A patient with a frontal lobe lesion kneels and prays when watching another person do the same thing in the middle of the cafeteria. This is an example of
A)deficits in planning complex behaviors.
B)perseveration in responding.
C)utilization behavior.
D)disruption of working memory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of utilization behavior, which refers to the automatic performance of inappropriate or irrelevant actions in response to external stimuli, due to a disruption in the control mechanisms of the frontal lobes. In this case, the patient's frontal lobe lesion led to a lack of inhibition of the behavior of kneeling and praying, which was prompted by the sight of another person doing the same thing. The other options are not directly related to this behavior.

A Patient with a Frontal Lobe Lesion Kneels and Prays