Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
Multiple Choice
13.1 Foundational and Contemporary Theories of Emotion
1. Three interrelated variables are presented repeatedly throughout the chapter that
represent important factors underlying emotions. Which of the following is NOT included
in this list?
a. Brain systems
b. Physiological states
c. Context
d. Hormonal changes
Answer: d
2. The James-Lange theory of emotion attempted to explain how the experience of emotion
influences behavior. According to their understanding, emotions develop:
a. after the brain interprets the significance of stimuli in the external environment to
survival (e.g. a bear).
b. after an organism begins to perceive the magnitude of its body’s level of autonomic
arousal to some experience.
c. after forming complex appraisals of both context and bodily changes.
d. Only a and b
Answer: b
3. Emotions that generate changes in the corrugator supercilii and zygomaticus facial
muscles are generally observed during states of:
a. happiness.
b. anger.
c. suppressed moods.
d. surprise.
Answer: c
4. The James-Lange theory is known as a:
a. bottom-up theory.
b. top-down theory.
c. constructionist theory.
d. appraisal theory.
Answer: a
, 5. The Cannon-Bard position was strengthened by their observation that cats display
species typical emotional reactions to threatening stimuli, even when:
a. the flow of information from the viscera to the brain is interrupted by severing
visceral and spinal nerves.
b. body to brain communication is blocked by removing the vagus nerve.
c. the hypothalamus is damaged.
d. they are placed in direct opposition to an angry dog.
Answer: a
6. According to Cannon-Bard, the ________ is activated by encounters in the external
environment and then relays information regarding this context in two simultaneous
directions to produce emotions.
a. hypothalamus
b. cortex
c. thalamus
d. amygdala
Answer: c
7. The Cannon-Bard theory also proposed that “neural signals sent to initiate physiological
reactions in the body to adapt to the specific nature of the experience” are generated in the:
a. hypothalamus and amygdala.
b. cortex and thalamus.
c. thalamus and hypothalamus.
d. amygdala and cortex.
Answer: a
8. Schachter and Singer’s (1962) famous study informed subjects they would receive an
injection of saline or epinephrine and then informed them of the reactions to expect from
the injection (i.e. you will experience a change in heart rate), while providing no
information regarding the effects of the stress hormone to a second uninformed group.
The “Saline Injection” group was reported to have ________ response when placed with the
ANGRY actor and showed ________ response when placed with the EUPHORIC actor.
a. a mild / a mild
b. a strong angry / a strong euphoric
c. a strong angry / a mild euphoric
d. no emotional / no emotional
Answer: a
2
Updated October 2024
Multiple Choice
13.1 Foundational and Contemporary Theories of Emotion
1. Three interrelated variables are presented repeatedly throughout the chapter that
represent important factors underlying emotions. Which of the following is NOT included
in this list?
a. Brain systems
b. Physiological states
c. Context
d. Hormonal changes
Answer: d
2. The James-Lange theory of emotion attempted to explain how the experience of emotion
influences behavior. According to their understanding, emotions develop:
a. after the brain interprets the significance of stimuli in the external environment to
survival (e.g. a bear).
b. after an organism begins to perceive the magnitude of its body’s level of autonomic
arousal to some experience.
c. after forming complex appraisals of both context and bodily changes.
d. Only a and b
Answer: b
3. Emotions that generate changes in the corrugator supercilii and zygomaticus facial
muscles are generally observed during states of:
a. happiness.
b. anger.
c. suppressed moods.
d. surprise.
Answer: c
4. The James-Lange theory is known as a:
a. bottom-up theory.
b. top-down theory.
c. constructionist theory.
d. appraisal theory.
Answer: a
, 5. The Cannon-Bard position was strengthened by their observation that cats display
species typical emotional reactions to threatening stimuli, even when:
a. the flow of information from the viscera to the brain is interrupted by severing
visceral and spinal nerves.
b. body to brain communication is blocked by removing the vagus nerve.
c. the hypothalamus is damaged.
d. they are placed in direct opposition to an angry dog.
Answer: a
6. According to Cannon-Bard, the ________ is activated by encounters in the external
environment and then relays information regarding this context in two simultaneous
directions to produce emotions.
a. hypothalamus
b. cortex
c. thalamus
d. amygdala
Answer: c
7. The Cannon-Bard theory also proposed that “neural signals sent to initiate physiological
reactions in the body to adapt to the specific nature of the experience” are generated in the:
a. hypothalamus and amygdala.
b. cortex and thalamus.
c. thalamus and hypothalamus.
d. amygdala and cortex.
Answer: a
8. Schachter and Singer’s (1962) famous study informed subjects they would receive an
injection of saline or epinephrine and then informed them of the reactions to expect from
the injection (i.e. you will experience a change in heart rate), while providing no
information regarding the effects of the stress hormone to a second uninformed group.
The “Saline Injection” group was reported to have ________ response when placed with the
ANGRY actor and showed ________ response when placed with the EUPHORIC actor.
a. a mild / a mild
b. a strong angry / a strong euphoric
c. a strong angry / a mild euphoric
d. no emotional / no emotional
Answer: a
2
Updated October 2024
