Question 1

Which of the following properties has NOT been found to be different between the brains of high and low intelligent individuals?

Accepted Answer

Brain size has not been consistently found to be different between high and low intelligent individuals. Other factors such as neural efficiency, speed of neural communication, and the number of neurons in the frontal lobe have all been implicated in individual differences in intelligence.

Question 2

Kendall consistently scores very high on intelligence tests.What would you expect to find if you measured her nerve conduction velocity?

Accepted Answer

High intelligence test scores are typically associated with faster nerve conduction velocity, so it is likely that Kendall's nerve conduction velocity will be very high.

Question 3

There are some differences in the brains of people who score high and low on intelligence tests.Which of the following is TRUE about these differences?

Accepted Answer

People who score high on intelligence tests often show less overall brain activity in a PET scan, indicating more efficient brain function.

Question 4

Individuals who perform highly on cognitive tasks display some differences in brain activity as revealed by PET scan compared to individuals who perform poorly on these same tasks.Which of the following is TRUE about these differences?

Accepted Answer

Individuals who perform highly on cognitive tasks often show lower overall brain activity, indicating more efficient neural processing.

Question 5

There are some differences in the brains of people who score high and low on intelligence tests.Which of the following is FALSE about these differences?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that intelligence is not simply related to the overall size of the brain. While there are correlations between certain structural aspects of the brain and intelligence, such as the volume and density of gray matter in specific regions, the statement that people who score high on intelligence tests tend to have larger brains is not accurate. Intelligence is a complex trait influenced by both the structure and the functional connectivity of the brain, rather than its size alone.

Question 6

When Rodolfo was born,he had a very thin cortex.Although it became much thicker,at the age of 12 or 13,it began to thin again.Based on patterns of brain growth as identified in your text,what could be predicted about Rodolfo's intelligence?

Accepted Answer

The pattern described for Rodolfo's cortex—initially thin, thickening, and then thinning again around the age of 12 or 13—is consistent with findings related to high intelligence. Research has shown that a thicker cortex that later thins is associated with higher intelligence, as the thinning process is thought to reflect synaptic pruning, where the brain refines its neural connections to become more efficient.

Question 7

Lennox is participating in an intelligence experiment.While hooked up to an EEG,two images are being flashed on either side of a computer screen.One of the images is complete while the other is incomplete.Lennox has been asked to indicate on which side the complete image appears.In this case,the researcher is examining the link between ___.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Lennox is participating in an intelligence experiment.While...

Question 8

Nerve conduction velocity (NCV)can be thought of as

Accepted Answer

Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) refers to the speed at which neural impulses travel along nerve fibers. Therefore, it can be thought of as the speed of neural communication between different parts of the nervous system. Options A, B, and D are not accurate descriptions of NCV.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true about the development of the cortex across the life span?

Accepted Answer

The prefrontal cortex undergoes the most significant changes in cortical thickness across the lifespan. The cortex does start to thicken in childhood and adolescence, but then undergoes a process of pruning, where unused neural connections are eliminated. This process is important for proper brain development but can also contribute to cognitive decline in dementias. While teenagers do have more neural connections than elementary school children, this is due to the process of pruning, which eliminates less important connections and strengthens important ones.

Question 10

During a PET scan,active areas of the brain that are breaking down glucose are represented by which colour?

Accepted Answer

During a PET scan, a radiotracer (a radioactive substance) is injected into the body. As the tracer travels through the body, it emits positrons that collide with electrons in the body's tissues, resulting in the release of gamma rays. The PET scanner detects these gamma rays and creates an image of the body's metabolic activity. The colours used to represent the metabolic activity depend on the particular PET scanner and software used, but typically active areas of the brain that are breaking down glucose are represented by warm colours such as orange, yellow, or red. Therefore, the best choice is A) orange.

Question 11

Which of the following is true about brain activity and intelligence,as revealed by PET scans?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is true about...

Question 12

Which of the following persons would likely have higher intelligence?

Accepted Answer

The number of neurons in the frontal lobe, which is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as decision making and problem solving, is more closely correlated with intelligence than brain size or the number of neurons in other parts of the brain. Therefore, Levi, who has a greater number of neurons in the frontal lobe, would likely have higher intelligence.

Question 13

Research has found that the brains of people who score high and low on intelligence tests are different.Which of the following is NOT one of these differences?

Accepted Answer

The statement "intelligent people have larger brains" is not necessarily true. Brain size alone does not equate to intelligence, and research has not consistently found a correlation between brain size and IQ. Therefore, the difference in brain size between high-scoring and low-scoring individuals is not one of the identified differences.

Question 14

Individuals who score high on intelligence tests show some neuroanatomical differences compared to individuals who score low on intelligence tests.Which of the following is TRUE about these differences?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that individuals who score high on intelligence tests have more neurons in their frontal lobes, which are associated with decision making, problem-solving, and planning abilities. However, brain size is not necessarily an indicator of intelligence, as there are many other factors that contribute to cognitive abilities. Additionally, the number and size of neurons throughout the brain do not appear to be significantly different in individuals with high versus low intelligence scores.

Question 15

Ken is having a PET scan while he is doing a cognitive task.The PET scan shows a great deal of activity in Ken's brain while he is doing the task.What does this mean about Ken's performance on the task?

Accepted Answer

Increased brain activity during a task can indicate that the brain is working harder, which may suggest inefficiency rather than proficiency. Efficient performance often requires less cognitive effort.

Question 16

Noa is the President of a large financial institution.When interviewed about her success,she reports that her ability to make quick decisions makes her an effective leader.What biological factor might contribute to Noa's quick decision making?

Accepted Answer

Quick decision making is often associated with higher nerve conduction velocities, meaning that signals travel faster along the neurons in the brain. This allows for faster processing of information and quicker responses to stimuli. While having a large brain, a thick cortex or a greater number of neurons may also have implications for cognitive abilities, they are not directly related to the speed of decision making.

Question 17

Kelly is participating in a PET scan study on intelligence.When she does a verbal task,brain activity is greater in ___ prefrontal cortex,and when she does a spatial task,brain activity is greater in ___ prefrontal cortex.

Accepted Answer

Verbal tasks typically activate the left prefrontal cortex, while spatial tasks engage both the left and right prefrontal cortex, reflecting the brain's lateralization of function.

Question 18

Who is likely to have the thickest cortex?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Who is likely to have the thickest...

Question 19

Intelligence may be related to the number of neurons in the brain's ___ lobes.

Accepted Answer

Studies have suggested that intelligence may be related to the number of neurons in the frontal lobes of the brain. The frontal lobes are primarily responsible for executive functions such as planning, decision-making, and problem-solving, which are important for intelligence.

Question 20

Quinn is able to respond to a stimulus that is flashed on a computer screen much faster than Finn can.What does this mean about their intelligence test scores?

Accepted Answer

Reaction time is often used as a measure of processing speed, which is a component of intelligence. Therefore, the fact that Quinn responds faster suggests that they may have higher processing speed and thus score higher on an intelligence test. However, it is important to note that intelligence is a complex construct and cannot be fully measured by reaction time alone.

Quiz 10: Intelligence