2/3

Question 1

The mother of a 16-year-old boy with juvenile arthritis was told by a friend of special magnetic bracelets and a magnetic mattress that had helped her husband’s arthritis. Her friend gave her a couple of pamphlets that described the unique pain-relieving and “healing” properties of the special magnetic bracelets and mattress. The pamphlets referred to “scientific studies conducted at a major university.” The literature also provided several personal testimonials from people who claimed to have benefited from wearing the magnetic bracelets and sleeping on the magnetic mattress. The mother spent more than $500 on the magnetic mattress and bracelets but her son’s arthritis symptoms did not improve. What was the mother’s mistake?

A. She confused statistical significance with practical significance.
B. She mistakenly accepted personal anecdotes and testimonials as scientific evidence.
C. She failed to realize that laboratory experiments usually do not generalize to real-world situations in everyday life.
D. She forgot that only a positive correlation can indicate a true cause-and-effect relationship.

Answer 1

B. She mistakenly accepted personal anecdotes and testimonials as scientific evidence.

Question 2

Psychologists’ open-minded attitude is tempered by a healthy sense of scientific_____. That is, psychologists critically evaluate the evidence for new findings, especially those that seem contrary to established knowledge.

intuition
dualism
skepticism
empiricism

Answer 2

skepticism

Question 3

Under the American Psychological Association’s ethical code for psychologists, psychological researchers:

A. must respect the dignity and welfare of the research participants.
B. must consult each participant’s family doctor.
C. are never allowed to deceive research participants.
D. can identify research participants by name, but only in professional journals.

Answer 3

B. must respect the dignity and welfare of the research participants.

Question 3

Which of the following best represents psychology’s basic goals?

investigate and treat mental illness
describe, explain, predict, and influence behavior
listen to, counsel, and console people with problems
apply the findings of animal research to abnormal behavior

Answer 3

describe, explain, predict, and influence behavior

Question 3

In collectivistic cultures, a person’s sense of identity is:
A. primarily determined by his or her outstanding accomplishments.
B. strongly influenced by the person’s interdependent relationships with others, such as the person’s family.
C. largely a matter of individual preferences and attitudes.
D. best characterized as independent, autonomous, and distinctive.

Answer 3

B. strongly influenced by the person’s interdependent relationships with others, such as the person’s family.

Question 4

Dr. Hazlett used statistics and determined that the result of her experiment was statistically significant. Dr. Hazlett then concluded that the:

A. results of the experiment were not likely to have occurred by chance.
B. results of the experiment have practical importance in everyday life.
C. hypothesis for the experiment was not supported.
D. correlation coefficient was zero.

Answer 4

A. results of the experiment were not likely to have occurred by chance.

Question 5

You are a subject in an experiment you are told: “Look at this apple very carefully and tell me your exact sensations and feelings as you experience them.” The experimenter in this study probably believes in what school of psychology?

psychoanalysis
functionalism
structuralism
behaviorism

Answer 5

structuralism

Question 5

A researcher sets out to test the following statement: “Adolescents are more likely to start smoking if one or both of their parents smoke.” This statement is an example of:

a theory.
an operational definition.
a hypothesis.
experimenter bias.

Answer 5

a hypothesis.

Question 5

Dr. Barongon is a psychotherapist who emphasizes the importance of choices and self-direction to his clients so that they can strive to reach their fullest potential. Dr. Barongon subscribes to the _____ perspective of psychology.

cross-cultural
psychodynamic
cognitive
humanistic

Answer 5

humanistic

Question 5

Dr. Kerrick has developed a training program for young children that will help the children learn to read at a quicker pace and with greater comprehension. What kind of psychologist is Dr. Kerrick?

educational
personality
industrial/organizational
clinical

Answer 5

educational

Question 6

Wilhelm Wundt investigated which of the following phenomena?

A. nature versus nurture issue and interactive dualism
B. fundamental psychological processes, such as mental reaction times in response to visual and auditory stimuli
C. mental disorders and abnormal behavior
D. damaged areas of the human brain

Answer 6

B. fundamental psychological processes, such as mental reaction times in response to visual and auditory stimuli

Question 6

Professor Hebb is studying whether learning is affected by different environments. He raises some rats in cages with many interesting objects to play on and explore. Other rats are raised in isolated, barren cages with none of the interesting objects. Later, Hebb carefully records how many attempts it takes each rat to learn to run a maze with no mistakes. What is the independent variable in this study?

A. how many attempts it takes each rat to learn to run a maze
B. being raised in an interesting or a barren environment
C. use of animals versus people
D. number of rats in the study

Answer 6

B. being raised in an interesting or a barren environment

Question 6

Which school of psychology would agree that “psychology should stress the study of how behavior and mental processes allow people and animals to adapt to their environments”?

structuralism
behaviorism
functionalism
psychoanalysis

Answer 6

functionalism

Question 6

Which of the following conditions would increase scientific confidence in a particular research finding?

A. The study was conducted by a well-known or famous psychologist.
B. The study was reported by CNN, MSNBC, and other news agencies.
C. Independent researchers repeated the study using different participants and the same basic finding occurred again.
D. Other researchers felt that the finding fit with their personal experience.

Answer 6

Independent researchers repeated the study using different participants and the same basic finding occurred again.

Question 6

When researchers create questions to investigate, generate evidence, and draw conclusions, they are guided by a set of assumptions, attitudes, and procedures that is (are) called:

the scientific method.
guesses and hunches.
ethical guidelines.
pseudoscientific assumptions.

Answer 6

the scientific method.

Question 7

Lynn has just received a research grant to study the effect of downsizing on morale at a large computer company. Lynn is most likely a(n) _____ psychologist.

cross-cultural
biological
industrial/organizational
personality

Answer 7

industrial/organizational\

Question 7

Which of the following fields had the greatest impact on the emergence of psychology as a separate scientific discipline?

history
mathematics
physics
physiology

Answer 7

physiology

Question 7

Howard recognizes that there is always a subjective side to any science. Therefore, he believes that it is important to actively minimize preconceptions and biases while evaluating evidence. Also, he always considers alternative explanations for research findings. Howard’s attitude reflects:

pseudoscientific thinking.
the confirmation bias.
collectivistic thinking.
critical thinking.

Answer 7

critical thinking.

Question 7

Dr. Thang has been trained in counseling psychology and works in a community clinic as well as in private practice. She is most likely to:

A. apply psychological principles and techniques to legal issues, such as the assessment and treatment of offenders, mental competency to stand trial, child custody, and eyewitness testimony.
B. study the nature of personality, including individual differences and the characteristics that make each individual unique.
C. help people of all ages adjust, adapt, and cope with personal and interpersonal problems in such diverse areas as relationships, work, education, marriage, and child-rearing.
D. Investigate psychological topics such as sensory and perceptual processes, learning, emotion, and motivation.

Answer 7

C. help people of all ages adjust, adapt, and cope with personal and interpersonal problems in such diverse areas as relationships, work, education, marriage, and child-rearing.

Question 7

In trying to make sense out of the unusual experimental results, Dr. Kling and Dr. Hunger carefully reviewed a video tape of the experimental assistant interacting with the research participants. “Look at that!” said Dr. Hunger as she pointed at the screen. “He’s smiling as he hands the fake vitamins to the participants in the placebo control group, but he didn’t smile when he handed the real vitamins to the participants in the experimental group.” “Well,” said Dr. Kling, shaking his head, “It looks like we’ll have to invalidate the experiment because the:

A. experimental assistant was displaying demand characteristics.”
B. requirement of random assignment has been violated.”
C. Research assistant changed the study from a single-blind study to a double-blind study.”
D. research assistant forgot to debrief the participants before handing out the vitamins.”

Answer 7

A. experimental assistant was displaying demand characteristics.”

Question 7

Dr. Martinez is studying the effects of diet on mental alertness. Each morning for two weeks, participants in Dr. Martinez’s study eat a breakfast that is either high in carbohydrates or high in protein. Dr. Martinez then measures the participants’ abilities to solve geometry problems. What is the dependent variable in this study?

A. high carbohydrate versus high protein breakfast
B. length of the study (two weeks)
C. ability to solve geometry problems
D. Not enough information is provided in the question to determine the dependent variable.

Answer 7

C. ability to solve geometry problems

Question 7

Which of the following was the first “school” of thought or approach in psychology?

structuralism
functionalism
behaviorism
psychoanalysis

Answer 7

structuralism

Question 7

A _____ is a specific question or prediction to be tested, whereas a(n) _____ tries to integrate and summarize a large number of findings.

hypothesis; theory
variable; operational definition
theory; hypothesis
descriptive method; experimental method

Answer 7

hypothesis; theory

Question 7

_____ is to structuralism as _____ is to functionalism.

Wilhelm Wundt; Edward Titchener
William James; Mary Whiton Calkins
Edward Titchener; William James
Mary Whiton Calkins; Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 7

Edward Titchener; William James

Question 7

When comparing fMRIs to PET scans, you can see that:

A. PET scans provide a much sharper picture than fMRIs.
B. PET scans use less radioactive glucose than fMRIs.
C. fMRIs provide a picture of brain activity averaged over seconds rather than the several minutes that PET scans require.
D. PET scans can be used to study the details of much smaller brain structures than fMRIs.

Answer 7

C. fMRIs provide a picture of brain activity averaged over seconds rather than the several minutes that PET scans require.

Question 7

To identify which brain areas are most active when a person suffering from schizophrenia has hallucinations, researchers could use a(n) _____ scan to track the use of radioactively tagged glucose throughout the brain.

MRI
PET
fMRI
ECT

Answer 7

PET

Question 8

Dr. Mason and Dr. Jacobson both work in Minnesota in different cities. They both treat people with severe mental disorders. Dr. Mason cannot prescribe medications for his patients, but Dr. Jacobson frequently prescribes medications. Dr. Mason is probably a _____, whereas Dr. Jacobson is probably a(n) _____.

psychiatrist; clinical psychologist
experimental psychologist; biological psychologist
clinical psychologist; psychiatrist
social psychologist; health psychologist

Answer 8

clinical psychologist; psychiatrist

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a step in the scientific method?

formulate a testable hypothesis
design the study and collect data
analyze the data and draw conclusions
apply the findings to solve human problems

Answer 8

apply the findings to solve human problems

Question 8

Juanita participated in a psychology research project that involved solving a number of arithmetic problems. During the experiment, she was informed that her solutions were incorrect. After the experiment was completed, a research assistant explained the purpose of the experiment. He told Juanita that she had actually answered all items correctly, and then explained why the experiment required that she be told that her answers were wrong. This stage of the research represents:

informed consent.
confidentiality.
debriefing.
voluntary participation.

Answer 8

debriefing

Question 8

Research on social loafing demonstrated that European participants worked harder on a task when working alone, whereas Chinese participants worked harder on a task when they were part of a group. These results illustrate the importance of the _____ perspective in psychology.

cross-cultural
cognitive
biological
humanistic

Answer 8

cross-cultural

Question 8

Professor Lyon decided to study food preferences of U.S. college students, so he asked his students to volunteer to participate in a lengthy survey. Professor Lyon’s survey results are probably invalid because he did not use:

an operational definition.
random selection.
a valid hypothesis.
independent and dependent variables.

Answer 8

random selection

Question 9

Professor Lewis studies the history of psychology. She would most likely agree with which of the following statements about psychology’s early history?

A. From its inception, psychology has always focused on the study of people who exhibit unusual behaviors or suffer from psychological disorders.
B. Early psychologists disagreed about many issues including which methods psychologists should use and what kinds of behavior psychologists should study.
C. All the early schools of psychology shared the common view that psychology should be the study of immediate conscious experience.
D. The methods, definition, and scope of psychology have remained unchanged since psychology was founded in the nineteenth century.

Answer 9

B. Early psychologists disagreed about many issues including which methods psychologists should use and what kinds of behavior psychologists should study.

Question 10

Behaviorism was characterized by:

A. the rejection of consciousness as a topic in psychology and a focus upon observable behavior.
B. a narrow focus upon consciousness and conscious experience.
C. a focus upon the importance of free will, self-determination, and psychological growth.
D. an emphasis upon the unconscious determinants of personality.

Answer 10

A. the rejection of consciousness as a topic in psychology and a focus upon observable behavior.

Question 10

Dr. Kerrick has developed a training program for young children that will help the children learn to read at a quicker pace and with greater comprehension. What kind of psychologist is Dr. Kerrick?

educational
personality
industrial/organizational
clinical

Answer 10

educational

Question 10

Hiking in the woods, you keep swatting at the irritating mosquitoes that land on your face. Later, you’re surprised to discover a number of itchy mosquito bites on the backs of your legs. The reason you noticed the mosquitoes landing on your face but did not notice the mosquitoes landing on your legs is probably because:

A. there are more sensory receptors in your facial skin than in the skin on the backs of your legs.
B. you were able to hear the mosquitoes buzzing near your face but not those that landed on your legs.
C. there are no Pacinian corpuscles in the skin on your legs.
D. heat from your leg muscles masked the sensation of biting mosquitoes.

Answer 10

A. there are more sensory receptors in your facial skin than in the skin on the backs of your legs.

Question 11

Most neurons have all of the following parts, EXCEPT:

association areas.
a cell body and nucleus.
dendrites.
an axon.

Answer 11

association areas

Question 11

The two main divisions of the nervous system are the _____ and the _____.

A. peripheral nervous system; central nervous system
B. central nervous system; autonomic nervous system
C. brain; spinal cord
D. autonomic nervous system; somatic nervous system

Answer 11

peripheral nervous system; central nervous system

Question 11

Nerves are made up of:

bundles of axons.
dendritic fibers.
bundles of cell bodies.
glial cells.

Answer 11

bundles of axons

Question 11

Which of the following drugs is chemically similar to the endorphins?

curare
morphine
L-dopa
botox

Answer 11

morphine

Question 12

The brain’s ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged areas is called:

aphasia.
neurogenesis.
structural plasticity.
functional plasticity.

Answer 12

functional plasticity

Question 12

There are two basic theoretical explanations of how we sense the pitch of a sound: frequency theory and place theory. Which theory best explains our sensation of sounds that have a pitch in the mid-range frequency?

A. Place theory best explains those sound sensations.
B. Frequency theory best explains those sound sensations.
C. Neither place theory nor frequency theory can adequately explain how we sense sounds that are in the mid-range frequencies.
D. Both place and frequency theories apply to the sensation of mid-range frequencies.

Answer 12

D. Both place and frequency theories apply to the sensation of mid-range frequencies.

Question 12

Fast pain signals are communicated to the brain via _____ fibers and slow pain signals via _____ fibers.

C; A-delta
substance P; C
A-delta; substance P
A-delta; C

Answer 12

A-delta; C

Question 12

Rods are to cones as _____ is(are) to _____.

peripheral vision and night vision; color vision and visual acuity
color vision and night vision; bright light conditions
bipolar cells; ganglion cells
color vision and visual acuity; peripheral vision and night vision

Answer 12

peripheral vision and night vision; color vision and visual acuity

Question 12

The multiple short fibers that extend from the neuron’s cell body and receive information from other neurons or from sensory receptor cells are called:

dendrites.
the nodes of Ranvier.
synaptic vesicles.
axons.

Answer 12

dendrites

Question 13

Nina was trying to convince a skeptical friend that she has ESP. “So how can you explain what happened yesterday when I knew it was Conor on the phone before I answered it?” she demanded. Nina’s friend explained that we tend to remember coincidental events that seem to confirm our beliefs about unusual phenomena. This is called:

the mere exposure effect.
precognition.
the law of Prägnanz.
the fallacy of positive instances.

Answer 13

the fallacy of positive instances

Question 14

People in industrialized societies are far more susceptible to the Müller-Lyer illusion than are people in some nonindustrialized societies. How has this difference been explained?
A. People in industrialized societies are more susceptible to perceptual illusions because they are accustomed to perceiving three-dimensional objects projected on a two-dimensional surface, such as television and movie screens or computer monitors.
B. Nonindustrialized societies are more practical in their perceptions of the world and do not succumb to illusions.
C. People in industrialized environments have a great deal of perceptual experience judging lines, edges, and corners, and are thus more susceptible to an illusion that mimics a corner.
D. People in industrialized environments have a great deal of experience with illusions such as those seen in magic shows and are thus more likely to “see” the Müller-Lyer illusion.

Answer 14

C. People in industrialized environments have a great deal of perceptual experience judging lines, edges, and corners, and are thus more susceptible to an illusion that mimics a corner

Question 15

What is the main reason many, if not most, psychologists doubt that extrasensory perception exists?

A. The failure to replite experiments which seem to demonstrate the existence of extrasensory perception.
B. The fact that extrasensory perception is not taught in accredited graduate schools.
C. The inability to scientifically test claims of extrasensory perception.
D. Meta-analyses of research using the ganzfeld procedure demonstrated that positive ESP results were always due to methodological flaws.

Answer 15

A. The failure to replite experiments which seem to demonstrate the existence of extrasensory perception

Question 16

Compared to neurons that do not have myelin, neurons with myelin:

are unable to communicate with other neurons.
can communicate up to 100 times faster.
use much more energy.
do not have an axon.

Answer 16

can communicate up to 100 times faster

Question 17

As you take this test, you do not have to focus on taking your next breath or making your heart beat. This is because the _____ is involved in the control of vital life functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion.

medulla
pons
thalamus
parietal lobe

Answer 17

medulla

Question 18

The presynaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron are separated by a tiny, fluid-filled space called the:

myelin sheath.
synaptic gap.
the node of Ranvier.
ion channel.

Answer 18

synaptic gap

Question 19

You’re waiting to cross a busy city street as a city bus pulls up to the curb. As the driver stops the bus, the brakes squeal loudly. A few people get on, and then the bus pulls away from the curb. As the bus accelerates, the engine labors into gear and exhaust fumes spew out the back. The high-pitched squeal of the brakes was caused by _____ sound waves, and the equally loud but low-pitched roar of the engine was caused by _____ sound waves.

low frequency; high frequency
high frequency; low frequency
low amplitude; high amplitude
high amplitude; low amplitude

Answer 19

high frequency; low frequency

Question 20

Taste is to _____ as smell is to _____.

olfaction; audition
gustation; kinesthesia
kinesthesia; proprioception
gustation; olfaction

Answer 20

gustation; olfaction

Question 20

Following her stroke, Fernando’s grandmother could understand what she read or what was being said to her. However, she had great difficulty speaking. Based on these observations, Fernando suspected that his grandmother’s stroke had produced damage in:

Wernicke’s area.
Broca’s area.
the corpus callosum.
the hippocampus.

Answer 20

Broca’s area

Question 21

Which parts of the body have the greatest representation on the primary motor cortex?

hands and facial muscles
legs and arms muscles
head and neck muscles
chest and back muscles

Answer 21

hands and facial muscles

Question 22

The endocrine system involves communication by chemical messengers called _____, which circulate through the _____.

hormones; bloodstream
neurotransmitters; spinal cord
hormones; cerebrospinal fluid
endorphins; nervous system

Answer 22

hormones; bloodstream

Question 23

Which part of the neuron receives messages from other neurons?

the axon
the nucleus
the dendrite
the sodium ion membrane

Answer 23

the dendrite

Question 24

After too many drinks at a party, your friend awkwardly stumbles into a table, almost knocking it over. Your friend’s coordination for simple actions, such as walking between two tables, is reduced because the alcohol has affected his:

medulla.
cerebellum.
thalamus.
somatosensory cortex.

Answer 24

cerebellum

Question 25

The electrical charge of a neuron when it is in the resting potential state is about:

+30 millivolts.
-70 millivolts.
+2 volts.
-10 volts.

Answer 25

-70 millivolts

Question 26

As you are taking a test, you inadvertently drop your pencil, reach down, pick it up, and put it back on the desk. This voluntary action involved motor signals that were communicated out to your muscles via the _____ nervous system.

autonomic
sympathetic
parasympathetic
somatic

Answer 26

somatic

Question 26

When Arnie was sent to Afghanistan for military duty, he was issued a special camouflage uniform so that he would not be as readily visible against the rocky desert landscape. Camouflage is one application of the perceptual principle called:

perceptual constancy.
the law of proximity.
the law of closure.
figure-ground relationship.

Answer 26

figure-ground relationship

Question 27

The finding that repeated exposure to a particular stimulus leads to increased liking for that stimulus is called:

the mere exposure effect.
psychokinesis.
perceptual constancy.
sensory adaptation.

Answer 27

the mere exposure effect

Question 27

Almost all of the sensory and motor information going to and from the cerebral cortex is processed through the:

thalamus.
hypothalamus.
hippocampus.
pituitary gland.

Answer 27

thalamus

Question 28

Which of the following represents the correct sequence of parts of the ear that sound travels in hearing?

A. inner ear, middle ear, outer ear
B. pinna, ear canal, eardrum, hammer, anvil, stirrup, oval window, cochlea, basilar membrane, hair cells, auditory nerve
C. pinna, ear canal, oval window, stirrup, anvil, hammer, cochlea, hair cells, basilar membrane
D. pinna, ear canal, basilar membrane, eardrum, cochlea, oval window, anvil, hammer, stirrup, hair cells, auditory nerve

Answer 28

B. pinna, ear canal, eardrum, hammer, anvil, stirrup, oval window, cochlea, basilar membrane, hair cells, auditory nerve

Question 29

Which of the following best defines a neurotransmitter?

A. a chemical messenger that crosses the synaptic gap between neurons
B. an electrical impulse that crosses the synaptic gap between neurons
C. a chemical communicator manufactured by glial cells
D. a microscopic channel through which sodium and potassium ions pass

Answer 29

A. a chemical messenger that crosses the synaptic gap between neurons

Question 29

In contrast to sensation, the term perception is formally defined as the:

A. active mental process of integrating, organizing, and interpreting sensory data.
B. Process of detecting a physical stimulus such as light, sound, heat, or pressure.
C. active mental process of understanding the meaning of a difficult new concept.
D. way in which different areas of the brain interact.

Answer 29

A. active mental process of integrating, organizing, and interpreting sensory data

Question 30

According to the opponent-process theory of color vision, the types of color receptors are:

red/green, blue/yellow, and black/white.
red/blue, green/yellow, and black/white.
red, blue, green, and yellow.
red, yellow, and blue.

Answer 30

red/green, blue/yellow, and black/white

Question 31

According to gate-control theory, psychological factors can affect the experience of pain because:
A. the thalamus is very responsive to suggestion.
B. the brain has the power to selectively block the responsiveness of particular free nerve endings.
C. the brain sends signals down the spinal cord to either open or close the pain gates.
D. stress blocks the release of endorphins.

Answer 31

C. the brain sends signals down the spinal cord to either open or close the pain gates.

Question 32

Which of the following is TRUE of glial cells?

A. They assist neurons by providing nutrition and structural support, and by removing waste products.
B. They are neurons that specifically signal muscles to relax or contract.
C. They are neurons that are specialized for conveying information to the brain from receptor cells in the sense organs and internal organs.
D. They are a type of neuron whose primary function is to communicate information from one neuron to the next.

Answer 32

A. They assist neurons by providing nutrition and structural support, and by removing waste products

Question 33

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that involves:

A. the degeneration of the myelin sheath, slowing or interrupting the transmission of neural messages.
B. an abnormal increase in the thickness of the myelin sheath, blocking the release of neurotransmitters.
C. The gradual decline in the ability of neurons to produce neurotransmitters.
D. dendrites becoming brittle and breaking

Answer 33

A. the degeneration of the myelin sheath, slowing or interrupting the transmission of neural messages

Question 34

Axons from the _____ are bundled together to form the _____.

bipolar cells; optic chiasm
photoreceptors; optic nerve
rods and cones; optic chiasm
ganglion cells; optic nerve

Answer 34

ganglion cells; optic nerve

Question 35

The _____ thickens or thins to focus incoming light. This process is called _____.

lens; accommodation
iris; sensory adaptation
pupil; accommodation
pupil; sensory adaptation

Answer 35

lens; accommodation

Question 36

Which of the following signals muscles to relax or contract?

sensory neurons
glial cells
motor neurons
interneurons

Answer 36

motor neurons

Question 37

The action potential is best defined as:
A. The amount of serotonin that can cross the axon’s membrane.
B. the +3- to +7-volt capacity of a typical motor neuron.
C. the ability of a motor neuron to either contract or relax a muscle group.
D. a brief electrical impulse that transmits information along the axon of a neuron.

Answer 37

D. a brief electrical impulse that transmits information along the axon of a neuron.

Question 38

As a general rule, communication within a neuron progresses from the:

axon to the dendrites to the cell body.
dendrites to the cell body to the axon.
dendrites to the axon to the axon terminals and then to the cell body.
cell body to the axon to the nucleus.

Answer 38

dendrites to the cell body to the axon

Question 39

Damage to Wernicke’s area in the brain:

A. produces disruptions in the sense of balance as well as numbness in the arms and legs.
B. produces difficulty speaking but does not disrupt the ability to comprehend verbal or written words.
C. disrupts or destroys the ability to form new memories.
D. produces difficulty in comprehending written or spoken communication.

Answer 39

D. produces difficulty in comprehending written or spoken communication

Question 40

Which of the following represents the sequence of ion movements that causes an action potential?

A. Sodium ions move into the axon and then potassium ions move out of the axon.
B. Sodium ions move out of the axon and then potassium ions move into the dendrite.
C. Potassium ions move out of the dendrite and then sodium ions move into the axon.
D. Sodium ions move out of the axon and then potassium ions move into the axon.

Answer 40

Sodium ions move into the axon and then potassium ions move out of the axon

Question 41

A gymnast knows where his arms and legs are as he does his tumbling routine because information from his muscles and joints is relayed to his:

temporal lobe.
frontal lobe.
occipital lobe.
parietal lobe.

Answer 41

parietal lobe

Question 42

When Andrew had his hearing tested, some sounds were too soft for him to detect. These sounds were below his _____ for hearing.

difference threshold
absolute threshold
Weber’s threshold
transduction threshold

Answer 42

absolute threshold

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a hindbrain structure?

hypothalamus
pons
medulla
cerebellum

Answer 43

hypothalamus

Question 44

The law of Prägnanz refers to the fact that:
A. our personality characteristics often determine how we interpret ambiguous figures.
B. because many figures are ambiguous, we logically determine which perceptual principle we should follow in interpreting them.
C. we tend to interpret ambiguous figures in the simplest and most efficient way.
D. human beings have the capacity to perceive information by some means other than through the normal processes of sensation.

Answer 44

C. we tend to interpret ambiguous figures in the simplest and most efficient way

Question 45

As you walk on the beach, every detail of the rocks, shells, and sand beneath your feet seems crisp and distinct. As you look farther down the beach, however, the details of the ground in the distance seem fuzzy and blurred. Because of the depth perception cue of _____, you perceive the ground beneath your feet to be much closer than the ground that extends into the distance.

psychokinesis
texture gradient
convergence
linear perspective

Answer 45

texture gradient

Question 45

The hypothalamus exerts control over the endocrine system by directly triggering activity in the:

amygdala.
thyroid.
pituitary gland.
hippocampus.

Answer 45

pituitary gland

Question 46

As you drive down the highway, a child in the back seat asks why the tall buildings downtown are moving so slowly when the roadside is moving so quickly. Because you have read your psychology text, you are able to answer her question by responding that this is an example of:

linear perspective.
relative size.
aerial perspective.
motion parallax.

Answer 46

motion parallax

Question 46

What is a function of cerebrospinal fluid?

A. It protects the central nervous system from being jarred.
B. It promotes the release of hormones in the brain.
C. It can function as a neurotransmitter in times of severe stress.
D. It is the communication link between the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

Answer 46

A. It protects the central nervous system from being jarred

Question 47

White matter is to gray matter as _____ is(are) to _____.

cell bodies and glial cells; myelinated axons
myelinated axons; cell bodies and glial cells
dendrites; glial cells and axons
midbrain; hindbrain

Answer 47

myelinated axons; cell bodies and glial cells

Question 48

Too little dopamine in the brain is associated with symptoms of:

schizophrenia.
Parkinson’s disease.
anxiety.
Alzheimer’s disease.

Answer 48

Parkinson’s disease

Question 48

While taking this test, you have probably paid little attention to ongoing body functions, such as breathing, heartbeat, and digestion. Such involuntary bodily functions are governed by the:

somatic nervous system.
cerebrospinal fluid.
spinal reflexes.
autonomic nervous system.

Answer 48

autonomic nervous system

Question 49

Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Place theory describes the perception of pitch; frequency theory describes the perception of loudness.
B. Place theory explains how people hear low-pitched sounds, while frequency theory explains how people hear high-pitched sounds.
C. Place theory explains how people hear high-pitched sounds, while frequency theory explains how people hear low-pitched sounds.
D. Frequency theory explains the perception of both high-pitched and low-pitched sounds.

Answer 49

C. Place theory explains how people hear high-pitched sounds, while frequency theory explains how people hear low-pitched sounds.

Question 50

The taste category that is associated with meat and other protein-rich foods, Parmesan and other aged cheeses, mushrooms, seaweed, and the distinctive taste of monosodium glutamate is called:

sweet and sour.
salty.
umami.
bitter.

Answer 50

umami

Question 50

As you drive down a busy city street, you realize that the car behind is approaching you at a very high speed. How do you arrive at this perceptual conclusion?

A. The car’s image in the rearview mirror is maintaining a constant size.
B. The car’s image in the rearview mirror is shrinking rapidly.
C. The car’s image in the rearview mirror is expanding rapidly.
D. The car’s image in the rearview mirror slowly shrinks and then gradually disappears from view.

Answer 50

C. The car’s image in the rearview mirror is expanding rapidly

Question 51

Information from the rods and cones is first collected by which type of specialized neuron?

ganglion cells
blind spot cells
bipolar cells
corneal cells

Answer 51

bipolar cells

Question 52

A large group of students were tested for their ability to distinguish among different tones. Although tone A and tone B were slightly different, more than half of the group thought that they sounded exactly the same. The difference between tone A and tone B can be said to be less than the:

A. difference threshold, or just noticeable difference.
B. absolute threshold, or average absolute threshold.
C. subliminal threshold.
D. Weber’s threshold.

Answer 52

difference threshold, or just noticeable difference

Question 53

According to gate-control theory, psychological factors can affect the experience of pain because:

A. the thalamus is very responsive to suggestion.
B. the brain has the power to selectively block the responsiveness of particular free nerve endings.
C. the brain sends signals down the spinal cord to either open or close the pain gates.
D. stress blocks the release of endorphins.

Answer 53

C. the brain sends signals down the spinal cord to either open or close the pain gates.

Question 54

According to the trichromatic theory of color vision:

A. there are three basic colors, or wavelengths.
B. cones come in three basic varieties: red-sensitive, green-sensitive, or blue-sensitive.
C. cones respond to either red-green or blue-yellow.
D. there are three types of rods, each responsive to a different color.

Answer 54

cones come in three basic varieties: red-sensitive, green-sensitive, or blue-sensitive.

Question 54

If you look at a faraway street sign with first your left eye and then your right eye, the images look virtually identical. But if you look at your finger held just in front of your nose one eye at a time, the two images look very different. This phenomenon is an example of which distance cue?

binocular distance
monocular disparity
linear parallax
binocular disparity

Answer 54

binocular disparity

Question 55

Which parts of the body have the greatest representation on the primary motor cortex?

hands and facial muscles
legs and arms muscles
head and neck muscles
chest and back muscles

Answer 55

hands and facial muscle

Question 56

The muscle that controls the amount of light entering the pupil is the:

iris.
cornea.
retina.
fovea.

Answer 56

iris

Question 57

Bob had perfect vision until he was 45, and then he needed to start wearing glasses for reading. Most likely, Bob has developed a visual problem called:

A. presbyopia, caused by the lens of the eye losing its flexibility.
B. astigmatism, caused by a gradual shrinking of the eyeball.
C. myopia, caused by a thickening of the cornea.
D. hyperopia, caused by the eyeball becoming elongated.

Answer 57

A. presbyopia, caused by the lens of the eye losing its flexibility.

Question 58

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A. Sensory and motor information are processed and integrated in association areas on the cerebral cortex.
B. Body sensations such as touch, temperature, and pressure are processed in the somatosensory cortex.
C. The temporal lobe contains the primary auditory cortex, which processes auditory information.
D. Each part of the body has the same degree of representation on the primary motor cortex.

Answer 58

D. Each part of the body has the same degree of representation on the primary motor cortex.

Question 59

As the manager of a food store, your friend is trying to come up with ways of increasing sales of items that have a high profit margin. He decides that he is going to embed subliminal messages to buy certain items in the music that is playing in the store. What do you predict will happen to the sales of the items that are subliminally advertised?

A. There will be a significant increase in the sales of those subliminally advertised items.
B. There will be no real change in the sales of those subliminally advertised items.
C. There will be a significant decrease in the sales of those subliminally advertised items.
D. There will be a significant decrease in the sales of all items, whether they were subliminally advertised or not.

Answer 59

B. There will be no real change in the sales of those subliminally advertised items.

Question 60

The stimulus threshold of the neuron refers to the:

A. minimum level of stimulation required to activate a particular neuron.
B. 3-to-1 ratio of positive-to-negative ions required for the neuron to transmit information to the next neuron.
C. positive electrical charge on the neuron’s interior just prior to neuron activation.
D. Minimum level of stimulation required to inhibit a neuron from firing.

Answer 60

A. minimum level of stimulation required to activate a particular neuron.