Question 1

The division of the nervous system that connects the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body is the ________ system.
A) central nervous
B) endocrine
C) peripheral nervous
D) secondary nervous

Accepted Answer

The peripheral nervous system is responsible for connecting the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. The central nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord, while the endocrine system is responsible for releasing hormones into the bloodstream to regulate bodily functions. There is no such thing as a secondary nervous system.

Question 2

The complex molecule that forms the code for all genetic information is ________.
A) RNA
B) messenger RNA
C) monoamine oxidase
D) DNA

Accepted Answer

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the complex molecule that carries the genetic code for all living organisms. RNA (ribonucleic acid) is involved in the process of protein synthesis, but it is not the primary source of genetic information. Messenger RNA is a specific type of RNA that carries the genetic information needed for protein synthesis. Monoamine oxidase is an enzyme involved in the breakdown of monoamine neurotransmitters.

Question 3

The scientist who proposed the mechanism of natural selection to explain the process of evolution was ________.
A) Pasteur
B) Watson
C) Darwin
D) Freud

Accepted Answer

The scientist who proposed the mechanism of natural selection to explain the process of evolution was Charles Darwin.

Question 4

Phineas Gage was a foreman on a railroad crew who suffered brain damage in a blasting accident. After the accident, he lost interest in his job and had difficulty maintaining any goal-directed behaviors. He seemed apathetic and capable of only shallow emotions. The damaged part of his brain was probably the ________ lobe.
A) parietal
B) temporal
C) occipital
D) frontal

Accepted Answer

Phineas Gage's symptoms - apathy, difficulty maintaining goal-directed behaviors, and shallow emotions - are consistent with damage to the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe is responsible for executive functions such as planning, decision-making, and regulating emotions. Gage's accident involved damage to the frontal lobes, which likely contributed to his behavioral changes.

Question 5

Recent evidence suggests that glial cells and astrocytes may play an important role in ________.
A) learning and memory
B) endocrine functioning
C) maturation and aging
D) growth and metabolic regulation

Accepted Answer

Recent studies have shown that glial cells and astrocytes, previously thought of as purely supportive cells in the brain, may actually play an important role in learning and memory function. These cells have been found to modulate synaptic activity, regulate blood flow to the brain, and affect the release of neurotransmitters, all of which are important aspects of learning and memory processes.

Question 6

How can the nervous system represent increases in the intensity of a stimulus?
A) By increasing the number of neurons firing and the frequency of firing in each neuron.
B) Only by an increase in the number of neurons being fired.
C) Only by an increase in the frequency of firing in each neuron.
D) Only by an increase in the size of the action potential in each neuron that fires.

Accepted Answer

As the intensity of a stimulus increases, the nervous system can represent it by increasing the number of neurons firing and the frequency of firing in each neuron. This results in a stronger overall signal being sent to the brain, which is processed as a more intense stimulus.

Question 7

A "split-brain" patient is asked to stare at a spot on a screen. When a picture of an object is shown to the right of the spot, the patient can ________.
A) pick the object out of a group of hidden objects using her right hand, but cannot identify it verbally
B) identify the object verbally and pick it out of a group of hidden objects using her left hand
C) identify the object verbally and pick it out of a group of hidden objects using her right hand
D) pick the object out of a group of hidden objects using her left hand, but cannot identify it verbally

Accepted Answer

In split-brain patients, the left hemisphere, which controls the right hand and is responsible for language, can identify and verbally name objects seen in the right visual field.

Question 8

An imaging technique that has been useful in helping researchers discover the biological origins of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is ________.
A) magnetoencephalogaphy (MEG)
B) positron emission tomography (PET) scanning
C) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
D) magnetic source imaging (MSI)

Accepted Answer

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used to study brain activity in individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and has provided insights into the biological origins of the disorder. fMRI allows researchers to observe changes in blood oxygen levels in different areas of the brain, providing information about which areas of the brain are active during specific tasks or in different situations.

Question 9

The function of the neuron's axon is to ________.
A) conduct electrical impulses toward other neurons, muscles, or glands
B) receive messages from neighboring neurons
C) regulate the neuron's life processes
D) insulate against leakage of electrical impulses

Accepted Answer

The axon of a neuron is responsible for conducting electrical impulses away from the cell body and toward other neurons, muscles, or glands.

Question 10

Studies of heritability in humans that assume that if genes influence a certain trait, close relatives should be more similar with that trait than distant relatives are called ________ studies.
A) strain
B) selection
C) family
D) twin

Accepted Answer

Family studies are designed to investigate the role of genetics in phenotypic variation by comparing the similarity of traits among family members of different degrees of relatedness (such as siblings, parents, and cousins) to assess the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to the variation in those traits. They assume that if genes influence a certain trait, individuals who share more genes (such as close relatives) should be more similar in that trait than individuals who share fewer genes (such as distant relatives or unrelated individuals).

Quiz 2: The Biological Basis of Behavior

The division of the nervous system that connects the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body is the ________ system.

The complex molecule that forms the code for all genetic information is ________.

The scientist who proposed the mechanism of natural selection to explain the process of evolution was ________.

Recent evidence suggests that glial cells and astrocytes may play an important role in ________.

How can the nervous system represent increases in the intensity of a stimulus?

A "split-brain" patient is asked to stare at a spot on a screen. When a picture of an object is shown to the right of the spot, the patient can ________.

An imaging technique that has been useful in helping researchers discover the biological origins of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is ________.

The function of the neuron's axon is to ________.

Studies of heritability in humans that assume that if genes influence a certain trait, close relatives should be more similar with that trait than distant relatives are called ________ studies.