Chapter 2: the role of the brain in
psychology questions with complete
solution
- brain reorganization: certain areas of the brain take on the workload of another area
- changing neural connections: neural connections become stronger or weaker due to greater or less
stimulation
Items that are predominately a function of nature: - - hearing acuity at birth
- eye color
What happens when a neuron fires? - 1.) When stimulated, the inside of the cell becomes more
positively charged than the outside of the cell.
2.) An electrical impulse is set off and travels down the axon.
3.) The action potential causes the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft.
John takes an unknown pill at a party. The next thing he knows, he is standing in the middle of a field and
has no idea how he got there, or what happened. What might the pill have contained? - - Glutamate
antagonist: Glutamate speeds up learning and memory. A loss of memory may have resulted from
disruption in levels of glutamate.
- Acetylcholine antagonist: Acetylcholine facilitates sleeping and memory. John's amnesia (partial or total
loss of memory) may have been caused by the disruption of acetylcholine levels in the brain.
fMRI - - By showing where the brain is active, we can understand more about what areas of the brain are
responsible for certain behaviors.
- The amount of blood flow is linked to the amount of activity. fMRI shows the amount of blood flow.
- The brain, like any part of the body, needs blood flow to receive oxygen.
Alicia is being aggressively tickled by her older sister. Since Alicia perceives the tickles as being
uncomfortable, her heart is racing and she is moving about trying to escape. Which divisions of the
nervous system are involved in her response to the tickling? - - somatic
- central
- sympathetic
Twin studies document similarities and differences between twins. When two ____ twins raised under
very ____ circumstances display similar personality traits, that suggests a strong ______ influence on
personality. Critics of twin studies suggest that some documented similarities between twins are based
, on the fact that the twins are still the same age and may have some____ because of it. - Twin studies
document similarities and differences between twins. When two (1. identical) twins raised under very (2.
different) circumstances display similar personality traits, that suggests a strong (3. genetic) influence on
personality. Critics of twin studies suggest that some documented similarities between twins are based
on the fact that the twins are still the same age and may have some (4. similarities) because of it.
The spinal cord is composed of two types of tissue. In_____ matter, neural axons _____ have myelin
sheaths and only communicate with other neurons nearby. In _____ matter, axons _____ have myelin
sheaths and transmit signals over long distances. At the base of the skull, the spinal cord ends in a set of
structures called the _____ , which includes the _____ , the pons, and the cerebellum. - The spinal cord
is composed of two types of tissue. In (gray) matter, neural axons (do not) have myelin sheaths and only
communicate with other neurons nearby. In (white) matter, axons (do) have myelin sheaths and transmit
signals over long distances. At the base of the skull, the spinal cord ends in a set of structures called the
(hindbrain), which includes the (medulla), the pons, and the cerebellum.
Techniques for measuring brain activity include the use of an electroencephalograph (EEG), which
measures the _____ activity of ______; functional magnetic resonance imaging, which tracks oxygen
levels in the ______ in the brain; and transcranial magnetic stimulation, which causes controlled,
temporary ______ of the activity in carefully targeted parts of the brain. - Techniques for measuring
brain activity include the use of an electroencephalograph (EEG), which measures the (electrical) activity
of (neurons); functional magnetic resonance imaging, which tracks oxygen levels in the (blood) in the
brain; and transcranial magnetic stimulation, which causes controlled, temporary (disruption) of the
activity in carefully targeted parts of the brain.
Theresa's dad is a professional football player. Theresa starts sports at a young age and is a standout on
the field hockey field. - phenotype
Joey has a parent and a brother who are both schizophrenic, but Joey does not have schizophrenia. -
epigenetics
Nick and Tom, brothers, go into class as the other sibling on April Fool's day, and the teachers are fooled.
- monozygotic twins
Nancy and Jared are the same age and were born at the same time, but they are not identical. - Dizygotic
twins
When the tractor-trailer hit her car, Sami suffered a concussion. Her memory was impaired and she could
not recall events from the accident. Which brain structure was injured? - hippocampus
The more ______ the body part, the more cortex area devoted to it. - sensitive
takes up more space in somatosensory cortex - lips
takes up less space in somatosensory cortex - knee
When an action potential reaches the end of an axon, the ______ release neurotransmitters. These
neurotransmitters bind to receptors on the _______ neuron. Eventually, the neurotransmitters are
removed from the synapse. Some are reabsorbed by the _______ neuron, a process called _______, and
psychology questions with complete
solution
- brain reorganization: certain areas of the brain take on the workload of another area
- changing neural connections: neural connections become stronger or weaker due to greater or less
stimulation
Items that are predominately a function of nature: - - hearing acuity at birth
- eye color
What happens when a neuron fires? - 1.) When stimulated, the inside of the cell becomes more
positively charged than the outside of the cell.
2.) An electrical impulse is set off and travels down the axon.
3.) The action potential causes the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft.
John takes an unknown pill at a party. The next thing he knows, he is standing in the middle of a field and
has no idea how he got there, or what happened. What might the pill have contained? - - Glutamate
antagonist: Glutamate speeds up learning and memory. A loss of memory may have resulted from
disruption in levels of glutamate.
- Acetylcholine antagonist: Acetylcholine facilitates sleeping and memory. John's amnesia (partial or total
loss of memory) may have been caused by the disruption of acetylcholine levels in the brain.
fMRI - - By showing where the brain is active, we can understand more about what areas of the brain are
responsible for certain behaviors.
- The amount of blood flow is linked to the amount of activity. fMRI shows the amount of blood flow.
- The brain, like any part of the body, needs blood flow to receive oxygen.
Alicia is being aggressively tickled by her older sister. Since Alicia perceives the tickles as being
uncomfortable, her heart is racing and she is moving about trying to escape. Which divisions of the
nervous system are involved in her response to the tickling? - - somatic
- central
- sympathetic
Twin studies document similarities and differences between twins. When two ____ twins raised under
very ____ circumstances display similar personality traits, that suggests a strong ______ influence on
personality. Critics of twin studies suggest that some documented similarities between twins are based
, on the fact that the twins are still the same age and may have some____ because of it. - Twin studies
document similarities and differences between twins. When two (1. identical) twins raised under very (2.
different) circumstances display similar personality traits, that suggests a strong (3. genetic) influence on
personality. Critics of twin studies suggest that some documented similarities between twins are based
on the fact that the twins are still the same age and may have some (4. similarities) because of it.
The spinal cord is composed of two types of tissue. In_____ matter, neural axons _____ have myelin
sheaths and only communicate with other neurons nearby. In _____ matter, axons _____ have myelin
sheaths and transmit signals over long distances. At the base of the skull, the spinal cord ends in a set of
structures called the _____ , which includes the _____ , the pons, and the cerebellum. - The spinal cord
is composed of two types of tissue. In (gray) matter, neural axons (do not) have myelin sheaths and only
communicate with other neurons nearby. In (white) matter, axons (do) have myelin sheaths and transmit
signals over long distances. At the base of the skull, the spinal cord ends in a set of structures called the
(hindbrain), which includes the (medulla), the pons, and the cerebellum.
Techniques for measuring brain activity include the use of an electroencephalograph (EEG), which
measures the _____ activity of ______; functional magnetic resonance imaging, which tracks oxygen
levels in the ______ in the brain; and transcranial magnetic stimulation, which causes controlled,
temporary ______ of the activity in carefully targeted parts of the brain. - Techniques for measuring
brain activity include the use of an electroencephalograph (EEG), which measures the (electrical) activity
of (neurons); functional magnetic resonance imaging, which tracks oxygen levels in the (blood) in the
brain; and transcranial magnetic stimulation, which causes controlled, temporary (disruption) of the
activity in carefully targeted parts of the brain.
Theresa's dad is a professional football player. Theresa starts sports at a young age and is a standout on
the field hockey field. - phenotype
Joey has a parent and a brother who are both schizophrenic, but Joey does not have schizophrenia. -
epigenetics
Nick and Tom, brothers, go into class as the other sibling on April Fool's day, and the teachers are fooled.
- monozygotic twins
Nancy and Jared are the same age and were born at the same time, but they are not identical. - Dizygotic
twins
When the tractor-trailer hit her car, Sami suffered a concussion. Her memory was impaired and she could
not recall events from the accident. Which brain structure was injured? - hippocampus
The more ______ the body part, the more cortex area devoted to it. - sensitive
takes up more space in somatosensory cortex - lips
takes up less space in somatosensory cortex - knee
When an action potential reaches the end of an axon, the ______ release neurotransmitters. These
neurotransmitters bind to receptors on the _______ neuron. Eventually, the neurotransmitters are
removed from the synapse. Some are reabsorbed by the _______ neuron, a process called _______, and
