Foundations of Neuropsychology
This foundational debate in early neuropsychology asked whether complex psychological functions arise from specific brain regions or from the brain acting as an integrated whole.
Holism vs Localization
Educational background helps clinicians estimate this important premorbid factor.
premorbid cognitive ability
This test assesses cognitive flexibility by requiring examinees to alternate between numbers and letters.
What is the Trail Making Test Part B
(acceptable dkefs)
Free-standing validity tests are used to evaluate this essential aspect of test performance.
effort or performance validity
This lobe plays a major role in planning, inhibition, and set-shifting.
frontal lobe
This is a major advantage of flexible (non-battery) neuropsychological assessment.
the ability to tailor test selection to the referral question?
Name one way cultural background may influence test performance outside of language proficiency.
familiarity with testing practices or cultural norms
The Stroop Color-Word Test primarily measures this executive function.
Response inhibition
Children fatigue more quickly during assessment due to limitations in this developmental domain.
attentional stamina or self-regulation
This disorder commonly includes significant deficits in sustained attention.
ADHD
(Other acceptable: TBI, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s)
Empiricism influenced modern neuropsychology because it emphasized this type of data.
observable, measurable behavior.
Psychiatric history informs neuropsychological interpretation because psychiatric symptoms can do this to cognitive performance.
is mimic or mask cognitive deficits
This type of attention is the ability to maintain focus over prolonged periods.
sustained attention
Bilingualism can complicate neuropsychological assessment results because of differences in this type of linguistic ability.
Academic language proficiency (CALP)
This limbic structure helps direct attention toward emotionally meaningful stimuli.
amygdala
This psychometric property reflects a test’s ability to correctly identify true negatives.
Specificity
Name one behavioral observation during testing that may guide diagnostic formulation.
fatigue, impulsivity, or anxiety affecting performance
Damage to this brain lobe often impairs controlled processing and goal-directed organization.
frontal lobe
Name one clinical context where symptom exaggeration concerns may be particularly elevated.
forensic or disability evaluation
Provide one example of automatic processing and one example of controlled processing.
Automatic: Reading familiar words.
Controlled: Inhibiting reading to name ink color on Stroop.
(other acceptable: ruff 2 &7 example)
Name two potential consequences of failing to follow standardized administration procedures.
reduced reliability and invalid test results
Why must sensitivity and specificity be considered together?
Because each balances the risk of false positives and false negatives
Provide one example of how examiner behavior may influence an examinee’s alertness or motivation.
providing overly frequent prompts, creating pressure, or giving unclear instructions
What diagnostic conclusion cannot be made when multiple PVTs are failed
drawing conclusions from cognitive test scores
(Because the data are invalid)
Difficulty ignoring irrelevant visual features (e.g., extra shapes on a cancellation task) reflects impairment in this attention system.
is selective attention