Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior, AP Psychology Exam Cram, Multiple Choice Practice Questions

This paragraph introduces a video designed to test viewers' knowledge of biopsychology, specifically the brain and nervous system. The video focuses on practicing answers to multiple-choice questions similar to those found on the AP Psychology exam. The host suggests pausing the video to guess answers before revealing them. The first question discusses the potential for blindness due to damage to specific brain areas, emphasizing the importance of knowing brain lobes and cortex. The occipital lobe and visual cortex are identified as crucial for vision, and a memory technique is shared to help distinguish between different lobes.

The second paragraph delves into the effects of consuming bad sushi, which can lead to muscle control issues due to bacterial interference. The discussion revolves around neurotransmitters and hormones, ruling out serotonin, insulin, Thorazine, and adrenaline as they do not directly relate to muscle control. Acetylcholine is identified as the key chemical associated with muscle movement, memory, and learning, making it the correct answer to the question posed.

This section examines the concept of contralateral control in the brain, explaining how each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body. Using the example of paralysis in the left arm, the paragraph clarifies that damage to the right hemisphere would be responsible. The summary involves eliminating incorrect answers based on the crisscross rule and identifies the motor cortex in the frontal lobe of the right hemisphere as the correct answer.

The fourth paragraph explores the role of neurotransmitters in increasing the likelihood of a neuron firing. It explains the process of synaptic transmission, where neurotransmitters cross the synaptic gap to stimulate the next neuron. The summary dismisses incorrect options and concludes that excitatory neurotransmitters are responsible for increasing the possibility of neuronal firing.

The focus of this paragraph is on the type of brain waves associated with deep or slow-wave sleep. It describes the process of measuring brain waves through an EEG and contrasts the brain waves present during different stages of sleep. The summary identifies delta waves as the correct answer, which are characteristic of deep sleep stages non-REM 3 and 4.

The sixth paragraph discusses the potential causes of deafness, including damage to the inner ear or a specific brain area. It uses a memory technique involving the thumb to represent the brain and identifies the temporal lobe as the area responsible for hearing. The summary narrows down the options by eliminating those not related to the temporal lobe and concludes that the connections between the auditory nerve and the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe are the correct answer.

This section examines the part of the nervous system responsible for voluntary muscle movement, such as raising a hand. It distinguishes between the central and peripheral nervous systems and further breaks down the peripheral system into somatic and autonomic divisions. The summary identifies the somatic system as the correct answer, as it controls voluntary behaviors.

The eighth paragraph delves into the process of neuron depolarization, which is another term for an action potential. It uses the memory technique 'salty banana' to represent the flow of sodium (Na) and potassium (K) ions during this process. The summary concludes that the initiation of depolarization occurs when sodium ions begin to flow into the cell.

This section discusses the Information Processing Theory of dreams, which suggests that dreams occur during REM sleep and serve to process daily stress and events. The summary dismisses other theories of dreams, such as activation synthesis, Freud's wish fulfillment, and the idea that dreams are processed by one level of consciousness, concluding that the Information Processing Theory is the correct answer.

The tenth paragraph identifies the part of the brain responsible for decision making. It reviews different brain structures, such as the thalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus, before concluding that the prefrontal cortex, located in the frontal lobe, is the correct answer as it is associated with reasoning, impulse control, and decision making.

The eleventh paragraph examines the classification of the somatic nervous system. It distinguishes between the central and peripheral nervous systems and further divides the peripheral system into somatic and autonomic components. The summary identifies the somatic nervous system as part of the peripheral nervous system, as it controls voluntary muscle movements.

This section discusses the classification of drugs, focusing on stimulants and their effects on the nervous system. It contrasts stimulants with depressants and hallucinogens. The summary eliminates options such as heroin, alcohol, and codeine, which are depressants, and ecstasy, which is a hallucinogen, concluding that nicotine is the correct answer as a stimulant.

The thirteenth paragraph explores the concept of brain plasticity, which is the brain's ability to adapt to changes after damage. It uses the example of a 10-year-old named Jenna who underwent surgery to remove most of her right hemisphere. The summary identifies the ability to move her left hand as the best illustration of brain plasticity, as it is controlled by the opposite, now compensating, hemisphere.

This section discusses the use of brain scans to assess structural damage, particularly after a car crash. It differentiates between scans that measure structure and those that measure function. The summary eliminates options such as PET scans, EEGs, and fMRIs, which measure brain activity, and concludes that an MRI is the correct answer for assessing structural damage.

The fifteenth paragraph examines sleep disorders such as night terrors and somnambulism (sleepwalking), which are characterized by physical movement during sleep. It reviews the stages of sleep and identifies that these disorders occur during non-REM sleep stages, specifically stage four, where the body is not paralyzed and can move.