Question 1

_______________ drugs can cause convulsions, heart failure, and death when taken in large doses.

Accepted Answer

A)  Depressant 
B)  Stimulant 
C)  Opiate 
D)  Psychedelic

Question 2

According to the activation-synthesis theory of dreaming, the source of a dream is neuronal firing in the:

Accepted Answer

A)  reticular activating system. 
B)  cortex. 
C)  pons. 
D)  medulla.

Question 3

Judith is startled when her six-year-old daughter, Laura, sleepwalks into the family room. It is most likely that Laura is experiencing the _______________ stage of the sleep cycle.

Accepted Answer

A)  REM 
B)  first 
C)  third 
D)  fourth

Question 4

Periods of REM sleep alternate with periods of non-REM sleep in a cycle that recurs about every _______________ minutes.

Accepted Answer

A)  30 
B)  90 
C)  150 
D)  210

Question 5

Which of the following is a depressant?

Accepted Answer

A)  nicotine 
B)  barbiturates 
C)  heroin 
D)  mescaline

Question 6

Pax has just completed a research study where he wore a nicotine patch and then had his brain activity monitored while he engaged in a competitive task. Pax's results showed dramatic bursts of energy during these tasks. Which personality trait does Pax MOST likely score high on?

Accepted Answer

A)  irritability 
B)  cheerfulness 
C)  relaxation 
D)  optimism

Question 7

One of the weaknesses of the problem-focused theory of dreaming is that:

Accepted Answer

A)  there is no reliable way to determine latent meanings. 
B)  some theorists are skeptical about the ability to resolve ongoing concerns during sleep. 
C)  the theory doesn't explain non-REM dreams. 
D)  the theory says more about REM sleep than about dreaming.

Question 8

How do psychoactive drugs primarily work?

Accepted Answer

A)  They alter the body's basal metabolism rate. 
B)  They act on brain neurotransmitters. 
C)  They break down the blood-brain barrier. 
D)  They modulate endocrine function.

Question 9

Marc has been in jail for 13 months and has not used drugs during his incarceration although he was a heavy user for two years before he was arrested. A researcher conducted a battery of tests on Marc and found that his memory was far worse than average. What type of drug did Marc MOST likely abuse before he went to jail?

Accepted Answer

A)  methamphetamine 
B)  heroin 
C)  marijuana 
D)  MDMA

Question 10

According to the cognitive approach, our dreaming thoughts are more unfocused and diffuse than our waking thoughts because:

Accepted Answer

A)  the brain is less active during dreams. 
B)  we have no sensory input or feedback from our bodies during dreams. 
C)  dreams are not focused on a particular problem. 
D)  dreams have symbolic rather than actual meaning.

Question 11

Under normal conditions, the rhythms governed by the SCN are synchronized. But when people travel by air across several time zones, they tend to feel "out of sync." Explain what psychologists have discovered about "being out of sync."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Under normal conditions, the rhythms governed by...

Question 12

The psychoanalytic theory of dreaming states that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the purpose of dreaming is to express unconscious wishes, thoughts, and conflicts. 
B)  there is no purpose to dreaming; dreams occur because of random brain stem signals. 
C)  the purpose of dreaming is to resolve current concerns and problems that we are conscious of. 
D)  dreaming is a byproduct of a process of eliminating or strengthening neural connections.

Question 13

The dissociation theory of hypnosis was proposed by:

Accepted Answer

A)  Ernest Hilgard. 
B)  Nathaniel Kleitman. 
C)  Allan Hobson. 
D)  Rosalind Cartwright.

Question 14

Ernest Hilgard argued that hypnosis involves:

Accepted Answer

A)  dissociation. 
B)  a loss of memory. 
C)  failure to monitor behaviour. 
D)  role playing.

Question 15

Psychoactive drugs produce their effects primarily by acting on brain neurotransmitters. Explain this process, using cocaine's effect on the brain as your example.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Psychoactive drugs produce their effects primarily by...

Question 16

The reason that REM sleep occurs is:

Accepted Answer

A)  to allow the mind to solve the day's problems during sleep. 
B)  to allow memories to form. 
C)  to release tensions from the previous day. 
D)  unknown.

Question 17

Kyle and Yoko spent the same amount of time studying for a big exam. Kyle slept between studying and taking the exam, whereas Yoko did not. All other things being equal, which of the following is most likely to be true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Kyle has an advantage, because sleeping after learning is believed to strengthen the memories. 
B)  Yoko has an advantage, because sleeping after learning leads to an increased risk of forgetting. 
C)  Neither has an advantage, as long as they both got a decent night of sleep at some point. 
D)  Neither has an advantage, because sleep is only related to memory for motor and perceptual skills.

Question 18

Melanie thinks she has seasonal affective disorder. One finding that would be consistent with this conclusion would be if her doctor found:

Accepted Answer

A)  that she produced melatonin for longer at night in the winter than in the summer. 
B)  that she produced melatonin for less time at night in the summer than the winter. 
C)  that she did not produce any melatonin in the winter. 
D)  that she produced less serotonin in the summer.

Question 19

Ernie's muscles are not paralyzed when he is dreaming. As a result, he literally acts out his dreams, sometimes injuring himself in the process. Ernie appears to suffer from:

Accepted Answer

A)  severe sleepwalking. 
B)  sleep apnea. 
C)  narcolepsy. 
D)  REM behaviour disorder.

Question 20

How common is premenstrual syndrome, or "PMS"? What are the major findings from research on hormones and mood?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How common is premenstrual syndrome, or "PMS"?...

Exam 5: Body Rhythms and Mental States