Biological Psyc Test - Eisele

When people discuss the "nature vs. nurture" controversy, Nature refers to ________ and Nurture refers to ________.

biology; environment

Describe evidence for the brain's dual-processing ability?

The brainstem keeps our heart beating while the cerebral cortex maintains awareness of the outside world.

The threadlike structures that contain genes are called

chromosomes

As you are reading this question, the cells in your eyes are firing in response to the light coming from this paper. Which type of neuron is carrying this message to the brain?

sensory

Heritability refers to the extent to which

trait differences among individuals are attributable to genetic variations

The depolarization of a neural membrane can create a(n)

action potential

A person with schizophrenia may have an overactive dopamine system. Drugs used to treat this disorder prevent the action of dopamine by keeping it from binding to its receptors. These drugs are

antagonists

An accelerated heartbeat is to a slowed heartbeat as the ________ nervous system is to the ________ nervous system.

sympathetic; parasympathetic

The home environment most clearly has a greater influence on children's ________ than on their ________.

religious beliefs; personality traits

Research suggests that young men prefer older women, mid-twenties men prefer women their own age, and older men prefer younger women. Based on this finding, evolutionary psychologists suggest that men

are attracted to women with peak fertility.

For you to be able to run, ________ must relay messages from your central nervous system to your leg muscles.

motor neurons

The sequence of brain regions from the evolutionarily oldest to newest is

brainstem; limbic system; cerebral cortex.

The chemical messengers released into the spatial junctions between neurons are called

neurotransmitters

A brain lesion refers to ________ of brain tissue.

destruction

A picture of a dog is briefly flashed in the left visual field of a split-brain patient. At the same time a picture of a boy is flashed in the right visual field. In identifying what she saw, the patient would be most likely to

verbally report that she saw a boy.

José has just played a long, bruising football game but feels little fatigue or discomfort. His lack of pain is most likely caused by the release of

endorphins

Evolutionary psychology studies the evolution of behavior and the mind using principles of

natural selection

What are the molecules that are similar enough to a neurotransmitter to bind to its receptor sites on a dendrite and mimic that neurotransmitter's effects called?

agonists

Schizophrenia is most closely linked with excess receptor activity for the neurotransmitter

dopamine

If a genetic predisposition to fear darkness contributes to reproductive success, that trait will likely be passed on to subsequent generations. This best illustrates

natural selection

Reuptake refers to the

reabsorption of excess neurotransmitter molecules by a sending neuron

The master gland of the endocrine system is the

pituitary gland

When the "Jim twins," identical twins separated at birth, were reunited 38 years later, surprising similarities were discovered. Although they had married women of the same name, named their sons and dogs the same names, one should be cautious before attributing these similarities to genetic factors because

any two strangers are likely to share coincidental similarities.

Hormones are the chemical messengers of the

endocrine system

Studies of identical twins who had been reared apart most clearly highlight the importance of ________ in personality development.

genetic predispositions

For you to experience the pain of a sprained ankle, ________ must first relay messages from your ankle to your central nervous system.

sensory neurons

A brief electrical charge that travels down the axon of a neuron is called the

action potential

Mandy came home late. As she reached to turn on the kitchen light, her hand brushed against something unexpected. Her adrenal glands, as a part of the "fight-or-flight" response, released epinephrine and norepinephrine, which increased her heart rate and blood pressure. Even after she realized it was just the curtain, her excited feelings lingered. This example illustrates

that endocrine messages tend to outlast the effects of neural messages.

Evolutionary psychologists are most likely to be criticized for

providing hindsight explanations for human behaviors.

To identify which specific brain areas are most active during a particular mental task, researchers would be most likely to make use of a(n)

fMRI

Psychoactive drugs interfere with normal neural transmission. Where does this interference take place?

synapse

Adopted children are more likely to demonstrate levels of agreeableness and extraversion, more similar to that of their biological parents than their adoptive parents. This finding suggests that personality traits are more strongly influenced by

genes than by the home environment.

If a professor accused you of cheating on a test, your adrenal glands would probably release ________ into your bloodstream.

epinephrine

Which statement best reflects current psychology's understanding of the relationship between nature and nurture?

nature via nurture

Researchers found that women rated men higher as potential long-term mates when they spent more time looking at baby pictures. This finding suggests that

women prefer men who express interest in caring for joint offspring.

An all-or-none response pattern is characteristic of the

initiation of neural impulses.

Why is it incorrect to say that 50 percent heritability of intelligence means that the cause of your intelligence is 50 percent genetic and 50 percent environmental?

because heritability accounts for variations among people, not in specific individuals

Botulin is a poison with a molecular structure so similar to acetylcholine (ACh) that it blocks the effects of ACh in synapses, making botulin which kind of molecule?

antagonist

An adaptation is an inherited physical or behavioral characteristic that

increases an organism's chance for survival.

Evolutionary psychologists have suggested that men are ________ likely than women to prefer mates with a fertile-looking appearance and ________ likely than women to prefer mates with wealth and social status.

more; less

The genome is the complete

set of genetic material in an organism's chromosomes

Put DNA, Chromosomes, and genes in order from smallest to largest.

genes, DNA, chromosomes

Evolutionary psychologists emphasize that environmentally adaptive behaviors are those that have promoted

reproductive success

Endocrine glands secrete hormones directly into

the bloodstream

Shane, a straight-A student, remembers dreaming that he failed an important chemistry test. According to Freud, Shane's account represents the ________ content of his dream.

manifest

Nightmares are to ________ as night terrors are to ________.

REM sleep; Stage 4 sleep

Sleep deprivation has been shown to

diminish immunity to disease

LSD is most likely to produce

hallucinations

Research on the use of addictive drugs indicates that

many people are able to stop using addictive drugs without professional help.

Consciousness is

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

Studies of marijuana's effects indicate that

regular users may achieve a high with less of the drug than occasional users

Cindi prefers to take exams in the late afternoon rather than during the morning, because her energy level and ability to concentrate are better at that time. Her experience most likely reflects the influence of the

circadian rhythm.

The rhythmic bursts of brain activity that occur during Stage 2 sleep are called

sleep spindles

After a stressful day at the office, Arthur has five or six drinks at a local bar before going home for dinner. Research suggests that Arthur's heavy drinking will have the most adverse effect on his ability to remember

the next day the names of the people he talked to and what he said while drinking.

What do methamphetamine, caffeine, and cocaine have in common?

They excite neural activity and arouse body functions.

What is true about melatonin?

It is a sleep hormone released by the pineal gland into the bloodstream.

Soon after taking a psychoactive drug, Zachary experienced a diminished appetite, an increased pulse rate, dilated pupils, and feelings of self-confidence and euphoria. Zachary most likely experienced the effects of

cocaine

As drug users experience neuroadaptation, they demonstrate signs of

tolerance

Which of the following sleep disorders would be the most incapacitating for a commercial bus driver?

narcolepsy

Research has shown that having an identical rather than a fraternal twin with alcohol dependence puts one at an increased risk for alcohol problems. This finding suggests that

alcohol abuse may be significantly influenced by genetics.

How is the hypothalamus involved in sleep?

produces melatonin

LSD and other powerful hallucinogens are chemically similar to, and therefore block the actions of, a subtype of the neurotransmitter serotonin. At the synapse, these drugs act as a(n)

antagonist

Chemical substances that alter perceptions and moods are called ________ drugs.

psychoactive

The occurrence of REM rebound supports the notion that

humans, like most other mammals, need REM sleep.

Morphine and heroin are

opiates

Research studies of the content of dreams indicate that

people are more likely to dream of failure than of success.

After sleeping for about an hour and a half, José enters a phase of paradoxical sleep. He is likely to

have very relaxed muscles.

Alcohol consumption is LEAST likely to make people more

self-conscious

Dreams often involve sudden emotional reactions and surprising changes in scene. This best serves to support the theory that dreams

are triggered by random bursts of neural activity.