Question 1

What happens when an electrical impulse reaches a neuron's ending?
A) Neurotransmitters are released.
B) Release of neurotransmitters is stopped.
C) The receiving neurons fire.
D) The receiving neurons stop all firing.

Accepted Answer

When an electrical impulse reaches a neuron's ending, neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic gap to transmit the signal to the next neuron.

Question 2

Shemar has obsessive-compulsive disorder and repeatedly checks to ensure the doors are locked. According to determinists, which is the MOST likely reason for this behavior?
A) Shemar sustained a traumatic injury to the hippocampus.
B) When Shemar was around age 10, Shemar's next-door neighbor was attacked in her home.
C) As an adult, Shemar forgot to lock his back door when he left for a weeklong vacation.
D) During his childhood, Shemar's parents told him to always keep the doors locked.

Accepted Answer

Determinists would argue that past experiences, such as a traumatic event like a neighbor being attacked, could lead to compulsive behaviors as a way to cope with anxiety or fear.

Question 3

"Gambling disorder is a manifestation of the previously desirable behavior of being a risk taker." This statement aligns MOST closely with the beliefs of which type of theorist?
A) Self theorist
B) Biological theorist
C) Existential theorist
D) Evolutionary theorist

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary theorists might argue that traits such as risk-taking were advantageous in ancestral environments for survival and reproduction, but in modern contexts, these traits can manifest as maladaptive behaviors like gambling disorder. This perspective views the behavior through the lens of evolutionary psychology, considering how past adaptive behaviors can become problematic in current environments.

Question 4

Which statement is TRUE regarding electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)?
A) It is the most commonly used biological treatment for mental disorders.
B) It sends brief electrical currents through the brain, stimulating a seizure.
C) Its use is controversial because it requires surgical implantation of electrodes.
D) It produces a steady stream of low-voltage electricity to the targeted brain areas.

Accepted Answer

ECT involves sending brief electrical currents through the brain to induce a seizure, which is believed to produce therapeutic effects for certain psychiatric conditions. It does not involve surgical implantation of electrodes nor does it produce a steady stream of low-voltage electricity. While ECT is used for treatment-resistant conditions, it is not the most commonly used biological treatment for mental disorders.

Question 5

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used MOST often in the treatment of:
A) schizophrenia.
B) anxiety disorders.
C) depression.
D) bipolar disorder.

Accepted Answer

ECT is most often used in the treatment of severe depression, especially when other treatments have failed or when rapid response is necessary.

Question 6

A weakness of the biological model of abnormal behavior is that:
A) most people are reluctant to try biological treatments.
B) this model dismisses the effect of nonbiological factors on behavior.
C) there is limited research supporting biological causes of mental illness.
D) the effectiveness of biological treatments cannot be objectively evaluated.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A weakness of the biological model of...

Question 7

According to psychoanalysis, which statement is TRUE of psychological conflicts?
A) They are always sexual in nature.
B) They are tied to experiences early in life.
C) They are only a problem when they reach consciousness.
D) They are unconscious and, therefore, not a factor in conscious experience.

Accepted Answer

Psychological conflicts, according to psychoanalysis, often stem from experiences early in life. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, emphasized the impact of early childhood experiences on the development of adult personality and psychological issues.

Question 8

Biological theorists today believe that the key to psychological disorders lies in:
A) specific brain structures.
B) genetic mutations.
C) congenital malformations.
D) brain circuits.

Accepted Answer

Biological theorists today focus on brain circuits, which are networks of brain structures that work together, as key to understanding psychological disorders.

Question 9

Messages moving from neuron to neuron must cross tiny spaces called:
A) dendrites.
B) axons.
C) neurotransmitters.
D) synapses.

Accepted Answer

Synapses are the tiny spaces between neurons where messages are transmitted from one neuron to another. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that cross these spaces to carry the messages.

Question 10

A theorist who takes an evolutionary perspective on abnormal behavior would MOST likely agree that:
A) genome mapping is a waste of time.
B) the evolution of adaptive and maladaptive behavior is fundamentally different.
C) at one time what is now often labeled abnormal behavior actually helped humans survive.
D) people can inherit physical but not mental capacities.

Accepted Answer

An evolutionary perspective on abnormal behavior often suggests that behaviors which are currently considered abnormal may have had adaptive value in our evolutionary past, helping ancestors survive or reproduce in their environments.

Question 11

Determinists assume that abnormal behaviors:
A) are learned.
B) are determined based on past experience.
C) have physiological bases.
D) are due to unconscious conflicts.

Accepted Answer

Determinists believe that all behaviors, including abnormal ones, are determined by past experiences and events, implying that they are not random or freely chosen.

Question 12

An important factor to consider when prescribing drugs for the treatment of abnormality would be that:
A) some people do not benefit from drug treatments.
B) drugs cannot be combined with other forms of treatment.
C) drugs are not very effective in the treatment of abnormal behavior.
D) the adverse effects of drugs may result in worse quality of life than the abnormality brings.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An important factor to consider when prescribing...

Question 13

Which is NOT an argument of critics of the evolutionary perspective?
A) It is difficult to research this perspective.
B) The perspective is overly precise.
C) It requires leaps of faith to believe in this perspective.
D) The perspective rests on an interaction of genes and environment.

Accepted Answer

Critics of the evolutionary perspective often argue that it is speculative and requires leaps of faith, rather than being overly precise. They also point out the difficulty in researching this perspective and the importance of considering both genes and environment. The claim that it is overly precise is not a common criticism; instead, critics might argue it is too broad or speculative.

Question 14

The biological treatment known as psychosurgery would MOST likely be used in the treatment of a patient with:
A) a severe disorder that is also associated with a high risk of suicide.
B) a severe mental illness and who is not a candidate for brain stimulation therapy.
C) moderate to severe mental illness and a coexisting developmental disorder.
D) a severe disorder and who has not responded to any other therapies over years of treatment.

Accepted Answer

Psychosurgery is typically considered a last resort for patients with severe disorders who have not responded to other forms of treatment over an extended period.

Question 15

When a subject is participating in the final testing phase of a drug study, which of the following is taking place?
A) The drug is simultaneously being tested on animals.
B) The researchers are assessing the subject for unexpected long-term effects.
C) The subject is assessing the safety of the drug.
D) The researchers are examining the effects on the subject to determine the drug's efficacy and side effects.

Accepted Answer

In the final testing phase, also known as Phase III clinical trials, researchers focus on determining the drug's efficacy and monitoring for side effects in a larger group of human subjects.

Question 16

The objective of the Human Genome Project was to:
A) clone a mammal.
B) map, or sequence, genes.
C) insert RNA into genes.
D) create an "ideal" set of genes.

Accepted Answer

The Human Genome Project aimed to map and sequence the entire set of nucleotide base pairs that make up human DNA, and to identify all the genes present in it. This comprehensive mapping and sequencing were intended to provide a complete and accessible sequence of the human genome to further biological research and potential medical applications.

Question 17

Abnormal chemical activity in the body's endocrine system relates to the release of:
A) hormones.
B) neurotransmitters.
C) neurons.
D) genes.

Accepted Answer

Hormones are the chemicals produced by the endocrine system's glands, which regulate many bodily functions. Abnormal activity in the endocrine system often involves the production or regulation of these hormones.

Question 18

The brain stimulation technique that uses an electromagnetic coil placed on or above a person's head to send electrical current into certain areas of the brain is called:
A) vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).
B) electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
C) deep brain stimulation.
D) transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

Accepted Answer

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) involves using an electromagnetic coil placed on the scalp to generate focused magnetic fields that induce electrical currents in specific areas of the brain, without the need for surgery or implantation.

Question 19

Depression has been linked to which neurotransmitter abnormality?
A) Low activity of GABA
B) Absence of dopamine
C) Low activity of serotonin
D) Excessive activity of norepinephrine

Accepted Answer

Depression has been most consistently linked to low activity of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in mood regulation.

Question 20

A patient has social anxiety disorder. Which is an example of a biological treatment for this condition?
A) Having the patient engage in activities that elicit anxiety
B) Prescribing an antidepressant medication such as paroxetine
C) Teaching the patient how to effectively challenge negative thoughts
D) Encouraging the patient to cultivate relationships with others who have similar anxieties

Accepted Answer

Antidepressant medications, such as paroxetine, are considered biological treatments because they involve pharmacological interventions to address the chemical imbalances in the brain associated with social anxiety disorder.

Quiz 3: Models of Abnormality

What happens when an electrical impulse reaches a neuron's ending?

Shemar has obsessive-compulsive disorder and repeatedly checks to ensure the doors are locked. According to determinists, which is the MOST likely reason for this behavior?

"Gambling disorder is a manifestation of the previously desirable behavior of being a risk taker." This statement aligns MOST closely with the beliefs of which type of theorist?

Which statement is TRUE regarding electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) ?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used MOST often in the treatment of:

A weakness of the biological model of abnormal behavior is that:

According to psychoanalysis, which statement is TRUE of psychological conflicts?

Biological theorists today believe that the key to psychological disorders lies in:

Messages moving from neuron to neuron must cross tiny spaces called:

A theorist who takes an evolutionary perspective on abnormal behavior would MOST likely agree that:

Determinists assume that abnormal behaviors:

An important factor to consider when prescribing drugs for the treatment of abnormality would be that:

Which is NOT an argument of critics of the evolutionary perspective?

The biological treatment known as psychosurgery would MOST likely be used in the treatment of a patient with:

When a subject is participating in the final testing phase of a drug study, which of the following is taking place?

The objective of the Human Genome Project was to:

Abnormal chemical activity in the body's endocrine system relates to the release of:

The brain stimulation technique that uses an electromagnetic coil placed on or above a person's head to send electrical current into certain areas of the brain is called:

Depression has been linked to which neurotransmitter abnormality?

A patient has social anxiety disorder. Which is an example of a biological treatment for this condition?