Chapter 9 Test

Question 1

Environmental enrichment increases animals’

• density of Nodes of Ranvier along the axon
• branching of dendrites
• speed of action potentials
• thickness of axons

Answer 1

Branching of dendrites.

Question 2

What is the definition of a critical learning period?

Answer 2

A developmental period when an animal rapidly learns information that would be difficult if not impossible to learn any other time.

Question 3

Myelination in the human brain…

• is complete around the second birthday.
• continues into adulthood.
• is complete upon birth.
• is complete sometime during adolescence.

Answer 3

Continues into adulthood.

Question 4

Frogs, unlike mammals, have retinal ganglia cells that are capable of

• color vision.
• regeneration.
• degeneration.

Answer 4

Regeneration.

Question 5

If you completely deprive the left eye of visual input, the effects on subsequent vision in that eye will be worse if the

• deprivation occurs late in life.
• deprivation occurs in short bursts.
• right eye is not deprived at the same time.
• right eye is deprived at the same time.

Answer 5

Right eye is not deprived at the same time.

Question 6

Which of the following are examples of behaviors that depend on a critical learning period?

• maze running in rats.
• socially acquired food preferences in rats.
• human language acquisition.

Answer 6

Human language acquisition.

Question 7

Early in development, the nervous system begins as a

• single layer of cells covering the heart and other internal organs.
• diffuse system of cells scattered throughout the body.
• spherical structure in the center of the embryo.
• tube surrounding a fluid-filled cavity.

Answer 7

Tube surrounding a fluid-filled cavity.

Question 8

In Sperry’s classic studies of eye rotation and regeneration of the optic nerves, he assessed the visual capacities of his subjects by assessing their ability to

• strike accurately at fly-like stimuli.
• detect the presence of dim light.
• identify colors.
• perform a visual discrimination task.

Answer 8

Strike accurately at fly-like stimuli.

Question 9

The main principle that governs the effects of experience on neural development is simple:

• live, love, laugh.
• use it or lose it.
• live and let live.
• the best of friends must part.

Answer 9

Use it or lose it.

Question 10

What behavioral differences exist between rats raised in an enriched environment and rats raised in an impoverished environment?

• a more pleasant personality.
• improved learning performance.
• better parenting skills.
• none.

Answer 10

Improved learning performance.