Question 1

All of the following statements about reflexes are true except that

Accepted Answer

Reflexes do send signals to the brain, but the initial response is processed by the spinal cord for a quicker reaction.

Question 2

Yao is participating in a study investigating sleep patterns. As part of the study, researchers paste electrodes to Yao's scalp. The electrodes are then hooked up to an electroencephalograph (EEG), which will provide information about the

Accepted Answer

An EEG measures the general electrical activity of the brain, which is useful for studying sleep patterns and identifying different stages of sleep.

Question 3

If a person had a diseased autonomic nervous system, the kinds of functions most directly affected would be things such as __________ and __________.

Accepted Answer

The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary functions such as digestion and breathing.

Question 4

Casey got up one morning after only a few hours of sleep and plugged in the iron to press his shirt. When he heard a ringing sound, he grabbed the iron by the hot part, and before he could say "hello," he dropped it with a crash. The parts of Casey's nervous system that caused him to drop the hot iron were his

Accepted Answer

The spinal cord, sensory neurons, and motor neurons are responsible for reflex actions like dropping a hot object. Sensory neurons detect the heat, the spinal cord processes the information, and motor neurons trigger the muscles to release the iron.

Question 5

When a man grabbed Opal's purse, she ran after him, tackled him, and retrieved her purse. Then, she realized that her heart was racing, her breathing was irregular, and she was trembling. Opal's __________ nervous system was responsible for this reaction.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's 'fight or flight' response, which includes increased heart rate, irregular breathing, and trembling in response to a stressful situation.

Question 6

Athea was a subject in a study in which the glucose in her brain was marked with a radioactive substance. Then radiation detectors identified where these markers become highly concentrated. Athea participated in a study that employed

Accepted Answer

Athea participated in a study that employed positron emission tomography (PET), which uses radioactive substances to visualize and measure changes in metabolic processes, and it is commonly used to observe glucose metabolism in the brain.

Question 7

Alfred the brain was in a car accident, and the doctor suspects that Alfred may have suffered structural damage. Which of the following tests would be the most appropriate to find out whether there is structural damage?

Accepted Answer

MRI is the most appropriate test for detecting structural damage in the brain as it provides detailed images of brain anatomy.

Question 8

During a job interview, Samira realizes that she is sweating a little bit and she feels her heart pounding against her chest. Her stomach is also a little bit upset and she hasn't felt like eating all day. From this information, it appears that the __________ division of Samira's __________ nervous system is very active.

Accepted Answer

The symptoms Samira is experiencing, such as sweating, increased heart rate, and upset stomach, are typical responses of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, which is activated during stress or "fight or flight" situations.

Question 9

Rashaun saw something terrifying. His muscles tensed, he began breathing more rapidly, and he began to sweat. Having taken introductory psychology course, Rashaun knew that the __________ division of his __________ nervous system had been activated.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the body's 'fight or flight' response, which includes increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and sweating when faced with a threat.

Question 10

Claudia has just come home from a long, difficult day of writing questions for this test. As she sits down on the sofa, her heart rate and breathing slow down, her muscles relax, and her digestive system starts getting ready for food. It appears as though Claudia's __________ has been activated.

Accepted Answer

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "rest and digest" functions, which include slowing the heart rate, relaxing muscles, and preparing the digestive system for food.

Question 11

In the fiber tracts of the central nervous system, you are most likely to find ________ of neurons.

Accepted Answer

Fiber tracts in the central nervous system primarily consist of axons, which are the long projections of neurons that transmit electrical impulses over distances.

Question 12

Mitch tripped and fell near the campfire. When he reflexively drew back his hand, which had touched a hot coal, the signal sent throughout his nervous system went from his hand to his

Accepted Answer

The reflex action involves the signal traveling from the hand to the spinal cord and then directly back to the hand, allowing for a quick response. The brain is informed after the reflex action has occurred.

Question 13

Francis has had a crush on Justin for some time but has been scared to ask for a date. He has decided that he is definitely asking Justin out today, but as the moment approaches, his hands are sweaty, his heart is racing, and his stomach is turning in knots. This results from activity of the __________ nervous system.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's 'fight or flight' response, which includes increased heart rate, sweating, and other physiological changes in response to stress or excitement.

Question 14

Dr. Zomboss plans to overtake all of humankind by shutting down the fiber tracts of their brains. To do this, Dr. Zomboss will set his brain zappers to target

Accepted Answer

Collections of axons that travel together in bundles make up fiber tracts in the brain. Targeting these fiber tracts would disrupt the communication between different areas of the brain and could lead to a shutdown of overall brain function. Options A, B, and D do not specifically target fiber tracts and would not achieve the desired effect.

Question 15

If your central nervous system were a city, then the nuclei would be the __________, and the fiber tracts would be the __________.

Accepted Answer

Nuclei in the central nervous system are clusters of neuron cell bodies, similar to neighborhoods where people reside. Fiber tracts are bundles of axons that connect different parts of the CNS, similar to highways that facilitate transportation between neighborhoods.

Question 16

While Bonnie is getting ready for her first date with Juan, her heart is racing and her blood pressure is high because she is excited and nervous. While dining, Bonnie becomes calm and relaxed. While getting ready, Bonnie's __________ nervous system was activated. While dining, Bonnie's __________ nervous system was activated.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response in the body, which includes increased heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating. This would be activated when Bonnie is getting ready for her date and feeling excited/nervous. 
The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "rest and digest" response in the body, which includes slowing down heart rate, relaxing muscles, and decreasing blood pressure. This would be activated when Bonnie is dining and feeling calm/relaxed.

Question 17

You have been up all night studying for an important midterm examination and are a little tired. As you reach for your hot chocolate, you accidentally touch the hot burner on the stove. You quickly pull your hand away from the burner. Which of the following statements about your action is true?

Accepted Answer

The reflexive command came from the spinal cord.

Question 18

Chirag's spinal cord was completely severed at the neck in an auto accident. He would still be able to

Accepted Answer

The "knee-jerk" reflex is a spinal reflex that does not require input from the brain, so it can still occur even if the spinal cord is severed at the neck.

Question 19

Nilam accidentally touches the hot burner on the stove. Sensory information about the pain and heat will be carried to her brain by the __________ nervous system, her heart rate will increase as a result of activation by the __________ nervous system, and when she calms down, the __________ nervous system will slow her heart rate down.

Accepted Answer

Sensory information about the pain and heat will be carried to Nilam's brain by the somatic nervous system, her heart rate will increase as a result of activation by the sympathetic nervous system, and when she calms down the parasympathetic nervous system will slow her heart rate down.

Question 20

After Les touches a hot iron, he pulls his hand away almost instantaneously. The command that instructed Les's muscles to pull his arm away so quickly most likely came from his

Accepted Answer

The spinal cord is responsible for reflex actions, which are rapid and involuntary responses to stimuli, such as pulling a hand away from a hot surface.

Quiz 2: Biological Aspects of Psychology

All of the following statements about reflexes are true except that

Yao is participating in a study investigating sleep patterns. As part of the study, researchers paste electrodes to Yao's scalp. The electrodes are then hooked up to an electroencephalograph (EEG) , which will provide information about the

If a person had a diseased autonomic nervous system, the kinds of functions most directly affected would be things such as and .