Biological Bases of Behavior
What part of the brain relays sensory information (except smell) to the appropriate areas of the cortex?
The thalamus
A child becomes afraid of dogs after being bitten once. What type of learning explains this fear?
Classical conditioning
What memory system briefly holds sensory information for a fraction of a second?
Sensory memory
A toddler hides a toy and understands it still exists even when out of sight. Which concept is demonstrated?
Object permanence
A student blames a classmate’s bad grade on laziness, ignoring that the test was unusually difficult. What bias is this?
Fundamental attribution error
A patient has damage to a brain area and can no longer coordinate balance or fine motor movements. Which structure is most likely damaged?
The cerebellum
A teacher gives surprise quizzes, and students study more consistently because they never know when the next quiz will come. Which schedule is this?
Variable interval schedule
What type of forgetting occurs when you cannot retrieve information even though it is stored in memory?
Retrieval failure
A teenager is exploring different identities but has not made clear commitments to goals or values. Which stage is this in Erikson’s theory?
Identity vs role confusion
In Milgram’s experiment, participants continued shocking others because the researcher told them to continue. What concept does this demonstrate?
Obedience to authority
What neurotransmitter is most closely linked to reward, motivation, and addiction?
Dopamine
A rat presses a lever more often when it sometimes receives food after an unpredictable number of presses. What reinforcement schedule is this?
Variable ratio schedule
A student remembers words better when they are studied in the same room where the test is taken. What concept explains this?
Context-dependent memory
In Freud’s theory, what part of personality represents moral standards and conscience?
Superego
A person in a group is less likely to help a victim because they assume someone else will intervene. What effect explains this?
Bystander effect
After a stroke, a patient can understand speech but cannot produce meaningful language. Which area is most likely damaged?
Broca’s area
A student observes a classmate getting praised for answering questions and starts participating more in class. What learning process is this?
Observational learning
In a memory experiment, participants are given a list of words and recall the first and last words best. What are these effects called?
Primacy and recency effects
A researcher finds that people who believe they can succeed in math problems actually perform better over time. What concept explains this?
Self-efficacy
A patient experiences sudden episodes of intense fear, sweating, and heart palpitations without warning. What disorder is this?
Panic disorder
What brain imaging technique measures metabolic activity by tracking glucose use in the brain?
PET scan
A behavior increases after a loud noise stops when the correct response is performed. What is this an example of?
Negative reinforcement
A witness to a crime is asked leading questions and later remembers details that were not actually present. What process best explains this?
Misinformation effect
A personality test measures openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. What model is being used?
The Big Five personality traits
A student has been feeling persistently sad, low in energy, and has lost interest in activities they used to enjoy for several months. They also struggle with negative thoughts like “I’m not good enough” and “Nothing will ever get better.” A therapist works with them to identify and challenge these negative thought patterns and replace them with more realistic thinking.
What disorder and treatment are being described?
Major depressive disorder and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)