Apsych quiz

1.Dr. Grant conducted a study examining the extent to which humans share genes with each other and with other animals. She is also interested in understanding how genes contribute to behavior. Which conclusion would Dr. Grant most likely reach based on her research and the results of previous research?

  1. Chimpanzees share very few genes with humans.

  2. Complex behaviors are determined by specific individual genes.

  3. Human genes are mostly the same across all people.

  4. Genetic predispositions do not explain our shared human nature. 


2. Dr. Koulianos conducted a study on 1000 sets of identical and fraternal twin pairs being raised in the same household versus in different households to determine which twin pairs were most similar in their athletic abilities. Based on previous research, who should Dr Koulianos expect to be most alike?

  1. Fraternal twins raised in the same household.

  2. Identical twins raised in different households.

  3. Fraternal twins raised in different households.

  4. Identical twins raised in the same household.


3. Dr. Yondu believes that having good social skills improves emotional stability. He conducts an experiment in which 100 children are randomly assigned to one of two conditions. One group of children receives social skills intervention, while the other group of children listens to an instructional talk about how to whistle. Both groups complete an emotional stability questionnaire four weeks later. What does Dr. Yondu’s independent variable measure?

  1. The impact of nature

  2. The impact of epigenetics

  3. The impact of nurture

  4. The impact of evolution


4. Dr. Quill wants to conduct a study on how heredity may influence musical ability. Which of the following would be the best operational definition for his dependent variable?

  1. Compare the genes of master musicians to the genes of individuals without musical aptitude.

  2. Rate the quality of musical performance from 1 (indicating poor performance) to 5 (indicating superior performance).

  3. Provide musical instruments to one group of children and provide no musical instruments to a second group of children. 

  4. Assign one group of pregnant women to listen to music daily and assign a second group of pregnant women to avoid music. 


5. Which of the following illustrates how a researcher might examine the influence of nature on behavior?

  1. Dr. Hayakawa examined the influence of parenting on eating choices in children.

  2. Dr. Rojas examined the influence of genes on academic performance in teenagers.

  3. Dr. Williams examined the influence of media exposure on occupational choice in college students. 

  4. Dr. Olofsson examined the influence of exercise on attention in middle schoolers. 


6. Dr. Frances conducted a study on the impact of prenatal exposure to cocaine on hyperactivity in rats. Which is an accurate statement about this research study?

  1. The IV is hyperactivity, which reflects the impact of nurture.

  2. The IV is exposure to cocaine, which reflects the impact of nature.

  3. The IV is hyperactivity, which reflects the impact of nature.

  4. The IV is exposure to cocaine, which reflects the impact of nurture. 

 

7. Which of the following is an example of gene-environment interaction?

  1. Yeh Lin experiences flushing syndrome, which mostly occurs in people of Asian heritage.

  2. Alfonso gets food poisoning from eating undercooked meat.

  3. Ted gets diabetes, which runs in his family, because he eats too much sugary food.

  4.  Jordan has an autoimmune disorder that causes him to lose hair.


Use the following text to answer questions 8 and 9:

Dr. Freedia conducted a study in which she randomly assigned mice to one of two conditions. One group of mice was moved to a new cage every week for 8 weeks, while the other group of mice was allowed to remain in the same cage during this period. Dr. Freedia measured the levels of stress hormones in the mice’s bloodstream at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. She also measured the level of stress hormones in the mice’s offspring, and she found that the offspring of the mice that were exposed to frequent housing changes had higher levels than did the offspring of the mice that were not exposed to frequent housing changes. 


8. Which of the following statements about this study is most accurate?

  1. By randomly choosing mice from the entire population of mice, Dr. Freedia can ensure that her results regarding the effects of natural selection apply to all mice. 

  2. By randomly placing mice into the two groups of the study, Dr. Freedia can explain her results based on the effects of epigenetics rather than other factors. 

  3. By randomly choosing mice from the entire population of mice, Dr. Freedia can explain her results based on the effects of epigenetics rather than other factors. 

  4. By randomly placing mice into two groups of the study, Dr. Freedia can explain her results based on evolution. 


9. Based on the results of this study, a journalist wrote an article encouraging parents to avoid moving so as not to increase their children’s and future grandchildren’s stress hormone levels. What is the biggest problem with this reasoning?

  1. Dr. Freedia did not employ random assignment, so the journalist cannot make claims about the impact of the IV on the DV. 

  2. Dr. Freedia did not employ random selection, so the journalist cannot generalize the results to the larger population. 

  3. Dr. Freedia employed a nonexperimental design in her study, so the journalist is unable to infer a cause-effect relationship between the variables. 

  4. Dr. Freedia conducted her study on mice, so the results may not generalize to the population of humans. 


10. Which of the following concepts is an example of using evolutionary principles in a discriminatory way?

  1. Eugenics

  2. Epigenics

  3. Natural selection

  4. Mutations


11. Dr. Vaughn studies how population characteristics change over time based on how surviving members of a species pass on their genes to future generations. Dr. Vaughn studies

  1. Eugenics

  2. Heredity

  3. Epigenetics

  4. natural selection


12. Dr. Privit examines how nongenetic factors impact behavior to better understand the role of 

  1. Nature

  2. Heredity

  3. Environment

  4. epigenetics


1. Which division of the nervous system calms a person down once a stressful event has passed?

  1. Parasympathetic

  2. Central

  3. Somatic

  4. Sympathetic


2.Thomas is walking down his favorite street in town. Which division of the nervous system allows him to move the muscles necessary to do this?

  1. Central

  2. Sympathetic

  3. Parasympathetic

  4. Somatic


The somatic nervous system allows Thomas to move the muscles necessary for walking. It controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles by transmitting signals from the central nervous system to the muscles.


The central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) processes information but doesn’t directly control movement. The sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions are part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions like heart rate and digestion.


3. If Drew’s motor neurons were impaired, he would experience a disruption in the ability to 

  1. Send messages from specific body parts to the brain

  2. Transmit and process information within the brain and spinal cord

  3. Process neurotransmitters in the brain

  4. Send messages from the brain to the body parts



4. Maddox correctly defined autonomic as meaning

  1. Calming

  2. Voluntary

  3. Self-regulatory

  4. Arousing 


Maddox correctly defined autonomic as meaning self-regulatory. The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary functions, such as heart rate, digestion, and respiration, regulating them automatically without conscious effort.


5. Dr. Veloso wants to conduct a study on how the central nervous system affects emotional expression in young children. Which of the following is an appropriate independent variable in her study?

  1. Motor neuron activity

  2. Brain activity

  3. Sensory neuron activity

  4. Somatic nervous system activity


An appropriate independent variable in Dr. Veloso's study would be brain activity.


Since the central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain and spinal cord, and she is interested in how the CNS affects emotional expression, measuring brain activity would be a relevant way to investigate this relationship. The other options involve peripheral or somatic nervous system components, which are not as directly tied to the central nervous system's role in emotional expression.


Module 1.3a

1.For a neuron to generate an action potential, which of the following must be true?

a. The neuron must be in the refractory period.

b. Glial cells must release neurotransmitters into the axon.

c. Excitatory impulses must outnumber inhibitory impulses.

d. Dopamine and serotonin must be present in equal amounts.


For a neuron to generate an action potential, the membrane potential must reach a threshold, typically due to a greater number of excitatory impulses (which depolarize the neuron) than inhibitory impulses (which hyperpolarize it). 

The refractory period occurs after an action potential and prevents another from happening immediately.

Glial cells do not release neurotransmitters into the axon; neurons do that.

Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters involved in different pathways but do not need to be present in equal amounts for an action potential to occur.


2. Dr. Hansel studies the speed of neurotransmitters crossing the space between neurons. Which of the following does Dr. Hansel study?

  1. Synaptic gap

  2. Axon

  3. Myelin sheath

  4. Dendrites


3. Dr. Gretel asked her students to identify what happens after neurotransmitters are released and trigger an action potential in a neighboring neuron. Which student response is accurate?

  1. The synaptic cleft closes temporarily to terminate the action potential.

  2. The myelin sheath absorbs the excess neurotransmitters.

  3. The receiving neuron absorbs the neurotransmitter to send to the next neuron.

  4. The sending neuron reabsorbs the neurotransmitter for reuse. 

This process is known as reuptake, where the neurotransmitters are absorbed back into the presynaptic neuron after they have transmitted their signal across the synaptic cleft. This helps to terminate the signal and allows the neurotransmitters to be reused.

The synaptic cleft doesn’t close.

The myelin sheath insulates axons and doesn't absorb neurotransmitters.

The receiving neuron doesn't absorb neurotransmitters but binds to them at receptors to propagate the signal.




4. Hollinger was recently diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Which neurotransmitters are most likely in undersupply in Hollinger’s brain?

  1. Oxytocin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

  2. Acetylcholine (ACh) and histamine

  3. Dopamine and acetylcholine (ACh) 

  4. Serotonin and norepinephrine


Major depressive disorder is often associated with an undersupply of serotonin and norepinephrine, both of which play crucial roles in regulating mood, energy levels, and emotional stability. Low levels of these neurotransmitters are linked to the symptoms of depression.

Oxytocin is related to social bonding.

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps calm brain activity.

Acetylcholine (ACh) is involved in muscle control and memory.

Dopamine is linked to pleasure and reward pathways but is more commonly associated with disorders like Parkinson's and schizophrenia.


5. Dr. Shill conducted a study in which she administered morphine, which mimics the naturally occurring endorphins, to volunteers in hopes of determining whether morphine boosts mood. In this instance, the independent variable is a(n)

  1. Antagonist

  2. Synapse

  3. Ion

  4. agonist


Morphine acts as an agonist because it mimics the action of naturally occurring endorphins by binding to the same receptors and activating them, potentially boosting mood. An agonist enhances or mimics the effects of a neurotransmitter, whereas an antagonist blocks or inhibits those effects.


A synapse is the gap between neurons.

Ions are charged particles involved in the transmission of electrical signals in neurons.

Module 1.3b

1. Which of the following represents drug tolerance?

a. Hans has grown to accept the fact that his partner likes to have a beer with her dinner, even though he personally does not approve of the use of alcohol.

b. Jose often wakes up with a headache that lasts until he has his morning cup of coffee.

c. Pierre enjoys the effect of marijuana and is now using the drug several times a week.

d. Jacob had to increase the dosage of his pain medication when the old dosage no longer effectively controlled the pain from his chronic back condition.


2. One hundred people reported the most impactful effect of a substance they recently ingested. Which classification of drug is most likely represented in the bar graph?

  1. Stimulant

  2. Depressant

  3. Hallucinogen

  4. Tolerance


3. Fifty people were asked to participate in a study on the effects of substances that speed up bodily systems with the hope that the research findings could help people in the US stop using substances that excite neural and bodily activity. What is the researchers’ likely target population to which they want to generalize their results?

  1. All 50 people in the study who used hallucinogens

  2. All individuals in the US who use depressants

  3. All individuals in the US who use stimulants

  4. All 50 people in the study who used stimulants


4. Dr. Bannion conducted a study on how depressants produce their effects in the body. Which of the following is the operational definition that Dr. Bannion most likely used?

  1. Participants’ positive mood ratings on a scale from 1 to 10.

  2. The number of hours of sleep

  3. The level of endorphins in the brain

  4. The amount of time spent trying to obtain depressant drugs

I do not like this question because I think A or C could be correct and WOULD NOT use on a testing situation!!! 


5. After ingesting a substance, Yi began to see geometric shapes moving in her field of vision, and she felt as if she was separated from her body. Which of the following classifications of psychoactive drugs did Yi likely ingest?

  1. Depressant

  2. Stimulant

  3. Hallucinogen

  4. Withdrawal

    Module 1.4a

    1. Researchers wanted to determine the brain waves present when individuals were sleeping. They placed electrodes on the scalps of 100 volunteers, and then asked the volunteers to sleep in the laboratory each night for one week. The researchers obtained recordings of the electrical activity across the volunteers’ brain surfaces. Which of the following represents the operational definition of the dependent variable in this study?

    1. MRI readings

    2. CT readings

    3. MEG readings

    4. EEG readings


    2. Dr. Ultrone uses a technique to measure glucose consumption as an indicator of brain activity. Which is the name of this technique? YOU DON”T HAVE TO KNOW THIS

    1. MRI

    2. fMRI

    3. PET

    4. EEG


    3. Zoey did a report on the brain's ability to change in response to both experience and damage. What was her report about?

    1. Neurostimulation

    2. Neuroplasticity

    3. Neurobiology

    4. Neuropsychology


    4. When Amita is in a car accident, her neurologist, Dr. Lang, suspects she has sustained an injury to the back of her brain. “Can you check with an EEG?” asks Amita’s brother. Dr. Lang explains that an EEG is not the best method for assessing this injury because

    1. An EEG only provides images of how the brain consumes glucose.

    2. An EEG only provides images of brain-wave activity.

    3. An EEG only provides still images of the brain.

    4. An EEG only provides stimulation to one region of the brain


    5. Dr. Translucent measures the brain’s electrical activity via magnetic fields, using a(n)

    1. CT

    2. EEG

    3. MRI

    4. X-RAY


    Module 1.4b 

    1. Damage to which of the following puts a person’s life in the most danger because it may cause breathing to stop?

    a. Amygdala

    b. Thalamus

    c. Medulla

    d. Hypothalamus


    2.  A gymnast falls and hits her head on the floor. She attempts to continue practicing but has trouble maintaining balance. What part of her brain has probably been affected?

    a. Reticular formation

    b. Cerebellum

    c. Amygdala

    d. Medulla


    3. Stimulation of the amygdala is most likely to have which of the following effects?

    a. Happiness

    b. Aggression

    c. Hunger

    d. Loss of balance


    4. Brennan feels hungry. Which brain area is most responsible for his hunger?

    1. Amygdala

    2. Hypothalamus

    3. Hippocampus

    4. Brainstem


    5. Damage to which of the following brain structures would affect the processing of new  explicit memories?

    a. Cerebral cortex

    b. Medulla

    c. Hippocampus

    d. Hypothalamus


    6. After being late for work for the fifth time, Hester declared, “My occipital lobes must not be working optimally! I have a hard time planning my day to be here on time!” If you were Hester’s boss, what might you say to her to modify her claim to make it more accurate?

    1. “Hester, it’s your frontal lobes that are not working optimally.”

    2. “Hester, it’s your temporal lobes that are not working optimally.”

    3. “Hester, it’s your parietal lobes that are not working optimally.”

    4. “Hester, it’s your somatosensory cortex that is not working optimally.”


    7. Stimulation of which of the following may cause a person to involuntarily move their arm?

    a. Somatosensory cortex

    b. Motor cortex

    c. Glial cells

    d. Visual cortex