Question 1

If an observed similarity between two species is due to a shared evolutionary history, it is called a _____ similarity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If an observed similarity between two species...

Question 2

The third level of the triune brain is the _____ brain, which includes the neocortex and thalamic structures; this level is generally associated with problem solving, executive control, and an orientation toward the external world with an emphasis on linguistic functions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The third level of the triune brain...

Question 3

The frequencies of light that our visual system is most sensitive to are those that are least affected when they pass through

Accepted Answer

The frequencies of light that our visual system is most sensitive to are those that are least affected when they pass through water. This is why things may appear different colors or distorted when viewed underwater, as the water affects the way light passes through it.

Question 4

Hughling Jackson proposed that over evolutionary time human brains have developed more general-purpose processing systems without replacing the earlier special-purpose processing mechanisms. This principle is known as _____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Hughling Jackson proposed that over evolutionary time...

Question 5

As a general rule, you can say that _____ matter is involved in the processing of information, whereas _____ matter is involved in moving information from one area of the brain to another.

Accepted Answer

Gray matter is primarily involved in processing and interpreting information in the brain, while white matter is responsible for the communication between different brain regions, transferring information from one area to another.

Question 6

In tracing the development of primitive characteristics, Darwin reminds us to consider primitive and specialized characteristics as a _____ rather than a direct and single line, keeping in mind that different species have unique histories of evolution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In tracing the development of primitive characteristics,...

Question 7

The _____, or R-complex, which includes the brain stem and cerebellum, processes major life requirements such as breathing, temperature regulation, and sleep cycles as well as fairly structured behavioral patterns such as territoriality, courtship and hunting.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The _____, or R-complex, which includes the...

Question 8

Hughling Jackson proposed that higher-level brain structures, which evolved later than the reflexive ones, serve the purpose of inhibiting and modulating these basic reflexes. This principle is known as ______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Hughling Jackson proposed that higher-level brain structures,...

Question 9

Part of the limbic system, the _____, receives input from areas of the cortex involved in facial expression; damage in this area results in the lack of ability to detect emotional expressions, even though the person can identify the face.

Accepted Answer

The amygdala is the structure within the limbic system that is responsible for processing emotions, particularly fear and aggression. It also receives input from the cortex involved in facial expression, specifically the visual processing areas in the temporal lobe. Damage to the amygdala can result in deficits in the recognition and processing of emotional expressions.

Question 10

_____ is the preferred term in referring to the ancestral species related to humans because it is more precise.

Accepted Answer

Hominin is the preferred term because it specifically refers to the evolutionary lineage that includes Homo sapiens and their closest extinct relatives. Hominid encompasses a broader group that includes all great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans) and their extinct relatives. Human and humanoid are not as precise and do not specifically refer to the ancestral species related to humans.

Question 11

Homo habilis lived from 2.4 to 1.6 million years ago; it was given the name "handyman" because it

Accepted Answer

Homo habilis was given the name "handyman" because it was the earliest known hominid to have used tools, making it skilled or "handy" at manipulating its environment.

Question 12

The task of sensory systems is to derive meaning from _____ in the external world.

Accepted Answer

Sensory systems detect and transduce energy from the external world, such as light or sound waves, into neural signals that the brain can interpret and derive meaning from. While sensory systems can also detect and interpret images or other forms of matter, these are ultimately composed of various types of energy.

Question 13

The _____ includes regions devoted to sensory and motor processing and higher cognitive processes; it both sends and receives information from different areas within itself and to and from subcortical structures.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The _____ includes regions devoted to sensory...

Question 14

_____ are made up of fats and proteins, and they wrap around axons like insulation does around electrical cables, resulting in increased speed of information transmission.

Accepted Answer

The answer of _____ are made up of fats and...

Question 15

Although humans do not have the largest brain in either absolute or relative terms, they do have the largest number of _____ neurons.

Accepted Answer

While all of these neuron types are found in the human brain, the question specifically asks about the largest number of neurons. Cortical neurons are found in the outer layer of the brain and are responsible for many of the brain's higher functions, such as cognition and perception. Humans have a much larger cortex than any other species, which is why they have the largest number of cortical neurons.

Question 16

In the case of humans, evolution has had to make a trade off between the requirement of walking upright and the development of a large brain; as a result, human infants need more _____ than other primate infants.

Accepted Answer

Human infants require more support due to the evolutionary trade-off between bipedalism and large brain development, making them less independent and more dependent on caregivers for a longer period.

Question 17

_____ is the name given to a condition in which individuals report an inability to see objects but can accurately "guess" the location of the object; this condition is generally found in people who have had brain damage.

Accepted Answer

The answer of _____ is the name given to a...

Question 18

As primates evolved, there has been a shift from reliance on the _____ system to reliance on the _____ system.

Accepted Answer

Primates have shifted from relying on their olfactory system to relying on their visual system as their primary means of perception. This is evidenced by the development of forward-facing eyes and a more complex visual cortex in the brain compared to other animals.

Question 19

The _____ includes the hippocampus, olfactory cortex, and other related areas; one of its main features is that it does not have the six-layered structure of the neocortex.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The _____ includes the hippocampus, olfactory cortex,...

Question 20

MacLean suggested that our current brain can be viewed as having the features of three basic evolutionary formations--reptiles, early mammals, and recent mammals. This formulation, which is referred to as the _____ brain, suggests that our brains can process a variety of information in three somewhat independent ways.

Accepted Answer

The answer of MacLean suggested that our current brain can...

Quiz 4: Evolution of Brain and Function