Ch. 13: Application Flashcards
Why do humans and primates have disproportionately large brains compared to other species?
A. To process complex visual information in the environment.
B. To support the social cognition necessary for group living.
C. To increase individual survival in isolated conditions.
D. To enhance metabolic efficiency.
B. To support the social cognition necessary for group living.
The evolution of large brains in humans is primarily due to:
A. Increased food availability to sustain high energy needs.
B. Benefits of advanced cognitive abilities outweighing the metabolic costs.
C. The need to maintain a constant body temperature.
D. An evolutionary accident with no specific adaptive value.
B. Benefits of advanced cognitive abilities outweighing the metabolic costs.
According to the Social Brain Hypothesis, what is the relationship between group size and brain size?
A. Larger groups lead to a decrease in cognitive demand, reducing brain size.
B. Smaller groups are associated with larger brains due to complex individual roles.
C. Larger groups demand greater social cognition, correlating with larger brains.
D. There is no correlation between group size and brain size.
C. Larger groups demand greater social cognition, correlating with larger brains.
Which of the following is NOT a cognitive demand associated with living in larger social groups?
A. Remembering past encounters with group members.
B. Developing nonverbal communication skills.
C. Expanding spatial navigation abilities.
D. Enhancing cooperation skills.
C. Expanding spatial navigation abilities.
Cooperation in large groups requires several neural mechanisms. Which of the following does NOT directly support cooperation?
A. Communication through language and nonverbal cues.
B. Memory for previous social interactions.
C. Higher metabolic rates to maintain body temperature.
D. Recognition and adherence to social norms.
C. Higher metabolic rates to maintain body temperature.
What percentage of the body’s total energy does the human brain consume, despite weighing only about 2% of body weight?
A. 10%
B. 15%
C. 20%
D. 25%
C. 20%
What is the primary evolutionary benefit of developing larger brains in primates?
A. Enhanced ability to hunt prey.
B. Improved genetic fitness in isolated environments.
C. Advanced problem-solving for environmental challenges.
D. Better social skills for thriving in group settings.
D. Better social skills for thriving in group settings.
Which of the following is a key social skill enhanced by the evolution of larger brains?
A. Abstract mathematical reasoning.
B. Artistic creativity.
C. Effective cooperation among group members.
D. Physical endurance during migration.
C. Effective cooperation among group members.
Which brain region shows increased activity when an individual receives feedback indicating their opinion differs from group ratings, signaling conflict?
A. Nucleus accumbens (NAc)
B. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz)
C. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
D. Anterior insula
B. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz)
What brain region shows increased activity when an individual’s opinion aligns with group ratings, signifying a reward response?
A. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz)
B. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
C. Nucleus accumbens (NAc)
D. Medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC)
C. Nucleus accumbens (NAc)
Studies using TMS to disrupt neural activity have shown which area is critical for conformity behaviors?
A. Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
B. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
C. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
D. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz)
D. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz)
When individuals modify their opinions to align with the group, what is the neural feedback mechanism?
A. Conflict-related signals in the RCz and reward-related signals in the NAc.
B. Reduced activity in the DLPFC and enhanced activity in the ACC.
C. Simultaneous activation of the anterior insula and nucleus accumbens.
D. Increased activation of the orbitofrontal cortex and medial prefrontal cortex.
A. Conflict-related signals in the RCz and reward-related signals in the NAc.
Why is the nucleus accumbens (NAc) associated with conformity?
A. It processes conflict when individuals deviate from social norms.
B. It mediates the aversion associated with social disagreement.
C. It signals reward when opinions align with group consensus.
D. It integrates emotional and cognitive feedback from social interactions.
C. It signals reward when opinions align with group consensus.
If a participant consistently changes their responses to align with group opinions, which neural mechanism is most likely driving this behavior?
A. Increased activity in the anterior insula related to emotional discomfort.
B. Reward-based reinforcement signaled by the nucleus accumbens.
C. Conflict resolution managed by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
D. Mirror neuron activation in the inferior frontal gyrus.
B. Reward-based reinforcement signaled by the nucleus accumbens.
A lesion in which brain region would most likely reduce a person’s tendency to conform to group norms?
A. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz)
B. Medial temporal lobe
C. Nucleus accumbens (NAc)
D. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
A. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz)
Which of the following describes the primary behavioral outcome of increased RCz activity during group disagreement?
A. Greater reinforcement of individual opinions.
B. Increased likelihood of modifying behavior to conform.
C. Enhanced memory for the group’s decisions.
D. Reduced sensitivity to social rewards.
B. Increased likelihood of modifying behavior to conform.
Which brain region’s activity increases in receivers when an offer in the ultimatum game is perceived as unfair?
A. Nucleus accumbens (NAc)
B. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
C. Anterior insula
D. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
C. Anterior insula
Which of the following brain regions is involved in cognitive control and shows greater activity during unfair offers in economic games?
A. Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and DLPFC
B. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz) and NAc
C. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC)
D. Inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and anterior insula
A. Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and DLPFC
In the ultimatum game, which brain region is associated with the feeling of reward when fairness is perceived in offers?
A. Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
B. Nucleus accumbens (NAc)
C. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
D. Medial temporal lobe
B. Nucleus accumbens (NAc)
Which brain region is activated in response to feelings of disgust or aversion when receiving unfair offers in the ultimatum game?
A. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
B. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
C. Anterior insula
D. Medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC)
C. Anterior insula
What is the primary role of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in social norm compliance?
A. Processing reward signals during fair interactions
B. Resolving conflict between personal gain and fairness norms
C. Integrating emotional cues into decision-making
D. Coordinating empathy-driven prosocial actions
C. Integrating emotional cues into decision-making
Which of the following best describes the role of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in social norm compliance?
A. Enhancing emotional responses to unfair behavior
B. Processing cognitive control and resolving conflict between fairness and self-interest
C. Reinforcing reward-based behaviors for complying with norms
D. Simulating others’ mental states for better understanding social dynamics
B. Processing cognitive control and resolving conflict between fairness and self-interest
The involvement of frontal brain regions like the OFC and DLPFC in social norm compliance supports which hypothesis?
A. The Social Brain Hypothesis
B. The Simulation Theory
C. The Theory of Mind
D. The Mirror Neuron Hypothesis
A. The Social Brain Hypothesis
Activity in which brain regions supports the ability to resolve conflicts between self-interest and social fairness during decision-making?
A. Medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and anterior insula
B. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
C. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and nucleus accumbens (NAc)
D. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)
B. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
Which brain region’s expansion over evolutionary time has been linked to the development of complex social behaviors and norm compliance?
A. Medial temporal lobe
B. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
C. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
D. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
B. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
Which brain regions are most associated with the ability to perform Theory of Mind tasks, such as the false belief task?
A. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc)
B. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC)
C. Anterior insula and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
D. Inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
B. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC)
The activity of mirror neurons primarily supports which component of empathy?
A. Emotional contagion
B. Cognitive perspective-taking
C. Pro-social action
D. Mentalizing
A. Emotional contagion
Which concept is illustrated by the Heider-Simmel illusion, in which individuals attribute mental states to moving geometric shapes?
A. Emotional contagion
B. Cognitive perspective-taking
C. Mentalizing
D. Imitation
C. Mentalizing
Which brain region is commonly activated in both personal pain experiences and when observing pain in others?
A. Medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC)
B. Anterior insula
C. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
D. Inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)
B. Anterior insula
Higher activity in which brain areas correlates with greater empathic accuracy when participants predict another person’s feelings?
A. Medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc)
B. Mirror neuron areas and temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
C. Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
D. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)
B. Mirror neuron areas and temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
Damage to the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) would most likely impair which type of empathic processing?
A. Emotional contagion
B. Pro-social action
C. Cognitive perspective-taking
D. Reward-related empathy
C. Cognitive perspective-taking
Which brain region shows increased activity when observing a close friend receiving a reward, such as winning money?
A. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
B. Ventral striatum (VS), including the nucleus accumbens (NAc)
C. Anterior insula
D. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
B. Ventral striatum (VS), including the nucleus accumbens (NAc)
Which factor most influences the degree to which a person imitates another?
A. The level of empathy a person has
B. The similarity or likability of the other person
C. The complexity of the observed action
D. The strength of mirror neuron activation
B. The similarity or likability of the other person
The “Mind-in-the-Eyes” task activates which brain regions associated with understanding another person’s emotions?
A. Inferior frontal cortex and temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
B. Anterior insula and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC)
C. Inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
D. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)
D. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)
Pro-social action, a component of empathy, is most likely influenced by which combination of brain processes?
A. Reward processing in the ventral striatum and mirroring in the inferior frontal cortex
B. Conflict resolution in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and disgust in the anterior insula
C. Simulation in the TPJ and decision-making in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
D. Pain perception in the anterior insula and mentalizing in the MPFC
A. Reward processing in the ventral striatum and mirroring in the inferior frontal cortex
Which hypothesis best explains the evolutionary advantage of developing mentalizing and empathy?
A. Social Brain Hypothesis
B. Simulation Theory
C. Neural Plasticity Hypothesis
D. Dual-Process Theory
A. Social Brain Hypothesis
Simulation theory suggests that we understand others’ feelings and thoughts by:
A. Attributing mental states to them based on observed behavior.
B. Engaging in mimicry and simulating their experiences in our own neural systems.
C. Relying on verbal communication to infer emotional states.
D. Associating their behavior with past memories.
B. Engaging in mimicry and simulating their experiences in our own neural systems.
