Psychology in Everyday Life

David G. Myers

Chapter 2

Neuroscience and Consciousness - all with Video Answers

Educators

Chapter Questions

Problem 1

The neuron fiber that carries messages to other neurons is the
a. dendrite.
b. axon.
c. cell body.
d. synapse.

Emily Himsel

Emily Himsel

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Problem 2

There is a tiny space between the axon of a sending neuron and the dendrite of a receiving neuron. This small space is called the
a. axon.
b. dendrite.
c. synaptic gap.
d. threshold.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 3

The neuron's response to stimulation is an all-or-none response, meaning that the intensity of the stimulus determines
a. whether or not an impulse is gener. ated.
b. how fast an impulse is transmitted.
c. how intense an impulse will be.
d. whether reuptake will occur.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 4

When a neural impulse reaches the end of an axon, it triggers the release of chemical messengers called
a. dendrites.
b. synapses.
c. action potentials.
d. neurotransmitters.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 5

Endorphins are released in the brain in response to
a. morphine or heroin.
b. pain or vigorous exercise.
c. the all-or-none response.
d. all of these answers.

Emily Himsel

Numerade Educator

Problem 6

The autonomic nervous system controls internal functions, such as your heart rate and glands. The word autonomic means
a. peripheral.
b. voluntary.
c operating on its own.
d. arousing.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 7

Usually, the sympathetic nervous system arouses us for action and the parasympathetic nervous system calms us down. Together, the two systems make up the
a. autonomic nervous system.
b. somatic nervous system.
c. central nervous system.
d. peripheral nervous system.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 8

The spinal cord is part of the
a. somatic nervous system.
b. central nervous system.
c. autonomic nervous system.
d. peripheral nervous system.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 9

The endocrine system produces chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream and influence our behaviors and emotions. These chemical substances are
a. hormones.
b. neurotransmitters.
c. endorphins.
d. glands.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 10

The pituitary gland releases hormones that influence growth and the activity of other glands. The pituitary gland is part of the
a. endocrine system.
b. peripheral nervous system.
c. sympathetic nervous system.
d. central nervous system.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 11

The part of the brainstem that controls heartbeat and breathing is the
a. cerebellum.
b. medulla.
c. cortex.
d. thalamus.

Alyssa Mae L.

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Problem 12

The thalamus receives information from the sensory neurons and routes it to the higher brain regions that control the senses. The thalamus functions as a
a. memory bank.
b. pleasure center.
c. breathing regulator.
d. switchboard.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 13

The lower brain structure that governs arousal is the
a. spinal cord.
b. cerebellum.
c. reticular formation.
d. medulla.

Alyssa Mae L.

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Problem 14

The part of the brain that coordinates voluntary movement is the
a. cerebellum.
b. medulla.
c. thalamus.
d. reticular formation.

Shazia Naz

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Problem 15

The limbic system sits between the brain's older parts and the cerebral hemispheres. Two parts of the limbic system are the amygdala and the
a. reticular formation.
b. hippocampus.
c. thalamus.
d. medulla.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 16

A cat's ferocious response to electrical brain stimulation would lead you to suppose that the electrode had been touching the
a. medulla.
b. pituitary.
c. hypothalamus.
d. amygdala.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 17

The neural structure that most directly regulates eating, drinking, and body temperature is the
a. cerebellum.
b. hypothalamus.
c. thalamus.
d. amygdala.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 18

The reward centers discovered by Olds and Milner were located in regions of the
a. cerebral cortex.
b. brainstem.
c. hypothalamus.
d. spinal cord.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 19

If a neurosurgeon stimulated your right motor cortex, you would most likely
a. see light.
b. hear a sound.
c. feel a touch on the right arm.
d. move your left leg.

Alyssa Mae L.

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Problem 20

The sensory cortex registers and processes body sensations, with the more sensitive body regions occupying the greatest amount of space. Which of the following occupies the greatest amount of space?
a. Knee
b. Toes
c. Forehead
d. Thumb

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Problem 21

About three-fourths of the cerebral cortex is not committed to any specific sensory or muscular function. The "uncommitted" areas are called
a. occipital lobes.
b. temporal lobes.
c. association areas.
d. Wernicke's area.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 22

Judging and planning are enabled by the
a. occipital lobes.
b. parietal lobes.
c. frontal lobes.
d. temporal lobes.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 23

The area in the brain that, if damaged, might impair your ability to form words is
a. Wernicke's area.
b. Broca's area.
c. the left occipital lobe.
d. the angular gyrus.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 24

Plasticity refers to the brain's ability to modify itself after damage. Especially plastic are the brains of
a. split-brain patients.
b. young adults.
c. young children.
d. right-handed people.

Emily Himsel

Numerade Educator

Problem 25

The brain structure that enables the right and left hemispheres to communicate is
a. the medulla.
b. Broca's area.
c. Wernicke's area.
d. the corpus callosum.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 26

An experimenter flashes the word HERON across the visual field of a split-brain patient. HER is transmitted to his right hemisphere and ON to his left hemisphere. When asked to indicate what he saw, the patient
a. says he saw HER but points to ON.
b. says he saw ON but points to HER.
c. says he saw HERON but points to HER.
d. says he saw HERON but points to ON.

Emily Himsel

Numerade Educator

Problem 27

The study of split-brain patients has allowed us to observe the special functions of each hemisphere of the brain. The left hemisphere excels in
a. processing language.
b. visual perceptions.
c. recognition of emotion.
d. recognition of faces.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 28

Damage to the brain's right hemisphere is most likely to reduce a person's ability to
a. recite the alphabet rapidly.
b. recognize the emotional content of facial expressions.
c. understand verbal instructions.
d. solve arithmetic problems.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 29

Consciousness is our awareness of our selves and our environment. Failure to see visible objects when our attention is occupied elsewhere is called
a. automatic processing.
b. awareness unconsciousness.
c. inattentional blindness.
d. subconscious processing.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 30

Our body temperature tends to rise and fall in tune with a biological clock, which is referred to as
a. the circadian rhythm.
b. narcolepsy.
c. REM sleep.
d. an alpha wave.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 31

Stage 1 sleep is a twilight zone of light sleep. During Stage 1 sleep, a person is most likely to experience
a. sleep spindles.
b. hallucinations.
c. night terrors or nightmares.
d. rapid eye movements.

Alexander Cheng

Alexander Cheng

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Problem 32

In the deepest stage of sleep, the brain emits large, slow waves. This deep stage of sleep is called
a. Stage 2.
b. Stage 4
c. REM sleep.
d. paradoxical sleep.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 33

An electroencephalograph reading shows that during sleep we pass through a cycle of five stages, each with characteristic brain waves. As the night progresses, the REM stage
a. gradually disappears.
b. becomes briefer and briefer.
c. remains about the same.
d. becomes progressively longer.

Emily Himsel

Numerade Educator

Problem 34

Various theories have been proposed to explain why we need sleep. They include all but which of the following?
a. Sleep has survival value.
b. Sleep helps us restore and repair brain tissue.
c. Sleep rests the eyes.
d. Sleep plays a role in the growth process.

Emily Himsel

Numerade Educator

Problem 35

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder in which a person _____________ sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which a person ______________.
a. has persistent problems falling asleep; experiences rising blood. oxygen levels
b. experiences rising blood-oxygen levels; has persistent problems falling asleep
c. repeatedly stops breathing; suffers attacks of overwhelming sleepiness
d. suffers attacks of overwhelming sleepiness; repeatedly stops breathing

Emily Himsel

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Problem 36

According to Sigmund Freud, dreams are the key to understanding our inner conflicts. In interpreting dreams, Freud was most interested in their
a. information-processing function.
b. physiological function.
c. manifest content, or story line.
d. latent content, or symbolic meaning.

Emily Himsel

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Problem 37

Some theories of dreaming propose that dreams serve a physiological purpose. One such theory suggests that dreams
a. are the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity.
b. provide a rest period for overworked brains.
c. serve as a safety valve for unfulfilled desires.
d. prevent the brain from being disturbed by periodic stimulations.

Emily Himsel

Numerade Educator

Problem 38

The tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation is referred to as
a. paradoxical sleep.
b. deep sleep.
c. REM rebound.
d. slow-wave sleep.

Vishal Sharma

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