's father has straight hair and her mother has curly hair. Lydia has a gene that dictates her own hair texture from her mother and an alternative form of the same gene from her father. Each of the pair of genes is called an

A) anomaly.
B) altar.
C) allele.
D) aenotype.

Question 44

The molecular structure that is responsible for influencing physical and psychological traits in one's offspring is called a

A) genotype.
B) phenotype.
C) gene.
D) phene.

Question 45

Researchers are interested in how heritable intelligence is. Aamina agrees to participate in a study in which her IQ is compared to both her adoptive and her biological parents' IQs. She is participating in a(n) ___________ study.

A) twin
B) correlational
C) heritability
D) adoption

Question 46

Some people can roll their tongues into tubes and some can't. If a child inherits a rolling allele from one parent and a nonrolling allele from the other, she will be able to roll her tongue. The tongue-rolling allele must therefore be

A) recessive.
B) dominant.
C) polygenetic.
D) adaptive.

Question 47

Haji and Seb are identical twins who went to different adoptive families as infants. When they meet for a study at age 35, researchers find that Haji's measured IQ is 116 and Seb's is 97. Since they share the same genes and intelligence is highly heritable, how is this possible? Choose the best answer.

A) The brothers were probably given IQ tests by researchers who scored the tests differently.
B) IQ is not a valid indicator of ability, so people with similar intelligence often score very differently.
C) The environment affected where on the inherited reaction range each brother's IQ developed.
D) IQ is not controlled by genes even though intelligence is highly heritable.