Biopsychology Quiz on Sensation and Perception
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of the otolithic organs in the vestibular system?

  • Detecting angular motion
  • Transmitting signals to the optic nerve
  • Regulating the balance of endolymph
  • Detecting linear acceleration and head positioning (correct)

Which component of the vestibular system is specifically responsible for detecting rotational movements?

  • Semicircular canals (correct)
  • Cochlea
  • Otolithic organs
  • Vestibular nerve

What causes the sensation of dizziness after sudden head movements?

  • Excessive activity in the otolithic organs
  • The slower motion of endolymph compared to head movement (correct)
  • The rapid change in light entering the eye
  • Increased pressure in the cochlea

In the phototransduction cascade, what occurs when light hits a rod cell?

<p>The rod cell turns off (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following types of cones is not present in the human retina?

<p>Gamma cones (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of rhodopsin in rod cells?

<p>To convert light into a neural signal (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'd'' represent in Signal Detection Theory?

<p>The strength of a signal (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of light is not part of the visible spectrum?

<p>Infrared light (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary genetic difference between monozygotic and dizygotic twins?

<p>Monozygotic twins share 100% of their genes while dizygotic twins share 50%. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What assumption can be made if an adopted child shows similar traits to their biological family but not to their adopted family?

<p>Genetic factors are more significant in trait development. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of schizophrenia would be most indicated by higher rates in monozygotic twins compared to dizygotic twins?

<p>The disorder has a significant genetic component. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What primarily distinguishes innate behavioral traits from learned behaviors?

<p>Innate behaviors are genetically programmed. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does a heritability measure of 0.5 for intelligence imply?

<p>Half of the intelligence variance is due to genetic differences among individuals. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the role of regulatory genes?

<p>They primarily regulate how proteins are coded. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a common criticism of twin studies in behavioral genetics?

<p>They do not account for environmental similarities in siblings. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the behavioral trait known as homeostasis?

<p>To facilitate adaptation to environmental changes. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In adoption studies, what does a lack of similarity between an adopted child and their biological family suggest?

<p>Genetic influences are negligible. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about epigenetics is most accurate?

<p>It refers to changes in gene expression without altering the gene. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What could be inferred from identical quadruplets raised in completely different environments?

<p>Differences in traits cannot conclusively indicate genetic influence. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of gene-environment interaction, which scenario is most likely to illustrate this concept?

<p>A child raised in a stimulating environment develops better social skills than a child in isolation. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is it challenging to quantify the genetic versus environmental contributions to traits in twin studies?

<p>Data about biological families is often incomplete or biased. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines overt behaviors in ethology?

<p>Behaviors that can be seen and measured directly. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the central dogma of genetics most fundamentally explain?

<p>The flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the concept of adaptation relate to behavior?

<p>Adaptation is the process by which behavior facilitates interaction with the environment. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of deep meditation related to brain activity?

<p>Enhanced attention control (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes the effects of alcohol as a depressant?

<p>Disrupts REM sleep and reduces inhibitions (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Benzodiazepines enhance the brain's response to which neurotransmitter?

<p>GABA (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are opiates primarily used for in medical settings?

<p>To treat pain and induce euphoria (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do stimulants like cocaine affect the brain's neurotransmitter levels?

<p>Cause an intense release of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine then deplete them (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes opiates from depressants in terms of their primary action?

<p>Opiates act on endorphin receptors, while depressants act on GABA receptors (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which symptoms are commonly associated with withdrawal from nicotine?

<p>Irritability, anxiety, and insomnia (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following substances is categorized as a stimulant?

<p>Caffeine (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does a Type I error signify in decision-making?

<p>Mistakenly recognizing a false positive (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which heuristic relies on immediate examples that come to mind?

<p>Availability heuristic (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What effect can lead individuals to incorrectly judge the probabilities of two events happening together?

<p>Conjunction fallacy (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which bias involves maintaining belief in a fact despite evidence to the contrary?

<p>Belief perseverance (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The hierarchical model of semantic networks organizes concepts primarily by:

<p>General to specific categories (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the impact of framing on decision-making?

<p>Influencing choices by changing the wording of options (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of the availability heuristic can lead to incorrect decision-making?

<p>It considers only recent memories (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What specific role does phosphodiesterase (PDE) play in the phototransduction cascade?

<p>It converts cGMP to GMP, leading to channel closure. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential downside of the representativeness heuristic?

<p>It may cause misjudgment based on prototypes. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the presence of glutamate affect the ON bipolar cells due to the hyperpolarization of rods?

<p>Glutamate no longer inhibits ON bipolar cells, allowing them to activate. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the sensitivity of rods compared to cones in low light conditions?

<p>Rods are 1000x more sensitive to light than cones. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where in the retina are cones primarily concentrated, and what is the significance of this location?

<p>Fovea; they provide higher resolution due to less obstruction. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to retinal when it absorbs light, and what is the subsequent effect on rhodopsin?

<p>Retinal changes conformation from bent to straight, altering rhodopsin. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about the ganglion cells is true?

<p>They send signals to the optic nerve after activation by bipolar cells. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of the blind spot on vision?

<p>It lacks photoreceptors, leading to a gap in vision. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why do rods require a longer time to adjust to darkness compared to cones?

<p>Rods have a slower recovery time than cones. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

What are the semicircular canals and how do they work?

The inner ear contains three semicircular canals (posterior, lateral, and anterior) filled with endolymph. When the head moves, the endolymph shifts, allowing us to detect the direction and strength of rotation.

What are the otolithic organs and how do they function?

The otolithic organs (utricle and saccule) are responsible for detecting linear acceleration and head positioning. They contain calcium crystals attached to hair cells embedded in a viscous gel. When we move, the crystals shift, pulling on the hair cells and triggering action potentials.

How does the vestibular system contribute to dizziness?

Dizziness and vertigo are often caused by the endolymph in the semicircular canals continuing to move even after we have stopped. This sends signals to the brain indicating movement, leading to the sensation of spinning even when stationary.

What is signal detection theory?

Signal detection theory analyzes how we make decisions under uncertainty, discerning between important stimuli and unimportant "noise."

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What are the key factors in signal detection?

The sensitivity to a signal (d') and our decision-making strategy (c) both impact our ability to detect a signal. A higher d' value means the signal is stronger, while c refers to how conservative or liberal our decision-making is.

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What are photoreceptors, rods, and cones?

Photoreceptors are cells that convert light into neural impulses. Rods are responsible for night vision and are more sensitive to low-light conditions. Cones are responsible for color vision and are concentrated in the fovea (central part of the retina).

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What is the phototransduction cascade?

The phototransduction cascade is a series of steps that convert light into a neural signal. When light hits a rod, it turns off the rhodopsin protein, which in turn activates a series of events leading to a neural impulse.

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What is rhodopsin and its function?

Rhodopsin is a protein found in rod cells that is responsible for absorbing light. It contains a small molecule called retinal, which changes shape when light hits it, triggering the phototransduction cascade.

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Depressants

Drugs that lower your body's basic functions and neural activity, such as heart rate and reaction time.

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Alcohol

The most common depressant, known for slowing down thinking, disrupting sleep, and removing inhibitions.

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Barbiturates

A type of depressant used to induce sleep or reduce anxiety, working by depressing the central nervous system.

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Benzodiazepines

The most commonly prescribed depressant, used for sleep or anxiety relief, enhancing the effects of the neurotransmitter GABA.

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Stimulants

Drugs that stimulate or intensify neural activity and bodily functions, ranging from caffeine to cocaine.

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GABA

The neurotransmitter that benzodiazepines work on, playing a role in calming and relaxation.

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Caffeine

A type of stimulant that inhibits adenosine receptors, leading to increased alertness and decreased sleepiness.

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Cocaine

A type of stimulant that releases large amounts of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, leading to intense euphoria and a subsequent crash.

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Photoreceptor

A specialized nerve cell in the retina that converts light into electrical signals.

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Rhodopsin

A protein found in rods that absorbs light and initiates the phototransduction cascade.

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Photopsin

A protein similar to rhodopsin found in cones, responsible for color vision.

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Transducin

A molecule in the phototransduction cascade that breaks from rhodopsin and activates phosphodiesterase.

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Phosphodiesterase (PDE)

An enzyme that breaks down cyclic GMP (cGMP), leading to closure of sodium channels in photoreceptors.

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Rod

A type of photoreceptor that is highly sensitive to light, responsible for vision in low light conditions.

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Cone

A type of photoreceptor that is less sensitive to light but is responsible for color vision.

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Blind Spot

The area on the retina where the optic nerve connects, lacking photoreceptors, resulting in a blind spot.

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Type I Error

A type of error where you incorrectly reject a true hypothesis.

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Type II Error

A type of error where you incorrectly accept a false hypothesis.

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Heuristic

A mental shortcut that helps us make decisions quickly, but can sometimes lead to errors.

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Availability Heuristic

A heuristic where we rely on readily available examples in our memory, which might not accurately reflect reality.

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Representativeness Heuristic

A heuristic where we judge the probability of an event based on how well it matches a prototype or stereotype.

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Conjunction Fallacy

The tendency to believe that the co-occurrence of two events is more likely than one event alone, even if this is statistically incorrect.

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Overconfidence Bias

The tendency to overestimate our knowledge or abilities.

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Belief Perseverance

The tendency to cling to our beliefs even when presented with contradictory evidence.

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Gene-Environment Interaction

When environmental factors influence the expression of genes, leading to variation in a trait even with the same genetic makeup.

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Epigenetics

Changes in gene expression that are not caused by alterations in the DNA sequence itself.

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Homeostasis

The function of behavior, aimed at maintaining a stable internal state.

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Innate Behavior

A type of behavior that is genetically programmed and present from birth, unaffected by learning.

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Central Dogma of Genetics

The process of transferring genetic information from DNA to RNA to proteins, which ultimately affects behavior.

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Intrinsic Behavior

A type of innate behavior that is present even in isolation.

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Stereotypic Behavior

A type of innate behavior performed the same way each time.

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Inflexible Behavior

A type of innate behavior unaffected by experience.

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Heredity

The study of how traits are passed from parents to offspring through genes.

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Twin Studies

A research method that compares identical (monozygotic) and fraternal (dizygotic) twins to study the influence of genetics and environment on traits.

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Monozygotic Twins

Twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits into two embryos.

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Dizygotic Twins

Twins who develop from two separate eggs fertilized by two different sperm.

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Adoption Studies

A research method that compares adopted children to their biological and adoptive families to study the influence of genetics and environment on traits.

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Heritability

The proportion of variation in a trait that can be attributed to genetic differences.

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Problem with Twin Studies

An assumption that identical twins are treated more similarly than fraternal twins, potentially influencing study results.

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Problem with Adoption Studies

An assumption that adopted families are often matched to biological families, making it difficult to separate genetic and environmental influences.

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Study Notes

Social Psychology

  • Focuses on how individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by others and social situations.
  • Includes concepts like conformity, obedience, groupthink, persuasion, attitudes, and prejudice.
  • Investigates how social factors impact individual decision-making, behavior, and relationships.

Cognitive Psychology

  • Studies mental processes like memory, attention, perception, language, problem-solving, and decision-making.
  • Investigates how these processes work and the brain structures and mechanisms involved.
  • Explores topics like memory encoding, storage, retrieval, attentional mechanisms, and problem-solving strategies.
  • Also explores intelligence, and how intelligence and other mental capacities develop over time

Developmental Psychology

  • Examines changes in thoughts, behaviors, and emotions over a lifespan, from conception to old age.
  • Investigates how biological, social, and environmental factors influence development.
  • Focuses on physical, cognitive, social, and emotional changes at different stages.
  • Explores various theories (e.g., Piaget, Erikson, Vygotsky).

Biological Basis of Behavior

  • Explores how biological systems (e.g., nervous, endocrine, immune) govern cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes.
  • Includes neurotransmitters, hormones, brain structures, genetics, and the influence of biological factors on human cognition, emotion, and behavior.
  • Includes important physiological processes like the function and structure of the nervous system, hormones, and genetics.

Social Structures and Institutions

  • Looks at the patterned social arrangements in society that influence individuals and groups.
  • Investigates how social institutions (e.g., family, education, religion, government) affect behavior and social outcomes.
  • Analyzes how social systems impact inequality, stratification, and the norms and values of a society.
  • Includes topics like social stratification (based on class, race, gender), social institutions, and globalization theories.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts in biopsychology, focusing on the vestibular system, phototransduction, and twin studies. This quiz covers essential topics ranging from sensory processing to genetic influences on behavior. Challenge yourself with questions about the functions of specific cells and theories in psychology!

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