PSY 627 FINAL TEST 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Reuptake.
Answer: process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the synaptic
vesicles
◍ What is a dependent variable in behavioral analysis?.
Answer: The effect for which we are to find the cause.
◍ What is an independent variable in behavioral analysis?.
Answer: The external conditions that are the causes of behavior.
◍ Why is it important to understand the function of behavior?.
Answer: Without knowing the function, we cannot effectively treat the
behavior.
◍ What does FBA stand for and what is its purpose?.
Answer: Functional Behavior Assessment; it describes behavior and
illuminates the cause-effect relations between behavior and environment.
◍ Catecholamines: What are they? How are excess catecholamines removed?
Packaging? Monoamine reuptake and blocking reuptake.
Answer: A group of neurotransmitters and hormones that share a core
structure of a catechol ring and a nitrogen-containing amine group. They are
packaged in synaptic vesicles and removed by reuptake. MAO is involved in
the breakdown of catecholamines; non-selective MAO inhibitors block
MAO-A and MAO-B which are in drugs used to treat depression.
◍ Vesicle repackaging of dopamine.
Answer: The critical process where the vesicular monoamine transporter-2
, (VMAT2) moves cytosolic dopamine into synaptic vesicles for storage and
release, utilizing an -ATPase-driven proton gradient. This mechanism
protects cells from oxidative damage caused by cytoplasmic dopamine and
is essential for maintaining neurotransmission.
◍ What did Iwata et al. demonstrate regarding similar behaviors?.
Answer: Behaviors that appear similar can have entirely different causes.
◍ What should intervention plans be based on?.
Answer: The function of the behavior and the individual needs of the
student.
◍ Drugs that bypass excitation.
Answer: Amphetamine and Methamphetamine
◍ Method of Action of Cocaine.
Answer: Catecholamine reuptake inhibitor
◍ Method of action of ADHD stimulant medications.
Answer: Amphetamine - Catecholamine releaser and reuptake blocker.
Methylphenidate - Catecholamine reuptake blocker
◍ What is the difference between topography and function in behavior
analysis?.
Answer: Topography refers to what the behavior looks like, while function
refers to the purpose of the behavior.
◍ Norepinephrine.
Answer: A neurotransmitter involved in arousal, as well as in learning and
mood regulation
◍ What is the 'dead man's definition' of behavior?.
Answer: If a dead man can do it, it is not considered a behavior.
◍ What are the characteristics of a well-defined behavior?.
Answer: It should be operational, quantifiable, and objective.
◍ What is classical conditioning?.
Answer: A learning process where certain events occur together, leading to
, automatic responses.
◍ What is operant behavior?.
Answer: Learning that occurs through the association between a response
and its consequence.
◍ Noradrenergic system: what is norepinephrine, what does it do? Which brain
structure is it associated with?.
Answer: CNS - found in the brainstem (pons (LC) and medulla) and goes
through forebrain structures (cortex, limbic system, thalamus, and
hypothalamus). PNS - In the ganglia of the sympathetic branch of the ANS.
NE regulates the "fight or flight" response
◍ Amygdala.
Answer: A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion,
particularly fear and aggression.
◍ What are the two types of reinforcement?.
Answer: Positive reinforcement (giving something to increase behavior) and
negative reinforcement (taking something away to increase behavior).
◍ What is the difference between positive and negative punishment?.
Answer: Positive punishment involves giving something to decrease
behavior, while negative punishment involves taking something away to
decrease behavior.
◍ What are the types of reinforcers?.
Answer: Extrinsic (concrete, social, activity) and intrinsic reinforcers.
◍ Agonists for serotonin.
Answer: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
◍ MDMA (initial synthesis, treatment implications, acute action).
Answer: Initial synthesis - stop bleeding. Treatment implications - Proposed
treatment for severe PTSD. Acute action - releases serotonin
◍ What is the role of praise in reinforcement?.
Answer: Specific praise for what has been done well can serve as a
, reinforcer.
◍ Serotonin/Serotonergic System: which drugs increase it? What does MDMA
do? Where are the cell bodies that produce serotonin? Serotonin is released
in the gut by what? Serotonin in the CNS?.
Answer: Serotonin: Neurotransmitter 5 Hydroxytryptophan
(5-HTP)Serotonin in the CNS is found along the midline of the brainstem
(Medulla, pons, midbrain, raphe nuclei). Cell bodies that produce serotonin
are in the raphe nuclei.Serotonin is released in the gut by eating.
◍ What distinguishes bribery from reinforcement?.
Answer: Bribery involves external control, while reinforcement is based on
the individual's behavior and consequences.
◍ What is the process of learning?.
Answer: Acquiring new information or behaviors through experience.
◍ What is associative learning?.
Answer: Learning that occurs when certain events are associated together,
leading to automatic responses.
◍ Functions of serotonin in the gut.
Answer: 90-95% of 5-HT content is in the gut. In the enteric nervous
system, and stimulated by the entry of food. The serotonin release helps
promote peristaltic contractions that help move food through the intestines.
◍ What is cognitive learning?.
Answer: The acquisition of mental information that guides behavior.
◍ How does behavior support address multiple causes?.
Answer: Intervention is most effective when it directly addresses the
multiple causes or functions of behavior.
◍ What is the significance of individual learning histories in behavior
analysis?.
Answer: No two individuals are the same; each student's learning history is
unique and affects their behavior.
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Reuptake.
Answer: process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the synaptic
vesicles
◍ What is a dependent variable in behavioral analysis?.
Answer: The effect for which we are to find the cause.
◍ What is an independent variable in behavioral analysis?.
Answer: The external conditions that are the causes of behavior.
◍ Why is it important to understand the function of behavior?.
Answer: Without knowing the function, we cannot effectively treat the
behavior.
◍ What does FBA stand for and what is its purpose?.
Answer: Functional Behavior Assessment; it describes behavior and
illuminates the cause-effect relations between behavior and environment.
◍ Catecholamines: What are they? How are excess catecholamines removed?
Packaging? Monoamine reuptake and blocking reuptake.
Answer: A group of neurotransmitters and hormones that share a core
structure of a catechol ring and a nitrogen-containing amine group. They are
packaged in synaptic vesicles and removed by reuptake. MAO is involved in
the breakdown of catecholamines; non-selective MAO inhibitors block
MAO-A and MAO-B which are in drugs used to treat depression.
◍ Vesicle repackaging of dopamine.
Answer: The critical process where the vesicular monoamine transporter-2
, (VMAT2) moves cytosolic dopamine into synaptic vesicles for storage and
release, utilizing an -ATPase-driven proton gradient. This mechanism
protects cells from oxidative damage caused by cytoplasmic dopamine and
is essential for maintaining neurotransmission.
◍ What did Iwata et al. demonstrate regarding similar behaviors?.
Answer: Behaviors that appear similar can have entirely different causes.
◍ What should intervention plans be based on?.
Answer: The function of the behavior and the individual needs of the
student.
◍ Drugs that bypass excitation.
Answer: Amphetamine and Methamphetamine
◍ Method of Action of Cocaine.
Answer: Catecholamine reuptake inhibitor
◍ Method of action of ADHD stimulant medications.
Answer: Amphetamine - Catecholamine releaser and reuptake blocker.
Methylphenidate - Catecholamine reuptake blocker
◍ What is the difference between topography and function in behavior
analysis?.
Answer: Topography refers to what the behavior looks like, while function
refers to the purpose of the behavior.
◍ Norepinephrine.
Answer: A neurotransmitter involved in arousal, as well as in learning and
mood regulation
◍ What is the 'dead man's definition' of behavior?.
Answer: If a dead man can do it, it is not considered a behavior.
◍ What are the characteristics of a well-defined behavior?.
Answer: It should be operational, quantifiable, and objective.
◍ What is classical conditioning?.
Answer: A learning process where certain events occur together, leading to
, automatic responses.
◍ What is operant behavior?.
Answer: Learning that occurs through the association between a response
and its consequence.
◍ Noradrenergic system: what is norepinephrine, what does it do? Which brain
structure is it associated with?.
Answer: CNS - found in the brainstem (pons (LC) and medulla) and goes
through forebrain structures (cortex, limbic system, thalamus, and
hypothalamus). PNS - In the ganglia of the sympathetic branch of the ANS.
NE regulates the "fight or flight" response
◍ Amygdala.
Answer: A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion,
particularly fear and aggression.
◍ What are the two types of reinforcement?.
Answer: Positive reinforcement (giving something to increase behavior) and
negative reinforcement (taking something away to increase behavior).
◍ What is the difference between positive and negative punishment?.
Answer: Positive punishment involves giving something to decrease
behavior, while negative punishment involves taking something away to
decrease behavior.
◍ What are the types of reinforcers?.
Answer: Extrinsic (concrete, social, activity) and intrinsic reinforcers.
◍ Agonists for serotonin.
Answer: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
◍ MDMA (initial synthesis, treatment implications, acute action).
Answer: Initial synthesis - stop bleeding. Treatment implications - Proposed
treatment for severe PTSD. Acute action - releases serotonin
◍ What is the role of praise in reinforcement?.
Answer: Specific praise for what has been done well can serve as a
, reinforcer.
◍ Serotonin/Serotonergic System: which drugs increase it? What does MDMA
do? Where are the cell bodies that produce serotonin? Serotonin is released
in the gut by what? Serotonin in the CNS?.
Answer: Serotonin: Neurotransmitter 5 Hydroxytryptophan
(5-HTP)Serotonin in the CNS is found along the midline of the brainstem
(Medulla, pons, midbrain, raphe nuclei). Cell bodies that produce serotonin
are in the raphe nuclei.Serotonin is released in the gut by eating.
◍ What distinguishes bribery from reinforcement?.
Answer: Bribery involves external control, while reinforcement is based on
the individual's behavior and consequences.
◍ What is the process of learning?.
Answer: Acquiring new information or behaviors through experience.
◍ What is associative learning?.
Answer: Learning that occurs when certain events are associated together,
leading to automatic responses.
◍ Functions of serotonin in the gut.
Answer: 90-95% of 5-HT content is in the gut. In the enteric nervous
system, and stimulated by the entry of food. The serotonin release helps
promote peristaltic contractions that help move food through the intestines.
◍ What is cognitive learning?.
Answer: The acquisition of mental information that guides behavior.
◍ How does behavior support address multiple causes?.
Answer: Intervention is most effective when it directly addresses the
multiple causes or functions of behavior.
◍ What is the significance of individual learning histories in behavior
analysis?.
Answer: No two individuals are the same; each student's learning history is
unique and affects their behavior.
