QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Practice questions Introduction to Psychology
Topic 1 – Genes and Evolution
What are chromosomes, DNA and genes and what is the relationship between the three?
Genes are the meaningful sections of the DNA molecule, they govern the cell’s
functioning by providing instructions for making proteins, they help determine an organism’s
characteristics. Chromosomes carry instructions for how to build and operate a body.
Chromosomes are made up of strands of DNA which are made up of genes.
What is meant by genetic expression, genotype and phenotype?
Genetic expression is whether a gene is turned on or off, the extent to which a gene is
transcribed into a sequence of amino acids (protein), controlled by the biochemical
environment inside the cell. A genotype is an organism’s specific set of genes, determined at
the moment of conception. The phenotype are the overt traits and behaviors of an organism,
this is determined by the genotype and the environment (experience, past and present).
Can you explain how genes are passed from parents to children?
Heredity is the transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring through
genes.
What is meant exactly by evolution through natural selection?
An organism’s set of DNA and genes (the genome) is shaped by evolution over the
years. Charles Darwin hypothesized that all modern organisms are descended from a small set
of shared ancestors and have merged over time through the process of evolution. Three
conditions: there is variation among individuals of populations (variation), individuals with a
certain trait survive and reproduce at higher rates than others (inheritance) and the trait
associated with this advantage is passed from parents to offspring (selection).
Which role do evolution, genes and environment play in behavior?
A specific trait or behavior is determined by the interaction between the environment,
the past and the present, and one gene pair or multiple gene pairs (polygenetic inheritance).
Through evolution certain traits have become more important than others.
What is behavioral genetics and which methods are used here?
Behavioral genetics is the study of genetic and environmental influences on
behaviors, for example the extent that genes predispose an individual toward aggressive
behavior. It is also studied what the impact of genes of an organisms is on its behavior.
What is meant by heritability?
Heritability is a measure of how well differences in people’s genes account for
differences in their traits, the extent to which variation in a trait within a population is due to
genetics. Or how well differences in genes account for differences in traits.
1
, Topic 2 – The Brain and the Nervous System
What are the structure and function of the neuron?
The nervous system is made up of two basic kinds of cells: glia and neurons. The
neurons are important when you talk about behavior, these are the cells that receive
information in the form of electrical impulses. A neuron has three main parts: dendrites, an
axon and a cell body. A dendrite is where a neuron receives input from other cells. The axon
is the output structure of the neuron, here the electrical messages called action potential are
send out. The cell body is where the nucleus lies, where the DNA is housed, and where
proteins are made to be transported throughout the axon and dendrites.
How do neurons communicate with each other?
Neurons interact via synapses and through chemical substances. Synapses are the
places where a signal passed from one nerve cell to another, they are the points of contact
between neurons where information is passed from one neuron to the next.
Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that transmit signals form one neuron to another.
The effect is terminated by auto receptors, synaptic reuptake and enzymes. The binding of a
neurotransmitter with a receptor produces an excitatory (action potential increases) or an
inhibitory (action potential decreases) signal.
How does the brain communicate with the body?
The central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The peripheral
nervous system consists of the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
The somatic nervous system, skin, muscles and joints, send signals to the spinal cord and
brain and vice versa. The autonomic nervous system are the glands and internal organs that
send signals to the spinal cord and brain. So the brain communicates with the body via the
spinal cord, which runs from the brain down through the back.
Which different methods are used to study the nervous system, and what exactly does each of
these methods measure?
Methods include examining brain lesions, microscopy, electrophysiology,
electroencephalography and many scanning technologies. Like EEG, a technique where you
can measure electrical activity on the skull. An event-related potential (ERP) is the measured
brain response that is the direct result of a specific sensory, cognitive or motor event. A PET
scan shows how the brain and its tissues are working.
What are the main components of the nervous system and the brain?
The nervous system has two main parts: the central nervous system is made up of the
brain and spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system is made up of the nerves that brand
of from the spinal cord and extend to all parts of the body. The brain consist of the cerebrum,
the brainstem and the cerebellum. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain, it imitates
and coordinates movement, regulates temperature, enables speech, judgement, thinking,
reasoning and problem-solving. The brainstem connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord,
2
Practice questions Introduction to Psychology
Topic 1 – Genes and Evolution
What are chromosomes, DNA and genes and what is the relationship between the three?
Genes are the meaningful sections of the DNA molecule, they govern the cell’s
functioning by providing instructions for making proteins, they help determine an organism’s
characteristics. Chromosomes carry instructions for how to build and operate a body.
Chromosomes are made up of strands of DNA which are made up of genes.
What is meant by genetic expression, genotype and phenotype?
Genetic expression is whether a gene is turned on or off, the extent to which a gene is
transcribed into a sequence of amino acids (protein), controlled by the biochemical
environment inside the cell. A genotype is an organism’s specific set of genes, determined at
the moment of conception. The phenotype are the overt traits and behaviors of an organism,
this is determined by the genotype and the environment (experience, past and present).
Can you explain how genes are passed from parents to children?
Heredity is the transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring through
genes.
What is meant exactly by evolution through natural selection?
An organism’s set of DNA and genes (the genome) is shaped by evolution over the
years. Charles Darwin hypothesized that all modern organisms are descended from a small set
of shared ancestors and have merged over time through the process of evolution. Three
conditions: there is variation among individuals of populations (variation), individuals with a
certain trait survive and reproduce at higher rates than others (inheritance) and the trait
associated with this advantage is passed from parents to offspring (selection).
Which role do evolution, genes and environment play in behavior?
A specific trait or behavior is determined by the interaction between the environment,
the past and the present, and one gene pair or multiple gene pairs (polygenetic inheritance).
Through evolution certain traits have become more important than others.
What is behavioral genetics and which methods are used here?
Behavioral genetics is the study of genetic and environmental influences on
behaviors, for example the extent that genes predispose an individual toward aggressive
behavior. It is also studied what the impact of genes of an organisms is on its behavior.
What is meant by heritability?
Heritability is a measure of how well differences in people’s genes account for
differences in their traits, the extent to which variation in a trait within a population is due to
genetics. Or how well differences in genes account for differences in traits.
1
, Topic 2 – The Brain and the Nervous System
What are the structure and function of the neuron?
The nervous system is made up of two basic kinds of cells: glia and neurons. The
neurons are important when you talk about behavior, these are the cells that receive
information in the form of electrical impulses. A neuron has three main parts: dendrites, an
axon and a cell body. A dendrite is where a neuron receives input from other cells. The axon
is the output structure of the neuron, here the electrical messages called action potential are
send out. The cell body is where the nucleus lies, where the DNA is housed, and where
proteins are made to be transported throughout the axon and dendrites.
How do neurons communicate with each other?
Neurons interact via synapses and through chemical substances. Synapses are the
places where a signal passed from one nerve cell to another, they are the points of contact
between neurons where information is passed from one neuron to the next.
Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that transmit signals form one neuron to another.
The effect is terminated by auto receptors, synaptic reuptake and enzymes. The binding of a
neurotransmitter with a receptor produces an excitatory (action potential increases) or an
inhibitory (action potential decreases) signal.
How does the brain communicate with the body?
The central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The peripheral
nervous system consists of the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
The somatic nervous system, skin, muscles and joints, send signals to the spinal cord and
brain and vice versa. The autonomic nervous system are the glands and internal organs that
send signals to the spinal cord and brain. So the brain communicates with the body via the
spinal cord, which runs from the brain down through the back.
Which different methods are used to study the nervous system, and what exactly does each of
these methods measure?
Methods include examining brain lesions, microscopy, electrophysiology,
electroencephalography and many scanning technologies. Like EEG, a technique where you
can measure electrical activity on the skull. An event-related potential (ERP) is the measured
brain response that is the direct result of a specific sensory, cognitive or motor event. A PET
scan shows how the brain and its tissues are working.
What are the main components of the nervous system and the brain?
The nervous system has two main parts: the central nervous system is made up of the
brain and spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system is made up of the nerves that brand
of from the spinal cord and extend to all parts of the body. The brain consist of the cerebrum,
the brainstem and the cerebellum. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain, it imitates
and coordinates movement, regulates temperature, enables speech, judgement, thinking,
reasoning and problem-solving. The brainstem connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord,
2
